Roarke stroked his goatee as he recalled her finely drawn features, straight nose, and sweeping cheekbones. Brown freckles adorned the bridge of her nose and swept across her cheeks to whisper secrets in her shell-like ears. How he longed to be those freckles.
Yes, guilt weighed heavily on him, but the anticipation over their first meeting already dimmed the annoying prick of his conscience. She was his to play with, although he didn’t want to hurt her. She honestly believed he could keep Bobby from working again, so she would do whatever he asked. Roarke fought down a flush of embarrassment at the lie he had told. He had power, but not that much.
He fell into fantasizing about their first encounter before abruptly realizing the condo was still on the market and completely bare of furniture. He hadn’t really believed it would work, and so he hadn’t prepared a plan. The script called for the playboy to arrange weekly meetings in a hotel room he owned for the convenience of his myriad trysts. Having no suite in reserve, Roarke had impulsively settled for the next best thing. The keys to the condo he’d had on the market for over a month had been conveniently nearby, to his relief.
Unfortunately, because of a lack of preparation, he only had three days to get everything in place. He temporarily put a hold on the delicious erotic images parading through his mind to focus on practical matters. After all, they couldn’t play the game without props.
Chapter Three
Sacrifices
By the time Maya and Bobby returned to their new apartment, she knew she couldn’t go through with the bargain she had made with Roarke Thomas. They would find some way to repay the money. Maybe even enlist the help of an attorney. She wished she carried a recorder with her everywhere so she would have proof of his coercion. Too bad she wasn’t the star of a movie or the heroine of a book. She might have been prepared for the bizarre situation had she been.
“Whadya think?” Bobby asked as he tossed the keys on the hall table before he unbuttoned his shirt.
“Didn’t I just blow your mind?”
Maya nodded, unable to summon a smile. She tried to recapture her previous enjoyment of Bobby’s performance, but she was too preoccupied. How would she tell him? He would be so distraught.
His lower lip sank into a downward curve. “I can tell you loved it.” He tossed the expensive red silk shirt onto the thick gray-green carpeting.
She noticed his sarcasm and forced a smile when she touched his bare arm. “You were wonderful, as always.”
“Why didn’t you say so before I had to ask you?”
“I’ve been thinking about something.”
His eyes widened. “What could be more important than me?”
“Mr. Thomas called me into his office.” She twisted a long strand of hair around her finger nervously. “He wanted…” She broke off as she searched for the right words. “Well, he started out by talking about you.”
Bobby gripped her upper arms. “Really? What did he say? Did he love me?”
“He said he could make sure you have a long career.” Maya didn’t have a chance to add more.
“Yeah. He loves me.”
“But, Bobby…”
“What?”
Maya bit her lip before continuing. “He wants something in return.”
“I’ll do anything.”
“He wants me,” she burst out.
Bobby blinked. “What?”
“He wants me to sleep with him to further your career.” Maya’s eyes widened when Bobby laughed. “What’s so damn funny?”
“Seriously, what did he want?”
She glared at him. “He wants me to become his virtual sex slave for the remainder of shoot time.”
He finally seemed to realize it wasn’t a joke. “But that doesn’t make any sense.”
She frowned at him with confusion. “Huh?”
“He’s surrounded by beautiful women all day. Why would he pick you?”
Tears flooded Maya’s eyes.
He awkwardly patted her shoulder. “I didn’t mean it that way, babe. It’s just he could have his pick of any starlet. I don’t understand why he wants my fiancée.”
She sniffled, trying to fight back the tears. Of course, he hadn’t meant to hurt her feelings. And he had a point. Why plain old Maya when he could have any woman? “I don’t know.”
“What did you tell him?”
Instead of answering, Maya said, “He threatened to fire you and demand your advance back. He said you’d never work again if I said no.”
“My god, he can’t do that.”
She nodded. “I thought maybe a lawyer—”
Bobby waved his hand. “Too much of a hassle, and we have no proof.” His blue eyes darkened. “I want you to know that I’m not happy about this, but I won’t hold it against you.”
Maya stared up at him with a frown. “Are you saying you think I should…?” She shook her head, certain she had misunderstood. “You really want me to do this?”
With a solemn expression, Bobby pulled her against him. “I don’t think we have a choice.”
“We can fight this,” she said against his bare chest.
“Maya, we don’t have the money for all that. If he fires me and I have to repay the advance, how will we manage? Especially if he ruins my career. I’ll have to go back to Serpent Springs with my tail between my legs.” He patted her back. “I don’t want to share you at all, and definitely not with that perv, but we’re both making sacrifices.”
She lifted her head and didn’t fight the tears. “Not this, please. I’ll work two jobs until we have enough to repay him. I’ll even borrow money from my folks.” The prospect filled her with revulsion, but she would do anything to avoid Thomas’s bargain.
His fingers were tender as he touched her face. “I hate this as much as you do.”
Her lips trembled as she recognized the acceptance in his eyes. “I can’t do it, Bobby. I’ve never been with anyone else.”
“We both promised to do whatever it took to help my career.”
