Colin looked at Hope. "Only if it's alright with my wife."

Wilson's hopeful look had Hope laughing again. "Well, in that case—"

He offered his hand to Hope, but just as she was about to place her hand in his—-

Oh!

"Good try, Wilson," Colin drawled as instead he caught her hand and slid it into his trousers' pocket instead. "But I think not."

Wilson's laugh was good-natured. "Well, well, well. You were never this jealous, not even with Princess."

"Isn't that to be expected? We were just kids back then. But Hope ismywife." Colin gave Wilson a nod. "We'll see you around."

Hope wasn't even given a chance to say goodbye, with Colin already taking her hand out so he could curve an arm around her waist. And then they were walking away, and it was all she could do not to trip as she did her best to keep up with her husband's long-legged stride.

Hope cleared her throat. "So, I'm not sure what happened—"

Colin looked sharply toward her, and Hope ended up gulping at the fury in his gaze.

"Did you even notice how you had him staring at your breasts the whole time?"

Hope's jaw dropped.

"For as long as you're my wife," Colin said between clenched teeth, "you're to act like it."

"But—"

"If you need an explanation, then think of it this way. You'remine.Everything of you ismine.Got that?"

Before Hope could respond, another former classmate of Colin approached, pulling them into conversation. The moment passed, but the tension lingered, electric and unexplored.

Throughout the evening, Hope noticed Colin's heightened awareness of other men's attentions. The way his hand stayed at the small of her back when the investment banker from Jackson Hole complimented her dress. The possessive brush of his thumb against her wrist when another man told her she had grown even prettier over the years.

It was a side of Colin she hadn't seen before. Territorial. Protective. It should have felt stifling. Instead, it sent shivers of awareness dancing across her skin.

The string quartet transitioned to dance music, couples moving to the cleared floor at the center of the hall. Colin extended his hand to Hope.

"Dance with me."

Colin ignored the surprise that flashed in her eyes as he drew her to the dance floor. He already knew she had meant to turn him down.

Being this close to her husband discomfited her, and Hope's discomfort only grew when she caught sight of a lovely blonde making a splash as she entered the ballroom. "Colin? It's Princess—"

"I don't give a damn."

Her eyes widened. "What's wrong with you? She's just arrived—"

"She has her own husband. Lethimdeal with his own wife. I already have my hands full with mine."

"Excuse me?" He was making her sound so wonderfullytroublesome,when all her life she had gotten used to thinking of herself as dull and boring.

His gaze bored through hers. "You heard me."

"I havenevertried to cause trouble—"

"Then that's even worse."

A choked laugh escaped her despite everything. "What is wrong with you, seriously?"