Tempting the Best Man

chapter Nine



Lazily, Madison stretched and smiled at the pleasant burn in her muscles. Last night… yes, it had probably been the best night of her life. No lie. After Chase had a few moments to recover, he’d flipped her onto her stomach, drew up to her knees and…yeah, like she said, best night of her life. And her body was already warming, readying for him again.

Last night had to have been a turning point for them. The way he’d…the way he’d made love to her, it meant something deep, irrevocable, and perfect. She just knew it. Somehow they’d burned down those barriers without words. He had to see he was so much better than his father and he had to know that they were meant for this.

She rolled over and reached for the warmth of his body and found…nothing.

Her eyes snapped open.

The spot next to her was empty, but the scent of woods and something wild lingered on the pillow and twisted sheets.

Madison turned to the couch, but that, too, was empty. A deep sense of foreboding took root, and she scrambled off the bed, clutching a sheet around her. She checked the bathroom, but he wasn’t there, either.

He’d left without saying anything.

Her heart turned over painfully.

Okay. She was being stupid. He could be doing anything. Getting them breakfast or walking outside, enjoying the clean morning air.

Hurrying over to the window, she parted the blinds, wincing at the bright glare. The deck was empty. As far as she could see, there was no Chase. Turning around, she shivered as her gaze drifted over the bed. He didn’t leave her, not after a night like that. There was no way, because that…that would be like working it out of your system. That would be like getting what you wanted and then bailing, like guys did on one-night stands.

Last night wasn’t a one-night stand.

Her gaze travelled to the couch again, then to where her suitcase was near the small closet and then…her eyes darted back to the suitcase.

Coldness seeped into her bones.

His luggage was gone.

Heart pounding, she crossed the room and threw open the closet door. Two of her dresses and her bridesmaid’s dress hung in the closet, but all of Chase’s stuff—his tux, his dress shirts—were gone. As were his shoes, and she knew if she checked the bathroom, his stuff would be gone from there, too.

Madison stood in front of the closet until she realized she was shaking.

He’d left her.

He’d actually left her.

In a numb, painful daze, she went back to the bed and sat on the edge. Her throat burned and her eyes stung, but she clamped it down, pushed it all down. Minutes turned into an hour and still he didn’t show.

He really had left her.

Her brain had a hard time processing it, but the evidence was clear. She was a fool. Last night she had given in to her body and her heart, and it had come back and bit her in the ass.

Maybe she should’ve listened to him. He’s warned her—had been warning her all along. He said he was like his father, and he’d proven it.

And he’d demolished her.

…



Chase wanted to strangle the clerk by the time the man had handed over the key to one of the new cabins. He had made Chase wait for damn near a half an hour while the cabin was cleaned, which put him seriously behind schedule.

Taking his stuff to the new cabin, his eyes gazed at the regular king-size bed with satin sheets. Sheets he could easily see Maddie spread naked upon. That made him think of last night and his cock hardened. He was ready for round three…and then round four.

But he needed to shower first. Although he loved the lingering scent of vanilla—of Maddie—the last thing he needed to be doing was running around smelling like he’d just had sex with Mitch’s little sister.

Last night had been amazing—Maddie had been amazing. And it was more than sex. It was that connection, that whatever-it-was that went beyond an orgasm. It was something more—special. Once in a lifetime kind of shit. None of the women he’d been with had felt like that, and in that moment, he knew none of them would.

Now he sounded like he’d been watching Oprah reruns.

But…but it had to mean something. And he was tired of fighting the need to find out what that “something” was. Tired of denying what he really wanted—had wanted for far too long. Maddie was more than Mitch’s little sister. More than the little girl who’d shadowed him for years. She was everything to him. And he was more than his father’s son, too, because he knew deep down he could never hurt Maddie. Not after last night.

And now he was just realizing that?

He’d mucked up things yesterday with that God-awful offer, but last night…

It had to be a new beginning.

