Bad Boy…Best Man.

Natalie Campbell - super-organized, dutiful daughter, and manager of the family event planning business – is organizing her brother’s wedding. No matter how long her to-do list (and at the moment it seems never-ending!) she’s grateful for the distraction. Because if she’s fiddling with the table plans and arranging flower centerpieces she’s not thinking about last summer. When she fell into bed with Chase Malone—her brother’s best man. Now this is going to get awkward!

Chase is all wrong for Natalie – she’s sure even the word commitment would send him running for the hills! He never promised her a future, and he doesn’t want anyone to know about their past. But with the wedding coming up, their little secret is getting harder and harder to keep…and almost impossible not to repeat!

About Last Summer

Sandra Panting

Copyright

HQ

An imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd.

1 London Bridge Street

London SE1 9GF

First published in Great Britain by HQ in 2014

Copyright © Sandra Panting 2014

Sandra Panting asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins.

E-book Edition © January 2014 ISBN: 9781472074980

Version date: 2018-09-19

Contents

Cover

Blurb

Title Page

Copyright

Author Bio

Dedication

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Endpages

About the Publisher

As a child SANDRA PANTING used to tell people that when she grew up she wanted to write Nancy Drew books, although in reality what she really wanted to be was Nancy Drew. She eventually gave up on the dream of imitating her favorite teenaged crime fighter, but her desire to become a writer never waned. Currently Sandra lives in Illinois with her husband and four children. Most days she can be found writing, spending way too much time on Twitter, and anxiously awaiting the next Dancing With The Stars elimination.

Thanks Dad

Chapter One

The last time Chase Malone had seen Natalie Campbell she had been naked in his bed, and when he awoke she was gone. That was over a year ago. He’d never asked why she left and, given the statute of limitations had no doubt expired on such a question, it was unlikely he ever would. Besides, asking those kinds of questions wasn’t his style.

From his secluded position, he watched as she stood on a small wooden pier, while an expanse of the Mississippi River held her gaze. Somewhere in the distance guests had gathered to celebrate her brother’s birthday, and it wasn’t like Natalie to not join in. But Chase hadn’t followed her to discuss her brother’s birthday. Actually, he wasn’t certain why he had followed her, but for some reason he couldn’t stay away.

Deciding he’d had enough of loitering in the shadows, he pushed away from the tree he’d been lounging against. The soles of his shoes clumped slightly as he strode across the wooden planking.

“You know that’s not allowed.” He crossed his arms on top of the railing, the polished plank adequately wide enough to rest his arms.

“What’s not allowed?” Natalie’s eyes remained focused on the dark surface of the river. If she was surprised to see him, she hid her reaction well.

“A long face at a party.” His gaze followed hers across the river to the houses dotting the shore. The view was the same as he remembered, the little of it he could see in the muted moonlight. “Care to talk about it?”

Instead of answering, she asked, “Are you sure you want to risk being seen talking to me?”

Chase didn’t need a road map to follow that remark, although he couldn’t tell whether she was asking out of spite or curiosity.

Going out on a limb, he chose the latter. “Well, considering your brother is wrapped up in his fiancée, I think I can risk it.” With a subtle shrug, he added, “Besides, Patrick knows we’re friends. Your parents may have an issue with us talking, but I doubt Patrick will have a problem with it.”

A soft June breeze carrying the scent of the river tousled Natalie’s shoulder-length hair. She’d cut it since the last time he’d seen her, although he hadn’t decided if he liked it or not.

“Is that what we are, Chase? Friends?”

That casual question struck a bit below the belt rendering him somewhat speechless. He could admit their former relationship lacked most of the usual boundaries, but he’d been under the impression she wasn’t interested in labeling it any more than he was.

Or had that been wishful thinking on his part?

Deciding to risk making eye contact, his gaze fell on her profile. “I’m not sure I understand what you’re asking.”

A moment ticked by as she tucked a strand of sandy-colored hair behind one ear. The subtle gesture registered as deliberate, suggesting his nearness made her nervous, although her lack of expression left him baffled. Some sixth sense warned her attitude had something to do with him, although he had no idea why. He hadn’t seen her in almost a year.

As the moment ticked by, she waved a hand in a dismissive gesture. “Don’t worry about it,” she said. “It’s been a really long day, and I’m in kind of a weird mood. You’d probably be better served to ignore me.” She tossed him what he assumed was supposed to be a blithe smile before pushing away from the railing.

“Wait a minute.” Motivated to stop her before she walked away he touched her arm, halting her forward movement. His male nature enjoyed the excuse to touch her, and taking further advantage he stepped closer. He didn’t know what was going on, but he’d never seen her like this, and he didn’t like it. “Maybe you should just tell me what this is about.”

His nearness must have triggered a self-defense mechanism as her expression again grew guarded, but finally her eyes lifted. The scar on her chin she’d gotten from falling out of a tree when she was eight was barely visible in the dim lighting. “Are you aware that for the next few weeks you and I are going to be staying in the same house?”

He hesitated, their gazes mingling. Being so close to her after nearly a year apart felt a bit strange especially given how their relationship ended. No arguments. No tearful goodbyes. He woke up one morning and she was gone. He often told himself they were better off this way, but sometimes he wondered.

Pushing aside past memories, he asked, “How can that be? I’m staying with Patrick until after the wedding.”

“I know.” She leaned against the railing, the cut of her summery green sundress offering Chase a tantalizing view of her cleavage. “Patrick and Erica are buying a new house, and I’m buying Patrick’s. Before I knew he’d invited you to stay, I moved in.”

Erica Sullivan, Patrick’s fiancée, was also a good friend of Natalie’s. Patrick and Erica had hired Natalie to be their wedding planner. Patrick had invited Chase to stay until after the wedding given Chase was the Best Man, and Patrick and Chase hadn’t spent much time together since Chase moved to New York eight years ago. Chase agreed as spending extended amounts of time with his family generally wasn’t the best way to go about maintaining his sanity. Last year Chase’s father had been involved in a near-fatal car crash and between traveling back and forth to New York and Chase’s bickering family, Chase didn’t know how he would have coped if it hadn’t been for Natalie.

“So you’re living here?” He inclined his head in the direction of the house and Natalie nodded, moonlight glittering off her dark hair.

Now that could be a problem. He and Natalie under the same roof as her brother, combined with the seductive memories of how good they’d always been together, did not spell happy conclusion.

Apparently having interpreted his silence, she said with a rueful smile, “I see you’ve grasped the problem.”

Oh, he grasped the problem all right.

Trying out his voice of reason, he said, “So we have two choices, either one of us can stay elsewhere, or we can pretend nothing happened.”

“I would say those are our options,” she said. “Although if one of us leaves, Patrick is going to want to know why.”

He exhaled a tense breath. “Oh, boy.”

“Yeah, I’d say that about covers it.”

Silence stretched as their gazes continued to mingle. Their positions were reminiscent of days past, back when he was free to touch her, to kiss her, to make love to her. He didn’t want to remember those days but he did. And each day the memories tugged at him a bit more.

“I probably shouldn’t say this, but I didn’t want things to end.” Subtle regret tinged his voice as he revealed that piece of information, but what the hell, it was the truth.

“Neither did I,” she said, her admission delivered with the same hint of regret he heard in his own tone.

Sexual awareness pulled at him. Damn, he hadn’t wanted to go down this road with her again. Her parents made no bones about the fact they thought he was bad news, an opinion that had been reinforced by his divorce over two years ago. Not to mention Patrick had made it clear he didn’t want Chase getting involved with Natalie. The two men may have been friends since the third grade, but the Malone men didn’t have the best reputation with women, and Patrick didn’t want his sister getting mixed up with the Malone family drama.

