Daniel fumed. Eric had no right to be coarse.
“Err . . .” Kate’s eyes glazed over the family and him. Daniel stilled to let her see. She shrugged and refocused on Eric. “My sister is not . . .”
“Kate!” a female voice screamed from across the bar.
Daniel noted how the color left Kate’s face. He ought to have scolded Eric. Now the bride barreled toward the table. What was clear was the women had no love lost between them.
The bride bounded over the last table and screeched, “Stay out of my life.”
“Then stay out of mine,” Kate snipped, and her nostrils flared.
Kate lowered her gaze and stepped away. The bride looked ready to commit murder, but then reached for Eric’s hand. Then Eric’s fiancée took a step toward her sister.
Daniel stood up and stepped in front to block Kate from a physical attack. Women, all women, should be respected. Kate stepped back, turned, and rushed toward the door to disappear out of the bar.
Stephanie took another giant step in her sister’s direction then stopped in front of his chest.
The Collinses seemed sane compared to the Sparrow family.
Daniel stared at the lobby door a few more seconds. What had she been about to say? He tugged on his ear and wished he had heard.
“I’m sorry I wasn’t here earlier, baby.” Stephanie soothed Eric like he was a child, and his cousin soaked in the sun of his bride’s radiance. Daniel averted his gaze from the pair of them. He’d never be like Eric. Not ever.
Instead he perused the bar area. The dark lighting of this nightclub with the fabric draped to encourage intimate encounters already smelled of dirty tricks.
A sour taste grew in his mouth.
Instead, he decided to think of more pleasant things. His skin burned with questions. Who, exactly, was Kate Sparrow? His gut instinct said she wasn’t the evil monster from the newspapers. She’d seemed sane, though no one listened to her opinion. Stephanie had thwarted whatever would have happened, and Kate chose to leave.
Daniel folded his hands in his lap.
The quiet ones generally had more sense than the boisterous ones, and Stephanie never stopped talking.
His cousin held his bride and comforted her.
Daniel sipped his full bottle of beer, and kept his words short. “She came here to talk.”
“Tell lies,” Stephanie added fast. “My sister doesn’t want me to marry Eric, not while Daddy’s in jail for a crime he didn’t commit.”
Kate had never said anything about her father. Daniel read the newspaper. The man was in jail for insider trading.
He stared at Stephanie. Was she in denial or innocent? Daniel scratched his jaw. Kate would have a definite opinion, and his reaction to her left him with the opinion that she was authentic. She had come in here with a specific purpose. She had walked straight into a gathering of his family. Most people wouldn’t dare approach the Collins’ clan. Kate had guts, and he respected that.
Daniel stared at his brothers. They, too, gazed at their beers and not at Stephanie and Eric.
He listened for anything to change his instant opinion. Nothing anyone ever said about Stephanie Sparrow sounded less than stellar, but his instincts read her different. Perhaps his reaction to Kate clouded his judgment?
Kate’s brown eyes had glistened with intensity. The woman had more beauty in her finger than any other woman in the club.
Daniel cocked his head and stared at the door. The sounds of noise from the lobby indicated Kate was nearby.
Daniel’s knees motioned for him to get up, but he stopped himself. Kate was a firecracker. If anything bad happened, she likely knew all about it and added the fuel to the sparks.
“Staring after that one.” Liam moved his seat closer to Sean then elbowed their brother for his attention. “Sit down, Daniel.”
He sat back in his chair. To not attract Stephanie and Eric’s conversation, Daniel kept his voice low. “I spend too much time in the lab these days.”
“Until you finish the paperwork to buy the general practice, Doctor.” Sean added, “Mom is thrilled you bought a house.”
Daniel had told his brothers about the possibility. He hadn’t bought anything. He sipped his beer now and stared at Liam. He lived life like he was on a grand adventure. “What would life be like if one indulged on the dark side like you, Liam?”
Liam shook his head. “The FBI is not dark. Most of the time, like you, I’m studying my subjects.” Liam’s gaze narrowed. “You’re troubled. What’s eating at you?”
Daniel’s face heated. “The Sparrow women. Something is off.”
“More like you’re interested in the brunette.” Gerard scooted closer to Liam. “Daniel, you hate trouble.”
“One day when I find the right woman, I’ll stay happily married. I’m not like you,” Daniel told them. “Until that time, I’ll keep options open.”
“Our family money means you never have to be alone,” Gerard added.
“Not what I’m looking for.” Daniel tilted his head toward both of his brothers. He wasn’t like the two youngest. They dated many women. Daniel preferred to date long term. Then he stared at his other brother, the happily married Sean. Sean had loved Gigi all his life. Daniel tried to be open, but no woman had a hold on his heart.
Voices from the lobby grew louder. Someone kicked out the media. Daniel smiled. Kate’s nicely rounded backside wouldn’t fit in his life at all. Besides, Daniel had promised he’d be smarter about women.
One kiss from Kate Sparrow would burn.