She closed her eyes and recoiled from his reminder, but was unable to deny she had made the vow. She was defeated when she dropped her head against his chest again and sobbed.
“It won’t be so bad.” Bobby’s tone was soothing. “Once it’s over, we’ll pretend it never happened. It won’t change things for us.”
How could it not? The words were on the tip of her tongue, but Maya knew it was pointless to utter them. Bobby saw the long-term benefits of a short-term sacrifice. He was right—she knew that. Every fiber of her being protested it was wrong, but she knew it was the only option. She would grit her teeth, endure whatever that Thomas guy had in mind, and think of Bobby every step of the way.
Chapter Four
First Encounter
Maya took a taxi to the apartment on Flower de Boliva and used the key Roarke had given her to open the glass doors and access the elevator. She took it to the fourteenth floor, where she stepped out into the luxurious hallway. Her sandals sank into the deep carpet, which completely cushioned the sound of each step.
At precisely two-thirty, she let herself into the apartment. She tried to quell her nervous stomach as it protested her presence there. Her eyes widened at the bare living room and kitchen. There were no furnishings—not even pictures on the wall or a phone. The only items in the kitchen were a fridge, stove, and dishwasher. The white tile sparkled, and the scent of lemon cleaner still hung in the air.
Her legs shook as she walked down the hallway. Was he here yet? “Hello?”
“In here, Maya. The last room on your left.”
The sound of his voice made her grimace as she made her way down the bare hallway. Two of the four doors stood cracked open, and each room was bare. A closed door separated her from him in the other room. She knocked on the black wood and felt ridiculously like she waited for someone important to admit her.
“Come in.”
She took a deep breath, and then twisted the doorknob and entered the bedroom. This
room had only a recliner positioned near the foot of the massive bed. He sat with his feet up on the footrest. A glass of amber liquid rested in the cup holder built into the elegant black recliner. A box lay on the bed.
“Welcome.”
She frowned at him, refusing to answer. She didn’t care how petulant her behavior seemed. It didn’t hurt to remind him she didn’t want to be here.
He waved her closer, and her reluctant feet obeyed. When she stood within touching distance, he handed her a sheet of paper. “What’s this?” She stared at the crisp, white paper and tried to make sense of the black letters.
“My health report.”
She dropped the envelope she held onto his lap before she looked at his page. Maya had no idea how to interpret it, but assumed he wouldn’t have shared it with her if it revealed anything negative.
He opened the envelope and scanned the pages. “Excellent. You’re on the Pill, I see.”
“Yes.”
Roarke took a drink from his glass. He fidgeted with the envelope, and then sat up so abruptly the footrest folded in with a snap. “Would you like iced tea? It’s all I have on hand.” He winked at her. “I know tea isn’t the stiff drink you probably think you need to get through this.”
She shook her head and crossed her arms over her chest. She ignored his banter as she studied him. Was it her imagination, or did he seem lost? Maya dared to hope he had changed his mind. “What now?”
“Take off your clothes.”
Her eyes widened. “Already?”
He shrugged.
She compressed her lips into a straight line. “Fine. Where’s the bathroom?”
“Out here.”
Maya shook her head.
He grinned up at her. “I only want to see what you’re wearing under those shorts and that prim little shirt you have buttoned all the way to your neck.”
With a glower, Maya unbuckled the belt on her khaki shorts and pulled it off. She maintained her glare when she dropped it on the floor. She tried to blank all thoughts from her mind as she fumbled with the zipper and button and pushed down the shorts. She shuddered when his eyes caressed the length of her leg from the hip to her toes in the rope sandals.
“Very nice.” He sported a visible erection, and his eyes gleamed with appreciation. “The shirt too.”
Maya bit her lip as her trembling hands fumbled with the first few buttons. She saw his lips part as the shirt gaped open at her breasts. She struggled to prevent the flush as it blossomed on her cheeks. She finished unbuttoning the shirt and let it fall to the floor. I have nothing to be embarrassed about. He’s the one who should be ashamed. Her pep talk didn’t ward off an attack of self-consciousness as he eyed her critically.
Roarke shook his head and clicked his tongue. “Chain store bra and panties, Maya? It’s a crime to cover your luscious curves with plain white cotton.”
She tossed her head back and resisted the urge to cover her breasts when his eyes lingered. “Why does it matter what I wear under my clothes? No one sees it.”
“Bobby does.”
She lifted a shoulder. “He doesn’t care.”
“Well, I do.” He pointed to the box. “That is for you.”
“No, thank you.”
He smiled. “It’s not a choice, Maya.”
She frowned at him as she marched to the bed and ripped the box open. She faltered at the sight of the white teddy. Although she worked the makeup counter, Maya had picked up enough during her tenure with Macy’s to know the material was real silk and probably very expensive. She was careful to ensure it didn’t snag on the box as she lifted it out and laid it across the bed. “You want me to wear this?”
He nodded.
“But…” Maya couldn’t think of a reason not to, and even the skimpy covering it would provide was preferable to complete nudity. “Where’s the bathroom?”
Roarke quirked a brow, but clearly decided to indulge her. “Through that door.” He pointed to the door by the closet.
