Tempting the Player (20 page)

“If you do,” she said firmly, “you will find a way to fix this.”

Chad stared at his publicist/babysitter/daughter of Satan. “Jesus, woman, I do not envy the man you end up with.”

Miss Gore’s smile was pure evil. “Neither do I.”

Chapter Twenty-two

It was only an hour into the Winter Fund-raiser Gala, and her face hurt from all the smiling and her feet were killing her from avoiding Robert and Madison.

Really not fair for Madison, but she had Chase with her, and besides, the fact that he looked so much like Chad was a little bit disturbing. Plus he immediately wanted to know what the hell crawled up Chad’s ass since Christmas.

It hurt to even think about answering that, and she knew she would have to eventually once Miss Gore gave up on the idea of Chad coming around. Their very real breakup of their very fake relationship would go public soon.

Bridget tried not to think about that as she greeted guests and kept track of the caterers. She was pretty sure one of them was high as a kite. She was torn between asking the kid to leave and finding out where he hid his stash.

Director Bernstein approached her with a warm smile and clasped her hands in his. “The Gala is amazing, Miss Rodgers. You and Miss Daniels have outdone yourselves this year.”

“Thank you. I hope we can have the same turnout next year.”

The skin around his eyes crinkled. “Well, as long as that boyfriend of yours is around, I’m sure we will.”

Bridget blinked slowly. “Come again?”

Patting her on the shoulder, he laughed softly. “There’s no need for pretense. I know Mr. Gamble asked me to keep his donation a secret, but I’m sure he had to have shared his act of generosity with you.”

Her stomach dropped.

“Because of him, the volunteer department will see another year, probably two.” Director Bernstein squeezed her shoulder, but she really didn’t feel it. “I shouldn’t have been so quick to cut him out. After all that he has done for the Institute, he should be here.”

“Uh…” Bridget had no idea what to say.

The director gave her another squeeze. “Enjoy yourself tonight. You deserve it. And please pass along my gratitude to Mr. Gamble.”

Bridget nodded dumbly and watched Director Bernstein rejoin his wife. Several moments passed before it fully sank in.

Chad had made the last donation that might not have saved the department all on its own, but it had saved her job and was what had gotten her reinvited to her own event. Hope and confusion battled it out for top contender for what she was feeling right now. Obviously, he’d done this before he’d found out she had been conned into being his girlfriend. Right?

Dodging guests, she found Madison with Chase. “Did you know?” she blurted out.

Madison’s eyes widened. “Did I know what?”

“Did you know that Chad had been the one who made the donation that took us to our goal?”

“What?” She turned to Chase, smacking him in the arm. Hard. “You didn’t tell me?”

Okay. Madison really didn’t know.

“Hey.” Chase held up his hands. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Oh my God,” Bridget said, stunned. “I can’t believe he made that donation. That was so much money.”

“Damn,” Chase said, brows raised. “I don’t think Chad has ever made a donation to anything except when he plays poker, because he’s sure to lose. The Smithsonian should name a room after him.”

Madison grinned. “Actually, they should name it after Bridget, because I’m sure that’s why he made the donation.”

Turning around, Bridget smoothed her hands over the skirt of her simple black dress. She had to do something. She didn’t know what or if it changed a damn thing, but she had to thank him.

Bridget had to ask him why.

Spinning back to Madison, she took a deep breath. “I…I have to go.”

“What?” Madison stepped forward. “Bridget, are you—”

“I’m okay. Really.” She paused to smile at Chase. “I just need to go, okay?”

Whirling around, she didn’t wait for Madison or Chase to say anything else. She cut across the main room, hastily delving out smiles and kept going so she couldn’t be stopped.

She was ten feet from the entrance when she came to a complete stop and the air rushed out of her lungs.

Standing under the twinkling white lights was Chad Gamble.

He was dressed in a tux, dressed like he’d planned on attending, and God, he looked wonderful. His sky blue eyes scanned the room and landed on her.

She couldn’t move. The world around her ceased to exist.

With a look of determination, he strode toward her. He didn’t walk. Oh no, he stalked up to her.

“Going somewhere?” he asked.

“Yes.” She shook her head. “I was leaving to find you.”

“You were?” He cocked his head to the side. “Why?”

“I need to talk to you.” She glanced around as she took ahold of his arm, hoping to move the conversation to a much more private area. “You made the donation.”

