Read Online Rush to the Altar by Jamie Carie - Free Book Online Page B

man.”
    Maddie didn’t know whether to believe him, he was acting so strange. “I’m sorry. How terrible for you.”
    “Yeah, I didn’t think I would get through it, but I did. Meeting sweet women like you puts the game back in me. You taken?”
    Maddie didn’t want to go into that. “I’m in a relationship.”
    “Anyone I know? Wait, it’s not one of the players, is it?” He asked it like it was an impossibility and though Maddie knew she shouldn’t, she couldn’t quite help herself.
    She shrugged delicately.
    “No kidding. Who?”
    Maddie allowed her gaze to wonder over to Jake. It wasn’t as if she was out-and-out lying, not really. Just leading a cad to think something that might buy her some peace tonight.”
    “No way. Jake Hart? I should have snatched you up when I had the chance.”
    Maddie wanted to roll her eyes but feigned neutrality. “We both know that wouldn’t have worked out. I’m sure you will find someone, Greg.”
    “Sure I will. I’ve found lots of someone’s, but I’m looking for someone really special. Someone like you.”
    Could the malarkey, as her Irish grandfather always called it, get any thicker? Maddie pasted a smile on her face, tilted her head to one side and remarked. “You didn’t think I was so special when you dumped me via email during our sophomore year. What makes me so different now?”
    “Look at you!” Greg gushed. “I hardly recognized you, you look so good.”
    Again the backhanded compliment. Maddie was getting bored. “Greg, it was so good to see you again, but I have to go.” She smiled a tight smile at him. “I’m working, remember?”
    An angry yet panicked look flashed across his face. “Can I call you?”
    Maddie shook her head. “I’m sorry, Greg. I think we can both agree that it wouldn’t work out. Take care.”
    She glided away toward her table, where she could hear Sasha laughing at something the handsome, successful owner of a retail chain was saying.
    At least someone was having fun.
    ~~~~~~
    Jake’s gaze slid over to Maddie again. Who was that she was talking to? And why did he care so much? He looked purposefully away but it wasn’t long before his eyes sought her out again. He just couldn’t seem to help it. He couldn’t get her out of his mind. Every time he tried to turn his attention to someone else, someone bright and glittering at his table, he would sense Maddie’s presence, know just where she was standing in the room, who she was talking to, trying to place the decent-looking guy she was talking to right now. Was that a flirtatious laugh? Did she know him? He watched her touch his sleeve with familiarity and had to stop his feet from marching over there and taking the guy by the collar. He turned away, taking a long gulp of his drink. This was ridiculous! He had never wanted a woman to notice him this badly and he was determined to disregard it. It wasn’t sane.
    He just had to ignore her. It wasn’t as if she was the only captivating woman in the room. He looked up and across the table at Lisa Montgomery, a model, aspiring actress and a blond knockout. Usually he would be interested, wonder how long it would take to reel her in, but he couldn’t seem to drum up the chase instinct, and that scared him.
    He’d heard some of the other happily married players talk about how their wives had captured them and he’d always thought of it as enticement, though they’d never called it that. He saw how happy and connected they were with their wives, always on guard around the attractive female fans, and he had privately thought the women in their lives had finally won the game, put the ol’ ball and chain around their million-dollar necks and won the prize. But now, for the first time, he had this glimpse of what they felt. He couldn’t get over it. He couldn’t believe in it. He wanted to fight it and yet…he wanted to take her into his arms and kiss her; it was all he could think about tonight.
    The image of her, in