Page 6 of When it Sizzles

I’ve had a few boyfriends and kissing is nice, but not as nice as having sole control of the television remote after dinner or a bathroom to myself. I also adore sleeping alone. After years of sharing a room with my sister growing up and various roommates in college—and briefly living with my parents after graduation— having an apartment to myself is heaven.

So really, I have nothing to lose!

Except my virginity…and potentially my peace of mind, if I’m not one hundred percent sure I’m protected from pregnancy and STDs. I’ve been on the pill since I was a teenager to help with cramps, but I’m not sure about condom protocols.

With that in mind, I corner my sister on the dance floor and shout in her ear, “Congratulations! Your wedding was beautiful, and I love you so much, but I have to go.”

“What? Why?” Binx’s brow furrows, but the happy smile remains on her face. She’s been beaming since she walked down the aisle to Seven, and who can blame her? Her husband is gorgeous in the way of action movie stars and professional lumberjacks.

And he adores her, a fact he proves by wrapping her up in his arms from behind and kissing the top of her head as my unruly relatives shout for the band to play Come on Eileen. The McGuire family party favorite is way too loud to talk over, so I hurriedly explain, “I met a man, and I’m going home with him. He’s nice, and I’m not worried about my safety, but I am worried about diseases. Is a condom still good after a couple of years? I have one in my purse, but it’s been there for a while.”

Binx’s eyes go saucer-wide. Seven steps discreetly away, clearly not wanting to stick around for this kind of sister talk.

“Wow. Woah.” Binx laughs. “That was not what I was expecting you to say, but go, girl.” She lifts a hand for me to high five. “Get you some. It’s about time you let that wild side out to play.”

“I don’t have a wild side,” I say, ignoring her hand as I push my glasses up my nose. “This is a reasonable decision that was quickly, but carefully evaluated. And you didn’t answer my question.”

“Oh, right,” Binx says, blinking as her hand drops back to her side. “No, I wouldn’t trust a condom that old. You’d better stop by a gas station or something. Better safe than sorry.”

Lips pressing into a firm line, I nod. “Absolutely. Okay, thanks so much.” Hopefully, stopping for protection won’t take the wind out of Connor’s sails, but if it does, then this clearly wasn’t meant to be. I’m not about to put my health at risk to maintain an air of spontaneity. “I’ve got this.”

“You do,” Binx says, frowning as she adds. “But if you change your mind at any point, that’s okay, too. Make sure this jerk knows no means no, even if you’re already half naked.”

My cheeks flaming, I roll my eyes. “He’s not that kind of guy. He’s really nice. And gorgeous and an excellent kisser.”

Thankfully, Binx’s whoop of celebration is drowned out by the opening notes of Come on Eileen. Only the guests closest to us hear her holler, and they’re soon distracted by McGuires bouncing up and down all around them, like Irish jumping beans.

I’m about to make a run for the door when Binx pulls me in for a hug and shouts into my ear, “You’re a strong, beautiful, amazing woman, and I hope you have the time of your life.”

I pull back with a grin, loving my big sis even more. But then, she’s always been my biggest cheerleader. If I do end up moving to Boston, I’ll miss her most of all.

“Here you go,” Seven calls out over the music as he returns to Binx’s side. He reaches out, taking my hand in both of his. He curls my fingers around something with sharp plastic edges and says, “These are brand new. Got them from a reliable source.”

My eyes fly wider as I realize what I’m holding.

“Be safe.” Seven winks. “And have fun.”

“I think I will,” I say, grinning like a crazy woman as I wave goodbye to them with my condom-free hand and dash for the door.

Up ahead, I spot my mother camped out by the champagne fountain next to Petey Sinclair and a blonde woman I’m pretty sure is his mother and quickly adjust course. I duck down, shielding my face with my purse as I weave my way through the crowded dance floor toward the exit on the opposite side.

Mom’s been trying to set me up with Petey all night. But I’m not interested in the boy who used to eat his boogers in my sandbox and throw his wrestler figurines at my head when we were kids. I wasn’t interested the first five times she suggested we’d make a “cute couple.” After kissing his smoking hot big brother down by the boat dock, I’m even less inclined to do so much as shake Petey’s hand. Connor sold his practice and is sneaking out of town on Monday without telling his family, all to avoid practicing medicine with his kid brother, leading me to assume that Petey is as insufferable now as he was as a kid.

Hearing Connor get all passionate about protecting his patients from someone he doesn’t feel is ready to be a physician was unbearably hot. Is there anything sexier than a man devoted to excellence in his work? And to protecting the innocent?

No. No, there’s not.

I’d want to get naked with him even if he weren’t the most handsome man I’ve ever seen in real life.

But, lucky me, he is. From his shaggy blond hair to his magnetic eyes to those broad shoulders and strong arms that felt so lovely wrapped around me, Connor couldn’t be more perfect if I’d conjured him with one of my sister-in-law Tessa’s witchy spell books.

The thought puts a skip in my step as I scuttle around a group of bouncing kids who already know every word to our family’s unofficial anthem and duck through the door onto the landing outside the ballroom. Seconds later, I’m down the stairs, through the hotel lobby, and jogging out into the parking lot.

Jogging. I’m actually moving faster than a breezy walking pace of my own free will.

Connor Sinclair is already doing strange things to me.

Things I can’t wait to explore more back at his place…

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