Page 17 of Tall, Dark, and Grumpy

“Engaged…” Drawls a familiar voice behind me. “This is news to me too, brother.”

Sev.

Cassie looks between the two of us, and I grit my teeth. Why the hell didn’t I murder my youngest brother anytime between five minutes ago and forty years ago? He’s nothing but trouble.

“Lovely to meet you.” He flashes Cassie a calculating smile.

“Come and dance with me.” I snatch up her hand before she can say anything.

“Oh-okay,” she stammers as I practically drag her away.

The possessive beast in me is wild with the need to have her alone.

“Sort the music. Something slow and classic,” I order in an undertone as we pass one of my men.

In the knot of dancers on the wooden floor, Cassie stands paralysed, almost cowering. A scared little fawn.

I draw her to me, wrapping one arm around her waist and shifting her hand in mine until we’re close-dancing. I ignore the style of the music and just dance to the off-beat. She looks up, her soft blue eyes meeting mine, expression confused even as she follows my lead perfectly. Like she’s made for me.

Then her gaze flits to the side nervously. “They’re all watching.”

“Better give them something to see, then.” I’m only too happy to, leaning down to murmur in her ear. “Fiancée.”

“Oh god.” She ducks her chin with embarrassment. “I didn’t know you were a white knight,” she whispers back. “Thank you.”

“Not at all.” If she only knew how black my soul is. And I’m a bad boss. The worst. Her accusation echoes in my head. I push it away. All that matters is that I’m here for her, and whatever she said, she hasn’t refused my help.

She sneaks a look to the side, and it unsettles her rhythm, sending her left as I move right, and she cringes. “I can’t dance old-fashioned ballroom style.”

“Look at me.” She obeys and I smile. “Follow my lead.” I lift my arm to guide her into an underarm turn, which makes her splutter with laughter. I love to see her spark back.

“Like you did,” she points out. “Playing along with my lie. Dancing with the girl covered in flavoured vodka.”

“Is that what the scent is? Cherry? I love fruit salad.” Actually, all I can smell is her vanilla scent, stronger now she’s near me. I want to gobble her up.

That coaxes a smile from her, but it sours. “Lending the loser your jacket.”

I guide her hand to my shoulder, hold her back tight, lean her into a low dip, and growl into her ear, “Don’t talk about yourself that way.”

And by the time she’s upright again, she’s flushed and when I take her hand and cover it with mine on my chest, she blinks like she’s never seen me before. And perhaps she hasn’t.

The thing about me being a bad boss has hit painfully close to the truth, and her saying I’m her boyfriend has unleashed something that I haven’t allowed out in a long time. Maybe not since I was a kid in London with my triplet brothers.

“The jacket looks better on you than me,” I add, and she presses her lips together, hiding a smile. She’s so beautiful. I wish I knew how to tell her that.

“This isn’t how you dance to this sort of music, you know.” Then her eyes go wide as the music seamlessly fades into a slow song that you absolutely do dance like this to, and I lead her into another underarm turn, then another, until she’s giggling despite herself.

Over her shoulder, I catch the eye of Tony as he backs away from the DJ booth, pocketing his wallet. We exchange nods before I look back down at Cassie.

“Do people always do what you want them to?” she asks.

I smile wryly, and think of Sev, Rafe, and her. She doesn’t always do what I want, or we wouldn’t bepretendingthat we were engaged. “I wish they did.”

“But you can magically change the tune to suit you?” She says it like it’s a puzzle, but lets me lead her, moving with me. And for the first time in a long, long time, I’m at peace.

This is where she belongs: in my arms, our bodies almost touching.

“This sort of dancing makes it easier to talk. And we needed to, don’t you think?” I don’t understand why my power, or what I decide we dance to, is a big deal. There are actually important things, like how can I ensure she’s more than a one-night fiancée?