But sex with Natalie was like alcohol to an alcoholic or chocolate cake to an obese dieter. No matter how many times he told himself he shouldn’t touch her, the chemistry between them combined with blissful memories of hot, lusty sex grabbed him and wouldn’t let go. And a year later the memories were still there.

Without conscious thought he stepped closer, his arm sliding around her waist. Natalie’s greenish-blue eyes remained locked with his, her elbows on the dock railing.

All he wanted was a kiss. One, sweet, simple kiss. He needed to know if he imagined the potent chemistry between them, because the more he thought about it the more he was convinced he must have. Sex just wasn’t that amazing. Sex was sex. It can be fulfilling both emotionally and physically, but sex never made him feel like his next breath depended on being inside her.

Sex just wasn’t that good.

Ignoring his conscience he moved in for a taste. Once, twice, three times their mouths connected. Then by degree his kiss lingered. With the exception of his arm at her waist only their mouths touched. The lack of full body contact was both erotic and frustrating. He wanted her flat against him; her body aligned with his, her hands tangled in his hair, but if he took things that far there would be no turning back.

And he couldn’t afford to forget about her brother, who also happened to be Chase’s best friend, a friend that had asked Chase to keep his distance from his sister. Resisting the intoxicating allure of tasting more of her sweet kiss, he reluctantly withdrew.

Resting his forehead against hers, he said, “I think you’re right. We do have a problem.”

“Chase,” she said, her eyes speaking of the same desire, a desire that had once consumed them both without regard for the consequences. “We can’t do this again.”

“I know.” Boy, did he ever know. They were lucky someone hadn’t caught on before now.

She placed a hand against his chest, the warmth of her touch detectable through the thin fabric of his cotton shirt and, taking the hint, he backed off.

“I should be heading back to the party,” she said, although he suspected her statement was a cop-out to avoid facing what had happened between them. Not that he had any right to judge.

He nodded. “That’s probably not a bad idea.”

Natalie headed up the path, his gaze trailing after her, his emotions twisted worse than a corkscrew. He hadn’t wanted to go down this road with her again, but his biggest problem was how did he stop?

*****

“Beautiful wedding, Natalie.”

Natalie tossed Wendy Taylor a brittle smile, although she didn’t stop to chat. Having spent the last four hours on her feet in three-inch heels, and with her mother breathing down her neck about every detail of the wedding, Natalie had only one thing on her mind: getting to the bar.

Last year Doris Campbell had retired from the event planning business, and turned the reins over to Natalie. Well, that was the official story anyway. Doris still poked her nose into the more notable events, and she had a tendency to make Natalie feel as if she wasn’t capable of a competent decision.

But always the cool collected professional, Natalie smiled, did her job, then tossed back a few shots at the bar when no one was looking. After all, imbibing alcohol was preferable to murder. And it was more socially acceptable, too.

“I see your mother is as omnipresent as ever,” Wayne Holland commented as he claimed the bar stool next to Natalie’s.

Wayne was the bride’s cousin, and his sense of humor had saved Natalie’s sanity more than once during the past year. He was good looking in a Jason Bateman kind of way, and Natalie had noticed more than one of the single female guests giving him the eye.

Natalie, elbows resting on the dark mahogany bar, exhaled a weighty sigh. “My mother has spent most of the afternoon complaining about the F.O.B.’s tie.” At Wayne’s confused look, she clarified, “The Father of the Bride.”

Wayne’s shoulders shifted beneath his charcoal-colored suit jacket as he caught the bartender’s attention. The reception room’s glittering décor cast an amber glow adding a reddish hue to the area.

“What’s wrong with his tie?” Wayne asked.

After tossing back her shot of apple Schnapps, she rolled her eyes. “Don’t get me started.”

So far today her mother had complained about the F.O.B.’s tie, the bridesmaids’ flowers, and the fact that one of the wedding guests had a slight stain on her right shoulder. Although the fact that was all Doris had complained about today was something of a miracle.

Holding up his own shot which the bartender had just plunked down in front of him, Wayne said, “Well, don’t let her get you down. The wedding was beautiful, and I’m not the only one who thinks so. Brittany is happy, her mother is happy, and in general everyone seems to be having a great time. So well done.” He tossed back his shot, something caramel-colored, and then offered her a smile.

Natalie returned his smile. Over the past year she had felt the tug of attraction between her and Wayne, but nothing had happened. A few months ago Brittany, today’s bride, had let slip that Wayne had a girlfriend who was attending Harvard law school. Which explained a lot, but truth be told Natalie doubted if she would have gone out with him regardless. Her mind and her heart were too full of Chase. As much as it sucked to have him constantly in her thoughts, she couldn’t help it. The heart wants what the heart wants.

“Natalie.” Her mother suddenly materialized at her side. “Did you check the tables? The Hamptons and the Littles aren’t supposed to be seated next to one another. You need to stay on top of these things,” she continued, waving an irate hand at the now empty shot glass in front of Natalie. “And this isn’t the time to party.”

Well, Natalie’s reprieve had been nice while it lasted.

“Join me later for a dance?” Wayne asked.

Grateful for the touch of sympathy in his eyes, Natalie agreed with a what the hell shrug then. resisting the urge to order another shot. she trailed after her mother. After graduating college, becoming a full-time partner in her mother’s event planning business, Brides and Such, had seemed like a good career move, but the constant stress of trying to please her social-conscious mother was taking its toll. She often considered choosing another career, but she had no idea what, and even if she did know, how could she tell her mother that her only daughter no longer wanted anything to do with the business her mother had started from scratch?

*****

With her feet aching and her stomach growling with hunger, Natalie sank onto the driver’s seat of her dark blue convertible. The wedding reception was finally over and the happy bride and groom were on their way to start their new life together. Their praise of how Natalie handled their wedding had been a welcome balm after listening to her mother’s complaints, but it was over and now it was time to go home. Although going home meant facing Chase.

Thinking about Chase triggered a completely different set of anxieties. Images of him had flashed in her thoughts all day. Images of his dark, slightly wavy hair. Images of his chocolate-brown eyes that could fill with tenderness or darken with passion. Chase possessed something of the boy next door good looks; not the shy loner type, but more of the I-look-like-the-type-of-guy- you’d-want-dating-your-daughter, when in reality most mothers in Baker Hill thought the opposite of Chase.

However, having dealt with enough stress today and wanting to focus on something else, Natalie slipped in the rowdiest CDs she owned and, with the beat pounding away; she headed for the edge of town and navigated the curvy river roads. Fifteen minutes later she parked in the drive and, weary from the long day, she rested her forehead against the steering wheel.

Maybe she’d just sleep out here. Surely Patrick wouldn’t mind. All she needed was a pillow, maybe a blanket, and then she wouldn’t have to face climbing the stairs. Or worse – Chase. Normally she preferred to face life head on, and if all hell broke loose at least she could console herself with the knowledge she hadn’t just stood around and done nothing. But Chase was a whole other matter. There was something about him that got to her, and she couldn’t turn it off. And heaven knew she’d certainly tried.

She stared at the front door knowing she must look pretty silly sitting in the driveway afraid to walk into her own house. Which meant she needed to suck it up. Surely she could manage a few minutes of polite chitchat before going to her room? Knowing that the moment she saw Chase again her mind would refocus on last night’s kiss, she braced herself for the inevitable and headed inside.

Given that her brother wouldn’t be moving out for a few weeks yet, she hadn’t had the opportunity to give the house her own touch. The first thing she’d get rid of was that boring beige carpet. And what was up with those drab white curtains? Didn’t Patrick realize there was such a thing as color? But then again here was a man whose every car he’d ever owned was white, and every suit he ever owned was pinstriped.

Peeling off her shoes at the door, by design Natalie kept her gaze from straying to the living room. She could hear Patrick, Erica, and Chase talking just out of vision range. The low murmur of the television was distinguishable just below the volume of voices. Briefly she debated slipping upstairs without saying anything, but of course Patrick would wonder why. Although thoughts of that kiss last night had been stirring in her mind all day. Why had she let Chase kiss her?

