“What did you do?” she asked in a hushed tone.
“What I had to and then I walked away.”
“I don’t think I can do that.”
The sincerity in her voice seemed to touch a cord in him. He straightened from the wall and said, “It looks like you already did.”
“I’m so confused,” she admitted hoarsely.
He closed the distance between them and kissed her gently on one cheek. “You and I both, ma puce, I will not sleep easily tonight.”
He spun and left with the cat following at his heels.
Maddy groaned and walked alone into the guest bedroom. She slid under the covers of the bed and picked up her tablet, but didn’t turn it on. I doubt there is a book on there that could make me forget that I almost gave my virginity to the first sexy Frenchman I met, only to be refused like I’d offered him a case of the measles. She set the tablet on the night table, flipped the light off and stared at the dark ceiling above. Is he lying in his bed imagining what it would have been like between us? Not that I want to be just another meal he enjoyed then moved on. She closed her eyes and remembered how her body had responded to his touch. Her skin still tingled at the memory.
Sex is supposed mean something.
A hot night with a complete stranger would have been wrong.
She rolled onto her side and hugged one of the pillows to her chest.
Or it would have been heaven.
Chapter Three
Early in the evening, Richard paused from issuing orders to his kitchen staff and threw a sheet pan in the dish pit with enough force that the sound echoed through the room and caused a momentary halt in all activity. With a glare, he sent them all back on task. They knew better than to joke with him when he was in a mood.
Yes, he held them to impossibly high standards, but he didn’t ask them to give any more than he gave of himself each day: everything.
He was an artist, not a cook. He fed the souls of people the same way a talented painter or musician does. The world could survive without art or gourmet food, but who would want to live in it? He was driven to create dishes that would be remembered long after they were experienced. It was an obsession—until today.
The only thing worse than spending the day distracted by the thought of Madison in his house, was the thought that she might no longer be there.
Memories of her tight body outlined in the illuminating light of a side lamp brought him to an uncomfortable level of arousal. And those eyes. Mon Dieu, those chocolate eyes—flashing with anger, melting with desire, while she offered herself to him.
An offer I turned down.
No matter how he tried, he couldn’t stop his thoughts from returning to his houseguest and their short encounter. He’d formed an opinion of her before they’d met and had been set to dislike her. Instead, he found himself fascinated and not just sexually.
She was in his thoughts, in his blood, an itch that could not be denied.
And all I did was kiss her.
I don’t even know her last name.
If she left I’d never find her.
That thought was enough to have him striding over to Bertrand. Even though the restaurant would close early that day, he couldn’t wait a moment longer. “I’ll be at my house if you need me, but only call if you’ve lit the place on fire.”
The sous chef was so surprised by the announcement that he asked a question he already knew the answer to. “Y-you’re leaving?”
Richard imagined Madison as he’d found her, lying on the couch, and hastily discarded his chef coat. Bertrand was perfectly capable of running the kitchen—even if it was the first time he’d been asked to do so. Richard had never been one to second-guess his decisions and was not about to start now. “I am.”
“Are you ill?” Bertrand asked with real concern.
“No. I have something at my house that requires my attention.”
Bertrand shook his head in confusion and said, “In all the years we’ve worked together, I’ve never seen you leave early. You don’t celebrate the holidays. Is it your sister? Is Alyson okay?”
“Everyone is fine,” Richard said impatiently. “I just have to go.”
Bertrand persisted, “You know, we’re business partners, but we’re also friends. If you need help, let me know.”
“I probably need psychiatric help, but tonight just worry about the restaurant.”
A slow, understanding smile spread across the older man’s face. “Only a woman could make a man that crazy.”
“Just close the restaurant tonight. I’ll be back tomorrow.”
“Or not,” Bertrand said happily. “Take your time. I’m perfectly capable of running this place without you for a few days.”
Richard opened his mouth to say he’d be back early in the morning as usual, but if everything worked out the way he wanted it to, he wasn’t sure he would be. So, he kept his thoughts to himself and headed toward the door. Bertrand clapped his hands loudly and, in a tone much like Richard would have used, put the kitchen staff back on task.
Richard exceeded the speed limit on all the roads that separated him from the woman he couldn’t stop thinking about. On the way he rehearsed how he would tell Madison that he’d changed his stance on virginity.
Right, left, then another left after the farmhouse. Or was it left, right, then left at the farmhouse? Shit. Maddy stood at an intersection, wishing she’d paid more attention on the way into the small town near Richard’s house. Her arms were aching from the weight of the bags she’d filled with Christmas decorations.
When she’d decided to head into town and pick up a few holiday items to surprise Richard, it had seemed like a good idea. However, getting lost outside of the town near his house added an almost comically ridiculous element to the day.
Would it kill this town to have a taxi service? Not that it would have helped much because I can’t remember his exact address.
Yes, please drop me off at the large stone mansion on the hill. Oh, all the mansions in this area are stone and seem to be on hills? Well then, how about the one owned by a hot French chef? There can’t be many like him around.
