Backfire

by Metsy Hingle

  Chase leaned forward, eager to share the good news. “I gave them your proposal, outlining the need and the positive impact a conference center addition would mean to the hotel. I gave them a copy of your memo to me explaining how the conference center would allow the hotel to aggressively compete for a larger share of the convention business. They were very impressed, Madeline.” Pleasure flooded him at the glow in her eyes, taking some of the edge off his desire for her. Strange, that seeing her happy could make him feel this good. “They took a vote and agreed to the addition. You’re going to get your conference center, Madeline.”

  “I know,” she said smiling. “My father told me last night.”

  His sudden burst of pleasure died at her words. Of course her father would tell her, Chase reasoned, scuffling to temper his disappointment. But he had wanted to be the one to give her the news and resented the other man for beating him to it.

  “It’s wonderful news, Chase. Just wonderful. Thank you so much.”

  Chase shrugged, his excitement lost at having his surprise for Madeline ruined by her father’s early announcement. “Thank yourself, Princess. Your proposal was solid. I simply delivered the idea.”

  “I don’t believe it. A sudden attack of modesty from Chase McAllister?” She laughed. “You did more than deliver it, Chase. According to my father, when they got him on the phone for the vote and he launched into his spiel for the conference center, you backed him up. He said you rammed the statistics down the board members’ throats until they voted the way you wanted them to.”

  He had been heavy-handed, Chase admitted silently. He had wanted the conference center addition for the hotel-not only because it made good business sense, but because he knew it would please Madeline. So, he had thrown his weight as a partner and Majestic’s troubleshooter around the boardroom table long before her father had been contacted by phone for his vote. Resentment tore through him as he thought of Henri refusing to attend the meeting because of his busy schedule.

  “Thank you.” She reached over and squeezed his hand.

  Chase looked down at the small slender fingers that rested against his own, recalling how he had lain awake at night thinking of her, wanting her. Desire ripped through him again, staggering him with its intensity. He closed his fingers around hers.

  Madeline paused, and as though sensing his shift in mood, she pulled back her hand. “It’s going to mean a lot to the long-range future for the Saint Charles. I appreciate your getting the board to agree to the addition, Chase. My father and I both do.”

  Irritated by the mention of her father again, Chase stood. He paced the length of the room, stopping near the window. “If Paul James comes through with a good price, they should be able to start construction within a couple of weeks. With a little luck, you’ll be able to start selling meeting space for the fall. You may want to start working with marketing on some brochures.”

  “I’ll do that,” she said, her lips curving into a tentative smile. “I’ve already come up with several ideas.”

  Chase glanced over at her, sitting in the chair, her face glowing with excitement as she talked about her marketing ideas for the conference center and the positive impact it would have on the hotel. She belongs here, he thought, thinking how perfect she looked amidst the exquisite furnishings. The plush almond carpet, the drapes made of wine-colored damask, the antique settee and the framed Matisse resting above it—every inch of the place shouted class—just like Madeline.

  And she’ll be devastated when her father manages to lose it. He was crazy to do it, but he had to warn her. “This is going to be an expensive project, Princess.”

  “I know. My father said Majestic is budgeting more than a million dollars for it, and that doesn’t include furnishings.”

  Chase fingered the scar along his chin. “Did he also tell you that, since the addition isn’t part of the renovation, he’ll be expected to fund a portion of it since he’s one of the owners?”

  “No. But since Majestic and he both own the hotel, that makes sense. He probably assumed I would realize as much.”

  Or he hadn’t bothered to worry about that little detail. The conference center hadn’t been part of his plan to see Charbonnet destroyed. But the other man’s greed to have Majestic help pay to construct the addition to his hotel would merely speed up Charbonnet’s self-destruction. He should be happy about this, Chase told himself. It was what he wanted, what he had striven for when he had convinced Majestic to buy into the Saint Charles.

