He cupped his hand over her elbow and helped her out. “Maybe not, but if nothing else, it’ll certainly be interesting.”
Chapter Six
The following Sunday came much too fast. Madison followed Jen past the butler and straight into Jamie’s Mediterranean-style Pacific Palisades home. With ocean and city views, the house was beyond grand with its floor-to-ceiling windows, wide open living space, and marbled entry.
As she peered about in awe, her stomach fluttered. Caterers hustled back and forth between the sprawling kitchen and the backyard. Through the wide open French doors, she could see a long rectangular pool and wide expanse of a well-manicured lawn. The smell of jasmine wafted in the air.
But why, she wondered, would they need so many people for such a small affair?
“This is fun, isn’t it?” Jen whispered.
“I’d rather be having a root canal,” Madison said under her breath. “Jackson said only a few people would be attending.”
“Look at you,” Jen said. “You’re getting all jittery, just like real brides do.”
“I am not getting jittery.”
Jen didn’t argue further. She was too busy watching a tall, gorgeous man in an Oxford shirt and dark pants come toward them. The handsome man wore a white apron tied around his waist. He offered his hand. “Now which one of you lovely ladies is the bride?”
After shaking his hand, Jen pointed at Madison.
Although her friend could be exasperating, Madison decided she’d have to thank Jen later for forcing her to go shopping. So what if she’d be making payments on her new outfit for the next six months. The ivory suit she had on fit her snug around the waist, complimenting her small chest, instead of burying it. “I-I am the bride,” Madison said as she took his offered hand.
“You don’t sound too sure.” Amusement lined his voice. “Is it because you’re already regretting the idea of marrying Jackson, or has he been telling you about my cooking?”
Madison tilted her head in puzzlement.
His smile broadened. “I’m Christopher.” His fingers gripped firmly around Madison’s. “But you can call me Chris.”
This man was Jackson’s cook! Where was the hint of femininity, the slight bend of the wrist, anything? This guy was one hundred percent testosterone. He was tall, lean, and possessed a strong chin with a handsome dent creasing the center.
Jackson’s lover was downright heavenly.
Jackson’s brother, Jamie, entered the French doors and greeted them next. He gave Madison a peck on the cheek and then introduced himself to Jen as Madison tried to get a better look at Chris—her competition so to speak.
It wasn’t long before Jamie and Jen were off discussing interior design and Madison was following Chris to the kitchen. She took a seat on one of the swivel stools overlooking the granite countertop where he was working. She watched him cut up vegetables and fill mushroom caps with a mixture of cooked sausage, bread crumbs, and celery.
“Do you need some help?” she asked, taking a celery stick he held out for her.
“I’ve got it under control.”
Chris’ eyes were a beautiful clear mossy green.
“Jackson told me what’s going on,” Chris said. “Are you sure you want to go through with this?”
The question caught Madison off guard, but it made sense that Jackson would tell his partner everything. She swallowed a bite of celery. “Well, it is a lovely day for a wedding.”
Every time Chris smiled, as he did now, he revealed a row of white, even teeth. She could see perfectly well how another man could fall for him.
“I don’t mean to give you the wrong idea,” Chris added. “I’ve always had pretty good instincts about people, and well—you just don’t look like the sort of woman who—”
“I may not be the prettiest girl in the world,” she interrupted, “but the marriage is only temporary. I won’t get in your way, I promise. I just can’t quit now. I have people counting on me.”
Chris set down his knife. “I didn’t mean that the way it sounded. What I was going to say was that Jackson can be very hard on people. You seem nice enough, and I hate to see him crush your spirit.”
“You and Jamie don’t seem any worse for the wear,” she added.
“We don’t live with Jackson every day.”
“Oh, I thought you did.”
He chuckled. “Live with Jackson? Me? I wouldn’t last a weekend. I cook for him, but only because the pay is good. Jackson enjoys his privacy.”
A shapely woman with ash blond hair glided into the kitchen and handed Chris a bag of carrots. “Here you go, honey.” She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him on the lips.
Chris kissed her back, prompting Madison to glance over her shoulder to see if anyone else had witnessed the affectionate scene.
“Pam, I want you to meet the bride. This is Madison.”
Pam’s eyes lit up. “Oh, you’re the one. It’s so great to meet you.”
Madison swore she saw a hint of pity in the woman’s eyes.
“You’ve got yourself a good man. Isn’t that right, Chris?” With a mischievous grin, Pam looked at Chris as if they had their own little private joke going on.
“If you could just tell me how you got Jackson to propose,” Pam said, “I’d be forever grateful.” She gave Chris a cunning smile.
“Don’t you tell her anything,” Chris teased.
Pam laughed, and then excused herself so she could run and get a few more things out of her car.
As soon as she disappeared, Madison asked, “Are you and Pam dating?”
“Five years now,” he said proudly. “Why do you look so surprised?”
Dazed, Madison looked around for Jen. “I made an assumption and I just thought that you and Jackson—” She stopped herself from saying too much. Boy, she’d been about as wrong as two plus two equaling three. She should have known Jackson wasn’t gay—it was akin to calling a banana a vegetable.
