CHASING TROUBLE

Nicholas shook his head slowly. “Because we both know the reason why you don’t want to come with me,”

Her jaw tightened. “Which is?”

“You’re afraid.”

You think I’m afraid of you?” she said disbelievingly.

“I think that you’re afraid of how you feel when you’re with me,” Nicholas corrected softly. “You’re more comfortable in the company of a man like Glen Asher because you know you can manipulate and control him in a way you would never be able to do with me.”

All the color drained from Caroline’s cheeks. She knew that every word Nicholas spoke was the truth. Oh, not about Glen. But she was frightened-of Nicholas, and of what he made her feel when she was with him. She didn’t want to feel that way about any man. To now realize that Nicholas Connelly had penetrated her emotions, if only on a physical level, was not a welcome revelation.

“Has anyone ever told you that you have an ego the size of Manhattan?” She snorted disgustedly.

“Not that I recall, no.” He gave a slow and confident smile. “Was anything I said to you just now untrue?”

Her mouth thinned. “I’m not afraid of you.”

“Then why not prove it by agreeing to come with me to Texas?”

Caroline gave a disbelieving shake of her head. “I’m twenty-six, Nicholas, not nine, and as such I’m not about to be goaded into a juvenile game of dare with you. Especially when I don’t think it’s a good idea for me to go anywhere with you,”

He frowned darkly. “Are you coming to Texas with me or not?”

Caroline gave a cool inclination of her head, and tried to act like she wasn’t bothered. “Of course I will accompany you, if that’s what you want, but I need to talk to your father about it first.”

“What I want from you, Caroline, is your input on the castle we intend to buy in Texas. For God’s sake it’s just three days. My father says you did a good job with Happy Valley Park; so we could use your help,” he stated clearly, “And just so you know, my father already knows about this and he’s on board with you coming with me. Ever since I arrived, he has basically left most of the work to me and honestly, I think he needs the rest,”

Caroline was silent for a few seconds, “Still… I’d like to talk to him about it first,”

Nicholas shrugged, “Suit yourself,”

Caroline frowned at him. Their two gazes were locked in a battle of wills, her own accusing, Nicholas challenging. Caroline’s gaze was the first to drop. “Do you want me to book a hotel for all three nights?” she prompted stiffly.

“We aren’t staying at a hotel any of the nights,” Nicholas informed her tersely. “I’ve made my own arrangements,” he added playfully as Caroline raised questioning brows.

She shrugged. “I’ll need to know where we’re staying so that I can let my friend know where I am.”

He nodded abruptly, obviously still annoyed about her earlier accusation of duplicity. “Worried I might kidnap you?”

“Nicholas!”

“We will be staying at my Aunt Mae’s, tomorrow night. Then I’ve arranged-”

“At your Aunt Mae’s…?” Caroline repeated, with a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach.

Nicholas raised arrogant brows. “You have a problem with that?”

Not a problem, exactly. More a reservation. It was hard enough for Caroline to keep her emotional distance from Nicholas in the office, when she dealt with him only in a business capacity. Actually staying with him at the home of one of his relatives was far too intimate for comfort-Caroline’s comfort. Her time with him at the house where they met had proven that to her.

She shook her head. “I’m sure your aunt won’t want one of your employees intruding on your visit.”

“On the contrary,” Nicholas drawled derisively, “She will be fine with it. She’s my father’s younger sister and she has been wanting to see me for years. This is an opportunity to kill two birds with one stone, and I’m sure she’ll like you too,”

Caroline’s eyes widened. “She will?”

“Oh yes.” He nodded mockingly. “Why wouldn’t she like you when you’re such a ray of sunshine,”

Caroline frowned, “Was that sarcasm?”

“Are you fishing for a compliment?”

Caroline rolled her eyes, “No. Your compliment means nothing to me. I’m going back to my office,”

“Wait,” Nicholas said, stopping her movement to the door, “You can take the rest of the day off so you can go prepare for the trip,”

That was actually kinda thoughtful, Caroline thought, but she didn’t smile at him. “Thank you, Mr Connelly,” she said. She saw the frown on his face, and that gave her some pleasure. Then she hurried out before he could say anything else.

___________

“So you’re going to Texas with him. I thought you said you didn’t like him,” Kate said and chuckled mischievously.

Caroline rolled her eyes and tightened her grip on her phone, “First of all, I never said that I didn’t like him, but that doesn’t mean that I do. I’m…. neutral when it comes to Nicholas Connelly, and Secondly, it’s my job and it’s not like I have a choice. Frank seems to be okay with it too. I think he’s just happy that his son is finally getting involved so he just agrees to everything,”

Kate couldn’t stop giggling,” Okay then. Think of it as an adventure. Seriously, when was the last time you took a vacation? And Texas? I don’t think it’s a bad place. The problem with you is that you are too uptight. You have the opportunity to do something really cool but you keep holding yourself back,”

Caroline sighed,”Kate, I’m not going on a vacation, besides, this isn’t the emotional support I called you for. You’re supposed to tell me what a jerk Nicholas is, not take sides with him,”

“How can I take sides with him? I don’t even know him,”

“Well, I do, and he’s an asshole,” Caroline said.

“An asshole you kissed barely forty eight hours after you met him….” Kate replied.

“That’s it. I’m hanging up,”

Kate was laughing loudly now, “Fine. Run away, but I want to hear all the gist when you come back. Especially the naughty, dirty ones,”