Bridget couldn’t glean anything from his expression, and he wasn’t moving. “I did,” he replied.

“Why?” She kept her voice low. “Chad, that was so much money and—”

“I love you,” he said, and loud enough that several people around them stopped and turned. A bit of blush filled the hollows of his cheeks. “That’s why I did it. May not have fully realized it at the time, but I do. I love you. And I can’t have my girl not having her job.”

Bridget stared at him, unsure she heard him correctly, but by then, they had gained such an audience and, by the expressions on their faces, they had to have imagined the same thing.

“You love me?” she squeaked out.

A half smile appeared. “Yeah, I do.”

Everything felt surreal, like she was dreaming. “Maybe we should go talk somewhere—”

“No. I want to do this here,” he said, dropping his hands on her shoulders. “I’ve been an ass the majority of my life. I didn’t want to get off the playground, you know.”

“What?”

He shook his head. “Forget the playground statement but listen. From the night I first met you, I knew I was never going to meet another woman like you. I should’ve found you after then, but somehow you came back into my life. I don’t know how. I really don’t deserve that kind of luck, and I sure as hell don’t deserve a woman like you.”

Tears were building in her eyes. “Chad…”

“I’m not finished, babe.” His blue eyes were dancing. “I’ve done a lot of things I’m not proud of. I didn’t sleep with those women, by the way. Still didn’t do that, but that’s not the point. I did do a lot of things that impacted other people. I never took responsibility for any of it, but what I regret most was leaving your place on Christmas Day.”

Oh God, she was going to start bawling. “Chad, it’s okay. We can—”

“It wasn’t okay. I should’ve heard you out.” He let go, taking a deep breath. “And I never wanted to fix anything until now, and it has nothing to do with the contract. Fuck the contract.”

Bridget sucked in a breath, but it got caught.

“I want to fix things because of you. I want to be worthy of you.”

Tears sneaked out of her eyes then. “But you are, Chad. You are.”

A bit of the smugness eked into his expression. “Well, I know I’m great, but I could be better for you.”

Bridget laughed shakily. “Wow.”

“What I’m trying to say is that you’re the best fake girlfriend I’ve ever had.” Chad went down on one knee in front of her and the entire world. “I’m in awe of you.”

She froze. “What are you doing?”

“Holy shit,” Chase said from the sidelines.

“Shut up,” hissed Madison.

Chad shot his brother a wicked look and then turned his gaze back to her. “This may be crazy, but what the hell, right?” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small black box, and Bridget felt faint as he cracked it open. An emerald set in a silver band winked up at her. “I love you, Bridget. I’m pretty sure you feel the same way about me, and screw the whole dating thing. Let’s get married.”

Blood drained from her upper body so fast she really thought she was going to topple right over.

Chad waited. “What do you say? Will you marry me?”

Oddly enough, Bridget’s entire life flashed before her eyes. Which was really weird, considering she wasn’t dying or anything, but it did. In an instant, everything she had ever been and ever would be collided. Her heart swelled. Happiness rushed over her.

Her eyes locked with his and the words came out. “Yes. Yes!”

There was a thunderous roar as Chad rose to his feet and slipped the ring on. It was a little big, but she couldn’t care about that in the moment. Looking up at Chad, she closed her eyes as his lips descended on hers in the sweetest, most tender kiss they ever shared.

“Holy shit,” she heard Chase say again, and Chad and her parted, laughing as they saw his dumbstruck brother standing next to Madison.

Wrapping his arms around Bridget, Chad lowered his mouth to her ear. “Thank you,” he said. “Thank you.”

She burrowed her face into his neck as she clutched his arms. “You do deserve me.”

He slid his arms to her waist. “Then show me.”

She so got what he was referencing. Grabbing Chad by the arm, she shot the director an apologetic smile. “Sorry about the circus. Really, I am.”

Director Bernstein looked as stunned as she felt, but she kept going, leading Chad out into the lobby and down the hall. They made a pit stop in the first room they found—a small storage room holding the wine for the Gala. It was chilled in there, but it was perfect.

Chad locked the door behind him and turned to her, eyes flaring a deep blue. “I need to hear you say it.”

Her heart fluttered. “I love you, Chad. I wanted to tell you that on Christmas, but—”

“But I acted like a douche, I know.” He came up to her and reached up, tugging her hair down so it was a mess of waves and curls. “I want to spend the rest of my life making up for it.”

