Free Rush to the Altar by Jamie Carie Page A

backed away.
    Greg held out his hand toward Jake. “Jake Hart,” he gushed. “I’m a big fan. Dr. Greg Foreman.” When Jake ignored his hand and turned toward the stunned face of Maddie, he asked her, “Maddie, are you okay? This guy bothering you?”
    Maddie shook her head, sidestepping toward him so that her slim shoulders were right at his chest level, almost touching him.
    “Now don’t be upset,” Greg scolded him. “Maddie and I are old friends from college and it was just an innocent dance.” He looked at Maddie and said in a stage whisper, “Looks like we got your boyfriend jealous.”
    Jake really wanted to slug him now; the vision of it played in his head until he had to look away from his overly groomed face and back at Maddie. Instead, he contented himself with playing into Greg’s misinformation. “Yeah, I’m the real jealous type so you better keep your hands off my girl if you know what’s good for you.”
    Greg’s hands went into the air, false innocence on his face. “It was just a dance, man.” He looked at Maddie and mumbled, “You take care, Maddie,” and spun on his heel to leave.
    Jake stopped him by grasping his shoulder and squeezing, saying into his ear, “I mean it, man. Don’t call her, don’t touch her, don’t ask her to dance…don’t even think about her. She’s mine.” He gave the doctor a firm pat on the shoulder, hard enough to make him stumble, and then turned his back on him, taking Maddie’s hand into his.
    ~~~~~~
    Maddie tried to gulp back her shock. She hardly knew what to say as the band began playing one of her favorite songs and she felt Jake’s big hands reach for her.
    “Sorry about that,” he whispered, leaning down a little to speak into her ear, pulling her close and beginning to sway to the music.
    “About rescuing me?” Maddie looked up into his eyes. “I…I thought I could handle him, but I think I underestimated his, uh, determination. Thank you. I didn’t want to make a scene and possibly lose my new job by stabbing him in the foot with the heel of my shoe, but that was my next plan of action if he didn’t get his hands off…” She faltered, embarrassed.
    “Yeah. I saw,” Jake stated with intense eyes. “I think I convinced him not to even look at you anymore.”
    Maddie laughed, a little lightheaded. “Yes, I think you did.” Jake smelled so good. She wanted to get closer, turn her head and lean against his chest, smelling the cologne on his neck and letting the music take them away, but she didn’t.
    Jake Hart was an NBA star. She was little more than a recent widow, a new employee and a broken-hearted woman who had little trust in enduring love. As happy as she felt now, she knew the pain that could come from this.
    She took a step back from Jake’s tall form and gave herself an internal shake. Life could break your heart. This man could certainly break hers and there wasn’t much left intact to conquer.
    She was a mother, with responsibilities.
    She had better remember that.
     

CHAPTER NINE
    “ H aving a good time?” Sasha asked, after Jake escorted her back to her chair and left to get them fresh drinks.
    Maddie looked at Sasha’s face and felt a pang of guilt. He was, after all, the one player Sasha had been interested in—never mind that she “sort of” had a boyfriend, or that they never thought in a million years that they would actually meet him. “Yeah. He’s a really good dancer for someone so tall. I’m sure he will dance with you too. I can ask him when he gets back.” Maddie slid into the chair next to Sasha and lifted her brows.
    Sasha shook her head. “No way! I think we know who he is interested in and it’s not me. You two looked pretty involved out there.”
    “Oh, no. We did? This is my job. I have to be careful.”
    “Are there rules about dating the players? Could you get fired?”
    “I’m not dating him, but no, I don’t think there are rules against it.”
    Sasha grinned at her. “Well,