Elusive Lover Read online

  Green eyes narrowed warily. ‘You’ve heard of me?’

  Heard of him? She had admired his paintings for years, ever since she had seen a picture of one in a book at school. He usually painted the mountains of Canada or its snowy wasteland, but the ones she liked best were the ones of the Canadian Indians, the proud people of yesterday seeming to come alive under his brush.

  Now she knew the reason for his wealth, the reason Martha had seemed so surprised when she had asked if he were a rancher. This man was a genius, a veritable giant among artists.

  ‘Why on earth were you staying in that dump of a motel?’ she blurted out the first thing that came into her mind, staring at him with awestruck eyes.

  His mouth twisted. ‘I hate being recognised. At a large hotel the chances of that are quite high—believe it or not. I’m quite highly thought of in this country.’

  ‘Not only in Canada, in the whole world. I can hardly believe I’m actually talking to you!’ Erin shook her head.

  Josh quirked a mocking eyebrow. ‘I’m still the same man you just ate dinner with,’ he taunted her sudden awe. ‘And I’m still the same man who wanted to go to bed with you,’ he added mockingly.

  Colour flamed her cheeks. ‘I know that, it’s just—I just love your paintings!’ Her eyes glowed. ‘I had a couple of your prints at home, but I had to leave them behind,’ she explained sadly.

  ‘Which couple?’

  ‘Don’t you believe me?’ she bristled.

  He held up his hands defensively. ‘I only asked, Erin.’

  ‘Sorry,’ she muttered. ‘I had Sunset and Indian Land.’

  He nodded. ‘Two of my own favourites. Well, now you can be a Hawke original.’

  Erin paled. ‘You want to paint me?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Goodness!’ she gasped. ‘It’s such an honour—I don’t know what to say. You——’

  ‘You haven’t heard yet how I want to paint you, Erin,’ he put in softly.

  ‘I—How?’

  ‘Nude.’

  ‘N-Nude?’ she repeated faintly.

  ‘Yes.’

  She swallowed hard, her hands twisting together in front of her. ‘Without my clothes on?’ she said jerkily.

  Josh’s mouth quirked mockingly. ‘That’s usually what nude means, yes. I’m sure you’ll agree that your plane ticket is a big enough fee.’

  ‘I should think most women would pay you'

  ‘I don’t want “most women”,’ he said softly. ‘I want you.’

  He meant it, he really meant it. Joshua Hawke wanted to paint her nude! She couldn’t do it, of course she couldn’t do it. The idea was unthinkable.

  ‘I wouldn’t touch you, Erin,’ he told her softly. ‘When I paint I’m completely absorbed in my work.’

  ‘That absorbed?’ She couldn’t believe that the man who had shown her so much passion earlier this evening could switch his emotions off so completely.

  He laughed softly. ‘I don’t know about when I’m paint ing a nude, I’ve never painted one before. But if I touch you I won’t be able to call it Innocence, will I?’

  Colour flooded her cheeks once again. ‘No . . .’

  ‘Then is it a deal?’ His gaze was intent.

  ‘I—I don’t think I could,’ she pulled a face. ‘Not nude.’

  ‘I could always paint it from memory,’ he drawled.

  ‘Josh——’

  ‘But I would rather not,’ he continued as if she hadn’t spoken. ‘I’m sure your body can’t be as good as I remember it.’ He gave a rueful smile. ‘Right now I have such a vision in my mind ...! I want the true picture, not one from my imagination. So, will you do it?’

  ‘I—What if I don’t?’

  ‘I never think in negatives,’ Josh dismissed.

  ‘Is that why you told Dave to expect my call?’ His certainty about that still rankled.

  He raised one dark eyebrow. ‘Would you rather he hadn’t known who you were? Would you rather have had to make the explanations?’

  ‘No. But——’

  ‘I don’t deal in “ifs” or “buts” either, Erin. I told Dave to expect your call because I wanted you to make it, not because I expected you to. If you hadn’t...’ he shrugged. ‘But you did. And you’re here, and now I want to paint you. You’ll be a first for me, Erin.’

  ‘I know I should be flattered, I just——’

  ‘You’re just not sure you can do it,’ he finished patiently, standing up. ‘Well, think about it and let me know tomorrow.’

  ‘Tomorrow...?’

