Bobby, stark naked, stood up. “I brought you along so you could support us while I acted. When I got the role in Wilder Hearts, I thought I could finally get rid of you.”
“He’s going to marry me.” Roni held out her left hand to show off a large diamond.
Maya’s nausea increased. Part of Bobby’s advance had gone to that ring. No wonder Roni had never talked about her fiancé. “So, why didn’t you?”
“Thomas wanted you, so you were useful for a while longer.”
His words hurt, but not as much as she would have expected them to if she had ever imagined he could say something so cruel. She was angrier at her own naïveté than Bobby’s manipulation. “Is the money all gone?”
He nodded. “Most of it, anyway. We bought a condo, and I got Roni the ring. With planning the wedding and settling a few debts, there isn’t much left.”
Maya’s grin was cold. “I hope it lasts awhile longer since I just cleaned out the last couple thousand in the checking account.”
His expression darkened. “You bitch. I want half of that.”
“Most of it came from my hard work.”
He started toward her, but Roni’s voice stopped him. “Let her have it, darling. You’ve got fantastic prospects. We don’t need two Gs. And what else does she have to keep her warm now that she won’t have you?”
“You’re right, babe.” Bobby sneered at Maya. “Get out of my apartment.”
Maya giggled, either because she was hysterical or giddy. “I had already planned to. I packed most of my stuff last night.”
He frowned. “You’re leaving me?”
She nodded. “Yep.”
“Why?”
“It turns out Roarke is better at a lot of things than you are. Foremost, he knows how to love me.”
Bobby’s eyes widened. “You’re in love with him?”
“Oh, yeah. And he’s in love with me.” Maya resisted the urge to cross her fingers. As her pinkie brushed against the tiny diamond on her finger, she was reminded of one more thing she wanted to do. She wrenched the ring off her finger and flung it at Bobby. Her lips twisted into a smile when it nailed him on the cheek. “Maybe you can return that to the crackerjack box where you found it.” Then, head held high, she marched from the room to gather her things.
In the guest room, Maya locked the door and threw the rest of her stuff into a case. Before she left, she picked up the phone to call Carly. When her sister answered, she blurted out, “I’m leaving him.”
“Finally.” Carly seemed unsurprised. “Where are you going?”
“I don’t know. A hotel, I guess.” Maya bit her lip because she knew how expensive apartments—even a shithole like she had shared with Bobby for eighteen months—could be. “I don’t know where I’ll go after that. Wanna move to L.A.?” she asked, half-hopeful that her sister would agree.
“Sorry. I’m moving in with Troy.”
“Wow. Dad must be blowing a gasket.” Frank hadn’t accepted it well when she’d moved in with Bobby, not even when they got engaged. Maya could only imagine his reaction to his baby’s plans to move in with an older man.
“He likes Troy, but he’s not thrilled.” Carly sighed. “Anyway, where will you go? Are you coming home?”
“I can’t yet.”
“Why not?”
“I’m in love with Roarke.”
“I know,” Carly said easily. “It was all over your faces.”
“His too?”
“Uh huh.”
Maya bit her lip, not so certain. “I don’t know.”
“Trust me.”
“Well…” She trailed off so she wouldn’t voice her doubts. She hadn’t thought beyond the end of things with Bobby and had no idea how she would confess her feelings for Roarke. She chuckled suddenly.
“What? What’s so funny?”
“I just realized I have a place to stay.” If she were careful, he would never know she was there. Roarke had said he never used the place—only for their meetings. “You have my cell number, right?”
“Somewhere. Why?”
“The place I’m going doesn’t have a phone.” All it had was a bed and bathroom. When she and Roarke got together, that was all they needed.
