“My room. You’ll need a good night’s sleep.”
She dug her feet into the ground, and refused to budge. He had to be joking. “I’m not sleeping with you, Daniel.”
“Relax, Katie. I have double beds.”
“Doesn’t matter. I’m not going to your room.”
“You can go to the lobby, hope that reporters and everyone else there leaves you alone, and maybe that manager will find you a room for tonight.”
She stared at the wall behind his head. “I hate my life.”
He stepped further back. “You might spend half the night and wait for your room to be clean.”
“When you put it like that . . .” She took a step forward, and gazed back into his eyes, “No funny business and we stay on our own sides. I know karate.”
“Yes, ma’am. You can have the bed closest to the door then.” He laughed, and somehow his laugh helped her release the tension in her body. Daniel added up to a decent man. She trusted him, a little.
She never dared to trust anyone a lot.
Chapter 6
Daniel held open the door for Kate, and he let her glimpse his hotel room. She rubbed the goose bumps on her arms. Two beds. He hadn’t lied. She stepped further in, and let her hands fall to her side. The windows overlooked a gorgeous view of the ocean. She turned back to him, and brushed her shoulder into his. She stepped back, but again with the butterflies.
If she slept in the same room with Daniel and his tall, muscular body, she’d learn to release whatever energy coursed through her. She’d not turn into a giggling mess of a virgin, and destroy her cover story. She had enough issues than to involve a man in anything.
Daniel kept his distance and stayed near the window. He moved his stuff to a chair near him.
She went into the bathroom and locked the door. A shower would help relieve the tension. She turned on the water and let the steam fill up the room.
Knock.
She gulped. “Hello?”
“Here.”
What did that mean? Was he taking attendance in school? She opened the door and stared at a tee shirt in his outstretched hand. She laughed and took the offer. “Thanks.”
She gulped, and realized his shirt would practically fall to her knees. He was double her size, and all hard, delicious man.
She glanced into his eyes, and her knees went weak.
He stepped back.
Kate blinked and relaxed. He picked up his phone and ushered her inside. She closed the bathroom door and let the momentary safety she had in her heart at the moment grow.
She leaned back on the door, and listened to his muffled voice. Her heart stopped racing, and she was unable to make out the conversation.
She hopped in the shower and let the steam take care of her. The water relieved the buildup of stress in her neck. And new questions came up. Who was Daniel on the phone with? She hadn’t been sure. Did he have a girlfriend? Should she be here at all? Or should she have done what was expected and go back downstairs to get a new room?
The girlfriend question circled back. But why would he kiss her for the newspapers if he had a girlfriend? She tended to not believe that theory now. She let out a groan. Would she pick up tomorrow’s paper and read another scandal where she was the other woman? She ran her hands through her hair and then picked up the shampoo and pressed the liquid hard into her hair.
Maybe for once, she had luck.
Probably not, though. Besides, she ought to be thankful if he had a girlfriend. She’d be safe from her crush.
She washed the soap out of her hair. No one would believe she was a twenty-seven-year-old virgin. Those stories about her made everyone believe the worst of her. Her father preferred people to believe this fake alcoholic party girl to a presentable lady for a daughter. Weren’t dads supposed to protect their daughters’ virtue? Hers had missed that memo, though her mother had told her to always stay the classic beauty she saw. Kate picked up the conditioner and repeated the application.
Nothing helped her. Kate missed her mother, even more these days with all the drama, but she couldn’t shed a tear anymore. Her mom had died a long time ago.
She stepped out of the shower, towel-dried her hair, and wished for her hair brush. She’d have unmanageable curls tomorrow. All her things were downstairs in that room.
She should have not washed her hair and clipped up her brown mess on her head. Too late now.
She threw his shirt over her head, then opened the door. She gazed around the room and at her bed. Three feet to the blankets. She took one step out and stopped short. She let out her pent-up breath. Her bags lay in the corner, and Daniel sat in a chair on his side. He was on the phone with someone. Kate dashed to her bag, and grabbed her sleep pants and her hairbrush. She headed to the bathroom to wiggle into the pants.
Daniel called out phone, “Kate, my mother wants to talk to you.”
She jumped into the pants and turned toward Daniel. “Mother?”
He nodded.
She dropped her hairbrush onto her bed. Mother hadn’t been a guess at all. She took the phone from him and raised her eyebrows. Was there some trick? He stayed quiet and she picked up the phone to her ear. “This is a one-night sleepover because of my . . . dog.”
Kate choked back the likelihood that her father had caused this. He’d sent her a warning tonight. And who was that unfortunate dog? A sacrifice to the cause of threatening her? She licked her lips. The Collinses appeared to be a close family. She saw the stark difference and said, “Your son is fine from my evil clutches.”
