The Wedding Reject Table (Choc Lit) (Nashville Connections Book 2)

by Angela Britnell

  ‘No, sweetheart, far from it. That kiss was too damn good and I’m not made of stone.’

  ‘I noticed,’ she murmured, looking embarrassed.

  ‘I can’t take advantage of you while you’re upset.’

  A mischievous smile crept across her mouth. ‘So when I’m not upset it’ll be okay?’

  ‘Hey, now who’s twisting whose words?’ he retorted. ‘I’m trying to be a gentleman. I told you what my reputation is in Nashville, but I don’t want to be that man with you. You’re special.’

  ‘Oh.’ Maggie’s sultry gaze swept down over him and reignited the fierce desire he’d managed to dampen down a few seconds ago. At a guess he’d say she’d never experienced this level of power over a man before and liked it, a lot.

  ‘You’re one wicked lady,’ he chuckled.

  ‘What a thing to say.’ Her protest was patently fake and they both laughed. ‘Maybe the original walk we’d planned would cool us down?’

  ‘A very sensible idea.’ Reluctantly he moved to the edge of the bed and found his shoes.

  ‘Being sensible sucks,’ she complained. ‘One day I’m going to do exactly what I want with no thought to the consequences.’

  ‘Oh, Maggie, you could no more do that than Emily could turn into a completely responsible person with a placid disposition,’ he tossed right back at her. ‘Get real.’

  She stuck out her tongue and turned her back on him. A noise like a clanging ship’s bell hummed somewhere in the room and Maggie jumped up to grab her handbag from the floor. She pulled out her phone and glanced at the screen before answering. ‘Emily. How are things?’ The smile left her face.

  Chad crossed his fingers. He’d backed up Maggie’s sister when she’d insisted they leave her alone with Jonathan. Had he made a huge mistake?

  Chapter Fifteen

  Maggie listened in amazement and prayed Emily wasn’t making another rash decision. ‘Are you absolutely sure?’ She held the phone away from her ear to avoid being deafened – catching the words insensitive, boring and true love. ‘Okay, okay, I’ll come back right now. Bye.’ She turned back to face Chad who was looking more worried than she’d ever seen him. ‘Don’t panic. Jonathan isn’t lying in a pool of blood on my kitchen floor.’

  ‘Good.’ His succinct reply made her smile. ‘What happened?’

  ‘Don’t ask me how but the engagement is back on and tomorrow morning they’re going to the registry office and fill in the paperwork to get married in sixteen days.’

  Chad glanced at the calendar on his phone. ‘Is the fifth of August significant in some way?’

  Maggie shrugged. ‘Apparently the notice of an intended marriage has to be displayed for fifteen days before the ceremony so it’s the earliest possible date.’ He opened his mouth to speak but she jumped in first. ‘Yes, I know what Jonathan said but I suppose impending fatherhood combined with Emily’s charms persuaded him otherwise. His parents won’t be pleased because they consider my sister to be nothing but trouble.’ Chad held out his hand and she let herself be pulled back into his arms. She’d never realised before how strong and reassuring a hug could be and snuggled into him, as close as it was possible to get with their clothes on. Stop thinking about that, Maggie Taylor, or you’ll never leave this room.

  ‘Would you like me to take you home?’ he murmured, kissing his way down her neck. ‘You’re so hot, Maggie Taylor, you should come with a health warning.’

  ‘I’ll have you know my kitchens have always scored top marks in inspections. My potentially hazardous foods are properly thawed. I maintain good hygiene practises and all handling of food is minimised.’

  ‘What a relief,’ he teased. ‘Let’s go before I lose the will to say no to you about anything.’

  Maggie tried not to look incredibly satisfied but didn’t succeed judging by the gleam in Chad’s eyes, turning them a rich shade of dark, decadent toffee. She found her shoes and slipped them back on before gathering up her handbag. Folding her hands demurely she waited for him to get ready.

  ‘Don’t give me that fake innocent look as though butter wouldn’t melt in your mouth.’ Chad waved his keys in the air. ‘Downstairs. Now.’

  She obeyed without saying another word, enjoying the fact the light-hearted flirtation had briefly taken her mind off Emily. She should do it more often.