Well, she knew why. She had wanted him to, but the why beyond that was a bit more complicated. But Chase was going to be here for several weeks yet, and she couldn’t avoid him forever. She could try, but she never did the hermit thing very well, and besides she was starving. Unfortunately, when she bought this house it hadn’t come with room service.

Having run out of excuses to linger, she proceeded into the living room.

“So, how was the wedding?” Erica, dressed in basic jeans and a simple yellow T, indicated she, Patrick and Chase must have stayed in tonight, although given Patrick appeared to mostly be conversing with Chase, Natalie suspected Erica was glad Natalie was back.

Erica and Patrick were on the couch, whereas Chase was seated in a blue checked armchair several feet away. The twin of that armchair was located on the other side of the couch. Relieved that she wouldn’t have to sit so close to Chase, Natalie took the remaining seat.

Praying her nerves weren’t showing, she recounted a few details about the wedding. Patrick and Chase were discussing something that sounded like baseball scores, but Natalie was too busy feeling nervous to pay much attention.

Just the sight of Chase sitting there in a simple gray T-shirt and well-worn jeans looking more gorgeous than any man had a right to, had her imagination going a mile a minute. And her thoughts weren’t stopping with last night’s kiss. They had gone all the way back to last year, and for some of her foggier recollections her imagination provided an alternative, but nonetheless erotic, scenario.

It was bad enough to just look at a guy and feel turned on, but it truly sucked when she became a victim of her own over-active imagination. She needed chocolate, and a Diet Coke. The chocolate was to soothe her agitated nerves, and the Diet Coke was to counteract the calories in the chocolate. That was basic How To Get Over A Guy 101. Granted that ploy never worked, but it gave her an excuse to eat chocolate.

After scrounging up a simple meal that unfortunately didn’t include chocolate, she chatted with Erica about the wedding and other random things while doing her best to ignore Chase. Finally the clock neared eleven and, assuming the hour would justify her desire to go to bed, she excused herself. The feel of Chase’s eyes on her when she exited the room heightened her uneasiness, but with Patrick sitting nearby, she pretended to not notice.

*****

“OK, Natalie.” Erica plopped onto the chair across from Natalie at the kitchen table. “What’s going on?”

Although it was still fairly early on a Monday morning, Erica’s red hair was perfectly styled and her makeup expertly applied. Natalie usually considered herself on top of things if she took a shower and put on something besides sweat pants.

Not entirely certain what Erica was getting at, but fairly certain it wasn’t anything good, Natalie continued to flip through the pages of Brides Monthly.

“What do you mean what’s going on?” Briefly Natalie spared Erica a glance before returning her attention to her magazine. The trend of brides choosing more than one gown for their wedding day was catching on. Now many brides wanted one dress for the ceremony and another for the reception.

With a disgusted sigh, Erica slid the magazine away from Natalie. “I’m talking about you and Chase. Last year I thought you two had become friends, but now you act like you can’t stand to be in the same room with him.”

Not caring for the dangerous course this conversation was taking, Natalie sipped at her orange juice. In the three days since Chase’s arrival, Natalie had made it a point to be in any room that he wasn’t. Apparently she had taken the whole avoidance thing a bit too far.

Determined to play it cool, Natalie tucked back a length of her hair. “So?” she said, leveling her gaze with Erica’s. “Chase had a lot of stuff going on last year, and you and Patrick were busy planning your wedding. We spent some time together because Chase needed a friend. But Chase is here to visit with Patrick, not me.”

Erica however didn’t appear to be buying it, as her accusing expression didn’t change. “Something happened between you, didn’t it?”

Erica knew Natalie way too well, but given the two women had been friends since college that wasn’t exactly surprising.

“That is ridiculous.” Natalie scooped up another bite of oatmeal, although it was more to disguise her sudden panic than to satisfy any hunger.

If Erica discovered the truth about Natalie and Chase then she would tell Patrick and Patrick would freak. Natalie didn’t want to be the one responsible for ruining Patrick and Chase’s friendship. Although it wasn’t easy for Natalie to not confide in Erica. Last year, more than once, Natalie had been tempted to tell Erica everything. Natalie could have used Erica’s advice, she still could, but unfortunately confiding in Erica wasn’t a luxury Natalie had.

“What’s so ridiculous about it?” Erica asked, her red hair almost orange from the sunlight drifting in through the window. “I always thought you had a bit of a thing for him.”

“Please.” Natalie wiped her hands on a napkin. “Chase’s a great looking guy, granted there’s not much to not like, but there’s nothing more to it than that.”

Her chair scraped slightly across the wooden flooring as Natalie pushed it back and carried her bowl to the sink. She still had a fair bit of oatmeal left, but her appetite had vanished. Lying to Erica wasn’t improving her state of mind any.

“Fine.” Erica’s heavy sigh carried across the room. “Don’t tell me.”

“I’m not telling you anything because there’s nothing to tell.” There was probably a special place in hell for people who lied to their best friends, although it was just as likely there was also a place for sisters who destroyed friendships between their brothers and his friends. Either way she looked at it, Natalie’s options weren’t great.

“I have to get to work.” Erica stood, resignation heavy in her tone. Erica worked as a sous chef at a trendy Baker Hill restaurant, The Waterworks, and she no doubt needed to prepare for the lunch crowd. “But when you’re ready to tell me the truth, you know where to find me.”

“Erica,” Natalie called after her friend’s retreating form, guilt squirming in her stomach, but Erica didn’t pause. Natalie shut off the water and reached for a dish towel. She should have seen this coming, but even if she had what could she have done about it?

Resigning herself to the fact that this was just one more thing she couldn’t do anything about, Natalie headed for her home office, which was really a corner of the dining room given Patrick’s things still occupied the actual home office. Natalie intended to work from home today as everyone was out of the house.

However a few hours later, Natalie hadn’t made much progress on her To Do list. Her thoughts refused to stay focused, although this time her lack of concentration wasn’t solely Chase’s fault. Her mother had called last night to discuss or, in Natalie’s case, second-guess Natalie’s decisions concerning another wedding. And this morning every time Natalie attempted to make a decision, her mother’s disapproving voice rang in her ears.

“Handmade invitations are so tacky,” Natalie’s mother had said last night. “You shouldn’t have let Cathy Pollard talk you into agreeing. I know her mother is going to be appalled.”

And offending the wealthy parent of a client was truly all her mother cared about. Personally Natalie didn’t care who liked what as long as the bride and groom were happy, but her mother viewed event planning from a different approach.

Seeing she was accomplishing nothing and with hunger jabbing at her insides, she decided to take a lunch break. Given she was working from home; she hadn’t put much thought into her appearance. Well, that was the excuse she was going with anyway. The real reason was she hadn’t gotten around to doing laundry. And that was because the laundry room was in the basement, which was Chase’s territory. After that kiss the other night she knew better than to get within shouting distance of his bedroom, although she was going to have to get past that soon. Lack of clean underwear was not acceptable regardless of the circumstances.

With her thoughts on laundry, what she wanted for lunch, and did she remember to tell Patrick they needed detergent for the dishwasher, she headed for the kitchen. Rounding the corner of the dining room, she collided with a six-foot-one frame that nearly knocked her five-foot-six frame to the floor.

Instantly Chase put his hands at her waist to steady her. Heart racing, she pressed a hand against her chest. “You scared the hell out of me. I thought no one was here.”

“Sorry about that. I just came in, but next time I’ll try to remember to make a bit more noise.” His mouth tipped into a smile.

So he was poking fun at her, which was OK. A little humiliation was preferable to what she usually had to deal with in his presence. Although with his hands still at her waist, humiliation could be the least of her worries.

