She snuggled into him. It was easy. Comfortable. Normal, with her next to him. Man he hadn’t done this in forever and it was about time. His sisters were always nagging at him to work less and relax more. Sneaking a look at Maya he watched her animated face drop as the news of an affair between the two main characters threatened their domestic bliss. Was that what had happened between her folks? Had her mom found someone else who wasn’t trying to rip her off every two seconds and bailed on the relationship, and on her?
“You okay?”
She dragged herself out of the film and smiled. “Perfect. Just lost in the movie. Sorry if it feels like I’m ignoring you. I’m not. Promise.”
He felt anything but ignored. If anything he felt drawn into her focus, pulled into the world she spun around her. A little smile flickered on her lips, and her eyes, now swung back on the screen, widened as she sighed and frowned along with the characters. Even when she watched a movie she did it with her whole self, threw her mind into the characters’ lives, lived a little through them. No wonder all those surf boys wanted her to represent them. She cared about her clients, cared passionately about their dreams and aspirations. It was probably why she’d fixated on Rick for so long.
Made her a damn good PR agent though. If anyone in his agency had half her focus and dedication he wouldn’t have needed to do this himself. Maybe he could convince her to come work for him full time? Maybe if he did that, she could get rid of Rick for good and see if there was anything more than crazy chemistry between them. She wants the whole package though remember. Something he had promised he wouldn’t offer until Wolfe clothing could walk on its own without him holding its hand. He wasn’t going to overcommit and have things go pear-shaped the way they had with his ex, Giselle.
He scanned the last email.
The new deal with production will save us thousands. it’s enough to bring us back into the black before we rebrand.
G
Dominic had to fight hard not to grind his teeth. The production order Giselle wanted to push through would save thousands, she wasn’t wrong. But it would undermine the whole eco-rebrand. The thousands saved now would bite him in the ass later. And for all her post-grad degree smarts, Giselle, didn’t seem able to hear him when they talked about it.
His eyes flicked back to the screen. The main character ignored advice from her BFF about her deadbeat boyfriend and Dominic grunted. What was it with people ignoring good advice?
Maya tipped her head on the side. “She looks like Brooke don’t you think?”
“Sure. Sounds a bit like her too.” He paused but there was no reaction. “You guys are really close aren’t you?”
Her eyes never left the screen but Dominic saw Maya’s focus turn inward. “She’s my bestie on so many levels. Her and Summer. We’ve known each other since we were kids. They’ve always been there for me, more like family than family really. You’d like Summer. Everyone likes her, she’s gorgeous and so sweet.”
Was that a flicker of jealousy? “You’re hardly difficult on the eyes yourself sweet cheeks.”
She slapped at him but the smile stayed on her face. Good. Maybe she’d start believing it soon. He thought about his own family. His sisters who’d encouraged and supported him best they could when he decided to start up in the fashion world. It wasn’t the done thing. Not by a boy like him, but his family’s belief in him had kept him going. Taught him the importance of dreams and goals. It felt terrible that Maya’s upbringing had left her bereft of goals other than being someone else’s wife and having a place to call her own. She could be so much more than a wife and house owner. “Brooke said you stayed with her sometimes. Growing up I mean.”
“Yeah. It wasn’t always easy for my dad. Especially after my mom left.”
“You’re going to defend him?” Dominic snapped his mouth shut worried he’d shared more than he was supposed to know.
She turned from the screen. “What do you mean?” Her frown was tinged with sadness. “Who have you been talking to?”
“Just, you know. Your friends. At the party.”
The realization flickered. “Brooke. Man she’s got a big mouth sometimes.”
He softened his tone. “How come your mom left?”
Maya heaved a big sigh. “She was done. I don’t remember everything, I was only nine, but I remember it had been getting worse and worse. We hadn’t had anywhere to live for a while. Mom and I first stayed with Brooke when Dad got into trouble with some guys who didn’t take no for an answer. I guess it got a bit hairy, but only for a little while.”
“So she walked out. On her daughter.”
“No. I wanted to stay. My dad was the one who was always there for me. He did my homework with me. Went to all the parent teacher meetings. They’d been so in love once, she’d had a baby for him. Me. It wasn’t what she’d dreamed of but they thought they loved each other enough to iron out all the hiccups. When things got really bad though, love just wasn’t enough. I guess in the end it was probably a bit of a relief. For everyone.”
Dominic couldn’t quite reconcile the idea of a mother leaving her child, not when he thought about the fierce love his sisters had for their kids. But sometimes life dealt you a hand you had to deal with in a different way. And from the look on Maya’s face, it was a reality she wasn’t fazed by. “So this. The surf world. You decided the three of you would do it together?”
“Yep. Brooke and Summer were always into it. Brooke’s brother was a champion surfer when the rest of us were in training bras and we hung out with him. Nagged him to take us to the beach in the back of his pick-up.”
“Sound idyllic.”
“It was really. I don’t know what Brooke told you, but my childhood wasn’t awful. My dad isn’t awful. Just a bit—” she paused, looking for the word. “—lost.”
“Ungrounded.”
