A Brother's Honor (23 page)

He looked over at her. “Why didn’t I what?”

“Bring home those dates. There had to be some lady at one time who caught your eye.”

“Like I said, they were fun times. I honestly never met a woman who I thought could replace your mother.”

“Now you feel that Mona can?” she inquired quietly.

He shook his head. “No, because there’s no one who can ever replace your mother. It’s not about replacement, Shana. It’s about addition, and there is a difference.”

Her father’s words weighed heavily on Shana’s mind hours later when she was getting ready for bed. It was early, but considering her activities of the night before, she had no problem not watching television or reading her book but looked forward to crawling between the covers and getting some much-needed sleep.

She had come downstairs to turn off the lights and set the alarm when the doorbell rang. She knew it wasn’t Gloria, since she’d left on an international flight to China earlier in the day.

The porch light was still on, and as she moved toward the door, she stopped when she saw who was standing there in front of it.

Jace.

Chapter Twenty-Three

S
hana opened the door. There was no need to ask why he was there. She had become one of those women her father had described, a woman a man could have fun with. Why did such a thought bother her? It shouldn’t really, when she should see him only as a man she could have fun with. She didn’t want a serious relationship with anyone any more than Jace did.

She stepped back and let him inside, and he closed and locked the door behind him. Before she could say anything, he rushed to ask, “When I got out of my meeting, they said you left the office early. You never leave early. Is anything wrong?” He reached out and pushed a wayward curl back from her face. She figured he probably assumed she was ill or something since she had on her pj’s.

“No, I’m fine. I hadn’t visited my father all weekend and wanted to see him.”

“Oh. And you’re dressed for bed already. I should have called first. I had decided to call you when I got home, but halfway there, I turned around and headed back this way. I wanted to see you.”

Jace drew in a deep breath. All of what he’d just said was the truth. He had joined Dalton for dinner, and when Dalton had invited two women to join them for drinks afterward, Jace knew it was time for him to split. The women had been nice enough, but there was no interest on his part. There was none of the gut-stirring attraction and desire he’d felt for Shana from the start. He had been on his way home, halfway there, when the need to see her again had tugged inside of him so badly that it became an ache. He’d then made a U-turn and come here.

Jace was well aware of the brief amount of sleep they’d both gotten the night before and figured Shana needed her rest; that was fine. All he wanted to do was hold her in his arms for a while. “You were about to go to bed?”

“Yes.”

“Come on, then, and let me tuck you in before I leave.”

Shana quirked her eyebrows questioningly. “Tuck me in?”

“Yes, and then I’ll leave.”

This I got to see,
Shana thought. No man had ever tucked her into bed without staying the night. “Okay.”

He took her hand, and she thought he would walk her up the stairs. She gasped when he swept her off her feet and into his arms. “I can walk, Jace,” she said, looking up at him.

“Why do so when you don’t have to?” was his reply.

He took the stairs with ease while holding her, and Shana felt cuddled firmly in his strong arms. When they reached the bedroom, he set her down beside the bed. He then began removing his jacket. After placing it across the wingback chair in her room, he pushed back the bedcovers and then glanced over at her. “In.”

Like a dutiful child, she moved to crawl between the covers, and then he kicked off his shoes and joined her on the bed, stretching out his legs. “I want to hold you until you doze off to sleep.”

She nodded and, filled with an emotion she tried and failed to push back, she eased toward him, and he held her in his arms with her head pressed against his chest. She could inhale his masculine scent and could hear the steady beat of his heart. For some reason, she was comforted by the sound. His arms were wrapped around her, and she thought that she could lie in his arms like this forever.

She glanced up at him, parted her lips to say something...what, she wasn’t sure...and instead she tipped her mouth up for a kiss she desperately wanted. He lowered his head and complied.

The stroke of his tongue against hers was soothing, passionate, and her body responded by stretching upward for more. And he delivered, deepening the kiss, intensifying those strokes, and she heard herself moaning out her pleasure.

He broke off the kiss, and his breath seared across her parted lips when he whispered, “Don’t tempt me, Shana. Go to sleep.”

Drawing in a deep, satisfying breath with the taste of him still embedded on her tongue, she settled back down in bed and he wrapped his arms around her again. Held against him moments later, she heard it...a steady hum...and realized what he was doing. Not only was he holding her, but he was humming her to sleep, as well. She recognized the tune,
Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.
She smiled as she closed her eyes, and that was the last thing she remembered.

