Page 41 of A Montana Rodeo Star

This couldn’t be a date. Faith knew better.

Brent knew her well enough to believe she wouldn’t associate with a guy like Garth and yet he was seeing it with his own eyes. Without thinking, Brent charged into the bookstore and headed right for them.

He caught Faith’s eyes a split second before he gave Garth a little shove.

“Whoa, man,” Garth blustered, his eyes sharpening when they landed on Brent.

Faith gripped Brent’s arm from behind him. “Brent! What are you doing?”

“Leave,” he hissed to Garth.

The man smirked. “I’m sorry, what?”

“You heard me. Leave. Do you even know who you’re talking to? Who her brothers are?” It was a lame excuse, but it was all Brent could come up with. He couldn’t exactly growl like a caveman and tell the world that he didn’t want Garth winning Faith’s attention let alone anyone else.

Garth folded his arms and peered around Brent to Faith, but he didn’t get a chance to speak because Brent moved to block his view.

“Brent,” Faith tried again, her grip on him hardening. “What are you doing?”

He only continued glaring at Garth until the guy rolled his eyes. “I’ll catch you later, Faith.”

“Over my dead body,” Brent ground out.

Faith gasped but it wasn’t until Garth was officially gone that she let her true emotions shine through. “What in heaven’s name was that for?” She demanded, her face beet-red.

Brent scowled at her. “Do you know who he is?”

“Does that matter?” She crossed her arms defiantly and lifted her chin. Her voice was low and almost as menacing as his own.

“Yes,” he snapped. “He’s not a good guy, Faith. Have you heard about what he did?”

“Am I to believe that you listen to gossip?”

He huffed out with exasperation. She had a point and he knew it. “This is different,” he said quietly.

“Why?” She demanded.

“It… just is.” He could feel the heat rising into his face.

She shook her head and placed the book she’d been holding back on the shelf. “No, it’s not. I choose to judge a person by who they are with me and not some ridiculous gossip that the rumor mill spits out.” When she moved to leave, he blocked her path.

“Don’t go out with him, Faith.” There was pleading in his voice and he hated the way it made him sound.

Faith was a lot of things, but she wasn’t dumb. She arched a brow then narrowed her eyes and let out a mirthless laugh. “Oh, that’s what this is about.”

Brent stilled.

She poked him in the chest, her expression void of the usual happiness she was known for. “You can’t ask that of me. I’m allowed to date whomever I want.”

He scowled and opened his mouth, but she cut him off.

“You’re not my brother, Brent. And whatever this is… this feeling between us… it’s not going anywhere. You’ve made that perfectly clear. If I want to date someone, I will. And accepting an invitation to dinner with Garth is better than dealing with how I feel after my encounters with you.”

His jaw dropped but he collected himself quickly. “Don’t you dare.”

She leaned closer and hissed, “Watch me.”

CHAPTER FOURTEEN