A MATTER OF TRUST

by Kimberley Reeves

  “All right. Chase, are you sure…about us?”

  “I’d marry you this minute if I could, does that answer your question?”

  Maddy’s smile rivaled the sun in brilliance and he held the memory of it in his heart as he drove away. He was going to wring Angela’s scrawny neck for hurting Maddy with her cruel lies but it would have to wait until tomorrow. Today he had more important business, like getting his ring on Maddy’s finger and setting a date for the wedding so they could start making plans. He wouldn’t rest easy until she was his wife, and God willing he wouldn’t have long to wait.

  ***

  The flowers arrived shortly before three and Maddy was beside herself with happiness as the delivery man carried the magnificent arrangement into the dining room and set it on the table. She was glad Chase hadn’t gone with anything as conventional as roses and had chosen instead a variation of fragrant wild flowers. They were simply breathtaking and the card that accompanied them made the gift even more thoughtful and endearing because he’s signed it personally which meant he hadn’t just called in the order but had taken the time to pick them out himself. If only Angela’s rotten call had come after the flowers had been delivered she might not have been so quick to believe the vile woman’s lies.

  Thank God Chase had been so forceful about talking it out and they were able to work through it. By all rights, he should have been angry with her for not trusting him but the only time he’d even come close to losing his temper was when she kept trying to get away from him. How had a man like Chase Malone escaped being snatched up long before now? If Angela was an example of the type of women he’d dated, it certainly wasn’t from lack of trying, so why had he remained single and why had he chosen Maddy when he could have had any woman he wanted?

  Because she was his other half, just as he was hers. Together, they made sense. The world made sense.

  Maddy leaned over the table and breathed in the soft scent of lilacs, one of her favorite flowers, which she was sure Chase knew when he’d picked them out. It was time, she decided. Time to call her parents and let them know what was happening, and time to call her brothers who would no doubt insist on running background checks and dredging up everything they could on Chase; good, bad, or indifferent. They’d been over protective ogres since the day she was born and she’d given up trying to change them long ago. They wouldn’t be pleased about Chase’s playboy past and it wouldn’t do any good to point out their own reputations on that score, but when they saw how happy she was it would overcome any misgivings and they’d rally around her as they always did.

  Maddy smiled to herself, recalling the few men who’d dared to date Alex and Dane St. Claire’s little sister. Like her father, they both stood about six foot three and were built like linebackers so it didn’t take much to intimidate any male of a lesser stature. It didn’t help that they delighted in outlining in explicate detail just what would happen if Maddy was treated with anything but the utmost respect. It never really bothered her, though she was careful not to let them know that.

  She’d been painfully shy as far as men were concerned in spite of all the charity balls and social functions she’d been required to attend when she was growing up. Maddy half suspected her brothers knew this and that was the real reason they chased off any potential suitors. Her father would have admonished her for not taking advantage of the social status he provided in order to find a husband, but he could hardly fault his sons for protecting their little sister because that’s what the Sawyer men did; they looked after their women.

  Maddy braved her parents first. They knew that she’d been staying at Chase’s house of course, but she’d led them to believe he’d rented her the room so she could paint. She confessed about the accident and that she agreed to stay and take care of him until his arm healed, though she left out the part where Chase blackmailed her into the agreement. Always the businessman, Alexander asked if she needed a lawyer in case Chase decided to sue her over the injuries.

  Maddy laughed, albeit a bit nervously. “That won’t be necessary, Daddy. You see…well, Chase has asked me to marry him and I’ve said yes.”

  There was a long pause before her father replied. “This is kind of sudden, isn’t it? Not that I don’t respect Chase, you understand. He’s financially secure and he’s done a fine job for my company but I’m concerned about why you’re rushing it.”

  “I love him,” she said simply, “and I want to be his wife.”

  Her mother, who’d been listening quietly on an extension, finally jumped in. “Alexander, if they love each other I see no reason why they should wait.”

  Alexander ignored his wife’s plea. “Listen Maddy, I’m not trying to be a hard nose about this and I’d never do anything to spoil your happiness, but Chase does have a bit of a reputation with the ladies and I’d hate to think he’s just playing you. You’ve always been such an innocent where men are concerned and it’s understandable that you’d be drawn to him because you don’t have experience in these matters.”

  She’d prepared herself for his objections and plunged in with her defense. “You’re right, I don’t have much experience with men, but I know how I feel about him. Chase has been very honest with me about his past and he’s not the type of man who tells a woman he loves her just to get her into bed. He’d have no need to.”

  Maddy refrained from giggling when her father grunted his displeasure at her choice of words. She’d never been that bold when speaking to him before, but her love for Chase gave her courage and she desperately wanted her parent’s approval.

  “You’re sure there’s not another reason you’re getting married?”

  This time she did giggle. “We’re in love and we want to spend the rest of our lives together, what other reason could there be?”