  But the same sense of fairness that had compelled him to point out to Charbonnet the financial ramifications the addition would mean to him made Chase spell out those same warnings to Madeline now. Only it wasn’t just a sense of justice, and he knew it. The realization annoyed him. He walked over and stood before her. “Do you think he’s going to be able to come up with his share?” he asked, irritated with himself making his voice harder than he had intended.

  Madeline’s spine stiffened. “Well, if he couldn’t, it would have been foolish for him to vote for the addition. Wouldn’t it?”

  Her defense of the other man only fueled his darkening mood. “You and I both know your father’s very good at spending money, Princess. Particularly when it’s other people’s. You might want to remind him that this time he’ll have to spend some of his own.”

  Her green eyes grew frosty. “Your company gave my father a lot of money for a share in his hotel, Chase. I suspect he’ll use some of it.”

  “That is assuming he has any left.” Given the other man’s lavish life-style and penchant for entertaining, Chase suspected Charbonnet had gone through a considerable part of his proceeds from the sale. In truth, Chase had counted on him doing just that.

  The heat of anger colored her cheeks and turned the green of her eyes to the shade of jade. “Whether he does or doesn’t, I’d say my father’s finances are none of your concern. Or mine, either, for that matter. I don’t even know why we’re having this conversation.”

  “Because the hotel is your concern.” Chase drew in a long breath and released it. “I know how much you love this place, Madeline,” he said, attempting to gentle his voice. “And I know how much you hated your father selling off a part of it and me coming here to run it.”

  “I’m over that, Chase. Really, I am. You’ve been good for the hotel.” She averted her gaze. “I…I’m glad you’re here.”

  He swallowed, taking comfort and pleasure in her admission. He tipped up her chin, forcing her to look at him. “But how will you feel if my firm ends up with an even larger share of your hotel?”

  Madeline paled. She pushed his hand away and stood. “What do you mean?”

  “I mean if your father fails to come up with his share of the money for the addition, and Majestic has to fund it, then Majestic will be forced to claim a larger interest in the hotel.”

  “Then don’t do it. Forget about the conference center.”

  Chase shook his head. “Can’t. Aside from the fact that your father and the board have already agreed to do it, the hotel needs the conference center if it’s going to survive in the market here. The thing should have been added a long time ago. You know that yourself. That’s the reason you tried to convince your father to build it before Majestic ever came on to the scene. And it’s the reason I agreed to present your proposal to the board in the first place.”

  Her worried expression tore at him, made him feel guilty. “Listen, I’m not saying any of those things are going to happen. Maybe your father will prove me wrong and have no problem coming through with his share of the money when the time comes.” He didn’t think so. He had studied and tracked Charbonnet’s spending habits for years and knew the other man didn’t believe in putting money aside-not when there were parties to go to or things to buy. Still, he would give the other man the benefit of the doubt. Besides, he wanted to erase that sick look in Madeline’s eyes. “I just want you to be prepared if he doesn’t.”

  “Thanks. I appreciate it.�
�� The smile she gave him was overbright and as phony as the one she had worn at the reception announcing the hotel merger. “But I’m sure we’re both worrying for nothing. The only reason my father sold an interest in the hotel in the first place was so he could save it. The place has needed repairs and renovations for a long time, and he simply couldn’t do it on his own. He would never have agreed to the conference center addition if he didn’t think he could come up with his share of the money. He would never do anything to risk losing the Saint Charles. It’s the most important thing in the world to him.”

  And evidently it was more important than his daughter, Chase thought bitterly as Madeline politely thanked him once more and left. And it was one more reason for him to hate Henri Charbonnet and renew his vow to destroy him.

  Returning to his desk, Chase sat down and buzzed through to Henri Charbonnet’s office. “Sara, this is Chase McAllister. Is Mr. Charbonnet available?”

  “I’m sorry, Mr. McAllister, he’s not in his office right now.”

  “Has he gone for the day?”

  “I believe he said he had an early dinner meeting,” the secretary replied. “Would you like me to try to locate him for you?”

