Hide and Seek (24 page)

“What about this?” the saleslady interrupted. “The cut is exquisite.” She showed him another excessively large ring, this one heart shaped. Tacky.

“That's just not Elisa.” He shook his head and held up his hand. “Give me a moment, please.”

An almost inhuman noise escaped Lizzy. “It won't work, you know.”

“What won't work?” he scanned the case, looking for something smaller and more heartfelt. He did like the idea of his birthstone framing the diamond, just not so gaudy.

“Elisa can't be bought with a big diamond,” Lizzy barked. “And you…you…what do you think you're doing?” She stomped her foot. “You should leave town! Now!”

He ignored Lizzy's pouting. Now that he had her attention, he intended to be treated with some respect.

His eyes settled on a marquis cut, half carat that was framed with rubies, his birthstone. Perfect. “I'd like to see that one,” he requested. Looking put-out by his less costly choice, the saleslady handed him the ring and he took it between his fingers, turning it. He showed it to Lizzy, who eyed the jewelry like it was poison. “What about a hundred thousand dollars to the Peace Corps and a simpler ring? Would that make a more…appropriate proposal for someone like Elisa?”

Lizzy eyed the ring hesitantly, speaking through her teeth. “Elisa can't be bought. Not even with charity.”

Maxim rotated the ring in his fingers, watching it twinkle from the overhead light. “I don't want to buy her. I want to love her for who she is, for the rest of my life.”

“Oh, come on.”

“I'm serious.” He looked directly into Lizzy's eyes. “I respect Elisa, I respect her morals. I want to be more like her. I want her to know that when I propose.”

“But—” Shaking her head, Lizzy looked flustered. “You…you can't. Elisa's right. You're full of good lines.”

“It's not a line, Lizzy,” he told her firmly. “It's the way I feel. I've changed.”

“That's not possible.”

“Come on, Lizzy. Give me a chance. I
love
her. Haven't I shown that? Doesn't this prove it?”

She swallowed deeply. A tear formed in the corner of her eye. Lizzy stared at the ring he still held between his fingers. “It's perfect,” she whispered as if she were admitting the world was about to explode.

A smile spread on his face and he gave the ring one more turn. Damn, everything was falling into place. Turning to the saleslady, he nodded. “I'll take it.”

“We have an insurance policy available and—”

“No, no, just check me out.” He handed her the ring and reached in his pocket, pulling a credit card from his wallet. He gave it to her, then turned to Lizzy. “How about dinner?”

He was short on time, but he didn't want to let this situation between them go unchecked. He'd just call Elisa. Make something up.

“Dinner?” Lizzy squeaked. “I don't know. This is getting a little too weird, Maxim…”

“You and I, we may be family soon. We should get to know each other.”

She wrinkled her nose like he smelled. “Know each other?”

He shook his head. Getting through to her was like putting a nail through a brick. “You see evil in everything I say, don't you?”

“Yes.”

The saleslady handed him a slip to sign, which he did, then he retrieved the jewelry box, tucking it snugly in his inner coat pocket. He placed his hand on Lizzy's upper arm and guided her toward the door. “I want your esteem, Lizzy, nothing more, nothing less. I want us to be friends.”

“Friends? I don't know…I have to admit, I'm not crazy over Elisa being with you. I'm not sure I can support this ‘thing' between the two of you.”

“Well, just give me a chance. What can it hurt?”

She sighed. “Okay. We'll see. But I'm headed to dinner with some friends, so maybe another—”

“Great.” Maxim clutched her bicep firmly enough that she couldn't escape. He'd be damned if he gave her a chance to stall or avoid him, not now, when he finally had her talking to him with some measure of civility. “I'll trail along. I'm starved.”

B
y
the time she reached the edge of town, Elisa felt like a fool—a genuine, full-fledged idiot was on skis. It was snowing its ass off again, and she was still sick. She shouldn't be outside at all.

