by Elle Kennedy
No, I’m freaking out! he wanted to yell, but he clamped his mouth shut. Neither he nor his big brother did the whole mushy, talking-about-their-feelings crap.
“Fine. Just hungry,” he said.
And wildly attracted to my best friend.
He shoved that thought aside too.
They ordered their usual—turkey club for Nate, double-decker BLT for Owen—then settled in the booth and sipped their coffees, while Nate talked about his upcoming wedding, grinning sheepishly the entire time.
“You don’t need to look embarrassed about getting married,” Owen finally said, grinning back. “Charlotte is awesome.”
“I know, it’s just weird. I really don’t want to stand up there in front of everyone, but Charlotte wants a real wedding. I tried to convince her to do it at the courthouse and she freaked.”
“It is kind of weird that she’s set on having a traditional wedding,” Owen admitted. “Doesn’t she hate everyone in this town?”
“Not everyone, just most of them.” Nate chuckled. “But it’s a small wedding, only people we want there are going to be there.”
“Did you guys figure out what to do about the media?” Owen was still wondering how Charlotte planned on getting married without the press finding out. She was a big deal, his future sister-in-law, and he knew that in New York, she never went anywhere without bodyguards.
“The press doesn’t even know she’s engaged,” Nate replied, “and I think most of them will assume she’ll be in New York next weekend since she’s doing the benefit show on Friday. We planned it that way on purpose.”
Owen had thought it weird that Charlotte was performing the night before the wedding, but now he realized it was a smart move. No one would expect Charlotte to play a concert on Friday night, then take a late flight to Colorado to get married the next morning.
“Oh, and by the way, we figured out the aisle stuff,” Nate added. “Austin will walk down with Charlotte’s friend Georgia, Jake’s with Lexie, and you’re with Maddie.”
He clenched his teeth. Of course Nate had paired him with Maddie. From the amused gleam in his brother’s eyes, Owen had to wonder if his brother knew just how much Maddie’s transformation had affected him.
Too much, that was for sure. For the past two days, he’d forced himself to view Maddie the way he always did—as a dependable friend and assistant—but it was getting harder and harder to ignore the rush of desire that flooded his body each time he saw her. Last night he’d laid in bed for hours, agonizing about Maddie’s long legs and silky hair and pouty lips. It made him wonder why he’d never noticed how pretty she was. Did baggy jeans, T-shirts and a makeup-free complexion really hide a woman’s true beauty? Or had he just been too stupid to notice her hotness?
And now that he did notice it, he was going absolutely crazy. He’d never been tempted to sleep with Maddie.
Now it was all he wanted to do.
“She came by last night to pick up the bridesmaid dress they got in Denver,” Nate spoke up. His lips twitched a little. “Charlie told me she and Lex gave Maddie a makeover, but damn. She looked really fucking good. Do you know who she’s bringing to the wedding?”
His shoulders stiffened. “Probably Wyatt Killington,” he muttered under his breath.
But Nate had heard him. “Wyatt? Really? I didn’t know they were dating.”
“They have a date tonight,” Owen said darkly.
He figured Nate would side with him here, declare that a player like Wyatt was completely unsuitable for a woman like Maddie, but to his shock, his brother nodded in satisfaction. “Good for her. It’s about time she went out and had some fun. You work her too hard.”
“It’s Wyatt Killington,” he snapped. “That guy is nothing but trouble.”
“Yet you employ him and pay him full benefits,” Nate replied with a grin. “How bad can he be?”
“He might work for me, but I’d never date him,” Owen grumbled.
“Uh-oh…”
His eyes narrowed. “Uh-oh what?”
“Sounds like the jealousy fairy just flew into town,” Nate said, solemn-faced.
“The jealousy fairy? Did you make that up all on your own?”
“Yep, and don’t deny it. You’re totally jealous that Maddie’s going out with Wyatt.”
“I am not.” He knew he sounded like a petulant ten-year-old, but he couldn’t help it. The thought of Maddie becoming Wyatt Killington’s latest belt notch made him want to punch something.
