Chompin' at the Bit (Horse Play #2) (4 page)

“I may just hold you to that,” I quipped, winking at him.

“Come on. Let’s go.”

With one last deep breath, I nodded, threaded my fingers with his, and allowed him to lead me to the door. When we exited the room, my anxiety over meeting his family reappeared, and I clenched his hand a little tighter with every step. He squeezed back softly, probably trying to signal I should let go before I cut off all the blood flow to his fingers.

The elevator ride seemed much shorter than when we first took it to the ninth floor, and I hoped the hallway had somehow gotten longer. I just wanted a little more time before getting to the hotel restaurant where we were to meet for dinner. No such luck. We arrived at the restaurant within minutes, and I found myself panicking before completely freezing outside the closed doors.

They sounded harmless enough from where I stood. I could hear muffled conversations and laughter, but this did nothing to assuage my fears. Fearfully, I raised my eyes to a concerned-looking Jensen. “What if your sister doesn’t like me?”

 Smiling, his eyes showed an unbelievable amount of understanding. “First, she’s going to love you. Second, I don’t plan on leaving your side all night.”

“Promise?” I asked, my voice shaky.

Leaning forward, he kissed me lightly. “I swear to you.”

I leaned my forehead against his and sighed as my eyes fluttered closed. “Oral contracts are binding, right?”

Jensen chuckled as I opened my eyes and met his sparkling gaze before he kissed me once more. “Yes.”

Feeling some of my confidence return, I took another deep breath and nodded. “Okay, let’s do this.”

With my hand still in his, Jensen opened the door and instantly my eardrums were assaulted by a scream quite possibly higher than Willow’s. Yeah, I didn’t think that was possible, either. When my eyes located the source of the sound, I was shocked and stunned by the woman’s beauty. Clearly, she had to be Jensen’s sister, but she didn’t look anything like I had imagined. Her hair was a copper-blond color, not brown like Jensen’s. It was actually very similar to their father’s hair, and her eyes were a pale blue-green. She was definitely taller than me, but still not quite as tall as Jensen.

“Jensen!” she cried across the room, dropping the hand of a very large, linebacker-looking dude. It was probably safe to assume that was Kyle. “I’ve missed you!” Enthusiastically, she hopped up and wrapped her arms around his neck, but because he was still holding my hand, he returned her embrace one-armed.

“Hey, Lilah-Bean. You excited for tomorrow?” he asked sweetly as she dropped back to the ground. It was then that I realized there was a high probability that she had maybe indulged in a few cocktails. Her cheeks were a subtle shade of pink, her eyes glassy, and she was smiling … a lot.

“Yes! Mom and I have been busy all day decorating the banquet room upstairs!” she told him animatedly, her entire body vibrating with excitement. “Oh! I can’t wait for you to see it!”

“Easy, Lilah,” the man I suspected to be Kyle said as he came up next to her. He held out his hand for Jensen to shake and beamed from ear to ear. His wide smile made him look slightly less intimidating as his cheeks indented with two of the deepest dimples I had ever seen. “Jensen, it’s good to see you again.” His big brown eyes drifted to me and his smile seemed to widen. “And you must be Madison. We’ve heard so much about you. I’m Kyle Lewis.” He moved his hand away from Jensen and held it out to me.

I looked up at Jensen, who seemed a bit embarrassed by Kyle’s candid confession, and reached for the outstretched hand in front of me. As soon as it lay flat against Kyle’s, he yanked me toward him and wrapped me in the tightest bear hug I’d ever experienced in my life, forcing me to relinquish my death-grip on Jensen’s hand.

After setting me back down, he wrapped his arm around Lilah’s waist and pulled her tightly to him. “And this little looker is my soon-to-be wife, Lilah.”

I smiled at her, but it fell shortly after as she appeared to be sizing me up. It wasn’t until that moment that I realized her loyalties probably still lay with Kaylie. True, they were loyalties built on omission and lies, but there was a foundation there that I just didn’t have, nor could I compete with.

Even though she kind of terrified me, I persevered, really wanting her to like me. “Hi, I’m Madison. It’s so great to finally meet you.” I held out a slightly trembling hand to her, but she didn’t take it right away. Instead, she looked from me to Jensen, and then back again before her cold expression warmed and she smiled brightly. Sighing in relief, I felt my smile return.

