Page 68 of The Very Naughty List

“Duly noted. I’ll remember that for later.” I give a gentle squeeze, making her breath hitch, then release my grip and tilt her chin up with two fingers. “You look amazing.”

“You clean up pretty good yourself.” She grins as she reaches up to help me finish closing the buttons on my cuffs.

“Yeah, well, it’s not exactly mechanic garb. I had to borrow the dress shirt from Reid.”

I offer her my arm, which she takes, and then walk her down to the living room.

I can’t help but glance at her intermittently as we make our way down the stairs. She’s so fucking beautiful, and not just because of the dress. Her emerald eyes seem to pop against the gold and the glow she’s putting off. She’s let her hair down to flow against her bare shoulders and down her back, and the blonde strands look so soft that I want to wrap them around my fist.

As we walk into the living room where both of my brothers are waiting, Reid and Nick turn to face us.

“Wow.”

Reid’s single-word reaction is more than Nick can apparently bring himself to say as he stands there staring speechless at her.

“Thanks.” Hailey grins, looking almost shy. “I’ve actually never gotten a chance to wear this dress before. I bought it in LA, but a good opportunity never came up. So I guess that’s one good thing about this ball.”

“Hell fucking yes.” Reid steps forward, pulling her into a kiss just like I did. When he releases her, he spins her to face Nick, like he’s offering our brother a turn too.

Nick clears his throat, looking like he might still be a little dumbstruck. Fortunately, Hailey is learning exactly how to handle our stoic, slightly closed-off older brother. Instead of waiting for him to come to her, she goes to him, leaning up onto her tiptoes to press a kiss to his mouth.

The second their lips touch, it’s like whatever was keeping him locked up breaks. His arms wrap around her, the kiss turning indecent in less than one point five seconds.

My cock twitches as I watch her arch against him, and I add this to the many,manyreasons I hate Dylan Montgomery. If it weren’t for his parents’ stupid ass ball, we could stay right where we are and spend the rest of the night unwrapping Hailey like the delicious present she is.

Hailey finally steps back from Nick, who now looks a bit like he got hit by a truck.

Ha. You and me both, brother. And Reid too.

Bruno gives Nick and Hailey slobbery kisses goodbye, pointedly ignoring me and Reid, and then we all head out, piling into one car.

“When we get there, we probably shouldn’t all walk in together,” Reid suggests as we drive over, glancing between the rest of us. “It doesn’t make sense for us to all show up together, since we’re supposed to still be ‘fighting’ over Hailey.”

“Good point.” I almost forgot we’re still trying to sell that story. “Maybe we should pick one of us for her to be officially attending the ball with, and the other two can walk in separately.”

“I think it should be Nick,” Reid offers up. “I mean, he’s the least likely to fly off the handle and do something stupid, like giving Dylan a black eye.”

Nick raises a brow at our brother’s assessment of his self-control. I’m not so sure thatanyof us would manage to keep from flying off the handle if it was in defense of Hailey. But Nick doesn’t protest the idea, so it’s decided that he’ll be her “official” date to the ball.

I don’t really think much of it at first, until we get to the large event space where the party is being held. Reid and I head in first, and an unexpected feeling surges through me as I watch Nick walk in with Hailey at his side a short while later.

Instead ofpretendingto be jealous, I feel truly jealous—authentic, raw envy flooding my chest at the sight of my brother with Hailey on his arm. I find myself wishing I was the one by her side, and I feel a sense of possessive pride when I notice several of the people at the event glance in her direction.

Some of the guys let their gazes linger a little too long, and Nick pulls her a little closer, glaring them down. My handstwitch, itching to do the same. I know he’s got this covered, and it’s not that I don’t trust him. I just wish I could be standing with her too, I guess.

It’s weird, and I’m not quite sure what to do with the intensity of that feeling.

It doesn’t help that this sort of event makes me feel uneasy in and of itself. I’m completely out of my element here, and I hate all the pomp and circumstance that the people attending things like this usually put on. The entire ball is over the top and ostentatious, and I don’t like it at all.

“What a joke this all is,” Reid mutters, echoing my thoughts. “It’s all just a chance for the Montgomerys and all the other wealthy families of Chestnut Hill to show off. None of this is for anyone else’s benefit but theirs.”

“Agreed.” I scowl, surveying the room to see if I can spot the bar. As soon as I see it, I tell Reid I’ll go grab us some drinks, and then add, “Keep a close eye on our girl. There are a bunch of arrogant vultures in this place.”

“You know I will.”

He crosses his arms over his chest, looking almost as intimidating as Nick.

I turn away, and I’m making a beeline toward the bar when I catch sight of another face that brings me up short.

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