“I haven’t been here in quite a while.”
“Husband?”
“Work. What about you? What keeps you busy?”
“Work, and my hobby.”
“What’s your hobby?”
“Making women happy.”
She gave him a steady glance and made up her mind. “Sounds like a good hobby to have; there are so many of us. Shall we go upstairs?”
His lips curved in an appreciative smile. “You don’t waste any time, do you?”
“I haven’t got a lot of time.” She stood up.
The man stood up also. His eyes took in what there was of her dress. “My name’s Jonathan.”
“Right,” Rishi said, “and mine’s not.”
He nodded. “Okay. No names.”
“It’s much better that way. Neither of us will have to write a thank you note afterwards.”
They went out into the lobby off the bar, and Rishi hired a room. She was firm about paying for it.
“I invited you over, remember,” she said. “We mustn’t forget our manners just because we’re about to indulge our baser selves.”
The clerk handed over a cardkey when Rishi’s credit account box cleared his terminal. It was a special account she used only for this purpose. Unlike all her other accounts, this one didn’t have her name attached to it. The hotel offered cardkeys for the same reason; no one wanted to have to use a palm print to open the door to their room.
Rishi walked over to the lift tube knowing that Hari was following them. She made a point to hold the cardkey so that the room number showed.
They rode up the lift tube in silence. Rishi opened the door of the room and the lights came on. It wasn’t a bad room as those things went. It might have been totally anonymous and without any character, but it looked clean. A three-dimensional mirror hung over the enormous round bed, and a brass headboard wrapped part way around it.
“How quaint,” the man said. Rishi wondered if his name really was Jonathan.
When she set her bag and the cardkey down on the table, Jonathan came up behind her and put his arms around her. Rishi jumped.
“Sorry,” he said. “Did I startle you?”
“A little. I’m just on edge tonight.”
“It’s not your first time doing this, is it?”
“Definitely not. I’ve lost count.”
“Good. I hate nervous virgins.” He bent over and started to kiss the nape of her neck.
Rishi flinched. She couldn’t help it. It came to her suddenly that she didn’t want him to touch her. She didn’t want him to even be close. The feel of his lips brushing her neck revolted her. She pulled away quickly.
“I’m sorry,” she said, surprised to find that she was breathing just a little fast, and not from sexual excitement. “I can’t do this tonight.”
“What?” His eyes widened.
“I’m sorry,” she repeated. “I’ve changed my mind. I don’t want to go through with it.” She picked up her bag and started for the door.
“Wait a minute!” He stepped in her way, frowning. “What did I do wrong?”
“Nothing! It’s not you, it’s me. I’m just not in the mood anymore.”
“Well, I am.” His surprise had evolved to annoyance. “And you asked me up here, remember?” He studied her overtly. “Is this part of the game? Do you like to pretend to change your mind?”
“No,” Rishi said sharply, a twinge of worry intruding on her self-assurance. “I am not pretending. I’m dead serious. Get out of the way, please. I’m leaving.”
“Not just yet.” His annoyance had become something more elusive. Not anger exactly, but something close. “Everyone saw you come up here with me. You’re not going back down there now.”
“I’m not going back, I’m going home. Now move out of the way, please.”
He leaned against the door frame and smiled. Not angry, no. If anything he looked confident, exhilarated. “Why don’t you come over here and try to make me? That might be fun.”
Rishi’s fear blossomed. She felt a desperate need to get out of the room and away from this man. She took her bracelet in her hand and fiddled with the bauble as if she were nervous, pressing the transponder switch as firmly as she could. “I’m not interested in playing games. Get out of my way!”
“But I’m interested. And you’re dressed for it, too.”
“Look, how many times do I have to tell you that I’ve changed my mind?”
“As many times as you like. I don’t mind. It makes it more interesting that way.”
Truly afraid, Rishi backed away from him.
He smiled at her. “Now you’ve got it,” he said in a pleased tone, and he moved toward her.
Rishi could feel her heart pounding against her ribs. She realized she was holding her breath, and she made herself breathe deeply.
“Keep away from me,” she said, trying to keep the dismay out of her voice.
“No,” he said, still in a pleasant tone. “I don’t want to keep away at all. I want to get very close. As close as possible. It’s pretty obvious you aren’t wearing anything under that dress, so it shouldn’t take long to find out just how close we can get.”
“I don’t want to get close!”
“That won’t change anything.” His voice was calm, his expression self-satisfied. “What you want doesn’t count anymore. We’re going to play this game by my rules. I was prepared to go along with whatever you wanted, but now I feel entirely justified in indulging my own tastes.” He smiled a confident smile as he reached into his pocket and pulled out something silver and sinuous. “You never know. You may find that you enjoy doing things my way. Lots of women do. Why do you think the bed has a brass headboard?”
Rishi recognized the object in his hand. It was a set of wrist grips, made of silver metal instead of plastic alloy. Fear grabbed at her throat and threatened to choke her. She tried her best to stand her ground. “I don’t intend to do anything your way.”
