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No, he needed to delve deeper into his protagonist’s character, needed to see what else it was besides a dream of a more exciting future that drove him to leave his family and join up with the Roman army, to travel to a foreign land and guard a border he had never even seen before.
After an hour and a bit of walking across the uneven crags, he felt the wind pick up and become ever more gusting as he passed the odd intrepid fellow walker on the way. Then finally, his head down and his mind intent on developing the storyline, Blaise had his answer. When it came he sucked in a breath and sensed his insides roll over.
It had been there all the time, hovering on the edge of his consciousness from the moment he’d come up with the play’s concept, but unbelievably he had been playing the avoidance game again. Now it seemed there was no longer any place left to hide…
‘How’s the play going?’
‘Hello, Jane.’ Blaise rocked back in his chair with the phone receiver next to his ear and grinned. ‘How’s life in the great metropolis?’
‘Answer my question first, and then I’ll tell you.’
‘The play’s going fine. For the past two weeks I’ve hit a real blue streak.’
‘Inspired, no doubt, by your visiting muse? How is she, by the way? The fact that she’s still with you after two weeks and hasn’t high-tailed it back to London tells me a lot.’
‘Does it, indeed?’
‘Yes—it tells me about her tenacity, for one thing…as well as about her resilience in continuing to work in the face of how temperamental and demanding you artistic types can be.’
Blaise frowned. ‘Her father was an artist,’ he said thoughtfully.
‘That explains it, then. You’re utterly charming and beguiling, darling, but we both know that when you’re working sparks of artistic temperament are apt to fly!’
‘I’ve changed!’ he said jokingly. Then a second later realised he meant it. He had changed since he’d been around Maya. She’d definitely been responsible for bringing out a much more mellow side in him—a side where he was a little less angry when things didn’t immediately go his way, where he could actually relax in a woman’s company and not feel the need to escape and be on his own at some point.
‘She’s great, by the way,’ he remarked, finally answering Jane’s question. Even just thinking about Maya made him grow warm. Right now she was in the adjoining office, typing up yesterday’s work, and later that afternoon he was taking her into town so that they could enjoy tea at a five-star hotel.
‘My, my…’ Jane’s voice lowered meaningfully. ‘How the mighty are fallen.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘Are you falling for this girl, Blaise? I mean…really falling?’
He rocked forward again, feeling the skin between his brows pucker. ‘You know I don’t do happy-ever-after, Jane, so don’t go getting your hopes up and looking at hats to wear to my wedding, will you?’
‘You sound happier than usual—that’s all I meant. When you talk about this woman your voice lights up.’
‘Happiness doesn’t last…especially where romantic relationships are concerned. Living with someone day after day is apt to take the rose-tinted edge off the illusion…or so I’ve heard. Why can’t I simply enjoy what I have right now with Maya without it necessarily having to lead somewhere?’
‘That’s your prerogative, of course. Speaking as a friend, I just don’t want to see you grow old and lonely on your own, I guess.’
‘Well, I appreciate your concern, but do you honestly believe there won’t be pretty and obliging women around to keep me company—even into my dotage?’ Blaise chuckled, but the sound had a definitely hollow ring to it, even to his own ears…
CHAPTER ELEVEN
MAYA stared at the pretty watercolour of violets on the wall by the door to Blaise’s office, feeling stunned and faint. She wished she could erase from her mind the words she’d just heard Blaise speak but knew that it was impossible. It was obvious now that she’d merely been deluding herself that he was beginning to feel something deeper for her because they’d been spending more and more time together. The bond she’d imagined they shared was nothing but a foolish and ridiculous pipedream on her part!
All their liaison had probably been about for a dedicated commitment-phobe like Blaise was great sex.
Shockwaves of distress and pain rolled sickeningly through her. With her hands shaking, she put down the sheaf of paper she had just printed out to add to the small growing pile on the desk that was the play, then opened the door to step out into the adjoining office.
