Bachelor CEO

Chapter Three

By six-thirty the party was in full swing. People milled everywhere, enjoying the warm weather, delicious appetizers and good company. Leroy held a place of honor, and since everyone wanted to speak with him, he was constantly surrounded.

Chase lifted the cup of beer to his lips, took a swallow and feigned interest in stories his lake neighbors were telling about their trip to Australia. But his concentration was shot. All he could think about was Miranda Craig.

She stood out of the sun on the opposite side of the tent. Walter Peters had taken her under his wing and was introducing her to everyone.

Chase lifted his beer and took another sip. The brew had grown warm, as he’d been holding the same cup for at least an hour. “That sounds great,” he said at an appropriate juncture in the conversation, then added, “If you don’t mind, I’m going to go check on how my grandfather is doing.”

“Of course,” Mrs. Schulz gushed. “We’ll see more of you this summer, I’m sure.”

“You will,” he confirmed. The same crowd was always at the country club restaurant on weekends, and he suspected he’d hear each of the Australia stories several times before the summer was out.

He wove his way through the crowd, stopping briefly to make certain his grandfather was okay. Chandy was sitting beside him. She nodded to Chase that everything was fine, and he moved on.

“Walter, I heard you were here,” Chase said, reaching his target. “I’m sorry I missed you earlier.”

“Chase!” The older man gave him a hug and a pat on the back. “Good to see you. Boy, you’re rock solid. Must be all that exercise.” Walter turned to Miranda. “Chase competes in triathlons.”

“Only one or two a year, and only if I have time,” he said smoothly, liking how her eyes widened. He stretched his hand forward. “Chase McDaniel.”

“Miranda Craig,” she said, the flicker in her eyes reflecting uncertainty.

“It’s nice to meet you. I take it you worked for Walter,” he said, as if they’d never met. He figured pretending they were strangers would allow her to salvage some pride. A woman as fierce as Miranda likely wouldn’t want people to know she needed to be rescued. Twice.

“She did. Best employee I ever had. If I wasn’t retiring I wouldn’t let McDaniel steal her,” Walter insisted proudly.

“Of course not,” Chase agreed, with a smile that probably didn’t quite hide the turmoil he felt. He liked Walter. He liked Miranda, as well, but in a totally different way. He brushed aside the uneasy feeling that something wasn’t quite right. “Have you had a tour of Lone Pine?” he asked her.

“She arrived a little bit late and wanted to freshen up,” Walter confided, and Chase saw Miranda squirm. “So she missed the tour Chandy gave everyone earlier.”

“She has to see the lodge,” Chase said.

“Really, it’s okay,” Miranda protested.

“Oh no, it’s a gem,” Walter declared. “Finest place around. Christine and I love to come up here. We spend a week every August.”

“I’d be happy to take her on a tour now,” Chase offered.

“That’s a great idea. Thanks, Chase. It would be a shame to come all this way and not see it,” Walter told Miranda.

“Really, I—” she began.

“Hey, Walter!” The trio glanced over to see Leroy waving. “Come here a minute.”

“Perfect timing,” he said. “I’ll catch up with you later. Go tour. Have fun. You’ll love the place.” Walter headed over to Leroy’s circle.

“If I find out you arranged this, I’m likely to do you bodily harm,” Miranda said quietly, so that only Chase could hear.

He chuckled. “I’d warn you against that. I might enjoy it too much. Come, let me show you around.” He reached out and took her elbow. “Follow me.”

“Seems like I’m doing that a lot,” she murmured as they eased through the crowd and out from under the tent.

“Ah, but I get you where you need to be, don’t I?” Chase’s grin turned wicked. “Let me show you the lodge while it’s empty. As Walter said, if you’ve come this far, you must see the place.”

She hesitated, then nodded in agreement.

Chase led her across the yard, up the steps and inside.

“THIS IS BEAUTIFUL,” Miranda breathed as they stepped into the great room. “I love it.”

