Bedmates

by Nichole Chase

  “Is that show still playing?”

  “Of course it is. You can stream it on pretty much any device.” I moved through the kitchen, trying to make sure that no tools were left plugged in or littering the floor. “It’s a classic.”

  His chuckle floated to my ears from the other room. “I’m really behind on television and movies.”

  “Your sister, Ari, can catch you up. We talk about it all the time.”

  “Is Ari old enough to watch that?” He picked up the trash bag and started to stuff empty cups inside.

  “She’s thirteen now.” I laughed. “She can get in to see most movies on her own at this point.”

  “So, there’s a lot of violence in something like that, but what about sex?”

  Heat rushed to my cheeks and I silently berated myself. He slept with Ronnie. Might still be sleeping with Ronnie. Just the mention of the word sex shouldn’t make my entire body hot.

  I took a deep breath and picked up a piece of scrap paper.

  “Maddie?”

  Aw, shit. I hadn’t answered his question.

  “Hm? What?” I kept my head down, praying for more trash to occupy my attention.

  “I asked if there was any sex.” His shoes came into view and I looked up slowly.

  “Oh, there will be.” I met his eyes. “But not yet.”

  His eyes widened just a smidge, his nostrils flared ever so slightly, and I realized how what I’d said sounded.

  “I mean, um, that I wouldn’t mind—” Shit, that was worse. “I promise to cover her eyes.”

  “What wouldn’t you mind, Madeline?” His voice dropped an octave, making my heart speed up. Madeline, not Maddie or MadLibs.

  “I, um—what?” My voice was breathy as he took a step even closer to me.

  “You mentioned something about sex, I believe.” He reached out, using his fingers to brush some of the hair out of my eyes.

  “I did? I mean, yes, I did. On the show.” I fumbled over the words. “Buffy! That’s what I was talking about. I wouldn’t mind having sex with—damn it—I mean I wouldn’t mind seeing—shit. No matter what I say this sounds wrong.”

  “Nothing wrong with sex.” His eyes twinkled and I realized his hand was still on my face when he lifted my chin up.

  “I—I—know that.”

  His thumb ran over my bottom lip. “Then why do you have such a hard time talking about it?”

  “I don’t!” My spine stiffened. “Sex doesn’t scare me.”

  “Then it’s me.” He lowered his head close to mine and I swallowed the lump in my throat. “I make you nervous.”

  I swallowed again, my throat scratchy like sandpaper. “No you don’t.”

  “Yes, I do.” His hand swept around to the back of my neck. “I always have.”

  “I was, what, seventeen when you left for officer training?” I tried to calm my racing heart. “So what if I was a little nervous around you?”

  “So you admit it?” His eyes twinkled and his mouth moved a little closer to mine.

  “I admit nothing.” I jerked my chin up.

  “Are you nervous now?” His body pressed closer to mine and I licked my lips. “Am I making you nervous?”

  “Yes.” I whispered the word, not taking my eyes from his.

  “Is it a good nervous?” His eyes grew serious. “Or are you scared of me?”

  “I’m not scared of you, Jake.” I touched his chest and noticed that my hand was steady despite how fast my heart was beating. “You never scared me.”

  “You’re one of the rules, you know.” His lips moved toward mine and I ached to close the distance.

  “Rules?”

  “That’s what my mom was reminding me of at the fund-raiser. I’m not supposed to want you.” His breath fluttered across my face.

  “Do you . . . want me?”

  “Yes.” That one word was drenched in ragged need. His warm lips pressed against mine and electricity rushed through my body.

  The hand on the back of my neck tilted my head so he could kiss me better and I melted against him. I’d waited for this moment most of my life and I sure as hell wasn’t disappointed.

  The kiss wasn’t rushed, wasn’t abrupt. It was slow, lingering brushes of lips, as our breaths slid over each other. It was an intense, raw moment as we tested unknown waters and what we found only increased our determination. When his tongue swiped across my bottom lip in a request for entrance I opened on a sigh. His free hand caressed my hip before sliding around to the small of my back, tucking me against him.

