They had amazingly hot sex. Awesome, no holds barred, panty-drenching sex. Something Madison never experienced before. Not to mention, he had a sweet side. He adored his siblings and mother, he was protective of his friends, and he could seduce her with a wink and a smile. Then there were the off the chart orgasms. She wriggled and shifted positions because just the thought was enough to get her motor running. He was that good.
So if she was stupid enough to have developed some feelings for the man, she at least trusted that because of her friendship with Riley and the rest of his family, he’d treat her with care. If not, Riley would kick his ass, and Madison would be all too happy to help.
She didn’t believe in love at first sight. If pressed, she’d have said she didn’t believe in happily ever after, but as she watched him move on the field, her heart gave an unmistakable flutter and she knew she was in trouble.
She forced her gaze to the play on the screen. Ball in hand, Alex scanned the field for his receiver. He obviously found the man he was looking for, and raised his arm, poised to throw.
The next few seconds were a blur. He faked, ducked and ran in the opposite direction only to be charged by a massive hulk of a man on his left. He took a hit and was leveled by opposing players on the right. Madison winced at the force of the blow that took him down. As the men heaped one on top of the other, time out was called.
The dog pile took awhile to sort as each man rose to his feet. All except the player on the bottom. Number twenty two, Alex Dare, lay sprawled unmoving on the field.
#
Alex didn’t remember the ambulance ride to the hospital. Not unusual for a concussion and he’d had enough of them to know. Too many, according to the specialist who’d been waiting when he arrived. He’d had test after test and his head pounded with the force of a hundred bass drums. Waves of nausea washed over him, threatening to make him lose his lunch.
The physical pain he could endure. The doctor’s diagnosis? The prognosis confirmed by the team physician? Those he wanted to pretend had never been spoken. But they had. According to the professionals, another hit to the head and Alex risked permanent brain damage. Memory loss. Depression. Loss of motor control. Blindness. The damned doctors had used every worst-case scenario they could think of to make their point. No more football - every player’s worst nightmare.
A career ending injury.
He was twenty-six years old and all he could think was … now what?
#
Six Months Later
Alex Dare woke up in a sweat from the same nightmare he’d had for months after he’d taken the life altering hit to his head. Not only did he relive the moment of impact but he actually experienced the searing pain. Six months had passed since that Thanksgiving weekend and he thought that damned dream was behind him. He should’ve expected it again now. Football season had begun and along with it, the renewed feeling that his life was over. He rolled his tight shoulders, the stress of not knowing what to do next eating at his gut.
Maybe he just needed to get laid. He hadn’t indulged in his favorite pastime in far too long. Problem was, every time he picked up his phone, none of the names listed there appealed to him.
Okay one did, but he’d burned that bridge. To the ground, if his best friend and sister in law, Riley was to be believed. Considering the way he’d thrown Madison Evans out of his hospital room, he figured his best friend was right.
After the concussion and the battery of tests, the doctors had insisted on keeping him overnight. Riley, Ian, his brother Jason and sister Sienna had stopped in to see him. His parents came next. The revolving door of visitors made his head spin even more than the injury. He’d assured them all he was just fine and threw them the hell out. Pity and concern were the last thing he needed. He’d been throwing a big enough party all by himself.
Then she’d shown up. He’d looked up to see Madison standing there, blonde hair spilling over her shoulders, covering luscious breasts he’d had in his mouth and hands the night before. He might’ve been down for the count but he could still appreciate a beautiful woman and this one did it for him. She had from first sight, which was why he’d kept her around longer than his usual female.
But he’d been getting antsy lately, especially with how close she was to his family. Spending Thanksgiving with them. How stupid was he, fucking where he lived? With an old man who married one woman while keeping another on the side, was it any wonder he’d done something so dumb?
The last time he’d let a woman close, she’d cut his heart out without thought. He’d sworn never again and thought he meant it. Only Madison had gotten through those walls he’d erected, fitting in with his life too well, and it scared the shit out of him. And now? He had no career, no future, and he sure as hell didn’t need to be worrying about a relationship of any kind.
“What are you doing here?” he’d asked her.
“I’m worried about you. I came to see if you’re okay.” Concern filled her big blue eyes and she started towards him.
He held up a hand to stop her. “I’m fine.”
“Riley said – “
“I don’t care what Riley told you. I’m not your problem, got it?”
She visibly swallowed hard, the delicate muscles in her neck working up and down. “I thought you might need me.”
He managed a harsh laugh. “I’ve got my family. I don’t need you.”
“So we’re –“
“There is no we, sweetheart. It was fun. Now it’s over.”
Moisture filled her eyes and in that moment, he hated himself. “I forgot. Alex Dare doesn’t do relationships.”
“Damned right,” he muttered.
She straightened her shoulders, backbone he’d sensed in her from the beginning taking over. “I was foolish for thinking I found someone human and real beneath the façade. You’re every bit the manwhore the Internet and your reputation say you are.”
