Page 111 of Earned Husband

“Because I last.”

I about to laugh again when the bedroom door flew open. My eyes widened, but before I could even begin to warn her, Jasmine burst in. “Honeys, I’m ho?—”

She shrieked, cutting herself off as soon as she saw us. I shrieked too and then Colin yelped, all three of us simply staring at each other for one perfectly synchronized, utterly mortifying moment. Colin was the first to actually move, grabbing a blanket from the foot of the bed and somehow managing to throw it around himself while simultaneously yanking the sheet up over me.

“Jasmine!” I clutched the sheet to my still heaving chest as I sat up. “What are you doing?”

“I didn’t see anything!” she squeaked, finally slapping a hand over her eyes and backing toward the door. “I just wanted tocome tell you I was home and say goodnight. So, uh, I’m home, and goodnight.”

She backed into the hallway with both hands still covering her face, and I dissolved into a fit of giggles but managed to call out a response. “Sleep well!”

“I’m never sleeping well again,” she yelled back, also laughing now. “Do you guys have any bleach in the house? I need it to wash my eyes. And my brain.”

Obviously, she left the door wide open behind her and Colin sighed, looking at the doorway like he was waiting to see if it was going to offer up another Saad. “Well, that was something.”

I started laughing all over again, rolling onto my back with tears gathering in my eyes and my cheeks starting to hurt. “I’m so sorry. She won’t tell anyone, though.”

“Either way, I think my dignity just packed its bags and moved to rural Alaska. I’m glad you find this so amusing.”

“I can’t help it,” I wheezed as I kept laughing. “I think I might be in shock.”

When I finally managed to crack open an eye, I found him watching me with a bemused smile on his face, but his cheeks were still flushed, beads of sweat still dotting his forehead. He arched an eyebrow when he saw me looking at him.

“Well, if nothing else, this proves that the condo was a good move.” He climbed out of bed and started pulling on a pair of sweatpants. “Remind me to get my keys back from Isaac, but in the meantime, I’m going to solve this problem.”

I watched him tug on a shirt, still smiling. “What are you going to do?”

“I’m driving Jasmine to the condo and giving her free rein over there.” Once he was dressed, he leaned over to press a chaste kiss to my lips. “Then I’m coming back here to finish what we started.”

“You’re going to drive her over therenow?” I asked, my eyes widening with disbelief. “It’s almost midnight.”

“It’ll be worth it.”

I laughed again. “She’ll think you’ve lost your mind.”

“I did,” he said dryly, amusement lighting those eyes I loved so much. “She scared it away when she burst in here like it was another federal raid.”

I winced. “Did you really think it was that?”

“Nah.” He smiled and reached for his car keys on the dresser. “Honestly, I wasn’t thinking it was anything until I saw her. It happened too fast and I was too… otherwise occupied.”

“Okay, well, hurry back after you relocate my sister.”

“Always,” he promised, then surprised me by reaching out and smacking the side of my butt through the sheets. “Stay right here. I’ll only be twenty minutes.”

“What if she refuses to leave?” I asked.

“I’m not above bribing her with shopping opportunities,” he said easily, his eyes positively twinkling now. “I might even throw in permanent access to the condo if she behaves herself.” I laughed, but then he was striding out into the hallway. “Jasmine! Grab your bags. We’re leaving.”

“We’rewhat?”

“Leaving. Do you remember that gorgeous, modern, huge condo I bought for your sister? Well, it’s yours for the night.”

She squealed. “Are you serious? Yes. Give me two minutes.”

There was some scrambling and footsteps, but less than a full minute later, the front door opened and closed downstairs, and just like that, she was gone. I shook my head.Only Colin could turn one of the most embarrassing moments of my life into a bribe of luxury housing for my sister.

My heart gave a little squeeze, but then I flopped back onto the pillows and laughed again. Life in Chicago was going to be good—even if six thousand miles as the crow flies still wasn’tquite far enough away from my family to ensure uninterrupted privacy.