  What was it with her and sitting alone in the kitchen? Somehow it always helped after a challenging day and this one certainly ranked up there with the most difficult she’d experienced. She stared at the clock and was surprised to see it was nearly midnight. In her heart she wanted to be happy for Emily, but the nagging sensation of impending doom wouldn’t go away. Chad had made it all sound perfectly rational but the man was a lawyer and everyone knew they could convince other people black was white with the right choice of words. Maybe she wasn’t being fair to him because he dealt with music rights day in and day out not defending murderous criminals.

  We’ve got it all planned, Maggie. It’ll be an intimate ceremony with only our immediate families. Afterwards I’ll move into Jonathan’s flat in town until we find a house to buy. You’ll be able to have this place to yourself.

  Maggie couldn’t imagine rattling around in their old family home alone, plus legally it belonged to them both and should be sold to give Emily her share.

  I’ll stay in the business, but I’m not sure how much work I’ll be able to put in so you may need to get someone else to help out.

  It’d taken all her waning self-control to hold back from screaming at that point. She hadn’t wanted to open a catering business in the first place. Cakes were her real love. They’d have to talk about it more when Emily’s head wasn’t full of flower colours and whether the dress she’d bought was suitable for a registry office wedding.

  Jonathan had whisked Emily off out for a celebratory dinner but Maggie pleaded a non-existent headache when Chad tried hard to persuade her to go out with him. Now she wished she wasn’t here alone with her thoughts.

  The clock chimed the hour and she realised it was Monday meaning her bizarre weekend was officially over. Maggie sighed and decided she’d better drag herself up to her empty Chad-less bed.

  The sheets were tangled uncomfortably around his legs and Chad threw off the covers before turning the bedside light back on. He didn’t do restless well. When he went to bed he slept, but the combination of craving Maggie and knowing he’d said all the wrong things earlier had kept him wide awake. He picked up his phone and tapped in a text message before hitting Send. No doubt she was fast asleep but at least when she read it in the morning Maggie would know he’d been thinking about her. A couple of seconds later a reply came back.

  I’ll put the kettle on. Emily went to stay with Jonathan. The house is empty without her.

  And lonely. He heard her unspoken words. Chad jumped out of bed with a grin plastered all over his face. He threw his clothes back on and sneaked downstairs and out to his car, driving off quietly to avoid rousing anyone in the pub.

  He tapped on the front door with his stomach churning like a teenage boy on his first date. Maggie opened it immediately and Chad’s body zoomed into overdrive. Oh, hell, Maggie. Baby blue short pyjamas? Really? Your legs are seriously gorgeous and you smell so hot, sweet and wonderful I want to eat you up. Have some pity on me.

  ‘Thanks for coming.’ She raised up on her tiptoes and brushed her lips against his stubble-roughened cheek. The tremor running through him didn’t have anything to do with the cool night air.

  ‘You invited me.’

  ‘Neither of us were sleeping. It made sense.’ The tinge of colour making her cheeks glow said what he knew she couldn’t – this was far more than a simple case of insomnia. ‘Tea or coffee?’

  ‘Coffee, please.’

  ‘It’s only instant.’

  I don’t care if it’s sawdust shavings off the floor. ‘Doesn’t matter.’ Her eyes widened in surprise at his gruff reply. Chad considered apologising but came to a swift
decision that shutting up was his best option. He followed her into the kitchen and sat down.

  ‘You weren’t the problem earlier, it was me,’ Maggie blurted out. ‘You were being rational but I didn’t want to listen.’

  ‘Emily’s your sister and you love her. You’ve protected her all your life for a multitude of reasons.’ Chad pulled her down onto his lap. She held her spine as straight as a steel rod until he stroked his fingers up and down her back and she softened into his touch. ‘Maybe it’s time to let go,’ he murmured and dragged his lips over her velvety skin. ‘You’ll still be there for her.’

  ‘But what if it all goes wrong? What if having a baby makes her worse? What if …’

  He kissed her, gently at first but when she responded with unabashed fervour Chad gave up on holding back. Shoving his hands up through her silky hair he pulled her closer and little pleasured noises escaped the back of Maggie’s throat. He deepened the kiss further and groaned when she ran her fingers over his chest and tugged at the hem of his T-shirt.