She started for the door, then turned back to face him. “You’re a cold hearted selfish bastard, too.” She stormed out, slamming the door behind her.
His head pounded at the noise and he cursed out loud.
He could admit now that he deserved every word. There was no getting around the fact that until six months ago, he’d been the man-whore Madison had accused him of being. He hadn’t seen anything wrong with it, either. All the women in his life up to that point knew what they were getting into.
Hell, he thought Madison did too, but that’s what he got for assuming. But he should have known better. She was different and he’d always sensed it. Which must explain why he couldn’t get her out of his head, all these months later. No other woman who’d graced his bed ever lingered in his mind. Except for the blonde-haired vixen he never should have fucked. At this point he was sure that concussion had scrambled his brains even worse than he thought. But he couldn’t deny the memory of what he’d said to her shamed him and it’d been a long time since he could remember feeling that particular emotion.
He slid out of bed and took a long hot shower. He’d just stepped out when his phone rang.
He grabbed his cell from the counter. “What’s up?” he asked, answering at the same time he wrapped a towel around his waist.
“Good morning, Alex,” a familiar voice said.
“Ian, good to hear your voice.” Alex clenched his jaw, still not comfortable with any kind of relationship with his half-brother.
For Riley, he reminded himself. Alex and Ian’s wife were best friends, childhood friends. He’d do anything for her, including deal with Ian. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”
“Got a job proposition for you,” the other man said.
Alex blinked. “Are you seriously asking me to work for the opposition?” Until his injury, Alex had been the quarterback for the Tampa Breakers. Ian was the President of the Miami Thunder.
Half-brothers. Rivals. In more ways than one.
“Not to rub it in but you’re a free agent,” Ian said.
At least he hadn’t used the word unemployed. Because with his recent head injury, that’s exactly what he was, with no job prospects in sight. “Yeah,” Alex muttered.
“Are you available this morning? Your name came up and Riley thinks you’d be perfect for what we need.”
Now Alex was intrigued. “You’ve got my attention. What time?”
“Eleven at the stadium,” Ian said.
“See you then.” It wasn’t like Alex had anything better to do.
#
Madison paced the confines of her boss’ office. Ian Dare was intimidating on a good day. A good day would be defined as one where everyone agreed with Ian. Today wasn’t one of those days.
“When I took this position, we agreed this program was important, not to mention ground breaking, right?” Madison asked.
Ian straightened his tie and met her gaze with those steely gray eyes. “It is. We’ll be the first football team to institute mandatory post-career education. The Thunder will make sure their players are capable of a successful physical, psychological and social transformation into the real world when their career ends. I don’t care if it’s one year into their contract or ten.”
She nodded. With her background in social work and psychology, she would be in charge of getting the program up and running. She also thought she’d have a say in whoever came on board to work with her.
Apparently not.
She folded her arms across her chest. “So tell me how bringing the playboy athlete on board gels with those goals?” Then, realizing she spoke of his half brother, she cleared her throat. “No insult intended.”
“None taken.” The corner of Ian’s mouth lifted in a wry grin.
Dark-haired, buttoned-up men weren’t her type, but she’d have to be dead not to notice that Ian was one very sexy man and Riley was one very lucky woman.
“I’m aware you and Alex have … history,” Ian said.
“That’s a delicate way of expressing it.” Ian already knew she and Alex had had a relationship. Madison wouldn’t be surprised if Riley had filled him in on the ugly ending. They shared everything.
Madison had met Riley in Madison’s former position as a social worker for domestic abuse victims at the hospital. She’d briefly been Riley’s therapist and had ended up being her closest friend. She knew why Riley never kept Ian in the dark and respected it.
“You’re a professional. If you set your mind to something, I have no doubt you can handle working with Alex,” Ian said.
Madison raised her eyebrows. “Do not try and win me over with platitudes and compliments.”
“Are you saying you can’t work with him?” Ian asked.
Madison laughed. “You must really be used to people you can bullshit. Now you’re trying to challenge me into accepting him.”
He grinned, stunning her. “Is it working?”
“What do you think?” Madison let out a heavy sigh.
She was a pro at protecting herself from hurt and abandonment and as a result, she chose the men she let into her life carefully. They couldn’t get to her on any level except sexually, no chance of being hurt when things ended. From the second she’d laid eyes on Alex standing by Riley’s hospital bed, she’d pegged his type. Cocky and full of himself, she’d bruised his ego when she didn’t let on that she’d recognized the infamous womanizing quarterback. Why should she? The battered female in the bed had been her only concern.
Months later, at Riley and Ian’s engagement party, Alex had stepped up his game. Even as Madison had warned herself that’s all she was to him, a game, she’d allowed her hormones, his charm and their mutual chemistry to override common sense. She’d let her heart betray her. And she’d paid for that in spades, she thought, remembering the days after he’d callously tossed her out of his hospital room, never to be heard from again.
“Who better to co-chair this program than someone whose career has been sidelined by unexpected injury?” Ian’s deep voice broke into her painful thoughts.
