Bachelor CEO

“So you’re not one of those girls afraid of getting your hair wet?”

She resisted the urge to tuck her short hair behind her ear, a nervous habit. “No. What good is the outdoors if you don’t fully enjoy it? If you’re dating people like that, no wonder you’re all messed up.”

“Me? Messed up?” He cupped her elbow, guided her down the hallway and gave her a peek at both the master suite and Leroy’s office before showing her the other first-floor bedroom suite, where Chris, his wife and children stayed. “You didn’t answer me. So I’m a disaster?”

“Yes. Of sorts.” Better to be on the offensive. Anything to keep him from knowing the effect his light touch was having.

He led her back into the great room and then up the staircase to the second floor. “I’m injured.”

She knew he was poking fun, and played along. “Don’t be. Perhaps you should simply date better women.”

“Such as you? You turned down my offer of lunch.”

She ignored the bait. “Yes, because I’m not like the lingerie model wannabes I’ve seen you with.”

His brows lifted. “I looked you up on Google,” she admitted, “images and all. I wasn’t too impressed. The media called you Iowa’s heartthrob.”

He covered his heart with the palm of his hand. “Ouch. You wound me further. That was years ago.”

“Sure. You know, they call those kind of girls plastic for a reason. They look good, but that’s about it.”

“Maybe you’re right.” Chase leaned against the wall, and the hallway seemed to shrink. He was a big, sexy man. “That must be the reason I can’t find true love. I’m dating the wrong kind of woman.” His eyes dropped to her mouth.

“Could have something to do with it,” she replied, her breath catching in her throat.

He edged nearer. “So what type of woman would fit me? You looked me up on Google. You saw all my past mistakes, my bad boy reputation. What do you think?”

He’d put her on the spot, but Miranda hadn’t gotten this far without being able to think on her feet, despite her brain short-circuiting from his nearness. She stepped back. “If a woman’s got any sense at all she’ll know to steer clear of you.”

“I’m really a great guy.” He winked before continuing down the hallway.

He showed her his sisters’ old bedrooms and then pushed the door to his open. Though the rooms on the first floor were larger, his wasn’t shabby. It easily fit a queen-size bed, a dresser, a desk and a sitting area that overlooked the lake.

“Nice,” Miranda said, hovering in the doorway while Chase went to look out the window.

He glanced over his shoulder and held out his hand. “I’m not going to throw you onto my bed and have my way with you. Come on. It’s safe to step inside. This isn’t a den of sin.”

“I know that,” she snapped, feeling slightly foolish.

What was the big deal? It was just a bedroom. His stuff was in the drawers. A wet towel hung in the bathroom. A dirty pair of white socks lay on the floor by some running shoes. A pair of plaid pajama bottoms peeked out from under the rumpled red comforter.

As much as she might want to step into the room, it was just too personal. Chase’s magnetism overwhelmed her. He made a tsking noise, as if disappointed she wouldn’t take a risk.

Chemistry was a—She cut off the mental expletive. Men like Chase should be outlawed. Their mere presence was lethal.

“You’re missing a great view of the lake,” he cajoled.

“I know.” She shook her head and opted for safety, and a few minutes later they were back downstairs.

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

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

She’d expected a square room filled with life preservers and oars. The room contained those, but everything was neatly organized in cubbies. Rather than being the storage shed she’d expected, the boathouse functioned almost like a den. There was a bar and stools. A few tables. A dartboard, a foosball game, a billiard table and a small television set.

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

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

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

“What about Leroy?”

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

“Must be nice.”

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

Miranda glanced over, seeing her and Chase’s reflection. She swallowed. He looked so assured and comfortable. This was his home.

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

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

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

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

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

“Malls are overrated.”

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

Maybe those who had money saw retail therapy as a sport, but shopping for Miranda had always meant being frugal. Her purse strings had loosened these past few years, but she couldn’t break the habit of budgeting. She had a few school loans to pay off before indulging in anything frivolous. And she had to save for retirement. “I’m not ‘all girls,’” she finally told him.

“I’ve already figured that part out.”

While she’d been lost in thought he’d moved dangerously close. Worse, she was backed up against a bar stool. She had no way to escape and she wasn’t sure she would if she could. Every nerve ending in her body 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,” she said, but his head lowered. She froze. He was going to kiss her.