He took the fastest shower of his life and then headed back to the lodge. There was a tiny florist shop in the back, and he picked up a dozen roses. Tucking them under one arm, he grabbed a slice of cheesecake from the in-house bakery before making his way back to the Love Shack.

Chase was hoping Maddie was still asleep. He had a real good idea of how to wake her, with his hands, fingers, and then his tongue. Maybe some cheesecake afterward, but knowing her, she’d probably knock him over to get to the good stuff. No one got between Maddie and the sweets.

He climbed out of his car stiffly and strolled into the cabin. His gaze went straight to the bed—the empty bed.

“Maddie?”

The cabin was unnaturally quiet. No shower was running. Nothing. Putting the roses and slice of cheesecake down on the end table, his gaze danced around the room. “Shit.”

Maddie was gone. So was her large suitcase. Peering into the bathroom, he found no trace of her. Her blow dryer and curling iron were gone, as if she’d never been there.

Cursing under his breath again, he spun around and stalked to the front door. He was going to find her, drag her back here… With his hand on the door, he stopped.

Two problems: He had no idea where Maddie went. She couldn’t have gone far, but she could be in any number of cabins, and short of banging like holy hell on every door, he needed a better game plan. And two, he didn’t know why she’d left. After last night, it seemed pretty obvious what he wanted, so he couldn’t even fathom why she’d leave, especially when he’d already gotten another cabin for them, one not outfitted with a heart-shaped bed and velveteen blankets.

Though, he was going to kind of miss that bed.

Chase drew back from the door, thrusting his hands through his hair. A game plan for what? Chasing after Maddie? Shit. How the tables had turned.

He spun around, his gaze falling to the rumpled sheets on that damn bed.

Double shit.

Scrubbing the palms of his hands down his face, he then snatched the flowers up and left the cheesecake behind. The first place he went by was her parents’ cabin. They were sitting on the deck, enjoying tea while thumbing through a wilderness survival magazine. Chase shook his head as he fought a grin. The two of them looked like a normal couple on the verge of retirement.

Maddie’s father looked up first, smiling broadly. “Hey, Chase, what are you up to?”

“Nothing much,” he said, leaning against the railing. “Hello, Mrs. Daniels.”

She smiled, shaking her head. “Honey, it’s about time you start calling me Megan. And those flowers! Aren’t they lovely?” Her eyes glimmered. “May I ask who they’re for?”

“A lovely person,” he replied.

“Is that so…”

Mr. Daniels was on his feet, bringing the magazine over to him. “I’m glad you swung by. You can help end a debate between me and the wifey here.”

A picture of a man in a flannel jacket standing next to a heard of cows was shoved in his face before he could respond. “Organic beef,” Maddie’s father announced. “I’m trying to tell Megan here that even if an apocalypse happens, most people will still want some meat on their plates.”

So accustomed to these types of questions, Chase took it in good stride. “I’m sure people will still want a steak.”

“Exactly!” Mr. Daniels agreed. “So I said we should ‘sponsor’ a herd of cattle and put them up for sale. The lovely wife over there thinks it’s a waste of time.”

“And money,” Mrs. Daniels added, twisting in her seat to face the two men. “I’m pretty sure the last thing people will be thinking about during nuclear fallout is a medium-rare steak.”

Chase smiled. “Or a zombie apocalypse.”

Mrs. Daniels threw up her hands. “That’s what I’ve been saying.”

Her husband huffed. “When the sun doesn’t shine for three years and you’ve run out of mint leaves to eat, you’ll want a steak.”

She rolled her eyes. “That would be the last of our worries.”

“Wait.” Chase stepped in. “How would you be keeping the cows alive if the sun isn’t shining?”

Mr. Daniels straightened. “Underground bunkers large enough to hold organically grown fields. There are bunkers all over the world, bigger than five or so football field lengths. Like Noah’s Ark—”

“Chase doesn’t care about Noah’s Ark, so before you get started on that, we’re not going to start selling Build-Your-Own-Arks, either.” She smiled at Chase. “You couldn’t imagine the cost of warehousing something like that.”

