Stealing the Groom (5 page)

“Less than twenty-four hours in your company and you’re steering me down a criminal path.”

“Are you going to break in or am I?” she asked, mentally kicking herself for the situation they were in. They were miles from the next home. Besides, she didn’t want to roam around in the dark. Bears and other animals that might see them as a tasty dinner inhabited the woods. Poisonous snakes slithered around out there as well. No thanks!

They wouldn’t be stuck in a storm, if not for her. When it came to Chad, the more she tried to help, the more she messed things up. The only difference she’d made in his life since stopping the wedding was to make it worse.

This was why it was always better to keep moving. If she didn’t get too entrenched in a situation, then she didn’t have to worry about the fallout. She didn’t have people depending on her, so there was no way she could let them down.

He darted back down the steps to pick up a rock. “Stand back.” He slammed it against the window and the glass shattered.

When the shards stopped falling, he reached in through the space he’d created and lifted the window latch. “Hold the window up, I’ll go in first.”

“Be careful. There might be dogs.”

“Great,” Chad grumbled. “Just what I need. To be wet and mauled.” He whistled, waited for a moment, then hefted himself over the windowsill and disappeared from view.

Amelia could hear his footsteps crunching around on the broken glass before he unlocked and swung the door open. “No power here either.”

“Think we should start a fire?” she quipped.

“Very funny.” Chad groped his way in the dark and Amelia heard his muffled exclamation as his foot connected with something solid.

A pause, then, “There’s one bedroom and I found the bed. Judging from the throbbing in my foot, I’d say it’s made of iron. Blankets smell a little musty, but at least we can get in and we’ll be warm and dry.”

“Think the owners will mind the break-in?” Amelia made her way toward Chad’s voice and bumped into him.

His hands dropped to her hips to steady her and she was thankful for the darkness. He couldn’t see the flush that she felt creep up her cheeks.

“I think they’ll understand. And I can financially compensate them for any damages.”

He quickly lowered his hands and backed up. “Besides, didn’t you say this was the Fosters’ home? Let me see if I can find a phone.”

“I
think
it could be the Fosters’ home. I have no idea if it actually is.”

“You…you know what…never mind.” Chad rejoined her in the living room, fumbling over furniture. Something heavy fell and hit the floor. “I found a phone.”

She heard the hope in his voice followed by disappointment when he said, “Damn cordless phones. Completely useless in a power outage.”

He moved about the room and a door creaked open.

“The pantry has some canned goods in it, but I can’t tell what they are. There’s a small bathroom and I felt towels on a shelf in there. So when it gets light out tomorrow we can eat. I’ll try to find some matches and candles or a flashlight.”

Guilt arrived and sat heavily on Amelia’s shoulders. “Well, if you find some light, we can take a shower before we get into bed,” Amelia said, determined to take charge of the situation and force everything to turn out right.

“And you didn’t even buy me dinner first,” Chad teased, mimicking a prudish voice.

“Even with your good sense of humor I’m surprised you can joke about this.”

“How can I not? All in one day, I’ve been kidnapped from my wedding, seen my limo trashed by a falling tree, fled a burning cabin, and walked in the worst storm I’ve ever witnessed. And let’s not forget my first foray into breaking and entering. If I wasn’t such a levelheaded guy, I could develop some serious issues.”

Amelia swatted at him. “I’m going to undress and leave my clothes in here so they don’t wet the bathroom floor and make me slip. Pass me a blanket and turn around while I take my clothes off.”

“I can’t exactly see you clearly in this small amount of light, Ame.”

“Chad…”

“I’m turning.”

She quickly shed the wet clothing and wrapped herself in the scratchy blanket, tucking it around her. Fumbling forward a few steps, she spread her clothes out on the back of a chair where they promptly began to drip on the floor.

“Don’t take all the hot water,” he said.

“You know I never do,” she grumbled and lightly moved her fingertips over the wall until she reached the bathroom. She managed to locate one of the towels and an unopened bar of soap. Sure, this cabin wasn’t the Hilton either, but they were out of the storm and had a place to sleep.

She showered quickly, toweled off, and then covered herself with the blanket again.

