Real Women Don't Wear Size 2 (12 page)

And hadn’t her apparel choice for that night been his fault? She’d never have ordered the sexy, red Ben di Lisi original, so similar to Kate Winslet’s Oscar masterpiece, if Ethan hadn’t encouraged her to wear something special. Special? Hell, he nearly popped his jaw out of socket. Sure, he’d known she was curvy under her conservative work attire, but he hadn’t realized how impressive she really was. Damn impressive, by any man’s standards, definitely by Ethan’s.

Matter of fact, if she kept wearing outfits like that and started getting the attention she deserved from the opposite sex, she’d be wined, dined and snatched away. Good-bye, good friend. A jealous husband wouldn’t approve of their Friday afternoon coffees, where Ethan talked about his latest relationship fiasco, and Clarise talked about family and work. Now, with utter clarity, Ethan realized that she’d always spent the majority of her time focused on running the Women’s Department like a well-oiled machine, and when she hadn’t been at work, or thinking about work, she was taking care of her unconventional grandmother or her brazen sister. Evidently, there was no time left over for a social life, or none that she cared to mention during their coffee times, when Ethan seemed to ramble on and on about why each and every woman in his life didn’t quite fit the bill, and Clarise continued to inform him that he “simply hadn’t met the right one.”

But now she was preparing to come out of her shell and live, and it was bothering him much more than he’d have dreamed. Ethan cherished the odd fulfillment she’d provided him, giving him a relationship he hadn’t thought existed. Friendship, and nothing more than friendship, with a female. Who’d have thought? But at the Christmas party, he’d entertained thoughts of more. However, he didn’t want to ruin what he shared with Clarise, his friend—and a company employee, no less—by caving to temptation. “It’s never wise to mix business and pleasure.”—Preston Eubanks’s favorite office policy. Ethan had never had a problem with his father’s directive, until recently, with Clarise. But he
had
kept his infatuation under strict lock and key since that party. Then again, keeping it controlled was much easier when he was in another state. Keeping it controlled while in the same room with her, he realized, was another story entirely. She looked so adorable last night, particularly when he let on that he knew she was practicing her shimmy, but he still thought he had contained his desire. He wished her well, and was leaving her apartment. Then she wrapped her arms around him, pressed those curves against him . . . and totally caused that itch of desire to transform to a full-blown stinging need.

Ethan inhaled thickly; let it out. Good thing he wasn’t making the trip, and he’d just keep telling himself that. He didn’t need to blow the friendship, or the working relationship, and having sex with Clarise would potentially ruin both, wouldn’t it? He recalled last year’s corporate bonding trip, which had turned out to be a less-than-pleasurable experience. If he went this year, it might end up on the opposite end of the spectrum, very pleasurable, with Clarise. And that wouldn’t do. What if she decided to set that wild side free with him? Her rich brown eyes had widened when she backed away from that impromptu hug. What was going through her mind? Was it anything near what he’d been thinking? And did she also realize how something like that could potentially ruin not only their business relationship but also their friendship?

Yes, definitely a good thing he wasn’t making the trip. Clarise would go to Tampa, perfect her shimmy, then set her wild side free with some lucky guy, a guy who would experience the sweetheart Ethan had grown to love—as a friend—as well as the sexy siren he suspected lurked beneath that doe-eyed exterior.

The phone buzzed, and he punched the speaker button. “Eubanks.” The raspy, rattling cough that echoed through the line signaled the onset of a Preston Eubanks interrogation. Ethan pushed thoughts of Clarise aside, for now, and prepared for his father’s questions.

“Son, do I hear a bit of tension in your voice? Everything’s still set for the acquisition to go through, right?” Preston Eubanks asked. His words, clipped and calculated, bellowed through the speaker. Leave it to his father to hear the tension in his voice and assume it was business-related. Probably a good thing, since discussing sexual tension with Preston Eubanks would never be on Ethan’s list of things to accomplish during this lifetime. “You said there were no problems with the acquisition. You said everything was progressing right on schedule,” his father reminded, pausing to venture into his smoker’s cough. He cleared his throat. “That is what you said,” he finished.

“And you said you trusted me to seal this deal on my own.” Ethan matched his father’s clipped tone, syllable for syllable. He grinned, nearly able to hear his brother cheering for Ethan’s confidence in dealing with the almighty Preston Eubanks. And as if on cue . . .