Chapter Twenty
The Balcony
Maya had carefully hidden her things in the guest room because she figured Roarke wouldn’t venture in there. She had risked the addition of a few items to the cupboards and fridge and hoped her luck would hold. When Friday arrived, she was satisfied she had removed all traces of her occupation. She had even washed the silk sheets that morning, and then returned them to the bed when she got back to the apartment after work. She was sprawled across them when she heard Roarke’s key turn in the lock shortly before two-thirty. She held her breath as she heard his tread on the carpet. To her relief, he bypassed the kitchen and living room to enter the bedroom.
Roarke froze when he opened the door to find Maya draped across the bed. The silver of the sheets lent her skin a pearly sheen, and her hair, spread out across the pillows, contrasted sharply with the silver.
“Uh—hi.”
She smiled up at him. “Hi.” Maya trailed a finger down her bare hip.
“You’re early.”
She shrugged. “I got off early.”
He entered the room and stopped before the bed. She was absolutely gorgeous as she lay before him with one knee curled up to shyly obscure the triangle between her thighs. When she licked her lips, he groaned. “So…”
“Yeah?”
Roarke shook his head, unable to think when she was spread so temptingly before him. What had he planned for today? He couldn’t remember now. His eyes widened when she stood up from the bed, trailed fingers through her hair, and made her breasts jut up.
Maya rolled her hips as she walked over to him and ran her hands down the smooth cotton of his short-sleeved white polo. She stopped to rub a nipple and press herself against him. “You’re wearing too many clothes.”
He cleared his throat, thrown off-kilter by this side of Maya. “You think?”
She nodded.
“Okay.” To Roarke’s surprise, her busy hands moved across his body to pull and push at his clothes until she had removed his shirt and unfastened his pants. “Maya.” He tried to push her hands away as they moved to his waistband.
“Surely you don’t have a problem with this?” She looked up at him through the veil of her lashes. “You aren’t old-fashioned, are you, Roarke?”
He shook his head as he swallowed audibly. His hands dropped to his sides, and Maya pushed his trousers down. She paused to allow him to kick off his shoes and have him step out of the pants. They were quickly followed by navy briefs.
She was on her knees before him and looked up at him with an uncertain expression. An impish grin teased Maya’s lips as she tossed his slacks and underwear into the corner near his shirt. She touched the head of his shaft with the tip of her tongue to catch a dewy drop of his arousal.
Roarke groaned when Maya’s mouth slid down around him. She didn’t take him in completely, but she tortured him with quick flicks of her tongue and intermittently applied suction. He arched forward and pushed himself deeper inside the moist recesses of her mouth as she swirled her tongue around his erection. He paused to see if he had gone too deep. He looked down and saw she was a bit surprised, but didn’t seem to mind. “Are you okay?”
Maya couldn’t speak or nod, so she used her thumb and forefinger to form an OK sign. She continued her ministrations. She worked her tongue around the circumference of his erection as she sucked rhythmically. When she felt his body start to quiver, Maya pulled her mouth away.
He groaned, and the lines of his face contorted into a grimace. “Why did you stop?”
A wicked grin curved her mouth. “I want to be with you when you come.”
Roarke bit back a sigh. It was no less than he deserved since he had done the same thing to her last time.
He pulled Maya into
his arms and nestled his face at the bend of her neck and shoulder where he nibbled softly. She pressed closer and pushed her nipples into the light dusting of hair on his chest. He heard her moan and moved his head to swallow the sound with his lips on hers.
He kissed her until she went limp in his arms, and then pushed her back onto the bed. Once again, Roarke knelt between her parted thighs to kiss the damp tangle of reddish-gold curls that hid her femininity. Maya shuddered and twitched, but pushed him away when he would have continued. “What’s wrong?”
“I had something else in mind.” She stood up and took his hand to lead him outside to the balcony.
Roarke resisted as they got to the sliding glass door. “What are you thinking?”
“It’s such a nice day. I just want to go outside.” She turned to bat her lashes at him as she had seen her sister do a hundred times. “Please, can’t we come outside?” She licked her lips.