She’d seen pictures of fancy homes in upscale magazines. But they’d always looked cold and sterile. This was far less pretentious. It had a rustic, aged feel, like a timeless classic from a bygone era where life had been simpler.

The place was designed to be lived in. The hardwood floors showed wear from years of use. This was a family home, not an ostentatious attempt at showing off how much money the McDaniel family had. The room was friendly and inviting.

“So what do you think?” he asked.

She walked to the nine-foot-high, floor-to-ceiling windows at the front, and gazed out across the water. She’d grown up in an apartment building where large families were crammed into small units, and the next building was only a sidewalk width away. This room, with a ceiling that soared from nine to twenty-five feet high, was massive.

“It’s lovely,” she said.

He seemed pleased by her compliment. “Not too outdated?” he pressed.

She shook her head. “How can you even ask that? I think it’s perfect.” She gestured at the mission chairs placed strategically for the best lake view. “I could sit there for hours.”

“I often do. When I was younger I remember my parents loving these chairs. I’d wake up, run downstairs and find them sitting here.”

“It must be nice to have memories like that.”

They stood near each other and watched a small sailboat cross the water. The lake wasn’t deep enough to handle cabin cruisers and it wasn’t long enough to attract huge Scarab-type boats. Because of that Lone Pine Lake catered to the pontoon boat and smaller runabout crowd, making it perfect for families. Below, a few of the older kids played on the paddleboats and a few kayaked. A canoe waited, overturned on the bank. The place screamed home.

“You’re very lucky to have grown up here,” she told him, trying to swallow past the lump in her throat.

Chase arched an eyebrow. “Even though there’s no swimming pool in the backyard?”

She frowned. “Why would you need one when you have a lake?”

He shrugged. “An ex-girlfriend thought we should have a pool. Needless to say, she never visited. Seemed she wouldn’t swim in anything that has fish poop.”

Miranda made a disgusted face. “That’s silly. I love going to the beach, and there are great ones as close as Lake Michigan.”

“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.

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

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

Her body quickened. She wanted him to deepen the kiss, and as if reading her mind, he began to really kiss her. She let herself 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 was also terribly wrong.

She pulled back, trying to ignore the flood of sensations rushing through her. What he’d roused with one kiss had warning signs 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.

His gaze locked on to hers and his lips parted. For a moment she thought he’d try to change her mind. Then he stepped away and let her go. “Shall we head back to the party then?”

The abrupt way he dismissed what had happened made her knees wobble. She couldn’t believe she’d forgotten her reserve and fallen under the spell of his playboy charms. He seemed to live for adventure. And she’d been just another challenge. Now that he’d succeeded, game over. Time to move on to the next conquest.

She followed him from the boathouse and toward the tent. Dinner had been served and people were sitting at tables eating and laughing.

“Shall we eat?” Chase asked.

“Sure,” Miranda agreed.

Places had been saved for them at the head table, and after going through the buffet line, they settled in their seats. Miranda tried to eat, but the fact that she’d kissed Chase McDaniel smarted. She wasn’t easy, yet she’d succumbed like a dog rolling over for a pat on its stomach. Disappointment at her behavior made her lose her appetite, so she picked at her food, while Leroy and Walter shared stories of becoming friends and building companies.

“Mine was always a family business. Even now we control the stock,” Leroy boasted.

“Yeah, but I proved to my boss you didn’t have to be family to get ahead. I’m a self-made man.”

“And I’m not?” Leroy countered. They loved to one-up each other, a friendly game they’d played for years.

“I’ve survived two mergers,” Walter claimed.

“Speaking of which, what’s with this latest takeover?” his old friend asked.

“Is something wrong with your food?” Chase leaned close and gestured to Miranda’s plate as Walter began to describe the situation in detail.

“It’s delicious,” she replied. The food was superb, and she forced herself to eat a bite.

The gall of the man, anyway. Why had he kissed her? Sure, it was only a kiss, but for some reason she couldn’t let it go the way Chase obviously had. He’d probably kissed plenty of women like that, which showed her inexperience. She also felt guilty. She’d enjoyed his touch too much. It had been awhile since she’d dated. Heck, she hadn’t had a real relationship in over a year, and Manuel had only been using her to close a sales deal and get a promotion at his company.

