The Art of Ethan

by Cara North

  Grace felt a flush of heat rising over her chest again. What the hell? Did this guy have some crazy pheromone imbalance that makes women swoon? Well, not this woman. Grace McPherson swoons for no man.

  “Thanks, but you are my guest, and I haven’t cooked anything.” Grace knew her face was flushing now. She could feel it.

  “And God willing you won’t.” Megan didn’t miss a beat.

  Grace gave her the eye. Megan stuck out her tongue. It was like high school all over again.

  “It’s no problem really. They take two minutes to make. I mean you don’t cook cereal, unless it’s a southern thing.” Ethan grabbed his coffee and started about the kitchen.

  “I’ll help.” Chase in his khaki shorts and collared shirt knew the place by heart now.

  “Well, I guess...” Grace felt invisible. She was in her own kitchen, and no one needed her to do anything. In fact, it seemed like the men were doing everything. It was hard to believe, but if Chase and Ethan were both gorgeous and domestic Gods, she understood why women wanted them.

  “Come on, Gracie.” Megan tugged at her now, squelching her pity party. They headed upstairs to get dressed. As soon as they entered Grace’s bedroom, Megan shut the door and tackled her onto the bed, laughing.

  “Tell me.” Megan squealed. “What do you think of them?”

  “You’re crazy.” Grace was laughing and pushing Megan off her.

  “Tell me.” She poked at Grace’s belly.

  “Ow.” Grace smacked Megan’s hand.

  “I’m sorry about last night.”

  “Forget about it, I have.” Grace sat up quickly on the bed. She could detect a faint scent of man in her sheets. Sandalwood, he was earthy and masculine.

  “Don’t you think he is just dreamy?” Megan pulled the sheet to her nose and breathed deeply.

  “Who?” Grace moved toward the dresser and caught a glimpse of Megan in the small mirror on her dresser.

  Megan examined her nails closely and moved on to checking herself out, pushing up her boobs and such. Grace had to smile. The girl had gone nuts. She had always been a little over concerned with her looks, but now she was just ridiculous.

  The thought that ran through her head then wasn’t a pleasant one. Her mother loved them both, but now Grace wondered if all the praise she gave Megan for being perky, pretty, and thin had made her believe that’s how she had to be. It had the opposite effect on Grace, making her feel like she was never measuring up to Megan.

  Thankfully, Megan distracted her with the topic at hand.

  “Ethan,” Megan whispered as if someone else may hear. Then, she spoke clear again. “I have to get these retouched when I get back.” She wiggled her fingers at Grace.

  “Dreamy? That is a strange word for an engaged woman to be using to describe a man about to become her brother-in-law, don’t you think?” Now at the closet, Grace grabbed a pair of tan capri pants and a nice pink tank top.

  Megan lifted up her head, looking at Grace with big blue eyes. She had the face of an angel, the same as when she confessed she slept with Shane Black in high school. He was on the football team, the only other guy in high school who gave Grace the time of day besides Mitchell. Grace felt her heart start to race. Don’t do it Megan, please.

  “I have to tell you something, Gracie, and you can’t judge me for saying it.” Her voice was low and serious.

  Grace pulled the shirt over her head and studied her cousin. “I’m listening.” And silently praying.

  “I love Chase, I do, and I am so in love with him...” she started then looked down.

  “Go on.” Grace could feel her heart race. Please don’t say what I think you’re about to say.

  “I saw Ethan first. They are both pretty well-known. I’m in PR so, of course, I was in charge of the gallery party. Joshua’s sister hired me. It was my third job, and, there he was...” She shrugged.

  “AND.” Grace was growing edgy by the moment. Get to the point. I know what you do for a living! Her mind was screaming at Megan, but her body was cool and unfazed.

  “Stephanie said he was engaged when I asked about him, but that his brother was single and just as striking.” Now, she batted her eyelashes a mile a minute at Grace.

  “That only works on men. Megan spit it out.” A flicker of her inner fire shot out, and Megan took notice. Please tell me you are over this. Please tell me you two never hooked up. Please tell me why I care.