  “Don’t you dare say it,” Emily St. Claire warned her husband.

  “I have to, Em," her father said, then shocked Maddy with this next question. " Are you pregnant, Maddy? Is that why you want to rush into this?”

  Chapter 8

  She should have seen it coming, but for some reason it never even occurred to Maddy that her father would jump to that conclusion. Her mother immediately chastised him and assured Maddy he didn’t mean anything by it, but the damage had already been done. She loved her father dearly, but he was even more predatory when it came to her welfare and if he thought for a minute that Chase had taken advantage of her then gotten her pregnant he’d be furious. For just a fraction of second she considered telling him she was going to have a baby because angry or not, he’d insist on her getting married as soon as possible. But she couldn’t do it.

  Maddy didn’t try to keep the disappointment from her voice. “So what you’re saying is…the only reason why Chase could possibly want to marry me is if he got me pregnant.”

  “No, I…ah hell, you know that’s not what I mean. I’m worried about you, honey. I’ve always worried about you and I’m not going to stop just because you think you’re all grown up and can take care of yourself.”

  “I’m twenty-six years old,” she sighed in exasperation. “Look, I know you weren’t happy about me going out on my own and I know springing this wedding on you is quite a shock, but I’m not a little girl anymore and you have to let me live my life the way I want to, not the way you think I should.”

  “I know, I know. I just want the best for you, Maddy.”

  “Chase is the best,” she said softly. “I love him and I’m going to marry him, with or without your blessing.”

  “If it’s really what you want…”

  There was resignation in his voice, but she knew her father better than that. He’d be on the phone the moment they hung up and he’d beat her brothers to the punch on that background check despite his admission that he respected Chase. Her mother took over the conversation for a few minutes and insisted that Maddy come home the following weekend so they could discuss the wedding. It was a ploy so Emily could see for herself that her daughter really w
as in love but Maddy didn’t mind. She and her mother had always been close and she welcomed the opportunity to see her parents and convince them that she was doing the right thing.

  Mentally exhausted after the strained conversation, Maddy decided it was best not to try and tackle her brothers just yet. She’d persuaded her parents not to tell them so she wasn’t worried about calling them right away and she was concerned they’d keep her on the line so long she wouldn’t have time to get ready for her diner date with Chase. He’d still have to shower and change when he got home, but even encumbered with the cast he wouldn’t take more than thirty minutes from start to finish.

  It was four o’clock now so that gave her a full two hours. Under normal circumstances that would have been plenty of time, but tonight Maddy wanted to take extra care with her appearance. He’d never seen her in anything more formal than a sundress so she wanted to dazzle him and was pretty confident the slinky black number hanging in her closet would do the trick. She wasn’t even sure why she’d brought it with her, maybe it was because she’d purchased it in a moment of bravado and was hoping she’d recapture that spark of rebellion and actually wear it someday. Clipping the price tag off, she laid it out on her bed and smiled. Chase wouldn’t be able to keep his hands off of her tonight and that alone was all the incentive she needed to wear it.

  ****

  Chase let out a groan of sheer agony when Maddy descended the stairs and sauntered over to him. The dress she’d worn clung to her slim figure like a second skin, the scoop necked bodice emphasizing the perfection of her breasts. It conformed to the gentle slope of her hips, down her thighs and ended about three inches from her knees. Shapley calves tapered down to trim ankles, one of which was adorned with a sparkling bracelet, and she had on a spiky pair of heels that completed the sexy ensemble.

  She’d worn her hair long and straight just the way he liked it, the silken strands glittering like gold, and she had on very little make-up but with beauty like hers she didn’t need to. Every inch of her made his blood boil and his skin tingle, and every inch of him ached to be inside of her.

  “You’re not making it easy to leave the house tonight,” he said huskily.

  Maddy went into his arms then immediately took a step back. “Your cast, it’s gone!”

  Chase grinned. “The doctor said he’d never seen anyone heal as fast as I did.” He yanked her back into his arms. “I’ve been dying to do this since the moment he cut it off.”

  “Mmmm, feels nice,” she cooed.

  He dipped his head to kiss her, but quickly changed his mind and pulled back. “It’s probably not a good idea to linger here too long. I’m afraid if I start kissing you, I won’t be able to stop.”

  The heat in his eyes made her knees go weak. “You wouldn’t hear me complain,” she whispered hoarsely.

  Chase gently set her apart from him with a rueful shake of his head. “You have no idea how tempting that is, but I have a very special evening planned so we’ll just have to control ourselves until later.”

  Maddy’s eyes raked over his muscular frame. “Not too much later, I hope.”

  His willpower, which was less than a heartbeat away from failing him anyway, damn near disintegrated altogether when she brushed by him with a sexy sway of her hips. Chase sucked in air between his teeth, counting to ten before turning around and following her. He suddenly had a very vivid understanding of Pavlov’s dog and why certain actions triggered the poor animal’s saliva glands because watching Maddy’s amazing bottom shift from side to side was eliciting that same drooling response from him.

