Playing the Game (26 page)

“Where’ve you been?” She should have told him how good he looked, but she couldn’t help it. He arched his brow.

“I was out parking the car. I had to walk back a couple of miles.”

“Don’t you believe in valet parking?” She laughed.

“You forget where I grew up. I’ve developed an aversion to the idea of handing my car keys over to strangers.”

“Come on into the party before your sophistication overwhelms me. By the way, you look…”

“Good enough to eat, I hope?” He turned to her and squeezed her to him. She gasped, unaware of the stares, until she heard Laura’s harrumph.

She took his arm through hers and brought Barry around, introducing him to everyone in the main room. Some time later she realized that Paul Paris had arrived. He stood at the bar watching her. She hurried over to greet him.

“Sorry I didn’t greet you when you came in, Paul. You should have come over and said hello.” She smiled genuinely into his handsome face. She was about to ask about Lindy as she always did when she saw him, but he spoke first.

“Don’t ask me about Lindy. For once let’s not talk about her. It’s as if you’re always throwing her up between us to ward me off.” He paused.

She didn’t know what to say to that, so she said nothing. He went on.

“I don’t want to sound callous, but it’s been a big strain and this is a party. I was hoping to escape for a while.” The lightness in his voice was false and she watched him down the rest of his drink. Compassion for this man filled her. He’d been right that she purposely kept her distance from him. But he was assuming the wrong reasons. She didn’t want to see his misery or feel for him the way she did now. Her emotions were stretched taut already. She couldn’t afford to spend them on him too.

“Paul, don’t worry. I understand perfectly. Tonight I’ll make it my personal responsibility to see to it that you have a fabulous time.” From the expression on his face, she realized she’d said the wrong thing. “Why don’t I introduce you around?” she added quickly.

“First I’ll have another drink. Then I’d love to see your beautiful home—all of it. The grand tour.” He stared suggestively at her and she thought how foolish she’d been to give him that opening. It was much too late to wonder about his late wife, she was thinking, when Laura appeared at her side.

“Hello,” she said to Paul. “Roxy, Harry would like to speak with you about a couple of things. Sorry for the interruption. I’ll keep Mr. Paris company while you take care of business.” Laura turned to Paul, but not before Roxanne gave her friend a smile of appreciation. “It’s so difficult to have a good time when you’re the hostess of a party. Poor Roxanne,” Laura said to Paul.

Roxanne glanced back at Paul with a nod. Now she felt even more sorry for him than ever. Harry was standing at the fireplace with Barry and Dave talking. She doubted Harry had anything to talk to her about. Laura was a master at extricating Roxanne from difficult situations, through years of practice. Roxanne smiled to herself. Laura had managed to throw Roxanne into the comfortable company of exactly the people she wanted to be with.

“Harry’s been telling us war stories, Roxy. I had no idea charity was such a tough business. You should be wearing a suit of armor.” Barry gave her his best half-smile.

“Hadn’t you noticed? I am wearing a suit of armor.” She twirled around. “They come in all shapes and sizes you know.”

“I think you’ve found the perfect fit.” Barry put his arm out to encircle her and she didn’t resist. In a moment they found themselves standing alone and Barry walked with her through the dining room into the kitchen. A few of the caterer’s kitchen help lingered in there, refilling platters.

“Let’s walk outside,” he said.

“It’s freezing out there.”

“We’ll walk to my car, take a drive.” his stare was intense. She knew what he had in mind. Her mind flashed back to the night of another party when she’d gone for a drive with another man—the night of Don’s death. Anxiety clenched at her chest.

“I can’t leave this party. And you know it.” She forced herself to take a deep breath. “You’re becoming awfully impatient, Barry. Losing control again?”

He laughed. “Maybe I don’t care. We don’t have to leave the party. We can sneak upstairs. You have plenty of people to cover for you.” He dared her.

“Don’t forget, there’s just as many people here watching you—probably more. As usual, you’re the star attraction of this affair.”

“Maybe. But the only affair I’m interested in is with you.”

“And what makes you think we can get away with sneaking upstairs—without embarrassing ourselves, that is?”