Needing to direct her attention elsewhere, she stepped toward the refrigerator.

“Have you had lunch yet?” she asked, her eyes searching the confined space. There was some leftover ham from dinner a few nights ago, and she knew the cheese was fresh having bought it just yesterday. She could make a couple of sandwiches, but her mind really wasn’t on food.

Chase had chosen to lean against the counter a few inches away. The trim fit of his jeans riding low on his hips brought back more than a few erotic memories that she didn’t need reminding of, and his nearness triggered a peevish urge to go elsewhere for lunch. After all, if he wanted to lounge he could have sat at the table, which was all the way across the room then she wouldn’t have to worry about making small talk with their bodies scant inches apart.

“I could eat,” he said, his casual demeanor suggesting he was unaware of how his nearness affected her. “Anything look good?”

Her heart jolted, but then she reminded herself he was talking about lunch. That was all that was on his mind, or least she was determined to pretend it was.

Needing a bit more breathing room, she backed away allowing him access to the open refrigerator. “Help yourself,” she said, also talking about lunch, as she turned to examine what was in the cabinets.

Feeling her thoughts slip deeper into the gutter, Natalie counted to ten. Thirty seconds in the man’s presence and she felt the need for a cold shower. And what was worse, all they had talked about was lunch.

And if that wasn’t enough to make her feel awkward, she suddenly remembered what she was wearing. A faded green T-shirt that resembled something that should have been taken out with last week’s trash, tattered jeans and, instead of taking the time to put in her contacts, she had grabbed her glasses. Throw in a sloppy ponytail and no makeup, and she was a candidate for one of those style makeover shows.

She put a pan on the stove for some soup as she tried to ignore her unappealing appearance. Chase took the ham and cheese out of the refrigerator, and while they put their lunches together he asked how the event planning business was going. She took a few minutes to explain some of the finer points of wedding planning, but she could tell the conversation had about reached its peak.

Discussing her career was OK for a little while, but if she went on for more than five minutes she usually ran the risk of putting her companion to sleep. Ten and she worried about the possibility of coma.

“So, Patrick tells me you were recently in Liverpool,” Natalie changed the subject.

Chase talked about his trip mentioning several sights he’d visited. He’d gone to the famous city for the funeral of an old family friend. As Chase talked, some of the awkwardness between them vanished. Gone was the polite, stilted conversation she’d endured over the past few days, and now they were chatting like old friends. Which they were, sort of.

But the irony of the situation was, this was how their former affair started. First a few innocent conversations, which graduated to a few simple touches, and before long they hadn’t been able to keep their hands off one another. Granted she probably hadn’t tried as hard as she should have on that last point, but given how Chase affected her she supposed she shouldn’t blame herself too much.

As she caught a glimpse of the clock above the stove she noted it was after one and she needed to get back to work. No point in tempting fate in Chase’s presence any more than she already had.

“Well,” she said, rising from the table and gathering up her dishes. “Duty calls.”

Chase also stood. “Uh, Natalie, before you go, can I talk to you for a minute?”

Chapter Two

Natalie’s steps faltered then regained speed as she headed for the sink. “Sure. What do you want to talk about?”Chase registered her hesitation with a touch of dread. A moment ago their conversation contained the easygoing tone of old friends as he talked about his trip to Liverpool, but now the awkward politeness threatened to return. Although once she heard what he had to say that was liable to be the least of his worries.

Deciding to use the bandage removal approach – do it quick and get it over with – he maneuvered around the table. “I want to ask you a favor.”

Standing at the kitchen sink, she adjusted the water temperature and asked with a hint of suspicion, “What kind of favor?”

Reclining against the counter next to her, he crossed his arms. The spray of water splashed against the sink with some vigor, and Natalie hastened to lower the pressure. “Do you remember me mentioning someone by the name of Drake Henderson?”

She nodded, as she swiped at a fly that had landed on her nose. “Isn’t he the guy you usually buy local properties from?”

“That’s right.” Just ask her. The worst she can say is no. “Anyway he’s asked me to meet him for dinner.”

“And what does that have to do with me?”

“Um, well, he thinks you’re my girlfriend.” There, he said it.

“What?” Natalie’s spine straightened, as her eyebrows rose. Water continued to sluice over the dishes.

Quick to apply damage control, he hastened to explain. .“The thing is Drake has a niece, and he wants me to take her out. I’ve told him no a number of times, but he’s become more persistent. Finally, the only way I saw out of it was to tell him I was dating someone.”

“So you told him you and I were dating.” She squirted a measure of dish washing liquid into her soup bowl, and swiped a sponge over the moistened surface.

“Not until recently. He called a few days ago and suggested dinner. I would have put him off, but he has a piece of property I want to buy, and he’s agreed to discuss the details over dinner.” Given she had yet to tell him to take a flying leap, he continued, “I really want to buy that property, but if I hadn’t told him I wanted to bring you along, he would have brought his niece.”

“Well, that is a dilemma.” She continued washing dishes, the suds lathering around her hands, her neutral response giving him no clue as to what she might be thinking.

Her placid features suggested she wasn’t mad. It was more like she was weighing her options. Which was certainly understandable. He had his own reservations about them masquerading as a couple, but considering the alternative taking Natalie to dinner was the lesser of the two evils.

Taking a shot at tipping the scales in his favor, he said, “Look, I know this is crazy, and you have every right to not want to go, but I hope you will.”

“So, when is this dinner?” she asked, rinsing a handful of flatware.

“Tonight.” Then he added somewhat apologetically, “I know it’s short notice.”

“I don’t know, Chase,” she said, shutting off the water. “Won’t Patrick think it’s kind of strange for you and me to go out together?”

“I’m sure we can figure out something to tell him.” She still didn’t look convinced, but he hadn’t played all of his cards yet. “It’s just for a few hours, Natalie.” He paused briefly then said, “Unless you’re afraid to be alone with me.”

His challenging taunt must have done the trick as she rolled her eyes. “That’s hardly the problem.”

“So, what’s the problem?”

Natalie reached for a dish towel. “It’s just things have a tendency to get out of hand whenever we’re together. We took enough risks last year. I don’t like keeping secrets and I especially don’t like keeping them from my family.”

“I know,” Chase said. “But I’m not suggesting we pick up where we left off, nor am I suggesting we keep our going to dinner a secret. There isn’t any reason why Patrick should have an issue with us going out to dinner as friends.”

“But your friend will think you and I are a couple,” she reminded him.

“Well, yes, but I just told him we were dating to keep him from bringing his niece along, and in a few weeks I’ll tell him we’re not dating any longer.” Chase did his best to make the evening sound as non-datelike as possible and there was little likelihood of romantic consequences.

However his inner voice whispered there might be more to it than that. Chase had thoroughly enjoyed the time he had spent with Natalie, and seeing her again reminded him of how much he had missed their time together. He knew it was stupid. Being with Natalie meant risking his friendship with Patrick, and Chase had enough uncertainty in his life, but he couldn’t forget how being with Natalie made him feel.

Indecision wrinkled her brow as she carefully arranged the dish towel on a silver towel ring. “So if I agree, it will be just dinner. We go out, have a meal, and then come back home.”

“Exactly.” Chase paused. Natalie’s demeanor suggested she was on the verge of agreeing, that is if he didn’t say anything stupid.

She hesitated, carefully arranging the dish towel just so. Silence stretched, suggesting her decision could go either way, and just when he began to suspect she wasn’t going to agree, her shoulders lifted in a careless shrug. “Sure. I suppose there’s no real harm in it. What time are you supposed to meet him?”

