frowned. “I’ve never dated Nash. We’ve done a few magazine ads, a voice-over gig together, and he was my escort for one of Victoria’s Secret Angels events, but outside of that—” she shrugged “—nothing. We’ve never kissed, unless you count a kiss on the cheek.”
Iris scrutinized her sister. Though she believed her, she couldn’t imagine Nash Dupree not being attracted to Janna. She was a supermodel, for God’s sake. Men had always clamored for her attention, even when they were kids. Because of their nine-year age difference, Iris could remember how different her little sister’s high-school social life had been from hers. Then, Iris couldn’t pay a popular guy to give her the time of day, whereas Janna had actually complained about all the attention she received.
“Iris, he’s not the playboy the media make him out to be. Sure, he’s been seen with various women—”
“Not just any women,” Iris interrupted, “but famous, ridiculously gorgeous women.”
“That doesn’t mean anything. The same as it doesn’t mean anything when the paparazzi snap pictures of me and my dates or escorts. Ninety-nine percent of the time, it’s business, and I’m sure that’s the case with Nash. He could have dated a few, but it likely wasn’t serious. He has to be in the public’s eye to promote his nightclubs and all of his other business ventures, including his new clothing line. Iris, he’s nothing like how the media paint him.”
“How do you know?” Iris asked. If Janna hadn’t ever gone out with him, how could she be sure he wasn’t a playboy who tossed women aside like old newspapers?
“I know. Though we never dated, when we worked together, conversation came easy for us. So I know him. We’re friends. Now, don’t get me wrong, he loves women, but he’s not the type to lead women on or to be seriously involved with more than one at a time.”
“Face it. You have no excuse not to go out with him,” Macy chimed in.
“He hasn’t asked me out,” Iris said, more to herself than her sisters. If Nash’s playboy reputation, despite Janna’s reassurances, wasn’t enough to make Iris steer clear of him, the fact that she might represent his niece was all the more reason to slow her roll and this line of thinking.
Nash Dupree was as popular as a rock star, and he captured female attention wherever he went. Why was she even entertaining these thoughts? She shook her head. What is wrong with me? He would never be interested in someone like me.
* * *
Nash Dupree glanced across the semicrowded restaurant at Iris. He had a clear view of the table where she and her sisters were dining. He and Nigel Montgomery, chief operating officer of Dupree Enterprises and Nash’s best friend, were at a trendy restaurant in Midtown Atlanta to hear an internationally known jazz group perform. Nigel had insisted on his hearing them before the group left to go on a two-month European tour promoting its latest CD. The COO wanted the group to play at the grand opening of Platinum Pieces–Buckhead, Nash’s fourth jazz club, which was scheduled to open in four months. This location would also include a fine-dining restaurant. It was his second club in Atlanta, adding to a total of four; the other two were located in L.A.
Nash stole another glimpse at Iris while Nigel took a phone call. She must have felt his gaze on her because she glanced over at him. He grinned and a shy smile graced her lovely lips before she quickly looked away. What were the chances he’d get to see her twice in one day? And if he thought she was fine back at her office, tonight she was absolutely stunning. He could tell by the number of men who had stopped at the sisters’ table that apparently he wasn’t the only one who had taken notice. Granted, some of them had stopped to talk with Janna, but Iris, wearing a low-cut dress showing off her long, graceful neck and tempting breasts, was receiving her share of attention. She didn’t come across as a woman who would be caught in a tight-fitting garment, but he’d be damned if she didn’t have the perfect assets to fill it.
“She’s a beauty,” Nigel said, following Nash’s line of vision when Iris stood and walked across the restaurant toward the restrooms. “Do you know her? You’ve been staring at her for the past ten minutes. Why don’t you do what you usually do and go over and ask her out?”
“I would if she wasn’t possibly going to be Tania’s lawyer.”
Nigel’s eyes grew large. “That’s the defense attorney? Hold up. That tall, curvy, celestial being is the one who might be representing Tania?” Nash chuckled at his friend’s facial expression. “Hell, she doesn’t look like any attorney I’ve ever seen.”
“How you gon’ be ogling a woman as married as you are?” Nash tasted the martini that he hadn’t touched. “What would Dawn say?”
Nigel and Dawn were the poster couple for happily ever after. Married for ten years, the two were always stealing kisses, holding hands or sharing naughty looks. At times it was almost nauseating to witness their public displays of affection, but on the other hand, it was nice to see two people so very much in love.
Nigel took a swig of his beer. “I might be married, but I’m not dead. There’s no harm in looking. Besides, the woman is kind of hard to miss. Actually they all are,” he said, referring to Iris and her sisters. “And isn’t that Janna Morgan, the supermodel, at their table?”
“Yep, they’re all sisters. The other one is a doctor.” Nash looked over again just as Iris returned to the table. He still couldn’t get over how good she looked in the skintight red dress. She definitely didn’t look like a defense attorney tonight.
Nash turned his attention back to Nigel. “So when is this group going to perform? Today has been a crazy long day and this mess with Tania has made it even longer.”
“Well, I hate to break it to you, but I think your day is about to get worse. Don’t look now, but your ex, the not-so-lovely Eve Vanlough, just walked in.”
Nash glanced over his shoulder and groaned. If he didn’t know any better, he would think she was following him. They broke up over two months ago and lately Eve surfaced at the most inopportune times, claiming her sudden appearances were a coincidence. He didn’t believe in coincidences. It was time to nip this nonsense in the bud once and for all.
Eve stopped at their table. “Well, funny meeting you—”
“Cut the crap,” Nash growled and stood. He gently grabbed her by the elbow, pulled her out of the main dining room and didn’t stop until they were in the atrium. “I don’t know what the hell you’re up to, but I suggest you back off. If I go to one more place and you show up, I’m getting a restraining order.”
“Oh, Nash, sweetie, aren’t you being overly dramatic?” she said in that whiny tone that always grated on his nerves. She moved in closer, straightening his tie before running her hands down his chest. “I can’t help that we like the same restaurants. I’m here meeting a friend and I just happened to see you and your shadow in there.” She nodded toward the table where Nash had left Nigel. “I figured the least I could do is go over and say hello. Besides, I’ve missed you.”
He grabbed hold of both of her hands and backed her into the corner, away from the entrance. “Eve, when are you going to stop playing these games? This is one of many reasons why we’re not together. You don’t know when to back off.”
Her heavily made-up face screwed up in anger and she jerked out of his grasp. “If you break up with me, you’re going to be sorry!”
“Excuse