“Nothing. The odds are definitely against it. But then those are the kind of odds I like.” He grinned. Roxanne thought she knew then what it was like to be a hunted animal.

“This is all a big game to you, isn’t it?” She knew the answer.

“Isn’t it?”

“Not even a time out?”

“You can call the game any time you want. But I have a feeling you’re enjoying it as much as I am. You should be, though I have to admit it, we both know you’re winning—so far.” His grin faded slightly. Faint tension formed lines around his mouth.

“You may be right. But the stakes keep getting higher and higher as time goes on and…” She looked away.

“And what?”

“And the last time I played this game, winning wasn’t so much fun. My late husband turned out to be a very poor sport.” Barry flinched, ever so slightly. Even as she remembered Don, she could not ignore the mounting excitement Barry caused within her. Especially since her reminder seemed to give her an advantage over Barry, giving her control of this supremely self-controlled man. What happened to her resolve not to play with men? What if he was the one man who might win? Her eyes widened at her thoughts and her mouth softened, almost trembling as she stared back into his eyes.

“Don’t worry about me.” He left unspoken the words that hammered through her mind.
Worry about yourself this time, Roxanne
.

They stood close. She leaned against the counter and he kept her pinned motionless with his weight against her. He didn’t hold her in his arms, but with his hands poised on the counter on either side of her. He moved slightly against her and she felt his hard full erection. It was difficult not to react, but she kept herself cool on the outside even as she felt her insides melting into the creamy irrationality of sexual desire.

“Well?” He pressed closer, breathing the single word through his tight mouth. She saw his mouth twitch. She knew he was at his breaking point.

“Well what?” Her words were too breathy, definitely not the casual tone they were meant to convey. His predatory instincts were too good to let that go unnoticed.

He chuckled, pulling back from her.

“I’ll meet you upstairs.” He turned away.

The desertion left her chilled, but she lifted her chin. He glanced back at her with a nod as he went through the door.

He wondered where she was as he crashed through her bedroom doors. He wasn’t surprised he was the first to get there. He only hoped he wouldn’t remain alone. Cursing aloud, and hating the doubt she always managed to make him feel, he had to consciously remind himself it was not his imagination that she was breathless with desire. He inwardly scolded himself into using some self-discipline. He stepped to the windows and watched the mesmerizing waves crash over rocks in the starlight and listened to the muffled rhythm.

The click of the door on the other side of the room preceded her scent. She came to stand beside him. He looked down at her, warning himself to remain in control even as he felt the leap of his pulse.

“I see the view has you captivated again. Watch out. It can become addictive,” Roxanne said, looking out the window.

“Yes.” He hadn’t taken his eyes from her. She laughed in that seductive way she had, causing all kinds of jumps in his nerve endings. He told himself to stay calm.

“And dangerous. Look at Don. He was so drawn by it that one night he went out there and never came back.” She walked over to the bed and sat, leaning back on her arms. She crossed one leg over the other and proceeded to kick off her heels. The telltale strain in her voice gave away her attempt at playing cool

He stared at her, watching her no-doubt calculated movements for a full minute. “Is that supposed to be some kind of warning?”

She went still. “No. Never mind. You have me unnerved is all.”

“If I’m willing to take the risk then you shouldn’t care. You’re getting soft.” He came to sit next to her on the bed. She looked at him, her expression suddenly devoid of the teasing glint that he usually saw there. Her face was serious, but it wasn’t the expression he’d seen before. That had been born of passion. This was different and he had no idea how to react. He searched his mind for a lighthearted quip that would return her to the fun-loving woman he knew how to handle. But she spoke first.

“Why do you always have to have the upper hand, Barry? Do you ever ask yourself that?”

She asked the questions rhetorically, but he tried to think of the answers all the same. His instincts told him he’d better not. The questions, and her searching gaze, drained him of desire.

“Damn it, Roxy. What are you trying to do?” He looked at her for one long moment, with a scowl, then he stood abruptly, shoving his hands in his pockets because he didn’t know what else to do. “And you’re a fine one to talk about needing to have the upper hand.”

