Her eyes brightened. “I told you Spain didn’t stand a chance.”
“Thanks to you, I won big, and to show my appreciation I’d like to take you to lunch.”
Brianna glanced at her gold wristwatch bracelet and shook her head. “I have to be at the airport by three, and I still have some packing to do.”
“Take a later flight or, better yet, leave tomorrow morning after we’ve had brekkie.”
A smirk lit the corner of her lips. “And why would I do that?”
“Because I want to celebrate my winnings with you.”
“Your pop-star girlfriend is going to have a fit when she finds out.”
“There’s no special woman in my life,” he told her, wishing she’d believe him.
“You and Evangeline looked awfully cozy last night.”
“Like I said, she’s doing the new print ad for my company. That’s it.”
Brianna shrugged a shoulder. “You don’t have to explain anything to me. I’m just a girl you met at the hotel bar. It doesn’t matter what I think.”
“It does to me.” He took a step forward, close enough to smell her intoxicating floral perfume. “I don’t want you to think I’m a player, Brianna. Let me take you out. Then you’ll see what a great guy I am.”
“And the humility award goes to...”
Collin gave a hearty laugh. “I’m just speaking the truth.”
“What do you have in mind?”
“I can’t tell you,” he said, winking at her. “It’s a surprise.”
Brianna pursed her lips as if she were skeptical about him and his whole plan, but her eyes gave her away. They were bright and luminous and shining with amusement.
“I’m keeping my plans under wraps, but I will say this,” Collin said, knowing he had her right where he wanted her. “I’m going to show you a side of Paris you’ve never seen before, and you’re going to love every minute of it.”
* * *
Brianna stood in the middle of the lobby, hanging on to every word that came out of Collin’s sexy mouth. This was what every woman secretly wanted—to be swept off her feet by a handsome, dashing man who smelled like heaven and looked divine. Collin was offering thrills and adventure, and Brianna had never wanted anything more.
This was her chance to step out of the box.
To do something wild and spontaneous.
The thought made her body flush with heat and sent a shiver rippling down her spine. Her life consisted of board meetings, consultations and dress fittings, and even though Brianna loved being a fashion designer, she was itching for new, exciting experiences. For the kind of fun her family members were having.
Her brother Kyle and his fiancée, Zoe, were always jetting off somewhere and were so madly and desperately in love they practically wore matching outfits. And then there was her cousin, Harper, and his wife, Azure. The newlyweds were pregnant with their first child, and every time Brianna spoke to Harper he was planning something grand for his wife. They couldn’t stand to be apart and often worked from home so they could be together. Brianna couldn’t imagine loving someone so much she’d blow off work. She was stunned by how much her brother and cousin adored their partners.
So why not throw caution to the wind and do something wild and spontaneous for once?
It was another warm, sunny afternoon in Paris, perfect weather for strolling around downtown or enjoying a coffee at a sidewalk café. Last night she’d let all those glasses of pinot grigio go to her head and was actually entertaining thoughts of inviting him back to her suite, but this morning Brianna was as sober as the First Lady. She knew Paris like the back of her hand, and if things went south on their date, she could always hop into a cab and come back to the hotel.
Should I or shouldn’t I? she wondered, doubt suddenly creeping in.
“Are you going to let me take you for lunch, or do I have to get down on my hands and knees and beg like Jodeci?”
His chuckle tickled her ears—and the space between her legs. Brianna was shocked when her lips parted and the word yes sprung out of her mouth. Just like that, she’d agreed to spend the day with Collin. To her surprise, she was anxious to know what he had in store for her.
“I think we need to set up some ground rules first,” Brianna said.
“Ground rules?”
“I don’t want us to exchange last names or phone numbers or make promises we can’t keep.”
“I understand.”
They shared a smile.
“I’m going to the front desk to make some arrangements,” Collin said, taking her hand and giving it a light squeeze. “Don’t move.”
“I won’t.”
He dropped a kiss on her cheek and scooped her shopping bags up off the floor. “I’ll see to it that your things get delivered to your room.”
“Thanks, Collin.”
When he strode off, Brianna whipped her BlackBerry out of her purse and called her mother. It went straight to voice mail, so she called her brother. Thankfully, Kyle answered on the first ring.
She’d only been in Paris for a week, but he greeted her as if he hadn’t spoken to her in months. They’d always been close, but the attack on Bailey last month at Lincoln Center had brought them even closer together.
“Congratulations, sis. Everyone’s buzzing about our show and it’s obvious all your hard work these past few weeks has really paid off,” he said, his tone rich with pride. “RHD is featured on dozens of websites, and I’ve been fielding nonstop calls for interviews and TV appearances.”
“I know. I’m so excited about the response to our spring line. We made the society pages in all the local newspapers here.”
“That’s awesome. Can’t wait to hear more about it when you get in tonight.”
Brianna paused, waiting for the right words to come. When they didn’t, she simply blurted out, “I’m going to stay in Paris for a few more days.”
“Really? Why?”
Because I met a guy I clicked with, and I want to spend the weekend with him.
Brianna knew the truth wouldn’t go over well with her brother, and in light of everything that had happened to Bailey, she didn’t want to give him reason to worry. “Things have been insane ever since Bailey’s attack, and now that Fashion Week is over, I could really use a few days to recharge.”
“You’re certainly right about things being crazy around here,” he confessed, releasing a deep sigh. “Last night, a loudmouth reporter approached me outside Nobu, and if not for Zoe dragging me away from him, I would’ve given the jerk a good old-fashioned beat down.”
“Don’t let the paparazzi get to you, Kyle. They’re only messing with you so they can sell photos to cheap, trashy tabloids.”
“I know, but this situation is just so damn frustrating,” he confessed. “I’m doing everything in my power to find out who’s behind Bailey’s attack, and sitting here waiting for information to roll in has me on edge.”
“That’s why I want to stay in Paris for a few more days. It’s the perfect place to escape.”
“I hear you,” Kyle said. “I need a break, too.”
Brianna scoffed. “Boy, please! You and Zoe just got back from Tahiti!”
“I