A MATTER OF TRUST (14 page)

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.

“This is Madysen Sawyer. Maddy, this is mother, Grace, and beside her is my father, Curt.”

“I’m so glad to finally meet you,” Grace said with genuine warmth. “I can see why Chase is so taken with you, my dear, you’re positively gorgeous.”

Maddy blushed, painfully aware that his mother was only being polite. What must she think of a woman who shows up with her son wearing a dress meant for seduction? Chase, who obviously sensed her discomfort and was probably only trying to help, mortified her by asking his mother what she thought of Maddy’s dress. But her embarrassment was short lived when Grace laughed and shrugged off her black lace shawl to reveal a dress that was almost as daring and provocative as Maddy’s.

“You see how the Malone men are?” Grace smiled at her husband, whose eyes lingered on her as if he couldn’t wait to get her alone. “They like their gifts in pretty wrapping so they can admire it all evening though the anticipation of peeling away that wrapping nearly kills them. Isn’t that so, my love?”

Curt Malone seemed totally unabashed by the sexual overtones and merely took her hand and raised it to his lips. “No man can resist a woman who dresses solely for his enjoyment.”

They were still madly in love with each other, Maddy thought with nothing short of awe. Thirty years down the line that would be her and Chase, still gazing at each other as if there was no one else in the room, still trying to control the desire that rose so hard and sharp whenever they were within arm’s length of each other. Until they were alone.

Only when they were alone could they unleash that hunger and feed their ferocious appetitefor each other. Heat pooled in her abdomen when she turned her eyes to Chase to discover he’d been watching her the whole time and was doing nothing to disguise what was on his mind at that moment. No wonder he was so comfortable with his sexuality, he’d been raised by parents who adored each other and had no qualms about showing it.

“We’ve lost them for a few minutes,” he nodded to his mother and father with a knowing grin. “Let me introduce you to the rest of the brood.”

One by one he introduced his brothers and sister, the siblings she’d heard so much about and was now able to put faces to the names. His brothers; Travis, Derek, Brent, and Jake, all greeted her with that same disarming smile that melted her heart whenever Chase turned it on her and she could only imagine the string of women that trailed behind each and every one of them. Then she was introduced to his little sister, Lydia, who was far less accepting than her brothers had been and continued to assess Maddy as the wine was poured and the orders taken.

“What do you do for a living?” His sister asked in a manner that suggested no matter how Maddy responded Lydia was going to disapprove.

“She’s an artist,” Chase said proudly, “and a very talented one. You’ll all be paying outrageous sums of money for one of Maddy’s pictures once she finds the right gallery to display them.”

Lydia arched one elegant brow. “So you haven’t actually sold anything yet?”

Maddy glanced uncertainly at Chase. “Well I…I’ve really only just started to pursue a career as an artist.”

“Which means you’re probably poor as a church mouse,” Lydia quipped then rushed on before anyone could stop her. “It must be a nice change for you, living in that enormous beach house instead of the cheap hotels you had to have been staying in before.”

“That’s enough,” Chase cut in sharply.

Lydia gave him a look of wide-eyed innocence. “What? You said yourself that Maddy couldn’t have a penny to her name, not with the…what did you call it, the heap she was driving around in. I was merely pointing out that it had to be a pleasant change for her to live in such a grand style now that she’s snagged you.”

Maddy stared at the hands clenched in her lap, too stung by Lydia’s barely veiled accusation to say anything. So what if his sister thought she was a gold-digger as long as she knew the truth. Unless…unless Chase thought that now too. She could have told him, could have told all of them who her father was and that she was wealthy in her own right, but for some reason it seemed important to know that at least Chase trusted she wasn’t after his money. He’d know soon enough when she took him home to meet her parents, but until then she wouldn’t say a word.

****

Maddy lifted her head, suddenly aware the conversation had ground to a halt and that everyone was toying with their salads as the uncomfortable silence dragged on. She hadn’t even been aware the waiter had brought the salads and certainly hadn’t taken notice when he’d placed hers in front of her. Though she no longer had an appetite, she managed to choke down a few mouthfuls before finally giving up. It was Chase’s mother who finally broke the silence, earning Maddy’s eternal gratitude.

“It must have been terrifying losing control of your car and even more upsetting to realize you’d hit someone.” She gave Maddy a warm smile. “When Chase told us that you insisted on taking care of him and basically put your own life on hold, I knew he’d found someone very special.”

“He wasn’t a very cooperative patient,” Maddy told her.

“Chase has always been very stubborn about taking care of himself. He hated it when I fussed over him so I can just imagine how difficult it was to convince him to let you play nurse.”

From the other end of the table, Lydia let out a scornful laugh. “I’m sure it didn’t take much convincing, especially if her nurse’s uniform is anything like the sexy little number she’s wearing tonight.”

Chase glared at his sister, furious at the way she was treating Maddy. “For God’s sake, Lydia, show some respect! I wanted you all here tonight to share in our engagement not so you could pick her apart and accuse her of being some gold-digging seductress.”

Maddy lightly touched his arm, embarrassed not only by what Lydia had said but because the rest of his family was probably wondering the same thing too. “It’s okay,” she said softly,

“The hell it is,” he growled.

Curt Malone leveled a stern eye on his daughter. “I don’t think Lydia meant it the way it sounded, did you?”