* * *

Jace stopped humming and glanced down when he heard the steadiness of Shana’s breathing. She had fallen asleep. A part of him had felt guilty most of the day knowing he had robbed her of sleep Sunday night. Hopefully, this would make up for it.

Carefully, he eased away from her and smiled when she whispered his name in her sleep. He couldn’t resist leaning over and placing a tender kiss on her lips. Then, covering her up completely, he moved away from the bed, slid back into his shoes and put on his jacket again. He glanced back over at her one final time before turning out the lights and quietly moving downstairs.

A part of him knew he should not have come here, but then another part knew he had no other choice. Shana had gotten under his skin from day one, and although he’d tried, there was no eradicating her. This affair they’d agreed to would eventually run its course. This fierce attraction and desire would one day be a thing of the past. They were merely enjoying each other for now. It was about sex and nothing more.

If all those things were true, then why did he feel possessiveness toward her that he hadn’t felt for a woman in a long time? He’d felt possessive toward Eve, but then he’d had every right to do so since she was his wife. But no other woman had stirred such need for exclusivity and selfishness where she was concerned.

He recalled the first time he’d met Bruce, that first day the man had come to install her computer. Jealousy had eaten at Jace as he observed the man’s easy and carefree relationship with Shana. It was a relationship he didn’t have with her and couldn’t have with her. Now things were different. He had the relationship he wanted, so why wasn’t it enough?

He armed her security system and quickly opened the door, locking it behind him. As he walked to his car, he couldn’t help but recall how good it felt holding her while she dozed off to sleep. He’d liked the feel of her in his arms, experiencing something apart from deep intimacy...although he damn well liked doing that.

Being inside her body was like a high he’d never felt before. He didn’t just feel passion, he felt feverish passion. He was discovering there was a difference between the two. And whenever he thrust in and out of her, a need that bordered on madness would take over him, driving him to satisfy a greed that controlled everything within him at that particular moment.

Moments later, he was back on the interstate again and headed toward home. Damn, but he missed her already and had to talk himself out of making yet another U-turn and going back. She needed her rest, and he needed his. Besides, if he slept away from home two nights in a row, Hannah would start thinking things. It was Hannah’s ardent desire that one of them finally settle down and fill Sutton Hills with the patter of little feet.

Hannah had never liked Eve; she thought Eve was too selfish for her own good and, like Jace’s grandfather, felt he could do better. Now he was convinced he could, as well. So why did his thoughts automatically come back to Shana?

Hell, other than being off the charts in bed, what did he know about her? He knew she had a father and a sister and that she got along great with her staff, some of whom he had met. He knew where she lived and that she liked her hamburgers well-done and was in love with strawberry shakes.

But there was more, and a part of him wanted to know all there was. He released a deep sigh, satisfied with his goal of finding out. For the moment, he wouldn’t question why he felt the need; he would just accept that he did.

* * *

Dalton walked into his condo while stripping off his tie. Tonight had been fun and the woman enjoyable. She was disappointed they had gone to her place instead of his. But she soon got over it. She’d wanted him to stay the night, and he’d turned her down. A one-night stand was just that, a one-night stand. There was no need to get greedy.

He headed for his bedroom to take a shower. Then he would call Victoria. He hadn’t talked to her but twice since he’d been here. She was involved with Wimbledon, and he knew how hectic her schedule was these days. And he’d seen her several times in the paper being escorted to and from events by Sir Isaac Muldrow.

Dalton had met the man and thought he was nice enough, but probably a little too old for Victoria’s taste. But he thought Muldrow was just the man Victoria needed. He was as rich as she was, and he was well-respected in European circles.

A short while later, after taking his shower and slipping into a pair of briefs—which was the only thing he wore to bed—he lay back against the pillows and placed a call to Victoria.

He liked his condo and liked Holly, the cute young woman who’d come to decorate the place, even better. Holly was playing hard to get, but get her he would eventually. He’d missed a call from her tonight, which meant she was softening. He would make it a point to return her call tomorrow.

“Hello?”

Victoria sounded wide-awake, which made him remember the time difference. It was daytime in England and Tuesday already. “Miss me?”

“Dalton! Glad to hear your voice. I was beginning to think you’d forgotten about me.”

“Never. How are things going? I see Wimbledon went off without a hitch.”

“Yes, and I’m so glad about it. We’re still recovering from all the work we did during last year’s Olympics. So tell me, how are things going with your being a corporate executive? Is it simply boring, darling?”