  ‘Sure,’ Josh nodded. ‘We only have two weeks, Erin. If I’m to get it finished in time for my exhibition in London we have to get started tomorrow.’

  ‘Your exhibition?’ Her eyes were wide. ‘So that’s why you’re going to England. Were they your paintings you had in that crate yesterday?’

  ‘Yes. Now, do you have an answer now or shall I wait until the morning?’

  She bit her bottom lip. ‘Can I—can I let you know in the morning?’

  ‘I guess,’ he sighed. ‘I’ll see you later.’

  Erin gave him a startled look. ‘Where are you going?’

  ‘To take Sheba out for her evening walk. Do you want to come with us?’

  She remembered the way the boisterous dog jumped about all over the place, the wide jaws and long teeth still making her nervous. ‘I think I’ll stay here and tidy the kitchen.’

  ‘Okay,’ he shrugged, leaving her.

  Pose nude! Could she possibly do something like that? Surely it was better than the original idea of sharing Josh’s bed?

  It still shocked her to think of him as the painter Hawke. She just hadn’t made the connection between the lazily attractive man she knew him to be and the world-famous painter. He had been acknowledged as a genius for the last ten years, which meant he had only been twenty-four when he found his fame. He seemed to have handled his fame well, in a very mature way, managing to maintain normality in his private life.

  Now could she be mature? Josh was an artist, she would simply be a subject to him. But would she? He seemed to think so. But the memory of their passionate encounter kept coming back to taunt her.

  She could hear Sheba barking in the distance as she settled down in the lounge, switching on the television and half-heartedly watching the American comedy now showing.

  It didn’t hold her attention, and she moved restlessly about the room, hearing a strange ‘yip-yip’ noise coming from somewhere outside. She had never heard such a noise before, and for some reason it made her feel tense.

  Where on earth was Josh? Surely Sheba had had enough of a walk for one night? He shouldn’t have left her alone here like this, there could be anything out there in the darkness. A bear, or a wolf, or—— The sound of the front door opening had her running to greet Josh.

  She launched herself into his arms, uncaring of his surprise, knocking his hat off his head as she clung to him. ‘Thank goodness you’re back!’ she breathed her relief against his chest.

  ‘What the hell——! What’s wrong with you, Erin?’ He put her away from him, bending down to pick up his hat and throw it in a cupboard.

  She was once again feeling foolish. ‘I—You were gone so long. I——’

  ‘I was gone fifteen minutes,’ he derided, taking off his jacket and throwing it in the cupboard with his hat.

  Erin looked down awkwardly at her hands, embarrassed now by her show of fear. ‘It just seemed longer,’ she muttered. ‘Where’s Sheba?’

  ‘She doesn’t sleep in the house. She’s basically a guard dog.’

  ‘Oh,’ she nodded, suddenly frowning. ‘Guard dog against what?’

  Josh shrugged, strolling through to the lounge, Erin at his heels. ‘We get the occasional wildlife around here, and we have been known to have prowlers.’

  The mention of the wildlife interested her more than the latter. ‘You mean bears, and wolves, and—things?’ Her eyes were wide with apprehension.

&nb
sp; ‘No,’ he laughed. ‘We don’t get bears here, wolves either for that matter. The occasional coyote and——’

  ‘Coyote?’ she repeated sharply. ‘You get coyotes here?’

  ‘Yep,’ he grinned at her shock. ‘You don’t have them in South London, hmm?’ he taunted.

  ‘No,’ she shuddered. ‘Was that them I heard, that strange noise?’

  ‘Probably,’ he nodded.

  ‘Heavens!’

  ‘There’s no need to be scared,’ he put his arm about her shoulders. ‘Coyotes don’t bother humans.’

  ‘Are you sure?’

  ‘Very,’ he chuckled. ‘Now get to bed, I don’t want my model looking tired.’

  Colour flooded her cheeks. ‘You think I’ll do it, then?’ she said challengingly.

  ‘Won’t you?’ he quirked an eyebrow.

  ‘I—Yes,’ she admitted grudgingly. ‘I don’t have any choice, do I?’

  ‘Everyone has a choice, Erin.’ His expression was grim. ‘Go to bed. And don’t forget our ride in the morning.’

  ‘Er—Our ride?’

  ‘Mm,’ he nodded. ‘You haven’t forgotten?’

