“Hi, Nicholas,” Maya said as she stepped out of the taxi.

“Long time, Maya,” Nicholas replied. “Come inside before you freeze to death.”

He held the door of the large lodge he owned open. He didn’t look particularly pleased to be saddled with her, Maya noticed. No wonder. Nicholas had his own life, his own company and plenty of other women he would prefer to be with.

“Gee! You look terribly pleased with being stuck with the babysitting duty this year. Am I ruining your chances of a romantic tryst?”

“I’ll survive,” he said nonchalantly.

Maya had no doubt he would. Women had lined up for him ever since he came into his teens and grew to 1.9 meters in height. Since then, Nicholas had matured in all the right ways. He was a stunningly handsome man with dark hair and green eyes. His reserved manner and wealth meant his bed was empty only if he wanted it to be.

He’d come a long way since the night his parents had thrown him out and Maya’s parents practically adopted him. She could still remember the haunted expression on his face. The way he shied away from human contact and refused to care about anyone or anything. Gradually he had changed. Particularly after her father took him under his wings and helped him get an education and a job. She believed the pain of his parent’s rejection still haunted him, but he hid it better these days.

He didn’t seem to want to settle down. He was always striving for something more. Something else. Even though he was closing on his thirties.

Oh well, Maya didn’t mind. She liked having the opportunity to tease him about his age. It seemed to be her mission in life. To tease him until he laughed or returned the favour. It was either tease him or stare at him. And the latter wasn’t an option she wanted to consider.

Nicholas never thought about her romantically. It would be a miracle if he ever stopped thinking of her as a child. Maybe he simply refused to accept it. He always treated her as his kid sister. Too stupid for her own good. Always needing him to rescue her.

If that were the only way she could hang out with him, so be it. She could always throw herself into the pool at the deep end. Or climb the trees her parents constantly tried to stop her doing. It made it all worthwhile if Nicholas rescued her and reprimanded her. She adored him. Even when he teased her about her recklessness for months afterwards.

She still adored him and craved his attention. No doubt about it. Good or bad, his attention was always better than being ignored.

“Where are the folks?” Nicholas asked as he showed her to her room for the weekend.

It was the same room she always used when she visited his lodge. The room was next to his. He probably thought it would keep her out of trouble. He was wrong about that, though. Maya had plans for this weekend. Great plans.

“They’re on their way to some mountain or other in Italy,” she said.

“Why didn’t you join them?”

“And endured endless business meetings? No, thanks. You know what they’re like.”

“Yeah. I do,” Nicholas said.

For many years it had mostly been her and Nicholas at home. After many years of arduous work, her beloved parents had suddenly struck gold, so to speak. Overnight, the family business had received several large deals. Turning their worlds upside down.

Financially, it was a success, but the downside was the long hours her parents put into it. She couldn’t blame them for following their dream. They loved their work and their travels around the globe. But it had made them more absent than present. Leaving her and Nicholas to be tended by an endless string of servants unless her grandparents had some time.

She had been only eight years old when it had started. Nicholas was five years older than her, and he had taken over as a substitute parent for her, even if he wasn’t more than a kid. It had made their bond become even stronger than before. They had been close then. Nicholas and her. Spending time together, sharing meals. But after a while, he didn’t want to spend time with his younger ‘stepsister’. He was busy with his studies. He moved away. Leaving her alone with the servants in the large otherwise empty mansion.

When they met during the holidays, it was never the same as when they were young. He’d become a stranger. A handsome one, but still a stranger. A big, closed-off man. Always frustrated by a string of people desperate for his attention. Maya knew the desperation. She’d followed him around for many years. Always waiting and wishing for him to turn around and talk to her. Maya learnt more about his life from reading the tabloids than from family gatherings or conversations with him.

It was almost like he had changed and now kept something back. Maya missed the friendship they had shared and the knight in shiny armour who was always there for her when she needed him. She knew Nicholas was still that hero she’d always worshipped. But these days, he was more guarded, keeping her on the outside instead of inviting her in.

In the business world, Nicholas was considered a genius. Everything he touched seemed to be a success. Anyone lucky enough to do business with him prospered. He deserved it. She’d seen how hard he worked. How many years he’d struggled to become what he was today. His wealth was almost to be expected. She hoped it made him happy.

She’d always admired him. Envied his calm and his strength. He could always make her laugh. Forget that her parents were absent, too busy for their daughter. But these days, she hardly saw him at all. When she contacted him, he never had time for her. Even when she managed to slip past the string of assistants and secretaries managing his phone and office.