A spark of rebellion lit Lydia’s eyes. “I just don’t want to see my brother hurt, is that so awful?” She looked at Chase, her voice softening. “You’ve never been in love before, how do you know what you’re feeling is real when you’ve know each for such a short time?”

“How do I know?”

He turned his eyes to Maddy, his chest squeezing so tight he could barely breathe. She looked so lost, so vulnerable, so…hurt. Chase took one of her clenched fists and gently uncurled her fingers then brought them to his lips.

“This is how I know. Every time I look at her my heart starts to ache because I know even a lifetime with this woman will never be enough. I know because she’s filled every hollow spot inside of me and because I have dreams now; dreams of tomorrow and the next day, next week, next year, years from now, all of them with Maddy and the babies we’ll make together.”

He cupped her chin and tilted her head back, holding her eyes with his. “I know because I’ve never needed anyone the way I need you. Nothing in my life will mean a damn if you’re not there to share it with me.”

“Oh Chase,” she whispered tearfully.

He glanced over at his sister. “Satisfied it’s real?”

Lydia grinned. “So what are you waiting for, ask her already.”

A million butterflies took flight in Maddy’s stomach when Chase scooted back his chair then went down on one knee in front of her. He reached into the pocket of his jacket and extracted a black velvet box then flipped it open with this thumb and took the glittering diamond ring out. You could have heard a pin drop, for the whole restaurant had gone silent as if everyone was holding their breath while Chase lifted her hand and slipped the ring over her finger.

“Madysen Sawyer, would you do me the great honor of becoming my wife?”

Maddy’s own breathe was locked in her lungs, her love so enormous for him she felt close to bursting. How could anyone be so deliriously happy and not die from it? Tears pooled in her eyes. She tried to speak but a boulder seemed to have lodged itself in her throat and all that came out was a tiny little squeak that made Chase laugh.

“Just nod, sweetheart.”

And she did, vigorously, then threw her arms around his neck. The noise level in the restaurant spiked drastically as light-hearted laughter broke out and people gradually went back to their own conversations, but Maddy barely noticed any of it. All she could think of was how good it felt to be held in his arms and that soon she would be his wife. When she finally let him go, Chase took his seat again but not before kissing her lightly on the lips and telling her he loved her.

“I love you too,” she managed to say.

****

All the tension she’d been feeling before and especially the hostile attitude Lydia had taken towards her seemed to have magically disappeared. Everyone started talking at once and soon, Maddy was drawn into multiple conversations too. She was having the time of her life and as dinner was served she wondered if it was always like this when the Malone family got together. They laughed and poked fun at each other, mercilessly riding Chase for having fallen in love when he’d so adamantly declared in the past that marriage was for other people.

“It just took the right woman,” he said as he cut into his steak. He looked pointed at each brother in turn. “And don’t think I’m going to forget the ribbing I got from you goons. When it happens to you, I’m going to throw every last comment back in your face.”

His oldest brother, Jake, just snorted. “Fat chance that will happen anytime soon. You see, women are like a box of chocolates; sweet and desirable, but it’s the variety of flavors that makes the sampling so good. Who wants to taste the same one over and over?”

His brothers roared with laughter and his comment won him a hard slap on the back from Travis. “What’s the matter, buddy, is your romance with Brandy going stale already?”

Chase arched a brow. “Brandy?”

“Travis fixed us up,” Jake said with a slight scowl. “She’s coming with me to Colorado for a few days while I start working on the Carrington Cosmetics project but I doubt it’s going to last much longer than that.”

“What line of work are you in?” Maddy asked.

“I have my own Marketing and Design firm. I travel a lot so it doesn’t allow much time for dating. Travis thought he’d play matchmaker but I think I’d rather catch the occasional date here and there than have to worry about removing the claws Brandy’s trying to sink into my back.”

Maddy’s look was incredulous. “How can you all seem so content to cling to bachelorhood when you were obviously raised by parents with a good, solid marriage?”

“Because they’re just like their father,” Grace laughed. “Getting Curt to admit he loved me was no easy task.” She cast an adoring glance at her husband. “But I was up for the challenge and he was definitely worth it.”

Curt shook his head and grinned. “Some challenge! I was lost from the moment I first laid eyes on her.”

Maddy could feel the love flowing between them and didn’t find it difficult to believe they’d both fallen hard for each other right from the start. She turned her eyes to Chase who was caught up in a discussion with Brent and Travis, his two younger brothers. She remembered how cold he’d been to her in the beginning and that she’d literally trembled with fear when he’d spoken so harshly to her in the hospital. But she also remembered how she’d trembled for an entirely different reason when she’d first seen him without his shirt and imagined how it would feel to be held in his arms and kiss him.

“Good Lord, you have it bad,” Lydia said.

Embarrassing as it was, Maddy had to laugh when she realized Lydia was standing right behind her. “I’m sorry, I guess I am in a bit of a daze right now.”

“It’s understandable. I was just asking if you cared to go with me to the little girl’s room before they serve desert.”

“Sure,” she said, glad that Lydia seemed to have accepted her after their rocky beginning. Chase, however, wasn’t quite convinced that the friendly gesture was a genuine one.

“Play nice, little sister,” he warned.