“Hah! Told you he was on top of it, Dad,” Jeff’s voice echoed through the phone.

“Jefferson, watch yourself,” Preston instructed.

“But you’re watching me so well,” Jeff countered, his laughter barely hidden beneath the words.

“Why can’t you be more like your brother?” Preston continued, the focus of his frustration momentarily shifting from one son to the other. “Ethan stays on top of his business game.”

“As do I,” Jeff said smugly. “In fact, Ethan, why don’t you remind him again who came out on top in last quarter’s earnings?”

“Oh, that’s enough,” Preston intervened, before Ethan could answer that Jeff’s Atlanta store had in fact emerged the victor last quarter. “I’m not talking money. I’m talking attitude, business savvy. And less—”

“Women?” Jeff queried, and Ethan visualized his brother’s cocky smirk and placed a hand to his mouth. No way did Preston need to hear laughter from this end of the line.

“I was going to say partying, but women too. Your brother has the sense of mind to put the business dealings first and his physical needs second.”

“I guess that’s because he’s so much older and wiser,” Jeff said, causing Ethan’s grin to broaden beneath his palm. Ethan was eight minutes older than his twin.

Preston’s grumble reverberated through the speaker. “Tell me, Ethan, things are still set for signing on the dotted line this morning, right? Just tell me that’s true.”

“All attorneys are slated to arrive in three hours, at 11:00
A
.
M
. sharp, along with the president of Panache. By noon, all sixteen Panache stores throughout the Southeast should be the newest acquired properties of Eubanks Elegant Apparel.” He listened to his father’s sigh through the line.

“Good work, son.”

“Thanks,” Ethan said, expecting Jeff’s input. His brother didn’t disappoint.

“And what about those fourth quarter earnings for your Atlanta-based son?” Jeff prompted.

Preston Eubanks gave him a resigned, “Good work, son.”

“Thanks,” Jeff said smugly.

“I’m going to take your mother out for breakfast,” Preston informed. “Keep me posted on the progress down there, Ethan.”

“Will do.”

“Don’t hang up, Ethan. I need to talk to you,” Jeff said, as the sound of a door closing echoed through the line. Then the phone clicked when Jeff disengaged the speaker.

“You still there?” Jeff asked.

Ethan picked up the phone, disabling his own speaker. “Yeah, what’s up?”

“He’s driving me crazy. They’ve only been here a day, and it seems like a year. Plus, having the folks hanging out at my place won’t do much for my social life, not to mention having him scrutinize every single decision I make in the office. Hell, every time I head for my desk, he’s already sitting in the chair.”

Ethan opened the computer file containing the Panache contract information. “You do realize that the fact that his permanent residence is Birmingham puts me dealing with this type of thing a bit more often, and consequently, doesn’t leave me much in the way of sympathy.” He grinned, knowing Jeff would rise to the bait.

“Save it, brother, you’re the good son. He’s never second-guessed your business savvy, and you know it. Even if he’s in the same town, he’s not analyzing your every move. Damn, it’s been two years since that thing with Donna. You’d think he’d see that I’ve changed.”

“I’d love to say Dad will eventually forget the trauma he experienced from walking in on you and your assistant, but somehow, I’m doubting it’ll happen. Maybe if you’d calm down on the partying for a while, that’d change his opinion.” Ethan brought up the e-mails from Panache’s attorney for review.

“Exactly what I was thinking, which is why I’m coming to Birmingham for a while.”

Ethan turned his attention away from the information on the screen. “What?”

“I thought I’d help you run things there during this merger.”

“And this would help your image with Dad—how?” Ethan asked, realizing his brother always had a master plan, and not fathoming how leaving his Atlanta store to come “help” Ethan with the merger would impress their scrupulous father.

“It was always easier to focus on business in Birmingham. Dad knows I didn’t really get into the party scene until I hit hot-lanta. So, I figure I’ll come back to my business roots, show the infamous Preston Eubanks that I’ve still got what it takes to really run things professionally, and then . . .”

“And then?” Ethan asked. “Go on. What’s the real agenda here?”

“And then, I’ll prove to him that I’m the best person to oversee the new stores in Florida.”

Everything clicked into place, and Ethan wasn’t surprised at Jeff’s characteristic, but somewhat illogical, reasoning. “You’re wanting to live on the beach.”