She had decided to do the same. Ignore him. The way he ignored her. Going about her own business and making her own friends. Her family wasn’t there. Always busy with their companies and endless business meetings. Working their way into more wealth than they’d ever need. Buying a string of houses around the world that they hardly ever set foot in and enjoyed.

Maya felt like she had been born into the wrong family. She was so different from her parents. They were outgoing and loved to have the company of other people. Maya had always preferred reading a book to attending parties. She adored her parents, but sometimes they were really too exhausting to be with.

Nicholas had once seemed like her after he’d settled in with her family and opened up. But as he grew older, his ambitions expanded. He turned into the same kind of person her father was. Starting his own company and always working. Nicholas admired her father. Maybe Nicholas felt he had to prove himself by becoming as wealthy as her father. Or even worse. To outdo his teacher by becoming even wealthier.

Money wasn’t everything in life, Maya sighed. Not as long as you had enough to get by. But the people around her seemed to believe it could solve any problem. Maya knew differently. She’d always had plenty of pocket money. That was never a problem. But what good was the money? What she really wanted, needed was attention. To have someone sitting opposite her. Someone to share meals with. Someone to watch a movie with her. To talk to her. To enjoy her company.

Maya still remembered the early days when they were like an ordinary family. The money had been scarce, but she had felt safe and happy having Nicholas and her family around her. She knew what a real family was like. She had seen and read about it. Observed and listened to her friends when she spent time with them. Arguments and noise. Complaints about siblings for hours on end. All she wanted was a little time in her friends’ shoes.

Luckily, she had spent a lot of time with her grandparents when they were still alive. They were all gone now. But in those days, she had felt as if she part of a real family. She missed it.

“Get a boyfriend instead,” one of her friends had suggested.

Maya had tried that as well. But the men she’d met only saw the dollar signs on her inheritance. The money that would be hers when she turned 30. They never saw the person. She had been naive at first. But over time, she learnt the real reason they were interested in her. She knew it was usually the money that drew people to her. Not her vibrant personality or the way she looked.

During her teens, she had carried a few extra kilos. It didn’t help her confidence. Over the years, she’d lost those kilos and become slender. Exercised more. But she didn’t want to use a lot of makeup or Botox to hide minor imperfections. What was the point? If someone could only see her money and her appearance, she didn’t want to be with that person.

“It’s good to see you again, Miss Maya,” a tall, suited man said as Maya entered the living room.

Her mouth turned into a broad smile.

“Jason,” she beamed at Nicholas’s security expert and bodyguard.

She had known him for years after he’d been employed by her parents. Nicholas had been clever enough to double his salary and tempt him to work for him instead as soon as he could afford it.

“How are the kids?“ Maya asked.

“Growing like weeds,” Jason said and chuckled. “Lucy says we need to stop giving them candy.”

“Maybe you should cut down on the carrots instead?” Maya suggested.

Jason laughed heartily as he located some pictures of his beloved wife and their two children. Maya was always happy to meet him and talk. He was like the father she’d always wished she had.

“So, what’s our rascal up to these days?” she asked Jason.

“Business and more business.”

“How boring.”

“He’s a boring man,” Jason said and grinned.

“Not a single pink silk panties floating around in the hallway?“ Maya teased.

“Not yet.”

“How dull. Those skinny bitches are just as lifeless as they appear then?“

“You know the drill.”

“I think we should spice up his food just to break the routine.”

“Leave me out of it,” Jason said and laughed. “I’m a terrible liar.”

“No, you’re not. You just start laughing at the wrong time.”

“Exactly. I could never lie to Nicholas. Even when you were kids.”

“You just need to practice more, Jason.”

“I’ll leave the pranks to you, Miss Maya.”

“Cut the formality, Jason. Just call me Maya. I’ve told you so many times.”

“Yes, Maya,” he said and smiled.

Later, in early evening the many guests arrived from neighbouring lodges and hotels. Most of them were business associates of Nicholas. The man had no idea how to take a break, Maya thought as she watched the endless line of people pouring inside.

Nicholas had hired staff to serve the food and drink as well as attend to the guests. There was nothing for Maya to do. Except dress nicely and smile. She hated these gatherings. Eating canapes and sucking up to other people. She’d been forced to do it all her life. But she didn’t feel comfortable in the role she was expected to play.

