Need You Now

Ethan didn’t like her tone. “And what’s wrong with my company?”

“It’s what’s wrong with every large international company. It’s a cold, unfeeling, impersonal corporate mammoth. Adams Cosmetics is a family business that puts out quality product.”

“So does Graham International,” Ethan huffed. “We wouldn’t have gotten to where we are without it. How do you think I’ve expanded into clothing, perfume and leather goods in the overseas markets without producing quality product?”

“Precisely,” Kayla said. “You’re doing so much that you’ve lost focus. I care about my employees and consider them part of the family. I bet you don’t even know half the people that work for you.”

“And you do?”

“I know every person who works for me,” Kayla stated emphatically. She was proud that she was an approachable boss. Although Adams Cosmetics was a boutique company with several hundred employees, Kayla had always made a point to get to know everyone who reported directly to her, as well as the secretaries, cafeteria workers and janitors who kept the company running smoothly.

“Well, perhaps that’s the problem,” Ethan responded. “Perhaps you need to focus more on business and less on being liked by your employees.” As soon as he said the words, Ethan wished he could take them back. They were harsh.

“How dare you? You know nothing about me, less than nothing!” Kayla was livid, and forced herself to put the champagne glass down on the bar rather than throw it in his face. She stormed toward the nearest exit, which just happened to be the terrace.

It was a chilly spring night and couldn’t have been more than fifty degrees, but Kayla didn’t care. She needed the cold air as her blood was boiling. Kayla started when she heard footsteps. Ethan was behind her. His large looming presence filled the ballroom doorway and gave her system one hell of a jolt. She hadn’t expected him to follow her.

“Go away!” She turned her back. “I want to be alone.”

Ethan didn’t listen and came toward her. “Listen, I’m sorry, Kayla,” he said. “I crossed the line a moment ago.”

“You sure did.” Kayla didn’t look back at him. She hated that she’d lost her cool. She wanted to show Ethan that she was no longer affected by him, but instead she was acting like a schoolgirl. She was a businesswoman after all, and used to healthy rival talk, just not from him.

“I did, but you must realize that your company needs me now,” he whispered softly in her ear.

When had he come so close? Kayla instantly moved a step away. “My company doesn’t need you. I will find other investors. I don’t need you or your interference.”

Ethan refused to have a conversation with Kayla with her back to him. He laid his hand on her shoulder and gently spun her around to look him. “Are you sure about that?”

Kayla’s skin was tingling from where Ethan was holding her; she didn’t want to look at him. Heat was emanating from his body and stirring sensations deep inside her. She could feel her breasts begin to swell and a warm sensation begin to spread through the lower half of her body. It was the same heat she’d felt inside, which was why she’d had to escape, but a powerful force propelled her to look up at him. And when she did, she wished she hadn’t. His dark brown eyes smoldered with…dare she say passion? And it scared her, so she closed her eyes. Had she gotten it wrong? Was Ethan Graham interested in her?

“Look at me Kayla.” Ethan’s index finger hooked under her jaw, forcing her to raise her head and meet his gaze again.

When she opened her eyes, Ethan was looking at her so intently that it was wreaking havoc on her body.

“I think it’s time I finally found out how you taste.” Ethan was ready to fully savor what those sweet full lips of hers had in store. He lowered his head, intent on having his heart’s desire, when another couple came out onto the deck.

“Sorry, sorry,” the man said when he realized he’d interrupted something. But it was already too late. The moment was broken and Kayla quickly pulled away from Ethan and ran inside.

As she stumbled into the ballroom, Kayla realized she’d almost succumbed to Ethan’s world-famous charm. How had he shattered her defenses so quickly? She’d thought she was immune to him. Clearly, she’d been wrong.

Outside, Ethan’s mouth widened into a grin. Kayla Adams still wanted him? He was glad, because tonight she’d lit a flame inside him that no woman had done. He hadn’t been with a woman in well over six months. That may not seem long for some men, but for him it was. He had a high sex drive that hadn’t been met by any of the women he’d encountered, so he’d stopped trying. Until Kayla. Was it the soft luscious curls that hung down her sleek back or that she had just the right amount of curves: high pert breasts and a round shapely bottom? Whatever it may be, she’d aroused him and now he had to have it all. The woman and her business.

