Can't Tie Me Down! (Sinclair Sisters 1)

There was another cheer as Mairi called Amir forward. “This is Amir. He’s from Pakistan and is a genius in genetic research. He’s also pretty damn good at playing online poker, because he beats me all the time.” She wrapped an arm around his waist and smiled up at the man who was only a few inches taller than her. “Amir took me on the most romantic date I’ve ever had, and I will never forget it. He is a kind, caring, loving man who deserves a woman who will appreciate everything about him.”

Amir’s face turned a deep red, and he clearly didn’t know what to do with himself. The crowd clapped and whistled. Some chanted his name, and he started to laugh.

Mairi kissed his cheek and moved on to the twins. “This is Darius and Damien,” she said. “Darius isn’t looking for a wife just yet, but his brother Damien is. Damien is a programming genius who enjoys playing football, rock-climbing and kayaking. Damien and Darius saved my life this week when I fell over the cliff. They did it by rappelling down to me and bringing me back up. These guys are genuine heroes. So, if you’re a woman who appreciates a hero with a big side order of geek, Damien is the guy for you.”

As there was more applause, Keir felt a warmth spread through him. His woman was a genius.

“She’s getting them wives,” Sean said, sounding slightly awestruck.

“Aye, she is.” Keir looked at her with pride.

“Come here, Sebastian.” She grabbed the guy’s hand and pulled him to the front of the stage. “This is Sebastian. He’s from Canada and is an incredibly loyal friend, as well as a genius with artificial intelligence. I had to force Sebastian to be here tonight, because he didn’t want to leave his friend alone in the hospital. Sebastian is sweet and funny and is able to translate Wookiee into English, which is a skill that might come in handier than you think.”

There was laughter and whistles for Sebastian.

“Pass me the photo,” she said to Sebastian, who handed her a large photo of Jonas, sans Wookiee mask. There were gasps from the women in the crowd at the sight of his model-perfect features. “This is Jonas. He couldn’t be here tonight, because he suffered burns this week when he got too close to a firework display. Jonas suffers from debilitating shyness, but he is one of the most amazing men I’ve ever met. He’s a programming savant who became a millionaire before he turned twenty. He is also fluent in Wookiee.”

There was laughter.

“Where can I sign up for one of these guys?” a woman shouted.

“I want one too,” someone else called out.

Mairi beamed at them. “You can sign up on the Mairi’s Wedding Facebook page, which I now control.” She shot a warning glare at Sean, who hurriedly gave her a thumbs-up. “I’ll be working to find romantic partners for all my men, and I will be very strict in vetting any applicants, because these guys deserve only the best. Which, for the record, isn’t me, but I can find it. I’m good at that.”

Once the cheering settled, Mairi continued to list the attributes of each of her men, and her new business was born.

“She wants me to set up a website for her and maintain it,” Sean grumbled. “I wondered why she needed one. Now I know. And she wants me to do it for free.”

“It’s the least you can do.”

“I have to update the Girlfriend site as well—make their security ironclad and reimburse them for the revenue they lost.”

“You really are a numpty.” Keir didn’t want to get into the details of his brother’s idiotic idea. He was too busy watching his woman woo the crowd for her fake boyfriends. She’d been born to stand for these men. She was the best advocate they could ever have.

“It was worth it,” Sean said with a grin. “She plans to keep having sex with you.”

“Yes, she does.” Keir flashed a wicked smile at the woman on stage, who flushed when she saw it.

“That’s about it,” Mairi said. “Except for Roberto. Roberto got lost riding his scooter into Glasgow. If anybody finds him, can you please mail him back to me?”

The crowd went wild and surged forward, swamping the men, asking for autographs and making them stutter and blush. Through the mass of people, Keir lost sight of Mairi.

“Can you wind this up and send everybody home?” he asked Sean. “I’ve got a woman to track down.”

He pushed his way into the crowd, keeping an eye open for wild red hair.

Chapter 24

There was no sign of Mairi in the crowd, so Keir headed to the garage to see if she’d made it back to her apartment. That was when he found her. She was sitting astride his motorbike, just like she’d done the first time he’d ever set eyes on her. And just like then, he was pulled to her side by an invisible rope that tied them together, one that never faded and was impossible to break.

He prowled straight for her, her eyes heating as he got closer. At last, he stood in front of her, brushed her hair from her face and fought the urge to kiss her until they were both wild with need.

“Where are we going, Rusty?” he said.

“Wherever you want to take me,” she answered.

“I want to take you everywhere.”