MIA ADORED WEDDINGS. SHE WAS NOWHERE NEAR ready for her own, but there had been so many Cassidy weddings in the past year they had filled her heart with love and absolute joy.

Having watched her brothers Grant and Tucker marry the women they love had been wonderful. She already felt like Katrina and Aubry were her sisters. She loved them both so much. And now her brother Barrett was going to marry Harmony, and she’d gain yet another sister.

After growing up with four annoying brothers, having all these women become a part of her life was nothing short of a miracle.

Hopefully sometime soon Flynn and Amelia would be planning their wedding and then she’d have four sisters to counteract the effects of all that Cassidy testosterone.

They’d celebrated Flynn and Amelia’s engagement last night with a round of champagne for everyone. Amelia said she didn’t want to make a big deal out of it because this was Harmony and Barrett’s celebration, but Mom had insisted that it was still a big deal and they should at least do a toast.

She was so happy for her brother, who had showed some smarts by asking Amelia to marry him.

As soon as Barrett and Harmony arrived on the ranch this afternoon, it had been chaos. But it was wonderful chaos. Barrett was his usual laid-back self, and Harmony was excited. They all dragged her upstairs to ogle her wedding dress and talk about the plans for today.

“Are you nervous?” Katrina asked her.

“A little. Nervousness mixed with excitement and a touch of ‘Oh my God I can’t believe the day is finally here.’ ”

Aubry laughed. “I felt the same way on my wedding day. Like it took forever to get here, then once the day came there was so much to do. And it was over so fast. I wanted it to go on forever.”

“You looked like a freakin’ fairy princess in your wedding dress,” Mia said, remembering the blush-tone dress Aubry wore on her wedding day that complemented her peachy complexion and blond hair. She’d looked stunning.

Aubry grinned. “I kind of did, didn’t I?”

“And of course Katrina looked like she’d just stepped off one of her photo shoots,” Harmony said, “with that sleek silk wedding gown and her body that made us all jealous.”

Katrina smiled. “Thank you. I loved that dress. After doing so many wedding shoots in so many designer dresses, I just wanted simple.”

“You made simple look elegant,” Anya said. “Which I told you was the best choice.”

Katrina looked over at her younger sister. “Well, you know me best, don’t you?”

“And now we can’t wait for Harmony to get all dressed up and walk down the aisle,” Mia said. “Or down the barn aisle.”

Harmony laughed. “I know. It’s crazy to think we’re getting married here. But it’s so perfect. Even my mom loves it here.”

“That’s because your mom has the hots for my uncle Elijah,” Mia said.

“Oh, she so does. Any opportunity she has to get next to that man she takes it. Did I tell you he asked her if she was bringing a date to the wedding?”

Mia sat on the bed in Harmony’s bedroom and leaned against Katrina’s knee. “You did not. What did she say?”

“She said she absolutely did not bring a date, she wasn’t seeing anyone and she was leaving all her dances open for him.”

Aubry laughed. “I don’t know why those two aren’t seeing each other more frequently.”

“Well . . .” Harmony let the word trail off.

“What do you know that we don’t know?” Amelia asked.

“He might have made a trip down to Tampa a time or two.”

Mia laid her hand on her heart. “He did not. Did he, really?”

“Yes. I’d say there’s definitely something going on with my mama and Elijah.”

“That is awesome,” Aubry said. “I’m really pulling for those two.”

Mia made a mental note to keep her eye on her Uncle Elijah and on Diane, Harmony’s mother, who was conspicuously absent from this get-together.

“Hey, Harmony, where is your mom, by the way?”

Harmony shrugged. “No idea. She conveniently disappeared as soon as we got here.”

Katrina laughed. “I’ll bet Elijah is nowhere to be found, either.”

“Either that or she’s with my mom going over last-minute planning,” Mia said.

“I like the idea of her hiding out in some corner of the ranch making out with Elijah,” Aubry said.

Harmony laughed. “You’re all a bunch of sloppy romantics.”

“Let’s find out,” Mia said, sliding off the bed. “I’m hungry anyway.”

They went downstairs and found Mia’s mother in the kitchen going over a list. Diane wasn’t with her. They made sandwiches and sat at the island.

“Lydia, have you seen my mother?” Harmony asked.

