Tempting the Player (22 page)

Well, wasn’t that a moot point right now? And it wasn’t like a comet had struck her car.

Her father sighed like all fathers do when their daughters need rescuing, no matter how old they were. “Just sit tight, and we’ll come get you, honey.”

“Thanks, Dad.” She ended the call and dropped the cell into her purse.

It was so easy imagining her absurdly large family crowded around the table, shaking their heads. Only Maddie would be late. Only Maddie would blow a tire and not have a spare. Being the youngest in a family that consisted of blood relations and the Gamble horde sucked.

No matter what she did, she was always little, itty bitty Maddie. Not Madison, who oversaw the volunteer services at the Smithsonian Library. Being a history geek growing up, she considered her career choice fitting.

Madison tipped her head back against the headrest and closed her eyes. Even with the air conditioner running, heat from the outside had begun to seep in. She undid the first couple of buttons and was grateful she’d opted for lightweight linen pants instead of jeans. Knowing her luck, she’d get heat stroke before her dad or brother showed up.

She hated knowing she was dragging either of them away from the start of the celebrations. That was the last thing she wanted. And right next to the last thing was the fact there was no doubt in her mind that Chase was probably shaking his head along with everyone else.

A few minutes passed and she must’ve dozed off because the next thing she knew, someone was tapping on her window.

Blinking slowly, she pressed the button to lower the window and turned her head to stare into a pair of cerulean blue eyes fanned by incredibly thick black lashes.

Oh…oh, no…

Her heart stuttered and tumbled over itself as her gaze drifted across high cheekbones she was painfully familiar with, full lips that looked tantalizingly soft but could be firm and unyielding. Dark brown hair fell over his forehead, always a shy away from needing a haircut. A strong nose with a slight bump from a break during his college years gave the otherwise flawless male beauty a hard, dangerously sexy edge.

Madison’s gaze dipped over the plain white shirt that clung to broad shoulders, a rock-hard chest, and a narrow waist. Jeans hung low on his hips and thank God the rest of the view was cut off by the car door.

Forcing her gaze back to his face, she sucked in a sharp breath.

Those lips had curved into a knowing half smile that did funny things to her insides. And like a match tossed to gasoline, her body sparked alive and flames licked every inch of her.

She loathed her immediate response to him, wished any other eligible guy in the tri-state area could evoke the same inferno, and yet was thrilled by it. Absolutely undone.

“Chase,” she breathed.

His grin spread and damn, there were those dimples. “Maddie?”

Her body quivered at the sound of his voice. It was deep and smooth like aged whiskey. That voice should be outlawed, along with the rest of the package. Her gaze dropped again. Damn the car door, because no doubt that package was quite impressive.

For a brief, unwanted second, she was thrown back to her junior year of college, to the night she had visited Chase’s club for the very first time and stood in his posh office. Full of hope, full of wanting…

Snapping out of her stupor, she sat up, her spine rigid. “They sent
you
?”

He chuckled, as if she’d uttered the funniest thing in the world. “I volunteered, actually.”

“You did?”

“Of course,” he drawled lazily. “I had to come see what little Maddie Daniels was blowing.”

Chapter Two

About a second after those words left his mouth, Chase realized his mistake, but damn, he didn’t regret them. A fierce, hot, and downright sinful flush stole across her cheeks and down her throat. There was a part of him—a ruthless fragment—that would break legs and crush hands to see how far that blush traveled.

But like he’d learned before, at the last possible second, Maddie Daniels was a line not meant to be crossed.

Her pouty lips thinned and anger flared in her hazel eyes, turning them more green than brown. Her eyes shifted colors based on her emotions, and lately he’d seen them green more times than not.

“That was kind of crude, Chase.”

He shrugged. Civility wasn’t his middle name. “Are you going to stay in the car or get out?”

Maddie looked like she would have to be torn from the car. “Am I supposed to just leave it here, along the side of the road?”

“I called a tow truck, and they’re on their way. If you pop your trunk, I’ll get your stuff.”

Her gaze finally moved past him, and he felt his chest ease. “Nice car,” she said.

Chase looked over his shoulder at the black Porsche gleaming in the sunlight. “It’s a car.” One of three he owned. He wished he’d brought his truck instead, but the thing guzzled gas like nothing else. Turning back to the little problem at hand, he stepped aside. “Maddie, are you coming with me or not?”

She stared up at him, almost defiantly, which was laughable. Maddie was all of five foot three and probably weighed a buck ten. He towered over her and could easily throw her over his shoulder with one arm.

Their eyes locked.

With each passing second, pulling her out of the car and throwing her over his shoulder seemed more likely. Maybe he’d give her a spanking he damn well knew she deserved.

Cock said yes by swelling almost painfully in his jeans.