  Silently Chase cursed the man and his never-ending social schedule. He’d lay odds the dinner meeting would take place in the hotel’s dining room and be charged off as a business expense to the hotel as usual. “No. Just have him call me when he gets in tomorrow morning.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “And, Sara, see what you can do to clear his calendar for a couple of hours. He and I need to go over a few things.”

  After hanging up the phone, Chase leaned back and rested his head against the soft expensive leather. Closing his eyes, he breathed deeply and caught a whiff of Madeline’s perfume. Roses, he thought, disgusted to find himself becoming aroused by the lingering scent.

  He opened his eyes and grabbed the contracts awaiting his approval from his In box. For the sake of his sanity, not to mention his body, he hoped his long-stemmed beauty didn’t keep either one of them waiting much longer.

  Seven

  “You can? Oh, Kyle, you’re a dream,” Madeline said as she penciled in the name of the downtown hotel next to the last person on her list of overbookings. “I don’t have to tell you how crazy it’s been here with the Jazzfest going on. I really owe you for this one.”

  “Big-time,” he assured her. “That’s the fifth walk I’ve taken for you in the past two days.”

  And while she could throttle the new guy in reservations responsible for the overbookings that had forced her to scramble and call in favors to accommodate the displaced guests, she would not complain, Madeline told herself. The sellouts during the past two weekends would soon be a distant and bright memory when the dead summer months arrived. “I know. How about if I buy you lunch?”

  “I’d prefer dinner. I haven’t seen much of you lately, Madeline.”

  “I’ve really been busy, Kyle. They’ve started the renovations on the hotel, and there’s the conference center addition that’s about to get under way.” Although neither were a part of her job, she wanted to be on hand as they polished and buffed her beloved hotel, restoring it to its original beauty. It was foolish. The hotel wasn’t hers. It didn’t even belong solely to her father anymore, but she still loved it.

  “You doing okay?”

  “I’m fine,” she replied. If one could classify the constant butterflies in her stomach and lust in her heart every time she set eyes on Chase McAllister as “doing fine.” Sighing, Madeline spun her chair around to look out the window of her office. She blinked, surprised to see the sunlight had already begun to slip away.

  “So, how’s it going with that McAllister fellow? You two still butting heads?”

  “No. Things are better.” At least where business was concerned, Madeline added silently. Her problems with Chase had little to do with the hotel. No, her problems centered on the fact that she wanted Chase. And each time he kissed her, each time he sent her one of those dark, hungry looks, she moved closer to succumbing to the temptation of going to bed with him. She didn’t indulge in meaningless affairs for the sake of lust. That in itself should be reason enough not to become involved with him. But it wasn’t the only reason she had held herself back. Fear of the aftermath of surrendering to that desire had been a big motivator. Because when he left in the fall, she was very much afraid Chase would take with him a piece of her heart.

  “I’m glad to hear that. But you know if things don’t work out, I mean if you were unhappy there, I could get you on here. The GM was interested when I mentioned you might be considering a change a couple of months ago. He said they’re always looking for someone in the sales department who knows the hotel business.”

  “I appreciate that, Kyle. But sales isn’t really where I want to be.”

  “Still hoping for a GM position, huh?”

  “Yes. But I’m willing to settle for assistant GM and work my way up,” she told him, smiling. Suddenly her smile froze as she sensed she was no longer alone. The hairs at the base of her neck lifted. Tiny fingers of awareness tiptoed down her spine. She knew even before turning around that she would find Chase.

  “So, how about that dinner? We can discuss your plan for moving up the hotel ladder.”

  Easing her chair around slowly, her heart did a jig when she saw him standing in the doorway, his arms folded over his chest, that wicked smile on his face.

  “Madeline?”

  Madeline jerked her attention back to Kyle. “I’m sorry, Kyle. What did you say?”