  Grace found herself so much more concerned in the old Shane pact: never date the other’s guy. Grace forgot for a moment that they were grown ups. This wasn’t high school. Ethan wasn’t hers.

  “Well, of course, I made a b-line for Chase and harbored feelings for Ethan for about a minute and realized Chase was everything I ever wanted. Now that I know him, it would never have worked out for us anyway, he is too...” Megan drifted her gaze off toward the window.

  She didn’t want to tell Grace Ethan was an artist. He made good money from what she could tell, but he lived above the gallery and kept his private life to himself. His parents were wealthy. Chase followed in his father’s footsteps and made a really good living doing it. Since she didn’t want to seem interested in Ethan, she rarely asked about him.

  Grace wouldn’t care about the money part, but she really wasn’t fond of art or art related subjects. In fact, she said she hated every art class she had ever taken.

  “So you never...”

  “NO!” Megan protested. “You know me. I would never do that. They are brothers for crying out loud.” She said it like Grace didn’t already know.

  “So...” Grace prompted.

  “So, I feel guilty sometimes, and I am sure to treat Ethan extra evil because I would hate for anyone to know I had a crush.” Thanks to Ethan’s big mouth last night, she could talk about Emma freely. “But deep down I know he had to hurt when he lost Emma. He didn’t show it, but I know you hurt when Mitchell left.” She began batting her eyes again.

  “We live in two different states.” Grace relaxed and grabbed a hairbrush. Megan was always trying to fix her up or get her laid. Like sex was going to solve anything. The three men Grace had experienced was enough experience to tell her she could get more satisfaction from a bag of Oreos and a gallon of milk. “Besides what makes you think we would hit it off anyway?”

  “Because you’re both good people, and you both had bad relationships.” And his cousin wasn’t available. Megan pushed up from the bed and stood behind Grace, taking her hair then braiding it, just like when they were kids. Grace’s hair was uncontrollably long now, right at her waist, making the big curls heavy and easy to separate. As Megan braided, she wondered when the last time Grace had a haircut was, but she wouldn’t dare ask. “Ethan doesn’t have a date for the wedding either. I told you he has been shooting lightning at every woman who walks by, trying to get them away from him.”

  “He seems alright to me. I mean I can’t picture him as Thor right now.” Grace mulled it over. She sure couldn’t picture him taking her to the wedding.

  “Well, you could both use a friend, am I right? Besides, if you get to see him naked, I won’t feel dirty asking for all the details.”

  Grace gasped and turned as Megan handed the end of the long red braid to her. “You should be ashamed of yourself.”

  “I know.” Megan smiled as she opened the door. “But I’m not.”

  She crossed the hall. The seed was planted. If Ethan could just woo Grace a little, he might snap her out of the funk she’s been in. Ethan was avoiding women, so he would keep things on friendly ground, be polite. He would do that for Chase, she hoped. Grace would be a good host and punch him if he stepped out of line. Grace was always shy around guys though they all tried to gain her attention.

  Chapter 3

  There she was. For the first time in a long time, Grace actually looked at herself in a mirror. She still had a little something, somewhere. Well, she had gained a little something everywhere, but Megan was right. She needed to snap out
of it and come alive.

  But how? she wondered.

  Megan was good for fun loving, no strings attached thrills, but Grace wasn’t. Never had been, never would be. She could flirt, though, try to have fun, good clean, keep her clothes on kind of fun.

  “Not too much, Gracie. You don’t want to draw too much attention,” she said to herself aloud and applied the mascara then lip gloss. She rubbed her full lips together and remembered that it taste just like lemonade. Mitchell hated it, but he hated everything. He also told her she was fat. He never said it directly, just implied it.

  Grace missed dressing up, missed caring about the way she looked. Megan spent a lot of time and energy on her looks. She always had. Grace had a balance once upon a time, or so she thought. However, years of Mitchell and their on again off again relationship had worn her self-esteem down. When her mother died, well, she just became numb.

  God, I’m turning into Evelyn. At that thought she shivered and decided to start anew or at least try to.