Common sense said no with the punch to the gut.

If Chase was anything in life, he was his father—successful at a young age, determined, wealthy, and carrying the family gene enabling him to fuck up any serious relationship within ten seconds.

And everyone, even Maddie, knew he was just like his father.

So it’s definitely time for a better tactic
, he thought, taking a deep breath. “There’s a slice of cheesecake your mom put aside with your name on it.”

Maddie’s eyes glazed over. He’d seen that look a few times before. Chocolate and desserts had given her that post-sex-bliss look ever since he could remember, and that wasn’t helping with the problem in his jeans.

The car door flew open without any warning, and he narrowly avoided accidental impotency by jumping out of the way.

“Cheesecake,” she repeated, grinning. “Does it have strawberry topping?”

He fought a grin. “With a side of chocolate for dipping, just like you love.”

She popped her hands on her curvy hips and cocked her head to the side. “Then what are you waiting for?” She pushed a button on her keys, and the trunk popped open. “Every second that passes between me and that cheesecake, the more dangerous this trip will get.”

This trip was already dangerous.

He stalked to the back of her truck while she grabbed items from the backseat. Only one suitcase rested in the trunk. Maddie was always a light packer. He’d dated girls who couldn’t stay a night away without three outfits and a dozen pairs of shoes. Maddie was low maintenance, probably a product of growing up with a bunch of rowdy boys.

Grabbing her luggage, he slammed the trunk, then rounded the rear of her car and drew up short. Jesus Christ…

She was bent over, tugging a long garment bag from the backseat. The thin linen of her pants stretched over the round ass he knew she worked hard for. How many times had he watched her on the elliptical at the gym? Too many times to count.

He really needed to start working out at a different time.

But he couldn’t peel his eyes off her for the life of him. Maddie may be tiny, but she rocked some hellish curves, and even though she wasn’t the type of woman he usually went for, she was beautiful in her own way. Perky nose and plump lips, cheekbones covered with a speckling of freckles. Long hair, currently pulled up, normally reached the middle of her back.

The kind of hair—the kind of body—a man could easily get lost in. Aw, hell, it was more than that. Maddie would make some son of a bitch a happy man one day. She was and always had been the complete package: smart, funny, strong-willed, and kind.

And that ass…

Chase pivoted around, inhaling through his nose, half tempted to drop Maddie off, drive into town, and pick up the first chick who looked his way. Or grab Maddie’s rear.

She brushed past him, casting a weird look over her shoulder. “Are you dazing out on me? Let me guess. Bambi or Susie kept you up late? I can never tell them apart.”

“You’re talking about the Banks twins?”

Maddie cocked her head to the side and waited.

“Their names are Lucy and Lake,” he corrected.

She rolled her eyes. “Who names their kid Lake? Oh! If you have kids, you can call them River and Stream.” Shaking her head, her eyes narrowed. A knowing look crossed her face. “So you’re still dating them?”

Honestly,
dating
wasn’t the term he’d use for the tall, lanky twins. “I’m not dating them at the same time, Maddie. Nor have I.”

“That’s not what I’ve heard.”

“Then you’ve heard wrong.” But that look of hers spread. Clamping his jaw shut, he followed her. No point in correcting her assumption because his reputation was probably right up there with his father’s already.

Opening the back door, she frowned. “Haven’t made it to your room yet?”

He placed her bag in the trunk alongside his own. “Haven’t checked in. I’d only arrived about fifteen minutes before your rescue call went out.”

She smoothed invisible wrinkles from her pants, chin tucked low. “I didn’t need rescuing.”

Chase arched a mocking brow. “That’s not how it looks to me.”

“Just because I blew—”

“Say that again.”

Maddie lifted her eyes to his again, and he felt their soulful depths in his gut. She could always take his breath away with a single look. “Say what?”

“Blew.”

She rolled her eyes. “That’s real mature.”

“Anyway, you blew a tire and I had to come out here and get you. How is that not me rescuing you?”

Huffing, she spun around and returned to her car. With her purse in hand, she stalked over to the passenger side of his Porsche.

He grinned. “You should always have—”

“I know. A spare,” she said, cutting him off and sliding into the car.

Laughing under his breath, he climbed in and sent her a sidelong glance. She was staring out the tinted window; her hand clutched her cell phone like a lifeline. He casually adjusted himself and prayed he got himself in check before her family swamped them again.

The first five miles back to the vineyard where his buddy was getting married were quiet, not terse, but definitely not the most comfortable of experiences.

He should just ignore it. “Why are you pouting?”

“I’m not pouting.” She cut him a dark look.

“Could’ve fooled me, Maddie.”

“Stop calling me that.” She dug around in her bag and pulled out a pair of sunglasses. She slid them on and then turned to him. Cute. “I hate it when you call me that.”