He filled her in on the details then headed downstairs as she returned to her office. Being alone with her for an extended period of time was high on his list of bad ideas. Kind of like that kiss the other night. He wanted to prove nothing incredible had happened between them, but all that brief kiss had accomplished was to make him hungry for more, and knowing she slept under the same roof didn’t help. He wanted to believe he could keep his hands off her, but he honestly wasn’t sure if he could.

Because he sure as hell didn’t want to.

After he’d finished dressing for his ‘date’ with Natalie, Chase headed upstairs. His misgivings about the evening increased when he found Natalie dashing about, fretting about her appearance. First she decided she didn’t have the right handbag, and then she changed her mind about her earrings. Personally, he thought she looked sexy as hell, and although it was on the tip of his tongue to tell her so, he decided that probably wasn’t the wisest thing he could say.

He may have teased her about being afraid to be alone with him, but to be honest he had a few reservations about the evening himself. Although he’d known Natalie for a number of years, it had taken him a while to notice she was no longer just Patrick’s little sister, but once he noticed he played hell keeping his hands off her. A part of him had always wondered why she agreed to an affair that was destined to end before it really began, but he never asked. Mostly because he didn’t think he wanted to know.

“Well, what do you think?” she asked after having changed her shoes, jewelry and grabbing another handbag.

He obligingly looked her up and down, but soon regretted it as his hormones jumped to attention. Her halter cut, fire engine-red dress fit like a glove displaying her cleavage, the curve of her hips, and the leanness of her legs. Chase didn’t know a great deal about fabric, but this one had a soft sheen and looked alternately red and hot pink depending on the lighting. Her hair was pulled back with a simple barrette, and her subtle makeup, or maybe it was the lighting, brought out the green in her eyes. However, a dress like that served basically one purpose – to make a man wonder how to get it off, and given the halter style, Chase doubted he’d need much direction.

But before he could manage an intelligent response the door opened, and Patrick came strolling in looking every bit like the high-powered advertising executive he was. Patrick and Chase were the same age, six years older than Natalie, but back in college it had become obvious Patrick was more suited to working behind a desk, whereas Chase preferred a more hands-on career. Although there was no denying Patrick was doing well for himself. Patrick’s suit wasn’t exactly Armani, but Chase recognized custom tailoring when he saw it.

“What are you all dressed up for?” Patrick asked, eyeing Natalie’s supposed going-out-with-a-friend dress.

“Chase and I are going out to dinner,” she said simply, while rearranging the contents of her black evening bag.

“You’re going out to dinner?” Patrick cast a wondering eye at Chase, then at Natalie. His expression reminded Chase of Natalie when she was uncertain about something. “Dressed like that?”

With a touch of annoyance, Natalie planted a hand on her hip, her gold bracelet catching the light from a nearby lamp. “Don’t give me that Dad routine.”

As Patrick’s expression grew more concerned, Chase hastened to explain. “A friend of mine wants me to have dinner with him. He told me to bring a friend, and since you and Erica are busy tonight – ”

“Yes, but that’s not a going-out-to-dinner-with-a-friend dress,” Patrick said in an accusatory tone. “That’s a date dress.”

“And how would you know?” Natalie slid her purse strap over her shoulder.

“I’m engaged, remember?” Patrick said, clearly offended.

Recognizing sibling rivalry when he saw it, and hoping to sidetrack Patrick from jumping to any more conclusions, Chase quickly intervened. “Look, Patrick, it’s just dinner. We won’t be late.”

“Yes, Patrick,” Natalie mimicked in a falsely sweet voice. “It’s just dinner. Besides I’m a big girl. I think I can manage for a few hours without a chaperon.” She slid her arm through Chase’s.

Chase wasn’t sure her touching him in front of her brother was such a smart move, but he supposed the gesture went along with her I’m-a-big-girl-and-I-don’t-need-advice-from-my-older-brother act.

He refrained from saying anything more while he backed out of the drive. Although the evening had been Chase’s idea, he was beginning to question the wisdom of his plan. Sure, bringing along Natalie to keep Drake from forcing Chase into an unwanted date was a simple enough solution, but things between him and Natalie weren’t exactly simple. The nights Natalie had spent in his bed were never far from his thoughts, and he’d be lying if he said he didn’t want a repeat performance.

However he wasn’t some horny high-school kid who couldn’t control his hormones. He could, when needed, exert some self-control. And as for tonight if Natalie wanted to torment her brother by wearing a dress that was guaranteed to raise the blood pressure of any normal male in the general vicinity, Chase really had very little say in the matter.

Although he had to admit, casting another sidelong glance at how the silky fabric clung to her breasts, if he was her brother he doubted he would like her dressing like that, either.

*****

Seated in a comfortable chair surrounded by understated elegance, Natalie perused an expensive looking menu. She had congratulated herself on how well she handled the scene earlier with Patrick, but a small voice reminded her Patrick was only part of the problem. The remainder of her problem sat to her left with his arm draped around her shoulders. All for Drake’s benefit she knew, but Chase’s innocent touch was a subtle reminder of everything she longed for, and everything she knew would never be.

Knowing such doomsday thinking was counterproductive she shifted her thoughts to Drake. Drake reminded her of an older version of Chase: passionate about his work, too good looking for words, and wary of any woman who crossed his path. Chase could usually talk a good story, but deep down she knew there weren’t many people he let close.

Not that she could wholly blame him with his family. His father’s multiple divorces had nearly buried the family in scandal, and in between marriages Chase’s father and mother would attempt reconciliation, and always with disastrous results. Natalie had given up trying to figure out Chase’s parents, but she wouldn’t mind getting closer to the man next to her. Too bad he wouldn’t let her.

Well, maybe you just need to try harder.

Knowing that listening to that tiny, encouraging voice would just get her into trouble, she ignored it. She was not going to delude herself into believing she would be the woman who would capture Chase’s heart. What she shared with him last year was about the most he was willing to give, and after he left she’d been forced to accept that’s all they would ever share. Although that didn’t mean she wanted a repeat performance. Her heart couldn’t take any more.

“You ready to order?” Chase’s smooth as honey voice in her ear reminded her of their close proximity.

Determined to remember she was only here to appease Drake, she gave her order then leaned against Chase, his arm once again encircling her shoulders. She knew she shouldn’t be encouraging his touch, but sometimes a girl just wanted to live on the edge.

Over the past few years Chase had bought several houses from Drake. Houses that he would renovate and then later sell for a profit. Chase had so much local success with renovating properties that when he moved to New York eight years ago, he had turned it into a full-time occupation.

Chase still bought property in Baker Hill, but those properties he hired other contractors to renovate. Rarely did he involve himself with those properties unless he spent an extended amount of time in town. Like he had last year when he returned home because of his father’s car crash, which had led to his affair with Natalie.

After dinner Drake suggested they move into the lounge. Chase kept Natalie at his side, his innocent touch like a subtle promise of something more. Kind of like the appetizer before the main course, and she wondered if that was where this night was leading. Given their former relationship anything was possible. She could easily delude herself into believing she had everything under control, but given her feelings for Chase that kind of control might be an illusion.

But considering how hard she’d worked over the past few months to get him out of her heart, those thoughts were rather unsettling. The main reason she’d agreed to this charade was to prove she could control her reaction to him. For the most part she was managing fairly well, but then again the evening wasn’t over.

The conversation drifted to the property Chase wanted to buy. Natalie sipped her wine, catching phrases like crown molding and curb appeal, grateful no one expected her to join in. It was just before nine, which meant the evening could go on for several hours yet. She wanted to encourage time to move forward, yet her heart wanted to extend the evening as long as possible, sort of like wishing for a new car then complaining about the color. Unfortunately when fate granted one’s heart desire, it didn’t usually bother with the fine tuning.

“I suspect our business discussion is boring your girlfriend,” Drake’s voice interrupted Natalie’s thoughts. “Why don’t you two dance, while I make a few phone calls?” He was speaking to Chase, yet his disarming smile was pointed at Natalie.