He had to admit it wasn’t as bad as he thought it would be, but then there was nothing better than making money doing nothing, which is what he’d done for the past year. “It’s okay, not as bad as I thought it would be. I’m learning a lot. Staying busy.”

“But not too busy to keep your hands off the women?” she asked, laughing.

“I’ll never be too busy for that.” That’s what he liked about his relationship with Victoria. She knew him like he knew her. They enjoyed each other in bed, but they were also friends. There was no possessiveness, jealousy or control. It was what it was.

They talked for a little while longer, and he was determined not to bring up her ex if she didn’t. She didn’t, so he hoped she was still getting over the bastard. “I thought about taking a trip to the States to see you. I haven’t been to America in years.”

He smiled. “Then come. I’d love to see you.”

She chuckled. “But your brothers might not. I believe they think I’m a bad influence or something.”

“Who gives a crap what they think? We’re friends and nothing more. Friends with benefits.”

“Yes, but maybe it’s time for you to look for more with another woman. I’ve been thinking about that.” She paused a moment and then said, “I’ve been seeing a lot of Sir Isaac.”

“I know.”

“You do?” she asked, sounding surprised. “How?”

“We get the papers here, Victoria, and I’m also interested in what’s happening over there. I take it that you like him.”

“Yes. He reminds me of an older you.”

He smiled. “An older me isn’t so bad, is it?”

“No. I like him, Dalton.”

“And if he’s smart, he would like you, as well.”

He didn’t have to see the smile he knew had touched her lips. “Father said the same thing.”

“Stuart and I think alike. I consider that a compliment.”

She didn’t say anything for a moment and then said, “I have decisions to make, Dalton. If I decide to marry Muldrow, that means ending things between us. Muldrow wouldn’t want me to retain our close friendship.”

In other words, Dalton thought, the man wouldn’t want Dalton fucking his wife. “I can’t blame him. We will always be friends, you know that. Just not bed pals. I can handle that. Can you?”

“Not sure at the moment, Dalton. You’re more than my bed pal. You’ve become my security blanket. You make me have confidence in myself.”

He tightened his hand on the phone, hearing the lack of self-assurance in her voice. “You will always have my support like I know I’ll always have yours, Victoria. You are a beautiful woman who deserves a man like Muldrow. He will make you happy.”

“I truly believe that he will. But there’s a lot to think about. I’ll let you know what I decide.”

“All right.”

“Okay, I have to run. Good night, Dalton.”

He smiled. “And a very good day to you, my lady.”

As he hung up the phone, he had a feeling she wouldn’t be “his” lady too much longer.

Chapter Twenty-Four

“H
mm,” Jace agreed, licking his lips. “Now, this is a great sandwich. I didn’t know there was a sandwich shop around here.” He had walked into his brother’s office during the lunch hour to find Dalton sitting at his desk with a spread in front of him. Dalton had invited him to pull up a chair and offered him half his sandwich. It was simply delicious.

“There’s not a sandwich shop around here,” Dalton said, wiping his mouth and then grabbing a bag of chips.

Jace lifted a brow. “Then where did you get all this?”

“From Hannah.”

Jace stared at his brother for a long moment and then he asked, “You have Hannah preparing your lunch?”

“She offered.”

“Yeah, I bet,” Jace said, rolling his eyes.

“Honest. I called to thank her for the leftovers that I brought in yesterday, and she offered to prepare lunch for me this week. I didn’t want to hurt her feelings by declining.”

“Sure. Turning her down would have killed you.”

Dalton smiled over at his brother. “You’re jealous. Admit it, you’re jealous.”

Jace frowned. “I’m not jealous.”

“Yes, you are. You were the firstborn, and Hannah just doted on you right and left. You were her favorite. Now you’re sharing the spot, and that’s eating at you,” Dalton accused.

“It’s not!”

“You’re a liar. It is.”

“Boys. Boys. Do I have to take a strap to you guys? I can’t leave you alone for a week before you’re acting like uncivilized heathens.”

Dalton and Jace jerked their heads around to find Caden leaning lazily in the doorway. Jace was out of his chair, and Dalton followed suit. “What are you doing here? We weren’t looking for you to get back until next week.”

“I know,” Caden said, smiling and taking a good look at his brothers to see if there were any scars he needed to check out. “But I had a couple of free days and decided I was tired of living out of a hotel room.”

