Misbehaving in Miami

HarperImpulse an imprint of

HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd

77–85 Fulham Palace Road

Hammersmith, London W6 8JB

www.harpercollins.co.uk

First published in Great Britain by HarperImpulse 2014

Copyright © Aimee Duffy 2014

Cover images © Shutterstock.com

Aimee Duffy asserts the moral right

to be identified as the author of this work.

A catalogue record for this book is

available from the British Library

This novel is entirely a work of fiction.

The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are

the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to

actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is

entirely coincidental.

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and Pan-American Copyright Conventions.

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Ebook Edition © August 2014

ISBN: 9780008106270

Version 2014-07-25

Digital eFirst: Automatically produced by Atomik ePublisher from Easypress.

For the ninja, super-graphic-girl and queen Catco. I couldn't have done this without the support of you 'special' ladies.

Contents

Copyright

Dedication

Miami

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Aimée Duffy

About HarperImpulse

About the Publisher

Chapter Four

It didn’t take Ciara long to figure out why Elle had starved herself for days. On the way from Miami International Airport to yet another of the Muirs’ properties, she was treated to more styles of bikini than she’d ever seen.

And the women who wore them were thin and toned enough to be models.

The guys, on the other hand, were mostly huge, muscled up and tanned to the point she couldn’t tell what nationality they were. But they were very pretty to look at.

‘Tomorrow we’re hitting the beach,’ Gem said, her gaze glued to a group of guys that reminded Ciara of the rugby players back home, only less rough and more buff. ‘I’ve got rebounding to do.’

Ciara bit her lip to stop the giggle waiting to burst out. Elle wasn’t as subtle and her laugh had Gem whipping her head around.

‘What’s so funny?’ Gem demanded.

Elle pulled it together. ‘Come on, Gem. Hollywood megastar Aiden Price was never yours so you can’t rebound.’

Gem lifted her chin. ‘Rejection still hurts and what better way to get over him than with one of those guys.’

Elle smiled. ‘I’m not saying it’s a bad idea. I think a few nights with a guy like that would be fun. What do you think, Ciara?’

They both turned to her with scrutinising eyes. Her face flamed. She knew she should say yes, why not, let’s go grab one or something like that. But the words refused to come. Images of Zack flooded her mind instead. He wasn’t as ripped as those men on the beach, but he had definition that made her drool and she could still feel his skin under her finger tips just from remembering their night in LA.

‘I think she’d prefer someone a little darker haired. Maybe a man who likes to strip his shirt off and get all sweaty while pushing those thick, muscly thighs to the limit,’ Gem said with a sly grin.

The blood in Ciara’s cheeks burned so hot she was sure it would evaporate.

‘Who? Zack?’ Elle said, her mouth gaping. ‘Aw Ciara he’s… ewww.’

He was anything but, though she wasn’t about to tell his cousin just how hot and amazing in bed he was.

‘To you, maybe,’ Gem said. ‘But we don’t share his blood – thank God. We can perv all we like.’

Elle sighed. ‘You two have no taste.’

Actually, he was the most delicious thing Ciara had ever tasted. Again, not something she wanted to share with Elle. Despite what Zack said, their night together was a mistake – okay not quite. She’d wanted him more than she’d wanted anything and didn’t regret taking it. But it was definitely a one-time thing. There was no way she could start something with Zack when she couldn’t guarantee she’d be able to stick around, and with her track record and her ma’s, the odds weren’t good.

And to make sure she wouldn’t be tempted for a second round, she left his number in her room back in LA.

‘We’re here,’ Elle said as the taxi pulled into the grounds of a massive beach condo with its own private pool.

She thought that after the shock of the previous mini-White House at the bottom of Hollywood Hill she’d be used to luxury by now, or at least learn to stop gaping. But Elle’s granddad’s beach house was like something out of the movies. One wall was completely glass and she could see right inside to the open plan kitchen and lounge area.

Outside, there were padded sun loungers galore, an Olympic sized swimming pool and a sitting area with rustic style chimneas dotted all over. This was definitely a house for pool parties that went on to the early hours. She wondered if she’d get any sleep at all before they left for Europe.

‘Come on girls, I want to start getting ready for tonight. Miami here we come!’ Elle said, climbing out of the taxi at record speed.

Ciara wondered if she should warn someone before Elle got loose.

Their pub crawl – or bar bounce or whatever Gem called it – took them to hot, sweaty places full to the brim of surfers. Ciara was gutted when she didn’t get to hear at least one ‘cowabunga dude’ but stereotyping surfers on her favourite mutant turtle was probably way off.

Or maybe the assortment of cocktails they’d picked up in each bar was going to her head.