Yep, just like Chase. Drake knew when to uncork the charm.

With a smile Chase stood and offered Natalie his hand. For the first time she noticed the subdued music enticing couples onto the dance floor. Most likely her mind had tuned out the romantic sound hoping to prevent further intimate thoughts of Chase, but given this was supposed to be a date, she could hardly refuse.

Oh, hell, here we go again. Her heart thudded as he led her onto the dance floor then drew her against him. The alignment of their bodies wasn’t quite full frontal contact, but it was close enough for her to worry about breathing. It truly wasn’t fair how he affected her, but then again she was the idiot who had agreed to this. And she was also the idiot who had decided to wear such a revealing dress. At the time, choosing this dress had seemed like a good idea. Her feminine ego had wanted to prove she still possessed the power to raise Chase’s blood pressure, and the desire she’d seen in his eyes before Patrick walked in suggested her choice of apparel had done the trick. But her problem now wasn’t Chase’s reaction to her dress. It was her reaction to having his hands on her. The halter style left the majority of her back bare, something his hands hadn’t taken long to discover. The tantalizing way he caressed her back implied he wasn’t touching her just for Drake’s benefit. And when his embrace invited her closer, she felt certain he just wanted to put his hands on her.

She probably should object. After all this was just supposed to be about dinner, and besides she’d already decided she wasn’t going to let her heart, or her hormones, get the better of her again. She lifted her head to voice an objection, but then their gazes collided and her heart stalled. Chase’s eyes were full of memories, erotic, seductive memories that she so did not need to be reminded of.

Oh, yeah. She definitely needed to object.

“You probably shouldn’t be looking at me like that,” she somehow managed despite the thudding in her chest. A middle-aged couple dressed in jeans nearly collided with them, but Natalie was too caught up in Chase’s gaze to pay much attention.

“Why? Does it bother you?” he asked, his expression not changing.

The difference in their height was noticeable now that he held her so close, despite Natalie’s three-inch heels, and looking up at him she felt at a bit of a disadvantage, but regardless she still intended to say what she needed to.

“No,” she answered honestly. “That’s why you shouldn’t be doing it.”

Needing space, she attempted to put some distance between them, but his arms remained around her.

“Drake’s watching.” A slight smile curved his mouth.

The roguish glint in his eyes should have made her mad. She wanted to get mad, but she couldn’t. He was just too damned sexy, and she’d always been a sucker for a guy who was slightly incorrigible. So she satisfied herself with, “You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?” She even managed to add a touch of accusation to her tone.

“Maybe just a little.” His grin widened.

The problem was so was she. Seeing little point in offering further objection, she gave in and relaxed against him, her head resting against his shoulder.

What the hell, she thought, surrendering to his enticing embrace. She might as well enjoy his touch while she could. Besides, they were on a public dance floor, how carried away could they get?

*****

“Have you told Natalie why you’ve decided to come back home?” Drake asked, signaling to the bartender for another beer. He already had several but Chase knew Drake would take a cab home.

The indirect lighting helped disguise the fact that Drake was pushing sixty, and despite the lines around his eyes and a dusting of gray hair, he remained an attractive man. More than one woman tonight had given Drake the eye, not that Drake paid any attention. He’d been loyally married for nearly thirty years. Chase often wondered if he would ever share that kind of committed relationship with anyone.

Drake’s subtle question settled in Chase’s gut like a rock. “Uh, no. Not yet.”

“You mean she hasn’t questioned why you’ve taken so much time off?”

Chase glanced over his shoulder. Natalie had retreated to a quiet corner with her cell phone, but having no idea how long the call was going to take, he didn’t know when she’d be back. And this was not a conversation he wanted her to overhear.

“Natalie thinks I’m just spending time with my friend before he gets married.” Or at least that’s what Chase assumed she thought. He wasn’t exactly in the position to ask her.

“And what about you and her?”

Confused about the direction Drake was taking this conversation, Chase asked with a touch of caution, “What about us?”

“How long have you been dating?”

“I don’t know. A few months.” Knowing some men didn’t keep track of such things Chase didn’t feel his answer would tip Drake off. Besides Chase couldn’t remember what he’d told Drake before.

“Does she know about Denise?” Drake nodded in Natalie’s direction, her animated laughter evident from several yards away.

The rock in Chase’s gut turned to acid. The demise of his marriage was a sore subject, and he avoided discussing the topic as much as possible.

“Natalie knows I’m divorced,” he replied, knowing he hadn’t answered Drake’s question.

“But she doesn’t know why,” Drake guessed.

Seeing no way to sidestep that statement, Chase reluctantly admitted, “No, she doesn’t.”

He hadn’t told Natalie during his last visit because they didn’t have that kind of relationship. And now they didn’t even have a relationship, but even if they did, Chase doubted if he would tell her.

His feelings concerning his divorce were muddled up with his feelings for Natalie, and his feelings about where his life was going. Nothing in his life made sense any more, and given his confusion he doubted if he could explain these issues to anyone.

“Don’t you think you should tell her?”

Given the circumstances that question was beside the point, but realizing he couldn’t tell Drake that, Chase merely said, “I haven’t decided what I’m going to do.”

“You’re going to have to come to terms with it sooner or later, Chase.”

Chase had long ago reached that conclusion, but knowing Drake meant well, Chase lifted his beer. “Yeah, well, as soon as I figure out a way to do that, I’ll let you know.”

*****

During the ride home, neither of them said much, but the silence wasn’t awkward. Natalie gazed out the window while Chase pushed buttons on the radio. Unable to find a satisfactory music station he switched it off, but immediately wished he hadn’t.

Fiddling with the controls had given him something to focus on besides Natalie, and now he had nothing to occupy his mind but the tempting brunette seated next to him. He’d told himself a thousand times they couldn’t continue. Doing so would seem too much like a real relationship, and he just didn’t have room in his life for such things.

Besides he’d learned that most relationships just weren’t worth the aggravation they ultimately caused, so he often left before everything fell apart. Sure, he’d enjoyed being with Natalie during those few weeks, but if they started seeing each other on a regular basis their relationship wouldn’t be nearly as exciting.

Regular dating meant expectations. Expectations inevitably led to disappointment. Disappointment led to arguing. And then things often turned ugly.

No, they were better off this way. Much better. And as for his desire for her, well, he was only human. Besides, he’d rather think of her with a smile on his face than with an ache in his heart as he tried to figure out where everything had gone wrong.

Kind of like what happened with his ex-wife.

That gut-wrenching thought crept into his brain before he could stop it. His love for her had ended a long time ago, but the heartache had yet to wane. And one of the things that ripped at him the most was everyone assumed the demise of his marriage was inevitable because he was a Malone. Many of the rumors he’d heard about his father and brothers were true, but until his own divorce Chase had thought he was different. Clearly, he’d been wrong.

Finding Patrick’s house along winding River Shore Drive in the dark wasn’t easy, and Chase focused on locating the correct house for a few moments. But the process didn’t capture his attention for long. Now he had other concerns to face, such as how was he going to say good night to Natalie without them ending up in bed. The driveway stood empty which meant Patrick was still out with Erica. Chase had hoped Patrick would be home which would eliminate Chase’s need to test his self-restraint.

In his mind, he anticipated the evening ending like a typical date. First, they’d go inside all the while discussing the high points of the evening. Then there would be the inevitable offer of a drink as she kicked off her shoes. Then they’d chat as they sipped their drinks, and all the while he’d be wondering how much longer before he could kiss her. Or whose room they could go into so they could spend the rest of the night making love.

As much as he would enjoy letting that scenario play out, Chase knew better.

“How about a drink?” Natalie asked, kicking her heels off at the door.

Could he call them, or what?

“Sure,” he said, strolling into the living room, tugging at his tie.

