Every Time We Kiss

“What the bloody hell is going on here?” Banning said.

Somerton quickly shut the door and backed himself against it.

“Jennette,” Matthew whispered.

“Matthew.” She ran to him, desperate to be in the warm comfort of his strong arms.

He brought her against his hard chest. She barely heard the pounding of his heart in her ear over the loud groans of Huntley.

“Did he…?”

“No,” she answered into his jacket.

“Well done, Lady Jennette. Looks like you took care of the cur,” Somerton commented.

Jennette glanced back to see Banning drag Huntley to his feet.

“What the hell did you do to my sister?” he shouted.

“Selby, keep your voice down or you’ll have the entire party at the door,” Somerton said harshly.

Her brother pushed Huntley against the wall, keeping a choking hold over him.

“I had to,” Huntley whimpered.

“D

id you think I would accept a man like you for my sister’s husband?”

As she listened to the interrogation, Matthew caressed her hair, comforting her, making her feel safer than she ever had. But the burning question needed an answer. She turned away from Matthew’s comfort and faced Huntley.

“Why did you attempt to do this, Huntley?” she demanded. “I deserve an answer.”

Huntley glanced away from her until Banning pried his chin forward to look her in the eye.

Matthew had had enough of this foolishness. He strode toward Huntley, shoved Selby away, and grabbed Huntley’s cravat, tightening it until his eyes bulged.

“Answer the lady’s question.”

“V—Vanessa,” he mumbled so quietly only Matthew heard him.

“What did you say?” Matthew’s world spun around him.

“Vanessa Fulbright.”

Matthew released his grip on Huntley’s cravat. “Get him out of here, Somerton.”

Somerton only smirked. “My pleasure.”

“Wait,” Selby started. “He needs to give me the name of his second.”

“No,” Jennette said coldly. “No one is going to duel over me.”

Selby turned toward his sister until they were both glaring at each other with their arms folded over their chests. If there was any humor in this situation, it would have been the comical, identical expressions of Selby and Jennette. Only there was nothing remotely humorous here.

Matthew dropped to the nearest chair as brother and sister battled it out. If anyone should call Huntley out, it was he. But he had no right to do so because he hadn’t even proposed to her.

“Jen, your honor has been dealt a blow. It is my job as your brother to see that honor restored.”