“I know. And now I’ve gone and ruined the game.” She sighed and stood also. He turned to look at her again, ready to leave, or at least return to the party.

“But that gives me the upper hand doesn’t it?” Her face lit up again with the familiar glint and the seductive giggle emerged from her triumphantly. He could do no more than stare at her, at a complete loss what to think anymore. She was playing with him good; faking left, then right, up and down like a yo-yo and he was letting her get right by him. He said the only thing that came to his mind in that moment of complete and utter frustration.

“You make no fucking sense to me.”

Her eyes were bright with challenge as he closed in on her. What would he do now? The expected thing? He knew she expected him to throw her on the bed and make wild love to her. She wouldn’t stop him. As he thought about it, his body responded, telling him it wasn’t a bad idea. But looking into her eyes and pasting on his game face—he stepped back. Both mentally and physically.

“Okay. You win. Game’s over.” His jaw clenched as he said the words. The very act of conceding the victory lessened the pain, though he knew she would feel no better. If the best he could do was give her a hollow victory, then that’s what he would do. Nothing like cutting off your nose to spite your face, he derided himself as he swept past her. She looked very unsure, even vulnerable.

He paused in the door and turned to look at her again to make sure. Maybe she wasn’t the woman he thought he was playing games with. But when he glanced back at her she stood casually putting her shoes back on. A cryptic, almost puzzled look on her face as if to say “where did I go wrong?” But surely not vulnerable?

“Later.” She nodded to him with the lilt of promise in that tantalizing voice of hers.

He quirked a smile at her then left the room, bolting down the stairs with the distinct sensation of having made a narrow escape. Escape from what he wondered? But then he decided not to wonder and joined the crowd at the bar.

Roxanne stared at the doorway of her bedroom. Her hands shook as she put her heels back on. She glanced back at her empty bed. This game wasn’t so much fun anymore. Something changed. Was it she or Barry? She didn’t like the empty feeling she had right now one bit. It struck her with sudden intensity.

She didn’t know what Barry Dennis thought of her any more. Or how she felt about him. Roxanne swirled into one of the overstuffed chairs by the fireplace and swiped the tear from her face. Then why was she bothering with him? Why was she taking such a chance playing games with him? This was ridiculous. “What am I doing?” she said out loud.

“That’s what I’d like to know.” Bonnie entered the room and when she got closer, Roxanne tried to avoid the woman’s eyes.

“Honey, what is it? What did that man do? What did he say?”

“Nothing.” Roxanne looked up, not bothering to wipe the latest tears away. She smiled, then laughed because she knew it sounded silly. It was silly.

“Roxy? I’ve never seen you this upset over a man.”

“It’s not him.” She waved her hand, cutting Bonnie off before she could say anything more ridiculous. “It’s everything—all this business about money and Don’s death, and Penelope’s threats.” Roxanne felt much better now and she looked at Bonnie, letting anger take hold. “You know that Penelope’s talked all our major donors out of giving us the seed money we need to launch the special campaign? But she won’t stop me.” Roxanne stood. She felt much better. She’d think about Barry later.

“I’ll have to work extra hard, line up some new candidates—but I’ll get the money. Now that we have Barry as spokesperson, I’m sure it will get off the ground.”

“Of course it will. You should know better than to worry about that. You have a house full of people downstairs that are right behind you.”

“Yeah, we better get down there now before anyone decides to leave.” She smiled at Bonnie and gave her a hug as they left the room.

The party was louder than when she had left it only thirty minutes earlier. Roxanne got to the middle of the room, but before she had a chance to approach anyone, Paul Paris took her elbow and leaned toward her ear, almost falling on top of her in the process.

“Hey, Rox. Where ya been? I’ve been looking all over for you. Saving this dance for you. What do ya say?” He recovered his balance admirably and she laughed.

“Are you sure you can dance, Paul? You can hardly stand. You’ve been hanging out at the bar haven’t you?”

“Only all night. Want to take me outside for a walk? I do feel a little dizzy. Maybe we can look at the stars or something.” He looked her with an almost childlike expression.