Tempting the Best Man - By J. Lynn Page 0,44

breath.

Excusing herself, she hurried out of the reception hall and toward the back of the lodge. On the deck, she dragged in the fresh, sweetly scented air. She placed her hands on the railing and squeezed until her knuckles ached.

Before the rehearsal, she’d gone to the edge of the property and made a call that had nearly killed her. Her question had been met with shock and a promise to meet up and discuss a few days after she returned home. Hating what she had put into motion, but knowing there was no other option, she blinked back hot tears. It was the first step in the right direction—one that didn’t include Chase Gamble in her future.

…

Chase was frustrated, confused, and a whole lot of pissed off as he stared at Maddie’s retreating back. Off and on throughout the years, he and Maddie’d had their spats. Usually over some lame-ass guy she was dating, and after the night in his club, they’d had moments of awkwardness, but this? Never had it been like this.

His hands opened and closed at his sides. Part of him—a huge part—wanted to go to her, pull her into his arms, and kiss the common sense back into her, but the other part was wary of all of this, of Maddie. He just couldn’t figure it out. What the hell had he done wrong that had her so spitting mad at him?

Ever since he discovered her gone that morning and settled in to a new cabin, he wanted nothing more than to go to her. What he was going to do with her once he got her he wasn’t sure, but he was off kilter and out of his element in this.

His heart thundered in his chest as he crossed the distance between them. Propping his hip against the railing, he folded his arms. “Why are you hiding from me?”

Those beautiful eyes were closed to him, her lips pinched. “Chase, do we…do we really need to do this?”

“What do you think?” He paused. “This isn’t like you.”

She drew in a breath and it sounded sharp to him. Her lashes swept up and he saw that her eyes were glassy. There was that punch-to-his-stomach feeling. “I’m sorry for being such a bitch in there, but I haven’t eaten anything all day, and I think I get moody when I’m low on sugar or something.”

“Maddie, I—”

“But we do need to talk about what happened last night.” She smiled, but it seemed forced and ugly on her lips. “You were right.”

For a moment, shock and surprise held him. “I was?”

“Yes. Last night needed to happen.”

Okay, maybe this conversation was going to be better than he realized. Chase started to relax, but she went on, and damn if it didn’t feel like the world was pulled right out from under his feet.

“We needed to get this—whatever it is—out of our systems,” she said, her gaze drifting beyond him to where the setting sun cast an orangey glow over the grape trees. “And we did. Things are normal now, right? We’re still friends. And we can move on. That’s what you wanted—what I want.”

Taken aback, he unfolded his arms slowly. That age-old saying filled his head. Be careful what you wish for… But it wasn’t what he wished for. He had no intentions of getting what he wanted and moving on. Better yet, what the hell was happening? What did she think?

“What are you guys doing out here?” Mitch called from the door. “Everyone is waiting for you two to start eating, and you know how Dad gets. He’s about to eat the tablecloth.”

Blinking rapidly, Maddie laughed as she twisted toward her brother. “We were just watching the sunset, but we’re heading in now.”

Stunned, Chase watched her walk up to her brother, hugging him tightly before she disappeared back into the lodge. He stood there, incapable of moving or even processing what had just happened. Why was he so shocked? It was what he’d offered—what he’d initially wanted…initially being the key word.

Fuck. That was all he could think.

“You doing okay, man?” Mitch asked, striding away from the door. He stopped in front of Chase, eyes narrowed. “You’re not looking too good.”

Chase blinked. “Yeah, I’m…I’m fine.”

“You sure?” Mitch’s gaze turned shrewd. “You’re looking a lot like Madison has been.”

Chase stiffened. Denials formed on the tip of his tongue but nothing came out.

Several moments passed and then Mitch cracked a half smile. “Look, I hate seeing you like this. You’ve always been there