“Your turn,” she said and felt along until her hand bumped against the bed. She climbed onto the lumpy mattress. She scooted and turned with her face toward the wall. The springs squeaked and groaned as she moved.

Chad’s wet clothing rustled as he removed them and she concentrated by running through her to-do list.

Get home. Check her e-mail to see if the editor of the travel magazine had liked the photos she’d taken of the vacation getaway in Florida.

Book the next flight out of town so she could get back to work. Try to stay out of Chad’s life since she’d made such a mess of it.

Try to forget the kiss they’d shared.

A few minutes later, she heard the shower water start up.
Flowing over Chad
… He was a good…no…a great kisser.
What else would he be great at?

She slapped her forehead. Was she coming down with a case of lost-her-mind? She needed to think friend thoughts. Go to her Zen place. But she couldn’t shake that kiss.

Her Zen place dissipated like fog in the sun when the bed dipped and Chad climbed in beside her. They’d slept in the same bed numerous times through the years. Shared a tent every summer camping out with their families. This was the same. No big deal. Except that it was, now.

The heat from his body reached out to her, gleefully whispering to her to come closer. Uh-oh. Little deal morphing into big deal. What was wrong with her? Concentrate.

She was tired. That must be it. She needed sleep.

No, she needed to be a big girl and face the facts she didn’t want to face. She’d never gotten over her crush on Chad. She was still attracted to him.

As if he could read her mind, Chad shifted closer to the edge of the bed, moving away from her. “I suggest we try to get some rest. Tomorrow, we’ve got to figure out how to find a way back home.”

“Back to Claire and the business wedding?” She waited, hoping he’d at least consider not going through with the ceremony. That he’d say this time spent with her had caused him to see his future differently. That he’d say she was right about him, and he needed to live the life he wanted instead of the one that had been ordered for him.

“Yes. I told you. I have responsibilities. I can’t just ride off into the sunset and pretend they don’t exist the way that you do.” There was no humor in his voice.

“That’s not what I do with my life.”

“You take chances as if you’re trying to pay some kind of penance for your parents’ deaths. You’ve been trying to run away from Sweet Creek ever since they were killed in that accident, Ame, adopting this ‘live free in case you die young’ attitude, and we both know it. Like you have to make up for everything they missed by dying early.”

This time it was her voice that was strained. “I’m not running.” Amelia was quiet, her heart still scarred from the worst night of her life. The car accident that had killed her mother and father had happened right before she was about to enter fifth grade.

Chad had pedaled his bicycle over to her house, climbed the stairs to her room, and sat beside her the entire night without saying a word, tears trickling down his young face.

Once daybreak had come, he’d left because she’d finally been able to sleep, but he’d returned again the next night and done the same until she’d burrowed her head against his shoulder and sobbed.

He’d patted her back awkwardly, his presence giving her comfort. The kindness of the boy still existed in the man today, and he didn’t deserve to be stuck with someone like Claire.

“That kiss…it was good,” she said.

After a long pause, he sighed in the dark, and his breath stirred the side of her hair. “It was.”

“Did you ever wonder if you and I…”

“No,” he said quickly. Then a heartbeat later, “Maybe. Once or twice. You look damn good in a bikini and I’m no saint. But we’re just too different. We would destroy each other.”

“I know that. I only wondered if you had wondered. Because I had.”

“Jeez, Ame. Good night, okay? Try not to cause trouble while I sleep, will you?” He shifted his weight on the mattress, turning his back toward her.

“Very funny. What could possibly go wrong?” she teased, trying to lighten the mood.

He groaned. “Don’t tempt fate.”

“Okay, okay. Good night.” Amelia waited until he was still and then shifted her own weight.

She was still annoyed with Chad’s accusation that she was a runner. Just because she wanted to experience life to the fullest, to not get tied down to anything for too long lest she miss all that the world had to offer, didn’t mean Chad was right about her. She’d seen her parents’ lives cut short by a car accident. Seen how much they’d missed out on by dying young.

She owed it to herself to live life to the fullest. She owed it to
them
. She’d promised with the vow she’d made at their grave site on her eighteenth birthday that she would lead a fulfilling life.