Daniel sipped his beer and shook off that thought.
Stephanie stood and took Eric away from the table.
The table grew quieter, and Daniel tugged his ear.
Gerard spoke first. “Daniel, are you babysitting Kate on this trip?”
“Yes.” Daniel answered fast. His promise became more complicated. Kate’s hips swiveled as she walked. Daniel tugged his ear. “I’m going to make sure she doesn’t ruin the wedding or the cruise.”
“I wanted to find you a wife, Daniel.” His sister-in-law, Gigi, added, “Fast attraction leads to fast endings, and you deserve love.”
Sean elbowed his wife. “I fell for you the day we met.”
Daniel smiled. Gigi had been like a sister to him all his life anyhow. She had dated Sean since they were three. Gigi stared at her husband then back at the others. “Liam’s the youngest and a player. Gerard is a Scorpio and too moody by far. This leaves the job of getting me a good sister-in-law entirely on you Daniel.”
“You sound like Mom. I’ll find my own wife, on my own time,” Daniel told the table. The image of Kate’s haughty brow transformed in his mind into a lusty smile. His imagination was on overdrive, but he never liked an order. “But it won’t be this trip. I’m babysitting the she-devil.”
Sean held his wife’s hand. “She’s a pretty she-devil though. Daniel will have a good time.”
“We’ll be there, on the ship, in case you need us,” Gigi said. “And perhaps Kate Sparrow is a much better candidate than her sister. She might just fit the bill. Who knows?”
Daniel’s thoughts turned back to Kate. And the picture wasn’t wholesome. He shook his head. The woman would likely rip his heart out and feed it to the animals at the zoo for publicity.
He sipped his beer, and stared at the door she’d disappeared behind.
Kate Sparrow would return.
Chapter 3
Kate tapped her heel on the sidewalk. She needed a new approach. The Collinses stuck together like glue, and any one of them might have helped her sister.
Eric’s four cousins stood in for the rest of the missing family. The one she brushed against was all muscles. With his short, brown hair and smoldering eyes, she almost forgot herself. Kate shook her head. She needed facts, not brawns. Something bad had happened to the groom’s sister. She’d picked up enough clues to understand that Eric should not be marrying Stephanie. The boy was far too young.
If s
he told the groom her sister was a liar and a manipulator, she might need more evidence. Perhaps, Kate should convince the boy’s family that Stephanie was just another Sparrow. With Kate’s horrible false reputation, she ought to bring her sister down.
Kate’s fists came together. She wished she had her dog to pet.
Instead, she stared at the beach from the window. The hot sun, and the sound of the waves calmed her and her fists uncurled.
Stephanie pretended to be perfect, but lied with the best of them. Dang, another thought rang in her head. Kate closed her eyes and listened to the waves on the shore.
Karma. She had to believe in karma, and that one day Stephanie would be revealed. Kate remembered her mother’s voice. Trust in fate and karma.
She shook her head. Then her thoughts became a jumbled mess.
One cousin caught her attention. Mr. All Muscles had stood up and his huge shoulders had blocked her view of Stephanie. Kate’s mouth watered again. Which Collins cousin had those sexy ember eyes though?
Kate furrowed her forehead. Lust was never on the agenda. A real brother or a closer family relation than a cousin would be more appropriate. There were two lines of direct Collinses from the two brothers. Kate scowled. Her father would approve of any Collins. Stephanie shouldn’t make that man proud. Kate intended to stay far away from any rich family without a soul. Her father had been bad enough.
Kate placed her hand on her chest. If she had been a faceless violinist in a traveling orchestra, no one would call her one of those vicious made-up names. In newspapers and on TV she was portrayed in the worst possible way. Sometimes she was inferred to be a huge slut and more often she was the consummate party girl. Either way, the rumors weren’t true.
Kate rubbed her arms. She’d never even had sex. Muscles would never be interested in more than the illusion of her life. She snorted.
Kate dropped her arms to her side. She’d never cared what people said. The lies built up the tension in her back, and the pain helped. She’d be defensive and cold. She had to be. She’d pretend for a week to be the fake Kate. Her father’s lies now offered her a means to gain her freedom. Her toes curled inside her high-heel shoes.
She took a deep breath, then stepped out onto the outside terrace.
She faced another crowd of partygoers. Kate’s gaze darkened. Another club scene. Miami was filled with the mind-numbing endless revels. She glanced at the bar, then made her way there.
She’d become this party girl, even if it killed her. She waved down the bartender.
If she found another way . . . Kate curled her bottom lip into her mouth. No. She’d stop now. She’d, somehow, get through the wedding then go home to her dog and live in peace.
Whatever waited for her in the security box at the bank had to be worth this trouble. Her mother had never lied to her. Kate sighed. She should have checked the box years ago. Her future now depended on what waited inside.
The bartender brought her a wine. The humidity of the day dissipated, but heat clung in the air. She paid for her drink, then turned on her heels, and headed away from the terrace part. The cool air was inside.