  * * * *

  Ethan had already made a huge stack of pancakes by the time she returned. He soaked in the sight of Grace slowly. Her hair was back in a braid. He liked it down and wild. Her outfit was nice and simple. The air conditioner brought great life to her ample breasts. He didn’t have to touch them. He just knew they were real. Grace wasn’t small and skinny; she was lush and curvy, all woman. She was oddly tan for a red-head, and that made him wonder.

  “I didn’t think you guys were coming back.” He handed Grace a plate as he looked her over from head to toe again. He liked her toes and the bright pink polish. Maybe he could convince her to let the artist paint them. He fought the smile that somehow came to him whenever she was around. It wasn’t like she made him happy; no woman could do that.

  “Girl talk.” Grace smiled. Ethan had put two Oreo cookies on her plate in addition to a short stack of pancakes.

  How sweet. On second thought, he thinks I’m fat. She lifted a brow at him. He was eyeing her with a small smile. Men. Can’t kill ‘em.

  Chase was almost finished with his breakfast when Grace sat down. He knew better than to wait on Megan. If she actually ate pancakes this morning, he would insist she buy a pregnancy test this afternoon. He wondered if Grace knew they were trying. “So, tell me about this bus we’re going on. Is it a long trip?”

  Grace couldn’t help but laugh. “No, we could actually walk it, but the bus is more fun.” They had no idea why Megan had pulled back the curtain, probably thought it was her being cute.

  “What do you mean?” Ethan asked sitting across from Grace next to his brother. He wanted to be able to see her face, so he could try to read her. He could always read women. He didn’t always listen to the warning, but he knew women well. They wanted him; he knew that for sure.

  “You can look right out the window and see it.” Grace pointed out the front window with the curtain still open. She didn’t know why it bothered her, but the fact that he sat across from her and not beside her left a slight void. He had a certain amount of warmth that he radiated.

  Chase went to the window for a better look. Sure enough there was a big red double-decker bus just like the ones in England right there in little ole Beaufort.

  “Is that authentic?”

  “Yes, they’ll tell you the whole story on the tour.” If that got attention, she might drop the big one. “You guys know where you are, right?” Grace lifted her eyes to Ethan, who seemed interested in her every word. “This is a pirate town, home of Blackbeard. Well, one of his homes. There are ships right out there in the bottom of that water. My mom used to tell us we were descendants, but I think all parents tell their kids that around here. Some of the homes are even haunted.”

  “Can you dive?” Chase was getting more hyper by the minute. He looked like a little boy at Christmas. He was swaying and pacing. Grace thought he might start hopping around.

  “I uh ... we can find out.” Grace shrugged. She knew all the stories of her town but had never really thought about it being this interesting to people from New York.

  Certainly she never considered getting in the water to see the ships beneath it.

  “Do you like to go diving?” She looked back at Ethan, who was staring intently. It made her stomach flutter.

  “What’s that?” Ethan replied. He had been studying her face, her eyes, her lips, her hands but not listening.

  “Diving, do you ever go diving?” Grace lifted her brow. Suspect mister, you are becoming a suspect. She always thought men were up to something. It seemed in every romance novel she ever read the men were always up to something, but that was make-believe, and this was real life. When men were up to something in real life, it generally wasn’t something good.

  “Oh, sure if you want to.” He lifted his coffee and heard his brother laugh. Ethan was trying to gain focus. Her eyes were mesmerizing. He couldn’t quite get a handle on the color. Since he’s an artist, that was really bugging him.

  Chase had to laugh. He had never seen Ethan so obvious before. This was a good idea. If nothing else, Grace was different. She didn’t know him, number six on the most eligible bachelors list. Because he never told Megan, the mouth, he was confident Grace didn’t know Ethan had money and lots of it. Megan knew he did alright, but she didn’t know he topped even their parents financially.

  Once Megan appeared, she refused to eat fattening pancakes for breakfast though she had agreed they sounded good. She smelled them, actually holding one to her nose, then instead had a slice of toast and a glass of water.

  Grace shook her head. What had happened to the Megan who binged on junk food after cheerleading practice? She looked at Megan, who looked too skinny, but she knew how wound up she was about the wedding. Grace then looked at her own plate, over half eaten. She felt like a pig. At least she didn’t eat it all, except the cookies. Take that, Ethan.