Mia’s mom looked up. “She was in here with me a while ago, but then she said she had a call to make and she disappeared. Did you look in her room?”

“Checked her room before we came down here,” Harmony said. “She’s not in there.”

Amelia made a “hmm” sound, then said, “Interesting.”

Lydia frowned. “What’s interesting about that?”

“We think she’s off with Elijah somewhere,” Mia said.

“Oh. She probably is. They’ve been seeing each other.”

“So you knew about that?” Mia asked.

“Of course.”

“How come I didn’t know about that?” Mia asked. “How come none of us knew about it?”

“Maybe because it’s none of your business.”

Mia rolled her eyes. “Oh, come on, Mom. There’s romance brewing.”

Her mother gave her a direct stare. “And would you want the entire family knowing your romance business?”

Mia didn’t answer. She definitely would not like the entire family knowing what was going on between Nathan and her. Instead, she took a bite of her sandwich and a long swallow of iced tea.

“That’s what I thought,” her mom said.

“So much for us skulking around the ranch to find Elijah and Diane,” Aubry whispered to Mia.

Mia turned to her. “I know. Moms ruin all the fun.”

“I heard that, Mia,” Lydia said. “And since none of you have anything to do other than gossip, I have a list of items that need taking care of. Mia, go get the tractor and mow the front property.”

Mia wrinkled her nose. “What? Me? Why can’t one of the guys do that?”

“Because I have the guys doing other things.”

She sighed. “Fine.”

After they finished eating and cleaned up, Mia went upstairs and grabbed her tennis shoes and a ball cap, then shoved her hair into a ponytail. On her way through the kitchen toward the back door, she noticed everyone else had left.

“Where is everyone?” she asked her mom.

“I gave them things to do. Everyone except Harmony. She’s the bride and she gets a pass. She has enough to deal with.”

“Huh. Fine. I guess I’ll go mow.”

“I guess you will.”

She headed out back where the tractors were located. On her way, she saw her dad painting the outside tables, Flynn and Tucker were taking folding chairs from the storage barn over to the wedding barn, and Barrett and Nathan were pulling weeds.

She laughed at that. The bride-to-be got a day off, but the groom-to-be had to pull weeds.

Awesome.

She started the tractor and pulled it out of the barn, then dropped the deck and began mowing the side yard along the fence line before moving to the front of the property.

It was already hot as blazes outside and she was going to be a dripping, sweaty mess by the time she was through. She decided to consider this her workout for the day.

NATHAN DIDN’T MIND PULLING WEEDS. HE WAS USED to sweating outside, and any kind of physical activity worked for him. He’d gotten his run in with the guys before dawn this morning, taking in the sprawling acreage as he did his three miles listening to the sounds of nature and cattle. It had been amazing.

Now, sweat slid down his back and into his face as he took the last of the weeds he’d pulled and tossed them in the trash can.

“Water?” Barrett asked.

“I’d like to surround myself in a pool of it right now.”

Barrett laughed. “I’ll be right back.”

Nathan took up a spot in the shade alongside the house, pulled off his ball cap and swiped his forearm across his brow. He heard the sound of an engine, so he glanced over and spotted Mia running the tractor.

Damn if she didn’t look hot as fuck operating that thing. It was three times her size and she was flying across the lawn like she was master of that monster.

What the hell was it about watching Mia mow the damn lawn that made his dick hard? Or maybe it was watching her do anything that made his dick hard?

“Hot?”

He jerked his head around to see Barrett standing there with a tall glass of ice water for him.

“Oh. Hell, yeah. Thanks.”

Shit. He really needed to shift his focus away from lusting after Barrett’s little sister. He guzzled half the glass of ice water, hoping it would cool him down in more ways than one.

“I think we’re done out here,” Barrett said. “Too bad we didn’t get the easy job like Mia over there.”

He looked over to see Mia turning the corner and head out to mow the front of the property. “Does she do that a lot?”

Barrett shrugged. “Mom probably told her to do it.”

“Pretty hot out here today.”

“She’s tough. She can handle it. Besides, she loves mowing, even though she grumbles about it. If you ask her if she’d rather do dishes or mow the lawn, she’ll take mow the lawn anytime.”

Nathan cracked a smile. “Is that right?”