“Well, yeah, there’s that,” Jeff acknowledged.

“He’s planning to keep the Panache executives in place for each of those stores, you know,” Ethan reminded.

“But he’ll need someone to oversee those executives. A Eubanks, preferably, don’t you think? It’d really be better to have someone in the family watching over things.”

“From a beach house.”

“But of course.”

Ethan shook his head. His brother tended to keep one thing at the top of his agenda—himself. Now, naturally, proved no exception. “Still don’t see how coming to Birmingham will help. Your profit margin has steadily increased an average of twenty percent for the past three quarters. Seems like you could bank on that fact alone to convince Dad you’re the right man for the job.”

“One week,” Jeff said. “Dad’s already trying to run this ship, so I’m going to see if he’s willing to put his skills to the test with a little wager. He’s never been able to turn down a friendly bet.”

Ethan grinned. Whether Preston Eubanks realized it or not, his “younger” son definitely knew what made him tick. There was no way their father would back down from a challenge, particularly one issued by Jeff. “What’s the wager?”

“He’ll run things here; I’ll run things there. At the end of a week, we’ll see who has the bigger profit. If he wins, I’ll stay in Atlanta and stop partying.”

“Stop?” Ethan challenged.

“Okay, slow down.”

Ethan laughed. “And if you win, you’re beach bound.”

“You got it, and I need to win using the Birmingham store, since—no offense—but your store doesn’t have near the traffic potential as mine. That way, when I win, he can’t argue that it was merely due to location. What do you think?”

“I think he’ll go for it,” Ethan said honestly. “But there’s no way I’ll hand over the reins until the merger is set in stone.”

“I’m not coming until after your meeting today. Besides, isn’t it time for your corporate bonding? Gasparilla, right? That’s why this is all so perfect. You’ll be in Tampa—I’m assuming you’re leaving after the meeting, right? And your department heads will be gone on the trip, which gives me one less asset to work with. Dad will love having me at a disadvantage, and it’ll make my win even sweeter. I’ve got it all worked out, and, naturally, I can’t lose, so go handle the bonding, brother, and let me run the ship there.”

The corporate bonding trip. Ethan had already determined it wouldn’t be wise for him to witness firsthand Clarise’s version of
Girls Gone Wild,
but he’d be lying if he said he didn’t want to. He’d used the acquisition as a warranted excuse to keep him away from her when she let herself go, and to keep him from acting on the urge to have her; but if the merger was taken care of, and if Jeff was around to handle any minor problems that could arise in the days following the deal . . .

“Or were you even planning to go?” Jeff continued. “I mean, after what happened with Red last year, I wouldn’t blame you if you decided to hang out at home. You could go somewhere else for a little R and R, while I run the business. When’s the last time you had a vacation?”

Ethan collapsed the contract window on the screen. No need attempting to review it while having this conversation with Jeff. “Her name wasn’t Red, and you really don’t know what happened.”

“I know that Dad thinks I’m the womanizer, but that sexy redhead was one pissed female when she stormed into your office last year and gave me a verbal ass-kicking that would rival any sailor’s. Hell, couldn’t you mention you have a twin before you do a girl bad? My cheek still burns from those claws. I don’t suppose she’s still on the company payroll, is she? She won’t be attending this year’s bonding trip?”

Ethan refrained from telling Jeff that “Red” wasn’t on the payroll last year either. He really didn’t want to think about any of it again. That was one secret he planned to take to the grave. “She’s not going.”

“Good. Then I’m assuming you’re heading down after the meeting?”

“I hadn’t planned on it,” Ethan said honestly. Panache had three days to back out of the contract, signed or not, and he didn’t think it was wise to leave town. But then again, they’d hashed every potential problem out, and he really couldn’t see anything major going wrong. Jeff could presumably handle any questions or small matters that could arise in the days after the contract was signed, plus, there was Clarise, in Tampa, getting wild and crazy . . .

“Oh,” Jeff said, then paused. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t corporate bonding—a major company expense, I might add—something you instigated to bring your department heads and you closer together? Then again, I’ve never seen the justification in it, myself, but to each his own. Anyway, it seems they aren’t getting any closer to you if you’re hanging out in Birmingham while the gang’s in Tampa.”