The night slipped on, and Chase asked her to dance. Despite her resolve to keep distance between them, she went. She wanted to be in his arms, to see if her earlier reaction was a fluke. She also wanted to speak with him.

“I need to tell you something,” she said as the slow number ended. She had to talk to him about her job. Given what had happened between them, it was the right thing to do. Otherwise, working together would be awkward. It probably would be anyway. He was like chocolate cake. She loved eating it, but afterward felt guilty for indulging.

“What is it?” Chase asked.

She opened her mouth.

“Chase!”

Miranda closed her lips and tried not to grimace as an older couple came forward.

“You look fantastic,” the woman gushed. “I haven’t seen you in, what, ten years?”

“This is Leroy’s second cousin Laura and her husband, Cliff.” Chase made the introductions. “They live in Paris.”

“Yes, but we wouldn’t have missed Leroy’s eightieth for the world.”

Miranda, seeing the conversation would be ongoing, soon slipped away.

“Having fun?” Walter asked as she returned to her seat.

“Loads,” she said, her gaze seeking out Chase. She knew he’d hate her once his grandfather took the stage.

Not five minutes later that moment arrived, sealing Miranda’s fate. Her window of opportunity to tell Chase the truth and set things right had closed.

Leroy grasped the microphone in one hand and asked for everyone’s attention. Chase finished chatting with his relatives and moved to the side of the room, joining his siblings. Miranda slipped into the chair next to Walter.

“I saw you and Chase dance. I’m glad you’ll be able to work well together,” Walter told her.

“Yeah.” Miranda didn’t want to tell him that was doubtful after tonight. She listened as Leroy thanked everyone for coming, before acknowledging and introducing his family.

Then he said, “As you know, I’m eighty.” He paused and waited out a few hoots and hollers. “But contrary to the rumors, I’m not retiring. I’ve decided to stay until this time next year. Still, I want to start easing my way out slowly.”

Leroy looked over the crowd, which consisted of business colleagues, friends, neighbors and family. “To achieve my objective and to make the transition smoother, I’ve decided to restructure the top of McDaniel Manufacturing. My good friend Walter Peters and I discussed ideal candidates for the new position I’m creating. It’ll be third in line, behind me and behind Chase, my grandson.”

Everyone glanced at Chase and he gave a short nod. His face remained taut and impassive, even though Leroy smiled at him.

“In fact, it’s been so hush-hush that this is the first time I’ve brought it up, even to Chase. However, since I am the CEO…” The few board members present laughed. They would rubber-stamp anything Leroy wanted.

“I’m calling this new spot a vice presidency, and the person I’ve hired to fill the position is here with us tonight.”

Walter touched Miranda’s arm in a show of support. She needed it. Even though she wasn’t looking at Chase, she could sense him watching her, and her skin heated.

“I’d like to introduce Miranda Craig as the new second vice president of McDaniel Manufacturing,” Leroy continued, and somehow she stood and briefly waved to the crowd.

Only after she sat down did she dare glance at Chase. His grandfather continued to talk, but the speech faded into a background hum as Chase and Miranda’s eyes connected.

With effort, she managed not to avert her head. She hated what she read on his face. His initial shock had turned into anger and the tight expression guaranteed payback. Since Leroy hadn’t told Chase anything about Miranda, he clearly thought she’d been coy and flirtatious. He thought she’d played him.

In a sense, maybe she had. She knew what many others in the room did not. Chase was going on forced sabbatical. She was the one who was going to take over his job. She was his grandfather’s choice for the next CEO should Chase fail to return.

As she watched, Chase lifted his glass to her in a mock salute. A feeling of foreboding settled over her. He wasn’t offering her good wishes. Miranda wasn’t that naive. Gone was the passion, replaced with something much deadlier. Chase wasn’t conceding an inch.

This was war.

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