Amazing how those words turned her on more than anything in this world. “Then start making up for it now.”

“Oh, I like that. Bossy pants.” His head dipped and he kissed her—kissed her in a way that was so different from before, as if he was telling her that he knew he had her, and he was never letting go. “Think you can handle marrying a player?”

Bridget slid her hand between them, finding where he was already ready for her. “As long as he’s a player only on the field, yes.” She cupped him and smiled when he moaned against her lips. “You think you can handle me?”

In a split second, Chad had her flipped around, her back pressed against his front. “What do you think?” His breath was hot in her ear as he slid a hand up her thigh. “No stockings. I have to say I agree.”

Her panties were gone before she could even say a word. They ended up down by her ankles and she stepped out of them.

“That’s my girl.” He kissed the back of her neck. “That’s my soon-to-be wife.”

The sound of his zipper coming down almost had her coming right then. There was no other warning. He slid into her, his rhythm hot and furious, relentless and beautiful, as he guided her neck back, bringing his mouth to hers. Both were panting, their hips rocking into each other as he took them to a soul-shattering release that left them breathless.

When Chad spun her around to face him, he kissed her deeply and held her against him, every so often dropping a kiss to her cheek and then her eyelids.

“I guess I do have to thank Miss Gore,” Bridget admitted when she could speak again.

“What for?” Chad straightened the hem on her dress and then pressed a kiss to her throat.

She smiled up at him, her heart swelling so fast she was sure it was going to burst. “For you.”

Chad cupped her cheeks. “You’re right, but I’m the one who needs to be thanking her. She brought
you
back into my life. Let’s never tell her, though” he said, kissing her lips. “She can come to the wedding, but God knows her head can’t get any bigger. She doesn’t need our help.”
Bridget laughed as she looped her arms around Chad’s neck, happier than she ever believed possible—with Chad Gamble of all people, a player on the field and a reformed one off. And all because of the publicist from hell. Funny how things worked out.

“Agreed,” she said, smiling.

Chad dipped his head once more and based on the way he was kissing her, taking her into him over and over again, they wouldn’t be leaving the wine room anytime soon.

Acknowledgments

A special thank-you goes out to Liz Pelletier and the team behind Entangled Brazen for loving the Gamble Brothers as much as I do, and to Kevan Lyon for being the awesomesauce agent that she always is. And to my publicist Stacey O’Neale, thank you for all the hard work you do. Thank you to my friends who’ve always been a huge support—Stacey Morgan, Dawn, Lesa, Cindy, and so on—and to my family and husband.

None of this would be possible without all you readers out there. I owe you the biggest thanks in the world. Every one of you amazes me. Thank you.

Unleash your inner vixen with these Brazen releases…

One Night with a Hero
by Laura Kaye

After growing up with an abusive, alcoholic father, Army Special Forces Sgt. Brady Scott vowed never to have a family of his own. But when a hot one-night stand with new neighbor Joss Daniels leads to an unexpected pregnancy, can he let go of his past and create a new future with her?

Down for the Count
by Christine Bell

After Lacey Garrity’s wedding day goes horribly, adulterously wrong, she shucks her straight-laced life and accepts a reckless challenge from sexy boxer Galen Thomas, her best friend’s older brother. The dare? Take him on her honeymoon instead, but will running away with the enemy lead Lacey to love?

No Flowers Required
by Cari Quinn

A night of passion is all down-on-her-luck flower shop owner Alexa Conroy wants, but when she propositions a sexy stranger, she gets more than she bargained for. Dillon James isn’t who he says he is. Will saving her company be enough to protect their love from Dillon’s lies?

Wrong Bed, Right Guy
by Katee Robert

Prim and proper art gallery coordinator Elle Walser is no good at seducing men. She slips into her boss’s bed in the hopes of winning his heart, but instead, finds herself in the arms of Gabe Schultz, his bad boy nightclub mogul brother. Has Elle’s botched seduction led her to the right bed after all?

Seducing Cinderella
by Gina L. Maxwell

Mixed martial arts fighter Reid Andrews needs to reclaim his title. Lucie Miller needs seduction lessons to catch the eye of another man. They agree to help each other, but by the end of their respective trainings, Reid and Lucy might just discover they’ve already found what they desire most…