  The feel of his hard body pressed against me made my head spin. Every delectable inch of him was hard in just the right way. As his mouth danced over mine, fire ran through my veins. Everywhere that he touched me came alive and I wrapped my arms around his neck, hungry to feel more of him pressed to me. This was what I’d been looking for all these years. I felt alive and appreciated with each stroke of his tongue and touch of his hands.

  His arm tightened around my waist and my feet left the ground. I gasped as he sat me on the unfinished kitchen island. Dark brown eyes drilled into mine as his hands slid down to cup my ass before gently spreading my legs so that he could fit between them. He pressed against my center and I couldn’t help but groan as he pulled me tight. Wrapping my legs around his hips I pushed even closer, trying to relieve the building ache.

  He groaned into my mouth and I took the moment to nip his bottom lip. I’d wanted to do that forever; to feel it plump between my teeth. One of his hands squeezed my ass tighter and he grinded his erection into me, causing my head to fall backward on a gasp of pleasure. Each move against me made me gasp louder, and my eyes fell shut. With one hand he pulled my hair free from the rubber band before tangling his fingers in it.

  “God, you taste good.” His voice was raw, harsh, and it sent shivers down my spine. He ran his nose along the column of my throat before nipping gently below my ear. “Should have done this forever ago.”

  “More.” I shoved his jacket from his shoulders in demand.

  He shrugged it off and slid his hands under my baggy shirt, brushing the skin with his fingers, coaxing even more fire into my veins. I fisted my fingers in his hair, my hunger insatiable. I’d always been attracted to him, but now I’d opened Pandora’s box and I wasn’t sure that I’d ever be able to close it.

  As his fingers inched higher along my skin, the less I was grounded to reality. The only thing I could think of was his hands on my flesh, the taste of his kiss, the feel of his hard body pressed against me.

  “Maddie?” My Secret Service guard called my name.

  I jerked away from Jake as if I’d been burned. I knew that my eyes had to be huge and I was breathing heavily as I pushed hair away from my face.

  “Maddie, your car is waiting. You’re supposed to be—” Tony stopped at the door and cleared his throat. “My apologies.”

  He disappeared back into the dark before I could respond.

  “Damn.” Jake closed his eyes before stepping away from me. His frustration was apparent in the way his jeans gripped his obvious erection.

  I took a few breaths and tried to will away the heat in my face. He reached out a hand to steady me as I slid down the counter and he adjusted his shirt to hide the bulge in his pants.

  I stared into his eyes, my breathing still not even, and pulled my own shirt back into place. His hair was all out of place and I thought about smoothing it back into place but that felt awkward. Now that my blood was cooling, I wasn’t sure what exactly any of this meant.

  “Maddie.” He stepped forward.

  “Tony is right. I’m supposed to be back at the White House.” I dragged a hand through my unruly hair. “If I don’t leave now then I’m going to be late for one of my stepmother’s dinners.”

  “Will you be here tomorrow?” He took a step toward me.

  “Tomorrow is Saturday.” I smiled. “No one will be here tomorrow.”

  “Right.” He stared at me for a minute before his f
ace split into one of his famous boyish grins. He tucked his hands into his pockets and his shoulders relaxed.

  “In fact, I think we’re both going to be at the State Dinner tomorrow night.”

  “I forgot about that.” He frowned. “I hate those things.”

  “Maybe it won’t be so bad,” I offered. “Heh. I don’t think I’ve ever said that before about a State Dinner.”

  “Maybe it won’t.” His smile returned. “Are you going to wear that dress again?”

  “Dress?” I cocked my head to the side. “The one from the fund-raiser? My stepmother would kill me.”

  “That’s a shame.” He took a deep breath as his eyes ran over me.

  “You wouldn’t prefer something red and skintight?” I chewed on my bottom lip. That made me sound jealous and petty.

  “I’d prefer anything that you wear.” He took a step closer to me.

  “And if Ronnie is there?” I ran my hand down my shirt.