Who could see them so high up? Would anyone care if they did see a couple as they made love in the middle of the afternoon? Roarke’s body tightened as he realized the thought of an audience didn’t repulse him. He didn’t drag his feet as he followed her out onto the patio. He winced as the soles of his feet touched the hot cement. There was a moment of vertigo as he realized he stood on a balcony fourteen floors up, stark naked. When it passed, his gaze fastened on Maya, surrounded by a halo of bright sunlight that kissed every inch of her. Not a bad idea, he decided with a twitch of his lips.
His eyes widened as he saw the chaise lounge that hadn’t been there before. “Did your…?”
“I picked it up after work.” Yesterday, Maya added silently. She lay down on the floral-print cushion and held out her arms.
Roarke gingerly lowered himself on top, careful not to crush her. He balanced his weight on his arms. He grunted when she pulled him down to rest on top of her. The tip of his manhood pressed against her moist mound, and she wriggled her hips. “Maya,” he said in a warning tone.
She giggled, not at all repentant. Maya lifted a breast to offer him a taste. She moaned as he dipped his head to accept her invitation. As he suckled on the turgid peak, Maya shifted slightly until they were aligned. She thrust her hips upward to take him inside her.
Roarke’s eyes popped open, and his mouth fell away from her nipple. “You can’t be ready.” But her body confirmed she was, and he pushed himself deeper into her softness.
“I think I could always be ready for you,” Maya whispered as she arched her neck to press her lips to his. She tried to maintain control of her emotions as Roarke thrust in and out of her, which caused the lounger to groan in protest. When sweat beaded her forehead—not from the sun, but from the willpower it took to hold off her orgasm—Maya pushed him away.
“What the hell?”
She laughed at his stunned expression. “So cranky.” Maya grasped his erection in her hand.
“Why are you torturing me? Haven’t you made up for Tuesday yet?”
She shook her head. “I want to try something.”
He groaned and wondered if he was too old to keep up with Maya. His climax was perilously close, and she seemed barely affected. Roarke’s eyes narrowed as he caught sight of the perspiration on her face and the way her chest heaved with each breath. Or maybe she was just a great actress? “What did you have in mind?”
She couldn’t find the words to tell him what she had in mind, so Maya took his hand to lead him to the wrought iron railing. She turned to look down at the city. “Stand behind me.”
His eyebrows rose when he realized what she wanted. “Are you sure?”
Maya nodded.
“Well…” They could always return to the bedroom if she didn’t enjoy the position. With a shrug, Roarke stood behind her and lifted her hips as he thrust his forward. Once she was positioned, he released her slowly until she had taken all of him. He looked over her shoulder and saw the way she gripped the railing with a white-knuckle grasp. To his surprise, she wrapped her legs loosely around his thighs. Her toes pressed into his buttocks. “Do you do yoga?” he joked.
“Aerobics that require a lot of stretching.” Maya lifted herself, and then sank onto him again. “Move, Roarke.”
He obeyed the command in her tone and thrust into her as deeply as he could.
“Faster.”
“You sure are bossy,” he teased, but complied.
Maya groaned as she felt his shaft push against the walls of her womanhood and rub near her clit with each thrust. She had never felt anything like it. Eagerly, she returned his thrusts and ground herself against him in small circles. It was difficult to maintain her hold on the railing and at some point, his arms wrapped around her stomach to hold her against him, while she braced her forearms on the railing. As an orgasm tore through her, Maya gasped, too drained to cry out or speak. She continued to convulse around him, and Roarke thrust into her again and again.
He bit his lip and hoped the small dart of pain would help him prolong the moment. Roarke wanted to make her come repeatedly, until she was about to pass out, but when she tightened around him for the second time, he gave in to his body’s demand and released wave after wave of satisfaction into her.
It was only when the pleasure passed that he realized his legs and arms trembled, and she shook with mingled exhaustion and pleasure. With a gentle movement, he disengaged their bodies and lowered her to the cement. Once she was steady, he put his arm around her waist, and they stumbled into the bedroom to fall across the bed.
