The Bachelor Pact (15 page)

T. C. purred, looking at her as if she'd neglected him, and she reached down and rubbed his belly, laughing when he rolled onto his back and shined his jewels. Typical male.

To release her sexual energy, she'd jogged three miles before breakfast. All afternoon, she'd been researching the history of Savannah, documenting some of the more famous mansions and their furnishings, hoping to create a classy decorating scheme for the replica of the Elizabeth Henry house. She'd also been putting off calling Noisy Nora to set up another meeting. And she'd been trying not to think about Chase all day.

Why had he rushed away from the Pirate's House so quickly? He'd acted as if he'd been called to an emergency. As if he couldn't escape from her fast enough. Did he know she suspected the truth about the way he'd injured his eye?

Or had all that romantic gibberish disturbed him? Chase had said he wasn't a romantic. She believed him now. Or maybe he just couldn't see
her
in a romantic way. Just as his kid sister.

The sooner she accepted it, the better off she'd be.

The wind chimes on her decorating den door clinked as a knock shook them. Probably Lance or Reid coming by to check—although they hadn't been by in two days. Maybe they were actually taking her seriously and going to give her some space. And maybe Chase had decided to pick her up here instead of meeting her on the square as they'd planned. To wind up their little historic tour, they were taking one of the famous carriage rides tonight. A flutter of excitement tickled her stomach at the thought of the moonlit ride. Yesterday she'd felt as if she'd grown closer to Chase, as if he'd allowed her to peek at the emotions he tried so hard to keep hidden. Tonight...

The knock sounded again. She rose and rubbed her neck. "Who is it?"

"It's me, Madison."

Jeff? What was he doing here?

He opened the door, lowered his head to enter and gave the inside of the van a quick perusal. Maddie pursed her lips, biting back a reply when she saw that little vee of disapproval crinkle between his eyebrows.

"Jeff, what are you doing here?"

"I came to see how you were doing." His eyes flickered warily. "After all, I did help you get set up."

And took her mother's pendant.
"You aren't here to remind me of that, now are you?"

The groove deepened between his eyes as his right eyelid twitched. "I didn't mean it like that, Maddie. I just... I don't really know why I came."

The honesty in his admission surprised her. "All right. Then come on in, but I don't have long. I have a meeting in half an hour."

He made a point of checking his watch. "A business meeting so late?"

"I'm trying to put together this Tour of Homes. There's a lot to do, Jeff."

"So you still intend to drive this decorating van around town?"

Maddie's hand closed around her briefcase. "Yes, of course I do. I've invested a lot of money as well as my mother's heirloom in this, as
you
know."

He ignored her barb. "Who are you meeting?"

"Not that it's any of your business, but I'm meeting Chase Holloway to gather research for the project."

The frown on his face resembled jealousy. "Holloway, that... that derelict boy from the orphanage. Good grief, Maddie, he has a bad reputation—"

"He's not a derelict anymore, Jeff. He graduated from college and is an architect now."

"Well, as long as you aren't involved personally."

Maddie bit back a reply.

"Well..."

"Well, what?"

"I miss you, Maddie." He shrugged sheepishly, that boyish smile she'd always loved twitching at the corner of his mouth. "I've been thinking about us, about all the good times we had. I never realized how much I needed you until you walked out of my life."

"We did have some good times, Jeff," Maddie conceded, fond memories suffusing her. "But things have changed. We're not the same people we were in college."

He fiddled with a tray of floor samples. "It doesn't have to be that way. Have dinner with me, Maddie. Let's see if we can work things out."

"Dinner?"

"Yes, we could talk about a reconciliation."

"A reconciliation?"

"You sound like a parrot, Maddie. I simply wanted us to talk. Get back to where we used to be."

She gathered her briefcase and a notepad. "I'm sorry, I can't afford to take the time, Jeff. I have a lot at stake here."
My mother's pendant for one. My independence for another.

"I realize now how important your business is to you." He brushed a tendril of her hair away from her face. "I'm sorry I didn't understand before."

"I always told you I had dreams, Jeff. And I intend to see them through."

"I know, and I was being selfish." He reached out and traced her jaw with the pad of his thumb. "I really care about you, Maddie. You just took me off guard that day. I'm sorry I acted like an ass. I should have been more understanding."

Maddie hesitated. He sounded so sincere. "I... I don't know what to say, Jeff. But I do need to go."

Jeff moved his legs sideways as she bent to retrieve her shoes. She'd kicked them off hours ago when she'd sprawled on the floor to survey her fabric samples.

He looked crestfallen. "I guess I'll leave then. Just promise me you'll think about it."

"I'll think about it, "Maddie said quietly.

He nodded, then climbed from the van, and Maddie followed, sliding her feet into the pumps when she made it to the ground. Jeff grabbed Maddie's hand and squeezed it, then leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. "I'm not giving up on us."

Maddie nodded mutely, then watched him walk to his BMW and drive away, stunned. Did Jeff really want to go back to the way things were? And if he did, was it really possible?

Chapter 10

"You're late," Chase said when Maddie rushed up to meet him by the City Market.

"Sorry." Maddie smoothed a lock of her windblown hair back into the clip at the base of her neck, drawing his attention to the pale skin beneath her earlobe. Tender, delicate skin he'd like to touch...

"Jeff stopped by. I was trying to get out the door—"

"That wuss came to see you?"

Maddie paused, a small grin tugging at her mouth. "Wuss?"

Chase shrugged. "Sorry, I never did like Oglethorpe much."

"Really?"

Chase realized he'd said too much and pointed to the horse and buggy. "I already bought our tickets. I think they're waiting for us."