“Yeah. I think that has to do with growing up with four older brothers. We were always fighting over running the tractor and Mia often got the short end of the stick. As soon as she was tall enough to sit on the tractor, Dad let her start mowing and driving the trucks around the property. Then we got stuck doing dishes.”

Nathan laughed. “Sucks for you.”

“For sure.”

The door opened and Harmony stuck her head out. “Babe, I need you.”

Barrett looked over at him. “Saved by groom duties.”

“Later, Barrett.”

Barrett disappeared inside, and Nathan finished his glass of water and set it on the table by the back door. He thought about finding the guys to see what they were up to, but for some reason he found himself wandering toward the front yard.

Mia had mowed most of the front area and looked to be about ready to finish up. He circled around back, grabbed his glass and took it inside.

Lydia was in the kitchen, along with Diane. They were heads together creating some centerpiece decoration thing and barely noticed him, so he refilled his glass with ice water, along with a second one. He slid out the door without anyone asking him questions. Once he was out the door, he realized he was acting all stealthy for no reason at all.

Everyone was busy and no one was paying attention to him, so he walked out front in time to see Mia pulling the tractor toward the barn. He followed her in there.

She shut off the tractor and turned to him.

“You following me?” she asked.

He handed her the glass of water. “Thought you might be thirsty.”

“I am, thanks.” She downed half the glass in a couple of swallows, kind of like he had with his first glass. She took off her ball cap and her hair was stuck to her head. Sweat glistened all over her arms and neck, and her T-shirt clung to her breasts in a way that was more attractive than it should be, all things considered.

“You’re all wet.”

“No shit. It’s hot out here. I need a cool shower. This is one of those days I want to go whine at my dad about never putting in that swimming pool I always begged him for.”

He laughed. “I grumbled at Barrett about wanting to surround myself with water.”

She leaned against the tractor. “How was weed pulling?”

“It’s my dream job. I’m thinking of giving up football just so I can pull weeds every day for the rest of my life.”

She laughed. “I want to be at the press conference when you announce your retirement before the season starts.”

“No one will miss me. My dad will come out of retirement and lead the Sabers to the championship game again.”

She took another long swallow of water. “Thought about all this while you were weed pulling, huh?”

“It’s good to have a long-range plan in mind.”

“You’re an idiot, Riley.”

He gave her a half smile. “That’s why you like me.”

“No, I only tolerate you.”

He looked around the barn. It was filled with farm equipment, from mowers and tractors to accessories for those. Then there were hoes and rakes and hoses. He also noticed there was storage up above accessible with a ladder.

“What’s up there?” he asked.

“An old-style hayloft.”

“Oh, like the kinds you see in old movies?”

She frowned. “What?”

He shifted to lean against a wood column in the barn. “Come on, Mia. Haven’t you ever watched old movies, where the couple climb into the barn hayloft and make out?”

She looked up at the loft, then back at Nathan. “Apparently not. And there’s no hay up there. Though we have storage and horse blankets.”

“Sexy. Let’s go up there and make out on the horse blankets.”

She laughed. “I don’t think so. Horse blankets aren’t comfortable. Besides, I’m sweaty.”

“So am I. Let’s get even more sweaty.”

“It won’t be romantic.”

“Wanna bet? I can make anything romantic.”

“Are you throwing down the romance gauntlet?”

“Yup.”

She stood. “Fine. But if I end up with hives or fleas from the horse blankets, it’ll be your fault.”

He cocked a grin and grabbed her hand. “Aren’t you just full of adventure today?”

“No. I’m hot and sweaty and I need a shower.”

He followed her up the ladder. “You’re very sexy when you’re grumpy.”

“Shut up, Nathan.”

This might not be ideal, and Mia might be cranky as fuck, but he’d change her mind about being up here. And it might be his only chance to get her alone. So even though it was hot and they were sweaty, they were together.

He’d make this work.

MIA WANTED NOTHING MORE THAN A NICE, COOL shower right now to rinse off the grass and sweat. Instead, she was climbing into this airless, hellish loft with sweat pooling between her breasts and every bit of clothing she wore sticking to her skin. Her hair was plastered to her head and neck and she felt disgusting.

So. Not. Sexy.

She got to the top of the loft and turned to wait for Nathan. He made it up there and looked around.

“Hot as fuck up here,” he said.

