The Master Player

by Emma Darcy

  He pulled up a chair and sat beside the bed-man and dog both waiting for the most important person in their lives to stir, to respond to them again.

  Chloe moved sluggishly towards consciousness. Her eyelids felt too heavy to lift. It was easier to leave them closed. She might slide back into oblivion again. The memory of crying herself to sleep made a blank nothingness more desirable than having her mind recall the reasons for her misery, starting up another tormenting treadmill of thoughts. Better to keep them blocked out.

  She took a deep breath and wriggled into a different position, frowning as she realised there was other movement on the bed. Then a small wet tongue licked her forehead. Luther! Had she slept a long time, missing on giving him dinner? It was wrong to keep indulging herself if he was hungry. He’d been such a good guard dog.

  She dragged an arm up, pushed the bed-covers away from her head and affectionately ruffled the fur behind Luther’s ears. ‘It’s okay. Mummy’s waking up, baby,’ she mumbled, slowly forcing her eyes open.

  ‘I’m here, too.’

  Max’s voice-deep and gravelly, wanting his presence known and acknowledged.

  Her eyelids flew up.

  He was sitting on a chair beside the bed, leaning forward, elbows on his knees, his dark riveting eyes scanning hers anxiously. ‘I was worried about you, Chloe, so I let myself in.’

  She grimaced, remembering her promise to call him. ‘Sorry. Should have phoned. My mother came and…’

  ‘She came here?’

  His sharp concern brought back the whole horrible barrage of advice. ‘I won’t do it,’ she muttered fiercely.

  ‘Do what?’

  She hauled herself up to a sitting position, hugging her knees as she viewed the man she loved with rueful eyes, answering his question with blunt honesty. ‘Screw all I can get out of you while you’re still enjoying a relationship with me.’

  He straightened up in his chair, his face tightening with grimly held anger. ‘You shouldn’t have let her in, Chloe. Shouldn’t have listened to her.’

  ‘I didn’t let her in. But it’s a bit hard not to hear her when she’s shouting at you over the back fence.’

  ‘Persistent harridan!’ he grated out, rising to his feet, his hand flying out in a furious, cutting-off gesture. ‘You can’t stay here, Chloe. She’s going to keep pestering you now that she knows where you’re living. And she’ll tell Tony this address, have him camping on your doorstep next, use him to help muddy your mind against me, get you back with her. And him.’

  It was strange seeing Max so disturbed and edgy. He’d always been the man in absolute control of himself and the situation. She watched him stalk around her bedroom, aggression pouring from him as he talked through what was on his mind.

  ‘No doubt in the world that Tony won’t try to get you back, use Laura Farrell’s fraud to plead malevolent manipulation on her part, grovel for forgiveness…’

  Surprise spilled into an instant query. ‘You know about that?’

  He whirled to face her, throwing up his hands in wild dismissal. ‘I was worried about you not contacting me. I called Gerry Anderson, and before you say it wasn’t my business to ask him what was happening with you, I couldn’t stand not knowing if you were in some kind of trouble. Which is also why I used the key you gave me to enter this house when there was no response from you. And Luther showed me where you were because he understands I care about you,’ he finished vehemently, his eyes blazing a fierce refusal to accept any protest about his actions.

  At the mention of his name, Luther leapt up from his pillow and trotted down to the end of the bed for Max to pat him in approval. Which he did, eyeing Chloe with determined purpose. ‘I’m taking you and Luther home with me. No argument.’ He took out his mobile phone. ‘I’ll call Edgar, tell him we’re coming, ask Elaine to do dinner for two…’

  ‘No, Max.’ She shook her head at him. It was strange how calm she felt, probably from having spent all her emotion before falling asleep this afternoon. ‘I’m not going to run away from my life again.’

  He frowned. ‘You’re better off with me. I can protect you, ensure that…’

  ‘For how long, Max?’ she wryly inserted.

  ‘As long as need be,’ he retorted, his strength of purpose sharp and strong.