“No, ma’am,” Chase said, grinning.

Mr. Daniels snapped the magazine shut. “This discussion isn’t over.”

Sighing, his wife shook her head. “Are you looking for Madison, dear?”

Taken aback, Chase wondered if it was that obvious. “Well, actually, I was.”

Mr. Daniels returned to the table, smacking the magazine down. “You lose your roommate?”

“Seems that way,” Chase said.

“We haven’t seen her, dear, but you might what to check with Lissa.” Mrs. Daniels took a sip of tea. “They’re probably getting things ready for tomorrow.”

Thanking both of them, he started up the pathway. If Maddie was with Lissa, he didn’t want to bother her, but…

Chase found himself at the front desk of the lounge. The clerk stared back at him, clearly not wanting to go for round two already. “Was the new cabin you gave me this morning the only one available?” Chase asked.

Bob inclined his head, as if confused. “No. There were two. Both were readied this morning.” He started pecking away at his computer. “Was the one we assigned this morning unsuitable?”

He took a deep breath. “No. It’s perfect. What about the other room?”

“For Miss Daniels?” he asked, smiling fondly. Obviously Maddie had left a much better impression on the clerk than he had. “She stopped by maybe twenty minutes ago and picked up the key for cabin six.”

Chase stared at the clerk, feeling as if he’d been punched in the stomach. Anger lit off a firestorm inside him. As irrational as it was, he was pissed and offended. She left him after last night?

Spinning around, he left the clerk without a second glance, tossing the roses in the trash on the way out.

…



Madison was in a weird state of mind. Caught between the remnants of absolute bliss she’d experienced last night and the coldness that had lingered deep inside since she’d left the cabin, she wasn’t sure if she should feel happy or sad.

Mostly sad, she decided as she stuffed little white bells into the boxes being used for wedding keepsakes. At least she’d had a night to experience. No more wondering what it would be like to be with Chase. Now she knew. It was amazing.

Her heart ached.

That afternoon she’d almost called Bridget again, but she figured that conversation was best to have in person. No way would she want to miss all of Bridget’s what-the-hell expressions when she described how she basically straddled Chase and he’d bailed on her the next morning.

Madison glanced up as one of the bridesmaids dumped a truckload of mints in front of them. She snatched one, starving, since she’d been too wired this morning to eat.

Lissa giggled. “Are they any good?”

Popping one in her mouth, Madison nodded. “Minty. Very yummy.”

“Speaking about yummy,” Sasha, a bridesmaid, said. “I think the Gamble brothers’ nickname should be yummy.”

Cindy, another bridesmaid, snorted as she glanced at the tall, curvy blonde. “Weren’t you all over one of the brothers last night?”

Sasha smiled secretively. “Maybe…”

Good to know Madison wasn’t the only one. She dropped a bell into a box.

“I can never tell them apart.” Cindy grinned.

“They’re really easy to tell apart,” Madison replied sharply. “They’re not triplets.”

“Yeah, but the three of them are sex on a stick—dark haired, beautiful blue eyes, and muscles I’d eat chocolate off of,” Cindy said, passing one of the other bridesmaids a wicked look. “Of course, if only I wasn’t married. Anyway, which one was it? Chase? Chad?”

Madison’s eyes narrowed.

“Chad,” Sasha answered, her cheeks flushing. “Though, I wouldn’t mind if it had been Chase, too. Hell, all of them at the same time.”

The bridesmaids laughed, but Lissa cut Madison a worried look. It probably had something to do with the expression on her face. One that said she was mentally going over how many little metal bells she could shove in Sasha’s mouth.

“Didn’t you grow up with them, Madison?” Sasha continued, oblivious of the death’s door she was knocking on. “Always at your house and stuff? God, I wouldn’t have been able to control myself, but I’m sure it’s different for you.”

Madison shoved a bell through the bottom of the box. “Why is that?”