“Yeah. Maybe.” She turned back to the film, apparently satisfied that he’d taken her at her word and wasn’t about to hunt her father down and make him explain why he hadn’t got his shit together enough to support his daughter, instead of sponging off her.
Her life really was all mapped out. Whether that was healthy or not, he understood why she might be so drawn to order with the upbringing she’d had. Still—he looked at her again—no. He was going to focus on his own life, get the company sorted so he could go to his nephew’s league games instead of always being at work for starters. He’d give Maya as much encouragement as he could while he was here. Maybe push her a little to expand her client base out of the surf circuit just to test the waters. But that would be the end of it. His heart gave a small groan but carried on beating steadily.
Slumping back into the couch Dominic shot off another couple of emails before Maya put a hand on his arm. “It’s late. Turn that off and relax for a moment.”
He pressed send and shut the lid of his machine just to humor her. He could keep going when she went to bed. When he tried to focus on the film however, the two male characters were out practicing the art of picking up women. The looks they gave every single lady that crossed the screen were a little too close to how Rick’s eyes had eaten up Maya that night in the bar.
Then Maya broke into his thoughts out of the blue. “I don’t know if I want to go to the wedding.”
Dominic did a double take. “The date with the guy you’ve been hankering after for two years?” He watched her gulp and then nod, still with her eyes on the screen.
He put a finger under her chin and made her turn to look at him. “You sure about that?”
“I didn’t think you’d be particularly concerned. It’s not like you approve of the guy.”
Damn, he knew he’d been disapproving but not out loud.
She wrinkled her nose at him. “You couldn’t even bring yourself to use his real name.”
True. Lucky he hadn’t rocked out Brooke’s Rick-the-dick moniker then. “To be fair, that was before I’d even met him. I was only going on the fact that he hadn’t noticed y
ou in two years.”
She shifted so her whole body faced his. “That’s kinda the point isn’t it? If I wasn’t good enough for him all that time, why is it suddenly different now?”
She was asking him to convince her? The world had a cruel sense of humor sometimes. He steeled himself. “Maybe it’s different because you want it to be. Maybe because you’ve decided to take what you want for a change, rather than looking out for everyone else first?”
“You make me sound like a martyr.”
“Not a martyr. Just someone who’s got cold feet because the reality of getting what she wants has suddenly come up to hit her in the face.”
“But I don’t know if I want it anymore.”
Don’t go. He blinked slowly, his heart hating what his head was making him do. But if she was truly available, truly single, he was worried he wouldn’t be able to walk away from her. And he needed to walk away from her. He’d just decided it wasn’t fair on her to drag her into his world. “So you’re going to ignore all my hard work? All my effort.”
She gave him a wry smile.
“I’m not going to tell you to go on to the wedding with him if you don’t want to. Hell, I’ll say it, don’t go. But—” he held up his hands in mock contrition, “—you’ve wanted this guy for years.”
“You think I should do it.”
Hells no. If he could have groaned, taken her by the shoulders and shaken the thought of Rick Hunter out of her head forever, he would quite happily have done it. Suck it up. Dominic pushed a bright smile onto his face. “Absolutely. Sure. If only to say that you did it.”
Chapter Eleven
It was not the answer she’d expected. Maya pushed down, hard, on the knotty coil of—something—in her chest. She couldn’t have given him a better opportunity to stop her going out with Rick and yet... The sigh was unbidden and she tried to swallow it. This was clearly still an all care and no responsibility thing for Dominic. It was just that, these past days—she put a hand up to her neck—it had seemed like anything but. Anything but what you want it to be. The smile she pushed out felt forced, but he seemed to buy it.
They worked steadily the next day. Maya popping in and out to meetings and events, and Dominic glued to his phone and laptop whenever she arrived back. She’d been to her hotel to check in, but the place was still a mess. Whatever had flooded the rooms had brought the stench of a thousand sewers with it and with no air conditioning and record temperatures the place was uninhabitable. The hotel offered to find her somewhere else to stay again, but she declined. Didn’t seem any point.
At six she pulled out two beers for herself and Dominic and he dragged his eyes away from his screen. “Shit, six o’clock. I was going to get a few outfits sent over for you to choose something to wear to the wedding.”
She wrinkled her nose at him. “It’s fine. Brooke took me shopping. I have a dress.”
“Show me.”
“What if I don’t?”
“Show me.”
She sighed dramatically but was quietly pleased and went to grab the dress and take it into the living area.
“It belongs on a Malibu Barbie.” Dominic looked like he couldn’t bear to touch it.
“A Malibu Barbie would not wear something like this.”
“One with terrible taste and a vivid imagination might.”
Maya’s jaw dropped.
Dominic put a finger under her chin and gently closed her mouth. “Sorry sweet cheeks, but you have to admit it’s awful. A grey pencil dress with a hot pink peplum is not what you’ll be wearing.”
“I don’t have to admit anything of the sort. I was going for playful. Trying to wear something outside my comfort zone for a change. Brooke helped me pick it out. It’s modern.”
“There is a reason it was outside your comfort zone.”