Name? Richard.
Last name? Oh, I forgot to ask that part. Sure, I almost slept with him without that knowledge, but it would be helpful to know it now.
Or even the name of his restaurant.
No wonder Gino thinks I can’t survive on my own. I feel like a five-year old who should have worn her nametag to help people return her home if she got lost.
Home.
Maybe that’s where I belong. Maybe my father is right and if I grow up I’ll understand why my family made the decisions they did.
I should call Gino and tell him to pick me up. Hard to ever truly be lost in the world of technology and GPS tracking. The moment I turn on my cell phone he’ll find me. He’s probably still in the local area looking for me. He’d never leave me. That used to make me feel safe. Now I feel cornered.
Choosing a direction, Maddy set off walking down the side road, regretting again that she wasn’t wearing practical walking shoes. Her suede high heels were comfortable for a short stroll, but this was becoming a several-mile hike. Despite being dressed in black corduroy pants, an ivory, loose-fitting sweater, and her jacket, the wind blew right through the layers and chilled her skin. Along with the fading sunshine, the temperature was quickly dropping.
Nothing looked familiar and her frustration was growing. At any other time in her life, she would have called her mother for advice, but she’d made that option impossible. She saw now that she should have spoken to her mother before leaving, but she’d been angry and impulsive. Her mother must have known about Uncle Vic’s lie. She’d probably known for years and done nothing. Maddy had always thought that she and her mother had told each other everything. She’d been wrong.
Is that why I felt ready to toss my virginity to the wind? Do I want to hurt my family like they hurt me?
She remembered the feeling of
Richard’s lips on her body and blushed as her skin tingled in memory. No, it was more than that.
Although her thoughts were swirling with uncertainty when it came to dealing with her family, her reason for waiting for Richard to come home was clear. I’ve never felt anything like that before and I want to feel it again. I have to know if his kisses really are as good as I thought they were. Was my heart beating wildly the whole time we spoke because he’d woken me with a start or because our attraction was that strong?
What would have happened if I hadn’t blurted out my lack of experience? Does it matter? I’ll never know now.
The street ended in a driveway. Maddy cursed and waved a hand angrily at the waning late day sun. She dropped the bags at her feet, hugged her thin coat to her, and shivered. As the sun slipped below the tree line she took out her phone and turned it on. She didn’t need to call Gino. She’d known him long enough to be certain that he’d stayed nearby and would be there soon.
As she walked, she grumbled toward the sky, “You win. This was ridiculous from the beginning. It’s time to go home.”
Chapter Four
She’s gone!
He’d known the moment he’d opened the door and been greeted by his lonely feline. He searched every room of his home—even calling out her name a few times.
Gone.
He stood in the middle of the empty guest room and closed his eyes for a moment. It was for the best. He knew nothing about her outside the innocence she claimed to have. Everything else had been a lie. For all he knew, that could be a lie as well. Normally he wouldn’t have agreed to house her in the first place. Alyson had caught him in a moment when agreeing had been easier than questioning. He should be relieved.
He looked around the room one last time and something caught his attention. A bag from his sister’s store was on a chair. He searched it and realized it was clothing.
If Madison had left for good, wouldn’t she have taken that with her?
Maybe. Maybe not.
Was it possible she had gone outside for a walk? No sign of her anywhere.
He absently lifted his jacket off the rack near the back door and headed outside. Putting aside the questions raging within him, he called for her and continued his search. The sun was just setting over the tops of the trees. The evening air was cooling quickly.
He strode to his car and, although he started it, he didn’t put it in gear at first. What am I thinking? That she’s walking the streets like a lost child? Looking for her is likely a waste of my time. She’s probably flying back to the states or in town flashing those big brown eyes at someone—offering another man what I’d declined last night. He threw his car in reverse and sped down the driveway.
He caught a glimpse of a woman walking down a side road with shopping bags in each hand. He turned his car around with tire-squealing speed. In half a heartbeat, he’d pulled up next to her, jumped out of the car, and was beside her. She shivered and he swore. He took off his jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders. “Are you completely lacking in sense? It gets cold, even here in the South,” he snapped, retaining his grip on the front of his jacket, effectively holding her in place before him.
The welcoming smile she’d flashed him when she first saw him disappeared. “I was about to thank you for coming to find me, but I’ll hold out for an apology first,” she said, folding her arms before her, her chin set at a stubborn angle.
How prim and proper she sounded as she chastised him. He wanted to shake her as much as he wanted to kiss her. Well, not quite as much. “And what exactly am I supposed to apologize for?” He knew his tone was harsh, but he was angry.
She bristled defensively. “I didn’t mean to get lost and I don’t deserve your snide comments. If you can’t be nice, take your damn coat back and leave me here. I don’t need you.”
