She smiled. “Thank you.”
He sipped his wine, gazing at her. “Have you always had an eye for interior decoration?”
“I suppose I have to one degree or another,” she said. “I was pretty good way back in the day at making my bedroom the coolest place to hang out with my girlfriends.”
Chase nodded thoughtfully. “I’m sure they were envious.”
Paula chuckled. “I think it was more about who had the best clothes and most outrageous hairstyles back then.”
“Yeah, I know a little something about that,” Chase said humorously. “At least regarding clothes.”
“I can imagine you would, since you obviously have a good sense of style,” Paula said, aware that fashion sense didn’t simply come with the territory.
“I’ve got another room I’d like you to take a look at,” he told her, “if you have the time….”
Paula jumped at the opportunity. “I’d be happy to.” She had nothing important on her agenda this afternoon. And she definitely didn’t have anyone waiting in the wings to share an intimate moment with. She suspected the same was true for him.
Paula followed Chase up a spiral staircase and down a hallway before entering…
“It’s the master suite,” Chase said coolly. “I was thinking that you could work your magic in here.”
Paula felt a prickle of heat as she realized his words could be interpreted in more ways than one. “Oh, really?” she asked mischievously. “And what sort of magic are you talking about?”
Chase tossed his head back with laughter. “Well, I wasn’t thinking in terms of mystical powers,” he said. “But I’m definitely interested in seeing what ideas you have for renovating this room.”
Paula met his peering eyes, causing her heart to flutter and her temperature to rise. She quickly turned her attention to the room, hoping to focus on something less dangerous to her emotions than the man himself.
Chapter 5
Paula surveyed the massive bedroom with its U-shaped layout. It had floor-to-ceiling windows and a double tray ceiling. A tile fireplace with gas logs made the sitting room cozy. The master suite’s furnishings were Edwardian, in floral patterns and prints. She noted a large walk-in closet and an adjacent, luxurious bathroom.
“What do you think?” Chase asked, his gaze angled down at Paula’s face.
“It’s beautiful,” she responded. There was no other way to put it. Paula eyed the elegant four-poster bed. “Your wife had good taste.”
“That’s what everyone said.” He took a couple of steps on the plush carpeting and looked around. “Rochelle would be the first one to tell me that I need to change things.”
“Really?” Paula was surprised. She wasn’t convinced that any woman would encourage her husband to give his bedroom a makeover once she was gone.
“Sure.” Chase mused. “That’s how she was, never one to live in the past.”
“I see,” Paula said enviously. She wondered if she could ever be so selfless in her love for a man if her death came prematurely. “What do you think she would suggest?”
Chase gave the question some thought. “I’d say probably something more masculine.”
“I agree,” admitted Paula.
He grinned. “Guess good minds think alike.”
“I guess so.”
She immediately began to envision some changes she could make to suit him. Perhaps something not too masculine, so he would still be comfortable enjoying the room with a female companion. Paula impulsively thought of herself, imagining what they could do together in his bedroom.
“I’d like you to redecorate the master suite,” Chase told her firmly.
Paula’s eyes lit with enthusiasm. “I’d be glad to,” she said. She was more than up for the challenge.
Chase grinned. “Excellent! Based on the standard you set with the great room, I’m sure you’ll come up with something equally spectacular in here.”
She colored. “You’re very good for my ego.”
“All the credit goes to you,” he insisted. “What’s that old saying…‘The proof is in the pudding.’ I’d say you’ve earned any accolades that come your way.”
“Thank you for that,” she said, slightly overwhelmed by the ease in which he made her feel so special. “Actually, I’m glad you’ve hired me again. It might be nice to hang around you a little more.”
Chase met her eyes with clear interest. “Oh, really?”
“Yes.” She maintained her courage in spite of the heat emanating from his gaze. “Who knows what I might learn about you?”
He laughed heartily. “That’s true, and you might get to uncover all my secrets. And I just might learn one or two of yours.”
She grinned. “Anything’s possible.”
Paula realized that they had somehow gotten close enough to kiss. She had a notion that his lips would feel good on hers. Very good. Was he thinking the same thing? For an instant, she wanted to let herself go and make the first move. Why not show a bit of daring? Most men seemed to like that. Was Chase one of those men? Paula held back the urge, fearing it might send the wrong signal at the wrong time.
She took a step back, doubting his feelings for her. “If you want, we can talk about it over dinner in a couple of days, after I get a chance to put together a plan.”
“Dinner sounds good.” Chase put his hand in his pocket, never taking his eyes off her. “Your place or mine?”
She smiled, flattered that he was trying to tempt her with tantalizing words.
“Actually, I was thinking of a restaurant,” Paula answered. “Are you familiar with Aspen’s?”
“Yes, I’ve been there a few times.”
“How about six o’clock on Friday?” Paula asked.
“Six is fine.”
Her cheeks rose. “Then it’s settled. I’ll see you then.”
“I look forward to it,” he said equably.
Paula suddenly felt it was getting a bit stuffy in the room. Or was it because her heart was suddenly beating so rapidly in the presence of such an enticing man? She took out her tape measure, hoping to take her mind off Chase, knowing that would be all but impossible. “Okay, I’ll just take some measurements of the room and be on my way,” she said quietly.