“See? It’s not like the movies. There’s no springtime breeze flowing through the opening. No birds singing. It’s like hell up here. Can we go now?”

“I see your point.” He came over and wrapped his arms around her and it suddenly got twenty degrees warmer. “But we’re alone. Doesn’t that count for something?”

“I can think of better places to be alone. Like my nice cool shower in my bathroom.”

“You’re ruining my fantasy here, Mia.”

“And I’m about to pass out from the heat.”

He gave her a look of concern. “We can’t have that. Let’s go.”

She tilted her head back to meet his gaze. “Seriously?”

“Yeah. Your face is bright red. Come on.”

He held her hand as they made their way back down the narrow staircase. She actually felt a little dizzy, which she would not admit to Nathan. But when they hit the barn floor she was happy as hell to be out of that hot loft.

He didn’t hesitate once they got there, just took her by the hand and led her toward the house. They went in the front door and he marched her up the stairs and right to her room. Fortunately, they didn’t run into anyone along the way. He went inside with her and shut and locked the door.

She was so happy to have her own bathroom, because what she needed right now was privacy. And a shower. She really wanted a shower.

She turned to Nathan. “I’m stripping and getting in the shower. You coming with me?”

“You sure about that?”

She pulled her top over her head and dropped it on the floor. “I wouldn’t have asked if I wasn’t sure. Can you unhook my bra?”

“Yeah.” He undid the clasp and she pulled it away from her sticky body and let that drop, too. “Yuck.”

She went into the bathroom and turned on the water, shimmied out of her shorts and underwear, then stepped in the shower.

Oh. Heaven. She tilted her face back and let the lukewarm water rain down over her.

She heard the shower door open but she didn’t move. Nathan could just wait his turn.

“I’m hoarding all the water for a minute,” she said. “At least until I rinse all this sweat off of me.”

“I can handle standing in my sweat while you cool down. Take all the time you need.”

She sighed in happiness and let the refreshing shower continue. When she felt like most of the sweat was off of her, she stepped out of the way and let Nathan move in. He rinsed off and took her body wash and did a quick once-over on his body. Then he grabbed her shampoo and poured some in his hand.

“Tilt your head back.”

She did and he washed her hair while she leaned back against his chest. He massaged her head in gentle, circular motions. Other than an orgasm, having Nathan wash her hair was the best sensation ever.

“Rinse.”

She rinsed her hair, conditioned it, then stepped out of the water. Nathan was there with soap in his hand.

She felt revived now that she’d gotten out of the heat—and that damned loft. She stepped forward and turned so Nathan could apply soap to her back. His hands on her body felt so good. After she rinsed, he soaped up his hands again and spread them over her shoulders and down her breasts, circling his thumbs over her nipples.

She sucked in a breath as pleasure spiraled. He continued to wash her breasts, teasing her nipples until they were taut, tight buds. He moved his hand over her stomach and cupped her pussy, rubbing back and forth in light, easy motions.

“Nathan.” She gripped his arms.

“I know what you need to relax you. You need a good orgasm. The kind that makes you scream.”

Her sex quivered and pulsed with tingling sensation. And when he released her and took the handle of the shower head off to rinse her, then got down on his knees and put his mouth over her, she had to palm the wall for support.

Water rained down over her head and shoulders, warm and inviting, while Nathan’s mouth and tongue performed a magical dance over her quivering pussy, taking her right to the edge. She was pent up, hovering right near the precipice of orgasm. She wanted to stay right there, to feel those tingling sensations until the end of time.

But she couldn’t hold back and she came with a strangled cry, her limbs shaking as the waves of orgasm pounded over her. She was gasping for air when Nathan stood and kissed her, taking the remaining breath she had with a passionate kiss that left her legs trembling.

He reached around and turned off the shower, then dragged her out with him. He reached for a towel and dried both of them off.

“I need to be inside of you. I need to fuck you.”

She nodded, feeling satiated and drugged with pleasure, yet needing exactly what Nathan wanted, too.

“Condoms are in the drawer on the bedside table,” she said.

He took her by the hand and led her to her bedroom. He opened the drawer and put a condom on his beautiful, hard cock, then lay on the bed and pulled her on top of him.

“Ride me,” he said.

