The Bachelor Pact (26 page)

"What? You're not accustomed to compliments?" Maddie waved her hand around the room. "Well, you'd better get used to it, Chase. When the tour opens and everyone sees what a great architect you are, you'll be so booked up, you won't have time for anything but work."

"I hope I always have time for something besides work," he murmured in a husky voice.

Maddie's gaze locked with his, the tension and passion exploding. On some level, she knew there was a good reason she shouldn't be here like this with Chase, a reason she'd promised herself she wouldn't throw herself at him, but for the life of her, she couldn't remember it. All she could think about was wiping that sadness out of Chase's eyes, of seeing that haunting anguish vanish and his desire sated.

She placed her glass on the floor, then gently reached out and lay her hand along his cheek. The texture of his beard was coarse, rough, his jaw tight as he clenched his teeth. His dark eyes turned a darker hue as if he wanted to say something, to deny the lust between them.

As if giving in would hurt him. But not relenting to his hunger would be even harder.

"Maddie, we—"

"I know, we shouldn't." She lowered her head, flicking her tongue along the edge of his mouth, inhaling his husky male scent like an aphrodisiac, then nibbled at the tender skin along his earlobe. "But I don't care. I want you, Chase, like I've never wanted a man in my life."

His quick intake of air sounded full of pain and desire and finally, of surrender. With a harsh, low growl, he tunneled his fingers through her hair, covered her mouth with his and jerked her to him.

"God, Maddie." A battered sound of defeat rasped from deep within his throat as he hugged her to him, pressing her breasts against his chest in a fierce hold that made her cry out his name.

"Chase, please, I want you, now. Let us be together."

He drew back, looked into her eyes, whispered her name on a heady sigh, then cupped her face with both his big hands. "Maddie—"

"Shh, don't talk." Gently she pressed her lips to his to silence him. He tasted of spicy food and wine and dark desire. "Just hold me, Chase. Feel the way I want you."

She pulled his hand to her chest, lay it gently across her breasts so her racing heart pounded against his fingers. The turmoil in his face flickered into excitement, surprise and finally acceptance. "Lie down with me, Maddie."

She swallowed, lost at his command. He covered her body with his, as he swept his hands over her face, across her nose, her lips, through her hair, over her shoulders. Each hungry touch felt desperate, as if he wanted to memorize each part of her, as if he wanted to touch every sensitive bit of flesh and couldn't complete the task fast enough.

Maddie responded in kind. She'd never wanted anyone as much as she wanted Chase at that moment. With a low growl that sent a shiver up her spine, he ravaged her mouth, plundering the inner recesses with his tongue, and cradled her limp body in his arms. His hands were everywhere, on her breasts, her hips, her thighs, pushing up her dress, teasing the soft skin between her legs, his fingers exploring the tender folds of her womanhood. She clung to him, caressing the taut muscles knotting in his back, grasping his hips as he pushed her farther into the plush rug and thrust against her.

Dizzying sensations spiraled through her, sweeping all common sense from her mind, and she tore at his shirt, popping buttons in her haste to touch his bare skin. Seconds later, his clothes lay discarded in a heap by the fireplace, and he stretched beside her wearing nothing but a pair of dark briefs that barely contained his bulging sex. Maddie was stunned by the sight of his near-naked body, the strong, rippling muscles of his chest and shoulders, the firm, flat washboard stomach, the dark hair tapering from his chest toward the burgeoning erection pressing against her leg. Another scar puckered along his side, running a jagged path around his back, but each imperfection only served to remind her of the power and strength within the man.

Gently, he stroked her arm, ran his finger along her throat, let her look her fill. "Are you sure, Maddie?"

His low, husky voice sounded unsure but oddly tender. She felt herself smiling from the inside out, the lust and hunger she'd felt earlier heightened by the emotional bond she felt drawing her closer to him. Hesitation had no purpose. She lay her hand along his jaw again, one thumb stroking his bottom lip. "I've never been more sure of anything in my life, Chase."

He closed his eyes momentarily, breathing out a sigh that pulsed with heat and hunger. His gentle caring and passionate body made the moment even more seductive, and when he opened his eyes and gazed into hers, she saw no trace of hesitation, only the quiet acceptance that for this moment in time the two of them should be together.

Slowly, he raised his hand and traced circles along her breasts, lowering his head so he nipped at her neck. Tracing a path along her body with his mouth, he gently bit her ear and laved her throat until she moaned and writhed against him. As if he understood her fierce need, his hands swept down to gather her dress and he lifted it over her arms, then tossed it aside.

"God, you're so beautiful," he said, his breath whispering against her skin.

She reached for him, and he came into her arms. Tongues mated, bodies surged and pressed together, legs entwined, their kisses escalated as the passion overrode all coherent thought. He unfastened her bra and shoved the lace aside, feeding on her breasts with such hunger that Maddie felt her whole inner core churn with desire. Passion exploded within her, sensations spiraling out of control, wickedly playing havoc with her senses until she was pulling his hips into hers. He rocked against her, his straining sex begging to be freed, and she clawed off his briefs, pulling his shaft between her thighs as he rose above her.

Bracing his weight on his hands, he stared into her eyes, his own face glazed over with desire. Sweat soaked his skin, and his breath panted out as he shifted and moved so his sex pressed at her damp opening. She clung to him, a wanton smile lifting her lips as he thrust inside her; then she braced herself for the moment she would feel the small shock of pain, the triumphant giving of her first time.

And she finally remembered the reason she shouldn't be doing this. Because giving Chase her body meant she'd given him her heart. She gazed at his face, tight with passion, and realized that it was the very same reason she wanted to give herself to Chase.

Because she'd already fallen in love with him.

* * *

What the hell?

