The Hurting Kind

Touches of Truth

With one touch from Maya, Rick was full of thoughts that involved wrapping her into his arms and placing kisses all over her body. 

He had been watching them speak during their short staff meeting. Well, mainly Rick had been staring at Maya. 

How could he not?

Wearing a sleeveless beige dress that hid none of her curves, it stopped just short of her knees. Under the natural light from the windows in the room, the curls of her hair that fell softly around her face only brought more attention to her wide and expressive eyes, drawing him in. Soon his eyes were on the teasing teardrop cutout in the front of her curve hugging dress, and Rick had to stop himself from marching into the crowd and dragging her out of the room.

Once Thomas started talking, he left the room and made his way to the executive offices, knowing that that is where they would return. Sure enough, Rick heard laughter and turned to face the hallway. Maya saw him first and he almost smiled at the shocked look on her face. That was until he noticed Thomas narrowing his eyes towards him.

Using all the strength he had to not look at Maya once they were closer, Rick spoke to Caroline first. Though soon his attention was on Thomas, and Rick made it clear that he wanted to do more than 'talk' to him. But Maya just had to grab ahold of his hand and break his focus. Having her hand within his, after months of being apart , left Rick frozen to the spot. If she hadn't tugged him along, he was sure that he would still be standing in the hallway.

The sound of the door shutting is what caught his attention first, seeing Maya put space between them by stepping towards Thomas' work desk was what caused him to frown.

"Rick..." she starts

Flashes of her saying his name before she left that night, as he held her close enters his mind. 

"Why are you here?" she finally asks.

Hearing her question finally releases him from the trip down memory lane. Looking at Maya, Rick finds himself glaring at her as he spoke.

"I could ask you the same question. You made it perfectly clear that you want nothing more to do with the company."

With me... he thought bitterly.

Rick watches as Maya turns her back to him. Before he could say another word, Maya speaks again, "That is not what happened. I-"

"You left in the dead of night. I called you - for hours - to  finally see you on TV, publicly breaking up with me!" he shouts. "There was no note, nothing Maya. Just me at Forrester, having to find out with the rest of the world that you left."

She then ran a trembling hand through her hair as she turns around to face him, and he could hear the change in her voice almost instantly. "I thought it would be better that way."

"For whom Maya? Imagine what I went through - thinking that I'd convinced you to take me back, only to wake up to find you gone from my life - again."

The two lock eyes and Maya took a step forward. Though she manages to stop herself from taking another. Done with this game of cat and mouse and wanting answers, Rick closes the space between them.

"Why?" Rick's voice betrays him, as it cracks in the otherwise quiet room. "Why did you say that you loved me to turn around and leave? And now, you are with Thomas. Thomas?!"

He notices her eyes searching his before she steps out of his reach and frowns. "I-I am not romantically involved with Thomas, Rick."

"Like hell you aren't! It's all over every media site. Don't try to deny it."

Looking at him and shaking her head, Maya went on to explain, "Thomas and I are NOT a couple! I don't care what the news media is saying, it isn't true! I still..."

Her last unfinished sentence hangs in the air and leaves Rick feeling as though someone had cut off his air supply. Maya then takes several deep breaths as she closes her eyes and levels them at Rick.

"I only agreed to join FCI for their Sweet Life collection, as the guest model for Paris Fashion Week. That is all, Rick."

His hands itch to touch her again, so he closes the space between them once more and softly reaches out to caress her cheek. Hearing her sharp intake of breath sets his soul on fire. To know that she still responded to him in such a way, after being apart, moved more than his heart. Rick softly caresses her check and watches as Maya's eyes fluttered closed. 

He leans in closer and whispers, "So, you and Thomas are not dating?"

His eyelids become heavy from watching Maya place her hand over the one he was using to stroke her face.

"N-no. We are not."

The scent of warm vanilla and cinnamon from Maya makes its way to his nose and Rick's need to feel her lips against his own overrides every thought that he has in that moment. Deciding to put an end to his drought, Rick places his other hand around Maya's waist and brings her even closer.

"Good."

As he finally goes in to claim her lips, the door to Thomas' office opens, which makes Maya jump back and out of his reach.

"You said that you wanted to talk to me Rick? Do you plan on doing that sometime today, or have you changed your mind?"

Turning around, Rick narrows his eyes at Thomas and Caroline before looking at Maya again. The two of them were staring at him and Maya, and Rick could spot Caroline's Cheshire grin from a mile away. Not taking his eyes off of Maya, Rick addresses Thomas. "I'll be in touch."

Before Thomas or Caroline could say another word, Rick turns to leave the office.