Since I Fell For You(43)

“You haven’t overstepped at all,” Suzanne assured her. “And we are close. It’s just that I’ve been trying to get my head around how I feel about Roman. I keep thinking I should be keeping my distance, but then I want to get closer too—which doesn’t make any sense. And I hate it when things don’t make sense!” She looked at Rosa. “Please don’t say anything to Drake about any of this. Especially since I’m sure it will all come to nothing.”

“Of course I won’t say anything. I’m always faithful to the girl code,” Rosa said with a smile. “And trust me, if anyone gets what it’s like to have nothing feel like it’s making sense, I do. The last thing I thought I’d find when I did my runner from Miami was your brother. It wasn’t even that I wasn’t looking for love. I didn’t believe anyone could love me the way he does.” She looked over her shoulder again at Drake. “I constantly feel like I need to pinch myself to make sure this is really my life now. I honestly can’t imagine life without him. He’s my everything, Suz. My whole heart and soul wrapped into one handsome, brilliantly talented, funny package.”

Suzanne smiled at the woman she hoped would be her sister-in-law one day soon. “My brother would do anything for you, Rosa. I know you would do the same for him.”

“Anything,” Rosa vowed in a fervent voice.

Weddings, Suzanne knew, brought out the romantic in everyone. Especially people like Rosa and Drake, who were still in that first sweet flush of falling for each other.

And as she snuck another look at Roman from over her shoulder—only to find him looking at her too—Suzanne couldn’t help but wonder what the wedding might bring out in the two of them.





CHAPTER FOURTEEN





Roman was one of a dozen security guards working the wedding. Smith Sullivan and his fiancée, Valentina, had a lot of famous friends, more marquee names and faces than Roman had seen together in one place since he’d gone to see the last Marvel superhero movie. Four of the five Maverick billionaires were here as well, with their kids, wives, and fiancées. Roman couldn’t even begin to imagine the net worth of this crowd. More than some countries, probably.

Summer Lake was a small town with everything people needed to be happy—water, sun, sand, and mountains. Nonetheless, Roman’s previous clients who weren’t half as rich or famous as Smith Sullivan would have sneered down their noses at the idea of having their wedding here. Interestingly, though, no one in the Sullivan family seemed at all out of place at Summer Lake.

Smith Sullivan was clearly as happy as a guy could get—all because he was head over heels in love with Valentina. Hell, all the Sullivans from San Francisco and Seattle and Maine to whom Suzanne had introduced him so far tonight looked absolutely smitten with their partners.

Were they for real? How could so many Sullivans have managed to find true, lasting love when everyone else was a total mess? Especially Roman’s parents. It was small comfort to know that out of all the families here, Suzanne’s parents had been a mess too. He wished yet again that she could have known nothing but happiness growing up.

Speaking of happiness—while he’d worked for enough A-list stars to know egos often reigned supreme, everyone in this crowd simply seemed intent on relaxing.

And hitting on Suzanne.

For the past several hours, Roman had employed great self-control in order to keep his hands from fisting—and messing up the pretty faces of the movie stars who had been chatting her up one after the other. He belonged over in the corner of the Inn’s main room watching over his client like the other bodyguards. He should stay out of the way and unobtrusive. But she’d insisted he remain in the middle of it all with her.

“This is my family,” she’d said before they’d walked inside the Inn. “I’m safe here, which means you can relax. And since Alex, Harry, and Drake are your friends, they won’t expect you to be on every single second while everyone else is having a good time.”

“Of course they do,” he’d replied. “Regardless of the event, I’ve still got to do my job. I’ve still got to protect you.”

She’d dug her heels in, like he’d known she would. “How can I have fun with you scowling at everyone? If I promise that I won’t sneak away and get myself into any trouble during the wedding, will you at least try to enjoy yourself?”

How could he say no to that? How could he say no to her about anything, when all he wanted was to see her smile, hear her laugh?

Damn it. He needed to get a grip on himself. Suzanne Sullivan was meant for a movie star like Buck Elroy, who was currently flirting with her.