Maya scooped up the teddy and swept through the black door that contrasted so dramatically with the silver walls. The bathroom was as unfurnished as the rest of the condo, without so much as even a bath mat. Two fluffy towels sat on the counter, but they were the only personal touches she could see.
In an attempt to delay the inevitable, Maya opened the medicine cabinet to snoop, but didn’t find even one bottle or tube. She closed the mirror and sat on the toilet. She shivered. It wasn’t really cold, but she was nervous. Forced to stand in front of Roarke in her underwear, she had been unnerved, but the teddy was so much more intimate, which made it even worse.
She firmed her lips before she unhooked the bra and slipped it off. The panties followed, and she laid both on the counter. Knowing the sooner she got dressed, the sooner the afternoon would end, Maya stepped into the teddy and pulled it up. She frowned at herself in the mirror.
The legs were French cut, with a narrow crotch made from sheer lace. A lace panel revealed a diamond of her midriff, the shadow of her pubic region, and a hint of cleavage where her breasts pushed together at the bottom of the cups. The neckline plunged to meet the top of the diamond, and two spaghetti straps held it up on her shoulders. She turned around to look at the back and realized it was completely sheer except for a band of lace that fell below her shoulder blades.
She stared at herself in the mirror and wondered how she could walk out there dressed in that. His eyes would eat her up. How could she maintain a facade of indifference when her defenses—and body—were stripped bare?
Her head whipped around when he tapped on the door. “What?”
“Are you coming out?”
“In a minute.” She tried to keep the edge of panic from her voice.
“Don’t make me come get you. A tryst in the bathroom isn’t on the agenda. Today, anyway.” His laugh sounded more like the purr of a large, predatory cat than a sound of amusement.
She heard him walking away from the door and breathed a sigh of relief, but knew her reprieve was short-lived. Maya bent over and flipped her hair forward as she fluffed out the heavy strands. She stood up and arranged the locks to hide her breasts where the pink areoles were clearly visible through the thin silk.
With another deep breath, Maya opened the bathroom door and plunged into the room. Momentum carried her within three feet of the bed, before she froze like a deer in headlights. His hungry expression caused shivers to race down her spine.
Roarke struggled to control his breathing as he stared at her. A grin teased the corners of his lips when he saw how carefully she had positioned her hair to cover her breasts. “Stunning, but I think the sandals clash.”
Color flooded her cheeks, and Maya kicked off the brown rope sandals. She stood near him while her arms dangled at her side. “Now what?”
“Let’s talk.”
“Talk?”
He nodded and waved at the bed. “You sit there.”
She wasn’t thrilled at the idea of being on the bed, but it was a better alternative than sharing the only chair with him. Maya perched on the edge of the bed, crossed her legs, and folded her arms across her chest, even though modesty was a lost cause.
Roarke racked his brain as he tried to remember the questions he had written down and memorized. “How many lovers have you had?” He cringed when he blurted out the question. He had planned to ease into questions like that.
She glared at him, but didn’t refuse to answer. “Just Bobby.”
He groaned under his breath and suddenly felt like the most depraved man in the world. “Why?”
“Because I love him.”
“No. I mean, why just Bobby?”
Maya blinked. “We’ve been together since I was seventeen and he was eighteen.”
“How old are you now?”
“Twenty-one.”
So young. Had he ever been that young or innocent? The eleven years between them might as well be eleven thousand. “You’ve never wanted to be with anyone el
se?”
She shook her head.
“How do you know you love him if he’s the only guy you’ve ever had?”
Maya frowned. “Can we not discuss this? I’ll do whatever you want sexually…” She closed her eyes to summon the strength to continue. “…within reason, but I want to keep you—this—separate from the rest of my life. Otherwise, I’ll go crazy.”
He shrugged. There would be time for them to get acquainted later. “Fine. Do you like sex, Maya?”
She gasped at the question, but couldn’t refuse to answer. It fell within the parameters she herself had set. She wondered how honest she should be.
“Do you love it, or do you tolerate it?”
“It’s okay.”
Roarke choked on the sip of tea in his mouth. She moved so gracefully, with an overt sensuality that inspired certain expectations. That was not the answer he had expected to hear. “Just okay?”
She shrugged. What was she supposed to say? None of her female friends enjoyed sex much either. They sometimes giggled over what a fuss their partners made about the act.
“Have you ever had an orgasm with Bobby?”
Maya blushed. “Yeah, of course.” Twice, back in the days when they had first gotten together. Since then, things had fizzled.
Roarke saw the blush on her face and the longing in her eyes. “I see. How did he do it?”
She cleared her throat. “I don’t want to talk about this.”
“Just tell me, Maya.” He winked at her. “While we’re talking, I’m not touching.”
Her face grew even fierier. “He…” She cleared her throat again. “His tongue,” she settled for saying. She knew she couldn’t bluntly say one of the harsher terms and had always found the technical term to be even more awkward.
“Do you touch yourself, Maya?”
The way he kept saying her name caused tingles to course through her body. She frowned at her own response, disgusted that the sexy, growling tone could affect her at all. What was wrong with her?
Playing His Game Page 2