What would Maxim think of her desperately chasing after him? Good grief, he could
not
find out about this. At least when she'd come into Aspen he'd had the balls to wait at the cabin patiently. But then, she'd told him she was going.

Damn it, she really ought to turn back. It was the logical, sane thing to do.

But to hell with reason! She couldn't resist the temptation to spy on Maxim, not even to save her life.

Biting her lower lip, she tried to reassure herself that what she was doing was no big deal. She was here, so she might as well check Maxim out…assuming she could find him. Not that she was going on a big scavenger hunt. She would simply glance around. It wasn't a crime.

But then she was heading back to the cabin, no bones about it.

Elisa took the trail she always did, skiing up to the rear of Play. Taking off her skis, she left them propped behind the club and walked around the building to the sidewalk.

Elisa glanced at her watch. She couldn't believe how long he'd been gone. It would be dark soon. Dinner hour. Well, if she got caught, she'd simply claim she was meeting Lizzy for a meal.

Strolling down the street past small shops, cafes, and restaurants, Elisa walked blindly. Now that she was here, it occurred to her that she didn't have a clue where to look. He'd never told her the name of his hotel…so what was she going to do? Comb all of Aspen?

Not likely.

This was ridiculous. With a sigh, she relinquished her crazy quest. She'd just get a bite to eat and go home. If Maxim didn't come back to the cabin, then so be it.

The thought made her heart thud, but she forced herself to ignore the reaction. She was behaving like a fool…exactly the kind of woman she'd sworn not to become.

Joe's, her and Lizzy's favorite pub and grill, was tucked into a cul-de-sac right around the corner, so she walked toward the bar, her mind reeling with regret and confusion. No matter how she felt, the Peace Corps was looking more and more sensible—something she needed to be right now. Maxim—

Maxim.

Shocked, Elisa stared in the huge, front window of Joe's, stunned to see him there.

With four women.

Laughing. Talking. Drinking.

With four women.

No, no, no! The bastard! How could he?

Tears welled in her eyes and her vision blurred. She stumbled backward.

If her mind had been spinning before, a tornado was tearing it apart now. God! She'd been right from the start. She wasn't enough for Maxim. No woman was. No woman ever would be.

She walked blindly until she bumped into a wall. Clenching her fists, she just stood there, feeling like an idiot. Max Cox was a man-slut and nothing would change that. Not even her and her silly little game.

Not even her love.

Oh God. What had she been thinking? She'd slept with him, given him her heart…

Why?
Would she never learn?

Sick to her stomach, Elisa turned and ran as fast as she could, needing to escape. She and Maxim weren't just over. They'd never existed in the first place.

M
axim
eyeballed the pay phone in the corner. He'd called three times, but maybe he should call again.

Why wasn't Elisa answering? He needed to get home, and as soon as Lizzy returned from her excessively long trip to the bathroom, he would.

“Maxim? Do you agree?”

“Huh?” Lost in thought, Maxim commanded himself to snap out of it and smiled graciously at the group of giggling women surrounding him. Damn, he'd never missed Elisa more.

“We were talking about Jenny getting a perm. What do you think? Wouldn't she look sexy with curls?” Terri inquired, a twinkle in her eyes.

“Sure,” he agreed. “I like curls.”

This conversation, the female company, was putting him to sleep. These women had talked about their hair for twenty minutes.

“Don't you think I look sexy now?” Jenny pouted.

Jesus. What was wrong with these women? They were fine through dinner, but ever since Lizzy had gone to the restroom, they were hitting on him like he was the last man on earth. Perhaps they'd had too much to drink.

Jenny moaned. “No answer?”

“Of course you look nice,” he answered stiffly.

All he wanted to do was return to Elisa. To make love to her all night long. To think, there'd been a time when he would've been in heaven being surrounded by four very friendly, very sexy women.

Not now. No one could hold a candle to Elisa. No female was as beautiful or intelligent as his lover. All he wanted, all he needed, was Elisa.