And that meant taking chances. Chances like spontaneously kissing someone.

No, not just
someone
.

Chad
.

She remembered Chad’s hands on her waist, pressing her to him. His mouth warm against hers.

Amelia groaned and she felt him turn to face her in the dark.

“What’s wrong?”

They’d always been honest with each other so she spoke truthfully. “I was thinking about the kiss.”

Silence.

“Chad?”

“Go to sleep, Ame.” His voice was low and insistent. Almost angry.

“You kissed me and it was good. You said so yourself. Isn’t that just further proof you shouldn’t marry Claire?” She held her breath.

“No. You’re tired and not thinking clearly. I’m marrying Claire and nothing you say will change my mind. Now, please, go to sleep.”

Disappointment washed over her. She’d known the whole groomnapping scheme had been a long shot, but his words still stung.

The word “failure” hopped around in her mind like a group of choreographed dancers. He wanted the business marriage; what else was left for her to do?

And the kiss they shared? It’d be like it never happened. The questions the kiss had raised in her mind would have to remain questions. There would never be a second one.

Tomorrow, once they were home, she’d have to watch him marry that horrible witch. Watch the other woman’s shark teeth gleam as she hovered at the altar, smelling the scent of Chad’s money while the theme from
Jaws
played as their wedding music.

No way could she stay in town and watch Claire go on a feeding frenzy with Chad’s money while caring nothing for his heart. But she couldn’t leave.

She couldn’t turn him over to Claire knowing how that woman would crush him.

So the only question left to ask was, what the hell was she going to do now?

Chapter Four

Chad awakened before dawn the next morning, the complete stillness breaking his sleep. He was used to the sounds at the estate he shared with his grandfather. The sound of maids chattering, the horses nickering in the distance, the call of the gardeners to one another.

He shifted away from a lumpy area of the bed while trying to orient himself. Clarity returned with a rush and he became aware of three things simultaneously. The events of the night before, the stiffness in his muscles, and Amelia’s warmth snuggled against him. Her nearness shouldn’t disturb his peace of mind, but it did. And he couldn’t afford for it to affect him.

How had things gotten so off track? One second, his life was running smoothly, right as planned, and the next, Amelia blew into town like a hurricane and utter chaos followed.

She murmured in her sleep, shifting closer, and he stilled. Lately, it felt as if he were just now seeing her. She was one of the guys one minute…and a beautiful
woman
the next.

He thought of the way she’d felt in his arms, and the desire to kiss her awake became a raging forest fire in him. He bit off a groan.

Don’t be stupid.

Nothing good could come of it, and if he didn’t get out of the cabin right now, he was going to cross a line he’d sworn never to cross.

He eased up in the bed, careful not to disturb her, and swung one bare leg from beneath the blanket.

His movement stirred her awake and she smiled up at him. If they weren’t opposites, if there wasn’t so much at stake…

“You look deep in thought.” Amelia struggled to sit up while keeping the blanket tucked around her. She rubbed her eyes and yawned.

“Yeah. You want the bathroom first?”

“You go ahead. I’m still trying to wake up.”

Chad extracted himself from the blanket and grabbed his still-damp clothes. Dressing quickly, he headed into the bathroom. He felt the pocket of his pants and then remembered he didn’t have his day planner with him. No list to follow at the moment, nothing on the agenda except getting the hell out of Dodge. Once he was back in Sweet Creek, he might even find all this amusing. He thought of the limo. Of the whining he was going to hear from Claire. Then again, maybe amusing was a stretch.

When he stepped out of the bathroom, Amelia was already dressed and there was a gleam in her eyes that he recognized.

He held his hands up. “No, Amelia. I know what you’re thinking.”

“One day. One completely unstructured day to prove that plans and schedules aren’t your ball and chain.”

“And do what? Stay here?” His expression revealed what he thought of that.

“Yes. I checked the pantry and there’s enough food for a couple of days. We both live pretty busy lives. This could be our last vacation together.”

“But Claire…”

“Trust me, she’s painted a bull’s-eye on your bank account. She’ll go through with the wedding whenever you schedule it.”