  She sighed, looking at him with sadly resigned eyes. ‘Eventually it will end…whatever you feel for me. And if I let myself become dependent on you, it will be even harder to manage on my own. Today was-’ she winced ‘-difficult…nasty…and I just wanted to shut it out, but I have to face other things that come up, Max, not expect you to always rescue me.’

  His mouth thinned in frustration. His eyes burned with the need to override her opposition. ‘I don’t like it,’ burst from him with explosive feeling. ‘I don’t like you being on your own. You belong with me.’

  Belong…?

  Her heart flipped at his use of that word. It was the first time he had expressed such a possessive connection-the deep caring it carried. She stared at him, her breathing completely suspended, hopes and fears tumbling through her mind as her need and love for him beat through them, demanding the chance for real fulfilment.

  Yet there was one question she wanted answered and it spilled out in a wild rush. ‘Would you have had sex with her, Max?’

  ‘What?’ He looked stunned, confused.

  ‘Laura Farrell…’ A flood of heat burned her cheeks as she explained what she needed to know. ‘If she had come onto you in a bathroom…like unzipping you…and…and being aggressively available…’

  His grimace held an appalled distaste, wiping the horrid image from her mind even before he spoke a vehement denial. ‘Never! I would have knocked her back so fast…’ He shook his head, frowning over her need to ask. ‘I’ve been targeted by women like that many times, Chloe. I’ve always turned them away. They’re not only trouble, they’re not my choice.’

  The relief of absolute certainty was sweet. Of course, Max wouldn’t take on anything he didn’t choose himself. She should have known that. The formidable drive of the man was based on pursuing his will. The master of control. Although he didn’t seem so absolutely in control of himself right now.

  ‘Is that how Tony excused his infidelity?’ he shot at her, brows beetling down over a dark blaze of anger in his eyes.

  ‘It doesn’t matter, Max.’

  ‘It matters to me if you think I’d act like that.’

  ‘No.’ She offered an apologetic smile. ‘I realise now you wouldn’t. I’m sorry for bringing it up.’

  ‘I’m not like Tony, Chloe,’ he stated fiercely.

  ‘I know.’ She heaved a sigh. ‘This whole messy business muddled up my mind.’

  ‘Which is why I want you free of it.’ A few quick strides and he was sitting at her side on the bed, one arm curled around her shoulder, turning her towards him, his other hand tenderly caressing her tumbled hair away from her face, his eyes intensely commanding surrender to his will. ‘Come home with me, at least for tonight, Chloe. You’ve had more than enough to deal with today. Let me take you back to Hill House. Let Elaine pamper you with a fine dinner. Give yourself this time to relax and not be hassled by anything.’

  He kissed her forehead, as though imprinting his words on her mind. ‘Say you will,’ he murmured, drawing back enough to give her a self-mocking little smile. ‘If only to save me from worrying about you.’

  She couldn’t help smiling back. ‘Well, that’s something I can rescue you from. So yes, I will. Go ahead and call Edgar while I have a shower and get dressed.’

  It was an easy decision to make. Max did care about her and she loved his caring, wanting to bask in it as long as she could. And maybe he would want her to belong with him forever. She had to give it a chance. It was impossible to imagine ever meeting another man as wonderful as him-a man in a million, Maximilian Hart.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  CHLOE stood under the shower, growing slightly uneasy about her impulsive de
cision to go with Max to Hill House. It began to feel too much like the beginning of their relationship when she’d taken refuge with him, letting him keep her safe from the same three people who had once again caused her distress. Though she had stood up to them this time-turned them all away from the life she was making for herself. It was really their references to her relationship with Max that had upset her.

  But they were wrong about him only wanting her for sexual pleasure. Max cared about her. He’d helped her develop into the more confident person she had become under his guidance-capable of managing by herself, choosing what answered her needs. There was nothing selfish about that. And he worried about her well-being, which surely meant she was much more to him than a throw-away woman who merely served the purpose of satisfying him for a while.

  You belong with me now.