  * * * *

  When they finished breakfast, the four made the short walk down the street to the Beaufort Historic Association. Chase walked slow and lazy compared to Megan, who took three steps to his every one. Of course, it seemed like she was moving fast, but because of the heels and the skirt, her stride only went so far. Grace walked behind them with Ethan, who paced his stride to match hers. It felt weird walking next to him, like they were a couple.

  “Come on,” Megan shouted as she climbed the stairs at the back of the old bus. “We’ll have to sit downstairs if you don’t hurry.”

  Grace watched as Chase followed the diva up the stairs. Megan had on heels that made Grace cringe just watching her climb the narrow stairs. Flip-flops were a staple in a woman’s wardrobe around here. Grace looked down at her own feet. Her toes were painted a bright pink. That should be diva enough.

  “After you.” Ethan gave a gentlemanly bow. Grace rarely said anything to him. She talked to Chase and Megan freely but never directly to him for more than a second.

  “Oh, thanks.” Grace headed up the stairs. When she took this ride with Mitchell, he jumped on right in front of her and his visiting relatives. What did I see in that loser?

  There was only one seat left up top, the last seat in the left row. As Grace slid across, she felt Ethan squeeze right in beside her. His masculine frame took up most of the room. Their legs touched. It must be really hot out right now, Grace noticed. The feel of Ethan’s leg next to hers was like fire.

  “I haven’t thanked you.” Ethan interrupted her thoughts. He had to say something since this woman barely spoke. He was a gentleman and let her climb the stairs ahead of him, but that only provided a nice view of her lush behind. It was all he could do not to bite it.

  “For what?” Grace peered at her cousin canoodling and giggling already. Why does she get everything? The jealousy monster was growing. Sew me into a bridal dress, who does that?

  “Yesterday.” Ethan finally sat back in the seat and tried to relax, letting the weight of his leg press into hers. She was soft but strong. Her leg didn’t budge one bit.

&nb
sp; Grace remained silent, still focused on Megan and Chase. His leg pressed into her. The tight space had them almost touching everywhere, so she held her leg firm to keep him from getting closer. Her heart was thumping. Despite the heat, she could feel her nipples drawing tight. How did he do that?

  Okay, you want more apologies. “I’m sorry for the inconvenience, for taking over your room. Sorry about the grumpy guy last night.” He had just apologized to this woman in one sentence more than he had to any other in his life. Get a grip. She’ll come around. I’m irresistible. Every woman has told me that.

  “I ... it’s fine really.” Grace held the metal bar in front of her like she was going on a roller coaster ride rather than a leisurely tour about her own town.

  Her mind was filling with thoughts, thoughts about the wedding. She would have to go alone. Megan wanted her to be friendly and go with Ethan. God, her senses were swimming in Ethan. If she could stay mad at Megan, she wouldn’t notice how good he smelled. Maybe she wouldn’t pay attention to how his voice vibrated through her ears and set her toes a tingling.

  Stay focused on anything but him, Gracie. You can do it. Remember what Evelyn told you. Find your center and breathe. Grace drew in a slow breath and held it then exhaled nice and slow.

  “I moved everything over to the room directly across the hall. That’s where Megan said to go.” He took a breath.

  Talking to this woman is like pulling teeth, painful. “I left my stuff in your bathroom since there are four of us and only two showers. I hope you don’t mind.”

  Now what? Ethan was out of things to say. He never had to make conversation before, never really had to get to know anyone, even with his ex-fiancé Emma. Emma did most of the talking; he just listened. Grace had a sweet voice, so he didn’t mind hearing it.

  “Not at all.” She swallowed hard. The pleasantries were killing her. The heat was killing her. She could swear it was supposed to be mild this afternoon with the rain moving in later, yet it seemed to get hotter by the minute. Ethan, he talked more than any man she had ever met in her life. Mitchell only talked about himself, but more often than not she was content not talking to him. Ethan seemed relentless in his pursuit of conversation.