“Why bitch about it now when you’ve been doing it for years?” Dalton countered.

Instead of answering, Caden glanced over at Jace. “Hold me back before I smash his face in.”

“Stand in line. Wait your turn,” Jace said, fighting back a smile. “You want to smash his face, and I prefer kicking his ass.”

“Need I remind the both of you that I’m younger and more physically fit?” Dalton asked. “If anyone is about to get whipped, it’s not going to be me.”

Caden chuckled. “I choose to differ. I suggest we go to the place on the corner, have a few drinks and the both of you can bring me up to date on what’s going on.”

“Sounds like a good plan to me,” Dalton said, moving to grab his jacket.

“Same here,” Jace said, about to leave Dalton’s office to go to his own to grab his jacket.

“Oh, and I forgot to correct you guys on something,” Caden said.

“What?” Dalton asked as he paused, straightening his tie.

Caden smiled and then said, “Neither of you is Hannah’s favorite, because I am. Always have been and always will be.”

* * *

“Working late tonight, I see.”

Shana’s heart skipped at the sound of the deep, throaty voice. She glanced to her side and saw Jace standing in the doorway that connected her office to his. She’d noticed the door a number of times and used to get distracted wondering what he was doing on the other side of it. Until now, neither had opened it.

She had seen him earlier today in a departmental meeting, and she had sat across a table from him trying not to remember how he’d held her in his arms the night before and hummed her to sleep. But every time he would glance over at her, she could actually feel the heat from his eyes.

“But not for too much longer. I thought you had left for today.”

“Caden flew home for a couple of days, and Dalton and I left to spend time with him at McQueen’s. They decided to leave there and go play a game of tennis to prove who is the fittest.”

She leaned back in her chair. “And you decided to come back here?”

“Yes, I decided to come back here. Told them I’d hook up with them later.” He came inside her office and closed the connecting door behind him. “What are you reading?”

“The last report I gave you. Marcel just called. He didn’t provide any details but wants to meet with us Monday, around eleven. Will you be available then? And I think he wants to include your brothers in this meeting.” Even from across the room, the whiff of his cologne had the ability to stir her.

Jace nodded. “Shouldn’t be a problem. Caden will be leaving day after tomorrow, but he’ll be back Sunday night, and I’ll make sure Dalton is here.”

He paused by her side and said in a low, husky tone, “I hope you slept well last night.”

She couldn’t help smiling up at him. “I did, and I have you to thank.”

He nodded as he held her gaze and then said in an even lower voice, “You can thank me by going away with me this weekend.”

She lifted a brow. “Away?”

“Yes. I know a place a few hours away from here. I’m going there this weekend and would love for you to come with me.”

She paused a moment and then asked, “It’s not the beach, is it?”

“No, it’s a cabin in the mountains near Shenandoah. Why?”

“My father is taking a friend to the beach, and I wouldn’t want to run into them.”

“You won’t. We’ll leave early Saturday morning and return late Sunday afternoon. So will you go with me?”

Shana didn’t say anything for a minute, and as she held his gaze, she was exposed to all the desire she saw there. And it was desire she couldn’t combat, because she knew it was a mirror of her own. There was no sense denying it or denying the pleasure she knew would await her this weekend if she went with him. “Yes, I’ll go away with you this weekend.”

* * *

Caden looked up at the sky. It was a beautiful June night, and he was glad to be home, even if it was for only a few days. He had needed to split from his band for a while. Rena had gotten into a near altercation with a fan, and it could have gotten ugly if he and Roscoe hadn’t been there to intervene. He had warned her for the last time, and it was time to make changes. He had already advised Grover, the group’s manager, that after this week, they needed to start looking for another guitarist.

“I wondered where you’d gone.”

He glanced around when Jace stepped out onto the porch. “Yes, I thought I’d breathe in Virginia’s air while I could.”

Jace came to stand beside his brother. “It’s a beautiful night.”

“Yes, it is, and it reminds me of why I’ve always loved Sutton Hills. It has the mountains, lakes, streams and plenty of land. I think it’s the most beautiful place on earth. But things were never the same after Mom died. And although Granddad did the best he could, he could never replace Dad. Someone turned our world upside down, Jace, and after fifteen years, they are still walking around free, while Dad is sitting in jail paying time for a crime he didn’t commit. And I don’t understand why he doesn’t want us to hire a private investigator to help set him free. Who is he protecting?”