  “I knew you were jealous.” He reached out and grabbed my hand, pulling me toward him. “I haven’t seen her since that night.”

  “You didn’t answer my question.” I frowned up at him.

  “If Ronnie is there, I wouldn’t notice.” He leaned down, his lips brushing mine. “I’ll be too busy looking at you.”

  Chapter 9

  Maddie

  “Whoa,” Ari whispered. “He’s even hotter in person. I didn’t think that was possible.”

  I covered my mouth to keep from laughing loudly. Alex d’Lynsal, Prince of Lilaria, was a few feet from us talking with my father.

  “He’s married,” I whispered back. “And a dad.”

  “That doesn’t make me blind.” She sighed, a dreamy look on her face. “He’s totally my Man Crush Monday pick.”

  “Man Crush Monday?” I reached out and pinched her arm. “Get it together, Simmon. You’re starting to drool.”

  “And Samantha! A real-life Duchess.” I was a little worried she was going to swoon. “They’re so romantic.”

  “That’s it. I’m going to send Bran to get smelling salts.” I leaned down so only she could hear me. “I’m worried you’re going to faint.”

  “Don’t you dare,” she growled. Looking over her shoulder she gripped my arm. “I’d never live that down. He already makes my life hellish.”

  “Ari,” I warned. If anyone heard her curse at the event she’d be in serious trouble. Though I completely sympathized about my brother. Bran would never let her live it down. That’s why I’d threatened to use him.

  “You know it’s true. Yesterday—”

  “Oh, look alive. Here they come.” I stood up straight and managed to keep my hands from smoothing my dress. My stepmother hated when people did that in public. She felt that it made them look nervous, which in turn made them look weak.

  “Madeline McGuire, my daughter.” My father’s face was calm, content. In a room full of the world’s who’s-who, he was completely in his element.

  “A pleasure to meet you.” The Prince lifted my hand and bowed over it. Oy, if my stomach didn’t tumble a bit at the gesture. “I’m Alex d’Lynsal and this is my wife, Samantha of Rousseau.”

  “It’s an honor.” I smiled, hoping that no one could see me blush. Ari had been right. The Prince was even hotter in person.

  “It’s so nice to meet you, Madeline.” Samantha shook my hand, pulling me in closer to whisper in my ear. “I’m a big fan of how you break into buildings to save animals.”

  I couldn’t help the loud laugh that escaped. She might be a duchess, a princess, and a mother, but there was something mischievous in her eyes. It didn’t hurt that she seemed to have a natural ability to put people at ease. I wondered for a minute if that was something she had learned or if she’d always done that.

  “And I’m a big fan of your conservation work,” I finally responded.

  There was a high-pitched giggle next to me and I turned to look at Ari with big eyes. From the tips of her ears to the collar of her formal dress was flushed bright pink. Alex held her hand in his and wore a bright smile.

  “Don’t forget, you promised me a dance.” He squeezed her hand and she turned so red I was worried she’d have a stroke.

  “He made the Queen of England swoon, poor Ari had no chance,” Samantha whispered. “I better go save her, but we should talk later.”

  “I’d be delighted.” I smiled and for once honestly meant it.

  I watched as they moved down the line to shake hands with the Vice President. The heavy weight of someone’s gaze landed on me and I looked up to see Jake watching me.

  My breathing picked up a little and I touched the material of my gown. We hadn’t spoken since last night at the construction site. For the first time in a long time, I’d spent hours fretting over what to wear for the dinner. My stepmother had sent a red ball gown that I had immediately rejected. I didn’t want him to compare me to Ronnie the Randy Reporter.

  After several phone calls and texted pictures to Pheobe I’d decided on an elegant deep green dress that reminded me of Grace Kelly. It had taken a lot of pep-talking from my bestie, because it showed more cleavage than I usually wore. The round skirt draped nicely around my legs without looking like a Cinderella dress. The gown had off-the-shoulder straps which kept it from looking too risqué and despite my misgivings about the amount of skin I was showing, I felt sexy. Almost desirable.

  And from the way Jake’s eyes raked over my body, he seemed to think so as well.

