Provocative Attraction

by Altonya Washington

  “When I saw it, I thought I could actually feel the quiet.” The idea had him grinning and he shrugged. “I was sold.”

  “I believe you.” Her eyes were still fixed on the view.

  Silence held between them for a time. It was a comfortable quiet in spite of all that had been said.

  “Rook—”

  He moved suddenly, the sound of her voice seeming to galvanize him into action. “Let me know when you’ve decided on that room,” he said and quickly left her.

  * * *

  Viva soon learned that she was to be left to her own devices. Rook may not have spent much time soaking in all the comfort and solace his new home had to offer, but he had certainly devoted a great deal of time to outfitting its security measures.

  Cameras were fixed to every entrance, from those nearest the house to the farthest reaches of the property. There were motion and even heat sensors. The local authorities were but a phone button’s push away. They were in such close proximity that Rook didn’t feel too agitated over the idea of leaving Viva while he tended to business outside of town.

  When Viva teased him that morning about her surprise over him not having a stone fence erected around the property, he grimly confessed that he’d wanted to but was told such a thing would ruin the aesthetics of the landscape. They had shared a quick laugh over the remark, but nothing more. Rook made a hasty departure soon after.

  She considered calling Sophia to vent, but decided the woman had far more important things to keep her mind occupied than helping her big sister unravel her affairs of the heart. Besides, it was a priority that whoever was responsible for Bevy’s accident and, she suspected, Reynolds Henry’s death be stopped.

  In spite of everything, she just couldn’t make herself believe that Murray was at the bottom of it all. She winced then at the echo of a quiet voice in the back of her mind. The voice was calling her a fool of the highest caliber.

  Hadn’t she been a witness to what Murray was becoming long before Sophia’s investigation put a spotlight on him? Hadn’t Rook just confirmed the lengths he’d gone to to ensure the final and immovable nail had been driven into the coffin of their relationship? All that and still she wouldn’t believe that Murray Dean had crossed over the line from petty security specialist to something more...monstrous.

  “Stop it, Viva. Focus, dammit.” She felt a measure of accomplishment when the sound of her voice muffled the one in her head. There was more to occupy her time than thoughts of Murray. She had the script and intimidating six-inch stilts still demanding her mastery.

  Those tasks however, weren’t nearly as appealing to her as exploring and possibly enhancing her new surroundings. If she was lucky, she mused, she might “enhance” well enough to bring a smile of approval to her host’s handsome face. She wouldn’t hold out much hope for that though. At the very least, devoting her time to taking on the role of homemaker would perhaps take her mind off what was or wasn’t happening with her and Rook.

  She’d found the chalet to be quite inviting upon first glance. It needed only a few creative accents to add the warmth that shrieked welcome. Viva spent much of the morning roaming the rustic oasis of stone, marble and wood. Windows were in high supply with flower boxes enhancing each of the rectangular holders along the sills. She could almost envision the colorful flora indigenous to the area filling each of the maple boxes with splashes of vibrant color once spring began to grace the environment with new signs of life.

  For now, no such enhancements were possible save those of a more man-made variety. Viva went to work on the lamps. Already, she imagined their golden glow filtering out of the numerous windows to give the place the look of a gleaming destination in the midst of a quiet wonderland. The chandeliers were both elegant and unique as they hung from the wood-beamed ceilings of most every room. Still, Viva preferred the cozy invitation only a lamp could offer.

  She took advantage of a surprisingly dependable Wi-Fi connection and checked the sites of several local shops. By day’s end, she’d put in orders for window treatments and various bathroom accents. One of the shops delivered the first shipment of lamps. The vans were thoroughly checked by the two-man/two-woman security team at the main road. Viva had ordered for the downstairs rooms as well as the two bedrooms she and Rook had claimed. Additional items would arrive over the course of the week and she was certain that her brooding host would notice the minor transformation when he returned.

  * * *

  The hour-and-fifteen-minute commute between Cortina and Belluno gave Rook the time to both clear his mind and return it to its state of cluttered chaos. Luckily, the clearing had taken place as he’d made his way in to meet with the personnel of his European offices and the exclusive clientele he’d be serving there once the deal was closed. The day had been a fast-paced and productive one. So much so, Rook found himself taking the access road to the chalet before the full black of night had descended.

  Rook had made small talk with the second shift guard detail and had been surprised, yet pleased to hear about all the activity that had taken place. With any luck, the fact that Viva was making herself at home was a hopeful sign that they could spend more time enjoying the tranquility of his newfound digs instead of the consistent argument about issues long past.

  He pulled the Range Rover to a stop several feet from the chalet’s main entrance and simply stared. Every window glowed golden bright, a radiant sight against the early evening skies of blues, purples and pinks tinting the horizon to usher in dusk. Easing up on the brakes, he advanced slowly, still in awe of the transformation.

  Until that evening, he’d only seen the place lit by the motion and porch lighting, with scant illumination from the indoors. It was a stunning sight. It was the sight of home.

  “Guess it’s real now,” he said to the empty car interior and thought of what that meant.