“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe someone who takes life seriously?” Madison spat.
But his injury had been serious, she knew. She could still hear the crack of his helmet against the ground in the instant replay.
Ian cleared his throat. “He’s lost without football. He needs direction. And he’s in a unique position to bring perspective to the players you’ll be trying to reach. He’d be the perfect person to talk to the league when we’re ready to try to convince them to make this type of program mandatory for all teams.”
Madison studied Ian closely. His jaw was set tight, his eyes narrowed. Being close to Riley gave her insight into the man. And she knew that before meeting Riley, Ian wanted nothing to do with his half sibling. He’d resented his father’s other family, especially Alex.
“Who are you trying to convince this is the right move? Me? Or yourself?” Madison asked.
Ian stiffened and she knew she was right. “This is Riley’s idea, isn’t it? She’s worried about Alex and she asked you to offer him this opportunity.” Disappointment settled heavy in her heart.
“Every time you speak, you convince me you’re the right woman to spearhead this effort. You’re intuitive. And you’re correct.”
“Nice. So Riley threw me under the bus for him.”
“You know Riley better than that,” Ian said, his tone sharp, as he defended his wife. “She gives her loyalty and love to few people and you’re one of them.”
Madison blinked. “So why isn’t she here telling me herself?” She couldn’t help being hurt and blindsided.
“She’s home sick or she would be.”
Madison swallowed hard. “Do I get a say in this or is it a done deal?” she asked Ian.
He met her gaze. “You’re in charge. You decide who to hire. Ultimately it’s between you and Alex to decide.”
But it was clear to her that both Ian and Riley wanted her to give Alex a chance. “I need to think about this.”
Ian glanced at his watch. Then he cleared his throat. “You’ve got fifteen minutes. Alex will be in the conference room at eleven.”
“Keep him busy till 11:15,” she muttered.
Madison headed back to her office, frustration, anxiety and more than a hint of jitters in her stomach over the prospect of seeing Alex again. But this meeting was the least of her problems and she paced the carpeted floor, pondering the real issue at hand. Could she work side by side with Alex, day after day, remembering what it felt like to have him deep inside her body?
She shivered at the reminder, her nerve endings alive and tingling at the prospect of seeing him again.
Despite how badly he’d hurt her, she still wanted him. And wasn’t that the worst part? She, who’d trained herself at an early age not to want or need anyone or anything, still responded to the mere thought of Alex Dare.
Dare to Desire- available now!
Entice Excerpt by Rachel Van Dyken
Copyright © 2014 by Rachel Van Dyken
Prologue
Chase
I’d always wondered what it would be like — to sacrifice yourself so another person could live. It wasn’t like I was morbid or anything, but in my line of work it was just a daily reality. You don’t work for the mafia and not think about it. Death was at your door constantly. Shit, it practically camped there.
I’d just thought it would come knocking a little bit later in life, you know? Every muscle in my body tensed as the second gunshot rang out.
Funny how at the end of your life you think about the beginning. Even crazier? It was her smile that had first attracted me to her. The way her entire face lit up, the way her eyes said she’d eat me alive if I didn’t watch it. Damn, but so many things changed over the course of a few weeks.
I don’t even know how it happened, how she’d maneuvered her way into my soul, how she’d made it so that I was overcome with madness for her — a type of obsession that I never wanted to be done with. She had destroyed me, and in my destruction, I’d found my
salvation.
I touched my chest and examined my fingers. My blood was wet and sticky. Slowly, I fell to my knees, I heard shouting around me. A foreign grunt came from my lips as my body slumped against the ground. Nixon came running, then Trace, and finally her, my tough as shit, Mil.
My wife.
And now… a widow.
“I’m s-sorry.” My breaths were coming in sharp, as if there was too much pressure on my lungs to breathe. Every gasp hurt like the fires of hell. I was being choked by the pressure in my chest, pushing and tearing, just waiting to pull me into the fiery pit.
“Don’t talk. You’re going to be fine, Chase, you have to be fine!” Mil pressed her hand hard over mine. Tears splashed onto my chest — her tears. “Damn it, Chase! Fight!”
“It’s not cold…” I sighed happily as the pain started to dissipate, leaving me in a state of shock. “It’s so warm.” And it was. Death was warm, not cold as I’d always thought.
Mil slapped me hard across the cheek. “And it’s gonna get hotter than hell if you don’t listen to me. You have to fight, Chase Winter. I refuse to live without you.”
“Okay.” I smiled. I would have probably rolled my eyes too, but moving anything more seemed too much of an effort. She would be fine. She was a fighter, after all. “Love you…” And then I succumbed to the blackness of my warm death. At least I knew, in those last few seconds, that for once in my life, I would have done nothing different.
Because every damn road had eventually led me to her, my wife. Going back? Hell no. Not a chance. Because life is about one thing. Love. And Mil? She was mine.
Chapter One
Unspoken Page 12