Hearts Afire. Deborah Mello Fletcher

have seen that Zak was still thinking of Maitlyn; thoughts of the beautiful woman had consumed him ever since she had left his side.

      “What are you doing, Izabella?” he finally asked as he leaned back in his seat and stretched his arms out across the sofa’s cushioned top.

      She smiled. “Making myself comfortable,” she giggled as she stepped out of the lace fabric. She did a quick pirouette, then moved toward the stairs and headed to the second floor. “This is too sweet!” she called down to the level below.

      Zak shook his head. He and Izabella had history. They’d been friends since he’d met her ten years ago when her modeling career was just beginning to take off. She’d gotten herself tangled up with an unsavory photographer, and her father had employed him to retrieve some compromising photographs of the girl.

      Occasionally, when she didn’t have a boyfriend, she warmed his bed. But Izabella liked having a boyfriend, most especially one she could manipulate. She had never been able to manipulate Zak, and he appreciated that she never expected more from him than what he was willing to offer. Izabella was not a woman he could ever take seriously, and so he’d given her very little of himself. Their relationship had been purely physical, and Zak preferred it that way. It worked for the two of them even when it shouldn’t have.

      Izabella had insisted on following him back to his room, and he’d let her. But once he’d closed the door, he found himself wishing he’d told her no. He had no desire to spend the night with the girl, and letting her in had given her reason to think that he did. He could only think of one woman he was interested in sharing his bed, and she wasn’t there. He couldn’t help but wonder if Maitlyn was thinking of him, too.

      Izabella suddenly bounced back down the stairs. “Why didn’t you tell me your lady friend was staying with you?”

      “Excuse me?”

      She pointed to the second floor. “Kendrick’s sister. You should have told me she was staying here with you.”

      Zak’s eyes widened. He’d completely forgotten that Maitlyn’s luggage was still upstairs in his bedroom. He was suddenly concerned with where she was and if she’d been able to get into her own room. Just as he moved to his feet, intent on searching her out, there was a knock at his door. With quick strides he moved to the entrance and pulled it open. Maitlyn stood sheepishly on the other side.

      “Hey, I’m sorry to bother you but—” she started, and then she caught sight of a very naked Izabella standing in the room behind him. Embarrassment flushed her face a deep shade of red. “I’m interrupting,” Maitlyn stammered as she took a step back. “I didn’t mean—”

      Zak opened the door wider. “You’re not. Please, come in,” he said nonchalantly. “Izabella was just leaving.”

      Izabella waved a lazy hand in her direction. “I guess I am leaving,” the woman said as she stepped back into her clothing and tied the garment around her neck. She laughed easily as she rolled her eyes. After moving to the door, she reached up to press a kiss on Zak’s cheek. “Why don’t we all meet for breakfast in the morning? Papa will love to see you, Zakaria,” she said.

      Zak nodded his agreement. “We will call you,” he answered, and Izabella spun on her high heels and headed down the corridor.

      Shock still painting her expression, Maitlyn met Zak’s intense gaze. His head slightly tilted toward her. “My apology,” he said as he gestured for her to enter the room.

      “I really didn’t mean to interrupt,” she said, still not moving past the entrance.

      “You weren’t,” Zak answered.

      “You had a high-profile supermodel standing naked in your room. I find it hard to believe that I didn’t just interrupt something.”

      Zak shrugged his broad shoulders. “I don’t know why. I would think by now that you would know I’m not a man who says things I don’t mean.”

      “But she was naked.”

      Zak smiled. “Are you coming in, or do you plan to stand out there all night?”

      Maitlyn forced a smile. “My luggage is still here.”

      “I know,” he said, still staring at her. The two held the gaze for a few moments before Zak finally turned his back to her and moved inside. He reclaimed his seat on the sofa.

      Maitlyn hesitated for a brief moment before she followed and entered the room, closing the door behind her. She paused and stood awkwardly when she reached the couch, and Zak stared at her intently.