“He kissed me,” Sophie told her sister, her expression stubborn as she faced her. “Now you don’t have to talk about it. Let’s go.” She grabbed her sister’s hand and made sure they walked together past the shed.

Yet again, Jake was impressed with Sophie. Lori had a will strong enough to push most people around. He’d always assumed Sophie was the beta to her sister’s alpha.

Had he gotten it wrong all these years? Had he made the mistake of underestimating Sophie just because she didn’t feel the need to be the center of attention like the rest of them?

“Oh no!” Sophie exclaimed. “That little boy is about to knock over the chocolate Eiffel Tower.” She quickly moving toward the long food table and the hungry boy, leaving Jake alone with Sergeant Lori.

He was a dead man.

“What the hell was going on back there?” She narrowed her eyes and snarled, “What were you doing to my sister?”

Jake wished he knew. One moment he’d been trying to protect Sophie from some worthless wedding guest who only wanted her in his bed...the next she’d been in his arms and he’d been kissing her as if his life depended on it.

Lori took a step closer and he had to fight the urge to take a step back in retreat. “If you hurt her, I will hunt you down and take great pleasure in hurting you, too. Badly.” She smiled at him, a turning up of the lips that promised a great deal of future pain should he ever screw up again where Sophie was concerned. “And you’d better believe that I’ll keep you alive just so that I can send my brothers in to finish you off.” She cleared her face of murder before saying, “Now walk me back to my table and make it look believable that you and I were off getting into our usual trouble.”

She slid her hand into the crook of his arm and pinched him hard, just in case he needed a reminder that tangling with Sophie was where the real trouble was.

Bigger trouble than any a screwup like him had ever been in before.

Chapter Five

After righting the fondue tower in the nick of time, and pointing the little boy toward a bowl of Hershey’s Kisses, Sophie went to wash her hands and to take a few extra moments to compose herself. She put her hand on her belly as butterflies flew at the memory of how deliciously sensual she’d felt in Jake’s arms. He was even yummier, even more dangerous, even more potent, than she’d dreamed he’d be.

If only Lori hadn’t come searching for them, then maybe Sophie could have gotten past Jake’s all-too-clear remorse. “You deserve better,” was what he’d said to her just after the sweetness of his kiss had shot straight past her heart, all the way to her soul. At the very least, she wished she’d had time to convince him that his guilt and remorse were both misplaced.

She’d wanted that kiss just as much as he had. And they were two full-grown adults who could kiss whomever they wanted.

In any case, for the next few hours, she needed to push Jake’s kiss to the back of her mind and concentrate her attention where it should be: on making sure Chase and Chloe’s wedding was absolutely perfect. Later, she’d relive those moments when all her dreams came true, when she’d been in Jake’s arms and it felt like the sun was never going to stop shining, and it seemed utterly impossible that he might not actually want her beyond that kiss.

She let the guests’ laughter warm her before she headed to the big round table she was sharing with her siblings and their significant others. Noting that her mother, who was sitting with her close friends, had a worried look on her face, Sophie made sure to stop by her seat.

“It was a beautiful wedding, wasn’t it, Mom?”

“It was,” her mother agreed. But Mary’s eyes were too perceptive by half. “You’ve done enough work, Sophie. Have some fun.”

“I am,” she told her mother. And she was.

Kissing Jake McCann was the most fun she’d ever had in her life.

Lori and Jake walked by just then, arm in arm, Lori laughing at something he’d said, then punching him in the shoulder, hard enough that Sophie was fairly certain he was hiding a wince of pain behind his smile.

“Tell Jake he needs to get out from behind that bar, too. I want him to celebrate with the rest of us.”

Her mother had never asked her about her feelings for Jake. But Sophie had never been able to hide what was in her heart from her mother. Especially not now, when she was feeling more than she ever had for the man who had stolen her heart when she’d been a little girl, and had taken more of it every year that passed.

“I know how much you love to dance, and he’s the perfect height to be your partner,” Mary Sullivan suggested before kissing her daughter’s cheek.

Sophie felt her eyes grow wet. Of course her mother hadn’t commented on her makeup, her hair, or the dress. She’d simply seen beneath everything on the outside straight to what was going on inside.

“I love you, Mom.”

“I love you too, sweetheart.” Mary Sullivan kissed her again. “Now, be sure to tell your brothers to keep those speeches clean.”

Budding tears gave way to laughter as Sophie said, “Would it be bad if I told Zach and Ryan they’re needed on the other side of town, instead?”

Her mother laughed with her at the thought that her brothers would even think about staying in line when given the chance to say something shocking about Chase in front of such a large crowd.

Sophie quickly stopped by Chase and Chloe’s seats. “Is everything going okay so far?”

Chloe hugged her tight. “It’s the most beautiful wedding in the world. I can hardly believe it’s mine.”

“Thanks, sis,” Chase said, “You’re one heck of a wedding planner.”

Sophie didn’t bother to hide her wide grin. She adored Chloe and was beyond thrilled for Chase. “If it’s okay with both of you, I’d like to get rolling on the speeches.”

When they agreed, Sophie walked up to the table where her brothers and sister were waiting for her to set them loose. Before anyone could ask her where she’d been for the past half hour, she gave the microphone to Marcus. “You’re first, and then pass the microphone to the next oldest. Jake will go after the boys, then Lori and I will go last.”