He smiled again and moved a little nearer, jingling the wrist grips in his hand. “You can scream any time you like. I happen to know the rooms here are soundproofed. One way or another, you’ll scream before I’m done with you.”
The door chimed.
“Come in,” Rishi said instantly, relief making her sob. The door slid open.
Hari stepped into the room.
Jonathan spun around to face him. “Who the hell are you? This is a private room. Get out!”
“No,” Hari said. “You’re the one who’s leaving.”
“Why should I leave?”
“Because if you don’t then I’ll have to do this again.” Faster than Rishi could see, Hari slammed his open hand into the middle of the stranger’s rib cage.
Jonathan gasped and bent over. The wrist grips fell to the floor.
Hari stepped aside. “Leave now. Otherwise I might get really angry.”
The stranger seemed to be in genuine pain. He groaned and staggered forward. Hari gave him a push toward the door. It opened, and the man lurched through it.
After he had gone through, Hari pressed the lock plate on the inside and turned back to Rishi. “Girl, you took ten years off my life! When that transponder went off—” he stopped abruptly and looked at Rishi critically. “Sit down.”
She sat on the bed and began to tremble violently. She felt numb all over, as if this were happening to someone else, and she was only watching.
Hari sat down next to her and put his arm around her. “Tell me what happened.”
Rishi wrapped her arms around her own shoulders and made herself recount the story. “I changed my mind. I wanted to leave, and he wouldn’t let me. He made me afraid of him, and he seemed to enjoy that. He kept smiling at me and telling me—he said he would—would—” She stopped and choked back a sob.
Hari patted her shoulder. “It’s all right. He’s gone. You take a minute, and then I’ll take you home.”
Rishi took a deep breath. Tears trickled down her face. “I’ve never changed my mind before, Hari. I don’t know why I did this time. There wasn’t anything wrong with him at first. I just didn’t want him to touch me.”
“You’ve never waited all evening for a tall man with light brown hair and blue eyes to come into a bar before, either.”
“What are you trying to say?” She wiped away the tears with the back of her hand.
“I’m saying it’s time you faced up to your feelings, girl. There’s no sense settling for a pale imitation when you’ve got the real thing sitting at home waiting for you.”
Rishi sniffed. It sounded so simple when he put it that way. “I always knew I wanted him. I’ve wanted him since the first time I saw him. I just can’t ask him, that’s all.”
“I’m not talking about a quick cuddle under the sheets. I’m talking about the way you feel about Prax and the way he feels about you.”
“He’s grateful. I don’t want his gratitude.”
“Prax didn’t almost rip Beecher’s head off out of gratitude.”
“He’s very loyal.”
Hari laughed. “Rishi, I had to use a stun gun to get him to let go. You don’t get that kind of passion from loyalty.”
Rishi wanted to believe him. “Do you think he cares for me?”
“I know he does. I think just about everyone in the house probably knows it by now, except you, and maybe him.”
She shook her head. “I can’t ask him. If I send for him or go to him—it doesn’t matter which—he can’t say no.”
Hari stood up and held out a hand. “Come on. Let’s go home.”
Rishi took it but rose to her feet reluctantly. “What if Jonathan is waiting outside?”
Hari grunted and patted her hand. “Is that his name? I’m surprised you had time to learn it. Don’t worry about him. Unless I’m slipping seriously, I cracked at least one rib. He’s on his way to a hospital.”
THEY made it back to the estate without incident, and Hari set Rishi down at her private entrance.
“Do you want to come in?” she asked, a little afraid to be alone.
He shook his head. “There’s something I need to do in the security wing. You go in and have a good cry. You’ll feel better.”
“You sound a lot like my mother, Hari,” Rishi said tearfully.
“I could sound a lot worse. I could sound like your father and threaten you with a hiding if you go cruising again.”
She started for her room, determined not to cry until she got there.
PRAX was almost asleep when he heard the footsteps. He sat up. Someone was coming up the hill. Prax could see a light bobbing up and down. When the person got close, he could see it was Hari. The security chief wore civilian clothes and carried a lantern in one hand.
“Hello, Prax.” Hari lifted the lantern. “Planning on sleeping here?”
“I was. Is anything wrong, chief?”
“In a way. Rishi wants to see you. I think she must have had some bad news. She seems a little upset.”
Prax stood up, unsure of himself. It was unlike Hari to lie, but clearly his statement was only partly true. “What kind of bad news?”
“I don’t know.”
Prax hesitated. That part was a lie. “Are you sure she wants to see me now?”
Hari frowned, and clenched his teeth as if he were annoyed with himself. “I’m positive she’s upset. She looks as though she’s been crying.”
Now that was the absolute truth. “I’ll go.” Prax stood up and started for the house, leaving the blankets where they were.
RISHI kicked off her shoes, threw herself face down on her bed, and took Hari’s advice. After a while, she stopped sobbing and rolled over and stared at the ceiling. She tried to think of a way she could get out of the tangle she was in, but nothing came to her. She had just decided to get up and take a shower when the door chimed.