It wasn’t all bad. In the one bar they’d found with air conditioning, Elle had fluttered her eyelashes and gotten them table service, which meant they didn’t have to brave the crowds of perspiration to get a drink.

When the young bartender brought them the next round, he handed Elle a sheet. ‘For you, angel.’

Ciara grinned. ‘You seem to be attracting a lot of tweens on this holiday.’

‘Shut up!’ Elle said. ‘Anyway it’s not his number.’

‘Lemme see.’ Gem grabbed the piece of laminated paper. The excited glint in her eyes had Ciara on edge.

‘We’re so entering!’ Gem said.

‘My thoughts exactly,’ Elle agreed.

Oh no, what had they planned this time. ‘Entering what?’

Gem slapped the sheet down in front of Ciara.

Her first reaction was to laugh. They couldn’t be serious, a drinking game? They’d get ploughed by the regulars. But then she saw the grand prize being offered to the group still standing. A limited edition Gucci beach bag – masterfully structured, the most beautiful thing she’d seen with baby pink leather. And it was practical too. But that meant…

‘We’re entering,’ Elle said. ‘I want that bag.’

Ciara quickly scanned the rules. Everyone in the group entering had to buy a massive – and it really was massive – jug of either mojito or Caipirinha. The first table to finish and still be standing would get the bag – and possibly alcohol poisoning.

‘I’ll get a mix and we can share,’ Gem said, leaping off her chair.

‘Wait,’ Ciara grabbed her arm. ‘Have you two lost it completely?’

‘Dear Ciara,’ Elle said on a sigh. ‘Gucci is calling. And anyway, we’re newly ex students and we have an Irish girl on our side. This will be a walk in the park!’

‘Or a trip to the emergency room to have our stomachs pumped,’ she argued.

Gem shook free. ‘Don’t be silly. Plus the rest of the group gets a $1,000 gift card to spend in the Aventura Mall. Even you can’t say no to that! If we win, you get to keep the voucher and Elle and I can share the bag. Deal?’

Ciara bit her lip. Bloomingdales was in that mall. The most expensive thing she’d owned had come from a high street store back home. And her friends were right, she could hold her booze. But they’d been on the cocktails for a while now and a glance around at all the new people walking in, looking fresh and ready to go, didn’t help convince her this was a good idea.

‘You’re not allowed to think about this,’ Elle said. ‘Gem, go enter us before Ciara comes up with an excuse to get out of it.’

Her friend’s azure eyes were steely now, and Ciara knew there was no point in arguing. Elle pulled out her phone, tapped the screen a few times and then handed it to her. It was a list of all the lovely, lovely shops in the mall, with the lovely, lovely clothes just waiting for her to pick them.

It wasn’t like she’d be able to afford something that wasn’t on sale without the voucher. If they won this competition, she could spend and spend and spend without the guilt. Which is exactly what Elle had been thinking, handing her the worst kind of temptation.

‘Fine, I’m in. But if I end up with liver failure I’m holding you responsible,’ she said.

Chapter Five

‘Right guys, you know the rules. Drink up as fast as you can and the first group back to the bar with their empty pitchers wins,’ the bartender said.

The crowed rumbled their excitement, while Ciara stood over the tallest, fattest jug she’d ever seen. The colours were pretty, and she hoped the limes diluted some of the rum, but the sheer size of the thing scared her.

Almost everyone had to stand up to get to the straws.

The queue for the bathroom was going to be tremendous after this. If she even made it that far. Which was very unlikely.

Gem and Elle didn’t look as put off as she was. Elle’s refusal to quit had got her far in uni, but this was something else entirely. Gem no doubt had her eyes on the prize, and she did love winning.

Maybe that would work. Keeping focused on the prize.

‘Quick, before we start we need something to remember this by!’ Elle pulled out her phone again and set it up for a picture. ‘Stand behind the glasses and strike a pose. Come on, Ciara. Smile.’

The phone flashed, making her eyes go all spotty for a second.

‘Get me, Gem!’ she handed over the phone and Gem snapped another.

‘I’m Instagraming these. Go Team Elle!’

Ciara rolled her eyes while Gem’s narrowed. Trust Elle to take over.

‘Ready, set, go!’ the bartender boomed.

Ciara did, putting the straw to her mouth and trying a steady suction while breathing through her nose. She doubted anyone could keep guzzling the freezing drinks all the way to the bottom and reckoned her strategy had a 6:2 chance of winning – considering she could handle however many units of alcohol it was packed with.

Gem had taken the guzzle approach, stopping to gasp occasionally and then get stuck back in.

Elle was keeping it steady too, but at a faster pace than Ciara. In fact, she was way behind when she glanced around the room.

She sucked up mouthful upon mouthful, trying to catch up then a searing pain stabbed behind her right eye. ‘Ow, brain freeze.’