“Our families…”

“Know we’re together. You’re out of excuses.” She folded her arms. “I dare you to be spontaneous for at least twenty-four hours, to find the will to blow off everything but living in the moment.” She smirked. “I saw you swallow. Terrifies you, doesn’t it?”

“No, it doesn’t. It’s not practical.”

“Exactly. I’ll bet you can’t do it.”

He raised an eyebrow. “And what do I get in return if I agree and win the dare?”

“What do you want?”

His gaze drifted over her and he swallowed again. “Uh…we can decide that afterward.”

She held out her hand and he reluctantly shook it. “Then it’s a deal.” She beamed at him. “Twenty-four hours with no schedule, no rules. Anything goes.”

He started unbuttoning his shirt, smiling when her mouth dropped open.

“What are you doing?”

“If anything goes, I’m going to look for something comfortable to wear. You in?”

“I am so in.” She laughed and Chad marveled at how free she sounded. When was the last time the two of them had laughed together?

In the closet, Chad found a pair of jeans that fit other than being too long. He rolled up the ends and then found an old sweatshirt. Once he changed, he called out to Amelia.

Amelia located a pair of pants and disappeared into the bathroom. When she exited, she said. “Well, what do you think?”

The men’s jeans she wore were tightly cinched at the waist with a belt. She wiggled her bare toes. “I couldn’t find a shirt that didn’t make me look like a kid playing dress-up so I’ll wear my own. Am I a fashion statement or what?”

“You look good in anything.” He reached out to pluck a piece of fuzz from her hair. “I always thought you were the prettiest girl in high school.”

“Did you wonder about us back then?”

“I was a teenage boy, Ame. There wasn’t a girl in a twenty-mile radius that I didn’t wonder about.”

“Sex and sports. All that’s needed to satisfy a man,” Amelia said.

“You forgot to list food.”

“Oh, that’s right. Slather it in gravy and you earn a man’s undying love.”

He winked at her and gave an exaggerated leer. “You know it, babe.”

She swatted his arm. “You know I don’t like that.”

Chad gave her a long look. “I know all about your likes and dislikes.” He shook his head. “Let’s go for a hike.”

They headed into the woods behind the cabin and Chad was astonished at how restful the area was. Sunlight dappled through the trees and birds trilled to one another. When was the last time he’d gone for a walk anywhere? Was Amelia right? Had he become so busy earning a living, he’d pushed aside living? The thought disturbed him.

…

“Shhh…wait.” Amelia grabbed his arm and pointed.

Ahead of them a deer bent its head and nibbled at the ground. She turned her head slightly to see his reaction. His face was minus the usual all-business expression. He looked relaxed, his lips curved slightly upward in a hint of a smile. He drew his gaze to her and that’s when everything went wrong with how she’d always viewed Chad. The “just friends” foundation cracked like cheap plaster under the edge of a chisel.

He looked at her in a way she couldn’t quite define.

She let her gaze roam over him. To his sun-kissed hair, to the hard jawline, the muscled body she’d gotten a quick peek at when he’d gotten up this morning.

“We should keep walking,” he said, his expression slipping back into business mode.

“You sound angry,” Amelia said as they started moving again.

“I’m not angry.” He blew out a breath as they circled around a cluster of thick brush.

“Then what?”

“I’m thinking this isn’t a good idea.”

She slid a little on the wet ground and he immediately reached out and grabbed her arm, pulling her to a stop. “Thanks.” Edging along, she took care where she put her feet this time. “The hike? Or staying at the cabin another day?”

“Both. The ground is too slippery.”

“The cabin isn’t.” She laughed and reached a small clearing before turning to face him. “Admit it. I was right. You can’t even make it an hour being spontaneous.”

“I admit it.”

That didn’t make her feel better. “You’ve forgotten how to have fun and you’re okay with it.”

“I guess so.” He jerked his head. “Cabin’s this way.”

Amelia looked away from the intensity of his eyes. Damn him for being in such a bad situation and looking so good. “You go back. I’m going on.”

“That’s the story of our lives. You go on. I stay behind.”