"Oh, right." She sashayed toward the buggy, leaving him to stare at the curve of her hips swaying beneath the short navy skirt she was wearing. When she raised her arm to wave at him, her bright red T-shirt rose above her navel, giving him a tempting view of smooth stomach. The heat suddenly seemed oppressive, like steam rising from the bayou. He pulled at the buttons of his polo shirt and exhaled, wishing the spring weather didn't remind him of long, lazy days by the river, days where he and the guys would strip and go swimming in the buff, hoping to catch a glimpse of a young girl doing the same.

Maddie should wear more clothes, and he had half a mind to tell her so. Maybe some pants instead of those short skirts. And a long-sleeved shirt. With a high button-up neck.

Maddie stopped. "Aren't you coming, Chase?"

I'd like to.

"Chase, why are you looking at me like that?"

He'd been so completely dumbfounded by her sexuality that he hadn't actually moved. Mentally cursing himself, he jogged over to the buggy. Just in time to see her climb up the steps, he received a tantalizing glimpse of her luscious bare legs.

Remember those knobby knees when she was ten. Those bruises she always had from climbing trees and tagging along after The Terrible Three. The time she had chicken pox and red splotches all over her face.

Thankfully, the tour guide, a college student named Tonya, who had more earrings in her nose than he could count, took over the conversation when he arrived at the carriage, and he was saved from speaking. For the next hour Chase and Maddie relaxed in the carriage and let the guide lead the way through the historic tour. Moonlight played across the streets, the ironwork of the historic homes, and danced along the river, spilling its radiance across Maddie's features as she oohed and aahed over the scenery. Maddie was totally animated and seemed enthralled in the ghost stories and legends, as if she'd never seen Savannah before, while he found himself enthralled with
her.

"You mean the people back then actually considered the staircase like welcoming arms?"

"Yes, that's what they were called," Tonya explained. "The ladies entered and exited one side, the men the other. They weren't allowed to come down together. Women also used their fans to indicate their availability. A lady placed her fan to the right side of her face to indicate yes, to the left side to indicate no."

Maddie laughed. "I guess we have come a long way. I'm certainly glad I didn't live back then."

"Might have been easier on your brothers," Chase said. "Those arranged marriages."

Maddie rolled her eyes. "Just what I want, Lance or Reid to pick out a husband for me. He'd probably look like one of those monks from the monastery."

The only safe place for a sexy woman like Maddie.

"On your right you'll see the historic Colonial Graveyard where many soldiers are buried," Tonya said, going on to tell about a few of the specific burials.

Chase stared at the Colonial Graveyard and started counting tombstones, trying to direct his thoughts from Maddie. But the whisper of a breeze brought the scent of her delicate perfume and the carriage rocked, knocking her bare knee against his jean-clad one, torturing him.

"That orange house is—"

"The Pumpkin House," Chase supplied.

"Right," Tonya said. "And there's the Juliette Lowe house where the founder of the Girl Scouts lived."

"I was a Girl Scout," Maddie said. "Chase, did you—"

"No, Maddie, I was never a Boy Scout," he said in a husky voice. "They didn't have a troop at Bethesda. Remember I was a troublemaker."

Maddie grinned wickedly. "You still are, aren't you?"

He cocked his head sideways and lowered his voice. "I could be."

Maddie's sympathetic look tore at him. He was tempted to tell her the truth, how he laid awake on rainy nights, all alone, and dreamed of being something other than a troublemaker. That he wanted to show all those kids who'd made fun of him that he could be successful. That one of his ex-buddies might be the person causing trouble for Lance and Reid. But Chase Holloway had never spilled his guts to a woman, and he certainly wouldn't start now. Not even to Maddie.

* * *

The echo of loneliness in Chase's voice tugged at Maddie's heart. She wanted to wrap her arms around him and soothe all his old hurt feelings. She wanted to admit how much she admired him for putting himself through school and overcoming all the disadvantages of his past to build a successful career for himself.

But judging from the fierce expression on his face, he would never let her.

Maybe he would let her soothe him in other ways, Maddie thought wickedly. She'd been shocked back at the town square when she'd turned to see him watching her with heat in his eyes. She'd never expected to see hunger like that from any man, especially Chase. Ever since they began the tour, she'd barely heard a word the guide had said for thinking about how she'd like to follow through on that desire. Thank goodness, she'd covered her reaction by babbling along with the guide, as if she was interested in history!

"We're back." Tonya jumped down and patted the huge horse's mane. "I hope you've enjoyed the tour. If you want another tour sometime, just let me know."

"Thanks, we learned a lot," Maddie said.

Chase tipped Tonya and stroked the horse's back. "You gave us a good ride, boy."

Maddie watched his big, gentle hands move across the mare's neck and wondered how they would feel stroking her own body. "Where did you park, Chase?"

"Over by the city market. Why, you want a lift?"

Maddie gazed up at the sky, admiring the twinkling stars and the full moon. "I thought I'd walk. It's such a pretty night."

"A little hot," Chase said in a husky voice.

"Yes, but the jonquils are in bloom and all the other flowers in the gardens. You can even smell the honeysuckle."

"I thought it was you." He cleared his throat. "I meant your perfume."

Maddie smiled and grabbed his hand, tugging him playfully. "Come on, it feels good to be outside, breathing in the life of the city."

Chase shrugged and followed her down Bay Street, then along River Street. The sights and sounds of the city strummed in the background like music as they strolled across the cobblestone street, along the riverbank. Music and voices drifted out from local bars and kids ran by, chasing one another and laughing.

Couples huddled beneath the live oak trees by the river, cuddling and holding hands while others shared ice cream from a vendor or relaxed on the open balconies of
Teddy's Tank House.
Bringing the scents of salt and the ocean, a breeze ruffled Maddie's hair. They walked in silence most of the way, tension thrumming through the air.