“We’re so glad you could make it, Madison. Jensen’s been talking about you non-stop. It’s nice to see him happy again.” I was certain she meant nothing by it, but the “again” she tacked on certainly stung.

Sensing something was wrong, Jensen placed his hand flat against the small of my back. “Why don’t we go get a drink?” he suggested quietly, nodding toward the bar.

Kyle and Lilah quickly became wrapped up in each other and didn’t mind our exit. Jensen ushered me toward the bar and leaned against it as we waited for the bartender. I looked around at the slowly filling room and recognized almost no one. Jensen’s parents were clear across the restaurant. Dr. Davis wore her caramel-colored hair up in a sleek chignon, and was all smiles as she and her husband spoke with another couple around their age. Kyle’s parents, maybe?

As I continued to appraise the room, I noticed it was almost whimsical. There were plants and trees everywhere, expertly manicured to perfection. Each table was covered with a white table linen, three pillared candles of varying heights in the center, while six Chiavari chairs surrounded them.

“Sorry about her. She was upset about the breakup. Plus, she’s been drinking. She’s always a tad more sensitive to mood swings with a little alcohol in her,” Jensen explained, drawing my attention back to him.

“No, it’s okay. Honestly, I figured as much. I get it,” I assured him.

When the bartender finally approached us, Jensen leaned in and asked for two glasses of champagne as I surveyed the room again. Paranoia had set in since meeting Lilah, and I had to wonder if any of these women were Kaylie. There were a few that I could have seen Jensen with; tall and gorgeous, some blond, some brunette.

A champagne flute appeared in front of me as Jensen leaned up against my back and whispered in my ear. “She’s not here. I honestly don’t think she’ll show tonight.”

“I wasn’t—” I cut myself off as I turned around and met Jensen’s knowing eyes. “Okay, so maybe I was. Can you really blame me, though?”

Chuckling he leaned down and kissed me. “No, I suppose not. Come on,” he said, looking over my head. “My parents are waving us over.”

“One more drink first,” I said, bringing my glass to my lips.

“One more? You haven’t even—” I tipped the glass in a very unladylike fashion and downed it, hoping to drown my nerves after the way Lilah greeted me. “Okay then.” Laughing as I polished off my drink, Jensen turned back to the bartender and asked for one more. When I had it in my possession, he replaced his hand on my lower back and led me toward the far end of the large restaurant where his parents stood amongst a sea of people.

“Jensen!” his mother exclaimed, hugging her son. “And Madison. Oh, you look stunning.” She pulled me into her arms and held me, and I couldn’t help but close my eyes and absorb this moment. I could feel a slight burn in my eyes as I fought back tears, and I clenched them tighter to keep them from falling. The way she embraced me was overwhelming emotionally; it was how a mother would hug.

My mother died when I was two, so I didn’t remember much about her. There were a few things that came to me in flashes, but I can’t really be sure if they’re memories or dreams. Throughout my childhood, I was close with Willow’s mom, and she always treated me like a daughter. But for some reason
this
just felt different.

Her hand came up and smoothed my hair, almost knowing what affect this had on me. Thankfully, it helped and I was able to gather my composure and release her. “Dr. Davis, it’s great to see you again.”

“Madison, please, call me Janet,” she encouraged, slipping her arm through mine and ushering me away from Jensen. I panicked, but only briefly until I turned and saw him and his father flanking us as we made our way to a large nearby table with ten chairs around it. “How was your drive in?”

“Um, it was good. It seemed to go by quick enough,” I said, taking my seat to her left as Jensen sat on my other side, and his dad on Janet’s right.

“How is your room?” she asked, sipping her champagne.

“It’s great, Mom. Thanks again. Let me know if I can offer anything toward it,” Jensen said from behind me.

Janet dismissed his offer by waving her hand. “Nonsense, darling.”

As we sat and spoke, I hadn’t realized my second drink had disappeared, but Jensen made sure I had another waiting. I could feel the dull tingle in my arms and legs as the alcohol started to take effect, and I found myself a little more social, always contributing something to the conversation. Occasionally, I’d glance over at Jensen and he would be smiling from ear to ear at me before leaning in and pressing his lips to my temple. Of course, just like every time his lips touched any part of my body, my mind went elsewhere.