Natalie headed into the kitchen, and he sank onto the couch, his tie dropping onto the coffee table.

Just one quick drink, then he’d go downstairs.

Simple, right?

She returned with two beers and handed him one. “I really liked your friend,” she said, tucking her dress under her as she dropped onto the opposite side of the couch.

And now she wanted to talk about the evening. Score two.

“Yeah, well, Drake is usually full of enough bull to be entertaining.” Keeping things light seemed like a good approach. It might even distract him from this whole man/woman being alone thing.

“Are you trying to tell me he made up that story about you and that Asian woman?”

Obviously she felt comfortable enough with the situation to tease him. Was that good or bad? Most likely it was bad considering her smile was wreaking havoc with his keeping things light theory.

“Of all the stories he told you tonight, you would have to remember that one.” Chase had forgotten Drake had repeated that tale. Although, thankfully Drake had kept the humiliating details to a minimum.

Her easy laughter washed over him, her blue-green eyes alight with humor. Growing more somber, her expression turned thoughtful.

“I’ve been wondering about something,” she said, inclining her head to one side.

“And what’s that?” He couldn’t tell by her tone if he should be worried or not, but it didn’t hurt to be prepared.

“Well, I realize this is probably none of my business – ” Oh, yeah, he should definitely worry. “– but I was wondering why you decided to stay until the wedding. Not that I mind,” she interjected, “I just thought it a bit odd you took a whole month off.”

Realizing this was what Drake had warned him about, Chase had a ready answer, and what was better it was almost the truth.

“I haven’t taken a vacation in a while, so why not?” He shrugged.

Natalie nodded as the subtle lighting from a nearby lamp highlighted the reddish tones in her hair.

“You can’t really call your last trip home a vacation, can you?” An understanding smile played across her mouth.

His last trip home had been anything but a vacation due to Chase’s concern over his father’s car crash. Although the erotic nights he spent with Natalie had been a much needed diversion during those stressful days, however his interest in her wasn’t purely sexual. After all, she was an intelligent, successful woman, but until he sorted out his life he needed to keep his distance. For both of their sakes.

Her bottle settled on the coffee table with a soft click. “Do you think Patrick suspects anything about us?” she asked, her elbow resting on the back cushions slightly squashing it with her weight.

“Well, considering he invited me to stay, I’d have to say the answer is no.” Chase hoped she’d let the conversation end there. He didn’t want to talk about the possibility of losing one of his best friends. Or the fact that he’d gone against said best friend’s wishes by taking Natalie to bed.

“That’s kind of what I thought, too.” She studied her pink painted fingernails. “Although to hear the way he talks to Mom and Dad – ”

The remainder of the sentence hung in the air unfinished as she shook her head.

Curious as to what Patrick might have said, Chase asked, “What does he say to your parents?”

“I probably shouldn’t say anything, but since I’ve already opened my mouth I might as well tell you.” With a touch of self-reproach, she said, “Mom and Dad weren’t exactly thrilled when Patrick invited you to stay after I’d already moved in.”

“In other words they don’t want me near you.” That was hardly news.

“Basically.” She picked up her beer. “But I wouldn’t worry. Patrick stuck up for you, and so did I.”

Natalie had discussed him with her parents? Interesting. “You did?”

“Of course. They don’t know you and I do. But don’t worry. I didn’t give away anything.”

Her simply worded statement struck an uneasy chord. Although he’d been the one to suggest they keep their relationship a secret, she never suggested otherwise.

Choosing to let her remark pass, he asked, “So what are the odds of Patrick giving me the third degree when he gets home?”

“He’d better not.” She rolled her eyes as she picked at the label on her bottle. Bits of the label flaked off, but Natalie appeared to not notice. “I told him I don’t need a chaperon.”

“That’s true, but when you say something like that it sounds like there’s something going on and you’re telling him it isn’t any of his business,” he felt obligated to point out.

“Well, it isn’t,” she said.

“And you have to admit he has good reason to worry.” That was something that was probably better left unsaid, but it was the truth. And they both knew it.

“Chase,” she said, leveling him with a look, her mouth quirking into a slight smile. “What are you trying to do? Warn me that you’re after my virtue, or whatever they call it?” She appeared amused. “Don’t you think I’ve already figured that out for myself?”

Appreciating the fact that she could see the humor in this situation, he matched her amused smile. “Is that what you think happened last year?”

“No. What I think happened last year was a whole lot more fun.”

Her tone was full of sass, and her eyes sparkled with a hint of invitation. However, he wasn’t the type of guy to get all bent out of shape over a bit of light-hearted flirting. He could keep the situation in perspective, although given their history if she continued they could have a problem.

But he’d play along. For now.

“Now I know why Patrick worries,” he said, matching her flippant tone.

Merriment shone in her eyes as she opened her mouth as if to further sass him, but evidently she changed her mind and instead took another sip of her beer.

Eyeing her suspiciously, he asked, “What are you thinking?”

“You don’t want to know.” She tried unsuccessfully to hide a grin, but Chase knew her game. And yes, he probably shouldn’t be encouraging her, or himself for that matter, but he couldn’t resist. Besides, he wasn’t one to back down from a challenge.

“You know there are ways to make you talk.” He set aside his beer and playfully lunged at her. Natalie shrieked with laughter as she tried to avoid his hands, but she wasn’t quick enough.

“You probably shouldn’t do that,” she said, after he trapped her against the cushions. “What are you going to do if Patrick comes home?”

“I thought you weren’t worried about Patrick,” he taunted. Leaning closer, his mouth inches from hers, he asked, “So you want to tell me more about how much fun you had last year?”

Chase knew for the most part she was just playing around, but he also knew he couldn’t take this game much further. It would take very little for him to close the remaining distance between them, and silence that sassy mouth with a heart-stopping kiss.

But Natalie clearly wasn’t willing to concede defeat as her eyes widened. “Why? Can’t you remember?”

Chase knew an invitation when he heard one, and Natalie’s words were special delivery. Did that mean she wanted him to kiss her? Well, considering the challenging look in her eyes that was exactly what she wanted, but he had a few tricks of his own. He dropped his hand to her waist then tickled her. Her laughter filled the room as they wrestled on the couch.

“OK, OK,” she said between giggles. “I give.”

“You sure?” He stopped tickling, but didn’t release her although he was going to have to soon. Her squirming beneath him had his hormones revved up; much more and he wouldn’t care what Patrick thought.

“I’m sure.”

He eyed her, not sure if he could trust her to not continue sassing him, but he did need to let her go. He was approaching the point of no return, and he couldn’t afford to forget where they were. Having Patrick walk in on them would not further Chase’s cause.

He released her and she sat up adjusting her dress, which had ridden up dangerously high. That was another reason he’d let her go. The last thing he needed was more temptation.

“Well,” she said, her voice less than steady. “It’s getting late, and I’d better get to bed.” Then slanting him a sly look, she added, “Unless you care to join me?”

Chapter Three

Chase’s beer suddenly lodged in his throat.

Natalie’s expression grew decidedly abashed. “Sorry,” she said, her hands moving in a confused gesture. “I wasn’t thinking.”

Chase forced fresh air into his lungs. “Natalie,” he began, although his rational thought process was in serious jeopardy. Thoughts of telling her what a bad idea that was spun through his mind, although thoughts of agreeing to her offer were just as prominent. Maybe even more so.

“I know, I know,” she interrupted, saving him from having to form some sort of intelligent reply. “Don’t worry. I didn’t mean it.” With a rueful smile, she added, “I guess I’ll just say goodnight.”

His heart pulsed as she walked up the stairs, and it wasn’t until she disappeared from view that he realized he hadn’t moved. Still stunned, he carried their beer bottles into the kitchen.

