Tempting the Best Man

chapter Seven



Madison was full of restless energy when she returned to the cabin, relieved to find Chase hadn’t somehow beaten her back. There were still two hours left before dinner, and she needed time to work off the anger and pent-up frustration.

Things had been going great between them, and then he had to bring up getting married, going as far as to say that she would end up with another man. Didn’t he see how cruel that was after what they’d almost done? After what she’d wanted from him for years?

Eyeing the running shoes in her suitcase, she disregarded them for the massive bathtub. She needed chocolate, too, but she’d have to wait for later for that comfort. Stripping off her clothes, she stormed into the bathroom, resisting the urge to slam the door. What was the point when the only things that would hear her were the damn woodchucks outside?

And why was she so ticked off? Nothing had changed between them. Sure, they had shared two moments of pure insanity, but things were the way they’d always been. Chase just didn’t want her—not badly enough and not enough to get over whatever reasons he had for not being with her.

Part of her knew it had something to do with his parents’ relationship and not really her at all. All the Gamble boys seemed a little damaged. Chad was too carefree, not taking a damn thing in life seriously. Chandler only did one-night stands, and Chase…Chase was the playboy. He liked relationships, but he just never allowed them to last beyond his self-imposed three-month marker. Short and sweet, he liked to joke.

Groaning, she ducked her head under the frothy bubbles overflowing the tub and stayed there until her lungs burned. Bubbles lapped at the edge of the garden tub as she resurfaced, pushing long strands of hair out of her face.

“Maddie, are you in there?” Chase’s deep voice boomed through the closed bathroom door.

Her eyes widened as her gaze darted around the bathroom. Had she locked the door? And why in the hell did she leave the towel all the way over there, folded neatly on the shelf above the toilet? She gripped the edge of the tub, wondering if she should pretend to be asleep.

Like that was a stellar plan.

And like all stellar plans, it backfired in her face.

The bathroom door swung open, and Chase’s broad shoulders filled the gap. Her mother would’ve called those shoulders door busters and damn if she wasn’t right.

Madison squeaked and frantically started moving the bubbles up over her chest. Seconds later she realized how stupid that was, considering he’d seen her goodies only a few hours ago, but hell, she wasn’t holding peep shows.

“Why did you bust in here?” she demanded, striving to sound calm and unaffected by the fact he was near and she was naked.

Chase folded his arms. “I called for you, but you didn’t answer.”

“So the next logical step was to bust into the bathroom?”

He shrugged. “I was worried you were hurt.”

“In the bathroom?”

“With you, anything is possible.” He stared at her, not even attempting to look anywhere else like most guys would. But Chase wasn’t most guys. He was a walking contradiction.

Her gaze narrowed. “Gee. Thanks.”

Chase said nothing as he stalked into the bathroom and leaned against the his-and-hers sink.

Madison’s heart rate skyrocketed into uncharted territories. “Um, can I help you with something?”

His lashes lowered, and she knew where his gaze went—to the rapidly thinning bubbles—and heat zinged through her veins. “I’m not sure,” he said finally. Then his eyes settled back on her face. “We need to talk.”

“Right at this very moment?”

“What’s wrong with right now?”

Was he daft? “I’m in the bathtub, Chase, in case you haven’t noticed.”

“Oh, I’ve noticed.” His voice dropped low, husky, and sexy as hell.

And her body went right into take-me-now land. God, there needed to be an anti-sex pill or something for when she was around him. She eyed the towel across the room and sighed. “Can it wait until I’m done?” They had a few hours left before dinner, so time wasn’t an issue. Being in the bathtub was, however.

“I’ve seen you naked before, Maddie.”

Her mouth dropped open. “You have not seen me completely naked, thank you very much.”

His eyes glittered. “Actually, once before I have, when you were like five. You ran through the house buck-ass naked when you had chicken pox.”

“Oh, dear God, why do you remember these things?” She was going to drown herself, right here in the tub.

A half smile appeared. “It was kind of traumatizing.”

“Yeah, well, this is traumatizing, so we’re even.” Since it appeared he wasn’t leaving, she scooped more bubbles over her breasts. “Okay. What do we need to talk about?”

“You. Me. What’s been going on between us.” He said it so matter-of-factly she thought she’d misheard him at first.

But she hadn’t.

She sunk her hands under the water as she stared at him. He seemed transfixed by where her hands had gone. “There’s something going on between us?”

Chase’s expression was unreadable as he nodded. “First off, I didn’t mean to…insult you about the not…going there thing. That came out the wrong way.”

Unwanted hope sparked in her chest.

“Pretending nothing happened between us within the last twenty-four hours is as stupid as pretending nothing happened three years ago. We can’t keep pretending.”

Madison’s head bobbed.

“And I think it’s obvious that I’m attracted to you.” His gaze dipped again, and the bubbles were almost gone. Parts of pink flesh peeped through. “That I want you.”

Her breath stilled as her heart galloped. Okay. Wow. This was so unexpected, she had no idea what to say or do.