Chase froze, the heady scent of Maddie and sex almost overpowering the realization that Maddie was so slick, so hot, so... so incredibly
tight.
As if she'd never...

Anguish and fear suddenly jerked him to a halt, and he used every last ounce of restraint to pull back and look into her eyes. He searched her face, his gut clenching as her passion-glazed eyes played up and down his chest while she actually looked at their joined bodies and smiled in wild abandon.

"Maddie?"

"Don't stop, Chase," Maddie whispered. "
Please
don't stop."

His heart clamored for words even as his body sank deeper within her. His hands braced his body weight so he wouldn't crush her. Because he was going to hurt her if he continued. And dear God, the last thing he wanted was to hurt Maddie.

"I want you, Chase." She glanced at their joined bodies again, sending a shudder through him. "Like this, the two of us."

"But why..." His voice grew gruff, thick with emotion. "Why me?"

The sultry, loving smile that encompassed her face tore through his resolve. "Because you're special, Chase. You've always been special to me. And I want you to be the first."

He'd never been anyone's first.

Chase hesitated, his breath locking in his chest while Maddie slowly reached up and cupped his face tenderly in her hands, drawing his mouth to her for the sweetest, most erotic kiss he'd ever experienced in his life. Could he do this? Take Maddie's virginity?

Be the bad boy everyone believed him to be? Be her first.

Maybe her
only.

No, he couldn't think in terms of only.

She ran her hands down his naked buttocks and pulled him toward her, reaching down to touch his sex.

Now, he couldn't think at all.

Heat and fire and hunger bordering on pain rippled through him. His sex throbbed inside her, begging for completion, begging for the salvation Maddie offered. Willpower—where was it when he needed it?

He should have lit some candles, tried that damn aromatherapy.

Maddie rocked her hips against him, her tongue flicking out to lick at his tight nipple. "Chase, please, I need you now."

The soft pleading in her voice, the passion-crazed look in her eyes, the tightening of her sex around his, the fact that out of all the men she could have slept with, she'd chosen him to be her first destroyed every last ounce of his good intention. He was lost.

"This might hurt," he whispered hoarsely, gently moving inside her.

"It can't hurt, it feels too wonderful."

Without giving him a chance to withdraw, she lifted her hips and suddenly surged herself against him until he broke through her barrier. She cried out, but the whimper sounded so full of excitement, so full of rapture, he gathered her in his arms and sank into oblivion. "God, Maddie."

"You feel wonderful, Chase, so good."

Her words were like an erotic striptease, shredding him of his senses. He told himself to give her time to adjust to his body, but Maddie didn't want time. She wanted him, strong and powerful and full of force, and he gave, finally allowing the sensations ravaging his body to block his conscience from his thoughts. Her hands begged for him to fill her, her mouth devoured his, her whispered erotic words and little moans robbed him of all caution. He surged inside her over and over, building a rhythm that rocked them both to the core, and when their releases finally swept through them, they came together in a kaleidoscope of colors and thrashing sounds that completely stole his sanity.

Several minutes later, Chase rolled off Maddie, their sweat-dampened bodies entangled, Maddie's perfect round breasts nudging his side as she cuddled in his arms. His breath slowly returned to normal, but he realized the rest of him would never be the same. He had taken a precious gift from Maddie, a wondrous gift that he didn't deserve. He'd have to tell her they'd made a mistake—

"Chase, don't go thinking now, okay?"

A low chuckle rumbled from deep within his chest. "You do know me pretty well."

Maddie rolled to her side, threw her bare leg across his, trapping him, and played with a damp strand of hair that had fallen in his eyes. "Damn straight." With a sultry smile that made his sex twitch back to life, she scraped her nails down his stomach, then lower to the inside of his thigh. His stomach clenched, and he sucked in a sharp breath.

"Maddie—"

She lifted herself on top of him and taunted him with her naked breasts as they swayed above him. "Yes, Chase?"

"What are you doing?"

A grin lit her eyes. "I thought we'd christen the house now."

He laughed slowly, pinching one of her nipples between his fingers. "I thought we just did that."

She dropped her face forward and kissed his forehead, tracing her tongue along the scar. "I meant every room in the house."

Then she jerked him to his feet, dragged him butt naked to the master suite where they began to do as she'd said. Hours later, they ended up in the bath, where Maddie bathed his sex with her tongue, accompanying each stroke with a sound of hunger so intoxicating, Chase thought he might die from the pleasure. He dug his hands into her tangled hair and groaned, finally reversing positions so he could treat her to the same sweet bliss she'd given him. Finally she climbed above him and impaled her lovely body on his, drinking in his every thrust with her hot, tight center.

Chase moaned in ecstasy and fondled her breasts as she brought him to the brink again—nothing could keep him from wanting Maddie. And tonight, she seemed bound and determined not to let him forget it.

Chapter 19

Lance parked his Blazer in front of the apartment number Sophie had given him, reminding himself to be on guard all night in case Sophie tried to worm some information out of him. Thank God Reid had stayed to iron out their problems with one of the contractors who'd caused a delay. And Chase was meeting Maddie tonight to check out furniture, so she was in good hands. One problem off his mind—he could always trust Chase to do him a favor.

Sophie greeted him at the door. Dressed in a dark green halter top with slinky black pants that clung to her hips and those clunky shoes that seemed to be so fashionable these days, she looked absolutely gorgeous. Hell, he wished he did prefer blondes, but he'd always liked black hair. And porcelain skin. And ruby-red kissable lips.

Still, he had to resist her.

"Hi, Lance, come on in."

He'd get right down to business. "Are you ready to go?"

She arched one of those black eyebrows, drawing attention to her huge green eyes. His gut clenched. "In a hurry?"