Chapter 3

Kayla knew what she had to do. On Monday, she scheduled a lunch meeting with Michael to discuss prospects.

“How’s the progress coming with finding investors?”

“Interest is definitely there,” Michael replied, closing the folder he was reading, “But as I indicated, the amount of shares you’re willing to sell is vital to any deal.”

“I need you to start setting up some meetings,” Kayla replied.

“What’s the rush?”

The rush was she didn’t want Graham International anywhere near Adams Cosmetics, or Ethan Graham anywhere near her. The easiest way to prevent a catastrophe from happening and having to grovel to him to save her company was to find another investor.

“The sooner we get moving on this, the better. I don’t want word spreading like wildfire.”

They were perusing their menus when Andrew Jackson and his stepdaughter, Monica Jackson, approached their table. Had they been lurking in the shadows listening to their conversation and smelled blood?

“Kayla Adams,” Andrew Jackson greeted her. “How are you, darling?”

Kayla hated Andrew’s fake country accent. It went right along with his smarmy slicked-back hair and cowboy boots. He towered over the table at six foot six, but he did not intimidate Kayla. Andrew Jackson owned Jax Cosmetics, which was one of their competitors. Up until the economy went bad, Adams Cosmetics had consistently beat Jax Cosmetics in sales in the Southeast.

Although a smaller operation than Adams Cosmetics, Jax Cosmetics was showing rapid signs of growth. If Andrew and his stepdaughter Monica, who ran the company, knew they were in trouble, who knew what shenanigans they would pull?

“I’m well, thank you, Andrew. Monica,” Kayla inclined her head to his stepdaughter standing beside him. Although she might seem mousy at five foot three in a black trouser suit with designer glasses and a simple ponytail, Monica was a she-devil. Kayla supposed she had to be aggressive given that Andrew had always wanted his son, Jasper, to run the company, so Monica constantly had to prove herself. Jasper wanted nothing to do with his father and his stepfamily and had gone to live with his mother when he was a young boy. No one had heard from or seen him since.

Kayla was thankful that her relationship with her father was totally different. “Can I do something for you, Andrew?” Kayla inquired.

“No.” Andrew shook his head. “I wanted to congratulate you. We weren’t able to make it to Tyler Perry’s premiere as we were in the South of France, but we heard that Adams Cosmetics might be starting a new fragrance line. That’s quite ambitious, given the state of the economy.”

“True, but with great risk comes the biggest reward,” Kayla responded.

“Good luck,” Monica replied. “You’ll need it.” She stalked away, and Andrew chuckled as he followed her to their table.

Kayla turned back around to face Michael. “See what we’re dealing with? They are waiting for us to fail. We have to strike now. I need you to set up those meetings immediately.”

“Will do.”

“Are you in a better mood than you were on Saturday?” Daniel asked when he ran into Ethan in the hallway of Graham International on Monday morning.

Ethan laughed. He had been rather perturbed about being interrupted when he was about to kiss Kayla. He’d been on the cusp of seeing exactly what it was he’d passed up all those years ago in the stables. Of course, now things were different. Kayla Adams was a grown woman, a woman that he desperately wanted in his bed.

“Yes, I am. Today is a new day.” As he’d drifted off to sleep, Ethan had determined to pull out all the stops to get Kayla.

“When you have that look in your eye, it’s usually one of two things—a business deal or a woman. Which is it?”

“It’s both,” Ethan answered. “I want Adams Cosmetics and I want Kayla Adams.”

“Since when?” Daniel asked. “As I recall, Kayla had a thing for you when she was younger, but I would imagine her schoolgirl crush is over.”

“I may not have given her the time of the day in the past, but I will now. And she is most definitely not a schoolgirl anymore,” Ethan replied, “which means she’s fair game.” Back then, he’d had to turn her down, because it wouldn’t have been right or legal, but now, there were no limits.

“So what are your plans?”

“Well, first I want you to place some calls and see how their quest to find potential investors is coming along, and then I want you to squash them. I want to be the only option, the only company that Adams Cosmetics can turn to.”