  He wasn’t afraid that he wouldn’t see his family and friends on a regular basis. He thought of what a kick his mother would get out of telling her friends that she and his dad would be vacationing in Northern Italy. As for Elias and the guys—they were like his brothers. It’d take a lot more than a move halfway around the world to change that.

  No, his concern was for Viva. True, things had long since ended between them... He shook his head free of the vivid imagery of them making love less than twenty-four hours ago. Despite that, things between them had ended long ago, but he’d never sensed the finality of it until that moment.

  This move to Italy put a new turn on things entirely. After all, there wouldn’t be much of a possibility for him to run into her while she was back visiting her parents, would there? Forget living on different coasts, they’d be living in different countries.

  “What a mess.” He smoothed a hand over his hair and grimaced. He’d finally gotten the courage to begin cutting emotional ties and they instantly engaged to snare him like vises.

  Rook shut down the SUV and covered the rest of the gravel drive on foot. Upon entering the house, he reset the security code and was about to call out to Viva when he heard her outburst.

  “If you want to fix things between us, this isn’t the way! I don’t give a damn if you don’t approve. This is my job... Please don’t be that way... I didn’t ask you here to fight...”

  “V?” Frowning, Rook took steady yet cautious steps down the gleaming cobblestone floors of the main corridor. He peeked into the sitting room and the living room, before he found Viva in the den at the rear of the lower level. Discovery dawned and with it came the complete removal of the darkness that had dominated his expression for the better part of the day.

  Viva stood in the middle of the den. The room gleamed golden thanks to the newly placed lamps dotting the stout oak end tables flanking thickly cushioned armchairs with their carefully crafted plum upholstery. She held on to a sheaf of papers that Rook immediately identified as her n
ew script and the reason for her intermittent outburst fell into place.

  Bracing a shoulder to the den’s open doorway, Rook settled in for the show. It was a treat for sure and in more ways than one. The performance was one-sided, but Viva threw a vibrancy into every passage she uttered. It was a chore to look away from her on-screen, he thought. In person, looking away was a futile endeavor for a mere man. It wasn’t only a futile endeavor, it was an insane one.

  The caramel-toned beauty strutted around in a T-shirt, skintight capri yoga pants and what had to be eight-inch heels like she’d been born in them. Rook inhaled deeply, but kept the intake as soft as he did the exhale while he watched her saunter toward one of the coffee-brown sofas. Somehow, he managed to keep his mouth from dropping open when she plopped down on the sofa in a straddling position and faced the back of the chair.

  She kept her eyes on the script and had yet to notice him there using the door frame to support his weight as his legs had become unable to. Viva put her free hand to the sofa, smoothing at the suede with the back of her hand as she might smooth the skin of her lover. Vivid imagery slashed through his mind again and it was he who benefited from the touch he watched her give the sofa with mutinous envy.

  The sound of an unintended groan filling the air gave Viva a start and she scooted round on the sofa to find Rook there. Though she was flustered, a slight trace of the practiced naughtiness she’d conjured for the scene still shone through.

  “Looks like you’ve mastered the shoes,” Rook said.

  Swallowing noticeably, Viva cast a withering look toward the spike-heeled violet satin pumps. The shoes hugged her instep as adoringly as the black and violet ties did her shapely calves.

  “It’s all about the attitude.” The shrug she gave harbored the same withering manner. “Once you master that, the rest is easy.”

  “If you say so.” His stirring eyes traversed the pumps with lingering approval.

  “Sorry, I must’ve lost track of time,” she said before their silence grew strained. “I could’ve done this in my room.” She waved the script.

  Rook moved from the doorway. “I’d be a fool if I said this wasn’t a nice sight to come home to.” Nice. He silently turned the word over in his head. It was erotic at its finest.

  Viva gave a wistful smile then as she scanned the golden-lit room. “I could’ve saved myself the trouble of all the lamps.”

  “Glad you didn’t.” He took the time to observe his den as he moved deeper into the room. “It all hit me as soon as I took the road in. Felt like home.”

  “Well, then.” Viva spread her arms and let her hands fall back to her sides. Her expressive stare pooled with pride and delight. “Guess I accomplished my mission to do at least that much.” Another goal of that mission had been to improve his mood. As yet, she’d been unable to get a better bead on whether she’d managed that.

  Rook moved to join her on the sofa and she scooted to make room.

  “That looked like some scene,” he said as he nodded toward the script.

  “Uh, yeah.” Viva ignored the burn in her cheeks. “It’s harder when you have to play it alone.”

  “Trouble in paradise?”

  She knew what he meant, and smiled. “Not yet, but the writers are pushing for it so...it’s coming.”

  “So what’s up?” He tugged the edge of the script she’d set on the cushion between them. He regarded her slyly. “Or is it a secret?”

  She gave in to a more pronounced smile. “I guess I can dish a little.” Her expression sobered when she looked to the script. “Leesi’s trying to convince Cabot to do something he doesn’t want to do,” she shared, referring to her on-screen love Cabot Ryan, who was played by Bryce Danzig.

  “And what is it that he doesn’t want to do?”

  “Let her go.” Viva watched the muscle flex along his jaw, a reaction she’d anticipated.

