A MATTER OF TRUST (4 page)

It amused him to think of her dancing around the subject and imagined she probably called anything that wasn’t an arm or a leg a private part. He gave her a crooked grin and watched as the color slowly crept up her neck and into her cheeks. She really was quite beautiful. He was going to find a great deal of pleasure in unleashing the passion inside of Madysen Sawyer.

“Tell me,” Chase said silkily, “why on earth would I want to take a cold bath?”

Maddy lifted her chin. Oh, the man was simply impossible! She knew exactly what he was alluding to, but she’d just made a promise not to be intimidated by him so she forced herself not to turn tail and run. How many women had fallen prey to that deep, sexy tone he used? She imagined the numbers were too high to count without a calculator and firmly resolved not to add her name to the list of Chase Malone’s admirers.

“Heat is the worst thing for sore muscles,” she ventured, proud that her voice didn’t shake. “It dilates the blood vessels and increases the circulation to the sore areas, and…and that makes the swelling worse.” Maddy held his gaze. If he wanted to toss sexual innuendos at her, she was perfectly capable of throwing them back at him. With a ghost of a smile she said, “Surely you’re aware that a nice cold bath reduces painful swelling in muscles that have become…stiff.”

Chase narrowed his eyes. Oh, she was looking at him innocently enough but there was no doubt as to the hidden meaning of her words. Maybe he’d underestimated Madysen after all and she wasn’t nearly as naïve as she appeared to be. Either way, he found her very intriguing and decided that verbal bantering could be just as effective in seducing her as the subtle caresses he intended to use. He’d get her wound so tight she’d be begging him to take her to bed after the first kiss. And there would be kisses, he silently promised her. Bone melting, hard core kissing that was going to curl her toes and leave her so weak she’d be clinging to him like a human vine.

Chase let his eyes sweep over her once more before settling on her delectable lips. “Perhaps you’re right,” he drawled, “a cold bath is exactly what I need to cure what ails me.” With the score one to one, he left her there still holding the breath she’d taken in so sharply at his parting comment.

****

Maddy checked the lasagna before turning to the cutting board to chop vegetables for the salad, muttering under her breath as she did so. What in the world had she been thinking? Sparing with Chase as she’d done in his room would only heighten the sexual tension that was beginning to brew between them, and that could inevitably lead to heartache. More precisely, her own. Instinct told her to bail now while she still had the chance to emerge unscathed, but a pair of green eyes clouded with desire lured her back into the danger zone.

She had plans, Maddy reasoned with herself, plans that didn’t include getting involved with a man who would only break her heart. She didn’t want her life turned upside down by a brief affair, especially with a man as potent as Chase. He’d take what he wanted then leave her devastated, and she couldn’t afford to be nursing wounds as deep as he would inflict, especially when she was just starting to develop a sense of self-confidence. Maddy could just imagine the havoc that would ensue after getting involved with Chase.

She’d probably fall into a deep depression and start painting pictures of storm clouds and wilted flowers or people with gaunt faces and haunted eyes depicting the depth of their sorrow and hopelessness. Giggling at the absurdity of her own thoughts, Maddy peeked into the overhead oven to make sure the garlic bread she had warming wasn’t getting dried out. Satisfied everything was coming along nicely and would be done at exactly the same time, she turned to go wake Chase and barreled right into him.

Cursing and cradling his broken arm, Chase backed away from her so she couldn’t do anymore damage. “Damn it woman, have you made it your personal goal to inflict as much pain on me as possible or does it just come natural to you?”

Maddy planted her hands on her hips. “How was I supposed to know you were standing right behind me? It’s your own fault anyway for sneaking up on me so don’t…” Her tirade ended abruptly when she suddenly realized how drawn and pale he looked. “Sit down,” she said gently. Much to her surprise he did as she asked without argument.

“What are you doing?” Chase eyed her warily as she reached for the strap on his sling.

A smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. “Don’t worry, I’m not trying to kill you. You’ve got this up too high and the angle is a bit wrong.” After adjusting the strap and carefully maneuvering the sling around to accommodate his muscular arm, she stood back to survey her handiwork. “Better?”

“Actually…yes.”

Maddy laughed. “Don’t act so surprised. Contrary to what you may believe, I’m not always a klutz.” She returned the stove and donned a pair of oven mitts, inhaling deeply as she pulled out the lasagna. “You see,” she called over her shoulder, “I have many hidden talents.”

Chase caught a whiff of the enticing dish, but it was her sexy little bottom that drew his attention. “Yes,” he grinned, “and I’m dying to discover each and every one of those talents.”

Chapter 3

“What’s this?” Chase lifted the cup to his nose and gave the hot brew a suspicious sniff.

Maddy finished fluffing the pillows and propped them against the head board so he could sit in comfort while he drank. “It’s a special blend of herbal tea that will help with the pain so you can sleep.”

“You drugged it,” he accused, attempting to hand the cup back to her.

With an indulgent sigh, she sat down on the edge of the bed next to him. “Admittedly, it would make my stay here more peaceful if you were in a deep sleep the entire time, but I’ve decided to serve out my time without resorting to such drastic measures. It occurred to me that you might be a little more pleasant if you weren’t in so much pain.” She held up her hand when he opened his mouth to speak. “Don’t bother trying to deny it. I realize it isn’t the macho male thing to do to admit that you’re hurting so I won’t try to drag a confession out of you. As for the tea, I promise it’s one hundred percent herbal.”

