A Brother's Honor (Grangers) - By Brenda Jackson Page 0,70
to think about, and it would help if I asked you a few questions.”
Gloria raised a brow. “What about?”
“You and Eric.”
Gloria leaned back in her chair. “What about us?”
Shana took a sip of her wine. “What made you decide to break the rules and get involved when you know what the outcome will be if you’re discovered?”
Gloria didn’t say anything for a moment and then said, “I wanted to be with him—both physically and mentally. Things started out on a physical level. We were two divorcés who wanted to get wild, butt-naked and stay independent. But then we discovered we liked each other beyond the sex, and two years later it’s still beyond the sex...although the sex is still off the charts, mind you.”
Shana smiled, figuring it was. She’d seen Eric sneak in and out of Gloria’s house many times. “Doesn’t the sneaking around bother you?”
A smile slowly faded from Gloria’s face. “Sometimes it does, but then I remember I have more than most women right now. I have a man in my life I admire, a man who wants me as much as I want him, a man who understands there are times I don’t want to be crowded, but then knows there are going to be times when I don’t want to get out of bed as long as he’ll stay in it with me.”
Shana took a sip of her wine. “Sounds like a woman in love.”
Gloria shrugged. “I prefer thinking of myself as a woman who knows what she wants and is gutsy enough to go after it.” She paused and then asked, “Is there a reason why you’re interested in our hot and heavy affair?”
Shana smiled. The subtle lifting of her friend’s eyebrow conveyed that she expected an answer. “What if I told you I was recently in the position?”
“You’re having an affair?” Gloria asked, leaning forward as if it was paramount not to miss one word of Shana’s answer.
“No, but I did do something with a male client that I should not have. You know my rules.”
Gloria smiled. “You mean you actually slept with him?”
“I wouldn’t say we slept, but the gist of your question still leans toward an answer of yes.”
“Damn,” Gloria said, slumping back against her chair. “And you are such a stickler for your rules.”
“I guess I have to blame it on the hormones and the fact he’s so damn gorgeous. I was attracted to him from the first. I tried to ignore it but couldn’t.”
Gloria frowned. “Why place the blame on anything? You’re a grown-ass woman who can do what you want to do. You made the rules, and you can certainly break them. That’s not how it is with Eric and me. We didn’t make any rules.”
Shana began nibbling on her bottom lip. “But I shouldn’t break them. He’s a client, for heaven’s sake. If things don’t work out, it can be messy.”
“Says who? It’s not like you’re going to be working for him forever. How much longer will he be a client?”
Shana shrugged. “I don’t know. Probably no more than another month or so.”
Gloria slapped a palm to her thigh. “There you have it. Unless you get too attached, the affair will end in a month. But just think of what you’ll be getting until then. Unless after making out with him, you’ve decided he’s not worth it.”
Shana didn’t say anything for a minute and then, “Oh, he was worth it, and I don’t regret what we did. But I told him it couldn’t happen again and asked that he promise that it wouldn’t.”
“Did he?”
“Said he couldn’t do that.”
Gloria smiled. “Good for him. Some things you can’t always control, Shana. A strong sexual attraction is one of them.”
Shana stood and began pacing. “But that’s just it. I don’t want to be attracted to him, sexually or otherwise. But I know I will as long as I work for him. I told him if he couldn’t promise, I would have to end our business relationship.”
“You’d go that far?”
Shana drew in a deep breath. “I don’t have a choice.”
“Yes, you do. If you want to be with him, Shana, you have a choice.”
Shana shook her head. “That’s just it. I don’t know what I want. I wanted him yesterday, but I want to think it was hormones working overtime and nothing more.”
“And what if it’s more?”
Shana stopped her pacing. “It’s not more. I told you about Jonathan.”
“Yes, but not all men are the same. I found that out, and maybe with