Luckily, Nicholas didn’t want her to be a hostess. He did that himself. But there were plenty of women that tried to be the hostess. It was almost comical to watch them tussle to be the ones standing closest to him. Subtly, and not so subtly, using their bodies and catty comments to get ahead of the competition.

Maya watched as one of the women nudged her competitor a little too hard. Her target stumbled into the wall. She returned the favour by stepping on the toes of her assailant with a stiletto heel.

That had to be painful, Maya thought and giggled out loud. Quickly she covered her mouth with hand. Oops. She had meant to hide her amusement. But it had been so ridiculous she couldn’t hold back.

Nicholas gave her a brief look. She saw his lips twitch into a smile. Maya gave him a broad smile, making it evident she had seen how he lost his customary composed scowl, even for just that second.

There was an endless string of guests to greet. Maya soon gave up trying to remember their names. She smiled and participated in the usual nonsense the guests wanted to talk about. She expected to hear about the weather at least another ten times this evening. To be told repeatedly how white the snow was and how slippery the roads were.

A young, blond man came up to Nicholas and started talking to him. He seemed nice, Maya thought. He smiled while he spoke, waving his arms to emphasise his words. Nicholas nodded sagely as he pretended to listen. Not showing any sign of returning the man’s brilliant smile.

Maya moved closer. Feeling curious.

“Aren’t you going to introduce me, Nicholas?” she asked.

Maya smiled at the young man. He seemed to be only a few years older than her. He had a healthy complexion that showed he enjoyed spending time outside. The young man returned her smile.

“I’m Alfie, and I’m so pleased to meet such a lovely woman,” he said and beamed at her. He held out his hand to greet her.

“This is my sister, Maya. Touch her and die,” Nicholas said coldly.

The young man froze, his hand hanging in midair.

“Ignore him, Alfie,” Maya said. “He’s not my brother. He’s just afraid I’ll lose my V-card on his watch.”

Both gawked at her.

“Hi, I’m Maya. I’m so pleased to meet you,” she said and shook his hand. “I’m 23 by the way, so I make my own decisions.”

“Dammit, Maya,” Nicholas seethed beside her.

“Why don’t you find a girlfriend to harass, Nicholas. I’m sure Alfie and I can find something interesting to talk about.”

“Piss off, Alfie!” Nicholas said and grabbed Maya’s arm. He pulled her away from the shocked young man.

With Nicholas holding her arm, he manoeuvred her into the hallway nearby. It was quiet. No one was near enough to hear. Maya sighed and prepared herself for another reprimand. Great.

“Wow. That was subtle,” Maya said. “I liked him. Why did you have to ruin it?”

“You can’t just throw down the gauntlet and ask someone to take care of your virginity, Maya.” Nicholas looked shocked.

“I didn’t.”

“I heard you, dammit! And I wonder who else heard? Talk about being stupid.”

“I’m not a virgin,” Maya said easily.

“I don’t want to know, Maya. For god’s sake. Watch what you’re saying. These guys will eat you for breakfast if you let them.”

“Then how come I’m here if you’re worried I might do something wrong.”

“Because I can’t lock you in your room for six hours. Even if I wanted to,” Nicholas said and ran his fingers through his hair in frustration.

“If you gave me a stash of books, I might have enjoyed being locked up more than attending this party,” Maya said and pulled her arm away from him.

He let her go.

“Dammit,” Maya muttered as she walked into the ladies’ room to collect herself before she faced the crowd again.

Nicholas always seemed to get to her. No matter what she did or didn’t do.

She hoped he hadn’t noticed her lie. He always seemed to know when she lied to him. But this time he’d probably been too shocked to figure it out.

She might still be a virgin, but she planned to fix that really soon. Hopefully this night. She just had to find a man she liked enough. Or she needed a lot more alcohol. She preferred the first. A man she liked.

As the evening went by, Maya remembered that small talk wasn’t one of her fortes. The present conversation partners only emphasised what she already knew.

“You make fertilisers?” one of the older businessmen asked her.

Maya had been stupid enough to say she worked part-time for a chemical company. Working for money was a definite no-no among the wealthy. No one would have lifted an eyebrow if she’d told them she lived on her inheritance.

“Yes. But most of the time we try to improve the ones we already produce,” Maya said.

Beside her, a young man laughed. He looked like some sort of rock star with long hair and a bored expression. “Seems like a waste of time and money. You only need a cow to make shit.”