Chase hesitated for a moment before taking a tentative sip. The predominant spice was cinnamon but there was an unusual blend of other herbs and spices that made him think of cozy fireplaces on cold winter nights and the warmth of a feminine body curled up next to his. Specifically, Madysen’s body. He drank a little more, savoring the unique flavor and wondering, as he had several times that evening, why a woman as kind and caring as Madysen obviously was hadn’t been snatched up by another man long ago.

Her bashfulness would have created a stumbling block to some degree, but it hadn’t taken him more than a few hours in her company to realize just how special she was, so how was it that she’d remained unattached? Maybe she had been, he thought with a frown. Maybe she was running away from a broken relationship or a bad marriage.

“Have you ever been married?” He blurted out.

She arched an amused brow. “I thought you didn’t want to know anything about me. As I recall, you said you’d be perfectly happy if I only responded with a yes or no.”

“Indulge me. Besides, the question only requires a yes or no answer.”

“No.”

“Engaged?”

“No.”

“Have you ever come close?”

Maddy pursed her lips. “I thought so, but apparently it was one-sided.”

“How old are you Madysen?”

“Maddy,” she corrected him. “No one but my father calls me Madysen and that’s only when I’ve done something to disappoint him.”

Downing the last of his tea, Chase set the cup on his nightstand. “I can’t imagine you ever being a disappointment your parents.”

“I’m twenty-six,” she said, a light blush coloring her cheeks at his casual compliment.

“Hmmm, not as young as I thought you were.”

Maddy bristled. “I’m not exactly an old maid, you know.”

“I wasn’t insinuating that you were,” he chuckled. “I just meant that you look like a freshman in college, still pure and untainted by the harshness of the real world.”

“You sound very cynical, yet it doesn’t appear that your life has held much hardship.”

“Yes, but…appearances can be deceiving.” He closed his eyes for a minute, amazed that the soothing effects of the tea had already begun to ease the pain in his arm. “How did you know what to use in the tea and…” he yawned sleepily, “do you always travel around with a spice rack in your trunk?”

Maddy resisted the urge to reach out and smooth back his dark hair. He looked incredibly vulnerable at the moment and it pulled at her heart in a most unsettling way. She’d spent less than a day with Chase so it was impossible to say she could have any real feelings for him, and yet she couldn’t deny there was something there, even if she wasn’t able to define just exactly what it was. She studied the handsome features of his face; the strong jaw and cheekbones, the slight crook in his nose that told her it had been broken at one time, and the full lips that seemed to ignite a desire to kiss them every time her gaze fell upon them.

“You’re not alone,” Chase said softly.

Maddy jumped as if he’d prodded her with a stick. “Wh-what do you mean?”

He opened his eyes and looked at her for a moment then reached up and stroked the side of her face with his fingertips. “I want to kiss you, too.”

Her stomach did a wild flip at the same time her heart lodged itself in her throat. “Don’t be silly,” she said, startled by the raw tone of her own voice. She stood up, masking her emotions with an indignant toss of her head. “You’re very full of yourself, Chase Malone. I have no desire to kiss you and if you even try to kiss me I’ll…I’ll punch you right in the nose!”

Maddy turned on her heel and stomped out of the room with the sound of Chase’s hearty laughter ringing in her ears. Of all the arrogant, self-centered, egotistical men she’d ever met, he certainly took the cake! Back in her room, she fumed for the better part of twenty minutes before finally realizing what a hypocrite she was being. The fact was she had been wondering what it would feel like to kiss him.

Knowing that her anger stemmed from being pegged so easily and not because he was wrong about what he’d said did little to salve her injured pride however. She’d just have to be doubly careful to remain aloof around Chase since he seemed so astute at reading her emotions. Better yet, she’d simply keep herself from feeling anything at all for him and then she wouldn’t have to worry about pretending.

****

Chase woke to the aroma of coffee and something that smelled deliciously like smoked sausage. He managed to pull on a pair of sweat shorts that he used when he worked out but didn’t even attempt to put on a shirt by himself. He could have mastered both jeans and a shirt if he’d really wanted to but playing helpless was far too tempting when he knew he could get Maddy to dress him by doing so. He took a few minutes to use the bathroom and comb back his hair before traipsing down to the kitchen with the arm sling in his hand and an apologetic look on his face.

“I hate to bother you, Maddy, but…” he held the sling out for her.

“It’s no bother,” she insisted, turning down the burners before taking the sling. Maddy helped him slip his arm inside then stood on her toes to loop the strap over his head. “Bend down a little, I can’t…” The air slowly hissed from her lungs when he dipped his head, bringing his mouth within inches of hers.

Green eyes met blue. “Is this better?” Chased asked.

Maddy nodded mutely, acutely aware of just how intimate it was to have her arms around his neck and his mouth so close she could feel the warmth of his breath on her cheek. Heat radiated off his chest, and for a few brief moments she allowed her hands to linger on his bare skin while she adjusted the strap. It took every ounce of self-control she had not to give into the impulse to turn her head those few inches and let him kiss her, but somehow she managed to back away and return to the stove.

“Sit down while I get your breakfast,” she said, hoping she didn’t sound as shaken as she felt.

“It smells wonderful.” Chase took his seat at the table, smiling gratefully when she brought him a cup of coffee. His eyes followed her movements as she flipped the omelet with the expertise of a skilled chef. “Where’d you learn to cook like that, Maddy?”

“My father…” she bit down on her lip.

“Your father taught you?”

“Yes, he…he was a chef.”

“Was?”

Maddy dished up the omelet and pulled the smoked sausage from the oven. “He got tired of it and moved onto something else.” She fixed herself a smaller plate and brought them both to the table. “Would you like some toast? It wouldn’t take but a minute or two.”