Page 61 of Bachelor CEO

She knew he would. “I’ll call the cops andhave them arrest you.”

“Go ahead. It won’t do you any good. I went tohigh school with half of them and McDaniel is a key donor to their policeofficers’ fund. I’m not leaving until you talk to me.”

She drew a hand through her tousled hair. Damnthe man. She could picture a scene with Chase and the cops laughing at herexpense. Everyone in this town sided with him.

She held her hand up to her mouth and breathedinto it as Chase started pounding on the door again. Her breath wasn’t too bad,and it wasn’t as if she was going to kiss him. That’s how she’d gotten intothis mess in the first place. She turned around andunlocked the door.

“Finally,” Chase said as she let him in. Hisgaze raked over her.

“Don’t say I look like hell,” she warned. “I’mnot in any mood to deal with you.”

His brow creased. “I thought you saw mygrandfather this morning.”

“I did. I came home and crawled back under thecovers.” She closed the door to keep the heat from invading her air-conditionedapartment. “If you came to gloat, do me a favor, consider it done and go.”

“I’m not here for that.” He reached up andloosened his tie. “I came by to see why you resigned. The last time we talked Ithought you were all fired up to be CEO. You sure gave me that impression.”

“Is that why you’re here? To figure out why Igave in? Do you have to know everything?”

He nodded. “In this case, yes.”

“You said it was business. Your being here ispersonal.”

“Damn it! Stop twisting my words. Yes, I’mMcDaniel’s new CEO. But I didn’t expect you to quit. In fact, Leroy showed upand planned to vote for you. You would have won.”

A little more of her heart broke. “Chase,don’t you realize that you’re a force of nature? No one wins against you.Sometimes it’s better to forfeit. It’s better to fold than play a losing handuntil you’re broke.”

He scowled. “You aren’t a quitter.”

He had her there. “No, I’m not. But I got abetter offer. Your grandfather gave me a year off with full pay. You wereright. I was jealous of you and your forced vacation. Well, I took the offeryour grandfather made you. This is my chance to see the world.”

“Then why do you look like you’ve been cryingfor the past two days?”

She glared at him. “Because I just woke up,that’s why. I stayed up late, packing my office things, and I’m tired. I havebelongings to store. Don’t think you’re worth shedding tears over, becauseyou’re not.”

He held up his hands in protest. “Okay. I cansee you’re still a little testy about all this.”

“And you’re still a jerk of the first order.Do you practice it? From the moment we met you’ve been condescending andcrass.”

“I have not. You had a flat tire. I tried tohelp. You were the one who snapped at me. I never assumed you wereincompetent.”

Her shoulders sagged. “Arguing gets usnowhere. That’s why I can’t work for you. It’s what we always do.”

“Not always.” His gaze held hers. “I rememberthings we did that were much better than fighting.”

She remembered, too, which was the problem.He’d stolen her heart, and he didn’t even know it.

Chase reached for her hand. “I never meant forit to go down this way. All I wanted was to be CEO. I’d be happy to have youwork for McDaniel. Come back.”

She pulled away. “Chase, how can I look at youon a daily basis? If I’d known I was going to have to do that I wouldn’t havemade love to you.”

“So you admit you have feelings for me.”

“Oh, I have feelings all right, just not thekind you’re hoping for.”

Chase sighed. “You have so many walls raised.You wear your goals and dreams like a shield. You don’t let anyone inside. Youknow what I think? You’re going to be exactly like me.You’ll be going stir-crazy after two weeks. You’ll pinch pennies instead ofgoing five stars. You’ll worry that you’re losing time to find another job. Youmay go to Paris, but you won’t enjoy it. You’ll be too busy stressing.”

“I don’t think so, Chase. Unlike you, I knowhow to relax. I really think you should leave. It’s best we don’t talk anymore. You got what you wanted.” She reached behind her and opened the door. Thehot air rushed in.

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