They were perusing their menus when Andrew Jackson and his stepdaughter, Monica Jackson, approached their table. Had they been lurking in the shadows listening to their conversation and smelled blood?
“Kayla Adams,” Andrew Jackson greeted her. “How are you, darling?”
Kayla hated Andrew’s fake country accent. It went right along with his smarmy slicked-back hair and cowboy boots. He towered over the table at six foot six, but he did not intimidate Kayla. Andrew Jackson owned Jax Cosmetics, which was one of their competitors. Up until the economy went bad, Adams Cosmetics had consistently beat Jax Cosmetics in sales in the Southeast.
Although a smaller operation than Adams Cosmetics, Jax Cosmetics was showing rapid signs of growth. If Andrew and his stepdaughter Monica, who ran the company, knew they were in trouble, who knew what shenanigans they would pull?
“I’m well, thank you, Andrew. Monica,” Kayla inclined her head to his stepdaughter standing beside him. Although she might seem mousy at five foot three in a black trouser suit with designer glasses and a simple ponytail, Monica was a she-devil. Kayla supposed she had to be aggressive given that Andrew had always wanted his son, Jasper, to run the company, so Monica constantly had to prove herself. Jasper wanted nothing to do with his father and his stepfamily and had gone to live with his mother when he was a young boy. No one had heard from or seen him since.
Kayla was thankful that her relationship with her father was totally different. “Can I do something for you, Andrew?” Kayla inquired.
“No.” Andrew shook his head. “I wanted to congratulate you. We weren’t able to make it to Tyler Perry’s premiere as we were in the South of France, but we heard that Adams Cosmetics might be starting a new fragrance line. That’s quite ambitious, given the state of the economy.”
“True, but with great risk comes the biggest reward,” Kayla responded.
“Good luck,” Monica replied. “You’ll need it.” She stalked away, and Andrew chuckled as he followed her to their table.
Kayla turned back around to face Michael. “See what we’re dealing with? They are waiting for us to fail. We have to strike now. I need you to set up those meetings immediately.”
“Will do.”
“Are you in a better mood than you were on Saturday?” Daniel asked when he ran into Ethan in the hallway of Graham International on Monday morning.
Ethan laughed. He had been rather perturbed about being interrupted when he was about to kiss Kayla. He’d been on the cusp of seeing exactly what it was he’d passed up all those years ago in the stables. Of course, now things were different. Kayla Adams was a grown woman, a woman that he desperately wanted in his bed.
“Yes, I am. Today is a new day.” As he’d drifted off to sleep, Ethan had determined to pull out all the stops to get Kayla.
“When you have that look in your eye, it’s usually one of two things—a business deal or a woman. Which is it?”
“It’s both,” Ethan answered. “I want Adams Cosmetics and I want Kayla Adams.”
“Since when?” Daniel asked. “As I recall, Kayla had a thing for you when she was younger, but I would imagine her schoolgirl crush is over.”
“I may not have given her the time of the day in the past, but I will now. And she is most definitely not a schoolgirl anymore,” Ethan replied, “which means she’s fair game.” Back then, he’d had to turn her down, because it wouldn’t have been right or legal, but now, there were no limits.
“So what are your plans?”
“Well, first I want you to place some calls and see how their quest to find potential investors is coming along, and then I want you to squash them. I want to be the only option, the only company that Adams Cosmetics can turn to.”
“You mean the only man Kayla can turn to.”
“That’s one and the same.”
“And how do you plan on breaking the ice between you and Ms. Adams?”
“I’m going to do what every man does when he’s trying to woo a woman. I’m going to ask her out on a date,” Ethan responded.
“I could kill you for the move you pulled at the premiere,” Kayla told Piper, plopping down on the bed in her best friend’s apartment after work. She’d arrived moments ago to help Piper pick out an outfit for her blind date after receiving an SOS text from Piper earlier that day.
“What move?” Piper asked innocently, even though she knew the move in question.