And his disapproval had nothing to do with the fact that he couldn’t seem to control his newfound desire for her. Maddie was simply too good for a guy like Wyatt. She was nice and funny and way smarter than that loser, and she was only going to end up hurt. Wyatt had a reputation for sleeping with women and dumping them when he got tired of them. Owen didn’t want that happening to Maddie. He knew she didn’t have much experience with men, and she tended to be too naïve when it came to relationships. She was obviously being naïve now, if she actually thought Wyatt was a suitable candidate for a date.
She definitely needed someone to step in and reroute the stupidity train she’d hopped on. Someone who could yank on the brakes and say, Bad idea, Wilson.
And it looked like that someone was going to have to be him.
“You want me to do what?” Maddie exclaimed in disbelief. She gaped at Owen, who was leaning in the doorway of his office, his strong arms crossed over his broad chest, the expression on his face revealing that this wasn’t up for discussion.
“Alphabetize the file cabinets,” he repeated.
“Right now? Owen, it’s six o’clock. I’ve already stayed an hour longer than I should have because you demanded I photocopy the plans for the last twenty-two jobs we’ve done.” Aggravation clamped around her throat. “And now you want me to organize the files? That’ll take hours.”
And completely ruin her plans for the evening, she wanted to mention, but she had a feeling he already knew that. In fact, she was beginning to suspect his main goal was to keep her from going out with Wyatt tonight.
“I know it’ll be a lot of work, but it has to be done,” he insisted. “Today I was looking for the Harris file and it took me ten minutes before I found it in the M section. The cabinets are a mess.”
“And they can’t wait until tomorrow morning?”
“You know I don’t like procrastinating. If it’s not done now, I’ll stew about it all night and won’t be able to sleep.”
She shook her head in amazement. “You won’t be able to sleep? I’m the one who’ll be here until dawn, doing the job.”
He paused, slanting his head in thought. “You’re right. This isn’t really fair to you.”
Relief shuddered through her. “Thank you. I knew you’d see—”
“I’ll help,” he interrupted, a satisfied glint in his gray eyes.
Maddie’s jaw dropped. “What?”
“I’ll stay and help,” he clarified. “We’ll get some coffee from the diner, order a late dinner, and with the two of us working on it, the cabinets will be neat and orderly in no time.”
Except she wouldn’t be able to have drinks with Wyatt, though she realized this was exactly what Owen wanted.
He strode to the door, looking energized. “I’ll place a dinner order for us. I’ll tell Bobby to deliver it around eight, sound good?”
Gee, at the precise time she was supposed to meet Wyatt.
With wide eyes, Maddie watched as Owen left the office. The bell chimed cheerfully overhead after he disappeared through the door. Unbelievable. She couldn’t figure out what kind of game he was playing. He didn’t want her, but nobody else could? Was that it? And if so, that was completely ridiculous. He would actually make her work late just so she would miss her date?
Maddie knew she had no choice in the matter. When Owen set his mind on something, you needed a SWAT team to get him to back off. He’d decided they were organizing the cabinets, and there wasn’t a damn thing she could do
about it, short of quitting. Which she could totally do—she quit every other week, for Pete’s sake—but this time she was loath to do it. Normally when they argued and she quit, she knew Owen would always take her back. But he’d been acting so strangely the past couple of days, and she was worried that if she did threaten to leave, he might actually let her this time. And seeing that she’d just spent eight hundred dollars on that bridesmaid dress in Denver, she kind of needed a steady paycheck if she wanted to pay off her credit card.
Sighing, she pulled her cell phone from her purse and sent a quick text to Wyatt, telling him she couldn’t have drinks with him after all. A responding text came in a few seconds later—Sorry to hear that. Rain check? She texted back definitely, then shoved the phone back in her bag, kicked off her wedge shoes and headed for the cabinet. She was still wearing her bright yellow sundress and the material swirled around her knees as she bent down and yanked open the top drawer, which contained all the A files.
