her skirt and kept her hands in her lap.
“So, you’re Ethan’s sister.”
“And you’re his business partner.”
“Wow.” Grant chuckled and rolled his eyes to the ceiling. “What are the fucking odds, huh?”
Chloe pursed her lips. “Well, there were roughly a couple thousand attendees, and I’m Ethan’s only sister, so—”
Grant grinned at her. “You’re actually trying to figure out the odds right now?”
She blushed and tried to hide her smile behind her fringe of hair. “You did ask, so…”
He chuckled. “I guess I did.”
What was taking Ethan so damn long in the bathroom?
“Look, I—” Grant frowned. “Before you showed up, Ethan just about threatened to castrate me if I even looked at you weird, so it goes without saying that it’s best he didn’t find out what, uh, actually did happen. Already.”
She was just as nervous as Grant. If Ethan knew what she did, how she got her pleasure, he’d probably lock her in his basement. Sure, she was a grown woman, but Ethan wasn’t quite rational when it came to his remaining baby sister.
“Yes, this will just stay between us.” She licked her lips and ran her finger over a drop of red wine she’d spilled on the tablecloth. “And in the past, obviously.”
He leaned closer, the heat of his chest warming her bare arm. She closed her eyes, and then opened them when his breath tickled her ear. She stared ahead of her as he whispered, “Wish you wouldn’t have left early though, Princess. I had plans for us.”
His breath was still at her ear, raising the hairs on her neck and if she turned her head, she’d touch those lips again, the ones she ached for since she kissed him last. She’d taste his mouth again, tangle her tongue with his talented one.
That was all it would take. One twist of her head. Instead, she sat frozen, staring straight ahead, until the heat of his body and his breath left her side.
“Sorry I took so long.” Her brother’s voice filtered through her haze of memories. She blinked and focused on him. “Saw an old acquaintance. Tried to duck out of it, but he saw me. I was even rude, but he persisted on catching up.”
“God, forced into conversation in public. What’s the world coming to these days?” Grant smirked.
Ethan scowled and Chloe snorted a laugh. Grant turned his head, catching her, so she tried to cover it up with a cough. It didn’t work so well.
She reached up, fingering her earlobe, which still tingled from the vibration of Grant’s voice, from his soft-spoken, Princess.
But that wasn’t her anymore, that was another woman, one who stayed in that hotel room.
The conversation continued between the two men and Chloe concentrated on drinking. And eating. But mostly drinking.
Ethan had invited her out to meet his business partner, to engage her in his life. She was appreciative of that. He couldn’t have known he was inviting her to a dinner with her last one-night stand.
By the time the check arrived, Chloe was exhausted from the constant churning of her mind, and she was also a little drunk. She hadn’t remember ordering a bottle but there it was on the table in front of her, almost empty.
Oh boy.
Ethan signed the check and frowned at her as he clicked the pen down. “I’ll take you home.”
“I-I can take a cab—”
“I had one drink about forty-five minutes ago. I’ll take you home.”
She shut her mouth.
When they left the restaurant, Chloe followed Ethan, with Grant behind her, the heat of his gaze licking her back, butt, and legs.
She wanted this to be over. She wanted to be in her apartment, in her over-sized T-shirt and gaucho pants, curled up on the couch. At this point, she’d been on way longer than she was comfortable.
Grant and Ethan shook hands in the parking lot, and Grant turned to her. She took a step forward, and she wasn’t sure if he intended to touch her, but no way could she handle that. She ducked her head, mumbled a good-bye, and took a step back.
Ethan led her to his car, and she risked one single glance over her shoulder. Grant stood in the parking lot, hands on his hips, watching them walk away. The slight breeze ruffled his hair and whipped up his tie. He was gorgeous, truly beautiful, and the knowledge that she’d had him for even one hour, was enough to ease the sour churning in her stomach.
After she was buckled into Ethan’s Range Rover, he started the engine,