“By
choice,
Chad.”

“Jeff Key has a wife and three small children. One of them has an autoimmune disease. Angela Pressman is a single mom who just bought a new house for herself and her sons.”

Not understanding, Amelia frowned. “And?”

“They work for me. If I’m not responsible…if something happens to the company, it impacts their lives as well as mine. Tell me how the hell that leaves me with a lot of choice other than working my ass off to make sure the company succeeds.”

“It’s called balance. You can still have fun in life while being responsible. You can run a business and be spontaneous.”

“And you would recognize responsibility how?”

Amelia drew back. “That sounds like an insult.”

“It wasn’t meant to be. But my God, Ame. You shy away from responsibility like it’s a disease. That drives me absolutely crazy. It’s just one of the many ways we’re so damned opposite.”

She narrowed her eyes. “You’re trying to deflect.”

His clenched jaw told her she’d hit on something. “I’m going. Are you coming?”

“No.”

“It’s not safe in the woods alone. You could fall and get injured.”

“I could also enjoy the walk and experience new things,” she said.

“Dammit, Ame. You’re deliberately trying to get under my skin. What the hell do you want from me?”

“I don’t want anything
from
you. I want good things
for
you.”

“And I want the same for you.” He held out his hand. “Please. Come back to the cabin and we’ll get ready to find a phone.”

She crossed her arms. “I’m staying.”

He lowered his hand. “I can’t leave the cabin knowing that you don’t have any electricity or a way to call for help if you need something.”

“I travel all over the world and I’ve been in worse situations. I can take care of myself.”

“I won’t leave you behind.”

“You think marrying Claire won’t leave me behind? She’s not going to allow you to have me in your life.”

His expression softened. “Is that what this is about? You’re worried about being cut out of my life?” He moved closer and took her in his arms, smiling down at her. “That’s not going to happen.” He lifted her chin with the side of his finger. “I promise.”

She felt a jolt at his touch. “This isn’t about me.” She stepped away from him. “The thought of you ending up without love in your life hurts me.”

“I’m a big boy. I’ll be fine.” He cleared his throat and plucked a leaf from a low-hanging tree branch.

“You won’t know you’re not fine. You’ll end up an old man with all the joy sucked right out of you by vampire Claire.”

Chad laughed. “So now she’s a vampire?”

“If the fangs fit…”

“You’re grasping.”

“Haven’t you ever heard of emotional vampires?”

“Whatever, Ame. I’m not going to stand here and listen to you tell me how bad you think my life will be. You want to keep walking or what?”

“I thought you wanted to leave.”

“I do, but not without you.” He flexed his biceps. “I have to stay and keep the little woman safe.”

She laughed. “Yeah, right.”

“Seriously, I know you can take care of yourself, but I’m staying.”

“Okay, but if you stick around, aren’t you afraid that I’ll have you right where I want you, babe?” She winked and patted him on the ass.

He grabbed her hand. “Don’t start a fire you can’t put out.”

She grinned and followed him back the way they’d come. “Last time I let nature take its course and the fire went out.”

“That was old wood. Couldn’t keep the fire going under the pressure of the rain.”

“So it’s the material that matters.”

“You know it, babe.”

She caught up to him and bumped his shoulder before she started running. “Race you back to the cabin. Loser cooks and cleans up the kitchen after we eat.”

“It’s a woman’s job to clean the kitchen,” he yelled at her retreating back.

Amelia stopped running and turned to face him. “You chauvinistic pig. Do you really believe that?”

He ran past her. “Nope. I believe in winning.”

Annoyed, she raced after him. “You cheat.” She reached the cabin a few seconds after he did. “That was such a jerk thing to do.”

“You’re just mad you didn’t think of it first.”

“I didn’t have to. I was winning.” She wiped her shoes on the doormat and led the way into the cabin.

“Sure you were. Go make my food, woman.”

She put her hands on her hips. “You want to try that again?”

He laughed. “Come on. I’ll help you.”

They searched the pantry and found a can of stew. “I’ll watch it. You burned the soup yesterday.”

“Only because…” He lapsed into silence.

Only because he’d almost kissed her then.