Surrender to Temptation by Ednah Walters Page A

vases. Whether they were metal, ceramic, or glass, her home had dozens of vases. Her favorite was blown glass.
    She put the basket of roses on a table and pulled out two vases. “Gorgeous. Look at the design, the intricate blend of colors. You should display these in every room.” She placed them by the flowers and reached for two more. “These look like they were inspired by a nebula and a coral reef.” She placed them down and reached for another pair.
    “How many do you need?” Chase asked.
    He sounded amused. A glance over her shoulder caught an indulgent smile on his lips. “You find my reaction amusing?”
    “I’ve never seen anyone show this much passion for vases.”
    Nikki laughed at his dry voice. “You should see me at a flea market or an estate sale. It’s kill or be killed. I can outrun, outsmart, and outbid any savvy hunters.”
    His brows shot up. “Vase hunters?”
    “Oh yeah.” She ignored his skeptical expression. “Vase hunting is a serious business among collectors. Last year, a friend of mine landed in jail for sneaking into a private auction. To Seth, it was so worth it. The worst kind of hunter, of course, is a scalper.”
    Chase chuckled. “Is that like ticket scalping?”
    “Worse.”
    Chase chuckled. “Now I know you’re joking.”
    “I’m not. They camp outside venues early or buy outright on e-bay and gouge the prices. Damned vultures.”
    He laughed.
    “It’s not funny,” Nikki scolded him. “I’ve lost some interesting pieces to a hoarder because of a scalper, and it was very painful.”
    “Let me guess. A hoarder buys and locks the vases in a private, fortified safe and doesn’t share them with the public.”
    “You got it.”
    The smile disappeared from his handsome face. “My brother Lex is a collector, too.”
    “He’s your older brother, right?”
    “Yeah. He loans his pieces to Baron’s gallery. Baron is my twin brother. He’s married, but Lex is single and a serious collector, just like you.”
    Nikki grinned. “That’s nice that he shares his collection. All I do is blog about the pieces and where I found them.”
    “That’s a start. If you want to open a store and need a backer, Lex can help. He’s an amazing guy. Salt of the earth type. Takes family seriously and is pretty generous with his money.”
    Nikki realized what he was doing. It was funny. “I’m not interested in owning a vase store, Fitzgerald. Vase collecting is just a hobby.”
    “I’m not talking about the store, Nikki. Not really.”
    “I know. You are pimping your brother. I don’t collect bachelors, not even billionaires.”
    Chuckling, Chase pulled down his sunglasses from his hair, where he’d shoved them, and put them back on as though to hide his eyes or his reaction. He shoved his hands in his pockets and leaned against the wall, his eyes not leaving her. “Lex likes you.”
    Nikki let out a snicker. “He doesn’t know me.”
    “You made quite an impression on him, and knowing him, he’s done a more detailed background check on you and knows a lot more about you than you think.”
    Nikki stiffened. “If he did, that would be rude and intrusive.”
    “No, that’s Lex. He doesn’t do anything in half measures. He might visit the ranch before you leave.”
    Not what she wanted to hear. If his brother did a thorough background check on her, he probably knew about her connection to Dee. Feeling a little sick, Nikki turned and picked up the basket of flowers. “I hope he’s not coming here on my account, because he’s not my type.”
    Chase grinned as though pleased with her response. “What exactly is your type?”
    Her chin shot up. “My type doesn’t investigate me or pimp me to his brother.” She picked up two vases and started for the stairs. “I’ll come back for the rest.”
    “How many do you need?”
    “Enough for most of the rooms upstairs,” she threw over her shoulder.
    “I’ll bring up these four. If you need more, I’ll get