  Chloe hugged those fiercely spoken words to her heart as she stepped out of the shower, dried herself, and began to get dressed. They felt as though they held a promise that Max would never throw her away. If that was true, letting him take her home with him was okay-a step into a future she hadn’t allowed herself to envisage before. Although maybe she was hoping for too much.

  Anyway, it was only for one night. The chance that it might mean what she yearned for was worth taking, even though it was going to hurt if it came to nothing apart from removing Max’s concern for her.

  It wasn’t until she automatically checked her appearance in the mirror that she realised her hands had chosen the same blue-and-white polka dot dress she had worn to Hill House the first time Max had taken her there. It shook her for a moment. Was it some psychological slip back into the past?

  Then she remembered feeling that electric connection between them when Max had walked into the hotel room and seen her dressed in it. Perhaps it had been more than an unspoken mutual sexual attraction-possibly a subconscious recognition that they would become deeply significant in each other’s lives. Chloe wanted to believe that. She kept the dress on, wanting it to be a good omen for the future she couldn’t help hoping for.

  Having brushed her hair and livened up her face with some make-up, she took a deep breath to settle the nervous flutters in her stomach and walked out of her bedroom to the top of the staircase. Max was in the hallway below, in the act of carrying Luther’s transportation basket to the front door, ready to go.

  ‘We don’t have to take Luther with us, Max,’ she called out. ‘He’s used to staying here alone when we go to functions.’

  He swung around, looking up at her, his dark eyes blazing with determined purpose, battle-tension making his strong, male face all hard angles. ‘This isn’t a function,’ he asserted. Then as he took in her appearance, his expression changed, softening, warming into a smile of pleasure, his eyes transmitting an intense satisfaction that shot a bolt of happiness through Chloe. Clearly she looked right to him. Maybe he was even thinking she was right for him.

  ‘Luther will be happier with us, Chloe,’ he said.

  With us…the two of them…the three of them together.

  ‘I’ve promised him chicken for dinner,’ he added persuasively. ‘Elaine is already cooking it for him. You know how he loves chicken.’

  She laughed, needing some outlet for the bubble of bliss that had bounced around her mind. ‘Okay. I can’t do him out of that treat,’ she replied, telling herself not to attach too much meaning to everything. It would be too big a letdown if she wove a fantasy that had nothing to do with reality.

  He watched her walk down the stairs, making her acutely aware of his physical effect on her-the tug that grew stronger with every step she took towards him. He told her he’d locked up the house apart from the front door, which he proceeded to open, ushering her outside. Once they were in his car and on their way, he reached over and took her hand, interlacing his fingers with hers in a strong grip.

  Warmth flooded up her arm and tingled through her heart. He wanted connection with her. It definitely wasn’t just sexual. She stared down at the physical link he’d just made, not a seductive, sensual one but powerfully possessive, reinforcing those wonderfully sweet words-you belong with me.

  Please let it be true, Chloe wished, her whole being aching for it to be so. What she had once felt with Tony-being in love-had been such a fluffy, insubstantial thing compared to the depth of her love for Max. She knew there could never be another man to replace him in her life. If he didn’t love her as she loved him…but she didn’t want to think about that tonight. She simply wanted to soak up all Max’s caring for her-caring she’d never had from her mother or Tony.

  They arrived at the gates to his property at Vaucluse. He released her hand to operate the remote control to open them. As they drove in and Hill House came into view, a sense of homecoming seared her soul. This was why she had stayed away. It was a magical house with its classical perfection, promising a happy life inside its stately walls. Max had shared it with her. She had loved being here with him.

  He parked the car in the courtyard adjacent to the front entrance of the mansion. He didn’t immediately alight from the driver’s seat, turning to her instead, taking her hand again and studying her face intently as though he needed to see every shade of her response as he said, ‘It wasn’t only the three E’s who’ve missed having you here, Chloe. I’ve missed you, too. I hope you feel right about coming back tonight. It feels very right to me.’