“Why?”

She said nothing.

He sighed and went with a safe topic. “Your brother is really happy.”

Beside him, Maddie relaxed a fraction. “I know. I’m really happy for him. He deserves this, right? He’s so nice that any other girl would take advantage of that.”

“He does.” Chase’s gaze flickered off the road. She was staring at him still, and he hated that the sunglasses blocked her eyes. He had no idea what the little terror was thinking behind those dark shades. “Lissa’s a good girl. She’ll do right by Mitch.”

Maddie sucked her lower lip in and then said, “Mitch will do right by her.”

A small smile tugged at his lips. “That is true. Though, marrying? Never thought I’d see the day when he settled down.”

“I really don’t want to hear about his escapades.” She ran a hand over her hair, smoothing the few loose strands that had escaped her chignon. “I haven’t eaten yet.”

“Would a full stomach be better?”

She snorted.

“Remember that girl he was dating his sophomore year in college?”

Her eyes went wide, and his grin spread. “Oh, God—the one who actually started naming their kids on the first date?” she said, laughing. “What was her name?”

“Linda Bullock.”

“Yes!” She popped up in her seat. “She had Mitch scared to death, calling him at all hours of the night. He got so mad when you told me about her.”

“She camped outside our dorm after one date.” Chase shook his head. “Pretty girl, but man, she was crazy.”

They were coming up on the vineyards quickly. Before he knew it, Maddie would be surrounded by those who loved and cared for her, and he’d be back with his brothers, watching them troll the guest list for the ladies.

As if she were reading his thoughts, she glanced at him. “I bet you and your brothers couldn’t be happier.”

“Why is that?”

Her lips formed a tight smile. “It’s a wedding, which means easy pickings.”

“Are you saying I need easy pickings?”

“Maybe.”

He chuckled and said, “I think you know better than that.”

A red blush stained her cheeks under the sunglasses. Seeing her face flame attractively was almost worth going there with her, rehashing memories that needed to stay memories.

“Okay,” she said. “You don’t need easy pickings. I’m not saying that.”

“Then what are you saying, Maddie?”

Frustration rolled off her as she ran her hand across the buttery leather of the car seats in long, languid strokes that made his dick twitch. “Lissa has a lot of pretty friends. Not the Banks twins, but still.”

Chase nodded and then reached up for the sun visor, pulling out his own sunglasses. “She does.”

“So, like I said, you and your brothers are going to have fun.”

“Maybe.” He reached across the seat, tapping his fingers off her forearm to get her attention and point out the long rows of grape vines slicing through the valley on his left. Immediately, she jerked back, and he raised his brows, kind of offended. “Touchy?”

“No. Sorry. Too much caffeine.”

Then it struck him. Sometimes Chase forgot that their relationship wasn’t like it used to be, and damn if that didn’t suck.

She cleared her throat. “So, when are you guys going to get married?”

Chase barked with stilted laughter. “Good God, Maddie.”

“What?” Her frown pulled the corners of her lips down. “It’s not an insane question. You all are getting up there in age.”

Shaking his head, he laughed again. He was twenty-eight, not an old man. Chad, his middle brother, was thirty, and his oldest brother, Chandler, was thirty-one. None of them approached marriage with open arms. Not after seeing what it did to their parents. Or, in reality, what his father did to his mother. It was why the three of them had practically grown up in the Daniels’ household.

Maddie leaned across the seat, punching him in the thigh with a little fist. “Stop laughing at me, jerk.”

“I can’t help it. You’re funny.”

“Whatever.”

Grinning, he took the next left to the private road leading up to the vineyard. “I don’t know about marriage, Maddie. You know what they say about us.”

“Who’s going to take a risk on the Gamble boys? Or take a ‘gamble’ on the Gamble boys.” She gave a small shake of her head. “We aren’t in high school or college anymore, Chase.”

His gaze drifted from the sleek line of her thigh, up to where the buttons of her blouse parted, revealing a tantalizing swell of breast.

“Yeah,” he said, focusing on the road. His knuckles ached from how tightly he was gripping the stick shift. “We’re definitely not in school anymore.”

There was a quick grin before she turned back to her window, appearing to soak in the rolling hills, but then she had to go there. “You’re not like your father, Chase.”

“You of all people should know that I’m exactly like my father,” he snapped back, voice harder than he’d intended.

Maddie’s gaze swung back to him, her cheeks paling and then flushing. Her mouth opened, but she clamped it shut and turned back to the window.

He groaned. “Shit, Maddie, I didn’t mean it like—”

“It’s fine. Whatever.”

Fine
and
whatever
were words he knew were code for
pissed off
. They were the same words his mother had used time and time again when his father didn’t come home at night or disappeared on an unexpected business trip.

Chase cursed again.