Heat rushed to her face.
Jackson was straight, extremely handsome, and soon to be her husband. And she would be living with him. Alone. She grabbed the flute of champagne that had been set before her and guzzled the contents.
“You didn’t think—” Chris pointed a large serving spoon at her. “You did!”
Madison grimaced. “When Jackson and I first met to discuss the arrangements, Jackson mentioned that you do all the cooking. I just sort of assumed. Oh, please don’t tell him.”
“Don’t tell him what?” Jackson’s voice boomed from behind her, startling her.
Wishing she could melt into the floor, she turned toward Jackson and gave him a sheepish grin.
“She thought me and you—” Chris pointed a finger at himself and then at Jackson. “You and me were—” He was laughing too hard to get the words out.
Exasperation lined Jackson’s face, causing the yellowish bruising under his eye to look even darker. Despite the frustration scrawled across his injured face, he looked amazing in a well-fitted dark suit and tie.
“What are you trying to say?” Jackson asked. “Spit it out.”
Chris kept chuckling as he uncorked a bottle of champagne, filled her crystal glass with more bubbly, and handed it to Madison.
She drained the glass in two swallows, and then slid the empty glass back for a refill. Anything to take the edge off.
“She thought we were a couple, my friend,” Chris finally managed, still laughing.
With a set jaw and dark brooding eyes, Jackson took Madison’s elbow and ushered her through the French doors to the backyard. He stopped in front of a gardenia bush.
“What is it?” Madison asked.
“What tricks are you up to now?”
“I’m not trying to trick you, Jackson. I didn’t really think you were—you know—”
He raised a brow. “Gay?”
She smiled innocently.
Jackson looked to the sky. “I believe you. Because if you had believed I preferred the opposite
sex, you wouldn’t have enjoyed kissing me as much as you did.”
She opened her mouth to argue with him, but he was too quick.
“And neither would I have enjoyed kissing you,” he added.
A twinge of excitement skittered up her spine. He had just admitted that he enjoyed kissing her. A part of her wanted to wrap her arms around his neck and kiss him good and soundly, but then she reminded herself that this arrangement was only temporary.
~~~
She was getting all sentimental on him. Jackson could see it in her eyes. Ever since waking up this morning, the idea of marrying her had been eating away at him. He was getting married, for God’s sake. Their little charade no longer seemed so simple. For some reason he couldn’t help but feel as if Madison had deliberately set out with the intention of turning his organized, calm life into a frenzied mess.
A waiter dropped a tray, drawing his attention. For the first time since arriving, Jackson noticed all the chaos around him. “What are all these tables being set up for? And who are all these people?”
“I was wondering that myself,” Madison said. “I might have dressed differently had I known you and Jamie were inviting all of Los Angeles to our wedding.”
“And how exactly would you have dressed?”
“Oh, I don’t know,” she said. “Maybe I would have worn a gown instead.”
“I thought you had a limited wardrobe.”
“I do, but—”
“But you could’ve come up with something, huh? A few more diamonds maybe?”
“Maybe,” she said, confused by his heated tone. “But don’t worry,” she said, lifting her chin, “I certainly wouldn’t have worn anything remotely white and dare risk the idea of making you believe I was fantasizing again.”
“Well, good. At least we’ve got that cleared up,” he said as he noticed the faint freckles sprinkled across her nose. Her cream-colored suit and pearls made her look sophisticated, mature—closer to her age, instead of eighteen. Perhaps the L & L clients and guests Jamie invited wouldn’t tease him about robbing the cradle after all.
Who was he kidding?
He peeled his eyes away from her shapely hips and legs, but then found his gaze zeroed in on her tantalizing mouth. “I’m going to find Jamie and see what’s going on.”
“Fine with me.”
“I’d like to get this over with.”
“Me, too.”
If she was so damn ready then why was she staring at him with those big innocent eyes of hers, begging him to kiss her again? Damn it. She was doing it again. Hypnotizing him. Making him crazy. Crazy enough to make him step close and cover her mouth with his. Since he saw her last, his every thought had been about kissing her.
Just like this.
Her lips felt warm and intoxicating, just as he remembered. She tasted like champagne.
Seconds later her body melded into his. She brought her hands around his neck, and he felt her fingertips brush against the base of his neck, sending another wave of shivers right through him.
She was going in for the kill. She was about as innocent as a fox luring in the hounds for a little exercise. The thought prompted him to pull away, releasing her hold around his neck in the process. “If we keep this up, I’m going to need a cold shower.”
She blushed.
“We’ve got the whole night ahead of us,” he whispered into her ear.
“Oh,” she said.
He couldn’t help but enjoy the worried look on her face. Perhaps the clever girl hadn’t thought this whole marriage thing through after all. No. He could see the truth of the matter in those expressive eyes of hers. She had indeed believed he and his cook, Chris, were partners. No wonder she’d acted strangely excited at the café when they had met to discuss the particulars of their arrangement. She thought he was “safe.”
He shook his head. The poor girl had no idea she was about to marry the Big Bad Wolf. And he was hungry.