He frowned down at her, not hiding his displeasure, and waited for her to back down. Most people did. She looked him straight in the eye and stuck her chin even farther out. That beautiful, stubborn chin. Before Madison he would have said that he preferred a more agreeable woman. He couldn’t remember the last time anyone had corrected him, never mind lectured him on his behavior. He found her direct challenge more exciting than any striptease or act of seduction. He wanted to kiss that stubbornness right out of her—slowly, all night if that’s what it took. As his blood rushed downward, he found himself softening his stance and admitting, “I thought you were gone for good.”
Madison looked down, then back up at him, this time through her long lashes. “And that wasn’t a cause for celebration?”
His hands tightened on the front of the coat he’d wrapped around her, and he pulled her ever so slightly closer. “Surprisingly, no.” He studied her delicate features and surprised himself by saying, “You could have been hurt.”
“I’m fine,” she said huskily, staring up at him as she had the night before. Tempting him.
He gave in to the temptation and kissed her parted lips. She met his kiss eagerly. He’d been half-hoping that he’d built their attraction up in his mind. She wasn’t his type. He didn’t like complications and she was definitely complicated.
And distracting. Here he was, kissing her on the side of the road instead of working in his restaurant as he should have been. The fire that flew between them tore away his reservations. He wanted her with a desperation that made everything else irrelevant. He pulled her closer, enjoying the feel of her against him and wishing they were somewhere more private so he could strip away the layers that separated them.
She opened her mouth for him and he lost what was left of his coherent thoughts as his tongue met hers in an intimate and passionate dance. What she lacked in experience, she made up for in sweet enthusiasm.
A car drove by and honked, reminding Richard of their very public location. He pulled back, tracing her still-parted lips with his thumb, loving that she looked as dazed by their kiss as he felt. “Let’s go back to my house,” he said huskily. He’d told himself he would give her time. The last hour hadn’t changed the fact that she was an innocent and a troubled one at that. Doing anything but sending her packing was a mistake, but he couldn’t help himself. He wanted her, and by the way her eyes darkened with desire, he knew the feeling was mutual.
She nodded wordlessly.
He opened the passenger door, helped her in and couldn’t help but steal one final kiss when she looked up after buckling herself in. He broke off their connection reluctantly and rushed around to the driver’s seat. He almost backed into the stone wall across the street in his haste to turn his vehicle around.
He was going to take Maddy to his bed and although it was something he never did, he had no intention of leaving her in the morning to go to work. Some experiences were meant to be savored, not rushed.
He took her hand in his during the short drive back to his house, kissing the back of it then turning it to taste the inside of her wrist. It was a torture and a delight to have access to so little of her. He met her eyes for a potent moment and in as close to an apology as he could come, said, “I can drive you to a hotel if you’d like, but I want to be with you, Madison. You’re all I’ve thought about today, to the point where I didn’t care about anything else but coming back to you and tasting your sweet kiss again. I want to take you to my bed and spend the whole night savoring you. Tell me now if this is not what you also want.” He laid her hand high on his thigh.
Her hand moved, cupping him in an exploratory fashion and she gave him a shy smile. “Didn’t you say you don’t sleep with virgins?”
A slow smile spread across his face.
“I changed my mind.”
Me, too. I do not want to be rescued from this. Madison took out her phone and texted Gino, momentarily breaking off her connection with Richard. “Need one more day. Please don’t come now.”
Gino didn’t respond, which was either a good sign or a very bad one. There was a slim chance, like win-the-lottery slim, he hadn’t noticed she’d
turned her phone on. If that were the case, turning it off was a good idea.
Of course, if he was on his way and she turned it off, she wouldn’t know, and since there wasn’t a locked door that could keep a man like Gino out, that had the potential of bringing her night with Richard to an abrupt halt.
I’m not experienced enough to know for sure, but I’m going to guess that a bodyguard breaking down his front door is not one of Richard’s erotic fantasies.
“Who are you texting?” Richard asked.
“My—um—cousin?” At least, that’s what my father calls him. Oh, this is going to kill the mood, I just know it. “He may be on his way to pick me up. I turned my phone on when I got lost. Gino may use the signal to find me.”
Richard pulled the car into the driveway and turned in his seat to face her. “Why would he come simply because your phone is on?”
“He’s always used my phone signal to track me. I never minded before. It saved me from having to always tell him where I was going,” Maddy said and then realized how odd that might sound without explanation. “He’s also my bodyguard.”
“Who are you?”
I’m going to die a virgin. “Madison Andrade.”
“Andrade? As in Andrade Global?”
It wasn’t a surprise that he knew the company—Stephan’s company was always in the news. “That’s my cousin’s company. Alessandro Andrade is my father. He built Andrade Technologies.”
He looked her over again and whistled in a less than complimentary way. “You’re the daughter of one of the wealthiest men in America?”
Worse than measles, I carry the dreaded wealth germ.
“You’re not scared and running from a bad situation. You’re Daddy’s little pissed off princess trying to teach him a lesson.”
In hot defense, she said, “That’s not true.”
“Really? This isn’t about getting back at your family by breaking their rules?”
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