Author: Bella Andre

“Mia’s brother was looking for her.”

“No wonder he looked like he wanted to kill me. I’m surprised he hasn’t come back to tear my heart out through my throat.”

Tatiana felt she should be honest with him. “Actually, based on the way he was acting when he found out you two might be together, I’m kind of surprised, too.”

“I knew I was going to have deal with her brothers soon, anyway. But it’s a small price to pay if she’ll have me.”

Wow, he was going to willingly offer himself up to Ian, Adam, Dylan, and Rafe, who were all tall and full of muscles and had grown up wrestling with each other? Tatiana sighed at how sweet it was that Mia obviously meant that much to him.

“I’m Ford, by the way,” he said as he reached out to shake her hand. “I’ve seen your last couple of films. Great work.”

She smiled at him. “I like your work, too.”

There wasn’t even a speck of attraction between them. Only the immediate bond that she sometimes felt with other people who were also in the public eye. Life for people with their kinds of careers was great in lots of ways, of course, but could be difficult, too, when simple things like going out to get a cup of coffee could be a trial. Sometimes Tatiana felt like a hermit holed up in her house because it was easier to order in than put on makeup and an outfit and do her hair just to go out to pick up some milk.

“I don’t think he’s got anything against you personally,” she said, wanting Ford to understand. “It’s more that he wants to protect his sister against all men.”

“Smart guy.” He took off his hat and left it on a rough wood shelf. “Care to join me in what could very well be my last drink if Ian Sullivan gets a hold of me?”

Laughing, she took the arm he held out to her as they stepped into the very bright sunlight. “I’ve seen you on stage. You’re pretty fast. I think you could outrun him if you really needed to.”

“How about you distract him so I can get a head start? Maybe drag him into a dark corner and kiss him senseless before he realizes I’ve gotten away?”

The deep flush that took over her cheeks instantly gave away just how much she liked that idea.

“Ah,” he said in a gentle voice, “so that’s the way the wind blows.”

“No,” she said, shaking her head. “Ian and I just met last night. And we’ve only spent fifteen minutes together today.”

“Sometimes,” he said very seriously, “fifteen minutes is all it takes for your entire life to change.”

But before he could say anything more, a large group of wedding guests finally realized they had a rock star in their midst, and he was completely surrounded by fans.

Chapter Sixteen

For the next half hour, the photographers took dozens of shots, first of the girls and then the whole family together. Mia had hated knowing how upset Ian was about what he’d seen, but though his nickname for her was little girl, he had to know that she wasn’t one anymore, right?

Of course, it didn’t help that just a few minutes after Mia had made it to the group for pictures, Ford finally emerged from beneath his dark hat. The wedding guests’ excitement began as murmured exclamations of surprise, but soon escalated to the point that Mia was starting to feel like she was in the audience at one of his shows.

Nicola, thankfully, didn’t seem the least bit bothered by the commotion, and when she jokingly rolled her eyes and said, “Musicians always have to be the center of attention, don’t they?” everyone laughed. Everyone except Ian, who looked as though he was barely restraining himself from tearing across the grounds to pummel Ford.

Mia shot him a pointed look between photos. You promised.

Today only, was the reminder he sent back in just as pointed a manner.

Through it all, Mia was pretty darn pleased with how well she pulled off her relaxed smile. Only Ian and Brooke knew just how hard she was having to work to manage it.

The second the photographer declared the family photo session finished, Brooke pulled her aside. “How are you doing?”

“Well,” Mia said in a low voice that she made sure wouldn’t carry to anyone else, especially her other brothers, “I’m glad I gave Ford a piece of my mind.”

In the way that only a true friend could, Brooke raised her eyebrows as she scanned Mia’s slightly messy hair, obviously well-kissed lips, and flushed skin. “It certainly looks like you gave him something.”

“I didn’t break my promise!” Mia insisted. “There were no tongues in either direction.”

“Well, that’s good, I guess,” Brooke said in a rather doubtful voice.

“It was good,” Mia had to admit. So good that she could still feel the imprint of his lips all across her skin. “At least until Ian walked in on us.”

Brooke’s eyebrows shot up twice as high as they’d been before. “How is Ford still alive?”

Mia looked over to where he was signing autographs, and a rush of heat moved through her when he lifted his gaze to meet hers. “He might not be for long,” she murmured, even as she found it impossible to look away.

Just then Rafe walked up to them and slid his arm around his fiancée. “Something’s up with Ian. He looks like he’s going to burst a vein soon. And when did Ford Vincent get here?”

Mia didn’t even have to send her friend a save me look before Brooke pressed a very distracting kiss to Rafe’s lips. “I think we’re supposed to sit down now for the meal and toasts.” Before Rafe could say anything more about Ian, Brooke began a rather one-sided conversation about how beautiful the wedding had been and how pretty the vineyard was and how she was absolutely starved. Anything and everything she could think of to keep Rafe off the scent.

Yet again, Mia thought as she squared her shoulders to prepare herself to make it through the rest of today’s wedding in one piece, she owed Brooke big time.