With a small reserve of energy, he was able to bury his hand in her hair. “Where did you get the idea for that?”
She shrugged. “I was staring down at the city, and it just came to me.”
He frowned. “When?”
Maya struggled not to blush as her mind worked furiously. “Uh, the last time I was here. That’s when I got the idea.”
“That long ago?”
She nodded quickly. “Now that we can, I decided what the hell?”
He chuckled. “If you keep throwing caution to the wind, you’ll be the death of me. I think I’m too old for the sexual Olympics.”
Maya snuggled closer. “You were in fine form, sir. I don’t think you’re ready for the senior events yet.”
He put his arm around her and pulled her even closer. A fine trace of sweat dotted her skin and heat poured off her. Her back was already red. “You’re going to have a sunburn.”
“Small price to pay,” she said around a yawn.
“You should take a bath to get some of the heat out.”
Maya laid her head on his chest. “I don’t think I’ll lose any heat if we get into a bath together.”
He stroked her hair as a pang hit his stomach. Time grew short, and moments like these would soon be only a memory he could use to torture himself. He wondered if Bobby had told her yet? “Have you and Bobby talked about the movie?”
She shook her head. “Not lately.”
He struggled to concentrate as her hand moved across his stomach and slid lower to flirt with his semi-hard shaft. “Lenny told me yesterday that it’s nearly in the can. Two or three more scenes at most.”
Maya’s hand froze, and she struggled to remember how to breathe. “Really?”
“Yeah. Apparently they’ve made a lot of progress in the last three weeks.” Damn his brother. He was always a screw-up—even when he did something right for a change.
“I see.” Her lips wobbled, and she was glad her face was pressed against his chest. “When will it be done?”
“Probably by Friday. The cast has agreed to work through the weekend if necessary, so Monday at the latest.”
Maya slowly lifted her head and tried to read his expression. “Our deal is near the end?”
He nodded and tried to keep his expression bland. “You’ll soon be free of me.” He silently pleaded for her to protest or declare she never wanted it to end.
His light-hearted tone cut through Maya’s heart, and she blinked back tears. “Yes. This is
probably our last meeting.”
He cleared his throat. “Yeah.”
She pulled away from him. “I think I’ll take that bath now.”
By the set of her shoulders, he could tell she wasn’t in the mood for him to join her. “After I take a shower, I should be going. I have plans…” To sit home alone and wallow in despair.
Maya put a hand on his arm. “Stay with me tonight.”
“Here?”
She nodded. “It’s our last night together.” He obviously didn’t want to continue their liaison. She drew in a ragged breath to hold back a sob. While it humbled her pride to ask, she didn’t want to miss her last chance to hold him.
He swallowed back the uncomfortable lump of moisture in his throat. “Okay. What about Bobby?”
Maya shrugged. “He can live without me tonight.”
There was a sadness in her eyes that he wanted to ask about, but Roarke knew he was the last person she would want to confide any relationship problems to. He had ruined his chance to ever be more than her lover when he had forced her into this game. Lucky for her, it almost over. She would be able to move on to her role as Bobby’s wife and put the ordeal behind her. Unlike Roarke, she wouldn’t be haunted with what-ifs for the rest of her life.
Chapter Twenty-One
Maya’s Fantasy
The sting of the sunburn woke Maya sometime late in the night. She lifted her head from Roarke’s shoulder and rolled out of bed. She looked back to make sure she hadn’t disturbed him, and then padded into the bathroom.
She opened the shower stall and turned on the water as cold as she could stand it. Maya wasn’t burdened with clothes, so she stepped directly under the spray after she adjusted the head to make it a softer stream. She gasped as the icy water pelted her, but it felt too good against her sunburn to move away from.
She leaned against the shower stall and let the water fall over her naked back. Maya felt tears prick the back of her eyes and tried to swallow them back. She didn’t want to turn into a blubbering mess in Roarke’s presence. The only thing worse than to lose him would be to have him to stay because he pitied her.
Playing His Game Page 12