Chase’s eyes were like chips of heated blue ice that melted her as he continued. “You’ve gotten under my skin, and I’ve done everything to ignore it, because caving to it…it isn’t right.”

She blinked. “Why? Why isn’t it right, Chase?”

He moved to sit down on the edge of the tub, so close to her, his presence swamped her. “It’s not what you think, Maddie.”

She had no idea what she thought anymore. “Then tell me.”

Drawing in a short breath, his gaze moved to where her feet popped out of the water, the nails painted a crimson red. He didn’t answer.

Unsure if his lack of response was a good thing or not, she lowered her feet under the water. It was growing colder and she was going to be pickled if she stayed much longer.

He shook his head, that half smile back again. “Wanting what I want from you…it’s never going to work out. You know my history. You know…what I grew up in. And you’re Mitch’s sister. It’s like spitting in his face.”

Madison blinked. “You’re not your father.”

Chase said nothing.

“And…Mitch does trust you, but you’re not disrespecting him. It has nothing to do with him.” Lifting her chin, she met his eyes. “I understand what you’re getting at, but…”

“But?” His brows rose.

Madison took a deep breath. “But we’re consenting adults, Chase. We don’t need my brother’s permission. And you’re your own person.”

“It’s not just about getting his permission.”

It struck her then that Chase needed someone to believe in him, because his hang up wasn’t Mitch, it wasn’t even her. And suddenly the comment he made earlier about her being too good made sense.

He honestly thought she was too good for him.

Her heart squeezed. Couldn’t he see what everyone else saw, that underneath it all, he was a good guy with standards? Could seeing his father mistreat his mom have warped him to this point, where he believed himself incapable of being in a relationship? Even with her, someone who had known him his whole life? Maybe all he needed was a tiny push over that hang up. And that push would have to be from her, and it would have to be drastic.

Swallowing, she placed her hands on the cool edge of the ceramic tub and pushed herself up. Water ran in rivets down her body. Soapy bubbles slid over her thighs. The air was cool against her warm flesh, and she couldn’t believe she had done it. Stood completely naked in front of Chase, and if he refused her now, gave her any excuse, she would never be able to come back from that rejection.

Chase’s nostrils flared as he leaned back, his hands clenching in his lap. “Jesus Christ…”

Feeling exposed, she fought to keep her arms at her sides and let him look his fill. And boy was he ever looking his fill. Everywhere his gaze went, she felt the heated intensity igniting her flesh. Her skin pricked and flamed. Warmth flooded her, pooling in her core.

“Towel?” she said, voice husky.

He stared at her so long she began to wonder if he’d lost the ability to speak. And then she saw it—the moment he cracked wide open, and she was thrilled. “No.”

Her pulse pounded. “No?”

Chase placed his hands on her hips. The touch of his skin on hers sent chills over her. She let him help her out of the tub, made no sound as he tugged her between the V of his thighs. She waited with her heart in his hands as he leaned forward, pressing a sweet kiss against the flare of her hip.

Madison’s chest swelled and heat speared her body as his mouth moved up her flat stomach, his tongue dancing around her navel. She grabbed his shoulders as her head tipped back, and his mouth traveled up…and up.

Her body went weak at the first touch of his mouth on her breast, hot and demanding. His lips were soft yet firm, lingering and coaxing tiny moans from her parted lips. Her body turned to liquid under his skilled touch.

“Open your legs for me,” he ordered.

Beyond control of her own body, she obeyed and jerked when she felt the first light touch of his hand between her thighs. Chase’s fingers were feather light, teasing as he worked her into a state where her hips were moving against his hand, back arching, begging for more. And then he gave her more, slipping a finger inside her and then two.

Panting, she felt her fingers dig through the shirt he wore, into the hard skin of his shoulders as her body rocked. His thumb moved in circles over the bundle of nerves at the juncture of her thighs. Her body coiled deep inside her core, and she felt herself start to splinter, to come apart.

Chase removed his hand, and before she could cry out in denial, he pressed his lips to the inside of her thigh. Her heart stopped and then doubled up erratically. It had been long, so very long, since something this intimate had been done to her.

“I want to taste you,” he growled, nuzzling the inside of her thigh. “Tell me you want me to. Please.”

“Yes,” she moaned, and then nodded, just in case he didn’t get the picture, because if he didn’t, dear God, she was going to drown him in the bathtub. And wouldn’t that be embarrassing to explain to the police and all the family?

He slid to his knees, and the first touch of his mouth nearly broke her. It was a gentle sweep of his lips, a sweet, chaste kiss that started off as a slow boil and then exploded as he deepened the touch, his tongue slipping the length of her and then inside.

Chase burrowed into her flesh, sucking, tugging, and licking until her back bowed and she cried out his name. She was on the verge, hanging over the edge and then her release sped through her, pitching her so high, to a place where only white heat and sensations existed. And he kept going, drinking her in as another climax started and broke apart again, her cries hoarse as her body spasmed.