She was thumbing through them, chagrined that Owen was right as she discovered a C in the A files, when he returned with two Styrofoam cups of coffee. “I see you’ve already gotten started,” he said cheerfully. He placed the coffees on the desk, moved to the second cabinet and dropped to his knees. “I’ll just work on the Zs, and we’ll meet in the middle.”
Was it inappropriate to punch your boss in the face? Yeah, probably.
Controlling the impulse, Maddie focused on the files, but it was difficult to do when Owen was so close. She could smell his aftershave, a woodsy spicy mixture that never failed to make her palms go damp, and he’d rolled up his sleeves, revealing corded forearms that bunched and flexed as he pulled out random files and set them on the floor.
Was she destined to always lust after him? It was funny, ten minutes ago she’d been really looking forward to going out with Wyatt, and now it was Owen who yet again captivated her senses. Why did she have to be in love with this man? He wasn’t even all that great. He could be too serious, cranky, completely obstinate at times. He did things his way—no highway option—and when it came to women, he was so damn fickle it made her want to kick him. He went out with the dumbest girls, his relationships never lasting more than a week or two, a month tops. And he treated her like an ottoman he could put his feet on.
So why on earth did she love him?
Because…because he’s Owen.
Emotion clogged her throat as she gave him a sidelong glance, noticing the way his dark eyebrows were drawn in concentration. He might have a lot of flaws, but there were so many good things about him. He was smart, unbelievably dedicated to his work and to his clients. He had a great sense of humor. A drool-worthy body. A chiseled, handsome face that made her breathless sometimes. He was kind. He loved his family, treated everyone in town with the utmost respect. And maybe he didn’t do long-term relationships, but Maddie had always suspected he’d make a great dad. In the fall he coached a football house league for third and fourth graders, and she’d seen the sweet way he treated those children. Owen Bishop was truly a first-class man.
But that didn’t mean he wasn’t a first-class jerk for making her skip out on her first real date in more than a year.
Owen could tell Maddie was still angry with him. Even the delicious dinner he’d had delivered—his treat—hadn’t lifted her spirits. Their empty food cartons littered the desk, but neither of them had made a move to get back to work. They were sitting cross-legged on the hardwood floor, and he noticed she was fidgeting an awful lot, a scowl on her face.
“You can’t still be mad at me,” he finally sighed. “We’re almost at the Rs. It’ll only take another hour or so to finish.” By then it would be ten-thirty, and too late for her to meet up with Wyatt. Mission accomplished.
To his surprise, she shook her head. “I’m not mad. I’m antsy. The after-dinner cigarette used to be my favorite, and the cravings for it are always the worst.”
That startled him. He’d known Maddie had quit smoking a couple of years ago, but he hadn’t realized she still got cravings. In fact, there were a lot of things he didn’t know about her. What did she do when she left the office and went home in the evenings? He knew she watched football on Sundays, but he suddenly realized he had no clue what else she did for fun.
“But you wouldn’t know,” she grumbled. “Mr. Perfect here has never had a drag of a cigarette, has he?”
“Nope,” Owen admitted proudly. “Jake smokes, though.”
Looking interested, Maddie met his gaze for the first time in days. “When is he showing up, anyway? I haven’t seen Jake in more than a year, maybe longer.”
“He’s flying in a few days before the wedding. He’ll miss Nate’s bachelor party tomorrow night, but at least he’s coming home.”
“It’s so weird, how different you two are.” She cocked her head in curiosity. “Were you ever tempted to join the Army when he enlisted?”
“Not in the slightest.” He grinned ruefully. “Getting shot at isn’t something I ever wanted to experience.”
Maddie gasped. “Has Jake ever been shot?”
“Half a dozen times, at least. Ask him to show you the scars—he likes bragging about them.”
He immediately regretted the remark as he remembered that several of his twin’s scars were in places Maddie had no business looking. That weird jolt of possessiveness startled him, and the following rush of jealousy didn’t help much either. He wished she didn’t look so damn good in that yellow dress. She was no longer cross-legged, she now had her legs stretched out, and they were so long and smooth he curled both hands into fists to refrain from reaching out and touching all that silky skin.