“You left me alone with Ethan Graham.”
“And?” Piper raised a brow and glanced at Kayla as she held up a pantsuit. “What was wrong with that? Didn’t you tell me years ago, after seeing the string of beautiful women Ethan dated, that you were over pining for him?”
“I know what I said. And I am not pining for him,” Kayla replied testily. “And that suit is godawful. This is a date, not a business meeting.” She snatched the ensemble out of Piper’s hand and handed her another option. “Try this on.”
Piper took the garment out of Kayla’s hand and slid it down her slender frame. “Are you saying you lied to your best friend of twenty years?” She held her chest as if crestfallen.
“No,” Kayla answered. She rose from the bed and zipped up the back of Piper’s dress. “It’s just that I thought I was over the man, but then…” Her voice trailed off as the image of Ethan’s lips slowly starting to descend on hers came to mind.
Piper turned around. “But what?”
Kayla plopped back down on the bed and was silent. She hated to admit it, but she had no choice. “He still gets to me.”
“Did something happen between you two when I left?”
Kayla nodded. “We almost kissed.”
“What do you mean almost?” Piper asked. “You either did or you didn’t.”
“Well…we were interrupted because another couple burst onto the terrace,” Kayla replied. “If they hadn’t, I would have acted like a teenager and made out with the man. I can’t believe this, Piper.” She jumped up. “Ethan was supposed to be in my past.”
“Sounds like you two have some unfinished business,” Piper mused. “Because clearly Ethan has tapped into some hidden desire you still have for him.”
“No!” Kayla shook her head. “I refuse to give in to some teenage fantasy. I’m a grown woman who is capable of controlling her emotions, and I have to do that.”
“Why?”
“Because…because I don’t trust Ethan Graham one bit. He knows Adams Cosmetics is in trouble and he’s ready to swoop in like the vulture his company is. I’ve heard what he’s done to smaller companies that have merged with Graham International. I refuse to let Adams Cosmetics be a casualty.”
“But don’t you need the capital Ethan could provide?”
“I need capital, but there are other investors,” Kayla replied. “And it’s just a matter of time before I convince one of them to invest in Adams Cosmetics.”
Kayla returned home to find the family had already gathered in the formal dining room for dinner.
“Kay, we didn’t think you were joining us, so we started without you,” her mother, Elizabeth, said as she entered.
“No worries, Mom.” Kayla kissed her cheek before taking a seat at the table next to Shane.
“Where were you?” Courtney asked.
“I was at Piper’s. She needed help choosing an outfit.”
“I’m surprised Piper would need help in that department.” Her father chuckled. “She seems to have a handle on…er…her personal sense of style.”
That was her father’s diplomatic way of saying Piper’s taste bordered on eccentric, but that was okay with Kayla. They’d been best friends for twenty years and there was no one she trusted more.
“It’s a blind date,” Kayla offered. “And she wanted to make a good impression.”
“You know I was surprised Andrew Jackson wasn’t at the premiere,” her father said. “He always did like a good show.”
A silence came over the table, as the Jackson family was persona non grata in the Adams househol
d.
“I ran into him last week,” Kayla responded. “He was really interested in the fact that we were starting a new fragrance and mentioned that he just so happened to have been in France.”
“The fragrance capital of the world.” Shane rubbed his chin thoughtfully. Jackson could be up to something.
“Watch out for him,” Byron said. “He’s always been envious of our success.”
“Oh, trust me, Daddy, I’ve got an eye on him at all times,” Kayla said, laughing.
“That’s good to hear. You’ll need it,” her mother said. “Anyway, you received a dozen calla lilies. They are on the table in the foyer.”
“Really?” Kayla asked. She couldn’t fathom who might have sent them. “From whom?”
“That’s what we were wondering,” Shane responded. “Do you have a secret admirer?”
Kayla rose from the table, but Victor was already on it and bringing her the card from the flowers. When had he sneaked out of the room? “Thank you, Victor.”
