"Quit arguing. Go put your swimsuit on. I'll do a quick change myself and get Marcel to roust us up some brunch."
Leo was as good as his word. When Hattie made her way down to the pool in silver slides and an emerald-green maillot, her brother-in-law was already stretched out on a chaise lounge, apparently content to while away a few hours.
As she sat down beside him, she heard a quiet snore. He must have taken the red-eye. Poor guy. She'd let him sleep.
When the sun warmed her through and through, she slipped into the pool with a sigh of pleasure. Being rich definitely had its advantages. She did some laps and then floated lazily, feeling the hot rays beating down on her.
It was nice of Leo to keep her company, but Hattie wanted her husband … stripped down to nothing but his swim trunks so she could ogle his body to her heart's content.
If Marcel thought it odd that a new bride was frolicking poolside with a man who wasn't her husband, he made no sign. He was polite and unobtrusive when he brought out a tray laden with everything from scrambled eggs and bacon to fresh mangoes and homemade croissants filled with dark chocolate.
Leo roused in time to devour his share of the repast. "I was hungry," he said sheepishly as he snitched a lone strawberry.
Hattie lay back, her cup and saucer balanced on her tummy. "This coffee is to die for. I'll have to find out what brand it is." She finished her drink and turned on her stomach … drifting, half-awake, listening to birdsong and the gentle sough of the wind in the palm fronds.
Leo poked her knee. "You're turning pink, princess. Better put some sunscreen on."
Without opening her eyes, she reached for the bottle of lotion under her chair. "Will you do my back, please? I'll throw a towel over my legs, so don't bother with that."
Luc parked the car in front of the B and B and sat for ten seconds, giving himself a lecture. He was calm. He was in control. Hattie would dance to his tune.
He had a plan. One that would satisfy the hunger riding him and at the same time make it clear to his new wife that nothing had changed. Their marriage was still temporary.
It was an unpleasant shock to find their suite empty. But then he took a deep breath. Hattie was shopping, that was all. Women loved to shop. The tourist district of Key West wasn't all that big. Maybe he would take the car and drive around for a bit, see if he spotted her.
As he hurried back down the stairs, keys in hand, Marcel intercepted him. "Welcome back, Mr. Cavallo. I hope your business was transacted successfully."
"Yeah," Luc muttered, unaccountably embarrassed. "Do you happen to know if Hattie has gone to town?"
Marcel shook his head. "Your wife is out by the pool with her friend. I served them a meal not long ago. Shall I bring more food?"
"No thanks. Not hungry."
Luc's hackles rose. Her friend? No doubt, some handsome surfer type had taken advantage of Luc's short absence to make a move.
Well, not for long, buddy.
Luc walked outside, keeping behind the bushes until he got a clear shot of the pool. Hattie was stretched out, facedown, in a suit that made his mouth water. But the sight that took his breath away was the large man rubbing lotion into Hattie's shoulders.
Damn and double damn. The guy had his back to Luc, and at this distance, Luc couldn't really tell much about him … except that he was getting way too chummy with Luc's wife.
The man murmured something to Hattie that made her laugh. Luc's vision blurred with rage and indignation.
He burst through the shrubbery and advanced on the couple by the pool. "What in the hell is going on?"
The man turned his head and smiled … a wicked, look what I'm up to smile. Leo stood up. "Well, hello, Luc. It's about damn time you got here."
Though he was stunned, Luc didn't let on. "Why are you here, Leo? If you're dying for a honeymoon, find your own damn wife."
Leo mocked him deliberately. "When I heard that you were willing to transact business this week, I brought some contracts that need your John Hancock ASAP."
By this time, Hattie had scrambled to her feet. Her sweat-sheened brea**sts revealed by the relatively modest décolletage of her suit gave Luc pause for a second or two, but he dragged his eyes away from his wife's erotic body and faced off with his sibling.