~~~
Madison gulped in a breath of air and watched Jackson walk back toward the pool area where he stopped to talk to Jamie’s butler. The dark suit he wore accented his strong build and the sunlight made his hair look like black silk. Every time he kissed her she felt something bubbly and exciting within as if she would explode if he didn’t stop. But he always stopped way too soon, and he always appeared to be angry afterward. He was a walking contradiction.
And she wasn’t any better.
In the last five minutes, everything had changed. Living with Jackson wouldn’t be anything like she’d imagined. Tonight she would be Mrs. Lang and Chris wouldn’t be in residence as she’d first thought.
Her pulse raced. She grabbed a drink from the waiter as he passed by, took a swig, and then nearly gagged as the liquid burned her throat.
She was not a virgin, but neither was she experienced. The first and last time she’d had sex, she’d scared the man off for good. And she certainly didn’t want to scare off Jackson. Or did she?
A man who referred to children as critters?
A man who kissed her when he was angry and then tried so hard to ignore her the rest of the time? And yet there was something about him that told her he was holding back. It was as if he had an invisible shield over his heart. What was he afraid of? Not only was he irresistibly sexy, he also had a gentle side to him. He was protective of her, too. When he looked into her eyes, he made her feel beautiful, as if she were the only woman in the world. Temporary or not, he would be her husband. Tonight was their wedding night. If he did ask her to join him in bed, what would she do?
She guzzled the rest of the scotch. If Jackson invited her into his bed—that might just be an offer she would not be able to refuse.
~~~
Thirty minutes later, feeling more than tipsy, Madison moved inside the house, looking for Jackson. She hadn’t seen him since he’d kissed her and walked off. Nor had she seen Jen. Everyone had deserted her.
The first person she ran into was Mr. Razzano, of all people. “Mr. Razzano. I’m so glad you could make it,” she said with exaggerated cheerfulness.
Mr. Razzano gave her a grim look. “I hope you know what you’re doing.”
“I’ve never been so certain of anything in my life. Jackson is the most wonderful, considerate man in the world. I’ve never been happier.”
“Your grandfather was adamant about you finding a decent man. Marriage is not something to be taken lightly.”
“And?” she asked, sensing he had more to say.
“And I truly wonder what your grandfather would think about you marrying Jackson Lang.”
“He’d be happy for me,” she said. George Harris was the best thing that ever happened to her. He used to worry about her and he always talked about the day when he would no longer be there to keep her safe. More than anything, he wanted her to be happy. “Is there anything else, Mr. Razzano?”
“Just know I’ll be watching you two very closely. If you’ll excuse me, I think I’ll take a look around outside.”
“I’ll tell Jackson you’re here,” she said before he set off.
“Jackson and I have said hello. He’s greeting guests out front. I believe I last saw him chatting with your cousin, Heather. She’s a lovely woman. You could learn a thing or two from her.”
A lump formed in Madison’s throat. “If you’ll excuse me, then.” She cut a quick path around him and headed across the marble foyer, making her way to the front door. Why would Jackson be talking to Heather? Just as Mr. Razzano had said, Jackson and Heather were talking outside on the front lawn. Heather’s long fingers curled intimately around Jackson’s arm.
Memories of Heather ruining every relationship she’d ever had came to mind. Heather’s six year age difference never seemed to bother the boys she brought home. Heather was beautiful. She was also a flirt and she was good at it.
Feeling more confident than she had in a very long time, Madison kept her eyes on Jackson as she headed their way. She was on a mission. Today she would
marry a handsome, egotistical, hard-to-understand man. What could be more satisfying than that?
She exhaled. She was going to enjoy her wedding day if it killed her. Besides, nothing could be worse than all the chaos at the Starlight ball. With that thought in mind, she approached the two of them and said, “Heather, I see you’ve met my fiancé.”
Jackson looked guilty—the way most men looked when Heather was around.
Heather leaned toward Madison and kissed the air. She then stepped back and scanned Madison’s attire from head to toe. “How very…sweet…you look.”
“She’s never looked more beautiful,” Jackson said, his compliment sending shivers down her spine.
“Here’s the judge now,” Jackson said.
Introductions were hastily made before Jackson ushered everyone through the house, back to the backyard. Heather lagged behind, quickly finding another male acquaintance to latch on to.
Madison couldn’t shake the uneasiness that lingered after seeing Jackson and Heather together. Did they know one another? She made a mental note to ask him later. Jackson seemed thoroughly annoyed. “Is anything wrong?”
“I’m fine,” he said, urging her onward.
“You don’t have to go through with this,” she reminded him.
“Oh, yes I do,” he said. And then he stopped and looked into her eyes. “Unless you’re having second thoughts about all of this and you want to call it quits right now.”
“I’ve come too far now,” she said.
“It’s never too late, Madison. Say the word and I’ll call it off.”
Just like that. With a snap of the fingers, it could all be over and done with. She would go her way, he would go his, and they would probably never see one another again. In that moment she realized she might not be doing this just for the kids anymore.
“So what’s it going to be?”
“I want to finish what we started.”
“Okay then,” he said, and she wondered if that was relief she’d sensed before he set off again to catch up to the judge.
An Offer He Can't Refuse Page 8