‘I’ll knock your brain into next week if you don’t hurry up. Drink through it!’ Elle commanded.

Ciara forced herself to keep going, but the stabbing in her temple didn’t ease up. Someone retched and she looked over to see a ripped guy with bleach blond hair sucking in lung fulls of air, no doubt to stop from being sick. He didn’t succeed and she shut her eyes so his gut load of cocktail making a reappearance didn’t encourage hers to.

‘Done,’ Gem slurred, then giggled. ‘Oh dear, I’m drunk.’

Ciara felt like the floor was swaying beneath her feet and she opened her eyes before the dizzy, sick feeling kicked in. She was neck and neck with Elle and they didn’t have much to go.

‘Quick, just pick it up. It’s not heavy now,’ Gem said.

Elle did, but Ciara’s jug didn’t seem to shift much off the table.

‘Come on, Ciara. Think of those vouchers.’ Gem grabbed the bottom, then helped her tip it up.

After a deep breath, she chugged the remainder of the glass as fast as she could, not caring about the unladylike affects that would no doubt follow. Not caring about much at all anymore as a warm, giddy feeling soared through her.

She finished up within seconds of Elle and they shared a grin.

‘That shit’s finished too,’ Elle said, pointing to another table.

He was, and the women he was with were finishing up as they watched. ‘Don’t we have to get these jugs to the bar?’

The other group noticed they weren’t alone in their victory and picked up the jugs.

‘Run!’ Elle said.

They did, kind of. Staggered would be a more apt description. But the other group didn’t seem unsteady on their feet at all as they rounded tables.

Ciara bumped into a girl who hadn’t finished yet and managed a convoluted apology while she got back her balance.

‘Move it!’ Elle screamed.

Ciara scampered to catch up. They reached out with the jugs, ready to throw them on the bar. The bartender’s eyes were wide and he shuffled back to the wall of spirits as they approached.

Team Persistent were neck and neck with them now, and since the girls were fast Ciara knew they were going to lose.

‘That bag’s mine lady. Back off,’ Elle said to the other group.

‘In your dreams,’ she replied.

Ciara slammed her jug down on the bar, and a loud smash splintered her ears. She blinked at her glass – still fully intact. Both Gem and Elle were beside her, with their jugs on the bar too, without so much as a scratch but her friends were looking behind her with their mouths gaping.

Ciara spun around and staggered a little. A woman from the other group had dropped the jug. Glass was scattered all over the wooden floor, shining like little diamonds in the light. At least the woman wasn’t hurt, but by the way her eyes narrowed she wasn’t happy.

‘So, guess you bitches won by default,’ the woman said.

Gem laughed. ‘It’s not our fault you’ve got butter fingers.’

‘I’d say the best bitches won,’ Elle added.

Ciara squeezed her eyes shut, but changed her mind the second the room started spinning.

‘Come on girls, time to go.’ She had visions of getting into a cat fight there was no way she’d win. Especially now the alcohol seemed to be doing its job.

‘After our victory pic,’ Elle slurred, pulling the phone out of her pocket and pulling them close. Ciara didn’t see the flash and dreaded how she looked in the picture but before she could ask to see it Elle had already launched it into social media land.

‘I think I’m going to be sick,’ Gem said.

‘Fresh air will help,’ Ciara hoped.

They collected their prizes and Elle took the bag since she didn’t want Gem throwing up on it. Somehow the air only increased the horrible, dizzy feeling and Ciara wished she’d ignored Elle’s advice to starve herself earlier. She was definitely getting something more substantial than a salad when she got back.

***

‘I don’t even care that I’m tempted to be sick in it, this was so worth it,’ Elle said, hugging the new bag to her chest.

Ciara ignored her, pulling her body through the massive pool. Gem was on the patio near Elle, perfecting her morning yoga routine.

She’d already done twenty lengths before breakfast, but not to burn off all the calories from her mammoth cocktail. This was so not about keeping fit.

Last night after they’d gotten back, she’d raided the fridge and found it lacking so had ordered a pizza. The others had gone to bed, saying they were not eating that many carbs when they had a beach day coming up.

While she’d stuffed her face, her mind had gone back to LA, her first night with Zack and something had happened that she never thought possible. She’d gone and completely lost her sanity.

She’d pretended he was there with her, sharing the pizza and was telling her about himself. He’d told her he wanted to study architecture because he was passionate about sculpture and that he worked out because it took his mind off everything.

And worse, she’d started talking to herself in reply to the imaginary questions!

Though she knew her conversation with him was an alcohol induced fantasy, she hoped to find some truth in it so she tried tearing through the pool doing as many laps as possible. It was helping a little. The burn in her muscles and the rolling feeling in her stomach were stealing most of her concentration.

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