With a shuddering sigh, she climbed on top of him and slid onto his shaft, her body still experiencing the aftereffects of that mind-blowing orgasm. So when she was fully seated on top of him, she tightened around him.

“Fuck. Do you feel that?”

“Yes.” She moved forward, sliding against him. The sensations were so good they almost made her weep with joy. She held on to his arms and soaked in the heated passion in his gaze.

“My dick got hard watching you mow the lawn,” he said. “Do you have any idea how fucking sexy you looked doing that?”

That made her lips curve. She had felt sweaty and awful. To hear Nathan say she looked hot was everything she needed to hear. She dug her nails into his arms and rocked against him, dragging her clit along his pelvis, bringing herself even closer to coming again.

And when the pulses sparked within her, he grasped her hips.

“Yeah, I feel it. Now come on my cock and take me with you.”

His gritty voice was all it took to make her take off. She dropped down on top of him and ground against him, splintering with her orgasm.

Nathan groaned and grasped her butt, drawing her closer as he shuddered. She put her lips against his and kissed him, lost in the pleasure of his cock, of her own climax and of how it felt to be connected to him.

After, she lay on top of him listening to the beat of his heart against her chest. She was exhausted. Nathan stroked her back and she closed her eyes and let herself drift off.

When she woke up, they were curled together, her leg flung over his. She had no idea how long they’d been asleep, but someone was knocking on her door. She tried to blink back the cobwebs.

“Hey, Mia. Are you in there?”

It was Aubry. Mia pulled herself out of the bed and grabbed her robe that was draped over the nearby chair. She slipped it on and cracked open the door.

“I’m so sorry,” Aubry said. “Were you napping?”

“Just a short nap. The heat from mowing zapped me.”

“Okay. Your mom sent me to look for you. It’s time to get ready for the rehearsal.”

“Got it. I’ll be right down.”

“Sure.” Aubry’s lips lifted. “You might tell Nathan the guys were looking for him, too.”

Mia looked over her shoulder to see Nathan sitting up in her bed. And obviously Aubry had spotted him, too.

Well, shit.

“Will do. And, Aubry? Try not to spread that around.”

“Hey, I’ve been where you are. Trust me, I saw nothing.”

“Thanks. I’ll see you shortly.”

She shut the door and leaned against it, then looked over at Nathan. His hair was tousled from sleep, the sheet barely covering his best parts. She wanted to climb back in bed and sex him up again. And again.

He dragged his fingers through his hair and smiled at her. “Who was that?”

“Aubry. It’s time to get ready for the wedding rehearsal.”

“Oh. Yeah. I’d better get out of your way and let you handle that.”

He slid out of bed and grabbed his clothes, coming toward the door.

“You’re going to get dressed, right?”

“Why? My room is right across from yours. And my clothes are dirty.”

She shook her head. “Hang on.”

She popped the door open a crack and took a peek outside. No one was in the hall. “Okay, go.”

He leaned over and kissed her. “See you later.”

“Okay.”

He dashed across the hall and opened the door, then quickly shut it. She wondered what was going to happen if Leo was in there.

That was his problem to explain, she supposed.

She went into the bathroom and looked at her hair. Since she’d fallen asleep with it damp, it was a hot mess. At least she didn’t have super-long hair anymore, so she rinsed it in the sink, dried it and flat ironed it into submission.

Much better now. Then she did her makeup, grabbed her dress and heels and put those on, along with her jewelry. All in all, she’d done it in record time.

She went downstairs and into the living room, searching for Harmony or her family. No one was in there. They weren’t in the kitchen, either, so she went outside toward the wedding barn, which was just outside the front door and across the newly paved walkway. When Mom had heard Harmony and Barrett wanted the wedding here, she’d insisted the walkway be paved.

Personally, Mia was grateful for that because she would not have wanted to make this trek on gravel while wearing heels.

She made her way through the barn doors. She remembered this barn being filled with hay. Now it was bright and shiny and painted like new. The floors had also been cemented, and it was filled with chairs for tomorrow’s ceremony. There was a beautiful white arbor at the front of the barn and by tomorrow the place would be filled with flowers.

“Aubry said you took a nap.”

Mia turned to see her mother had come to stand beside her. “Yes.”

Her mom laid her hand across her forehead. “Are you feeling all right?”

