Page 17

“I needed that,” I respond when he pulls back. My heart nearly bursts from my chest as I attempt to rein in the nerves bubbling up inside me like a lava lamp. “Are you ready to deal with Hurricane Yvette?”

“Don’t worry, little treat, everything will be fine,” he assures me, but without skipping a beat, his eyes search mine, settling with familiarity and warmth. “I’ll face anything to keep you. Even an overprotective older sister.”

I chuckle, grateful for the levity he offers amidst my tempest of concerns. “You say that now, but wait until you meet her.”

“Nothing will ever take you away from me. Don’t worry, I’ll win over your sister. I mean, how can she resist this adorable face?” He pastes the silliest expression on his handsome face, and I can’t help but laugh at his antics.

Time flies and soon enough, there’s the sound of a car pulling up the driveway. I peer out just in time to see Yvette step out, scrutinizing the surroundings with a hawk-like attention to detail. Sullivan takes my hand in his and opens the door as she reaches the porch.

“Yvette!” I announce, enveloping her in a quick hug before she has time to attack. Her sharp gaze shifts to Sullivan, evaluating, weighing as she hugs me back.

“So, this is Sullivan,” Yvette states, eyes darting between us, assessing the situation.

Sullivan exchanges a polite handshake with a glaring Yvette.

“So…” Yvette pauses, releasing his hand with a half-smile that doesn't quite reach her eyes yet. “Why am I just finding out about you?”

Sullivan, bless him, offers a generous grin, the kind that signifies understanding. “I guess I’ve been keeping Romi so busy that she didn’t have time to call you. I apologize for the confusion,” he quips amiably. Angus, as always, nudges forward with animal intuition, offering Yvette his puppy-dog eyes full force.

Her tough gaze softens as she bends down to scratch his ears—inevitable chemistry easing into warmth, muttering a faint, “Aren’t you a cute guy.”

“Okay, here’s what we’re going to do,” Yvette announces as she straightens, directing her focus back to Sullivan. You know it's serious when Angus isn't enough to distract. “I’m going to change my plans and stay in town for a few days to see for myself if my sister is okay with you. If I get any warning signs at all, I’ll drag her back to Houston before you can blink.”

“You’re welcome to stay as long as you want, but no one is ever taking Romi away from me.” Sullivan doesn’t let my sister intimidate him. “I would never come between sisters, so you’re going to have to work with me here.”

“If you hurt my sister, I’ll be your worst enemy.” Yvette, a corporate attorney, isn’t one to let a man get one over on her.

“You don’t have to worry about that. Romi owns me, heart and soul. I would cut off my own arm before I hurt her,” Sullivan declares, managing charm and sincerity in the unorthodox balance that makes his confidence so irresistible.

“We’ll see.” It surprises me to see my sister actually back down a little.