“Well, I’m sure you’re like a little sister to them,” she explained. “I mean, aren’t you rooming with Chase?”

Crimson swept across her cheeks. Jesus, was that what everyone thought? She had half a mind to go into great detail about just how un-brotherly things were last night with Chase.

“Actually, I’m not sure if that’s the case,” Lissa said, smiling evenly. “Madison is close to all of them, but from what I’ve seen…” She trailed off, sending Madison a sly look.

Sasha arched an elegant brow. “Well, then, kudos to you…”

After that, the girls pretty much kept mum about the Gamble brothers and Madison, although they did hammer Sasha for juicy details.

Once the boxes were made, the group broke apart to get ready for the rehearsal. Maddie gave Lissa a quick hug and headed back to her new cabin.

She should be happy with her own space, but it was lonely and quiet. And when she took a bath, there was no hope of a surprise visit from Chase.

Sinking deep into the tub, she closed her eyes and tried to push him away. Except Chase was consuming her thoughts on a whole new level, because now she knew what his passion felt like, how he tasted, how he felt inside her.

There was no getting that out of her system.

When she’d woken up this morning, she had been deliciously sore in areas she’d forgotten about and Chase…Chase had been gone.

She blew out a long breath and opened her eyes.

Leaving that gaudy cabin had been one of the hardest things she’d ever done. Part of her was still there, but her decision to leave had been simple. However, the decision she had to make going forward would be the hardest she’d ever made and she knew would shock everyone.

…



“Oh, I can’t believe this is happening.” Madison’s mom grabbed Mitch one more time, blinking back tears. Mrs. Daniels had been dealing out hugs the moment the rehearsal dinner began and there was no end in sight. “My little boy is all grown up.”

Mitch winced. “Mom…”

She pulled him back to her breast, squeezing and swaying.

Smothering a grin, Madison glanced away and her eyes met her father’s. He winked and clamped a hand on her shoulder. “What do you think she’ll do when you get married?”

Madison blanched. “Yikes.”

Her mom shot her a dirty look over her shoulder, and then she finally released her son and turned to a beaming Lissa. “I know you’ll treat my boy right, so I’m going to apologize ahead of time for the waterworks that will ensue starting tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?” grumbled Mr. Daniels. “How about since he announced his intent to marry?”

“Shush it,” her mother said, but she grinned.

Madison tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear as everyone started to move into groups. They’d go through the bridal march, a rundown of the vows, and then it was off to dinner. Then tomorrow…tomorrow her brother would get married.

She went up to him with a watery smile. “I’m so happy for you. You’re going to make a great husband.”

Mitch pulled her into his arms. “Thanks, sis.”

“And father,” she teased lightly.

He let go, eyes wide. “Dear God, don’t say that yet. I want at least a couple of years without a baby Mitch running around.”

“Or a baby Lissa.”

“Ah, a girl? I don’t know if I could deal with that.” He shook his head. “It was bad enough fighting off the boys after you.”

Madison rolled her eyes. “It was nothing like that.”

“Whatever.” He dropped his arm over her shoulders. “So, when are you going to settle down? Make Mom and Dad’s lives complete?”

Before she could answer, in strode the Gamble brothers. Chad and Chandler flanked Chase, who was dressed in a pair of dark trousers and a loose-fitting buttoned shirt. Strands of damp hair curled around his ears. The tips of his cheekbones were slightly flushed and his eyes were a steely blue.

He looked absolutely stunning.

Madison hoped her brother didn’t notice how she stiffened, but of course, luck had never really been on her side.

Mitch chuckled, but she elbowed him in the stomach and escaped before the herd of brothers could descend on them. She made a beeline for Lissa and the other bridesmaids. Avoiding Chase completely would be out of the question, but as long as they didn’t have any real amount of time alone together, she could do this without breaking down.

Or getting her heart trampled on even more. And there was only one way to do that. It hurt like hell; it killed a little part of her—the one that still believed in fairy-tale endings—but she had no other choice.