  For a moment she felt too choked up to speak. His fingers were dragging on the flesh of her hand as though wanting to dig inside her, feel what was going on in her mind and heart and soul. It was impossible to hide how much his words meant to her. She tried not to answer him too fervently.

  ‘Yes, it does feel good, Max. Thank you for…’

  ‘No need to thank me.’ He smiled, happy with her reply, his happiness sending hers zooming to giddy heights. ‘This house is waiting for you to light it up with your presence. Let’s not make it wait any longer.’

  She could hardly believe Max saying such a romantic thing to her but she glowed with pleasure at the lovely fantasy that she lit up his home. And he’d missed her being here. Max always spoke the truth. He wasn’t into deception. There was no reason not to believe him.

  Luther had fallen asleep in his transportation basket. Max lifted it out before collecting her from the passenger seat, offering his arm for the walk up the porch steps. The front door was opened by Edgar before they reached it, the portly butler half-bowing to Max as he stood back to give them entry.

  ‘Good evening, Mr Hart.’ Then he actually broke his air of great dignity to smile at Chloe. ‘Welcome home, Miss Rollins. We are all delighted to be of service to you again.’

  Her heart swelled with a huge rush of emotion. It was so good to be with people who truly liked you and wished you well, no rotten agendas for using you. Her own smile beamed delight back at him. ‘Thank you, Edgar. I’ve missed you, too. And Elaine and Eric. It’s lovely to be…here with you all once more,’ she finished in a rush.

  It had been on the tip of her tongue to say home, but as much as she wanted it to be, it wasn’t really hers. Not yet. Maybe not ever.

  Nevertheless, the three E’s went out of their way to make her feel at home. When she and Max took Luther to the kitchen, Elaine fussed over her as though she was a long-lost daughter, Eric was all smiles, saying he’d planted her favourite flowers in pots outside the children’s house. Luther woke up and Eric took him out of the basket to give him a cuddle-with much face-licking-exclaiming over how much the little fella had grown and what a good dog he was, great company for when he was working in the grounds.

  Edgar served them dinner in the dining room with more panache than usual, encouraging Chloe’s appetite by describing in detail the courses Elaine had prepared and informing Max he’d taken the liberty of opening a bottle of his finest wine, which Max instantly approved as entirely appropriate.

  Amazingly, Chloe completely relaxed over dinner, basking in the flow of benevolence towards her and the car
ing implicit in everything Max said and did. The food was superb, the wine divine, and she felt beautifully pampered as though she was very special to everyone at Hill House. And Max’s eyes kept telling she was. Which fed the hope that he really meant this to be her home, as well as his.

  Not a refuge.

  A real home.

  For always.

  After dinner, he suggested they stroll down to the children’s house to check out Eric’s flower pots. Daylight saving was still in force so it was only twilight, not too dark to see. She happily agreed, linking her arm with his, loving the feeling of being close to this very special man, wanting the complete sense of intimacy with him.

  Max also seemed content to simply have her at his side, remaining silent as they walked around the pool patio. It was a beautiful evening. Stars were appearing in the violet sky. The air was scented with the jasmine that covered some of the pergola. With the northern side of the city lighting up beyond the harbour, it was like looking at a sparkling fairyland over the water.

  She smiled to herself, remembering how nervous and wary she’d felt in Max’s presence when she’d first come here, disturbed by the sexual magnetism of the man, fearful of his motives for taking her into his protection. He truly cared about her, cared for the person she was and the person she wanted to be. No-one could have looked after her as well as he had, keeping her safe, leading her into thinking for herself, making decisions, acting on them.

  She hugged his arm and leaned her head against his shoulder as they descended the flight of steps to the children’s terrace. ‘Thank you for being the man you are, Max,’ she said.

  ‘I’m no longer who I was,’ he answered in a wry tone. ‘I should be thanking you for the woman you are, Chloe. You’ve changed the way I’ve viewed life, made me aware there’s far more to be had than what I’d aimed for…settled for…’

  ‘Like what?’ she asked, curious to know and understand the effect she’d had on him.