legal retribution
for helping her. She told Robert she didn’t want him or the others to get
further involved.
He wouldn’t listen to reason. He insisted on doing whatever
was required to protect her and the crew. That was more than likely why he sent
his sister on ahead to Florida. To Kimberly’s relief, Raven had taken Robert’s
nasty black bird with her.
A mast light headed toward them along the channel. As it
moved closer, Kimberly could make out the sleek lines of a smaller sailboat.
She watched from the shadow of Sea Panther’s boom as the boys secured
the boat portside.
Dressed in wrinkled white linen—more appropriate for the
sultry Caribbean—the man who jumped aboard after they’d finished rafting the
two boats together was attractive in a rough sort of way. His messy,
sandy-colored hair fell into sparkling golden eyes contained within a tanned,
weathered face. Shorter and stockier than Robert, he had a powerful build,
nonetheless. Intimidating, actually.
Bright white teeth snapped into a wide grin as he greeted
Robert. That smile alone probably made most women fall at his feet. But he was
in no way as handsome as Robert.
“Kimberly,” Robert called. “Come. Meet my good friend
Jagger. He’s lending us his personal sailboat Night Thrill .”
“That’s kind of you,” she said, joining them.
Jagger took her cold hand into his much warmer one. “So
you’re the woman everyone is after.”
She shut her eyes unable to look at his teasing face. An
awkward moment passed before he released her hand. “Well, I am glad to meet
you.” He eased away.
“And I, you.” Although there was something about him that
made her apprehensive.
A sharp pain at her temple surprised her and she reached up
to massage the spot. With all that had happened, there was no wonder a stress
headache kicked in.
Robert made an annoyed sound deep in his throat, startling
her. He locked stares with his friend. The man shrugged. Robert draped an arm
around her shoulder. “Ignore him, he’s teasing.”
The pain in her head subsided as if it had never been there.
She smiled at him, comforted by his warmth. Although she shouldn’t read too
much into Robert’s actions, he seemed possessive all of a sudden.
They followed the others through the companionway and into
the salon where refreshments waited.
“Please excuse us. I need a private word with Jagger,”
Robert said, and the two men turned toward the passageway to his cabin.
“If it’s about me, I wish to join you.” Kimberly didn’t want
Robert making decisions about the situation without her.
“Not now. Later,” he promised.
“Typical. Men always think they know best.” Kimberly flopped
onto the settee.
The four men seated beside her, stuffing their faces with
appetizers, cracked up laughing. Kimberly ignored them and stared at the
passageway where Robert and Jagger disappeared out of sight. If only she could
be a fly on the wall and hear what they discussed.
* * *
As Robert closed the cabin door, Jagger chuckled. “She will
be a handful.”
“Whisky?” Robert offered.
“Are you still trying to act as if you are fully human?”
Jagger grinned and shook his head. “I gave up the effort to conform over two
hundred years ago.”
Robert snorted and poured three fingers. Although his friend
would never admit it, Jagger hated their existence as much as he did.
“The doctors make progress.” He drank the golden liquid in
one gulp, enjoying the fire that raced down his throat. He’d be sick later, but
it would be worth it to have enjoyed the human pleasure. “I believe they will
find a cure soon. ’Tis why I am heading to the compound for more tests.”
Jagger slapped his back. “I wish you luck.”
Robert sobered. “You should not have probed her mind.”
“You have not marked her.”
Jagger’s statement needled him. Wolfgang had said the same.
Maybe he wasn’t doing Kimberly a favor by leaving her alone. Any vampire who
crossed her path
for helping her. She told Robert she didn’t want him or the others to get
further involved.
He wouldn’t listen to reason. He insisted on doing whatever
was required to protect her and the crew. That was more than likely why he sent
his sister on ahead to Florida. To Kimberly’s relief, Raven had taken Robert’s
nasty black bird with her.
A mast light headed toward them along the channel. As it
moved closer, Kimberly could make out the sleek lines of a smaller sailboat.
She watched from the shadow of Sea Panther’s boom as the boys secured
the boat portside.
Dressed in wrinkled white linen—more appropriate for the
sultry Caribbean—the man who jumped aboard after they’d finished rafting the
two boats together was attractive in a rough sort of way. His messy,
sandy-colored hair fell into sparkling golden eyes contained within a tanned,
weathered face. Shorter and stockier than Robert, he had a powerful build,
nonetheless. Intimidating, actually.
Bright white teeth snapped into a wide grin as he greeted
Robert. That smile alone probably made most women fall at his feet. But he was
in no way as handsome as Robert.
“Kimberly,” Robert called. “Come. Meet my good friend
Jagger. He’s lending us his personal sailboat Night Thrill .”
“That’s kind of you,” she said, joining them.
Jagger took her cold hand into his much warmer one. “So
you’re the woman everyone is after.”
She shut her eyes unable to look at his teasing face. An
awkward moment passed before he released her hand. “Well, I am glad to meet
you.” He eased away.
“And I, you.” Although there was something about him that
made her apprehensive.
A sharp pain at her temple surprised her and she reached up
to massage the spot. With all that had happened, there was no wonder a stress
headache kicked in.
Robert made an annoyed sound deep in his throat, startling
her. He locked stares with his friend. The man shrugged. Robert draped an arm
around her shoulder. “Ignore him, he’s teasing.”
The pain in her head subsided as if it had never been there.
She smiled at him, comforted by his warmth. Although she shouldn’t read too
much into Robert’s actions, he seemed possessive all of a sudden.
They followed the others through the companionway and into
the salon where refreshments waited.
“Please excuse us. I need a private word with Jagger,”
Robert said, and the two men turned toward the passageway to his cabin.
“If it’s about me, I wish to join you.” Kimberly didn’t want
Robert making decisions about the situation without her.
“Not now. Later,” he promised.
“Typical. Men always think they know best.” Kimberly flopped
onto the settee.
The four men seated beside her, stuffing their faces with
appetizers, cracked up laughing. Kimberly ignored them and stared at the
passageway where Robert and Jagger disappeared out of sight. If only she could
be a fly on the wall and hear what they discussed.
* * *
As Robert closed the cabin door, Jagger chuckled. “She will
be a handful.”
“Whisky?” Robert offered.
“Are you still trying to act as if you are fully human?”
Jagger grinned and shook his head. “I gave up the effort to conform over two
hundred years ago.”
Robert snorted and poured three fingers. Although his friend
would never admit it, Jagger hated their existence as much as he did.
“The doctors make progress.” He drank the golden liquid in
one gulp, enjoying the fire that raced down his throat. He’d be sick later, but
it would be worth it to have enjoyed the human pleasure. “I believe they will
find a cure soon. ’Tis why I am heading to the compound for more tests.”
Jagger slapped his back. “I wish you luck.”
Robert sobered. “You should not have probed her mind.”
“You have not marked her.”
Jagger’s statement needled him. Wolfgang had said the same.
Maybe he wasn’t doing Kimberly a favor by leaving her alone. Any vampire who
crossed her path
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