  “Why would she want him to do that?” Rook’s gaze fixed upon the script. His voice had gone softer.

  Viva chose to keep her eyes on his killer face instead. “She’s got a job to do and she knows he won’t be able to handle what she’ll have to do to get it done.”

  Rook responded with a solemn nod. “Maybe he could.”

  “He’ll believe that—for a while.”

  “So that’s it? She’ll just assume—”

  “She’s not assuming. She’s got years of their relationship giving her all the material she needs to come to a very informed conclusion.”

  “So much material that she won’t even give him a chance to fix it?”

  “She is giving him a chance.”

  “How?” He gave her the benefit of eye contact then. “By asking him to let her go?”

  Viva looked to the script then. “I think she hopes he’ll follow her. I don’t think she even knows that’s what she wants, but it is.”

  “That’s a risky game she’s playing. They could lose each other for years. Anything could hap—” Rook cut his words short, just as Viva’s sharp intake of breath filled the room.

  With another shaky breath, she started to shove off the sofa. Rook caught her wrist before she’d done little more than press her hand into the cushions. An instant later, she found herself positioned as she had been while running lines with her imaginary co-star. But this time her knees were planted on either side of Rook’s hips, and she knew she had no other choice but to look directly into his exceptional face.

  Helplessly, her eyes lowered to his mouth, and memories of its talents shot a blunt throb of need through her core. Reflexively, she moistened her bottom lip and saw the move draw his bright stare to the location.

  He stared for a time as though transfixed by the way the pink tip of her tongue darted out to travel across the lush lips accentuated by a light bronze glosser. The sound of his name whispering past them was his undoing.

  The hand cupping her hip made a quick ascent until it rested between Viva’s shoulder blades. He brought her in closer until he was crushing her velvety mouth against his hard one. Her gasp granted greater depth for his tongue to explore and he did so with sheer relish fueling his moves.

  Her hands were weak, yet she just managed to curl them around the lapels of the quarter-length wool jacket he’d yet to remove. Strength may have left her hands but the same couldn’t be said of her kiss. Eagerness flooded the gesture to rule choice parts of her anatomy. Gently, she rocked her hips, performing a subtle grind against the ridge of his sex beneath a straining zipper. She moaned while she snuggled deeper into what she craved.

  She was on the cusp of begging him to give her more, but her mouth was totally occupied with kissing and not talking. Blindly, her fingers glided from their grip around Rook’s jacket lapels to unhook the top fastening of the slate-gray trousers he wore. She had nearly undone the fastening when he smothered her busy fingers beneath a big hand.

  “Rook—” She got out just that much before he put her on her back in one seamless, rapid move.

  Mouth freed, she begged in earnest then. He was plying the soft, fragrant column of her throat with gentle, wet kisses. Her breasts heaved with mounting vitality the nearer his talented and lovely mouth drew to them. When his lips merely skirted the tops, without so much as an outline around the nipples desperately straining against lacy bra cups, impatience had her cupping the back of his head to snare his sleek curls and offer encouragement.

  She sobbed when he covered her free hand and squeezed in his own form of encouragement. Tears stung her eyes and she would’ve wrenched away, but he held her fast.

  “I would’ve followed if you’d really wanted me to.” He inched back when she ceased her struggling. A mix of longing and regret rippled in his gaze before he squeezed her chin and smiled apologetically. “I would’ve followed, but you didn’t want me to, V. Not then.”

  With t
hat, he moved to leave her reeling in need and defeat.

  Chapter 11

  Over the two weeks that followed, Viva threw herself into every task and chore she could devise. Making Rook’s house into a home had become less about fixing his mood, which she’d at last deemed a hopeless pursuit, and more about satisfying another personal longing.

  The rustic, old-world dwelling underwent a gradual transformation that showcased Viva’s flair for interior decorating as well as her love for cozy spaces that epitomized warmth and invitation.

  Amid her decorating efforts, she mastered the script. She’d taken to practicing outside her room when Rook was gone, which was quite often. She told herself he had lots to do to get the new leg of his business up and running. That mind-set had sustained her for the first week but not so much going into the second.

  She’d accepted that there was nothing she could do to fix the new layer of trouble laid over their doomed relationship. Her dogged redecorating had been about living a fantasy—one that had not even a snowball’s chance of becoming reality.

  This was the life she wanted. She knew that. She had known that since long before circumstances had brought them back into one another’s lives. He was right. She wouldn’t have wanted him to come with her. Not then. Her career and the years she’d spent honing it were not things she resented.

  Losing Rook in pursuit of it all, however... Yes, she greatly resented that. Now.

  Viva tucked the black quilt beneath her neck and snuggled deeper into the den sofa where she’d lounged for much of the latter part of the afternoon. The snowfall had been a light, but steady drift that was hypnotic and a fabulous soother to her riotous thoughts.

  She kept her mobile handy, dreading the call she had to make, but knowing it had to be made just the same. With any luck, her sister would be busy and she would get to leave the message she had rehearsed. As she reached for it in her back pocket, the phone jiggled, giving Viva a start. The name on the screen surprised her even as a welcoming grin spread across her face.