Page 23 of Tempting the Player
Bridget started to stand. “Oh, yeah, but I wanted to call them—” She cut herself off. Her boss was giving her a look that said, Sit down and stop acting weird, and really, bolting on lunch would just look crazy.
“Never mind,” Bridget said, fixing a smile on her face. “It can wait.”
Madison stared at her a moment longer and then went back to chatting up Chase.
Life could be so unbelievably cruel.
For the last month, she had wrestled with what she had done and didn’t do with Chad. Part of her was glad she had left before the man wised up and regretted bringing her home, but the other part, the one that operated purely on memories, rehashed the way he’d kissed and touched her over and over again. For a straight month she replayed it, unable to shake the feelings he had awakened in her and wishing she had more memories to linger over.
God, she couldn’t even think about this right now.
When the drinks arrived, she swallowed a gulp, wishing there were some vodka in her diet soda. She needed to try to leave again. Had to. “Madison, I forgot—”
A low rumble from the front of the restaurant cut off Bridget and any hope she had of making a clean getaway. She didn’t have to look to know that he was there. All the commotion was for him. Ball players were like gods in their hometowns.
She dropped her hands to her lap and continued staring at the menu, but when Chase greeted his brother, she had no control over herself. Not looking was like going against nature.
Worn jeans hung low from a tapered waist and the long-sleeved shirt he wore stretched taut over a stomach she knew you could do a nation’s worth of laundry on. Like the other two Gamble brothers, he had shoulders a girl could hold on to. Shoulders that could bear the brunt of anything you threw his way. He had a body that was meant for sex.
She really shouldn’t think of sex right now.
His attention was on whatever Chase was saying, and she was sure he hadn’t even noticed her yet. Why would he when the waitress suddenly appeared out of freaking nowhere, popping a hand on a nonexistent hip as she stared up at him like he was on the appetizer menu. Bridget couldn’t blame her. His easy grin made her stomach flutter as he took the menu from the waitress, his long fingers brushing hers as he did so.
“There’s a water for you,” the waitress said, her cheeks flushed and eyes bright. “Would you like something else?”
Chad shook his head. “Nope, that’s perfect. Thank you.”
Bridget bit down on her lower lip at the sound of his deep, smooth voice and told herself to look away, but now she couldn’t. She stared at him like she was nine kinds of crazy, part of her willing him to look away and another part hoping he disappeared.
“Are you sure?” the waitress asked, batting lashes like she was having a seizure. “I’ll be more than happy to get you something a bit tastier.”
Madison choked on her drink.
“Water is fine, but thank you,” Chad said, polite as ever. And then he added, “But I’ll keep your offer in mind.”
Bridget sighed, totally foreseeing an exchange of numbers in their future.
Finally, the waitress disappeared with a promise to be back to get their orders and an extra swing in her hips.
“Can’t take you anywhere,” Chase said, grinning.
Chad chuckled. “Whatever.”
And then he reached toward Madison, no doubt about to ruffle her hair, but she jerked back, eyes narrowed. “Do that and you won’t be making the waitress’s dreams come true anytime soon.”
Her threat was no deterrent, though, and he managed to mess up her hair before Chase stepped in, threatening to do bodily harm.
Bridget was slowly sinking into the cushion, keeping her hands still tightly clasped. Maybe he would never notice her. Seemed probable, since he hadn’t looked in her direction once, but then Chase had to open his mouth.
“Oh, you haven’t met Bridget, have you?” Chase nodded in her direction, and she felt her eyes go saucer-size wide. “She works with Madison.”
Oh God, oh God, oh God…
As if time came to a crawl and she was stuck in one of those cheesy movies, Chad turned toward her slowly. A wide, welcoming smile split his lips as his gaze flickered over her. He was already leaning down and extending a hand toward her.
Their eyes met.
The smile on his face faded as he jerked back, his eyes widening slightly in recognition.