“You’re welcome,” Victor said.
“So, who are they from?” Courtney inquired. “A new beau, perhaps?”
“Yeah, right. That’s the last thing I need right now,” Kayla said, pulling the card out of the envelope. She was surprised at the name on the card and had to read the message twice for fear she was hallucinating. The card stated, “Dinner. Tomorrow at 7:00 p.m. Will pick you up. Ethan.”
Why was Ethan sending her flowers? And did he think he could just order her to dinner and she would comply? “Anyway, it’s no one important.” She placed the card back in the envelope and slid it inside her purse.
“Hmm…if it’s no one important, you should tell us,” Shane said from her side.
Kayla glared at Shane before rising from the table. “Umm, I don’t think I’m hungry after all.” She grabbed her purse. “I’ll see you all later.” She quickly rushed out of the room. She had business to attend to, namely, setting Ethan Graham straight.
Ethan had just prepared himself an after-dinner cocktail and was relaxing in his living room when his doorbell rang. He had a loft in the city, but after living abroad the past few years while expanding Graham International, he much preferred his nine-bedroom, nine-bath mansion in Tuxedo Park.
He answered the door himself because he’d told the staff they could retire for the evening. So not only was the visitor shocked to see him answer the door, but he was equally shocked to see her. “Kayla!”
“Ethan.” Kayla pushed past him into the foyer. “I need to talk to you.” She stood in the hallway, then began pacing back and forth.
Ethan smiled. She must have received his flowers, and if the furious expression on Kayla’s face was any indication, she was not happy about it. “And this couldn’t wait until our dinner tomorrow night?”
“No.”
“Well, then, by all means let’s talk.” He motioned with his arm for Kayla to follow him. He led her down the hall to the study where he’d been reading.
Once in the study, Kayla let him have it. “You have no right to send me a summons.”
“A summons?” Ethan’s brow rose. “I believe you’re mistaken. It was an invitation to dinner.”
Kayla pulled the envelope from her purse. “This was not an invitation because you did not expect to be turned down.”
Ethan sat down with his decanter in hand and folded one leg over the other. He sipped before speaking. “And I presume you are here at this hour—” he looked at his Movado watch and it read eight o’clock “—to decline my invitation.”
“I will not be ordered around, especially by you.”
Ethan’s mouth formed an O. “Especially by me. Why is that, Kayla? What do you have against me? Correct me if I’m wrong—” he rubbed his beard thoughtfully “—but had we not been interrupted the other night, you and I would have finally shared that long-awaited kiss you’ve always wanted. So what exactly is so abhorrent about sharing dinner with me?”
“You’re wrong!” Kayla responded even though her face turned several shades of red.
“Am I?” Ethan rose from the chair. “I think it’s time we find out exactly what’s between us. Don’t you?”
Kayla took a step back. “I wouldn’t share a meal with you if I was dying of hunger.”
Ethan chuckled. “Well, fortunately, you’re not.”
“Which is why I’m declining.”
“I refuse to take no for an answer.”
“You may not be used to hearing the word no, Ethan, but I meant what I said the other night. I want no part of you or your company.”
“Those are mighty big words for a woman in a bind. I would think you’d be chomping at the bit to pitch your investment strategy to me personally, as I am Graham International.”
“I have been looking after my family’s company for a long time, Ethan, and I most certainly don’t need you to bail me out.”
Ethan placed the decanter on a side table and walked toward her. Kayla stood up ramrod straight. She refused to be bullied by Ethan and was determined to stand up to him, even though butterflies were jumping around in her stomach at his nearness. She took a deep breath and calmed herself.
“No, I don’t imagine you need me just yet.” Ethan’s fierce brown eyes focused on hers, and Kayla found she couldn’t turn away from his piercing gaze that was drenched with hunger. “But you want me.”
Kayla swallowed hard.
