“If it motivates you,” Teagan said, “I think he’s interested in you, too. You’d make a cute couple.”
“I don’t think I’m his type,” Sienna protested, hoping Teagan wouldn’t give the matter another thought.
Her sister was so accustomed to being the center of attention that when someone showed an interest in Sienna, Teagan turned on the charm. She didn’t do it on purpose, but with her looks and vivacious personality she was the sun that the rest of them revolved around.
“You don’t think you’re any man’s type,” her sister countered. “But you and I know that’s not true.”
In truth, several men had found her attractive. Unfortunately, once they met Teagan, they’d found her far more appealing.
“And I think he’s into you, as well,” Teagan confided, as they reached the door that led to the back terrace and the stairs to the extensive gardens between the back of the house and the garage.
While they were visiting, Teagan and Sienna had been offered the use of one of several vehicles gathering dust in Grady’s garage since his stroke many months ago.
“Where are we headed?” Sienna asked, sliding into the passenger seat. She would’ve preferred to be the one behind the wheel—Teagan rarely got out of New York City to practice her driving skills—but her sister liked being in control.
“Poppy is working so I thought we’d swing by her salon and pick her up.”
Sienna should’ve realized something was up, but until she was herded into a stylist chair, she hadn’t realized the reason they stopped at Poppy’s salon was so that she could be bullied into having her hair cut and highlighted. While Teagan and her cousin discussed Sienna as if she was a shabby doll rather than a living, breathing woman, Sienna sipped white wine and surrendered to the transformation. An hour and a half later, she stared at her reflection, marveling at the caramel highlights and wavy layers that added volume and dimension to her hair.
“You have gorgeous hair,” Poppy said, obviously pleased with herself. “Your cut just needed to be freshened up a little bit.”
A little bit was an understatement. Finishing up her second glass of wine, Sienna stared at her reflection and barely recognized herself. Had she really avoided competing with Teagan to the extent that she’d stopped trying to look her best? Apparently so, because the smiling woman reflected back at her appeared not just beautiful but also happy about it.
Feeling a little off-balance, Sienna got up from the chair and tried to pay Poppy.
The hairdresser laughed and waved her off. “You’re family. And family doesn’t pay.”
Determined to find a way to repay Poppy’s kindness, Sienna exited the salon and followed the other women down the street to begin their shopping. What followed was a blur of wine, women and far too much fashion for Sienna to keep it all straight. Not long after she was halfway through her third glass of wine that afternoon, Dallas and Lia showed up to offer their opinions. The quartet kept putting more outfits in the dressing room for Sienna to try on, barely giving her space to notice that she modeled five outfits to one of theirs.
In the end, after repeating the routine in several more stores, she exited the final one having spent more money on clothes in a single afternoon than in the whole of last year. They swung by the car to drop off her purchases and then headed to the twins’ favorite watering hole with rooftop seating. Dallas had worked in several award-winning kitchens around Charleston and was well-known in the restaurant scene. When the bartender spied her leading their group in, he sent over a specialty cocktail for them all to try. As Sienna sipped the delicious fruity martini, she surveyed the view and savored being one of Teagan’s posse. Of course, she reflected, it wouldn’t last. Her sister did nothing out of the goodness of her heart. If she dragged Sienna shopping, there would be a motive behind her actions. It was only a matter of time before the purpose was revealed.
“To Sienna’s new look,” Teagan began, lifting her glass in a festive gesture. “Here’s hoping a certain someone will notice.”
While the other three echoed the toast, Teagan locked eyes with Sienna and smirked. Even though she’d been expecting it, Sienna shivered in dread at her sister’s Machiavellian manipulation. Obviously, Teagan intended to throw Sienna at Ethan, but to what purpose? Nor could she demand an answer from her sister. Teagan was a slippery eel when it came to admitting she was up to anything. Sienna would just have to keep her eyes open and hope when the ax fell that she saw it coming soon enough to get out of its way.
* * *
Ethan bounded up the front steps of his grandfather’s home, eager to spend the evening with Sienna Burns, and find out what she knew about her sister’s plans. He found her seated at the dining room table, her laptop open, her fingers flying over the keys. His initial thought was that she hadn’t been kidding about being a workaholic. His second impression took longer to coalesce. As his gaze skimmed over her, his senses came online, so that his body—not his mind—dominated his reaction to her transformation.
Someone—he guessed his cousin Poppy—had transformed Sienna’s long hair to better enhance the creamy perfection of her skin. Gone was the low ponytail of forgettable brown. Instead, wavy strands of rich chocolate, threaded with caramel, framed her oval face and drew attention to her blue-gray eyes and plump lips.
And the changes didn’t end there. Her utilitarian uniform of dark pants and white top had been replaced by a floral organza dress in peach-and-coral tones that enhanced her abundant curves. Ruffles fluttered along the V of her neckline, drawing attention to the swell of her breasts and offering eye-popping glimpses of her ample cleavage. She looked feminine, approachable, absurdly kissable. He wanted to wrap his fingers around her small waist and pull her tight against his body. To savor the lavish delights of her pillowy breasts squashed against his chest.