  ‘Oh no, no, of course not. I—I’m looking forward to it,’ she lied. Help, he was actually expecting her to get on a horse in the morning!

  ‘So am I,’ he smiled. ‘About seven, okay?’

  ‘Fine,’ she nodded airily, quickly making her escape. Oh dear, not only was she to pose nude tomorrow but she was to ride a horse first!

  She couldn’t sleep, was sure she hadn’t slept at all when Josh knocked on her bedroom door the next morning. ‘Six-thirty, Erin,’ he called cheerfully. ‘Time to get up.’

  ‘Okay,’ she agreed grumpily, snuggling further down into the covers, just longing to go back to sleep.

  ‘Now, Erin!’ warned Josh as if guessing her intention.

  She sat up abruptly. ‘I said okay,’ she snapped.

  ‘So you did,’ he chuckled. ‘I’ll go and make a pot of coffee, you sound like you could use some.’ He went off whistling.

  Erin scowled at the closed door. No one had the right to be that cheerful first thing in the morning! Still, she should be looking on the bright side; at least she didn’t have to clean forty rooms this morning, and she didn’t have to fight off Mike Johnston’s lecherous hands either. But she did have to pose nude for Josh, and she had agreed to go riding with him this morning. It was the former that had kept her awake most of the night, but it was the latter that was now prominent in her mind.

  Josh knocked on the door again five minutes later as she was pulling on her denims. ‘Coffee’s in the kitchen. I’ll be outside saddling the horses when you’re ready.’

  Her heart gave a sickening lurch at the thought of it. ‘Fine. I—I’ll be out shortly.’

  ‘No hurry,’ and he went off whistling again.

  Erin slumped down on the bed. What if the horse should bolt with her? What if it should rear up and throw her? Maybe she should tell Josh that she had never ridden before, and that the sheer thought of getting up on one’s back terrified the life out of her. Even as she thought of it she knew she couldn’t tell him. He had probably been around horses all his life, he wouldn’t understand her fears.

  She was in the kitchen sipping coffee when he came back into the house, his narrow-eyed gaze taking in the denims, tee-shirt, and flat shoes she wore at a glance.

  ‘Ready?’

  She looked up at him. Now was the time to tell him, now before it was too late. But her body seemed to have other ideas, and she stood up, words coming out of her mouth without any conscious thought on her part. ‘Yes, I’m ready.’

  ‘The horses are rarin’ to go,’ he grinned, holding the door open for her.

  Oh lord! ‘Good,’ she heard herself say woodenly.

  Josh swung easily on to the back of the black stallion, at once seeming to become one with the horse. Erin looked at the quieter gelding she was to ride, and the gelding eyed her straight back!

  ‘Er—what’s his name?’ she asked nervously.

  ‘Blaize,’ Josh supplied.

  She wasn’t even sure how to get up into the saddle. It had looked so easy when Josh did it, but the stirrup now looked so high to her.

  ‘Like a leg up?’ Josh offered.

  She swallowed hard, feeling a sheen of perspiration break out on her top lip. ‘I—Perhaps that might be best.’ She watched as he swung down to the ground, couldn’t help but admire his easy familiarity with the two horses.

  It seemed that within seconds Josh had hoisted her up into the saddle, the ground looking a long way down as she clung on.

  Josh handed her the reins. ‘How do the stirrups feel?’ He looked up at her enquiringly.

  ‘Er—feel?’ She was afraid to move, terrified she was going to fall off any second.

  ‘Are they the right length?’ he explained patiently.

  ‘Oh—er—yes,’ she nodded frantically, not having the faintest idea whether they were or not. Her feet were in them, and that was good enough for her.

  ‘Good.’ Josh swung back up on to the stallion’s back. ‘Follow me for a while. And no fancy tricks, Blaize doesn’t like it.’ He set the stallion off at a steady walk, holding back on the reins as the stallion baulked at such a sedate pace.

  No fancy tricks! Erin couldn’t even get the damned horse to move! She just sat there on its back while it chewed merrily on the grass at its feet.

  Josh turned in his saddle. ‘They can eat when they get back,’ he told her.

  She tentatively pulled on the reins, amazed as the proud head came up. Now what did she do? Josh had given his horse a gentle dig in the ribs. Fantastic! It worked! Blaize moved off at a slow walk, slowly catching Josh and the stallion up.

