Page 36 of Bachelor CEO

Leroy resisted a chuckle. Something hadhappened, he was sure of it. Then he sobered. Chase had disappeared intoMarstall’s Lodge. Maybe whatever had occurred hadn’t been a good thing…

Heidi would have known what to do. Leroywished he had her wisdom in matters of the heart.

The bell rang, signaling the ferry’s arrival.

Leroy rose to his feet. “Time to go.”

BY THE TIME the group returned to Lone Pine,Miranda should have been calm. No one could tell what she and Chase had justdone. And she wanted more. She was damned if she made love to Chase and damnedif she didn’t. But her answer was yes.

She’d risk it.

She studied the lines of his face, watched himkiss his great-aunt and shake his great-uncle’s hand. In a year, Chase mightcome home from his sabbatical married.

Miranda gazed at the fullmoon, visible through the great room windows. One night. Tonight was all theyhad, and no man had ever made her feel the way he did.

Would it make her less of a woman or anexecutive if she gave in to her desires, the ones she’d been fighting eversince she met him?

She grasped at the first idea that came tomind once Leroy left the room. “I want to take the boat out. How about we gochange and meet each other on the dock in ten minutes?”

Chase studied her. “Okay.”

Miranda’s feet had never moved so fast. She hurriedto her room, changed and took a blanket from the armoire. Then she went intothe kitchen and grabbed a bottle of merlot from a cabinet. She found a plastictrash bag, wrapped the wine in the blanket and stuffed both inside. Then shetossed in two plastic cups and a corkscrew and headed for the water. This timeshe would be the one who was early.

She placed the items in the back of the boatand went to the boathouse, where the keys were stored. Chase had given her thecode for the lockbox, and she took out the squishy, floatable key chain reading“Bud’s Boats.” Hearing a familiar high-pitched whining sound, she located thebug spray. She didn’t want mosquitoes ruining their late-night rendezvous.

Miranda doused herself with repellent.Luckily, the stuff didn’t smell bad.

“Good idea,” Chase said, reaching for thecanister when he arrived. Then he climbed into the boat and took a seat. “Okay,this is your show. Get us out of here.”

She hadn’t planned this far. “Me?”

He grinned. “Yeah. Untie us and start us up.”

She’d watched him, so she knew what to do.She’d always been a fast learner. She was super aware ofhis scrutiny as she backed away from the dock and got the boat out onto openwater.

When she exhaled a sigh of relief, Chaselaughed. “You did good. Relax.”

“I’m trying,” Miranda replied. She headed forthe closest little island, which someone had nicknamed Dill Pickle because ofits shape.

“Watch the sandbar,” Chase warned as she drewcloser.

“I thought we’d drop anchor here. Maybe go siton the island. I saw a campfire spot when we went by this afternoon.”

“This time of year there’s probably no wood,”Chase said.

“That’s okay. I figured we could just sit. Ibrought a blanket.”

In the moonlight she could see Chase’s lipstwitch. “You and me on a blanket sounds dangerous.”

“I’ve been thinking,” she murmured. “A lot canhappen in a year. You could come back married. Or not come back at all.”

“Doubtful on both counts. I’ve already toldyou, I’ll return in a year and take over. Here. Let me get this boat moored.”

Miranda moved aside and Chase dropped anchor.“The water’s about a foot deep here. We’ll have to wade a little.”

“That’s fine.” She’d worn shorts andflip-flops on purpose. They were only a few feet away from the beach.

Chase slid his shoes off and dropped them onthe floor of the boat. “Where’s the blanket?”

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