Chapter Seven

Maya let herself into Roarke’s apartment, unsure of what to expect. Her stomach clenched when she saw him propped against the counter in the kitchen. A blush swept across her face as she remembered the way he watched her at their last meeting. She dropped her eyes and frowned when she noticed he wore a tuxedo. She opened her mouth, but he spoke before she could ask about it.

He smiled at her as his eyes raked over the blue and gold sundress that displayed just a hint of cleavage. She looked wonderful—fresh and composed—but the outfit wasn’t suitable for today’s activities.

“There’s a box for you on the bed.”

“Is every session going to start with dress-up?” Her tone was sarcastic. She ignored the flutter of excitement. She had never gotten many gifts from Bobby, but that was no reason to look forward to something from Roarke. It was sure to be another teddy, which was for him, not her.

Roarke shrugged. “Maybe.” His sanguine response hid his anxiety over their upcoming meetings. Planning their meetings was nerve-racking, especially with him wanting each to be better than the last. He had a feeling she wouldn’t be at all thrilled with the plans for their next meeting. He didn’t even know how she would respond to today’s events, and they weren’t nearly as intimate. “Go get dressed.”

Maya walked down the hall to the bedroom, alarmed to notice he followed her. “What are you doing?”

Roarke gave her a lop-sided grin. “Watching.”

She crossed her arms over her chest. “No.”

“I’m staying, Maya.”

She glared at him, and then walked over to the large beige box on the bed and carefully pulled off the blue satin ribbon. She lifted the lid and gasped. It wasn’t lingerie as she had expected. Maya lifted the dress out to examine it more closely. It was a midnight blue shade with a velvet bodice and full satin skirt. There were no straps, so only her own endowments would hold it up. With a glance over her shoulder to gauge his reaction, she pulled the sundress off and draped it across the bed. Maya shivered as she felt his eyes slide over her body. She didn’t have to turn around to know he watched her every move. She unzipped the blue dress with trembling hands and dropped it over her head as quickly as possible.

“Beautiful, except for the bra straps.”

Maya turned around and scowled at him. “It doesn’t matter if they show.”

Roarke shook his head. “It matters to me.”

“Fine.” She pushed the dress down to her waist and removed the plain white bra. She heard Roarke’s indrawn breath and froze. Maya lifted her bowed head and met his hungry gaze. She could feel her nipples harden as his eyes settled on them. It was almost like he was touching her. He lifted his eyes, and they locked with hers for a long moment. She had no doubts of how much he wanted to cross the bedroom and touch her.

The thought alarmed her, and she tore her gaze from his. Maya pulled the dress up and fumbled with the zipper, which she got halfway up her back. The back of the dress itself fell just below her shoulder blades. The slippery material lining the bodice molded itself to her and caressed her body with every movement. The sensation, combined with the way he looked at her, caused her to shiver again.

“There’s another box too,” Roarke said.

She turned her attention to the smaller box on the floor. She lifted it up and removed a pair of high-heeled blue satin pumps. Maya kicked off her sandals before she slid her feet into the shoes. As she looked at herself in the mirror, she realized her hair didn’t look right with the dress. She obeyed a spur-of-the-moment impulse and opened her purse to take out a brush and plain black barrette she kept to pin up her hair.

Maya started to brush her hair, but stiffened when Roarke walked toward her. Without speaking, he took the brush from her and began to brush out her long hair. Her stomach clenched, and her breathing grew shallow as his hands moved through her hair, gently wielding the brush and smoothing through the strands. He didn’t touch any other part of her, but she found herself wishing he would. That thought propelled her to step away. “That’s fine.”

He nodded and proffered the brush before he stepped away.

She gathered her hair into a ponytail and rolled it up, and then fastened the barrette to hold it in place. Once more, she looked at the mirror, and her mouth bowed into an O of surprise. She hardly recognized herself. She had never worn anything so elegant, not even for the prom. It seemed silly to waste the dress on whatever Roarke had planned, but she wasn’t about to ask to keep it. She wouldn’t feel comfortable wearing it again, and Bobby would throw a fit if she brought home a ‘gift’ from Roarke.

Thoughts of Bobby dispelled her mental fog, and she firmed her mouth as she turned to face Roarke. His eyes darkened as he looked at her. His expression made Maya shift restlessly. “What’s with the dress?”

“You can’t do ballroom dancing without a dress like that.”

Maya frowned at him. “Ballroom dancing?”

He nodded as he walked toward her. When he stood a few inches from her, he said, “Turn around.”

Her expression was suspicious. “Why?”

Roarke grinned at her. “So I can zip you up.”

“Oh.” She had been expecting something else. Maya turned around and stumbled a bit on the unaccustomed height of the heels. His hands steadied her for a moment before one hand slid the zipper down. A shiver danced up her spine as his warm fingers pulled the zipper up to the top and locked it in place. For a brief second, his hands lingered on her shoulders, and then dropped away.