Although, when she found her name card at one of the family tables up at the front of the reception area, Mia decided she might very well have to kill Nicola and Marcus, even though it was their special day...

Because, as luck would have it, they’d seated her right next to Ford.

* * *

When Ford realized where he was seated for the meal, he hoped Nicola’s new husband wouldn’t take it the wrong way when he planted a big wet one on both of them later.

From his seat, he could see Mia standing a few yards away downing a glass of champagne, and was immediately taken by the urge to lick the stray drops of the fizzy liquor off her lips. But he’d always wanted to meet her family, and despite knowing that at least one of her brothers already had it in for him, Ford wanted to take the opportunity to get to know as much about Mia and the Sullivans as he could.

Fortunately, he had an ally in Tatiana, who found her place card at his table, as well. Unfortunately, a moment later, so did Ian, directly across from Ford.

Weddings were always full of surprises. Usually, however, those surprises came in the form of a drunk old auntie who was later found face-down in a hedge, snoring off the bottle of whiskey she’d smuggled from catering. Just think how long people would talk about this one if Mia’s brothers gave him what he deserved.

“I’m a big fan of your music,” the guy pulling out a chair beside Ian said to Ford as he held out a hand. “I’m Ryan Sullivan, and this is my fiancée, Vicki Bennett.”

“Great to meet you both,” he said before he finally realized why the guy looked so familiar. Ford had been so focused on Mia during the ceremony that he’d completely spaced on recognizing the best pitcher in the National Baseball League in the lineup of groomsmen. “I was blown away by your pitching last season. And,” he said as he realized who Vicki was, “I’m also a fan of your sculptures.”

She was obviously pleased that he knew of her work. “Thank you.”

Ford was struck by how comfortable Vicki and Ryan were with each other, how they looked like two people who were clearly meant to be together. Had they ever screwed things up, or had everything in their relationship gone perfectly from day one?

“Are you two going to be the next Sullivan wedding?”

“Maybe,” Vicki said with a laugh. “Unless Zach and Heather or Smith and Valentina or Brooke and Rafe beat us to it. But we’re used to waiting,” Vicki said with an easy smile as she leaned back into Ryan’s arms and looked up at her fiancé. “Aren’t we?”

“I fell for her when we were fifteen,” Ryan explained to Ford, “and then she went and married some other guy. Fifteen years later, I finally convinced her we were meant to be.”

“I love your story,” Tatiana said. “It’s so romantic.”

Ford was still digesting the knowledge that Ryan and Vicki had been apart three times longer than he and Mia had, and they’d managed to make it work, when the final two open seats were taken by another couple.

“Wow,” the woman said as she realized Ford was sitting there. “Hi.”

When Ford grinned back at her and said, “Hello,” the guy with her tugged on her long, sleek braid and quickly covered her mouth with his as if to remind her whom she belonged to. Their kiss was short, but hot, and when they finally came apart, she was both flushed and laughing.

“You’re such a Neanderthal,” she said in an affectionately irritated voice before turning back to Ford. “I’m Heather, and this is Zach.”

He shook their hands. “Ford. Nice to meet you both.”

Just as the first course was served, Mia finally took her seat beside him, a fresh glass of champagne in her hand as she shot Ian a clear warning glance. What, Ford wondered as he turned to smile at her, had she said to her brother to keep him from going for Ford’s jugular?

And was there any chance that the reason she wanted him in one piece was because she’d decided to give their relationship another go?

“Looks like Nicola and Marcus are playing matchmaker,” Zach commented as he looked at Ian and Tatiana and then Mia and Ford. “Wouldn’t it be something if it worked?”

Heather shoved a roll into his mouth. “Eat this so your mouth will be too full for you to say anything else that will make everyone uncomfortable.”

“Okay,” Zach said after he took a bite and shoved it into his cheek, “but once the meal’s over, you’re going to have to think of something else I can do with my mouth to keep me quiet.” Heather rolled her eyes, but by the way her cheeks flushed, Ford could see that she wasn’t at all averse to the suggestion.

“Actually,” Mia told the group, “Ford and I already know each other. He’s one of my clients.”

“Since when is he one of your clients?” Ian’s fork clanging hard on his plate punctuated his question.

“Since Friday.”

Ian turned his glare to Ford. “You’re going to buy a house in Seattle?”

Ford was six-two and worked out to stay in shape for his three-hour shows. Still, he figured Ian had to have a couple of inches and probably thirty pounds on him.

“I’m looking forward to moving out of hotels and into a house for once.”

“Anyway,” Mia said with another pointed glance at her brother as she speared a lettuce leaf with her fork, “I showed him a great piece of waterfront on Friday with an absolutely perfect house already built. It even has a tower room.”

“A real stone tower?” Vicki was clearly intrigued.

Mia looked so pretty when she smiled at the other woman without any of her guards up. “It’s really amazing,” she said, “but I have a few other properties to show him, too, so he can weigh all the options.”

He pushed his plate aside as he turned to her. Right now, he only had an appetite for one thing. For her. “You said it’s the kind of house and yard that a bunch of kids would be happy playing in, right?”