Brutal Blueblood

the side of the building. Though it was bitterly cold even with the bright sunshine, it was even colder in the shadow of the building.
“Um, yeah, sorry. I was looking for my sunglasses and then I didn’t look where I was going and obviously I ran into you. Again, I’m sorry about that.”
Stop talking, Tanith, just stop.
Owen Montgomery was the epitome of gorgeous, above-it-all aloofness today with his expressionless mouth and his inky-dark hair curling onto his brow. He didn’t need me blabbering on and on. I hated that he made me so nervous.
You don’t have time for this. No crushes, no drama, no mess.
Oh, and he was an asshole who hadn’t known I’d even existed for years and years until Ibiza.
That was my mantra. Except, how many times had I thought about Owen’s kiss while I’d been away?
And sure, maybe I’d had a fantasy or two hundred about him since the ice-skating rink two days ago, but I knew better. He was unattainable.
Not that I was trying to attain him.
I put my hands over his to push them off, but then stopped. Even under tailored leather gloves, they were warm enough to feel good against my own bare hands. “Um, okay, I think I’m good.”
His lips quirked and he stared down at me, his blue eyes keen, missing nothing. I felt like he was completely, fully inspecting me. “Are you sure? You seem off-kilter.”
“Yes, I probably shouldn’t try to do two things at once.”
“Okay, if you say so.” He released me. Instantly, I missed his warmth because the bite of the wind chased inside my coat. Well, the coat Sera had lent me, to be precise. A scarlet-red coat made of thin wool. If I had been paying attention, I would have closed it by now. But I hadn’t.
I felt Owen’s gaze sweep over me. He wasn’t shy about it either. He openly assessed me. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t stare. I’m just trying to figure out whatever it is about you that has you falling all the time.”
I lifted a brow. “It’s only happened twice, but I’ll also have you know that a distracted mind is a great sign of intelligence.”
Stop talking, Tanith.
“Is it now? I wouldn’t be inclined to believe you, but I’ve seen some of your writing for the school newspaper. And that junior editorial you did in the New Yorker.”
The breath swooshed out of my lungs. He’d read my articles? “Uh, you read my articles?”
“Because I was curious about the girl who beat me out for the Everston Fellowship.”
My eyes bulged. “Oh, I—you tried for the Everston?”
His smile was slow. It started on one side of his face, and as if one cheek had to convince the other to do the same. The other one slid up slowly with it, too, showing off a brilliant grin that had my heart breaking the rhythm of its normal, everyday beat into a rapid gallop. Jesus Christ. Owen Montgomery should smile all the time, or none of the time, because if he always smiled like that, no one at school would get anything done. Women all over the world would be dropping panties.
“I did. But I suppose the better woman won.”
“Sure. I guess you finally figured out we went to school together.”
It came out brusquer than I’d meant it to, and we both winced.
Why didn’t I know how to talk around him? Didn’t know how to make my brain cells work. Of course he didn’t want to talk about that particular horrible moment.
That you should have gotten over by now.
He bit his lip and seemed to come to a decision. Whatever it was made him square his shoulders and lift his chin, like a conqueror sighting his next conquest. “Come on, where are you headed?”
Where was I headed? That should have been an easy question to answer, but I had no idea how because my brain went on fucking vacation the minute he looked at me like that. “Oh, sorry. Yeah, no, I think I’m headed back to Sera’s.”
“On foot?”
At some point, the clouds had rolled in and a light snow had started to fall, cementing my decision to enjoy the city in its most magical season. “Well, I mean, it’s Christmas in the city and I’ve never been here for Christmas, so you know, see more sites, explore a little.”
He rolled his eyes as if he knew me. “Shopping.”
As if. Me, shopping? I’d gotten Sera a small thank-you gift for letting me stay with her, a simple bracelet. But it was the extent of the cash I had. No, shopping was not really my thing. I would have loved it to be my thing. To do nothing but spend days rolling through the streets and going into boutique after boutique trying to find just the right item. But honestly, even if I had the money, I would be bored within the hour.
“I’m not a shopper,” I explained shortly.
This seemed to surprise him, but he quickly pivoted. “Well then, why don’t we go around for a bit? Sightsee on your way back to Sera’s?”
I should say no. I needed to say no. I’d left Pembroke because I didn’t want to have anything to do with Owen, so it made no sense to spend any time with him voluntarily. None at all.
Except I did need to go back to Sera’s, and I had wanted to sightsee a little anyway, and then there was the way Owen looked in his peacoat and scarf right now, with his dark eyelashes catching the occasional flurry and his lower lip tucked expectantly between his teeth . . .
It was a lost cause and had been since the moment I’d collided with him and smelled his peppery, citrus scent.
I nodded in agreement. “That would be okay.”
“Brilliant.”
As Owen led me back toward Preston Media, I couldn’t help but notice the way the girls poured out of the building, smiling and waving at him. He gave them all a nod, but his attention stayed on me. It was flattering, and