It wasn’t Hari’s special notes or Lidiya’s. Rishi couldn’t imagine anyone else coming to see her at this hour unless there was an emergency. She wasn’t in the mood for company, so instead of calling for the door to open, she stood up to check the monitor and see who it was. She was very surprised when the door slid open by itself, and Praxiteles strode in.
Rishi stood there open-mouthed as the door closed behind him.
Praxiteles’ eyes went to her face first. “What’s wrong, lady?”
When she didn’t answer right away, his gaze dropped, and he frowned. “Why are you dressed like that?”
Rishi stood stock still. She suddenly felt more exposed than if she had been naked. “Hello, Praxiteles,” she finally said. “What are you doing here?”
“The chief said you wanted to see me. Why are you crying?”
How to explain that? “I did something very foolish.”
“What was it?”
All at once the incident in the rented room came back to her, and Rishi started to tremble again. She sank down onto the bed.
Praxiteles rushed across the room to her side. “Lady! Tell me what’s wrong.”
Rishi felt herself shake uncontrollably. Praxiteles sat down next to her and put one arm around her. She put her face against his shoulder and sobbed. Praxiteles put his other arm around her and held her tightly. He stroked her hair and brushed it lightly with his lips. Rishi reached up and put her arms around his neck and clung to him.
They sat there for a few minutes until Rishi’s sobs lessened. Praxiteles caressed her bare shoulder reassuringly. Pleased with the effect this gesture had on her, Rishi moved one hand so that she was still clutching Praxiteles’ neck but then she pulled his head down closer to her own. She lifted her face, and slowly, as if he were afraid that she would draw back from him, Praxiteles kissed her.
Rishi closed her eyes and kissed him back. She opened her lips and pulled him closer, so close that she could feel his heart beating against her own. Praxiteles seemed to become aware of what was happening. He pulled back from her a little.
“Lady,” he gasped, “are you sure—”
“Shh!” Rishi said insistently. “Enough talking. Kiss me again.”
Praxiteles bent his head and kissed her passionately. Rishi felt suddenly free of a great weight, freer than she had felt since the night on Celadon when she had drunk the Elliniká wine and lost all compunction about asking for what she wanted. When Praxiteles pulled her down onto the bed, she offered no resistance.
With her last conscious effort, Rishi reached over her head and found the control to dim the lights. Praxiteles seemed not to notice.
Chapter Thirteen
Prax opened his eyes. He was in a strange place. Not his room and not outside. He sat up suddenly. The dim light of early morning came down from a skylight above him. He looked down and saw Rishi sleeping next to him. She was only half covered by the bedclothes, and he could see that she was naked. He glanced down and realized that he was also naked.
A com display on the wall showed the time. He was due to go on duty in a little over two hours. He found his clothes and began to dress quietly. He had just pulled on his shirt when he felt two hands running over his back. Prax looked down and saw Rishi staring up at him. The morning light made her black hair gleam and her golden skin glow. He had dreamed that moment many times, but he had never thought of what he would say. “Good morning, lady.”
She smiled, sleep still clouding her eyes. “Good morning, Praxiteles. Why are you getting dressed? It’s so early.”
Urgency tugged at him. He needed to keep this moment private, not let it be talked over and debated in the common room. “I have to go, lady.”
“But why?” She slipped her hand further under his shirt.
Prax pulled her hand awa
y and kissed the palm. “Because I must leave while it’s still early and no one else is awake.”
Rishi chuckled. “If you think this will stay a secret, then you don’t know this house. I expect pretty much everyone will know by noon.”
“Maybe, but they won’t learn it from me.”
“Are you ashamed of what we did?” She sat up beside him in bed.
“No, lady,” he said emphatically, pulling on his boots. No, for once he wasn’t ashamed. Living on Subidar had taught him many things he hadn’t known on Celadon.
“Then why do you care whether they know or not?”
How could he explain? He had never been good with words. “Because it’s no one’s business. No one’s but yours and mine.”
She blinked once, then sighed and lay back against her pillows. “All right, have it your way. Go if you must. But promise me you’ll come back tonight.”
“I’ll come, but it may be late before I can get here.”
“I’ll wait.”
He bent over to kiss her goodbye. She pulled him down on top of her, and Prax groaned.
“I must go,” he said again.
“It’s your loss,” Rishi said, letting go of him.
He knew it, but still he had to go. “Goodbye, lady.”
RISHI rolled over onto the side of the bed where Praxiteles had slept and let herself enjoy the warmth his body had left there. After a while, she got up and took a hot bath. When she came out, she wrapped herself in a robe and sat brushing her hair and staring into the mirror to see if she looked any different.
The door chimed in Lidiya’s steady string of notes.
“Come,” Rishi called.
Lidiya came in carrying a tray. “Good morning. Ready for breakfast?”
Rishi realized she was ravenous. “Yes! I’m starving.”
Lidiya put the tray down on the table and then turned suddenly. “Has he gone, or do I need to fetch another breakfast?”
Rishi stared. Trust Lidiya to find out all her secrets. “How did you know?”
Lidiya tilted her head at the tangled pile of bedclothes. “You’re usually a very tidy sleeper.”
Worlds Apart (ThreeCon) Page 24