A Brother's Honor (Grangers) - By Brenda Jackson Page 0,89

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