Holy hell! He was getting aroused just looking at her.
Ethan caught hold of himself and wrestled his expression into easy congeniality. It would not serve his plans to scare the girl right off the bat by leering at her like a man who was only after her body. He’d save that for later in the evening.
“Hey,” he said, his voice sounding rusty. He swallowed and tried again. “Are you ready to go?”
“Just about,” she said without looking up from the laptop screen. “I have a client who wants a piece that’s going up for auction in a couple of weeks and I’m trying to gage the level of interest out there so I can give him an idea how much it might go for.”
“Take your time,” he murmured, content to trail his gaze over her for a few more unguarded minutes. “I like your dress.”
“Thank you.” She made a face, but whether it was about what she was typing or his compliment, he couldn’t tell.
“Is it new?”
“Yes.” Her gaze finally slid his direction. “Why do you ask?”
The look in her eyes as she surveyed him in turn was a gut punch he didn’t see coming. Appreciation made her lips curve just the tiniest bit. As his heart beat harder, he wasn’t sure if he should resist his attraction or channel it into his plot to use seduction to uncover her sister’s plans. If not for that damned email, he could see himself having fun with Sienna. Her blend of intelligence and artlessness was a fascinating combination he was eager to explore.
With Teagan, every facial expression and word she spoke seemed practiced and prepared. Behind her beautiful green eyes he’d spied a shrewd brain that plotted and planned. That was why after meeting her, he’d had no trouble believing the anonymous emailer’s claim that she intended to battle him for control of Watts Shipping.
Sienna was much harder to figure out. One moment she was blushing at something that had passed between them. The next she looked like she’d enjoy a lusty romp in the bedroom. And just when he thought he’d figured her out, she threw her intelligence at him and retreated behind a wall of facts and candid observ
ation. Had he ever met a woman this complex? Which facets represented the real Sienna Burns and how did he exploit them to his advantage?
“Because,” Ethan said, realizing he’d taken too long to answer, “I can see the price tag.”
“Oh.” She began a frantic search that was equal parts comical and charming.
Ethan cursed to himself even as his lips curved into a grin. If his intention was to seduce her, he should’ve slid his fingers up her side to indicate where the tag was. His touch that close to the swell of her breast would no doubt have a predictable effect on them both. Instead, he stayed rooted to the spot and enjoyed the show as she twisted and turned, offering him an eyeful of cleavage that lay previously hidden beneath the floral ruffles.
There was no way he’d make it through the night without getting his hands on her.
While she retreated to the kitchen to find scissors, he glanced at her open laptop. A quick perusal of her email exposed no damning messages between her and Teagan or anyone else for that matter. Not that he expected there to be. Surely they were clever enough to cover their tracks.
In minutes Sienna returned to the dining room, the hem of her floral dress fluttering about her knees, drawing Ethan’s attention to her shapely calves. She was barefoot, having abandoned her coral-colored sandals beneath the table. They were beyond easy reach and she would have to crawl under the table to fetch them.
“Let me get those,” he said, dropping to his knee before she could. Snagging the straps, he pulled them out and arranged the shoes before her feet, glancing at her smooth, pale legs as he did so.
“Thanks,” she murmured huskily, biting her lip as if unsure what to do about his apparent interest.
“My pleasure.” He’d never spoken more truthfully.
As if disconcerted by the fact that he didn’t immediately rise, she plopped down on the chair where she’d been sitting before. His current position at her feet was too close to enable her to fasten the straps so they stared at each other for an awkward beat before he stood and stepped back.
Proximity to her made his stomach pitch oddly. The sensation was magnified when she glanced up at him from beneath her lashes. Her expression, an intriguing mixture of curiosity, concern and confusion, rocked him back on his heels. Either this was a big act or she was unlike any woman he’d ever been attracted to.
When it came to sex, he liked his partners experienced and willing. He didn’t want to worry about awkwardness or hurt feelings in the aftermath. Usually that wasn’t a problem for him. He had a reputation around Charleston for being an impossible catch.
He’d already decided to exert all his charm on Sienna and hope she trusted him enough to relax her guard and talk about her sister’s plans. What remained open-ended was how far to take things. Sleeping with her might be the highlight of his busy social schedule, but he wasn’t sure he could trust himself to remain indifferent.
“Are you ready to go?” he asked.
“Let me run my laptop back to my room and grab my purse.”
While he waited, Ethan pulled out his phone and reflected on the latest message from the anonymous sender.
Sienna is very adept at reading people. Be careful how much you tell her.—A friend
The reason this particular warning bothered him had little to do with the content of the message and more that his anonymous “friend” seemed to have an inside track on Ethan’s activities. Who could be behind it? He doubted it was someone close to him. Anyone in his life who had his best interest at heart would know to come to him directly rather than go all clandestine with sinister warnings.
Nor was this particular advice earth-shattering. Ethan rarely trotted out his thoughts and feelings to those he trusted. He wasn’t about to give away the store to someone he’d just met.