“But when you eat the cow, the shit stops coming,” Maya retorted.

“Vegetarian,” the businessman said as if he got a bad taste in his mouth. “I should have known. How come all chicks are vegetarian these days?”

“I’m not a vegetarian. Or a chick,” Maya said.

A few boring minutes later, she excused herself, claiming she needed to refill her glass.

Were there any really desirable men in this crowd? She hadn’t met a single one who was both young and single. And no one she wanted to touch her. Maya had even seen some of the men hide their wedding rings while they tried to flirt with her. She wasn’t that desperate.

A married man wasn’t on her list at all. She wondered if Nicholas had scared away all the good ones or if there was simply no one around that she could consider losing her virginity with. Maybe she’d be better off taking one of those that saw the dollar signs instead of the real her.

No. She wasn’t giving up. Not yet. There had to be someone out there for her. She just had to keep searching for him.

“Any chance of a kiss, sweetheart?” A man suddenly asked Maya.

Maya laughed at his question. “I don’t even know you.”

“We can change that easily enough.”

“Oh really?”

Maya looked at the handsome young man and wondered why she hadn’t spotted him earlier. He seemed like a nice person. Or nice enough. If you saw past his slick facade and the cocky personality. He reminded her of Nicholas. She might as well give him a chance, she thought. There was nobody else around that drew her interest. This man might improve on closer acquaintance.

She spent some time talking to him before she had to excuse herself for a much needed visit to the ladies’ room. When she came back, she couldn’t see the man she had been talking to.

Instead, Nicholas came toward her. “Stay away from him,” he said in a low voice.

For a moment, Maya felt confused. “Who are you talking about?”

“That man you just talked to.”

“But he seemed like a nice man.”

“He wants more than you want to give him.”

“We were only talking.”

“Exactly. He wants more than words. A lot more.”

“Cool,” Maya said and smiled.

“It’s not cool. I want you to stay the hell away from him.”

“You’re not my keeper, Nicholas. Remember that. It’s none of your business what I do.”

“I’m making it my business. You’re staying with me. For the rest of the evening and tonight.”

“Not a chance. I have my own room.”

“You’re staying in mine. End of story. I don’t trust you further than I can throw you.”

Maya laughed. “So, you’re babysitting me? How fitting. Has it occurred to you that I’m too old for a babysitter?”

He stared at her. Looking confused for some reason.

“Really. You’d be better off getting laid, Nicholas. It might work wonders for that scowl of yours,” Maya said and walked off leaving him standing.

The victory was minor. Nicholas followed her around from that moment on. Turning his sharp eyes at every man that walked up to her. Maya sighed. The men were definitely avoiding her now. Even more than earlier in the evening. It was all Nicholas’ fault. He’d ruined all her plans.

‘Fuck you, Nicholas,’ she mouthed to him. He seemed to understand everything she didn’t say. He gave her another rare smile before he collected another drink.

Nicholas watched Maya. She was up to something. He could tell. He knew how her mind worked. How determined she could be when there was something she wanted. Damn. How could he be so unlucky as to have full responsibility for her? Her parents should know better than to leave their young princess with the likes of him.

He took another sip of his drink. If he was going to survive sharing a room with Maya that night, he needed to be drunk enough to pass out. Before he did something he could never undo. Like pushing her onto his bed and let her know exactly how aroused he became when she was near. How much she turned him on.

Her parents would kill him if they knew. Or kick him out of their midst. He couldn’t risk that. He wasn’t a child anymore, but they were the only family he knew. He wanted to keep it like that. To stay on their good side.

“That your sister?” his business partner, Blake, asked as he sidled up to him. He was a good guy and one of his best friends. Nicholas knew that Blake would probably be perfect for Maya. Along with a lot of the other men in the room. But Nicholas couldn’t stand seeing her with any of them.

“Stepsister,” Nicholas emphasised. “Her family took me in, but we’re not related.”

“Is there a particular reason why you want to emphasize that?”

“No.”

“So, if I want to date her, you’ll be okay with it?”

“Fuck you, Blake.”

“Just what I thought. You might want to know that there are a lot of rumours about her inheriting a fortune.”

“Damn.”

“Might explain why the vultures are circling around her. You’d better keep a close eye on her in case one of them tries something.”

“Thanks for the warning, Blake. I will.”

“It will probably be more effective if you stop drinking too.”

“Probably,” Nicholas muttered, feeling as if he was damned no matter what he did.