Page 78 of Tempting the Player
“This is what my mom used to put up in the house for Christmas. It’s kind of dumb and really pathetic, but I always liked the stupid thing.” Chad pulled out a faint green ceramic Christmas tree about two feet tall. Each limb had a tiny bulb attached to it. An electrical plug dangled from the base. “Pretty cornball, huh? But this was our tree for years.”
Tears filled her eyes as he got up and sat the tree on the end table and then plugged it in. The little tree lit from within, glowing a soft green, and the multicolored bulbs glimmered.
“Ta-da!” He straightened and faced Bridget. The wide smile immediately faded. “Oh no…”
“I’m sorry.” She dabbed at the corners of her eyes with the sleeves of her robe. “I don’t mean to cry. I’m not upset.”
He looked more confused by each passing second.
“This is just such a nice thing,” she hastily added. “I love the tree, really, I do. Thank you.”
And she was pretty sure in that moment she knew there was no turning back. She had fallen hard for him, irrevocably so. Nothing was going to change that. Not even the fact that their whole relationship was built on lies.
Bridget was in love with him.
That realization couldn’t have come at a better or worse time. Her heart was swelling while her brain was plotting ways to kick the ever-loving crap out of her. Falling for Chad was so dangerous to her heart, but she couldn’t help it.
Her heart didn’t belong to her anymore.
It belonged to the man in front of her.
Chad’s grin was a little unsure, something she’d never seen before. “Man, if you’re going to cry over that, I better find some tissues.”
Bridget started laughing. “Why?”
“Prepare yourself.” Chad reached back in the box and pulled out a small red box wrapped with red satin. “I got you something.”
“Oh, Chad, you shouldn’t have.”
He arched a brow. “You haven’t even seen what it is.”
“But I didn’t—”
“I don’t care that you didn’t get me something. That’s not what this is about.” He sat back down, and Pepsi rolled over against his leg like a blob of orange fat and fur. “And besides, you’ve pretty much given me my future with the team, even if you agreed to do this to increase your dating pool.”
Bridget opened her mouth, because that so wasn’t the reason why, but she couldn’t tell if he was teasing or not, and how could she admit to the truth?
She was basically blackmailed. What a mood killer.
Chad placed the little box in her hand. Very carefully, she hooked her pinkie under the ribbon and pulled. It slid off easily, and then she pried off the lid.
Bridget sucked in a sharp breath. “Oh my God…”
“I’ll take that as you like it?”
“Like it…?” Bridget reached inside and with shaking fingers, she lifted the necklace she would’ve skipped rent to get. It was the one from the Little Boutique; the emerald on the silver chain.
Chad took the box from her and placed it on the coffee table. “That is the one you were looking at in the store, right?”
“Yes,” she breathed, blinking back fresh tears. “Why would you do this?”
“Because I wanted to.”
“And you always do what you want?” The jewel was the perfect weight.
“Not always,” he said quietly. “I used to think I did and maybe I did, but not anymore—not always.”
She lifted damp lashes and her eyes locked with his. “Thank you. You shouldn’t have, but thank you. And I’m sorry about yesterday. I was such a bitch and you were just being nice. I’m sorry—