Kate hesitated at the door then went further in. Silence greeted her ears. The press was gone.
Kate went over to the window and took in the tropical heat in October. She rolled her head in a circle, like she practiced in yoga class.
She ditched her untouched wine behind a tree in the lobby, then headed back to the lobby bar. She’d order another.
A few minutes later, she swung her arms. The air conditioner helped, a lot.
Then a storm of energy coursed through her. She gazed at the nightclub entrance and stared right into those ember eyes. She glimpsed at his right arm. Did he have a tattoo? The dark-haired Collins man with strong biceps and a sexy backside took a step closer to her.
Kate stayed near the bar, but became warmer. Goose bumps formed on her arms. She sucked in her breath, and steeled her nerves. The moment he arrived, she closed her eyes, and repeated her mantra. I don’t fall in love.
She opened her eyes, and tried to smile. Then she saw the man’s delicious full lips and she stopped her smile. She tore her gaze from the muscled man, and then froze. Her sister’s blue eyes reflected in the mirror with her hands folded. Kate scoffed. Her sister was anything but meek.
Stephanie stood lovey-dovey with the foolish boy, and Kate’s heart felt like it pumped ice water into her veins. She shivered.
If Stephanie loved the man, everything would be different. Kate stiffened her back, and refused to cower.
She sashayed closer to the bar and waved down the bartender. A moment later with a drink in her head, she headed straight back to the table in the lobby bar, and her gaze fixed on the sexy Collins man. Her fantasies needed his name.
His brown eyes had specks of gold, but now they were almost black with his pupils dilated. His five o’clock shadow would rub against her silky smooth skin in a delicious embrace. They stared at each other for a moment. She lowered her head and stared at the menu.
She closed her eyes. Ten. Nine. Eight. How long would it take Stephanie to find her to ruin her mood? Seven. Six. Five. Kate sipped her drink, then continued counting. Four. Three . . . “Kate.”
She opened her eyes and sighed.
Not even to ten. Wow. She forced her gaze up, and stopped. The man’s ember gaze shouldn’t be here, and she shouldn’t see sympathy. Her mind played tricks. She forced her face to go higher, pasted her smile on her face at her sister’s approach, and waited for the claws to strike. A second later, Stephanie didn’t disappoint. “Kate, never speak to my fiancé.”
“Why?” Kate tilted her head in a dare and raised her eyebrows. “Afraid I’ll say something to ruin the wedding, sis?”
She goaded her, and Kate’s stomach recoiled. She was so tired of these games. Why couldn’t anyone leave her alone?
“Eric won’t believe a word you say.” Stephanie folded her arms and tapped her foot again.
Kate bit back a groan. Her sister had horrible habits. She came here to provoke her, not play the victim card. Kate was on to the game of cards.
Unable to find another solution, Kate played her role. She sipped her drink, rolled her eyes, and turned toward the waitress. She ordered another drink. She gazed into the ember eyes then turned back toward her sister.
Stephanie crossed her arms. “You haven’t touched your drink.”
Kate snapped, “I’ll need it when we’re done.”
Kate left her almost-full glass of wine at the table, stood up, and walked toward the patio bar. Hotels on South Beach seemed to have a bar station everywhere.
“I’m not finished speaking . . .” Her sister grabbed her arm. Something stirred the man behind her. A second later, Stephanie let go. Then without one look back, Kate’s arms had goose bumps.
Whatever he did had paralyzed Stephanie. Muscles and height worked for him. Six foot three and a body of an action hero. The hot Collins man smelled good, too, almonds and the forest mixed together.
Slowly, she turned and stared into those ember eyes. Kate winced. She might not fall in love, at least not real love, but this man’s bed would be heaven.
A snort almost bubbled up in her throat as she walked away and never turned back.
A few feet away, Kate heard her sister’s voice.
“My sister and I are in a private conversation.”
Kate turned and stared into yet another mirror. Stephanie had folded her hands like in prayer. Was she joking?
Kate shrugged, walked back, and pasted on a simper to match Stephanie’s tone. “Me and my sister are in a loving, sweet conversation, sir, and it would be best if we could get back to it.”
“Sarcastic.” The man added, “You’d need that.”
She’d need to be rude? Kate stood next to him and had no idea what to say. The man leaned down next to her face. Kate’s blood pressure shot up. What had he planned? She wouldn’t kiss him. Ever. Her brown eyes stared at his in wide-eyed
wonder. The man then told her sister, “Stephanie, go back to my cousin. I’m here to talk to Kate.”
What could she do? She had no idea who this man was other than his last name? She fixed her hair behind her ear, and Kate pretended to be experienced with worldly knowledge.
Stephanie then stomped away, and Kate shook her head, “We’re not kissing. I don’t know your name.”
His head shot back, and he laughed. “A kiss?”
“I assumed you were here to seduce me.”
A warm liquid desire built inside her.
Borrowing the Doctor (The Collins Brothers Book 2) Page 2
