A Brother's Honor by Brenda Jackson Page B
Authors: Brenda Jackson
She had honey-brown skin, dark brown eyes and a head of healthy hair that she liked wearing straight in long graceful curves to her shoulders. Her lips were full, and she was blessed with a dimple in one cheek.
Although she and Jace were doing a good job of downplaying the attraction, it was there. But she was well aware that attractions came and attractions went. It was no big deal to her unless it got in the way of business, and she didn’t intend to let that happen. She was too focused for that. Too much of a professional.
There was never a time when she couldn’t control her hormones when it came to a man—even Jonathan Hickman. He was the last man she’d been seriously involved with and that was a few years ago. Shana had thought she was in love with him...yet he claimed she was too in control, a damn robot without emotions and feelings. He’d been wrong. She had emotions and feelings. Maybe had he known that, he would not have hurt her the way he had.
Both she and her sister were blessed with high IQs, and Shana had been told by a lot of her college professors that hers was too high for her own good. She was a curious soul by nature, and when things were wrong, she always liked making them right. The story of her life.
“I know I can help,” she said, setting down her wineglass. “I’ve familiarized myself somewhat with your company.”
He raised one of those arched brows. “You have?”
“Yes.” He was probably wondering when she had had time to do that. “I have Greta, a very high-tech search engine in my car. I was able to listen to the stats on the drive over here.”
“Oh, I see.”
She wondered if he really did. She had not only researched his company, but had obtained information on him, too. She liked knowing who she was dealing with.
* * *
Jace thought Shana Bradford was hot. The dark brown business suit looked great on her, although he was sure it was meant to look conservative. Instead, it deepened the color of her eyes and made her complexion that much smoother looking. And the conservative look did nothing to hide what a gorgeous pair of legs she had. And she was wearing panty hose, something few women still did these days. In L.A., he was used to seeing bare-legged women all the time, even in business suits, and he appreciated the lack of hosiery on any nice pair of legs. But seeing Shana in panty hose had him rethinking that position. The ones on her legs were flesh tone, barely noticeable, silky. For some reason, they managed to extend her legs’ beauty to a level of sensuality that he found breathtaking.
The woman was also candid. Some might think a bit cocky, conceited and way too sure of herself, but he wasn’t one of them. She believed in her abilities and knew what she could do, and Jace couldn’t help admiring that trait in a woman. He’d done a Google search on her company. She had an MBA from Harvard, graduating at the top of her class, two years earlier than the norm. Since opening her business a few years ago, she had reinvented several corporations, and her success ratio was astounding.
And Shana Bradford was a very striking woman. Any man would take a second look at her any day of the week. The total package, a combination of professionalism and sexiness, was doing everything to rev up his libido. He drew in a deep breath, knowing that he shouldn’t be thinking of her in those terms. What he should be thinking about was that she was someone who could help him. Unfortunately, she was making that task pretty damn impossible while sitting across from him looking as scrumptious as the wine he was drinking and just as appetizing. He was certain he would get his mind back strictly on business, but right now, he wanted to analyze her as the desirable woman that she was. He liked her looks, and she smelled good. Whatever perfume she was wearing she could claim as hers. And he liked her voice. She was articulate and looked you right in the eyes when she spoke.
“Before
Although she and Jace were doing a good job of downplaying the attraction, it was there. But she was well aware that attractions came and attractions went. It was no big deal to her unless it got in the way of business, and she didn’t intend to let that happen. She was too focused for that. Too much of a professional.
There was never a time when she couldn’t control her hormones when it came to a man—even Jonathan Hickman. He was the last man she’d been seriously involved with and that was a few years ago. Shana had thought she was in love with him...yet he claimed she was too in control, a damn robot without emotions and feelings. He’d been wrong. She had emotions and feelings. Maybe had he known that, he would not have hurt her the way he had.
Both she and her sister were blessed with high IQs, and Shana had been told by a lot of her college professors that hers was too high for her own good. She was a curious soul by nature, and when things were wrong, she always liked making them right. The story of her life.
“I know I can help,” she said, setting down her wineglass. “I’ve familiarized myself somewhat with your company.”
He raised one of those arched brows. “You have?”
“Yes.” He was probably wondering when she had had time to do that. “I have Greta, a very high-tech search engine in my car. I was able to listen to the stats on the drive over here.”
“Oh, I see.”
She wondered if he really did. She had not only researched his company, but had obtained information on him, too. She liked knowing who she was dealing with.
* * *
Jace thought Shana Bradford was hot. The dark brown business suit looked great on her, although he was sure it was meant to look conservative. Instead, it deepened the color of her eyes and made her complexion that much smoother looking. And the conservative look did nothing to hide what a gorgeous pair of legs she had. And she was wearing panty hose, something few women still did these days. In L.A., he was used to seeing bare-legged women all the time, even in business suits, and he appreciated the lack of hosiery on any nice pair of legs. But seeing Shana in panty hose had him rethinking that position. The ones on her legs were flesh tone, barely noticeable, silky. For some reason, they managed to extend her legs’ beauty to a level of sensuality that he found breathtaking.
The woman was also candid. Some might think a bit cocky, conceited and way too sure of herself, but he wasn’t one of them. She believed in her abilities and knew what she could do, and Jace couldn’t help admiring that trait in a woman. He’d done a Google search on her company. She had an MBA from Harvard, graduating at the top of her class, two years earlier than the norm. Since opening her business a few years ago, she had reinvented several corporations, and her success ratio was astounding.
And Shana Bradford was a very striking woman. Any man would take a second look at her any day of the week. The total package, a combination of professionalism and sexiness, was doing everything to rev up his libido. He drew in a deep breath, knowing that he shouldn’t be thinking of her in those terms. What he should be thinking about was that she was someone who could help him. Unfortunately, she was making that task pretty damn impossible while sitting across from him looking as scrumptious as the wine he was drinking and just as appetizing. He was certain he would get his mind back strictly on business, but right now, he wanted to analyze her as the desirable woman that she was. He liked her looks, and she smelled good. Whatever perfume she was wearing she could claim as hers. And he liked her voice. She was articulate and looked you right in the eyes when she spoke.
“Before