Page 4 of Caught Looking

But Jeri was also right. Seth had charisma and confidence for days. Whether he knew Owen or not, he could go toe-to-toe with him.

Not that I wanted a man to fight my battles for me. The very thought had me twisting away from Seth. “Jeri, this is ridiculous. Seth is not part of this and I should deal with Owen on my own.”

Seth stiffened beside me; his gaze dark as he turned it on me. “Owen Montgomery?” he gritted out, his teeth snapped shut, jaw flexing.

Well, that answered that. “You know him?”

“Yep. Is that why you look like you’d rather disappear?”

I nodded once, feeling oddly comfortable with Seth so close.

“Shit,” he swore, pulling me into his side. “Relax and go with it. Owen! How the hell are you man?” He reached out and shook my ex’s hand.

I wanted to puke.

Owen was as handsome as ever. He was tall, had devastating blue eyes, and blond hair. I’d gotten swept up in those eyes before I knew how swiftly they could turn mean.

“I’m well.” His grin vanished when his gaze moved over me. “Anna?”

“Owen.”

His gaze darted back to Seth, doing the math. “You’re together?”

Seth squeezed me tighter anddropped a kissto my hair. I was so dumbfounded I couldn’t speak.

But Seth could. “We are indeed. How do you know Annalise?” My full first name seemed foreign and yet somehow right on his lips. Seth made my name sound musical. Beautiful.

Owen’s jaw flexed once, twice. “It’s been a long time, but we dated a few years back.”

“Really, baby?” Seth cocked his head to look down at me. “You never mentioned that.” His voice was light but there was murder in his eyes that he blinked away before he looked back at Owen.

“I didn’t know you knew who Owen was,” I stammered. What put that look in Seth’s eyes?

“Oh, Montgomery and I hit the golf course a couple of times a year,” Seth said with a casual flare that sounded forced as hell.

“I still think your story is perfect, Butler. Just give me the greenlight and I’ll make you even more famous than you already are.” Owen’s voice was as smooth and fake as ever. A born schmoozer.

Seth gave him an equally fake, tight smile. “And I still think I prefer my private life, private. Hey, it was good to see you but I promised Annalise I’d have her home for a good night of sleep before practice tomorrow.” He reached out to shake Owen’s hand again and I started to breathe a sigh of relief.

Seth was good. And I’d owe him one after this, but it was worth it. All we had to do was slip away…

“Actually, Anna is about to see quite a lot of me.” Owen shoved his hands in his pockets, attempting to look casual as he rocked back on his heels, eyes gleaming in that predatory way he had when he knew he was about to make someone very uncomfortable.

Seth’s fingers dug into my hip. “How so?”

Owen grinned. The twisted, evil kind. “I’ve been hired to document the new Holt and Brantley takeover of the Tangerines. Think of it likeWelcome to Wrexham, but better, obviously.” He waved his hands and puffed up his chest, arrogant enough to think he could create a better product than Ryan freaking Reynolds.

Asshole.

Then the world fell out from beneath my feet as I processed what he said.I was grateful Seth had a firm grip on me because my knees wobbled. Owen was doing a documentary on the Tangerines?

“Why the fuck would they do that?” Jeri rasped beside me. I forgot she was there.

Owen jerked his attention to her. “Ah, our esteemed team captain, Jeri MacNeil. Obviously you’ll be a huge part of it.” He flat out ignored her question. “I’ll be there, with my crew of course, at every practice, every game. In the locker room. In your homes.”

Like hell you will.

“Well, this will be interesting,” Jeri murmured.