Jace sighed deeply, grateful that he wasn’t the only one left with the feeling that their father was protecting someone. During their visit with him a few weeks back, the subject had come up of their grandfather’s other deathbed request. To prove their father’s innocence. Shep had been adamant about not reopening the case. Why?

Evidently feeling the need to change the subject, Caden then asked, “So what’s going on with you and wonder-woman?”

Jace jerked his head around and met Caden’s stare. “You can’t believe everything Dalton tells you.”

Caden chuckled as he leaned against a post. “That’s just it. Dalton isn’t telling me anything. Any other time, he’s known to have loose lips, but he’s keeping them sealed for some reason.”

About time,
Jace thought. “If Dalton didn’t mention anything, why are you asking?”

“Because I’m not as dumb as you evidently think I am. Remember that incident with you beating on that vending machine while taking out all your sexual frustration? Trust me, I know the feeling, and I know who’s the reason.”

“Do you?”

“Yes.”

“What if I said you’re wrong?”

Caden smiled easily. “You have the prerogative to tell me anything you want. And I have that same prerogative to take what you say with a grain of salt if I choose to do so.”

“Then I plead the fifth.”

Caden threw his head back and laughed. It felt good to be home.

* * *

“And you’re really going out of town with him?”

Shana glanced over at Jules, who’d arrived in town that day. Shana was glad to see her sister, and after catching her up on what was going on with their father, she proceeded to come clean and let her in on what was going on with her, as well. By nature, Jules was curious, which was why she was perfect for what she did. She also had the ability to read a person like a book and knew immediately when someone was lying about something or trying to be evasive. That was one of the reasons Shana had decided not to waste her time doing either.

“Yes.”

For the next few seconds, Jules just stared at her. Finally, Shana had enough and asked what her problem was. Jules’s entire face spread into a smile when she said, “You like being in control. I’ve never known you to relinquish that control to a man.” She saw Shana about to refute what she’d said, so she threw up her hand to stop her.

“No, Shana. Listen to what I’m saying for a second before you get all pissed and flustered. Sometimes letting go of control is a good thing, as long as the man is worthy. Evidently, you think Jace Granger is. I wish I could find a man I thought was so worthy.”

“It’s purely a physical thing, Jules.”

Her sister chuckled. “Hey, I’d take that, too. Like I said, the man would have to be worthy on all accounts.”

Shana sipped her tea as she thought about what her sister had said. Was Jace worthy? She knew the answer without thinking too hard about the question. Yes, he was. If she’d had any doubt, it was removed from her mind the night he held her in his arms and hummed her to sleep after settling on a kiss and nothing more. Any other man would have had her blindfolded and handcuffed to the bed for a night of fun without caring how exhausted she was. But not Jace.

“You know this is a bummer, don’t you?” Jules asked.

“What?”

“My first weekend back and both you and Dad are deserting me.”

Shana gave her sister a pity look. “If you’re trying to make me feel bad, don’t waste your time. If the shoe was on the other foot—”

“I’d wear it proudly, keep stepping high and not give you a backward glance.”

“I figured as much.” Shana chuckled. She loved her sister and would do anything for her, and she knew it was the same for Jules. When their mother died, all they had was each other...and their dad. He had been their rock, their tower of strength. Their hero.

“Speaking of shoes, you know what I think I’m going to do this weekend, Shana?”

“I’m almost afraid to ask.”

Jules gave her that mischievous grin that had gotten them in trouble more than once during their lifetimes. “Pull out my favorite pair of stilettos, find my shortest dress and go barhopping.”

“Will you be looking for anyone in particular?” Shana asked.

“Yes, it’s a new case I’m working on. Some lowlife who’s turning one-night stands into movie night on the internet.”

“You’re kidding!”

“Wish I was. He uses a different alias with each woman and takes them to a different hotel each time. Unfortunately, they aren’t aware the entire thing is being filmed until the DVD shows up somewhere and they are recognized.”

“What an asshole,” Shana said angrily.

“Yes, those are my feelings. Four women joined forces to become my clients after the police claimed lack of manpower due to budget cuts as the reason they haven’t brought him in. He’s known to hang out at different bars looking for his next easy conquest. I got a good description of him. He’s drop-dead gorgeous and uses his looks to get women to drop their panties and their guard.”

“Sounds interesting. I hope you catch him, and please take care of yourself.”

Jules gave Shana a cheeky grin. “Don’t I always?”