  ‘Maggie, you were discussing Emily. I thought you wanted to talk it through.’ He choked out the words but she only laughed and carried on exploring under his shirt. Her caressing fingers heated his bare skin and made him shudder.

  ‘Maybe I don’t want to anymore.’

  Chad forced himself to ease away and seize hold of her hands to stop her teasing explorations. ‘Are you absolutely sure? I don’t want you to regret …’

  ‘Do you want to make love to me or don’t you?’ Maggie challenged, her sapphire eyes flashing.

  ‘I really do.’ Chad’s raspy voice betrayed him and a satisfied smile crept across her face. ‘How about we take this upstairs?’ Maggie nodded and slid off his lap. She held out her hand and he took it, letting her lead the way.

  At the top of the stairs she opened her bedroom door and glancing back over her shoulder at him, a shadow of uncertainty darkened her eyes.

  ‘You’re free to change your mind,’ Chad offered, desperately hoping she wouldn’t. ‘It’s okay. I’ll never do anything you don’t want me to. Ever.’

  ‘I know that, or you wouldn’t be here.’ Maggie opened her arms to him. ‘Hold me. Please.’

  He eased her into his embrace, sensing her tremble.

  ‘I need to tell you something,’ she whispered, ‘I haven’t done this for a very long time … I was a teenager and it was only once – a drunken fumble in the back of a car … I’m not sure I’ll be very good …’

  Chad silenced her with a long, hard kiss before pulling away. ‘If that’s anything to go by being “good” won’t be an issue, honey. Don’t fret. We’ll take as long as you want.’ He kissed her again, taking his time and waiting until she begged for more before taking the next step. Sometimes talking was overrated.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Maggie stretched out in the bed and opened her eyes, blinking against the bright sunlight streaming in. She couldn’t remember drawing her bedroom curtains last night.

  ‘Good mornin’.’ Chad’s delicious drawl insinuated into her brain and everything came flooding back. She glanced over to see him lying next to her; naked, gorgeous and smiling at her as though he’d won the lottery.

  You don’t do pick-ups at weddings. It’s undignified and desperate. Maggie groaned.

  Chad’s brow furrowed. ‘You promised me you wouldn’t regret this … us.’

  ‘It’s not that exactly,’ she stammered, ‘but I don’t usually get carried away. This might be normal for you, but …’

  ‘Thanks a bunch.’ He sat up and she couldn’t avoid staring at every inch of his tanned, broad chest only inches away from her fascinated gaze. Maggie’s face heated remembering the breathtaking way he’d loved her all last night and again when they’d turned to each other as dawn was breaking. ‘In case you’re interested I don’t make a habit of going to weddings and hooking up with another reject simply to pass the time,’ Chad snapped and jumped out of the bed, grabbing his clothes off the floor.

  ‘I didn’t mean it that way.’

  ‘Then what did you mean?’

  This must be how a witness felt being cross-examined in court. ‘I’m sorry. Sit down, please.’ She patted the bed. ‘You’re intimidating me.’ Chad’s stony face softened and he dropped back down on the crumpled bedcovers.

  ‘That wasn’t my intention, but …’

  She reached over and touched his hand. ‘I’ve hurt your feelings and I couldn’t be sorrier.’ A flood of embarrassed heat lit up her face and neck. ‘I’ve never woken up with a man before and I don’t know how I’m supposed to behave.’ Tears pricked at her eyes and he leaned in to kiss her mouth, rubbing his thumb down over her cheek.

  ‘You’re not supposed to do anything. Just be the same sweet, honest woman you were before we made love. That’s all I need,’ Chad murmured, ‘can you do that?’ His plea struck a direct path to her heart and Maggie nodded. ‘You wanna start the morning again?’

  She smiled shyly and he eased her back on the bed, surrounding her with his warm musky scent. Wrapping her in his strong arms he started to love her all over again and every one of Maggie’s thoughts about what was proper or sensible fled.

