Brutal Blueblood

to be left out. And I promised Sera I would try and have fun.”
As she spoke, my gaze stayed on her lips. She was saying words, words I understood. Words that made perfect sense. But still, I couldn’t help but stare. It took me several moments to realize she was staring back at me.
“What?”
“Um, can you put me down now?”
My brow furrowed, and then I skated over to the side and eased her down onto her feet. “There. All good to go. I suggest you hold on.”
“Yeah, but if I hold on, I’ll never learn.”
“We’ve all been skating so many times at school, why don’t you know how to skate?”
She shrugged. “I’m usually studying, so I never come.”
I squinted as I tried to remember her being there. But I still couldn’t remember seeing her anywhere at Pembroke before the yacht.
“Well, clearly you missed out.”
She frowned at me. “Well, not everyone has the same easy access and opportunity. So, I guess I’ll figure it out on my own. If you’ll excuse me.”
Fuck. I said something to irritate her, and I didn’t have the patience to try and figure out what it was. “Wait, I’ll help you.”
I put my arm out, and she resolutely ignored me as she skated past. “No, I don’t need your help.”
“Obviously, you do.”
I took her elbow and she whipped around, this time staying on her feet. “I told you, I don’t need your help.”
The fire in her blue eyes had my attention flipping to her lips again. And despite myself, despite everything I had told myself, blood rushed straight to my cock every time I looked at her. She smelled good. That same fresh paper scent, but also sweet somehow. And her breath was minty, as if she’d been sucking a candy cane.
And those lips . . . Jesus, those lips. I knew how good she tasted. I’d give anything to taste them again.
What the hell? No. That was the last thing I wanted. I wasn’t going to give her anything. She’d come to me. Right?
I released her quickly, recognizing my brain was going foggy, and I was on the verge of doing something dumb, like leaning forward and kissing her. I didn’t know this girl. I didn’t know what she wanted from me, and as a Montgomery, it was a guarantee she would want something from me. The riddle was how to scratch my Tanith-itch without giving it to her.
But my blood ran hot. Too hot. I could practically feel her in my nerve endings.
She forced me to release her elbow. “You can let go. I’m fine.”
“You’re not fine. Why don’t you just listen? Okay, look, how about I help you get to the group, and you skate with Sera?”
She snorted a laugh. “Do I look like any old skater to you?”
Despite myself, I chuckled. “Good point. She’s pretty good.”
“Yeah. Don’t worry; just get me with the group, I’ll sort it out. Sloane looks like she’s uncomfortable, too, but she’s more athletic than I am. Also, she’s got Lennox to land on.”
I could hear myself saying the words, feel my mouth forming them even as my brain knew it was a bad idea. “I’ll stay with you. You could fall on me if you need to.”
“Oh, so you do know what gallantry is.”
I wrinkled my nose. Manners were for gentlemen, but gallantry was for fools. “Of course, I know what it is. I just find it a waste of time.”
She blinked once, then twice, and then burst out a laugh. “Oh, gallant and charming. Wow, be still my heart.”
I knew she was teasing me, and I knew I should be irritated, but I had other problems to contend with. Problems that were going to be difficult to hide if I kept staring at her mouth, wondering if it tasted as good as it had on the yacht.
I eased up on my speed to let some space grow between me and Tanith. Once I settled her with the group, I hung back. Then my brother caught up to me. “Isn’t this fun?” he asked, looking ahead to the group.
Chad had already skated ahead and was now talking to Sloane and Tanith. I watched him warily. He definitely couldn’t be trusted. If he started flirting with Tanith, I’d have to—
Have to what? You still don’t even really know this girl.
I might not know her, but I knew Chad shouldn’t be anywhere near her. Felix leaned in. “I saw you talking to her. Come on, how much are you willing to bet I can bang her?”
I normally didn’t give my brother any thought if I could help it, but in this moment, I gave him all of my sharp focus. “What?”
“The blonde. How much would you bet I can bang her? The quiet ones are always wild in bed.”
“If you touch her, brother or not, I’ll fuck you up.” And then I skated ahead to join the girls.
Felix wasn’t going to do what he did to most girls to her, which was use them, destroy them, and then walk away unscathed. I might not know her, but I knew Tanith wasn’t that kind of girl.
And God help me, I’d be damned if I let him anywhere near her.

Chapter 5
Tanith
As the doors closed on the group of potential magazine interns who’d all been interviewed with me, and the elevator began to sink toward the lobby of the Preston Media building, I knew I was going to throw up. The residual post-interview nerves were twisting my stomach, speeding my pulse.
What the hell had possessed me to schedule a job interview the week before Christmas again?
You were thinking it was handy that you were going into the city with Sera anyway.
Being with her had made things so much easier. No figuring out a train ticket, no begging for a ride to said train. No worrying about if or how I would have to spend the night in the city.
All things I would have managed, but they would have cost money.