The Cinderella Mission (Family Secrets #1)(22)
Author: Catherine Mann

“Thanks for driving out.” Ethan reached to take Samantha’s coat. “Jake and his fiancée are running late.”

Samantha smiled over her shoulder, tugging her auburn hair free of the overcoat. “That will just give us first dibs on dishing out all the Ethan stories to this mystery woman.”

What would Kelly think of Matt’s stories of their college days at the University of Chicago? He, Matt, Jake and Eric, the fourth member of their Blues Brothers group, hadn’t come close to living the same sort of bookworm existence Kelly had.

Maybe Samantha might be a safer companion for Kelly for the evening. Given her new position in the embassy, Samantha knew Ethan had CIA connections, just not about his operative status or about ARIES.

Ethan squeezed her shoulder. “Hey, Samantha. How are you hanging in there?”

Samantha drew in a shaky breath. “Better today than yesterday. Maybe not so great tomorrow, but I know eventually the day after will be easier. Standing in as ambassador pro-tem keeps me busy. And there’s solidifying the economic treaty between Delmonico and the US before I head back.”

She’d been working nonstop since her husband had died, leading Matt to insist on bringing her along tonight as his date while she was in the country. Matt had worried she wasn’t giving herself time to grieve. Ethan knew time didn’t necessarily help.

Who did she turn to for support? He should have offered more than superficial condolences. “Call if you need to talk.” He forced himself to offer more now. “I know where you are right now and it’s not a good place.”

Eyes wide, she kept tears back by not blinking and nodded. “Thank you.”

But he knew she wouldn’t. Indomitable Samantha Barnes never needed anyone.

Matt gravitated to the caviar. “So where’s this Venus who brought down our fleet-footed Ethan?”

“Kelly and I are just dating.” Why the defensive answer? Convincing them guaranteed success.

“Yeah, right.” Matt nudged the tray toward Samantha. “Like he brings all his dates to stay with his aunt? I don’t think so.”

What could he say? Matt had a point.

Ethan tucked behind the bar and poured drinks for his guests from memory. “Kelly will be down in a minute.”

Matt winked at Samantha. “Women and their makeup rituals.”

She elbowed him. “Brat.”

“Princess.”

“Bite your tongue.”

He grinned at her. “So you want me?”

Samantha snorted. “Not in this lifetime, Tynan.”

“Ah, then I’ll just have to hold out hope for the next incarnation.” Matt jabbed a finger toward Ethan. “Quit laughing. She turned you down, too, pal.”

Ethan shrugged. He and Samantha had gone out a couple of times. She was a gorgeous woman, a statuesque redhead, but chemistry was a damned unpredictable beast and it hadn’t been there for them.

Not like it was with Kelly.

Ethan glanced at his watch. Kelly was never late. The woman’s Palm Pilot told her when to eat, for God’s sake. Aunt Eugenie was probably plastering some kind of makeover magic on her face. He hoped he’d chosen right in trusting his aunt with this project.

A surge of protectiveness swelled within him. He wanted this evening to go smoothly for Kelly, as well as for the investigation. He knew Matt and Samantha would charm her, but Jake’s fiancée hadn’t struck him as the empathetic sort. With any luck, she would be obsessed with the purchases from her prewedding shopping spree in New York and DC. He still couldn’t figure what his friend saw in the woman, not that it was any of his business.

Friend? His thoughts cranked back to Kelly being his friend. Except what he shared with her seemed different from what he experienced with these people.

Surely it had to be because he could let down with Kelly since she knew about his ARIES connection.

And then there she was. Kelly. His friend. Looking so like her but not at all that he forgot to breathe. He had to give Aunt Eugenie credit. She’d done her job well with subtle strokes of understated elegance.

A creamy blouse glided over Kelly’s skin, rippling a sheen of enticement with her every step. Silky black pants enhanced her dark eyes. Why had he never noticed her eyes before? He’d only seen the innocence, never the smoky temptation as she looked up through long lashes at him.

Her hair was gathered low at the base of her neck, the tail trailing over her shoulder in stark contrast with her pale shirt. Much like that same hair would look caressing her bare skin.

Rein it in, pal.

Ethan clasped her hands in his. “Hi, Kel.”

He meant to kiss her cheek.

Meant to.

But didn’t.

His mouth brushed hers. Not long. Not open. Damned platonic for that matter. And more arousing than anything he could remember.

Hell yeah, chemistry was an unpredictable creature.

His hands fell to rest on her hips. “You look great,” he growled, then wondered why he hadn’t said it louder for the benefit of other ears and the cover.

“Thank you.”

“Although those sweats of yours have their appeal.” He squeezed her hip right over that elusive tattoo. Taking advantage of the luxury of his cover, he lost himself in the smoky depths of her eyes until a throat cleared behind her.

Ethan glanced over Kelly’s shoulder to find Jake Ingram and his willowy blond fiancée, Tara, who was holding onto her man with a death grip.

“Well, fella,” Jake taunted with just a hint of Texas drawl to soften the edge, “the big ones do fall hard.”

Kelly slipped around to Ethan’s side. “Introduce me to your friends.”

Ethan searched for the right words to explain the woman at his side and found simply, “This is Kelly.”

How could he describe her any more fully when he barely understood her himself? Forget the adjustments in clothing, he’d found more layers to this woman the past week than all those sweaters she used to wear.

Samantha stepped forward and extended a hand with the gracious elegance Ethan had counted on her showing. “So pleased to meet you, Kelly. I suspect we’ll all be seeing a lot more of you in the future.”

Ethan watched Kelly slide into conversation with ease.

They had somehow convinced these people after not more than one close-mouthed kiss and a simple greeting. It shouldn’t have been that easy, given how commitment-shy they all knew him to be since Celia.

Yet they’d bought it all the same. Had he and Kelly looked that convincing as a couple? So much so, Samantha immediately plopped Kelly into the prospect of any future gatherings.