“I don’t think you’re evil,” the woman on the phone said. Kate jumped a bit, and the woman continued. “Relax. My son wants to help you. Trust all my boys. They were raised right, and Daniel is a gentleman. If he or any one of them misbehaves, call me.”
Her mouth fell open and wouldn’t close. Her own mother would have said the same about her. She covered her mouth, and told herself not to let this get to her. Daniel stood up, came closer to her, and her body seemed small and frail next to him. She was never small or frail in her life. He whispered, “Thank you. Mom can be pushy.”
Kate nodded at him, unable to say anything.
His mother told her at that same second, “Daniel is a handsome boy, but I’m biased. Are you the woman in the newspapers?”
Her stomach knotted. She clutched the phone harder, and prepared for the blow. “Yes.”
His mother laughed. “Kate Sparrow, just one question. All that stuff in the newspapers and on television is lies and you’re nothing like that evil person on screen, right?”
Her brow clenched. Did she mean it or was that sarcastic? It was hard to tell anymore. “You have no idea, Mrs. Collins. People love to assume the worst about me.”
His mother hummed. Did she believe her? She stayed quiet and his mother said, “Daniel says you’re prettier in person and sweeter. Gigi said you seemed hunted far more than a partier. Either way, my boy doesn’t sing women’s praises to me and I wanted to hear your voice, dear.”
“That’s it?” Kate’s voice held a higher pitch than normal. Her mother would have threatened any guy who talked to her, but the genuineness stayed the same. Did moms treat sons different? Kate’s throat constricted. Daniel was lucky. Tears formed in her eyes, but she refused to shed a single tear. She choked out her words. “Thank you. Kindness is . . . rare in my life.”
Kate stood up and handed the phone back to Daniel.
Then she picked up her hairbrush and headed back to the bathroom. She clutched the plastic handle and told herself she wouldn’t cry. She never cried, ever, and she refused to break now. She closed the bathroom door behind her, wiped her eyes, and massaged her neck. Her cheeks were wet.
She cried. She bit her lip to stop. Today had taken its toll. The mirror and silence calmed her. She wouldn’t let Daniel see her tears. She brushed her hair fifty times.
Her face was dried, and her hair combed. Done. She peaked out the door and headed straight to the bed.<
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Halfway there, Daniel’s gaze sent a thrill down her spine.
On the bed, she tugged the blankets up to her neck, despite her overactive body temperature. She closed her eyes, and imagined that man coming over to her bed. She swallowed hard, but the vision continued. He’d lean over and kiss her. She shook her head and stared at the wall. No way could anyone say Kate didn’t have an active fantasy life.
A moment later, Daniel walked past her, and headed toward the bathroom. Without seeing him, she was aware of his every move. She squirmed her legs backward on the bed, then glanced at his glorious back.
He shot backwards, over his shoulder, “I’m taking my shower.”
“Okay.”
He closed the door behind him. She listened to him turn on the shower in the bathroom and sighed.
That man’s naked body would be a work of art.
She turned in her bed and refused to guard the door of the bathroom. Kate fingered the bottom of her tee shirt to find a string that didn’t exist. She then gave up, turned off the light next to her bed, and tried to sleep. The darkness helped. Despite her adrenaline rush, she began to snooze.
Bang.
A loud knock interrupted her, and she sat up in bed.
The shower turned off.
She stood up and called out, “Daniel, someone’s at the door.”
He stayed in the bathroom, and she heard him start to sing. Obviously, he didn’t care who was at the door in the middle of the night.
Who was it? An unknown wife about to punch her in the face?
She stretched her muscles then proceeded to the door. She peeked out the door and stared at the mane of blond hair. She unbolted the door, and her sister’s voice pierced the air as she stepped inside. “How could you, Kate?”
“Could I, what?” Kate asked, and stepped backwards into the room. What was the new drama now? “I haven’t seen or talked to you in hours.”
“You killed my dog this afternoon, then pretend innocence?” Her dog? Since when did Stephanie have a dog? Didn’t she call Charming a flea-catching mutt last week?
Her mouth went slack for a second then Kate crossed her arms. “You don’t even like dogs, Stephanie.”
“You’re the one who hurts animals,” Stephanie cried. “I am not our father.”
Kate shook her head and swallowed. In control, she kept her voice even-toned. “I did no such thing. Now get out of my room and leave us in peace.”
“You heard the woman.”
Daniel. His huge shoulders and hard body was less than an inch behind her. Damn the man’s voice sounded sexy.
Stephanie jumped backward.
Stephanie went into her fake prayer stance, and whimpered, “You don’t know my sister, Daniel. She’s a viper who is using you to cover her crimes.”
Great. Kate rolled her eyes then glared at her sister. Stephanie had the nerve to make up those lies to strangers, but to tell the man who’d been nothing but kind? Kate stood straighter, determined to stand her ground. No more lies would penetrate her defenses. Kate threw her arms to her sides, stepped closer to Daniel. “You heard Daniel. Get out, Stephanie. We both know you don’t want me talking.”