  The smile on Chase’s mouth died at the mention of Kyle’s name. His eyes narrowed, flickered menacingly as he watched her and listened. A thrill of pleasure shot through Madeline at the gleam of possessiveness in his look.

  “I asked if you’re free for dinner tonight.”

  “Dinner? Tonight?” Madeline repeated, knowing she sounded like an idiot and unable to do a thing about it with her heart hammering away.

  “Madeline, is something wrong? You sound as though your brains turned to mush.”

  “No. I’m fine. Really,” she insisted, tugging her eyes from Chase’s face. Suddenly anxious, she asked, “Kyle, would you mind terribly if I took a rain check on that dinner? It’s been a really long day for me and I’m a little tired.”

  “Sure. No problem. How about if I give you a call next week and set something up?”

  “Yes. Next week will be fine. I’ll wait to hear from you. Oh, and, Kyle, thanks again for helping out with the rooms. I really do appreciate it. You were a lifesaver.”

  “I thought I was a dream.”

  “That, too,” Madeline managed in answer to his lighthearted response. After saying goodbye, she replaced the phone on its cradle.

  Awareness hummed between them, and when she lifted her eyes to meet Chase’s, her nerves sizzled under the intensity of his silent blue gaze. Then he was crossing the room, standing before her, pulling her to her feet and capturing her mouth with his.

  From the fierceness of his expression Madeline had expected his kiss to be savage and hurried. But it was gentle and lingering instead. The unexpected sweetness of it was disarming and undermined any thought of her resisting.

  He ran his tongue slowly along the shape of her lips, tempting her, teasing her with his heat. And when he whispered her name, it was her fingers sliding up his chest. Her fingers tangling in his hair. Her body on fire as he pulled her closer and deepened the kiss. Her ears rang. Her pulse beat so wildly she thought it would burst. She couldn’t think. She forgot all about breathing. When his hands slid down her spine, cupped her buttocks and pressed her to him, Chase groaned.

  Dragging her mouth free, Madeline gasped for air while her traitorous body continued to cling to him. Her head swam with dizzying pleasure as his mouth moved to explore her jaw, the sensitive spot beneath her ear. Grappling for what remained of her fraying control, Madeline pressed her hands against his chest. “Chase,” she cried ou
t his name. “Chase, please.”

  “Please what, Madeline?” he murmured hoarsely as he nibbled his way to the lobe of her ear.

  Her breath hitched when he shifted his attention to her neck. “Please, stop.”

  His fingers tightened on her shoulders. She felt his body shudder, his chest rise and fall as he drew in several deep breaths and struggled for control. Then he lifted his head, rested it against hers for long moments before dropping his hands and stepping back.

  The silence stretched between them until Madeline thought she would splinter with the tension. “Did…did you want me for something?”

  Chase’s head snapped up. His eyes shimmered with banked desire. “Oh, I want you, all right,” he said, that dangerous smile tugging at his lips.

  Madeline flushed. “I meant did you want to see me about hotel business?”

  “No.” He prowled around her office and finally commandeered the corner of her desk. Madeline waited for Chase to explain. But he didn’t, evidently too intent on studying the crystal paperweight he had plucked from her desk. He held the sphere up to the light.

  The jealousy that had gripped him by the throat when he had stood there listening to that wistful note in her voice and realized who she was talking to refused to let him go. It was the reason he had kissed her, to prove to himself that he was the one she wanted. Her sweet, hungry response had given him the answer. Yet the monster still clawed at his gut. “You going to have dinner with pretty boy?” Chase asked, pleased he had managed to sound casual when he was feeling anything but.

  “I don’t know. Probably,” Madeline replied, her brow knitting as though confused by the question. “I guess I should. I owe him a favor for taking some of our hotel overbookings.”

  “Then it’s still just business between you and him.”

  “Of course it’s just business between us,” she said impatiently.

  “That’s good, Princess.” He looked away from the paperweight and directly into her eyes, disturbed by the relief her response brought him. “Because I don’t share.”