He forced his eyes back to her face, noticing the faint blush on her cheeks. “Were you just checking out my legs?” she demanded.
Of course she just had to go and point it out, didn’t she?
“You’ve got nice legs,” he said lightly, feeling his own cheeks go hot.
She opened her mouth to say something, then closed it, her lips tightening in a harsh slash. To his disappointment, she got to her feet and headed toward the file cabinets. He heard her mumble something under her breath, but didn’t catch a single word.
“What did you say?” he asked.
Maddie began rifling through the S files, thoroughly ignoring him.
Owen’s shoulders stiffened as he marched over to her. Her muttered remark hadn’t sounded all that pleasant, judging from the tone of her voice, and he got the feeling it had been directed at him. She bent down, and her long brown hair fell over her shoulders like a silk curtain, a few strands disappearing in her cleavage.
He gritted his teeth. “If you have something to say to me, just say it.”
She lifted her head and shot him a cool look. “I’d rather not.”
As irritation gathered in his gut, he reached out and clasped his fingers over her arm. Instantly, heat suffused his palm. “Say it,” he ordered.
Brown eyes flashing, she met his gaze head-on. “I was just commenting on the fact that my nice legs are being wasted here, in this office, when I could be having drinks with someone who actually appreciates them.”
His mouth fell open.
“But you took care of that, didn’t you?” she said with an annoyed huff. “One question, Owen—why don’t you want me going out with Wyatt? And don’t give me that employee-fraternizing bullshit.”
Owen just gaped at her, unable to come up with a single argument in his defense. She was right, of course. He’d purposely ordered her to work late so she would miss her date with Wyatt. But he’d done it for her own good. Wyatt Killington was a sleazy player—Maddie deserved way better than that.
He opened his mouth to explain, but she didn’t give him the chance. Her cheeks were flushed with anger as she unleashed one of her infamous Maddie Wilson attacks.
“You know what? I don’t care what your reasons were,” she burst out, slamming the drawer so hard the metal cabinet rattled. “You had no right to purposely sabot
age my date. That was a total asshole thing to do—and mean, damn it! It was mean and I don’t appreciate you interfering in my love life. It’s none of your damn business who I go out with, and if you pull a stunt like that again, I will quit. For good, this time, and trust me, Owen, without me, you’ll…”
He tuned her out. Maybe he was an asshole, but he was far too fascinated with her mouth to focus on the furious words coming out of it. Why hadn’t he ever noticed that her bottom lip was so much fuller than the top?
“I swear to God, Owen, if you do something like this again, I’ll—”
“Shut up,” he said hoarsely.
Her eyes widened. “Did you just tell me to shut up?”
“Yes,” he shot back. “I told you to shut up. Wanna know why?”
“No,” she yelled, taking a step to the side. “I don’t want to know why you would have the nerve to—”
He decided to answer anyway. “So I could do this.”
And then he kissed her.
Chapter Five
Holy sweet Mary and Moses. Owen nearly came in his pants from the feel of Maddie’s warm mouth against his. He felt like someone had shoved a hot poker down there. Heat sizzled in his groin, shooting out in all directions until his entire body was so hot he feared he might self-combust. Maddie gasped, whimpered. Maybe she was trying to tell him to stop, but when her lips parted he couldn’t help but slide his tongue through them.
The kiss was deep and passionate and at the same time hurried and clumsy. He felt like a bumbling teenager again as their noses bumped and his lips trembled against hers. The clumsiness didn’t take away from his current state of unbelievably turned on, though. Why the hell did it feel this good? This was Maddie’s mouth, Maddie’s lips…God, Maddie’s tongue swirling against his own.
Pulling back to catch her breath, Maddie searched his face, her brown eyes glazed with desire. “Why did you do that?” she whispered.
“Because…” He swallowed. “Because…fuck, I don’t know. Do you want to stop?”
“No.”