  Yeah, Prince Alex might be a real-life Prince Charming, but he didn’t compare to the real-life sexy soldier staring at me. My cheeks warmed and I gave him a small smile. Now that I was face to face with the man that caused me a very long, sleepless night my nerves rattled even stronger in my stomach.

  We’d shared a stolen moment last night, but was that all it was? My mind had been cruel, stuck on a never-ending replay of his hands on my body, his lips pressed to mine. When I wasn’t thinking about how it felt to be pressed against him, I’d agonized over every word he’d said as if I was a teenager again.

  I couldn’t exactly ask him what it meant right now. Not with a million people watching our every move. Though with the royals present we might not be the center of attention here. But even if I could ask him right now, how would I go about phrasing it?

  I took a deep breath. It didn’t matter. One kiss didn’t exactly equal a label or definition. One kiss was something that happened, that just was; it wasn’t more than that kiss. Not yet anyway.

  The Prince held his hand out to Jake and he turned his gaze from mine and said something to the royal. I started to look away and that was when I saw Jake’s mother watching me with a blank expression and would have stumbled if my stepmother hadn’t spent so many years drilling me on how to act in these situations.

  Instead I smiled brightly and followed behind my father as if I didn’t have a care in the world. It really hadn’t sunk in last night when he said that I was one of his rules—that his mother didn’t approve of me. I’d always known that she disliked me. I’d heard Virginia talking with my stepmother about boarding schools. It wasn’t until Abigail had said I’d be needed in the campaign that I’d realized they’d been talking about me.

  The awkward, troublesome child that needed charm school had been me. While my stepmother hadn’t disagreed with Virginia, she had given me a guilty look when she came out of the room to see me sitting on a chair near the door. Neither of us ever said a thing about that day, but it had shaped how we treated each other for years.

  “I have to sit next to Bran again.” Ari glared at her table. “When do I get to sit at the grown-up tables?”

  “I usually don’t get to sit at the grown-up table.” I frowned, glancing at the name cards around the large head table.

  My heart skipped a beat. I was sitting next to Jake. He was talking with the Prince and Duchess, one of his real smiles on his face. He’d shaved for the dinner, where yesterday he’d been a bit scruffy. I sort of missed
the rough edge it had given him.

  I’d especially enjoyed the way it had felt sliding along my skin.

  “Do you want to trade?”

  I looked down at Ari, surprised she was still next to me. I was too busy fantasizing about her big brother’s hands and mouth. We usually stuck together at these kinds of events. I loved her like she was my little sister, but right now my mind was decidedly fixated on a different Simmon family member.

  “What?” I looked down at her and frowned.

  “Trade? You can go sit with Bran and I’ll take your spot next to Jake.” She widened her eyes and smiled sadly. “I’ve barely seen him since he got back and I missed him so much. You get to see him all week.”

  “Nice try.” I laughed. “The only reason you want to sit next to your mother is because of the guy with the crown.”

  “Dang it.” Without a blink she turned away and went to her table.

  I watched as she pulled out her seat and slumped down in the chair next to Bran. She’d get an earful if her mother caught her sitting so unladylike. Unlike me, Ari, Jake, and their middle sister Caro had all gone to charm school. Ari knew better than to get caught slumping at a big event like a State Dinner.

  “She’ll be fine.” Jake’s low voice crept over my skin.

  I breathed in deeply as I turned around and slapped on my politician’s daughter smile. “I feel a bit guilty.”

  “Because you get to sit next to the Prince?” His eyes ran over my face, down my shoulders and all the cleavage before sweeping down to the floor. “You know, I didn’t think I’d like any dress better than the one you wore the other night, but this is my favorite so far.”

  “Thank you.” I said it quietly and couldn’t help the blush that crept up my neck. “And she said she wanted to sit next to you because I’d been hogging you for the last few weeks.”

  “Did she?” He chuckled. “I’ll make it up to her later, because I’m hoping to spend a little more time with you tonight.”

  “Is that so?” I arched an eyebrow.