Not only the sex had astounded her. He’d been attentive and helpful all afternoon while they ran around town doing her errands and straightening up her place. Who knew Derrick Warren could clean as well as cook? She made a mental note to thank Barbara Warren on behalf of women everywhere.
Not because she cared, personally. But because someday Derrick would make some woman very happy. A perfect husband.
And the thought of him with anyone else made her completely miserable.
“See, you’re thinking about me again,” he said as they pulled up outside his mother’s house. “I can tell when you get that pained expression on your face how much you love me.”
She groaned and settled her forehead against the window.
He laughed and put the SUV in park. “Face it, Sydney. When a Warren finds the woman of his dreams, she’s a goner.”
She turned to face him. “Your dreams, or your nightmares?”
“With you, probably both.” He dodged the punch aimed for his shoulder and snuck a kiss. “Quit stalling. My mother loves you already. You’re a smart, successful woman who’s snared her son. So if anyone should be nervous about tonight, it’s me.”
They left the vehicle and walked up the drive. “Why you?” she asked.
“Because not only will Dr. Barbara Warren be here to annoy you, but Dr. Dylan Warren will be as well.” He pulled her back and glared down into her face, his expression no longer amused. “I’m your Warren twin. Remember that.”
She liked his jealousy. It showed he cared. She couldn’t deny he was hers, nor could she deny, in her heart of hearts, the arrogant SOB was right. She did love him. And it scared her to death.
“Sydney? I’m waiting.”
“For what?”
“For some reassurance. Don’t make me grope you in front of my family to prove a point.”
Suddenly worried that they anyone inside the house might be able to see them, she tried to pull away from him.
He kissed her and pulled her closer, coming perilously close to knocking the wine bottle from her hands. When they parted, she rasped, “Derrick, okay. Cut it out. I’m yours, you big goon.”
“So romantic.” From behind them, Gage grinned like an idiot.
“What can I say? She’s in awe of my manly parts.” Derrick chuckled and wrapped an arm around her shoulder.
Sydney felt warm all over. Until she saw the woman getting out of Gage’s truck after Hailey. The blood rushed from her head.
“Mother?”
Gage cleared his throat. “Ah, your mom apparently couldn’t get through to you on your cell to let you know she was arriving earlier than planned, but she had Hailey’s number. Hailey thought it would be a nice surprise to pick her up and bring her here.” He looked apologetic, and Sydney could almost hear what he hadn’t said.
Her mother had bamboozled soft-hearted Hailey into carting her all over Augusta so she could get the maximum dramatic effect from tonight’s surprise. Being surrounded by the Warren men could only have added pleasure.
Sydney wondered if her mother might tempt Derrick into straying, then immediately felt terrible for considering it.
“Sydney?” Derrick looked down at her with concern. “You okay? If you want, we can skip dinner and hang out with your mom.”
Not you can skip dinner, but we can skip dinner. She noted the difference, and she mentally hugged him for it. “No, that’s okay. I just hope your mom won’t mind.”
“I already told her; it’s no problem,” Gage mentioned.
Hailey and Isabel Fields joined them. Her mother, as usual, looked stunning, and more like Sydney’s older sister than biological parent. Long, wine-red hair trailed over her shoulders, perfectly coifed and lustrous. Isabel’s skin had that creamy, cover girl look that had graced countless magazines over the years. She wore a designer dress out of place with the casual evening, yet the woman would never wear anything but the best. The diamonds on her fingers and ears spoke of wealth—ostentatious and glittery. Just like her mother.
“Darling, I missed you,” Isabel squealed and rushed to Sydney. She air-kissed both her cheeks. “My, you’re looking well. We should get together for one of my shoots. Maybe next month in the Virgin Islands, where I’m contracted for an Avon ad.” Isabel beamed.
Derrick cleared his throat and her mother’s gaze turned from faux-loving to interested.
“And who is this scrumptious morsel?”
Gage and Hailey glanced at each other, then at Sydney.
Before Sydney could answer, Derrick did. “I’m Sydney’s boyfriend. Derrick Warren, Gage’s brother.” He gave her mother a firm handshake, like pumping water out of a well.
He acted as if he were completely unaware that her mother was a woman, and Sydney wanted to laugh. He met her gaze and winked.
“Oh. Charming.” Isabel cooled a bit, then remembered herself and strode like a queen toward the front door.
To Sydney’s surprise, Isabel’s unexpected appearance didn’t bother her. The worry she might have felt, wondering how everyone would react to the drama queen, faded under Derrick’s concern.
“This is gonna be a long night,” Gage muttered.
“Gage, shush.” Hailey blushed.
“No, it’s okay.” Sydney sighed. “Might as well show you all my ugly parts at once.”
Derrick laughed. “Honey, I’ve seen every part of you. Nothing ugly yet. Well, except for that face you make when you—”
She slapped a hand over his mouth and glared. “Shut up, Derrick.”
He pulled away and grinned. “I was just going to say when you act like you’re right. You know, when you say Oh? all smarmy like?”
“Smarmy. What a big word for a little brain.”
“Oh, I like it when you get nasty, Syd.” The look he gave her made Sydney blush.
“Holy crap. Sydney Fields turned pink. It’s a miracle, Gage. Nothing ever embarrasses Sydney,” Hailey said with delight. “Well, except for her mom.”
“Who has just entered the lion’s den.” Derrick groaned. “Come on, Sydney. Let’s go rescue your mom.”
She blinked. “I think you mean rescue your mom.”
Derrick pulled her with him. “Just remember what I said. I’m the Warren twin you’re with, and you’re not allowed to be scared away by too many shrinks in one room.”
“My bet’s on Isabel.” Sydney shook her head. “I bet she insults your mother and her friend—hell, probably your entire family—before the night is through.”
“Maybe, but my mother will shrug it off and have your mom in therapy before the evening ends.”
Gage nodded. “I’d have to go with Derrick on this. You have no idea what Mom can be like.”
“She’s nice.” Hailey frowned.
“She’s scary,” Gage and Derrick said as one.
Personally, anyone that could handle Isabel Fields had Sydney’s vote. “Yeah, what are we betting?”
“Well, this is something I don’t see every day—Barbara at a loss,” James Kincaid commented from behind her.
Across the room, Barbara Warren looked poleaxed as Isabel waved her hands madly, making some point the other woman couldn’t seem to comprehend.
James chuckled, and she regarded the handsome older man with interest. He worked with Derrick’s mother. Along with Dylan, that made three psychiatrists in the room.
Like all the other men in the house, James was handsome and muscular. It was no wonder Sydney’s mother couldn’t stop herself from making an even bigger ass of herself as she’d flirted with every one of them until Sydney wanted to bury her head between the couch cushions. She could only hope the man her mother eventually tried to take back to her hotel after dinner wasn’t Gage or Derrick. Because as nice as Hailey had been to Isabel, if her mother tried to mess with Gage, she was a dead woman, courtesy of a very possessive blonde.