Page 12 of Bachelor CEO

Chase opened the front door, led her down somesteps and out onto the front lawn. “We’ll tour the boathouse and then head backto the party.”

“Okay,” she said, following him along a narrowstone path down a gently sloping hill. The boathouse wasn’t actually over thewater. Instead, the cedar frame building sat back about ten feet from the edgeof the lake. They entered through the side door. “Wow,” she breathed.

She’d expected a squareroom filled with life preservers and oars. The room contained those, buteverything was neatly organized in cubbies. Rather than being the storage shedshe’d expected, the boathouse functioned almost like a den. There was a bar andstools. A few tables. A dartboard, a foosball game, a billiard table and asmall television set.

“This is where we used to hang out all thetime.” Chase made a sweeping gesture. “This was teen central.”

“I noticed there didn’t seem to be any videogames or TVs up in the lodge.”

“Never have been. The lodge is a place to getaway from the world. The boathouse is a place to play and have fun. Imaginefour kids plus all their friends. It got wild. We would move up here with ourgrandma the moment school let out, and friends would come and go all summer.”

“What about Leroy?”

“My grandfather has a three-day workweek fromMemorial Day to Labor Day. He’s done it for years.”

“Must be nice.”

Chase grinned. “It pays to be the boss. As forus kids, we sometimes got bored. But usually we kept busy. No couch potatoes inmy family. My grandfather installed that ballerina bar and those mirrors forCecilia.”

Miranda glanced over, seeing her and Chase’sreflection. She swallowed. He looked so assured and comfortable. This was hishome.

“So what made you choose to relocate toPodunkville?” he asked.

“I wouldn’t call Chenille that,” sheprotested. “Small towns are charming. I’ve found the people lots more easygoingthan those in Chicago. And even friendlier to strangers.”

“That’s only so they can gossip about you atMaxine’s, the most popular restaurant downtown.” He grinned and then becameserious. “So what exactly are you doing for us? Why’d you leave Walter’scompany? Were you as high up as you could go? That’s usually why we get peoplefrom Walter.”

“It was a rather last minute decision. I hadplanned on staying where I was after Walter retired, but there are takeoverrumors and the board is unsettled. Signs were that a move might be best.”

“I’ll warn you, the shopping’s not very goodin Chenille. We’re forty miles from the nearest mall.”

“Malls are overrated.”

He chuckled. “I thought all girls loved toshop. My sisters are deadly.”

Maybe those who had money saw retail therapyas a sport, but shopping for Miranda had always meant being frugal. Her pursestrings had loosened these past few years, but she couldn’t break the habit ofbudgeting. She had a few school loans to pay off before indulging in anythingfrivolous. And she had to save for retirement. “I’m not ‘all girls,’” shefinally told him.

“I’ve already figured that part out.”

While she’d been lost in thought he’d moveddangerously close. Worse, she was backed up against a bar stool. She had no wayto escape and she wasn’t sure she would if she could. Every nerve ending in herbody tingled with awareness. “What are you doing?” she breathed.

“Cashing in on what you owe me.”

“Really?” she asked, trying to regain control.“When did I get in your debt?”

He thought for a second. “That came out wrong.I’m claiming my reward for rescuing you.”

“I don’t remember promising you anything,” shesaid, but his head lowered. She froze. He was going to kiss her.

She should tell him no. Fight it. Get awayfrom Chase McDaniel and back to the party as quickly as her legs could carryher. That would be the rational thing to do.

But she couldn’t. He was like rocky road icecream. Impossible to resist. His lips lightly touched hers and didn’tdisappoint. He kissed her gently, as if testing how far she’d let him go.

Her body quickened. She wanted him to deepenthe kiss, and as if reading her mind, he began to really kiss her. She letherself taste him, let him slide his tongue inside to connect with hers.

He was divine. Sure, she’d been kissed before,but something about kissing Chase felt different. It felt perfect. But it wasalso terribly wrong.

She pulled back, trying to ignore the flood ofsensations rushing through her. What he’d roused with one kiss had warningsigns flashing in her head. “I think you’ve had enough of a reward,” she said.Her voice came out huskier than she would have liked.

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