I turned my body to him and smiled lazily. “Hey,” I whispered, placing my hand on his knee.

“Hello,” he responded with a smile of his own. “How are you feeling?”

“Ummm,” I contemplated for far too long—a sure indication that I was well on my way to drunksville. “Pretty good, actually.” I was trying really hard to annunciate every syllable that tumbled out of my mouth. “Though …” I curled my index finger to invite him closer. “I think I might be getting a little drunk.”

He chuckled, kissing my cheek before the faint scruff on his face tickled my jaw. “Yes, love, I think you might be.”

I gasped, slapping his chest and drawing the attention of everyone at the table. “Oops, sorry.” I waited for everyone to go back to their conversations before I turned back to Jensen. I giggled at myself, causing him to eye me curiously.

“Baby?”

My giggling ceased, and I snapped my head up. “No, no, no, no,” I repeated in a loud whisper, leaning into him and cradling his face. “I like love.”

Jensen’s brows furrowed slightly. “Yes, love is good …?”

“No, silly. I like when you
call
me love,” I elaborated, running my hand over his jaw.

“Oh yeah?”

“Mmm hmm. You called me that when you scared Dane away.” I giggled again as I remembered that first kiss. Not because the kiss was funny, but because Jensen’s towel fell off and he accidentally (I think) exposed himself to me … again.

“You’re adorable,” he confessed. “Dinner will probably be served right away. That should help sober you just a little. I should have made sure you’d eaten better before we left home.”

“Mmm,” I hummed. “You’re always taking such good care of me, baby.”

“Well, somebody has to,” he teased as the servers arrived with our food. “Come on, eat something.”

Because Jensen’s family were also vegetarians, there were vegan options offered along with the standard meats for all the other guests. The food was delicious—which shouldn’t have shocked me considering the hotel we were staying at, and soon I felt slightly less drunk, but still pretty damn loopy. As we ate, I looked around the table at everyone we were dining with. Janet and Henry were right next to me. Lilah next to her father, Kyle to her right. The Lewises sat next to their son, and his groomsman, Gavin, beside them. My eyes then drifted to the one empty seat at the table, and I glared at it, knowing who it belonged to.

“How was your dinner?” Jensen asked, tossing his napkin on his plate.

Breaking out of my trance, I turned to him. “Really good. Yours?”

“Also good. I’m going to grab a glass of cognac. Can I grab you anything? Coffee? Water?” he offered sweetly.

“Actually, a glass of wine.” He arched his eyebrow skeptically. “I’m fine. I feel better.”

“All right,” he conceded before standing. “I’ll be back.”

“Oh, I’m actually just going to run to the ladies’ room. I’ll be right back.” He pulled my chair out for me as I stood and kissed my cheek before we parted ways. I had to walk slowly considering the heels I wore and my still-slight inebriation.

I stumbled slightly on the tile floor, laughing foolishly at myself as I reached the stall farthest from the door. After finishing up, I moved to the sink and washed my hands before checking my makeup. I quickly applied a little more lip-gloss, feeling content with my appearance, and moved for the door. I was barely two feet from the washrooms when a hand ensnared my bare arm and yanked me into a darkened area of the hall.

Familiar lips were on mine before I could cry out, and my body instantly softened in his arms. The minute my back met the wall, Jensen released his hold on me, letting his fingers ghost up my arms until he cupped my face in his hands. Hidden from view of everyone in the restaurant, we quickly got lost in the moment as we kissed secretly.

Even though I was fairly tipsy, I didn’t miss that there was something else behind this kiss. While almost every kiss we shared was intense and passionate in its own way, there was a different kind of eagerness that accompanied his affections. It was almost as if he had something to prove. But what? Honestly, I was in no condition to refuse him; I was terribly needy and just a little drunk—which was a terrible combination in most cases.

My desire from earlier exploded deep within me, and I pushed my hips toward his, feeling his arousal. I smiled against his lips before sliding my hands down and grabbing his belt loops so I could pull him against me. Groaning and pressing forward, his fingers curled and dug into the back of my scalp before moving quickly down my back and roughly grabbing my ass. He wriggled his fingers and I could suddenly feel cool air on my thighs as my skirt climbed higher and higher. I was about two seconds from grabbing his tie and pulling him into the washroom so I could do unspeakable things to him when …