When she came back down, Chase had sat on the edge of the tub again and was holding her in his lap, his cheek resting on her shoulder. His hands traced an idle, smooth circle along her lower back, following the curve of her spine.

Madison didn’t protest when he leaned back, his vibrant blue eyes hooded. Those dimples appeared on his striking face, and she wanted to kiss them. She wanted to do all kinds of things. Starting with repaying him…

Madison reached down, wanting to feel his length, but he stopped her. “We still need to talk,” he said, his fingers pressing into the flesh of her hips again as he placed her on her feet.

Talk? She didn’t think she was capable of forming a coherent sentence. Tiny droplets of water sprayed from her soaked hair when she shook her head.

Chase chuckled as he rose. Reaching around her, he grabbed the towel and slowly, carefully dried her off before wrapping the oversized material around her breasts.

“Now,” he said, pressing a kiss to her forehead, “I can concentrate.”

She stared up at him, doubting how affected he really was when he could engineer her lust like that and not take any pleasure for himself. Stirrings of unease began in her belly, a not-so-pleasant thing to feel after something so mind-blowingly wonderful. “Well, I can’t.”

Taking her hand, he led her out of the bathroom to the bed. She sat, clutching the edge of the towel, very unsure of everything again. Especially when his emotions were on lockdown, his face blank, but his eyes…

He stood before her, legs spread in a powerful, dominant stance. “I want you.”

You have me, she wanted to say. “I think we’ve established that.”

His lips curved at the corners. “And you want me.”

“Another known fact,” she said. A well-known fact, that is, but there was no need for her to point that out. “Where is this conversation going?” Because she wanted to finish it, strip him naked, and finally get him where she’d always wanted him. Oddly, a heart-shaped bed was never in her fantasies, but she was okay with improvising.

“And I care about you. I really do.” Chase knelt before her, his eyes meeting hers. “There’s only one option.”

Hope was back again, beating at her insides like a hyper butterfly. Caring about someone didn’t mean loving her, but Chase wasn’t the type of man to proclaim his undying devotion, especially with the daddy issues. But she could work with this. And of course, there was only one option. Cut the crap and be together. Face her brother, admit that they cared for each other, and deal with it. Together, she could prove to him that he was nothing like his dad. That he was worth everything. Then they could finally discover if there really was a fairy-tale ending for them. And of course, lots and lots of sex in the near future.

“I agree,” she said, fighting a goofy grin that would make her look like she’d been smacked with the idiot branch.

“Good. Great.” His shoulders relaxed. “Because this is what we both need.”

God, did she ever need this—need him.

Chase smiled. “And once we do it, then…things will be normal again. It’ll be over.”

She started to nod in agreement, because she was still knee deep in her fantasy coming true, but what he said slowly sank in. Icy dread drifted over her skin. “Come again?”

“Having sex,” he explained as he rose and leaned forward, placing his palms on either side of her thighs, caging her in. “We do it. Get it over with. Because obviously we can’t go back to things being normal until we do.”

That horrible chilled feeling seeped through her skin, leaving her numb. “Being normal?”

“Yeah, like things were before. We can be friends again.” He placed a large hand on her shoulder, and she flinched. Chase frowned. “No harm. No foul.”

Madison was having a hard time processing what he was saying. How long had she waited to hear him admit that he cared for her, wanted her, and this…this was added onto the end, like a disclaimer of doom?

An ache opened up in her chest.

He cupped the nape of her neck, tilting her head back. He placed a kiss under her chin, the gesture so sweet and gentle tears filled her eyes.

Because the gesture really meant nothing.

“Say something, Maddie.” He let go, moving back onto his haunches.

She wasn’t sure if she could say anything. A lump had formed in her throat, and it was quickly moving up. Her insides felt bruised, and when she spoke, her voice was hoarse. “So…so that’s the magical fix? We have sex to get it out of our systems?”

“I wouldn’t call it a magical fix,” he said, head cocked to the side. “But it’s something, right?”

It was something, all right, and no matter how badly she wanted him, it wasn’t enough. And God, did that sting like a bitch? No, it was worse than a sting. It was like being cut wide open.

“Wow,” she murmured finally, somewhat dumbfounded. “That’s such a romantic proposition, how could I refuse?”

His lips formed a tight line. “You don’t need to be a smartass about it.”

She laughed, but it was brittle sound. “How am I supposed to be, Chase?”

Standing straight, he took a step back and shook his head. “Maddie—”

“Let me get this straight,” she said, coming to her feet. Her legs shook. Her one free hand trembled as she crossed the distance between them and stopped. “You’re worried about disrespecting Mitch by being with me and you don’t want to treat me like your dad treated your mom, but somehow, in your head, sleeping with me to get it out of your system is less offensive?”

Chase opened his mouth, but nothing came out. Maybe he realized his mistake, but it didn’t matter. It was too late.

Heart breaking into a million stupid little pieces, she smiled tightly. “And even if in some messed-up parallel universe where that would be okay to my brother and you, I wouldn’t ever be okay with that.”

And then she did something she had never done in her life.

Madison smacked him across the cheek.