“I’m fine, Mom. I was just hot and tired after mowing, so I took a shower and laid down on the bed for a minute to close my eyes, and I guess I fell asleep.”

Her mother nodded. “I’m glad you’re okay.”

“I’m sorry I overslept.”

“It’s all right. You didn’t miss anything. The minister was running late so we’re just about to get started.”

“Oh, good.”

Suzanne, the wedding planner, came up to Mia’s mom.

“I think we’re ready now, Lydia. I’m trying to get everyone in position, so if you can take your place, we’ll get started.”

Mom nodded. “All right.”

All the women settled in at the back of the barn, along with Harmony’s brother, Drake, who’d be walking her down the aisle since her father was deceased.

“You glow, honey,” Mia said to Harmony. “Are you excited?”

Harmony laid her hand across her stomach. “Equal parts excited, can’t believe this is finally happening and I might throw up.”

Mia laughed. “Well, you look gorgeous. And happiness thrives on your face.”

Harmony grabbed her hand and squeezed. “That’s the best thing you could have said to me. I might not pass out now.”

Mia laughed. There was nothing more beautiful than a bride-to-be. And Harmony was definitely beautiful. She wore a copper-colored sundress that brought out the beauty of her rich, umber skin. She might be nervous, but her genuine smile didn’t show it.

So they followed Suzanne’s instructions and lined up in order. Mia was first, so she started down the aisle, listening to Suzanne tell her how to walk, at what pace and where to stand once she got to the altar. She noticed Nathan sitting in one of the chairs watching it all. He gave her a wink as she took her position. Suddenly the barn got a lot warmer even though it was nicely air conditioned in there, another addition for the wedding.

The rest of the bridesmaids walked down the aisle, then Harmony with Drake, who handed her off to Barrett. Mia’s eyes teared up watching her brother with Harmony. She was going to have to hold it together or she’d be a weepy mess tomorrow.

They did a run-through of walking down the aisle and the ceremony one more time. The pastor and the wedding planner seemed satisfied after that, so they were finished.

They all went to the house, where dinner was being catered. Mom always liked to cook, and Diane did, too, but Barrett and Harmony insisted the wedding preparations were stressful enough, so dinner tonight and tomorrow night were going to be catered events.

Mia had had countless conversations with her mother about this, and Mom wasn’t keen on the idea, but she’d finally given in. And since Mom had already been involved in both Tucker and Aubry’s, and Grant and Katrina’s weddings, Mia didn’t want her overwhelmed any more than she already had been with Barrett and Harmony’s wedding. The last thing she needed was to be stuck in the kitchen cooking up a meal for a large group of people. She should be wandering around enjoying the company.

The caterers did a great job and the food was already spread out in the kitchen by the time they came in. Plus, there was a bar set up, which, of course, was where everyone headed first.

Mia decided on a sparkling water, since she still felt dehydrated from her time in the sun this afternoon. She noticed Nathan went for a glass of ice water instead of a beer. She made her way over to him.

“Still thirsty?”

He looked around and then leaned in. “For you? Yes.”

Why was it that every time he said something sexual to her, her body went up in flames? She would have thought that since they’d already had sex a few times, she’d be immune, that the newness of it would have worn off by now.

Apparently she was not immune to Nathan Riley. She was going to have to shore up her defenses. The last thing she needed was to become emotionally attached to him. Fun and dating was one thing. Love? That was something entirely different. She wasn’t ready for that.

Fortunately, Barrett came over, putting an end to that unruly thought process.

“I don’t know about you two, but I’m hungry.”

“That’s nothing new for you,” Mia said. “Aren’t you nervous at all about tomorrow?”

“Nah. Marrying the woman I love? I can’t wait.”

Barrett’s love for Harmony made Mia’s heart squeeze. She leaned her head against his shoulder. “That’s incredibly sweet and I love you.”

He smiled down at her. “Love you, too, brat. Now we should go nudge Mom about starting the food line.”

Nathan laughed. “I wouldn’t object to that.”

“Fine,” Mia said. “I’ll go tell Mom you’re all starving to death and if food isn’t served right now there’s going to be growling and whining.”

“Mostly growling,” Barrett said. “Men never whine.”

“Ha,” she said as she walked away. She found her mother talking to Diane.

“The men are whining about eating.”

