Page 21 of Bachelor CEO

The corner of his mouth inched upward. “Alwaysquick on your feet, aren’t you? But you know what I mean. You showed empathy ina public place. You touched me and people noticed. And yes, they’re going togossip. But stop worrying. You didn’t do anything wrong. I liked you touchingme.”

He didn’t understand, she realized. “They’llthink we’re dating. They don’t know who I am.”

He shifted forward. “So? They’ll find outotherwise and that will be that. No big deal.”

“Yeah, but what if they think I dated you toget the position?” She frowned as she thought of something else. “How manydifferent women do you bring here, anyway?”

“None, so relax. This is where I bringbusiness colleagues.” Chase reached for a French fry.

Maybe shewasoverreacting. He knew the town better than she did. “Still…”

His shoulders tightened and he leaned back inhis chair, crossing his arms over his chest. “Don’t worry. I got your point.You’ve mentioned my reputation enough. Heck, maybe that’s what I should do formy vacation. Go to Hollywood and pick up a blond playmate. Although she’dprobably be a bit too ‘plastic.’ And I doubt she’d want to return with me toPodunkville when my exile is over.”

“Forget my early commiseration. I think you’rebeing ungrateful,” Miranda told him before she could bite back the words. Shedidn’t like the change in Chase. Mr. Sensitivity had disappeared.

His skepticism was clear. “You don’t think Ideserve to be upset?”

“No, I don’t. Maybe at first, but not now.”

Now that she was in for apenny, she might as well be in for a pound. He waited for her to continue.

“I don’t really know your grandfather, butfrom what I’ve seen he’s a wonderful person. Let me tell you, if I were in yourshoes getting a paid year off, I wouldn’t be complaining. I’d be bookingtickets to Paris, and following that, Rome. I’ve never had a real vacation. Sohaving one year to do whatever I wanted, without any limits, would be a dream.Yet you mock the gift he gave you.”

He sputtered, amazed by her attack. “I like towork.”

She pushed her plate away. “So do I. But workdoesn’t make me happy. It’s a means to an end, not all that I am. My entireexistence isn’t based on this job.”

“I would disagree. You’ve already indicatedhow much you need this position and how much financial stability it’s bringingyou.”

“So? That doesn’t mean I couldn’t be happydoing something else. If I won the lottery, I don’t know if I’d stay inbusiness. If I could trade places with you I would, but I can’t. I’m here to doa job.

“You know, Chase, your whole life has been agift, but you don’t seem satisfied with what you have. I don’t know if youcanbe satisfied.”

“Let me tell you, there are many times I’vebeen satisfied,” he countered. “And I haven’t been the only one, either.”

Her face colored at his brash and bold words.His crass humor showed that he hadn’t really changed his playboy ways. Whencornered, he relied on his top weapon: sex appeal.

“That’s not what I meant and you know it,” sheretorted, crossing her arms over her chest, mimicking his earlier bodylanguage. “Unlike you, I don’t let my hormones rule my mind.”Or my heart.

His mouth curled into what could be bestdescribed as a Rhett Butler smile. “You should try it sometime. Might do you aworld of good.”

And with that, the upper hand was Chase’s.Refusing to discuss her love life, Miranda pulled her plate toward her and atesome of the turkey sandwich.

However, his words hung in the air betweenthem. She couldn’t keep quiet. “You know, I find your insinuation ratherinsulting.”

His blond eyebrows rose. “What?”

She lowered her voice to a whisper. “Thathaving sex might do me a world of good.”

“It would domeaworld of good,” Chase replied, popping another French fry into his mouth as ifhe didn’t have a care in the world.

She suddenly had a memory of his mouth onhers, and she wet her lips with her tongue.

“Look, can I say something without you runningback to my grandfather and filing sexual harassment charges against me?” heasked.

“I don’t know,” she said, fascinated with themovement of his mouth. Chase McDaniel had to be a walking pheromone—he rattledher senses and stripped away her usual rigid self-control.

“I’ll risk it. I’m leaving town anyway. Afterthis weekend you won’t see me again for at least a year.”

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