Smith was frowning as he looked between her and Jake. She’d known her family was going to be watching her very carefully when she walked back into the reception area, and that even the slightest indication that something had happened to her would send all six of her brothers on a rampage. Especially given her new look for the wedding, she knew they were already suspicious that something was going on. She took her seat and flashed a bright smile at Smith, thankful when Marcus stood up and all eyes turned to him.

“This is a big day for the Sullivans.” The guests immediately stopped talking and focused their attention on Marcus. “I’m sure there are some who thought the day would never come when one of us would say ‘I do’.” As the crowd laughed at his on-point observation, Sophie worked like crazy not to stare at Jake, who was seated next to Lori at the far end of the large table. “Now that it has, I know there isn’t a single one of us who is surprised.”

Marcus turned from the crowd to face Chase and Chloe. “Chloe, if I had tried, I couldn’t have found a partner more perfect for my brother.” The bride's eyes were already filling with tears as her new husband threaded his fingers through hers. “Chase, I’m as happy for you as I’ve ever been. And so damn proud. Our father was one of the best men I’ve ever known and you’ve always reminded me so much of him. He would be as proud of you, Chase, and he would love you, Chloe, as much as the rest of us do.”

Marcus’s strong voice broke slightly on the last word and he looked up toward the sky and paused like that for a few long moments. Sophie could hear sniffles from all throughout the reception area. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see her mother beginning to cry, but Sophie knew if she actually looked at Mary, she’d dissolve into a wet puddle, too. Smith gripped her hand hard and she squeezed back with all her strength, the two of them holding on to each other as Marcus continued.

“One other thing I’m absolutely sure of—” He paused again to smile at Chase and Chloe, and turned to briefly look at each of his brothers and sisters, before focusing on his mother. “—is that he’s here with all of us today.”

Marcus was holding his hand over his heart by now and Sophie knew why. That was exactly where she held her father to her. He’d passed away when she was only two, but she’d heard so many stories about him over the years, and had each of his pictures memorized, that she felt she could remember him just as well as any of her older siblings.

“We can’t wait to meet the first of the next generation of Sullivans.”

The applause came, then, as everyone got to their feet to toast not only Chase and Chloe, but the baby growing inside of the beautiful bride. Chase’s hand rested possessively over her gently rounded stomach as he kissed Chloe, and Sophie leaned into Smith’s shoulder as she whispered, “They’re so beautiful together, aren’t they?”

Smith kissed her forehead, then took the mic from Marcus. As he stood up, everyone let out a collective gasp. It wasn’t just that he was a movie star. Smith had always had a huge presence, had always been mesmerizing, especially when he was decked out in a black tux with tails. Sophie was sure every woman at the wedding—taken or not—was dreaming about what it would be like to have Smith Sullivan give her a second glance.

“My brothers and sisters like to tell me I live in a world of make-believe,” he said in the voice that a billion people around the globe could have recognized with their eyes closed. “I don’t know what they’re talking about. My life is perfectly normal.”

Laughter rolled through the crowd as Ryan and Gabe shook their heads as theatrically as possible.

“One thing we can all agree on,” he continued when the laughter subsided, “is that there’s nothing imaginary about the love between Chase and Chloe.”

Oh my. Sophie knew her big brothers could be big softies. But had any of them ever let anyone but the family see it before? Especially Smith, who had to guard himself from the pressures of fame and strangers who thought they knew the real man when they definitely didn’t.

And yet, in this moment, for the brother he loved, Smith was pure emotion. If he was willing to risk baring his soul for a few moments like this, Sophie knew she didn’t have a prayer of being anything but a big old splashy puddle by the time the microphone landed in her hand.

“To your forever.”

Everyone raised their glasses as Smith toasted the bride and groom, Chase nodding at his brother with a big grin in acknowledgement of the beautiful wish he’d just made for them.

Ryan was next as he took the microphone from Smith and stood up. Any of the women who hadn’t just lost their hearts to Smith would have been hard pressed not to give it up to the pro baseball player. Sophie couldn’t think of the last time she’d seen Ryan or Zach in a tux. Both of them had complained when she’d informed them that’s what they were going to wear as groomsmen. Knowing her brothers and the way they charmed absolutely any woman they came into contact with, Sophie made sure to let the tux rental company know she’d be extremely upset if they caved and gave her brothers alternatives to the tuxes.

And she’d been right to hold firm. All of her brothers looked absolutely fantastic, a picture perfect postcard of male perfection. Sophie shot a glance at Lori, silently acknowledging that the two of them didn’t look half bad, either. Their mother, Mary, was pure elegance in her floor-length lace and silk dress in a soft coral that perfectly set off her coloring.

“Guys like me tend to look at life as a game.” Sophie could see how much the crowd loved Ryan’s easy manner. He’d always been the most relaxed and easygoing of them all. On the baseball field he took no prisoners, but even then, he made it all look so easy. So effortless. It was the same now, as he surveyed the guests with a lazy appreciation. “Helps if early on you realize that some games are gonna go better than others.” He shrugged. “A year ago, if you’d asked me for my thoughts on the game of love, I would have told you to ask some other sap.”