As soon as Lizzy returned, he was out of there. While she hadn't exactly pledged her faith in him, they'd managed to have an almost friendly discussion about Elisa. He got the idea that Lizzy was tolerating him, but coming from her that might be the best he could ever hope for.

“Hey! I've got an idea!” Jenny cried. “Let's play truth or dare.”

“Fun!” Terri clapped her hands. “Maxim goes first!”

Maxim restrained a groan. Suddenly, a foot brushed his. “Truth or dare, Maxim.” Cindy, the blonde across from him cooed.

He sure wasn't taking a dare from one of them. He'd end up naked.

Maxim tucked his foot under his chair and forced himself to continue smiling. “Truth,” he grunted.

She grinned, ear to ear. “Which one of us is the sexiest?”

Maxim just stared at her. Did she have any idea she had lipstick on her teeth? That she sounded loose?

Clearly these women had had one too many margaritas and the last thing he wanted was Lizzy's friends to tell her he'd been rude. “All of you are appealing in your own way. I try not to pick favorites.”

Carly, the redhead next to him, took that as an invitation to lean closer to him. “So you want to sleep with all of us?”

Whoa!
Talk about aggressive.

“Uh, no.” Flustered, Maxim leaned to the left. Carly's damn chair kept scooting closer and closer. Soon he'd fall off his seat from trying to avoid her busy hands. “No thank you. I'm seeing someone.”

“Ohhhh…” Cindy caught her foot around his ankle and rubbed her toes along his calf. “Are you sure?”

Geesh! What was with these women?

“Positive,” he grunted.

Was he giving off a scent or something?

He needed to leave. Now. Before he was raped.

“What about my hair, Maxim?” Carly questioned, practically flinging the brilliant locks in his face. “Do you like it? Do you want to touch it? Go ahead.”

It's not as silky or as long as Elisa's…

“Uh…”

She turned to face him, her lips coming dangerously close to his. “My other hair…it's not red. It's black,” she whispered. “Do you want to see?”

Awkward…

A bead of sweat rolled down his forehead. He cleared his throat and pulled back. Forget Lizzy. He'd had enough already. Placing his hands on the table, Maxim stood. “Ladies, I—”

“Leaving so soon?” Lizzy asked from behind him.

Thank God. He turned to her. “The steak was great, but I need to get going. Elisa isn't answering the phone and I'm certain she's worried.”

“Really?” Lizzy's brow rose. “No bites, girls?”

Huh? He looked at the other ladies, surprised by the ornery smiles replacing their seductive ones. “Bites? I'm afraid I don't follow.”

“No.” Carly leaned back in her chair and sighed. “Unfortunately, he was an angel.”

“Bites?” he asked again, looking to Lizzy.

“I told them to flirt with you. To act easy.” She shrugged her shoulders. “I figured you'd jump into another woman's bed the first chance you got. But it appears I was wrong. You really do love Elisa and you really have changed.”

“Yes.” He nodded, annoyed by her test, but even happier that she was accepting him.

Lizzy gave him a wink and a rare, genuine smile. “Then welcome to the family.”

Hot damn! Finally!

If he could get this harebrain to like him, surely he could get Elisa to accept his proposal. Suddenly, Maxim was on cloud nine. He felt like dancing. Singing. Making love all night long.

“Let's make that official.” Giddy, he opened his arms for a hug.

The blank stare returned. Lizzy looked at him like he was a maniac.
Him.

Shaking his head, he grinned. “Okay, no hug. Guess I was expecting too much at once. Listen, I better get going. It's late and I know Elisa is worried to death. I never even told her I was leaving.”

Incredibly, her brows rose higher. “You think you're going home,
tonight
?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Look outside, sugar,” Carly answered for Lizzy. “It's pitch black and snowing like God plans to bury this mountain. You try to go home and you'll kill yourself. Sure you don't want to rethink my invite?”

Maxim turned and stared out the window into the snowy night, filled with despair.
Damn it.