She slapped at him but he caught her hand and pulled her close. The thrill of his broad chest against her breasts was still tantalizing, no matter that he was helping her get ready for a date with someone else. “Come on. This is useless, we’re going to have to use something of mine,” he said. Turning her by the shoulders, he walked her into his bedroom. She should have struggled, but the feeling of being guided by Dominic, of having his hands on her again, was just too nice to want to leave. When he let her go in his room she missed the heat of his touch immediately.
“We could try this. Or this.” Holding up a simple white business shirt and a dark green cotton sweater, Maya couldn’t quite work out what he meant. “Over pants? Won’t that just make me look like a guy.”
He laughed and held each one up to her. “There will be no pants in this equation. Except underwear. On that I insist. Rick should have to work a hell of a lot harder to get you to go on a date with him without underwear.”
The hot flush was instant and Maya clenched her jaw, trying desperately to stop the blush that was obviously coming. “I can’t wear that by itself,” she pointed at the shirt.
“Why not? It’s Egyptian cotton. And the boyfriend look would totally suit you.”
“It’s too short for starters.”
“And to finish?”
“It’s a man’s shirt.”
Dominic chuckled as if he really were the protective older brother she’d decided to think of him as. We’d pull it in with a belt,” he held it against her. “cut the sleeves off to give it a bit of shape.”
Maya shook her head. “No. This is madness.”
“This then.” Dominic fingered the dark green sweater. “The color will make your eyes look amazing. Although having to cut this up is going to kill me. Maybe there’s still time to get something send over.”
It was even shorter than the shirt. Maya opened her mouth to tell him when his cell rang.
“Saved by the bell?” he gave her a grin.
He pulled his cell out of his pocket and checked the display. “Crap. Guess I better take this. She’s not one to give up lightly.” He walked out of the room and Maya stayed standing in front of his wall of mirrors.
She. So what? He probably had hundreds of women working for him. Or it could have been another one of his sisters. She held the sweater up to her again. It was a lovely color. Checking he was well out of the room and out of sight she slipped out of her top and pants and pulled the cotton sweater over her head. It slid off her shoulder in a kinda sexy way and if she pulled it in at the waist. Hmmm, maybe. Still, it was damn short. And for a wedding?
“No. I’ve had enough of this, you don’t get to dictate terms to me like that!” It was a tone that Maya had never heard before in Dominic’s voice. Angry, sure, but frustrated, exasperated.
“This is why I said no last time. Changing the terms doesn’t make it any more attractive.” There was a short pause. “Yes I know it’s a lot of money. But that’s not really the point is it? Especially if we’re going to re-launch with an eco-focus.”
Whatever the woman on the other end of the phone said next must have been much more conciliatory as Dominic’s voice calmed. “I won’t be too much longer. Couple of days. Yes, I think dinner would be a good idea. I think we need to talk too.”
Maya pulled off the sweater and shrugged her top and pants back on before heading out of the bedroom. “Everything okay?”
He might have sounded calmer from the bedroom, but when he turned to her, Dominic’s face was lined with frustration. “I need a walk.”
“I’ll come with you.”
He didn’t reply, heading straight for the door and not even bothering to wait for the lifts. Well he didn’t say not to go with him. Maya hurried down the stairs after him, not sure if she should be giving him space, but sure that she wanted to smooth the hurt frustration from his face, just as he’d soothed her worries about her appearance away. My turn to help you out Mr Wolfe.
Out in the warm night air, Dominic stopped, took a giant breath and turned to her. “Better already. Let’s go down to the beach.”
He kicked off his shoes, tied the laces together and slung t
hem over his shoulder. “Come on, the sand feels like silk at this time of night.”
Maya slipped out of the flat sandals. Dominic was right about walking bare foot on the beach, now the sun had lost some of its heat near the end of the day and wasn’t heating everything to scorching point, the fine golden sand felt amazing under her toes. They walked on in silence, Maya conscious of letting Dominic work through whatever he’d just argued about before she jumped in with questions.
The sun was dipping now, and with only the ocean in front of them, the world was throwing its last shards of golden light around. The ocean shimmered and dived like a living thing. Maya tried to imagine what it would be like out there in the water. Some of the younger guys she worked with liked to night surf, especially if there was phosphorescence around, and Brooke would go out if she was in a particularly angry mood. But most of the professionals avoided it, especially on tour where the break was less familiar. The water might look inviting, but they knew that where there were waves, there was a reef just under the surface, and the rocks had icy teeth just waiting to take a bite out of a too confident rider.
“You’d look good in a shimmering navy. Like the water.”
Maya looked up at Dominic, relieved his voice was gentler. The city lights had grown dimmer and dimmer as they got closer to the water but his face was still clear enough to read. His strong jaw was tight, but not twitching, and with his pupils full and dark, his eyes looked as deep as the ocean. It was a calmer face, full of thought rather than the anger of earlier.
“According to you I’d look okay in pretty much anything. Except grey, and hot pink.”
He laughed and Maya released her shoulders, realizing she’d been waiting for him to show signs of moving on from his earlier frustration since they’d started walking.
Making over Maya (Hot Tide Book 2) Page 14
