Dare Me Tonight (The Knight Brothers 3)

He was no longer going to twist himself inside out for a woman who wouldn’t appreciate anything he did or gave to her anyway. Been there, done that.

He’d get through this weekend and go back to his happy hermit life.

* * *

Sienna loved the private jet experience, felt like a princess for the two-and-a-half-hour flight, and now she was ready to take on Manhattan. She strode through the airport, looking for a sign with her last name on it. Ian had given her the name of her companion, Ethan Knight, and had assured her the man would be here himself to pick her up.

When she finally caught sight of her last name on a placard, a woman was holding up the card. With a shrug, Sienna headed toward the pretty female with light brown hair and blonde highlights, wearing a summer floral dress and shoes Sienna envied.

As she approached, Sienna waved. “Hi,” she said, coming to a stop. “I’m Sienna Dare.”

The woman flashed a genuine smile. “Nice to meet you. I’m Sierra Hammond, Ethan’s sister. I’m so sorry he couldn’t be here himself but there was an emergency at the office.” Tucking the sign under her arm, she extended her hand, which Sienna shook.

“Sienna and Sierra. Cute,” Sienna said, laughing.

The other woman chuckled. “I noticed the similarities, too.”

“Thank you for picking me up.”

“My brother really wanted to be here,” Sierra said, obviously trying to reassure her.

Sienna waved away the woman’s concerns. “I’m fine. Really.” Sienna wasn’t insulted in the least. If Ethan Knight was anything like Ian, he wouldn’t have the time to be on airport duty.

Sierra seemed to relax at Sienna’s easy attitude. “Okay, good. Well, I thought I’d take you to the apartment where you’ll be staying and show you around. Do you need to wait for luggage?”

“No. I fit everything into my carry on.” Sienna smiled brightly. “We’re not going to a hotel?”

“No, my family owns a building on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. We have an apartment for out-of-town guests and Ethan thought you’d be more comfortable there.”

“Sounds good.”

They chatted on the limousine ride to the apartment. Sierra sat in the back beside Sienna, the driver knowing where to take them. Sienna discovered that Sierra was married to her longtime love, Ryder Hammond, with a baby girl at home. She also ran the Social Media Division at Knight Time Technology.

Listening to how the twenty-five-year-old woman had her life together made Sienna feel wistful that she wasn’t anywhere near doing the same. But that was what this weekend was about, she reminded herself, trying not to feel too bad about herself. She had time to figure it all out.

She was led into a gorgeous apartment that was well decorated, with dark wood furniture and a leather sofa in the family room. She rolled her suitcase into the spacious entry area and set it off to the side.

“So this is it,” Sierra said. “The bedroom is that door over there.” She pointed to a back corner with a closed door. “The refrigerator is stocked, but anything you need, I want you to feel comfortable calling me.”

They exchanged numbers, programming them into their phones.

“There’s an itinerary on the table in the family room, but there will be a limo picking you up tonight for the gala, and my brother will be meeting you there. I promise,” Sierra reassured her with a smile.

“No worries. It’s all good.”

Sierra hesitated. “I hate to just leave you, but I need to get home. We just wanted someone from the family to pick you up and make you feel comfortable, but if you need a tour guide for the afternoon…”

With a shake of her head, Sienna calmed the other woman. “I think I’ll head over to one of the department stores and have my makeup done for tonight,” she said, the idea popping into her head. And since she’d taken an early-morning flight, Sienna had the entire afternoon free. “I’m really used to being on my own. I’m fine.”

“Oh, makeup sounds like fun. I wish I could join you. Do you want to get your hair done, too? Have the whole experience? My stylist is a friend. I’m sure he could fit you in?” Sierra offered. “Not that I’m saying you need your hair done.” She sounded horrified at her choice of words.

Sienna burst out laughing. She really liked Sierra Hammond. “As a matter of fact, I would love to have my hair done for tonight.”

Sierra pulled out her phone and dialed the salon, arranged a time, and ended the call. “All set. I’ll text you the information. The car is at your disposal–”

Sienna shook her head. “I can take an Uber or a taxi, honest. It’ll be fun to explore the city that way.

“No can do.” Sierra shifted her purse higher on her shoulder. “I promised Ethan I’d take good care of you and that means the full chauffeured deal. Enjoy your time in New York,” she said, starting for the door.