By the time Sienna returned, Ethan had settled on his strategy. They would head to a romantic restaurant where he would order wine and ply her with delicious seafood and a decadent dessert. Then, with her lulled by great food and scintillating conversation, they would stroll under the moonlight where, with the table no longer a barrier between them, he would offer tantalizing hints of the sexual pleasures that awaited her. All leading to the eventual spilling of her secrets in the sweaty daze of postlovemaking bliss.
FOUR
They passed through a wrought iron gate and navigated a meandering brick pathway bordered by densely planted landscaping to get to the restaurant Ethan had chosen. To Sienna, it felt like stepping into a hidden garden. Inside, a mix of old and new offered a cozy ambiance. Large contemporary chandeliers warmed the oyster-toned, velvet-lined walls hung with hundred-year-old portraits. The effect was inviting and Sienna couldn’t wait to see the menu.
The hostess escorted them to a quiet table for two in the back corner. As Sienna settled onto the banquette seat that ran the length of the restaurant’s back wall, she realized that while she had a view of the entire restaurant, Ethan’s only scenery was her. This proved immediately disconcerting as he set aside his menu and brought the full power of his attention to bear.
“Is this place okay?” Ethan was behaving like a perfect gentleman, a swoon-worthy date, bringing her to a romantic restaurant, checking in to make sure she was happy.
“It’s perfect.” You’re perfect. Too perfect. Yet, she was hopelessly ignoring the red flag flapping in her face.
“Wonderful.” His alluring smile sent butterflies whisking over her nerve endings. “I want your first dinner out to be memorable.”
“Oh, I’m sure it will be that,” she murmured, mentally removing his linen jacket and slipping the buttons of his white shirt loose one by one.
Charleston’s sultry heat left her craving endless hours of sweaty, energetic, creative sex with a man who made her feel like the most beautiful woman on the planet.
Ethan Watts fit the bill.
“Good.” He drawled the word, the vowels lingering decadently on his lips and tongue.
Sienna sipped water and resisted the urge to fan herself. She wasn’t accustomed to being wooed. Or maybe it was better to say that she wasn’t comfortable being romanced. The only way she’d found to keep her heart from being broken was to remain in charge of whom she dated and when she slept with someone. For the most part she chose unsophisticated men with no connections to her career who were wildly romantic. It was hard to take men like that seriously and she was able to enjoy their bodies without ever engaging her mind or heart.
That’s what made Ethan so dangerous.
The last of her restraint was fraying beneath his outrageous flirting and come-hither gazes. Not only was she dying to get her hands on his gorgeous body, but she was also keenly aware of the sharp mind beneath his flagrant charm. Hot and smart was a combination destined to inspire a whole host of needs. And there were so many.
“To the first of many visits you’ll make to Charleston,” Ethan said, extending his wineglass toward her. Since they’d both decided on the blue crab ravioli, he’d suggested a bottle of Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc.
“To firsts.” She breathed in the wine’s peach and floral scents before taking a sip. Fruity and fresh with notes of honey, the white wine slipped along her tongue, making her smile. “Oh, this is delicious.”
“I’m glad you like it.” His deep, rich voice had a rumbling sort of purr that wove pictures in her mind of long, slow kisses and his hands skimming over her heated naked flesh. “Would you like to start with the muscles?”
“Um.” Sienna blinked. “Sure.” Having no idea what she’d just agreed to, she lifted her wineglass again and set it to her lips.
“It’s my favorite appetizer on the menu.”
Oh. Mussels. Not muscles. Amused and all too aware she was blushing, she shifted uncomfortably in her seat. It didn’t help that Ethan watched her with narrowed eyes as if he could read every nuance of her expression.
“Sound
s great.”
To her relief, the waiter approached and took their dinner orders. This brief respite gave her enough breathing space to regain her composure. After he left, she took control of the conversation.
“What was it like growing up in Charleston?”
“I have to think it was like growing up anywhere.” His throwaway answer was telling. He didn’t want to talk about himself. “School, friends and family. I think you’ve already figured out we’re a close-knit group.”
“I have, and it seems as if you all have embraced Teagan as one of you own.” Sienna paused to consider her next words. She didn’t want to be disloyal to her sister, but at some point, Teagan’s true nature was going to show. “She isn’t quite as laid-back as you all are so I hope you’re ready for her to bring her New York energy to your Southern city.”
“I think she’ll be a good influence on my cousins. She’s very driven and they could use a little of that.”
“Oh she’s driven,” Sienna said, trying to keep the irony out of her voice. “And so it seems are you and Paul.”
“Paul is in a league of his own.” The pride in Ethan’s voice was at odds with his sardonic smile, suggesting that the brothers had a complicated relationship. “He’s always been obsessed with computers and of course no one in our family has any idea what it is that he does, except that he does it very well.”
“The two of you are the only ones who live outside downtown Charleston, right?” Sienna found it interesting that the siblings had chosen to distance themselves from the rest of the family. “And both of you are on the water.”
“Paul’s Isle of Palms house is on the beach, but I like to spend as much time on the water as I can drinking beer and fishing with my buddies. My house has access to the river where I step out my back door and onto my boat.”
Her phone buzzed in her purse and she made an involuntary move to pull it out before remembering that she deserved this night off.
Harlequin Desire June 2021--Box Set 1 of 2 Page 20
