“I’m still me,” she insisted in a soft voice.

Only, the truth was, she was barely an hour into her “transformation” and things were already different. She’d never had conversations like this with her brothers, for one. And while she wasn’t at all certain she’d ever try this particular look again, despite her worries over making a big fool out of herself in the slinky dress and towering heels, there was a part of her that liked the change. Heck, hadn’t the waitress at her favorite Thai restaurant even said to her the last time she was there, “Ordering the same old thing?”

Sophie suddenly realized she’d gotten stuck in a rut. A nice, comfortable rut.

Footsteps coming toward them had them pulling apart and Smith smoothing her hair back into place. “You really do look great, Soph. Different, but stunning.”

This time only pride shone from his eyes. And when the two of them obeyed Ellen’s instructions to follow Marcus and Lori down the steps of the porch, out through the vines to the rose-strewn aisle, Sophie didn’t have to fake her radiant smile.

Watch out, world, she thought, Sophie Sullivan is about to cut loose.

And, hopefully, Jake McCann wouldn’t know what hit him.

Chapter Three

Jake stepped out from behind the bar just as the wedding march started up and a cute blonde kid skipped down the aisle, tossing flower petals into the air. Charmed, the crowd laughed and admired Gabe’s girlfriend’s daughter. Marcus and Lori came next, the oldest Sullivan and one of the youngest. Lori took her place as one of the Maids of Honor and Marcus moved to the center in preparation for officiating the ceremony.

Yet again, Jake could hardly believe this day had come. There were a few things he’d always been able to count on in life.

Beer always tasted better from the tap.

His father had never been anything but a worthless drunk.

And the Sullivan boys weren’t going to be heading to the altar any time soon.

Ellen caught sight of him and waved him over to his place by the bridesmaid he’d be escorting. He hadn’t met her yet, but he hoped Chloe had good taste in friends. At this point, the only way he had even the slightest chance of working Sophie out of his system after a long day together at the wedding, was to make sure he ended it in bed with a gorgeous woman who was her polar opposite.

He was almost to the bridesmaid when his heart—and his feet—stopped cold.

What the hell had Sophie done to herself?

Jake blinked to try to fix his vision as Sophie and Smith rounded a row of vines and continued walking down the aisle. When he was still seeing things a few seconds later—crazy, insane things—he ran a hand over his eyes.

But nothing changed the fact that Sophie was looking like walking sex in a silky pink dress and high heels. She sure wasn’t wearing that sweater and skirt he’d been so rough on anymore. But the dress wasn’t the only thing different about her. What had she done to her hair? And why did her eyes look so big, her mouth so red?

His body reacted to the shockingly sensual picture of her before he could stop it, all of the blood that was supposed to feed a brain that knew not to ever look at Sophie Sullivan like that—especially in front of all six of her brothers—shooting south.

Ellen’s hand at his elbow jolted him. “It’s almost your turn to head up the aisle, Jake.”

He heard what she said, knew he needed to join the rest of the group, but even as he held out his arm for Chloe’s friend—he didn’t catch her name and didn’t bother to ask her for it again—he couldn’t take his eyes off Sophie.

The view from the back didn’t help his current problem, damn it. Sophie Sullivan had a perfect ass and right then she was showcasing it to three hundred people in that dress that slipped and slid over her curves so tightly he knew she couldn’t possibly be wearing anything under it.

An urge to drag her away from the wedding, away from all those hungry male eyes drinking her in, to make her change back into her normal clothes—clothes that covered her up the way she should be covered!—came so fast, Jake was hard pressed to ignore it. He couldn’t stand knowing dozens of guys in the audience were drooling right now, even the ones who were married and had no business thinking those kinds of thoughts about little Sophie.

Although...she didn’t exactly look young and innocent, didn’t seem quite so untouchable anymore, did she?

Ellen said his name again and he took it as his cue to start walking. Gabe and Megan, who were walking up the aisle in front of him, impeded his view of Sophie for a few seconds and he had to crane his neck to keep his eye on her as she took her place beside Lori beneath the rose covered arches.

A moment later, Sophie looked up and caught him staring at her. Jake tried to look away.

And failed.

The woman on his arm had to tug him to keep his feet moving in the right direction. The last thing Jake saw before taking his place beside Gabe in the lineup was Sophie’s soft mouth turned up into a sensual, utterly feminine smile.

* * *

Sophie had always loved weddings and, despite her nerves, she couldn’t help but get caught up in the romance. Of course, Sullivan Winery was quite possibly the most glorious wedding venue she’d ever seen. The budding leaves on the vines, the mustard flowers blooming in every free patch of dirt, the rolling hills, the bright blue sky above, the masses of flowers in pots and displays at the end of every row of seats—they were all breathtaking additions to the love between Chase and Chloe.

Marcus was doing such a beautiful job officiating Chase’s wedding. Sophie could tell he was as choked up as the rest of them, but his voice was steady and solid as he asked Chase and Chloe if they would love, honor, and comfort each other.

Sophie had to reach for Lori’s hand and hold it tight as she waited for that perfect moment when her brother declared his love to his bride. It felt as if the entire world stood still as Chase turned to Chloe and smiled at her. Sophie’s chest squeezed tight at the undying love radiating out from her brother to his bride.

What, Sophie wondered, would it feel like to have a man look at her like that? Like she was absolutely everything to him?

Chase said, “I will love you forever, Chloe,” and a soft sigh left Sophie’s lips as a tear slipped down her cheek. A few moments later, as Chloe made the same vow to Chase, more tears fell down Sophie’s cheeks, one after the other. And as Marcus pronounced them husband and wife, everyone cheered, but none louder than quiet Sophie Sullivan.

* * *