“It usually works. I can be very unpleasant,” Maya told her.
“She can,” Dex agreed. “Witness.”
Roy laughed. “I always liked you, Dexter. Dexter took Maya to the prom her senior year,” he told Bev. “They made such a cute couple.”
“Beauty and the geek,” Dex said with self-deprecating humor. “I was a lot smaller then.”
“But just as geeky,” Maya added with a grin.
Roy dug into his food. “So what have you been up to? How long are you in town?”
Before Dex could answer, Maya did for him. “He’s back to stay. Apparently genius boy is setting up a photography studio downtown, on Bond.”
“That’s great.” Bev beamed at him.
“Yeah, and he’s loaded.” Maya nudged her head in Dex’s direction. “So, Bev, you can do a lot better than my dad. Just sayin’.”
“Maya.” Roy frowned.
Dex couldn’t help laughing. “But, Maya, you’re so charming and demure. I don’t want anyone but you, sugar plum.”
Roy and Bev seemed to get a kick out of that. Maya didn’t seem as amused, then he caught sight of the smile she tried to hide. “Yep. She’s the most disagreeable, pain-in-the-butt, temperamental artist I’ve ever met. And a more gifted craftsman I’ve never seen.”
Maya flushed.
“She’s not bad on the eyes either,” he added and watched her blush deepen.
“Ha. He’s got you pegged.” Roy pointed a finger at her. “Looks like her mother. Same attitude and everything. But she has my work ethic, so it all evens out.”
At mention of Maya’s mother, her expression turned flat.
“She must have been beautiful,” Bev said.
“She was.” Maya smiled, but he could tell it was forced.
Roy nodded. “I told you she passed away a few years after Maya was born. Then I was stuck handling this bundle of energy.”
Dex wanted to laugh at the description. Bundle of energy? He’d always pictured Maya as more like a cat. Sensual, slinky and devious. From what he’d nagged out of Riley, the girl liked her beauty sleep and had no problem doing nothing all day long. But once an artistic frenzy hit, watch out. She’d pounce on her work and not let up until she nailed it.
Her father and Bev turned the conversation toward how they’d met, and Maya relaxed a little. But Dex wondered about the tension he’d witnessed.
After a while, he and Maya left her father and Bev with a promise for dinner in a few weeks. As they left the food court, he reached for Maya’s hand and gripped it tight, expecting her to try and pull away.
“Hey, I let you invite them to water down our date. You owe me,” he said.
“Water down?”
“You’re a slick one, I’ll give you that. So where are we headed next? A walk to Newport?” He liked how her hand felt under his. Smaller, slighter, yet strong. Maya had little give to her, and he couldn’t wait to test her boundaries.
“My place.” She gripped his hand harder, stroking her thumb along his knuckle.
Sad how her simple touch made him so hard. If he lost his wits for even a second, she’d have him on his knees and begging.
“Your place for some conversation, right?” He glanced down at her. “Remember, you’re the one who said no sex while we’re dating.”
“I did say that, didn’t I? But plans can change.” She winked at him, and he suddenly found it uncomfortable to walk in his too-tight jeans.
“Let’s talk about something I find fascinating.”