  Hey, she thought, this wasn’t half bad. The horse seemed docile enough, and the gentle rocking movement was quite pleasant. Yes, she could get to quite like this—and she might have to.

  They were walking along a worn trail through the wood at the back of the house, the peace and quiet relaxing Erin even more in the saddle, Blaize seeming quite content to follow where the stallion led.

  ‘If we’re lucky we may see some deer,’ Josh turned to say softly.

  ‘Really?’ She couldn’t keep the excitement out of her voice.

  ‘Mm. Better than coyotes, hmm?’ he teased.

  Erin didn’t bother to answer him, and her tension suddenly returned as Blaize seemed to stumble on one of the large stones that littered their way. She was sure she must have gone white as for a moment it seemed the horse would fall. He didn’t, but her fear was back, stronger than before, her body rigid in the saddle.

  ‘How far are we going?’ she asked Josh in a casual voice.

  ‘Just a couple of miles.’

  A couple of miles! The hardness of the saddle was already beginning to hurt the inside of her thighs; two miles of this and she doubted she would be able to walk!

  When they emerged on the other side of the wood Josh began to trot the stallion. Erin knew she was in trouble when Blaize once again followed the stallion’s lead, break-ing into a steady gallop to catch up, further increasing her discomfort.

  It was the weirdest sensation of her life, feeling as if her whole body were being shaken apart. Josh seemed to flow with the horse, whereas she felt as if any moment all her teeth were going to be rattled from her mouth. And she felt sure she was going to fall off. Her feet in the stirrups said she wouldn’t, but her knees were shaking so much she was finding it difficult to hang on.

  Finally they had crossed the clearing, and Josh slowed his horse down to a walk again as they went back into the woods. Erin’s relief was such that she was glad just to still be on Blaize’s back; the gentle rocking movement felt like heaven.

  ‘Isn’t everywhere beautiful this time of morning?’ Josh grinned as he reined the stallion in next to the gelding.

  ‘Lovely,’ she agreed wanly, concentrating so hard on staying on that she daren’t even look up at him.
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br />   ‘You don’t sound too sure. Want to turn back?’

  ‘Heavens, no!’ She looked up to give him a bright smile. ‘I’m really enjoying this,’ she lied.

  ‘Well, if you’re sure . . .? It must be some time since you last rode.’

  ‘A while,’ she nodded. ‘But I’m fine, really.’

  ‘Okay,’ Josh shrugged. ‘Just say when you’ve had enough.’

  She gritted her teeth and hung on for grim death, determined not to be the one to call a halt to this ride. It was almost an hour later when Josh finally said they should turn back, an hour that seemed like a lifetime to Erin, an hour when her whole body seemed to ache, her knees actually going numb. And they had to go back yet!

  For some reason the ride back seemed shorter, although each step the horse took seemed like agony to Erin, and her inner thighs now felt red-raw from the hardness of the leather saddle.

  Josh swung easily to the ground once they were back in the corral, coming over to Erin as she tried to do the same, her knees giving way as soon as her feet made contact with the ground.

  ‘Steady!’ Josh grasped her arm to balance her.

  She felt as if she were still sitting astride the saddle, her legs strangely bowed as she clung to Josh, her inner thighs starting to sting now.

  ‘How do you feel?’ he grinned down at her, his hat pushed to the back of his head, his hair dark and unruly.

  ‘Er—Fine.’ She made an effort to stand up on her own, amazed when she actually managed to do it.

  ‘Sure?’

  ‘I said I was fine!’ she snapped. ‘Sorry,’ she muttered. ‘I—I must have been out of practice after all.’ She brushed down her denims.

  ‘I guess,’ Josh nodded, his amusement deepening.

  Erin gave him a suspicious look. ‘Josh . . .?’

  ‘Mm?’ He looked strangely innocent.

  Which was a contradiction in itself! This man was rakishly attractive, very physical, and there wasn’t a single innocent thing about him.

  Her mouth set in an angry line, her discomfort suddenly forgotten as she glared at him with accusing eyes. ‘You knew!’ she exploded. ‘You knew, damn you!’

  He began unsaddling the stallion. ‘Knew what, Erin?’ he asked in that still innocent voice, eyeing her mockingly.