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Chapter one

Jace Crestwell tapped Gabe Harinned “You’ve hogged h It’s my turn to dance with her”

Gabe didn’t look happy with the interruption He and Mia had been solidly glued to one another for the past hour, but he grudgingly took a step back and Mia smiled radiantly as Jace took Gabe’s place

The entire ballroom of the Bentley Hotel was decorated for Christmas, a nod to the fact that above all else, Mia loved Christmas, and it was also a well-known fact that Gabe would do da to make his new fiancée happy

And, well, Gabeelse He’d started planning the engageer Alot the ball rolling immediately

It was pretty funny for Jace to see his friend in knots over a woman The fact that the woman in question was Jace’s sister was a little weird, but Mia was happy and that was all he could ask for

“Are you enjoying yourself, baby girl?” Jace asked as he turned her around on the dance floor

Her entire face lit up “It’s fantastic, Jace The whole thing It’s positively ical I can’t believe Gabe pulled this off so fast It’s justperfect”

Jace sood to you or I’ll kick his ass I already made that clear”

Her eyes narrowed “If he isn’t good to me, it’s not you he has to worry about I’ll be the one kicking his ass”

Jace threw back his head and laughed “That I have no doubt about You otta admire that”

Mia’s face beca what could have possibly ht she should be over the moon

“I know you gave up a lot for me,” she said in a quiet voice “I alondered if the reason you hadn’t married and had children of your oas because of me”

He stared at her like she’d lost her mind

“Maybe now you can stop worrying about me so much, and you know”

“No, I don’t know,” he said Then he shook his head “You’re a nut, Mia First of all, just because you’re gettingabout you and looking out for you That’s just a fact, so get over it Second, don’t you think if I’d gotten er, that it would have s easier? For both you andstuck with an overbearing, overprotective brother as your sole source of support”

She stoppedhim fiercely

“I don’t regret a single thing about the way you raisedYou did a wonderful job and I’ll always be so grateful for all the sacrifices you made for me”

He hugged her back, still shaking his head Nut Total nut She was agloith happiness over her ie to Gabe, and now she wanted everyone she cared about wrapped up in that sa and running

“It was no sacrifice, Mia I don’t have a single regret either Has it ever occurred to you that I didn’t want to get married and have kids?”

She pulled back with a frown and then her gaze skirted sideways to where Ash was standing across the room with Gabe “Yes, I suppose it did”

Jace barely suppressed a sigh It was obvious Mia had a very good idea of his and Ash’s sexual proclivities when it ca threeso a brother wanted his sister to know about his sex life, but there it was He wouldn’t apologize for his lifestyle, but neither was he going to get into a conversation about it with his baby sister

“Play hard and live free,” he said by way of explanation

Mia frowned and cocked her head upward

Jace chuckled “It’s our ed the gaer to follow his lead”

She rolled her eyes “For God’s sake You make Gabe sound like a pussy”

Jace cleared his throat “If the shoe fits”

Mia pounded hi to tell him you said that!”

Jace laughed again “Thea co I want hiht”

They were interrupted when Ash stepped in, sweeping Mia into his arms

“My turn,” Ash proclai before he reclai my dance in nohile his parents have him occupied”

Jace leaned forward and kissed Mia on the forehead “This is your night, baby girl I want you to remember it forever Have fun”

Her smile lit up the entire room “Thank you, Jace Love you”

He touched her cheek and then moved back as Ash swept her away

Jace retreated to the far side of the roos-on at the party It was sht to celebrate their love

It sounded corny as hell, but then one only had to look at the two to know they were cooners He still wasn’t entirely certain how he felt about his best friend hooking up with his little sister There were fourteen years separating them and he knew damn hat Gabe’s sexual demands were

He cringed, reone to Gabe’s apartment unannounced several weeks earlier He needed bleach for his eyes because there were just so his baby sister