Your Christmas Love (The Bennett Family 10)

“The point of a secret, brother dearest, is that no one is supposed to know about it,” Pippa said sweetly.

“If it concerns my wife, I want to know.”

“It doesn’t,” I piped up. “It concerns me.”

I had no idea why I thought that might appease Christopher.

“Also my concern.”

I laughed, which only made him frown more. The Bennett men were a mixture of brother and father figure for me, especially Christopher. His protective ways had annoyed me as a teenager, but as an adult, I appreciated them.

“This time, it’s girl business,” I assured him.

He cocked a brow. I surreptitiously motioned the girls to put the distraction plan into motion.

“Babe, before I forget, we have to pick up my new catalogs tonight,” Victoria said.

“I thought we had time until next week.”

“Yes, but I don’t want to leave it until the last moment.”

“And there’s a real risk the crowd will be insane around Thanksgiving. Can you also pick up mine? If you bring them to the office, I’ll take them from there,” Pippa added.

It worked. Ha! I smiled to myself. Operation Girls-Against-Bennett-Brothers still worked like a charm every time. It was a simple strategy, really. Bring into conversation mundane tasks, which gave everything a trivial air.

Our odds for success were always better when Pippa joined us.

“Sure. We’ll get them.” Christopher focused on me again, and for a brief second I thought our tactic hadn’t worked.

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nbsp; “How’s work?” he asked.

“Just fine.”

“Your boss is back, right?”

“Yup.” I was working hard on my poker face.

“Then why so jumpy? Is your ex causing you any trouble?”

“Nah. Forget about him, Christopher. I already did.” I flashed him a brilliant smile. I hoped I was convincing. The last thing I wanted was for Christopher to waste any time thinking about Trevor.

“Let me know if he gives you any trouble.”

“Sure.”

Over my dead body, but Christopher didn’t have to know that. He’d get all up in arms, and there was no reason for it. I really wished I’d listened to him when he’d said he didn’t have a good feeling about him. In my defense, he’d said that about most of my boyfriends, which was why I dismissed his concerns most of the time.

I was afraid Christopher might smell our distraction tactic if we weren’t careful, but Blake saved me. He joined our little group, throwing me a furtive look before assessing his brother.

“Don’t suffocate the poor girl,” Blake warned Christopher.

I patted his shoulder. “Finally, a Bennett man taking my side.”

Christopher chuckled. “Not always.”

“Hey, I have my moments of weakness,” Blake replied solemnly. “But most of the time, I’m firmly in Sienna’s squad.”