The Master Player

‘I spoke the truth to you,’ he quietly assured her. ‘Protecting the star of my show, ensuring its success was my top priority. I moved straight into damage control. And I’d have to say I quite enjoyed doing it.’

Going into battle, she thought, not attaching his relish for it to anything personal to her until he added, ‘I’ve always liked you, Chloe. I didn’t like the way your mother handled you. I didn’t like your husband who was riding on your coat-tails. But that was none of my business until you gave me the go-ahead to act on your behalf to free you from both of them. Only then did I start thinking…she is now free to be with me.’

Having just reasoned away his actions, this statement came as a shock. Chloe didn’t know what to think of it and Max moved, startling her into rolling onto her back as he propped himself on his side, his eyes glittering with dark, ruthless purpose, his hand reaching out to cup her cheek and keep her attention fixed on him.

‘I wanted that, Chloe. I wanted that immediately. And proceeded to do everything possible to make it happen. For you to be with me,’ he said without the slightest hint of apology. ‘But it could only happen if you wanted it, too. If you chose to be with me.’

Choices…yes. All along he had presented her with choices; tempting choices, seductive choices, reasonable choices, everything possible that would appeal to her state of mind. And heart. She couldn’t call it a trap when she had walked into it willingly. Even though she had sensed that her white knight had a dark side, it hadn’t stopped her going with him, wanting to be with him.

He hadn’t interfered with her marriage. Tony had done that, not Max.

He hadn’t taken her over, as her mother had put it, colouring him with her own using mentality.

Yes, he had dumped Shannah Lian for her, and Chloe was glad she was the more desirable woman to him and he had been honest about it, acting honourably, ending one relationship before pursuing another.

He had done nothing wrong.

And everything right for her.

What more could she ask of him?

The frantic pumping of her heart eased.

He smiled, as though he knew the cloud of troubling concerns had lifted from her mind. ‘I think I’m good for you. Tell me if I’m not.’

The last of her inner tension dissolved in a gurgle of laughter. He was a beautiful man-an infinitely desirable man and she was enormously fortunate that he desired her. She raised her hands to cup his wickedly handsome face, smiling as she drew it down towards hers. ‘I like how good you are for me, Max.’

He laughed, his eyes twinkling delight in her response. Their kiss started with a sense of mutual joy in each other but quickly escalated into passion. Excitement fizzed through her body, re-energising it into a wild craving for more intimacy with him. He was ready for it, too. She reached down and stroked him, marvelling again at how hard and powerful he felt, elated that she stirred such strong desire in this marvellous man.

‘No more feeling passive,’ he murmured against her lips, then lifted her to sit astride him as he rolled onto his back, grinning a wicked invitation as he said, ‘Take me.’

She did, loving the sensation of slowly sinking down on him, feeling him filling her inside. Her grin back at him was pure blissful pleasure. He reached up and started caressing her breasts, his thumbs teasing her nipples, his dark eyes simmering a challenge for her to be as active as she liked. Chloe had never thought of herself as an exhibitionist, yet she revelled in rolling her hips, swaying her body in an intensely sensual and tantalising rhythm, watching him watching her, seeing the simmer in his eyes flare into a blaze of urgent need.

He whipped her onto her back, seizing control, plunging fast and furiously, driving her excitement to the same shattering peak as before, both of them crying out as they climaxed together, both of them subsiding into a languorous state of sweet satiation afterwards. Chloe lay in his embrace, savouring a sense of perfect happiness. She didn’t care if it was only ever going to be a temporary thing with Max. It was good. Better than anything she’d known in her entire life.

A questioning whine from the bedroom doorway snapped her head up from Max’s chest. Luther! He was standing quite normally on his sturdy little legs, his eyes bright, his head cocked to one side, observing the fact there were two people on the bed instead of one and looking not too sure that he wouldn’t get kicked again.

‘It’s okay, Luther,’ Chloe promised him. ‘See-’ Max obligingly raised his head ‘-it’s Max.’

‘Come on, little fella. Want to join us?’ Max crooned at him, throwing out a welcoming arm.

Luther happily scampered over to the bed and Max gently scooped him onto it, whereupon the little dog darted from one to the other, licking their faces in exuberant pleasure that all was well in their world. Clearly he’d suffered no damage from Tony’s kick, and they finally settled him down between them, stroking him into blissful contentment.

‘I’m glad I gave him to you,’ Max said in a fond tone. ‘If he hadn’t been barking his head off this afternoon, alerting me to trouble, I’d still be wondering how long I’d have to wait before you felt comfortable about admitting the attraction between us.’

She sighed over the needless tension she’d put herself through. ‘I thought I kept it hidden from you.’

He shook his head. ‘You can’t hide sexual chemistry, Chloe, and it’s always been there between us. It was why you never felt comfortable in my presence. You clung to your mother or Tony, using them as safety barriers because you didn’t feel safe with me.’

His perception shamed her in a way because she hadn’t faced up to the truth in the past, her mind instinctively shying away from examining the feelings he stirred in her, labeling him dangerous-to be avoided whenever possible, kept at a distance when he was unavoidable. ‘Well, I feel safe with you now,’ she said decisively.

Although she wasn’t safe from falling in love with him.

And he would move on from her, just as he’d moved on from Shannah Lian. That was his well-documented reputation with women, as her mother had pointed out. She couldn’t expect it to turn out differently with her. She still had to keep Max at a distance…from her heart.

He frowned at her. ‘What are you thinking?’

‘I’m thinking I’ll take all you want to give me of yourself for as long as you want me with you, but I mustn’t get too addicted to it because it will come to an end sooner or later.’