“My dog—”
“I didn’t know you had a dog,” Kate waved her arms. “You’ve never been kind enough to inform me about it until now.”
Daniel stroked her arm, and her entire body had goose bumps. She leaned closer to him and forgot her retort. He held her in his chest and closed the door on Stephanie’s shocked face. His arms brushed against hers and he shook his head. “Does your sister always yell at you?”
She nodded, turned around, and stepped out of his embrace. She scratched her neck to cool off, then headed back to her bed, but sat on the edge. “Usually in private, without an audience. She’s getting sloppy, I guess.”
“Let’s get you in bed. No more interruptions, young lady.” His sparking eyes winked.
“I’m twenty-seven, not seven.” She giggled, stood up, and let him lead her back to bed.
“You need to relax now.”
Impossible order. Daniel was sexy, and this thought helped her forget her sister. Today had not been horrible. He held her hand, and she climbed back under her sheets. He stepped back and bowed.
She sat up and stared at him go to his bed. Her eyes drank in the sight of his shirtless back and his body. How did he have time to carve out that body? His smile reached his eyes as he turned out the lights. “Night, Katie.”
“Night, my hero.”
“Well, uhh, thanks, ma’am,” Daniel answered back in the dark.
She laughed and tugged the covers closer. Daniel must have been sent from above. She’d never met a man like him. Ever.
Chapter 7
Kate turned her face toward the window and the morning sun. The heat added to her pleasant night, and she smiled.
Daniel stepped out of the bathroom, in a sexy light green tee shirt and a pair of blue jeans. Last night, he’d been a perfect gentleman. She twirled to show off her white dress.
He had dimples that added to his smile. “Beautiful. Let’s get to breakfast.”
Today might be a rare good day. Kate’s body was light. She was determined not to let anything spoil her happiness. She bounced over to him and took his arm to leave the room. “I don’t want this morning to end.”
“Relax.” He found his expensive sunglasses from his bag, and stayed in step. “No one’s up yet to attack before breakfast.”
She twirled again, then nodded. “I should hope not.”
At the elevator, they waited for a moment. She refused to glance down at his rock hard body. She’d imagine him a white knight defender, and she shouldn’t. So she glanced up at his dimples, and shook her head. She was in danger of liking him. The elevator arrived and brought them downstairs.
He led her across the street to a diner. At the table, he removed his sunglasses and perked up the second their waitress asked if they wanted coffee.
Kate stared at him, but kept quiet. She’d likely never see him again in a few days. Last night, he’d been on her side for a split second. It was probably for the best. Once she was on the ship, she’d be stressed and on her mission. She’d get whatever the FBI wanted on her father. Then perhaps in the future, she’d make friends or have a life again.
He stayed quiet until the coffee arrived. He took a sip and his shoulders relaxed. Then he tilted his head and stared at her. “You always chipper in the morning?”
“No.” She shrugged. “But I’m with a friend, from a good family, who’s not after my money. Plus, I’m going to the islands. I haven’t been there in forever. What’s not to be excited about?”
The waitress came back and took their orders.
Kate studied Daniel. He sipped his coffee and sat like a man in power. Her father often shifted in his seat, but Daniel sat straight and tall. She’d forgotten a few men like him existed in the world. She’d given up the search for such a man long ago. She swung her legs under the table.
The waitress brought their food, and they ate.
He stared at a television for the sports announcement. His brown eyes twinkled first, then his dimples appeared, and only then did his lips curve into a smile. She breathed a little deeper. The second the announcement was over, he stared at her.
She blinked. Wait. No. “I can’t crush on you. Neither of us have the time or the energy, right now. But thank you for being my friend last night.”
What had she just said?
“You were unexpected.” He leaned closer and took her hand. His touch sent her stomach into flutters, again. “I expected a crazy heiress gone wild, but, Katie, you’re either a great actress or the victim in someone else’s game.”
She scooted back in her seat. He saw far too much. “Don’t believe what’s in the papers.” She leaned closer again. “They lie to sell headlines.”
He finished his last sip of coffee, and she finished her toast. “If you say so.”
“I do.”
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They stood up, and he left money on the table to pay for the meal. She held her purse and debated. Breakfast hadn’t cost much. She’d let him pay.
Back to the hotel meant back to her life. Her shoulders grew heavier, but she ignored the reaction. She had a bounce in every step. Inside the lobby, no one stirred. Perhaps it was too early. She followed him further and made it to the elevators. The usual tingles in her chest near her sister returned. She licked her lips and waited at the elevator with him. Then she saw his dimples, and stood straighter. The tingles dissipated for the moment. She shook her head. “You must be a good doctor. It’s rare to have someone be caring and go out of their way to help.”
Borrowing the Doctor (The Collins Brothers Book 2) Page 4