Chase half grinned. “Take your time. I’ll be downstairs if you need me.”
Paula watched him leave the room before exhaling and steadying herself. Focus, girl, on something more under your control than Chase McCord.
She moved around the master suite, taking measurements and making notes. Near the bed, Paula spotted a framed photograph of Chase and an attractive lady. They were holding hands and beaming. His wife, Paula thought. It felt a little creepy, as if she were encroaching on a dead woman’s territory. Paula quickly dismissed the notion. People passed on all the time, and the world didn’t end. Chase had decided to move on; she was there to redecorate.
Still, Paula couldn’t help but be more than a little intrigued by the prospect of being in his bed, sensing a sexual vibe between them. She had a feeling their intimacy would be incredible. But that was all a fantasy right now. She sighed and put away her notes.
Chase had really wanted to kiss Paula yesterday. Apart from the fact that he hadn’t quite gotten over his grief for Rochelle, Paula was working for him. That had to come first, as he didn’t want to stand between her and the redecorating that was giving his house a needed uplift. After all, that was the whole purpose of their involvement, despite his father’s intentions.
However, Chase couldn’t disregard that he was turned on by Paula and could sense her attraction to him. Could their mutual attraction move to the next level?
The bell ringing snapped Chase out of his reverie and back to the real world. He used the remote to turn off the TV and headed toward the foyer. Chase opened the door and saw his father and stepmother. He had invited them over to check out the new great room.
“Hey,” Chase said with a big grin. “Come on in.”
&
nbsp; “Hey, son.” Sylvester smiled, patting him on the shoulder as he walked by.
“How are you this evening?” his stepmother asked.
Chase kissed her cheek. “I’m good.”
Evelyn McCord was petite and had a short brown perm. Chase had come to love her as though she were his birth mother. Evelyn had been there through his formative years, helping Chase’s father keep him on the straight and narrow.
“I can’t wait to see what you’ve done to your great room,” Evelyn said anxiously.
“You’ll be surprised,” he told her as they rounded the corner.
Evelyn’s eyes widened. “Wow. It looks wonderful.”
“You really like it?” Chase asked, knowing that not everyone saw eye to eye on room decor.
“Yes, the interior decorator did a marvelous job,” she declared.
Chase smiled and looked at his father. “What do you think, Dad?”
Sylvester ran a hand the length of his chin. “It’s like a totally different room. She did a hell of a nice job.”
“I think so, too,” Chase concurred.
“I told you Paula was very good at what she did,” Sylvester said. “Everyone who sees my recreation room falls in love with it and wants to know who redecorated it.”
“You’re preaching to the choir,” Chase said. “In fact, I’ve hired Paula to redo my bedroom next.”
Evelyn cocked a brow. “Your bedroom? Really?”
Chase suddenly felt uncomfortable. “Well, it seemed like a good idea to try something new,” he explained.
“I think it’s an excellent idea,” Sylvester said encouragingly. “Your room could use some sprucing up.”
“Your father’s right,” Evelyn chimed in. “Paula clearly knows her stuff. You might as well tap into her great talent and see where it takes you.”
Chase liked the sound of that. He imagined Paula’s talents went much further than redecorating. Maybe he would find out firsthand how much further.
“He sounds like a real catch,” said Paula’s best friend, Virginia Kensit.
They were jogging in the park near Paula’s house. She hadn’t meant to go overboard in her description of Chase as totally masculine and the kind of man she could easily fall head over heels for. Still, she felt she had understated just how wonderful the man was.
“He is,” Paula admitted dreamily. “But we’re not dating.”
“You already said that.” Virginia, a couple of inches taller and maybe too thin in Paula’s mind, ran her hand through damp yarn braids. “I know you’re only working on Mr. Hottie’s house. It’s a mere formality.”
“What’s with you and Isa?” Paula chuckled nervously. “You’re both always looking for something that isn’t there. Not yet, anyway.”
“That’s not what I’m reading between the lines.” Virginia caught her breath. “Go ahead—tell me how you really feel about him.”
She isn’t going to let up, Paula thought. She decided there was no sense ducking the issue. Since she had started it, she might as well finish it.
“Yes, Chase is very good-looking and more,” she said candidly. “But he’s also a widower who still keeps a photo of his late wife on a bedroom table.”
Virginia rolled her eyes. “So what?”
“So maybe he’s still hung up on her,” Paula suggested, going against her own beliefs deep down inside. “What if he always will be?”
Virginia frowned. “That’s perfectly normal when you’ve lost a loved one. It doesn’t mean he hasn’t already moved on—especially if he has a good enough reason to,” she hinted.
Paula sighed, wondering if she could be that good reason. She got the impression Chase was interested in her, but to what extent over and beyond physical attraction and loneliness? She was more than most men could handle as an intelligent, successful, ambitious and beautiful woman of color who wanted—demanded—a man who had similar qualities and would treat her with the utmost respect and be willing to meet her at least halfway on any issue of contention. In her past adult relationships, the men had fallen short of these standards in one way or another at the end of the day. She wasn’t always faultless, but owned up to being less than perfect while trying to better herself as a woman and a romantic mate. Paula believed that Chase held the qualities that were most attractive to her, now that she’d gotten to spend some time with him. But it was still too soon to know if the strong vibes passing between them could turn into a relationship or not.