“Don’t they always?” Diane asked. “I swear, every time Drake is over for dinner, he’s the first in line. And it’s not like the boy is starving.”

Mia’s mom laughed. “Mine are the same way. It’s all the calories they burn. It was like that when they were growing up, too.”

“Tell me about it,” Mia said. “It’s a miracle there was ever any food left by the time a plate was passed my way.”

Diane put her arm around Mia. “Harmony said the same thing. She also accused Drake of dumping all the meat onto his plate and all that was left for her were bits and pieces that had fallen off the bone.”

Mia nodded. “Sounds about right.”

“Yeah, you’re not starving, either,” her mom said. “Come on, let’s go round up Barrett and Harmony so they can be at the front of the line.”

“And I’ll be right behind them before the guys eat all the food.”

Her mother gave her a teasing smile, but Mia hadn’t been joking and she did get in line behind Harmony and Barrett. Not that she was all that hungry, but she had seen the pineapple rice on the menu and she wanted to be sure she got some, along with the chicken kabobs.

She grabbed a seat at the dining room table next to Harmony and Alyssa, Harmony’s best friend and maid of honor. Lachelle, Harmony’s friend from college and another bridesmaid, sat on Mia’s other side. Lachelle had three-year-old twins and also worked as a coordinator for at-risk youth, so Mia spent a lot of time at dinner talking to Lachelle about her work and her family life.

“Twins and such an important job that I’m sure takes up a lot of your time,” Mia said. “How do you juggle it all?”

Lachelle took a sip of iced tea, then laid her glass on the table. “Honestly? I have an amazing and supportive husband. He spends just as much time with Marcus and Mateo as I do. We share kid duties, so when he’s busy, I take on more with the kids. When I have something come up, he’s right there to pick up the slack. I sure couldn’t do this alone.”

“Sure you could,” Harmony said. “You’re Wonder Woman.”

Lachelle laughed. “You’d like to think that, but no woman is Wonder Woman. Not a woman with twin boys, anyway. But I love my work as much as I love my husband and kids. I’m profoundly fortunate to have all these loves in my life. Someday Miss Harmony over there will find herself doing the same since she loves her work as much as she loves Barrett.”

Harmony laid her fork down. “Hopefully without the twins. Not that I don’t love your boys, because I do, but, honey, I’d like to have my kids one at a time.”

Mia laughed. “I’m sure that would be easier.”

“What about you, Mia?” Alyssa asked. “Any hot guys you’re hiding from us? All the Cassidys seem to be settling down. Are you next?”

Mia shook her head. “The only love of my life right now is my business. It’s all I can handle at the moment. Men will have to take a backseat to that.”

She realized as she said the words that Nathan was sitting at the far end of the table. He’d been in conversation with her dad and Flynn. But as she glanced over, she saw he’d been looking at her. She wasn’t sure if he heard what she said, but he wasn’t smiling. He resumed his conversation with her father.

Surely he hadn’t heard. And what if he had? It wouldn’t have hurt his feelings in the least, right? Sure, they were in a relationship. But it was a fun, uncomplicated, having-sex kind of relationship.

And nothing more.

But after dinner, she found a minute to get him alone.

“Were you listening in on my dinner conversation with Harmony and her friends?”

He frowned. “What? No. Why?”

She shrugged. “Never mind. No reason.”

She started to walk away, but he grasped her arm. “What was it you didn’t want me to hear?”

“It’s stupid, really.”

“Mia, nothing you say is stupid. Tell me.”

“Alyssa asked me if I was steady with any guy. I told her the only love of my life right now was my work. And at that point you and I connected visually and I could swear you were shooting daggers at me, like you heard what I was saying and you were mad.”

He laughed. “Why would I be mad at you about that? We aren’t in love, Mia. We’re just having some fun. Right?”

“Right.” She laughed, too.

He swept his hands down her arms. “Relax. This is supposed to be light and easy between us. So don’t stress about it.”

“I won’t.”

But later, she played their conversation over in her head.

We aren’t in love, Mia. We’re just having some fun.

It was exactly what she’d wanted to hear. What she’d needed from him. She should have been relieved.

So why, when he’d said the words, did her stomach tighten and her heart feel crushed?

Dammit. She was not falling in love with Nathan. She would not allow that to happen.