Maya turned around, surprised to find her face within inches of his chest. She stepped back and turned to the door, followed closely by Roarke. She left the bedroom and walked into the living room. Maya stood in the center of the room, wondering what would happen next.

Roarke walked into the kitchen and bent down to a cupboard. When he stood up, he held a portable stereo, which he set on the counter. He pressed a button and slow music wafted from the speakers. He walked into the living room and stopped a few inches away from her. “You really are beautiful,” he whispered. With a deep breath, Roarke put his arms around her and took one of her hands in his. He rested the other one on her back. “Lay your head on my chest.”

Reluctantly, Maya did as he instructed and put her free hand on his shoulder. There was something so intimate about being this close to him. She felt exposed. Even more so than she had on Tuesday, when he had seen her in that teddy as she touched herself. That day, he hadn’t laid a hand on her, but now his body was pressed against hers. She could feel his rapid heartbeat against her cheek, and it echoed through her ear. He smelled of peppermint and a spicy cologne. A curiously pleasant combination that was uniquely him.

He resisted the urge to pull her so tightly against him that they couldn’t dance. If his feet didn’t move continuously, Roarke knew his hands would start to explore, and she wasn’t ready for that. He ached for her, but held off. He buried his face in her hair and breathed in her scent. He tried to tell himself to be content with her in his arms, despite the layers of clothes between them. He lowered his head to the bend where her neck and shoulder met and inhaled.

Maya’s eyes widened when he moved to her neck. She froze as she waited for him to nip her, but all he did was breathe against her skin. Her stomach clenched, and her nipples hardened further, much to her embarrassment. As his facial hair tickled her neck, and his breath whispered across her skin, Maya’s head tilted of its own volition to allow him better access.

Unable to resist, Roarke pressed a gentle kiss to the sensitive spot. His mouth curved upwards as she moved her head. A small sign of acceptance, but enough to nurture his hope.

She shivered when his lips touched her. Maya’s eyes closed, and she snuggled a bit closer. A dull ache started in the pit of her stomach and soon spread downwards. She sighed when he kissed her again.

His hands tangled in her hair, and he pulled the barrette out to let the mass fall free around her shoulders. He took a handful of the red-gold hair and rubbed it against his cheek. Roarke was relieved when the music suddenly stopped. He was shaky and knew he was almost out of control. He stepped away from her so fast she swayed at the abrupt withdrawal of his support.

Maya bit back a protest as his arms fell away from her. She lifted her heavy lids to look up at him with confusion. “What—?”

He smiled down at her and touched her cheek. “The CD ended.”

She glanced at her watch. How had thirty minutes passed without her knowledge? She cleared her throat. “Yes. I was counting down the minutes.” They both knew it was a lie, and Maya raised her chin. Her eyes dared him to challenge the statement.

He bit back a laugh. “You can leave now.”

“Already?” She turned bright red when the question slipped out of her mouth. What was she thinking? She should be relieved that their meeting had ended so soon and without anything unpleasant first. She shouldn’t feel even a hint of disappointment. Maya was seized by the urgent need to escape before he could respond to her question. She hurried around him, but froze when his hand fell on her shoulder. She turned back to him with a frown of censure. “You said I could go.”

Roarke smiled at her, pleased to note the flush of desire on her cheeks—or was it embarrassment? Either way, it indicated a reaction to him. Rather than answer, his hand moved to the zipper and lowered it for her. When he let go, she rushed past him to the bedroom. Her flight spoke of a desire to escape. If he judged from her response to his touch, she sought escape from her own reaction more so than him. A satisfied smile curved his mouth. He didn’t want to endure another night of frustration, but it was a small price to pay to leave her in the same condition.

His smile was chased away by an image of a naked Waller, eager to hold Maya in his arms. Unlike Roarke, she had someone who waited for her at home. Someone who would ease her frustrations. He almost abandoned his plan and stormed into the bedroom. Only the realization that he would lose all chance with her caused his feet to turn in the direction of the door.

Maya had just hung the dress in the closet when she heard the front door slam. She walked over to the bedroom door and peered out. >From this angle, there was no sign of Roarke. She went back to the bed, scooped up her purse, and left the room. There was no sign of Roarke as she walked through the condo. The only proof of their presence was the stereo on the counter and her barrette on the floor. She bent down to retrieve it on her way out.

As she locked the door behind her, Maya wondered why Roarke had left in such a hurry. He hadn’t said a word before he rushed out. Had she done something that upset or offended him? Her mouth twisted. She hoped she had so he would let her out of this ridiculous game. She ignored the little voice in the back of her head that said otherwise, ruthlessly squashing it as she hailed a taxi to take her home. Back to Bobby, where she belonged.