  His fingers played with Maggie’s soft hair spread over the pillow but Chad’s mind raced as he watched her sleep. How would she react if he suggested staying in Cornwall longer? He couldn’t say goodbye, get on a plane back to Nashville and chalk this up as a quick fling. Maggie had turned his life around in a few short days and he needed to try make sense of it somehow. The fact that he had an active social life back home and had so far avoided commitment had led to his reputation as a carefree bachelor with no desire to change. His grandmother gave him a lecture the day before he came.

  Use this vacation as a chance to take some time out, Chandler. Playing the field is all very well for a young man, but you’re old enough to start thinking more about the future. Your father won’t come out and say so but I know he’d like to take things easier. He’s been hoping you’d decide to give up the law and take over running the firm. Josh needs our help as well but he’s too stubborn to ask for it. You could do a lot for him if you chose to.

  He’d almost protested that he had no interest in running the family’s guitar business, but it would’ve been a lie and his grandmother would soon have caught him out. The idea of working on the designs and marketing for the top-end guitars his family had made for three generations intrigued him but until now he’d avoided it out of sheer wilfulness on his part. Maybe he’d finally grown up. As for Josh, he didn’t need his grandmother to prod him on that score. She’d be pleased to find out he’d emailed his brother last night and promised to come to Colorado soon for a visit. He hadn’t stopped to ask if he’d be welcome and guessed he’d find out when he got there.

  ‘You look thoughtful,’ Maggie murmured, rolling over to snuggle into him. She gazed up at him with her soft, deep blue eyes full of warmth and caring. ‘Spit it out.’

  He’d forced her to be honest and it was his turn to do the same. ‘I might scare you off.’ Maggie’s face creased into a wide smile.

  ‘I don’t scare easily.’

  You might if I tell you I’m pretty sure I’ve found the woman I want to marry and it’s you. ‘Good.’ Chad trailed gentle kisses down her neck, nipping at her smooth skin and doing his best to distract her from serious conversation.

  Maggie firmly pushed him away. ‘Honesty. Remember?’

  ‘Yeah, I know,’ he sighed, psyching himself up to receive his marching orders. He’d start by admitting he was considering staying a few extra days and see how that went before going any further. Chad ploughed on and watched her eyes widen in surprise. Good one. She’ll never believe the rest.

  ‘You don’t have to stay out of some misguided sense of guilt because we’ve slept together.’ She stumbled over her words. ‘Stop grinning.’ Maggie smacked his arm.

  ‘You’re so damn beautiful when you blush and then get mad at yourself.’


  She opened and closed her mouth several times without uttering a sound.

  ‘Trust me I’m not suggesting staying out of guilt because I have none.’

  ‘Oh.’ A tiny smile tugged at Maggie’s mouth.

  ‘The thing is I’ve found out something in the last forty-eight hours and if it doesn’t scare you, it sure as heck scares me,’ Chad admitted and his cheeks burned. ‘You’ve turned my life upside down and inside out Maggie Taylor.’

  ‘And?’

  He might as well get it over with because she was one determined woman and would nag him until he broke down and told her the truth. ‘Fine, here goes.’ Chad’s heart thumped so hard he was afraid it’d burst through his chest. ‘I’m think I’ve found the woman I want to marry and it’s you.’

  ‘You’re asking me to marry you?’ she shrieked.

  ‘No, I didn’t say that,’ Chad blurted, ‘well, not exactly, I mean …’ How had he got himself tangled up in knots? You met the woman staring at you as if you’re completely mad. She’s made you that way. He seized her hands. ‘What I mean is I think I’m in love with you, but I know it’s too soon. I’m probably crazy and you’d never even consider it.’ Chad swallowed hard. ‘You made me say it, Maggie.’

  ‘Now it’s my fault you sort of proposed while not really meaning to?’ she challenged and Chad groaned.

  ‘Oh, heck, this isn’t how I wanted it to come out.’ He shoved his hands through his hair.

  ‘Don’t do that,’ she hissed, glaring at him.

  ‘What?’

  ‘That thing with your hair,’ Maggie muttered under her breath.

  God, what was she talking about now?

  ‘You do it all the time. Push your hands through your hair and then it falls back into place, except one bit always flops forward. It’s so thick and glossy and …’ Her voice trailed away and he almost felt sorry for her.

  No you don’t, not really, you get a kick out of it.