Luc looked pointedly at Leo's casual attire. "But nothing so urgent that you couldn't chill out by the pool," he said, irritated beyond belief. It had been years since he and Leo had tangled in a fistfight, but Luc was spoiling for a rematch.
Hattie grabbed his arm. "Sit down, Luc. You're being rude."
Leo egged him on. "It's your fault, little bro. I wouldn't be here if you hadn't been such a Type A jerk."
That was it. Luc lunged at Leo, determined to pummel him into the ground. Their bodies collided and the fight was on.
But Luc hadn't counted on Hattie.
She grabbed his shirt and clung to him. "Stop this. Right now. You're both insane."
He shrugged her off. "Get out of the way." He rammed his shoulder into Leo's chest. Leo fired back with a punch to Luc's solar plexus.
Hattie jumped on Luc's back this time, her arms around his neck in a stranglehold. "I mean it," she pleaded, her voice shaking. "He's your brother."
A second time Luc shook her off. "He's a pain in the ass."
Leo was momentarily distracted by Hattie's distress. Luc used the brief advantage to land another right to Leo's chin, this time splitting his own knuckles.
Hattie tried a third intervention, grabbing Luc's belt with two hands. But both men were in motion and when she lost her grasp, she slipped on the wet surface of the pool deck and fell sideways, her cheek raking the edge of the glass-topped table as she went down.
Luc and Leo froze. Luc was down on his knees in seconds, scooping her into his arms. "Oh, God, Hattie. Are you okay?"
She struggled to a sitting position and said, "Yes."
But she was lying. Blood oozed down her cheek from a nasty gash.
Leo crouched with them, cursing beneath his breath. "Is it bad?"
"I can't tell," Luc said, his hands shaky. "We need to get her checked out."
Hattie waved a hand. "Hellooo. I'm right here. If you two doofuses would kiss and make up, I'll be fine."
Luc eyes his brother sheepishly. "Sorry, man."
Leo grinned. "I deserved it."
Hattie rolled her eyes. "Morons." Luc heard rueful affection in the two syllables.
He motioned to his brother. "Grab one of those cloth napkins."
Leo complied, wetting the fabric in a water glass.
When Luc pressed gently at the wound, Hattie winced. "That hurts. Let me do it."
He surrendered the makeshift swab reluctantly, watching in dismay as Hattie removed more of the blood. It was an odd cut, and one that stitches wouldn't necessarily help.
The unflappable Marcel appeared, handing over a first aid kit. He glanced quickly at Hattie's cheek. "A butterfly bandage should do the trick, I think."
Luc applied antibiotic ointment and pressed the plaster in place as tenderly as he could. He and Leo helped her to her feet.
Now that the immediate crisis was over, Hattie was clearly flustered. She reached for her sheer cover-up and slid her arms into it. "I'm going upstairs to take a shower," she said, her eyes daring him to protest. "I suggest you two get your act together while I'm gone."
She turned with dignity to Marcel. "Thank you for your help. It's nice to know that someone around here has good sense."
As she flounced her way into the house, Leo shook his head and smiled. "Your wife is one tough cookie."
Luc nodded, sobered by what might have been. "For once, I agree with you completely."
Eleven
When Hattie stepped into the sitting room, she saw Luc ensconced on the sofa, elbows on his knees, waiting for her.
He stood and faced her. "You look nice."
She picked up her purse, fiddling with the contents. "Thanks." She was wearing a gauzy ankle-length dress in shades of taupe and gold. It was sleeveless, and the V neck dipped low front and back. A necklace and bracelet in chunky amber stones complemented the outfit.
The small bandage on her cheekbone made her self-conscious, but that was mostly vanity talking. Her ensemble was dressy but comfortable. After the last few days, relaxation was high on Hattie's list.
She bit her lip, not wanting to resurrect any bad feelings. "Where's Leo?"
Luc made a face. "Don't worry. I signed the damn papers. He's changing downstairs to give us some privacy. I thought we'd go out for a late lunch somewhere nice, and afterward, he'll head home."