“We’ll see what happens,” she told Virginia. “Right now, it’s all about giving my client everything he’s paying me for.”
“You’ve already been there, done that, girlfriend. What’s more important now is what you’re willing to give the man for free.”
Paula laughed while keeping pace. “You’re wicked, girl.” She knew that Virginia juggled men the way a circus performer did bowling pins. But that didn’t necessarily make her an expert on men and successful relationships.
“Hey, I’m just being candid,” Virginia said unblinkingly. “You deserve a man who will wait on you hand and foot and doesn’t ask for an arm and a leg in return.”
Paula wrinkled her nose. “Those are a lot of body parts to keep track of, girlfriend. I’d rather he focused at least part of the time on my mind—something that wasn’t the case often enough in some past relationships, as far as I was concerned.” She certainly had no problem with a man who wanted her body as much as she wanted his, as long as he still appreciated her intelligence.
“Give the man a chance,” Virginia urged her. “Don’t assume Chase is anything like Sheldon, heaven forbid, or even Johnny, for that matter.”
Paula would just as soon forget about her last two boyfriends. Neither had the qualities she wanted for a long-term involvement. Johnny was too unstable, and Sheldon failed to keep her interested enough. Chase certainly appeared to be cut from an entirely different cloth.
“I’m not assuming anything,” Paula said, feeling the strain in her legs. “Chase and I are still a work in progress, much like his house. Let’s just see how things go.”
“Sure, whatever you say,” Virginia said, rolling her eyes.
Chase felt a little jittery as he waited in the restaurant’s lobby for Paula to show up. Though he’d gone out on several dates since becoming a widower, no woman had quite captured his fancy the way Paula had. Apart from a good work ethic and physical attractiveness, he liked her style. She was definitely a smart lady and candid in her thoughts. He wanted to go deeper into who she was as a person and how she got to that point. He wondered how Paula felt about moving their relationship beyond employer and client. Something—perhaps the ease with which they related to one another—told him she was as open to the possibility as he was.
“Hello there…”
Chase looked up and saw Paula come from behind another waiting patron. “Hi,” he said, admiring the beauty she made seem so natural. A gray skirt suit fit well on her slim frame and showed off her nice legs. The briefcase she held firmly reminded him that this was simply a business meeting.
“Sorry I’m a bit late, but I was delayed by a prospective client,” Paula said and took a breath.
“It’s fine.” Chase smiled at her and imagined she probably had clients lined up to take advantage of her talent. “Shall we go in?”
She nodded. “Yes, I’m famished.”
They sat at a window table in the corner and ordered white wine.
“Do you come here a lot?” Chase asked curiously, gazing at Paula over the menu.
“Only when my budget allows,” she said candidly. “I recommended it because it’s close to where we both live and quiet enough to talk without being drowned out by other patrons.”
“Well, it was a good choice, whatever your reasons.” Chase had been there once with Rochelle and another time with Monica. Both times, he’d enjoyed himself and thought the food was great. He wondered if Paula had dinner at nice restaurants with other clients, or had he been singled out as mor
e worthy of such an occasion? Chase found himself equally inquisitive about who she spent time with socially or otherwise.
“Thank you.” Paula closed her menu. “I love their broiled salmon with Dijon mustard!”
“Sounds tasty,” Chase said.
“Believe me, it is.”
Chase grinned. “In that case, I’ll follow your lead and give the salmon a try, along with a bowl of clam chowder to start things off.”
“Good choice. I’ll have the same,” she told him.
After ordering, Paula set her briefcase on the table. “I’m sure you’re wondering what ideas I came up with for your room.”
“The thought had crossed my mind,” Chase told her drily, sipping his wine. He tried to picture what direction she would take this time and how it would differ from Rochelle’s approach. “What have you got for me?”
Paula removed a sketch and handed it to him. “We start off with a rearrangement of furniture that I believe will create a more natural flow to the room and allow the sun to shine favorably on you when you’re in the sitting room, or maybe reading in bed.”
Chase studied the sketch with interest. “I like it.” Though he never read in bed, he did appreciate the sunlight pouring into the room, brightening it and therefore making it more cheery.
“To that effect, I would like to replace the heavy drapes on the windows with cellular shades,” Paula told him. “They’re not only energy efficient, but will absorb sound and complement the wall coloring.”
Chase nodded. “Go right ahead and put in the shades.” At this point, he was open to any suggestions that would give the room a new identity while still maintaining its integrity.
“Now let’s talk about the furniture.” Paula reached back into the briefcase and pulled out a couple of photographs, passing them to him. “I think a satinwood, bow-front Georgian chest and dresser set like you see in the top photo would be perfect for the room. This would be complemented by a Maltese entertainment cabinet that’s shown in the second photo.”
Chase grinned favorably. “Very nice.”
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