“Oh, yes.” He watched Kayla nervously look downward. “You want me, but you’re afraid to show it. But that’s all right, I have no problem going for what I want.” Ethan grabbed Kayla by the shoulders and his mouth slammed down on hers, stealing her breath and fracturing her thoughts into a million pieces. Before she knew what was happening, he had her up against the bookshelves and was pressing his body against her. He cupped the back of her head as his mouth kissed her with fervor.
Kayla was unprepared for the onslaught of Ethan’s mouth on hers or the rush of excitement that coursed through her. She’d thought the kiss would be hard and fast but instead his lips were surprisingly gentle and soft as they searched hers. His tongue traced the outline of her lips and despite herself, she parted them, allowing him entry. His tongue slipped inside and he began plundering the inner recesses of her mouth. The kiss sent the pit of her stomach swirling and caused spirals of ecstasy to shoot straight through her. When he began sucking on her tongue voraciously, drawing her to him, Kayla gripped his arms and a moan escaped from her.
Ethan didn’t stop at kissing her. His hands were everywhere, touching her, caressing her breasts over her trench coat and cupping her bottom firmly against him as he deepened the kiss, fusing their two tongues as one. He tantalized and teased her equally, leaving her weak with need.
It was a slow, drugging kiss and when it was over, Kayla was shocked by her eager response. She dragged her mouth away from his and stepped away, embarrassed by her own wantonness. Was he right? Had she been waiting, wanting this all along? Her heart was pounding and her body ached for fulfillment. What was wrong with her? Her senses were reeling as if short-circuited.
“Now that was a proper kiss,” Ethan said. “And long overdue.”
His response snapped Kayla out of her kiss-induced daze. “You just had to put your foot in your mouth, didn’t you?” He’d broken the intimate moment between them and made Kayla realize just how close she’d come to losing control. She reached for her purse that had somehow fallen on the floor in the kiss and headed toward the door.
“Where are you going?” Ethan asked.
Kayla spun around. “Did you think that the next logical step was for us to go upstairs to bed? Because if so, you were dead wrong. The kiss was pleasant enough, but if you think it’s enough to render me free of my faculties, then you had better think again. I am not easily seduced, either out of my clothes or out of my company. Consider this your notice that I am declining your invitation to dinner. Have a good night.” Kayla stalked out of the room with as much dignity as was possible
after she’d so easily succumbed to his charms.
On the other side of the wall, Ethan was stunned. Kayla Adams was a spitfire. And he loved it. She’d set his body ablaze, which was why a certain member was straining in his trousers.
He’d only meant to have a little taste, but instead her full lips had released a passion that had been lying dormant, and her well-defined rear end had him horny as hell. He could only imagine what it would be like to make love to such a siren. Kayla was like a wild Arabian horse. But he would look forward to riding her, because to tame her would be no fun at all.
Tonight, she’d shown her hand. That kiss had told him everything he needed to know. Kayla wanted him as much as he wanted her, but she would not come to him of her own accord. She was determined to show she was unaffected, which meant he was going to have to up the seduction.
An idea suddenly began to form in his head. He’d secretly wanted Kayla for years, but the rift in their families had never given him a chance to spend much time with her. But the more he saw of her now, the more convinced he became that she was what he’d always been looking for. He was well overdue to settle down and start a family. He needed a woman by his side who would complement him, who understood the business but was passionate enough in the bedroom to make him forget about it. A woman he could respect and who would be an excellent mother to his children. A woman who was beautiful yet confident, strong, intelligent, stubborn and sexy as hell. Kayla Adams fit the bill perfectly. If this idea came to fruition, he could have Kayla and correct the mistake Carter had made years ago with Byron. Kayla would hate him for it, but Ethan had a proposition for her. One she wouldn’t be able to turn down if she wanted to save her family’s company.
Chapter 4
Kayla was still lying in the bed the next morning and it was well after seven. She knew she should be getting ready for work, but how could she? She’d slept fitfully the night before. Visions of Ethan and the sudden surge of lust he’d evoked had kept her awake.
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