  She arched a questioning brow when he opened the garage door and escorted her to a sleek, silver Lexus. “Just how many vehicles do you own?”

  Chase opened the door and held her hand, his jaws clenching when her legs parted for a moment as she lifted first one elegant limb and then other inside the car. “Four,” he choked, then cleared his throat. “Actually only three until my bike comes back from the shop.”

  Maddy smiled to herself as she waited for him to come around to the driver’s side and get in. It was horrible of her to tease him like this, but oh how glorious the payoff was going to be when they got home and he was finally able to do something about it. She deliberately waited until he’d fired up the engine and was backing out before slowly crossing her legs, knowing full well just how far up her thigh the dress would travel. The Lexus lurched backwards then came to an abrupt halt when his attention was momentarily diverted as his eyes followed the path of the receding hem line.

  Chase mumbled an apology then set his jaw determinedly and focused on his driving. If he even looked at her again he was afraid they’d end up in a ditch so he was careful to keep his gaze pointed straight ahead. It was a short drive up the coast to the restaurant but he was still a bundle of nerves by the time they arrived because even though he’d managed to keep from looking at Maddy, her soft scent permeated the small interior of the vehicle, giving rise to more than just lusty thoughts. He took his time getting out of the car then paused outside his door and pretended to adjust his tie and then his cuffs in order to give the bulge in his slacks time to die down. By the time he came around to help Maddy out, it wasn’t nearly as noticeable or quite so painful.

  Maddy wasn’t surprised that he’d brought her to such an elegant restaurant, but it was a bit of a surprise to see the neon light proclaiming the name of the place was Malone’s. “Why didn’t you tell me you owned a restaurant?”

  “Because I don’t.” He wound his arm around her waist and propelled her towards the door. “My brother, Travis, owns it and he’s dying to meet you. As a matter of fact,” he stopped and planted a soft kiss on her lips, “my whole family is inside just dying to meet you.”

  Maddy’s stomach did a wild flip. “Oh Chase, please tell me you’re joking!”

  “Don’t look so worried, they’re going to love you.”

  “You should have warned me,” she chastised.

  Chase smiled indulgently. “If I’d warned you it would only have given you more time to worry. Come on,” he pulled the door open, “they’re waiting inside.”

  Maddy clutched at his arm, grounding to a stop just inside the entranceway. “Chase, I can’t. Look at me! This dress is hardly suitable for meeting your family.” She lowered her voice, her cheeks burning a bright scarlet. “I wore it for you, so you’d think I was…sexy, and so I could…you know.”

  “Excite me?” He devoured her with his eyes. “Mission accomplished, sweetheart, I’m hard as a rock.”

  Maddy groaned. “They’re going to think I’m just like all your other over-sexed girlfriends and that all I’m interested in is getting into bed with you or worse, that I’m a gold-digger who’s using her body to seduce you into marriage. Oh, this is awful, just awful.”

  ****

  The corner of Chase’s mouth twitched. Perhaps she had seduced him into marriage, but it wasn’t her delectable body that had done it. It was her innocence and the way she’d given herself to him whole-heartedly, as if loving him was her soul purpose in life. It was the vibrancy she brought to each day, and the meaning she’d given to his own hollow existence. The fire and passion of their love making only added to the million other gifts she’d brought into this relationship and he was humbled by the idea that a woman like Madysen Sawyer had consented to be his wife. With sweet tenderness, he leaned down and kissed her.

  “They’re going to see what I see; the most beautiful woman in the world whose love for me shines through her eyes. My parents will adore you and my brothers will be green with envy, what more could a man ask for?”

  After drawing in a deep breath and letting it out slowly, she gave him a nod. “Okay, I’m ready.”

  “That’s my girl.”

  Maddy assured herself that her legs weren’t actually made of rubber though it was entirely possible she would have crumbled into a heap on the floor if Chase hadn’t kept his arm firmly around her waist. The hostess greeted Chase with fam
iliarity and immediately led them back through the restaurant, chatting happily as they went about how excited Travis was to have his whole family here.

  Maddy’s eyes scanned the tables nervously but it didn’t take a second to surmise which one the Malone’s occupied once she caught a glimpse of all the dark-haired men seated around it. All of them bore the same rugged good looks that Chase had but it looked more like a gathering of a football team than anything because all of his brothers were every bit as tall and muscular as he was.

  Chase’s lips brushed her temple as they approached the table. “Breathe, sweetheart,” he teased, giving her a brief squeeze.

  The men at the table all stood up when they arrived, a gesture that was as old fashioned as it was touching. Chase pulled out a chair next to his mother for Maddy before taking his place beside her then waited for the other men to be seated before making the introductions. He took Maddy’s hand and gave her a reassuring smile then turned to his mother first.