Of course she was joking, he assured himself pouring the remaining amber liquid down the drain. Even if she wanted to make love with him again, she wouldn’t be so foolish as to carry on right under Patrick’s nose. But he couldn’t deny he’d been tempted. He was still tempted.

Without conscious thought his gaze strayed into the now vacant living room, which led to Natalie’s room.

You can’t. You just can’t.

Forcing his thoughts away from the tempting woman upstairs, he focused on shutting off the lights and purposely heading downstairs.

*****

The following morning Natalie berated herself for the way she ended her ‘date’ with Chase. How stupid could she be sassing him like that? Last night she’d been overcome with the most insane urge to push his buttons, but today the quaking in her stomach reminded her of how easily she could get caught in the same trap.

It also didn’t help that her mom had chosen today of all days to come into the office. Usually it was only Natalie, and her mother’s other assistant who did the actual work. Doris typically only worked on a consultation basis and as the occasional personal favor for a friend.

Today, however, Doris hovered around offering advice, which usually went something like, “Did you check with the caterers about the changes in the Bryants’ wedding? No? Well, I would have thought you would have called already, but I’m sure you know best.” Or “Is that the color for Patricia Myers’ dress? I mean with her red hair don’t you think pink is a bit much?”

Needless to say by the time lunch rolled around, Natalie’s jaw hurt from clamping her mouth shut. Needing to expel some pent up energy she left Hill Tower Drive, and took her lunch to Beacon Park. Beacon Park was one of Baker Hill’s larger parks. It boasted a carillon, a park pavilion, and a gazebo, which was one of Baker Hill’s more popular places to host a wedding.

After finding a parking space near the playground and picnic area, Natalie found a bench under a shady tree where she could watch children enjoying the sunny day. The recently remodeled play area had a variety of playground equipment, and it even boasted a water feature. A few of the younger boys were dipping their feet into the small pool of water, although some of the older children were taking a more daring approach. Several bikes crisscrossed paths as the children pedaled through the trail of water, while onlookers enjoyed the effect of spraying liquid from the bikes’ wheels.

The older children’s antics reminded her of something Patrick and his friends might have done when they were younger. Amusing herself with that thought, she managed a smile. Who couldn’t help but feel joy sitting outside on a glorious summer afternoon watching the neighborhood children engage in the age-old childhood tradition of playing at the park?

Purposely keeping thoughts of Chase at bay, she continued to watch the children while she ate. But after clearing away the remains of her lunch, she had nothing left to distract her from why she lunched alone. She needed to figure out what to do about Chase.

The only clear solution was to stay as far away from him as possible, but she needed to be subtle about it so as to not tip off Patrick. Last night proved how easily she could be drawn into another affair and she couldn’t, wouldn’t, flat out refused to go through that again.

Walking away from him last year had been sheer hell, and when he didn’t try to stop her it further confirmed what she suspected all along. He didn’t want a relationship. He wanted a plaything.

Well, that description wasn’t exactly fair. Chase had been going through his own hell not knowing if his father would recover, and his squabbling family hadn’t helped. He had tried to continue working, but racing between Baker Hill and New York had proven to be too much. Eventually he took some time off, and moved into one of the properties he was remodeling. Which is where they spent time together, and she had provided him with the distraction he needed to keep going.

Although their time together hadn’t been just about sex. They often spent hours just talking and she knew Chase truly did care about her. She’d never have gone along with their affair otherwise, but she’d also known their relationship wasn’t going to last. Chase never told her his true feelings concerning relationships, but given he never instigated such conversations she felt it safe to assume he preferred to maintain a certain distance.

Knowing her mental review of ancient history wasn’t solving her problems she finished off her Diet Coke. The only solution that seemed even close to feasible was to remain as busy as possible, which would decrease her chances of being alone with him.

It wasn’t the most ingenious plan, but wasn’t there a saying that claimed simple solutions were often the best? Simple was good. Losing control of her heart was bad. Besides, she liked simple. Easy to remember, easy to execute. Yes, keeping things simple seemed like her best option; besides, what other choice did she have?

*****

Pausing, Chase eyed the ceiling of the almost completed living room. His crew had done well, but then they always did. He wouldn’t have them working for him otherwise.

The heels of his boots clicked on the wood floors as he toured the remaining rooms. The house was located in one of the more affluent areas of Baker Hill overlooking Beacon Park. The project was scheduled for completion within the next week, and the house was due to be listed the week after. While Chase traveled his business manager usually handled the details, but now that he was in town, Chase wanted to be more involved.

In the past his business manager would line up a buyer before Chase made the actual investment. Although this time they didn’t have an actual buyer in mind. It made turning over the property a bit trickier, but he felt confident this house would sell fairly quickly. And if it didn’t, well, he’d been through that before, too.

However, he may change his mind about listing so soon. There was something about this house he found welcoming, almost as if it filled an empty place in his heart he hadn’t even realized was there. Getting sentimental over any property was the worst thing any serious real estate flipper could do, as it was difficult to make money if he was reluctant to let go.

But everything about this house, from the detailing in the woodwork to the high ceilings, even the large windows that offered amazing views of the nearby park, gave the feeling of coming home after a long day. But what was even more unsettling, he could almost imagine Natalie living here with him.

As he moved from room to room his mind created images of them sitting down to a meal, or relaxing in front of the fireplace. And his imagination didn’t stop there. Upstairs they would make love in the large master suite with a shower that was adequate enough for two. And then his mind would creep towards the future, and he would find himself thinking about the best place to put a swing seat, or which room would make the best nursery.

He didn’t know what had brought on such fanciful thinking. The making love thoughts were basically a given when he thought about Natalie, but starting a family with her? Was he out of his mind? But despite his misgivings the thoughts continued, and if he and Natalie were to start spending time together again, putting this house on the market would eliminate his only remaining option.

He should have his head examined for even entertaining such thoughts.

Feeling a familiar weight tighten in his chest, he paused to glance out of the window. The fading daylight illuminated the partially done landscaping, but his mind wasn’t on the amount of work remaining. Over the past few days he’d noticed Natalie was avoiding him.

Granted things had gotten a bit out of hand during their ‘date’, and it would have been way too easy for him to take her up on her offer. And he was certain she knew it otherwise why would she be avoiding him? The problem was whenever they were alone keeping their hands off each other had always been a challenge. Evidently, it still was. He should be grateful she suddenly had a million things to tend to outside the house. Not that she was fooling him any, but as long as Patrick didn’t catch on, he supposed it didn’t matter.

Dropping his arm, he stepped away from the window. He shouldn’t be thinking about Natalie. Thinking about her led to wanting things he knew he couldn’t have. But unfortunately Natalie wasn’t his only problem.

In another few weeks he would be returning to New York and the mere thought filled him with dread. When he left Baker Hill last year he thought Natalie would become just another fond memory, but that hadn’t happened. So he worked harder, but it didn’t help. He thought he had the life he wanted, but now that life held little appeal.

A few times he’d toyed with the idea of talking to Natalie about a more permanent relationship, but he refrained. The Malone men had a long history of bad relationships. They seemed to possess the ability to screw up every relationship they had, and Chase’s luck with women wasn’t much better.

He once thought his luck had changed, but when his marriage ended without warning after a scant three years that put an end to that theory. He still didn’t understand what went wrong, and until he did he wasn’t about to attempt another relationship. And if truth be told, he may never attempt another relationship regardless.

Weary of chasing the same thoughts, he decided to head back to Patrick’s. Natalie had an anniversary party to attend, but maybe Patrick would be around to provide him with some distraction.

Pulling into Patrick’s drive, Chase’s heart sunk when he spotted Natalie’s car and not Patrick’s. Briefly, he debated about going somewhere else, but he decided against it. He could control his desire around Natalie. Hadn’t he done just that the other night? Besides he had no choice but to control himself; he had no idea when Patrick would be home.

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