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was scared those same doubts would seep into his mind and trigger a wake-up call in the vein of: What the hell am I doing with this trailer trash?
    Rupert’s right eyebrow lifted in a phlegmatic James-Bond-like movement that shouted “British” out loud. When he had followed her to Louisiana, Madison’s mother Bernadette had built up a repertoire of Rupert’s swoon-worthy features. The eyebrow-arching thingy topped the list. In both Madison and her mom’s opinion.
    “Whenever’s convenient for her. I’m at her disposal,” he answered in a purr.
    She could resist and stand up to angry, jealous Rupert, but when he turned himself into this sexy pussycat, melting was the only option available to her. That and jumping on him, straddling him, sliding her hands underneath his shirt to feel the taut skin on his torso … Holy hell. She cleared her throat.
    He checked the time on his limited edition Omega. “Monty should have packed by now. It’s not as if he can take a lot with him to jai—where he goes. I’d better be off.” He stood and grabbed his jacket.
    A shadow had spread over Rupert’s face. Madison knew what he was thinking. When would Monty be back? Would he return to Oxford once he had finished his sentence? Monty was the brother Rupert had never had. She jumped to her feet and pressed herself into his arms. He welcomed her within his embrace, and his head rested over hers.
    “I’m so sorry,” she whispered against the cotton of his shirt. For the first time they would be apart and a core part of his support system would vanish.
    “I’m off, too.” Ollie was standing beside them. The dark under his eyes was now more pronounced, while his mouth had the bitter twist Madison kept trying but failing to erase.
    “I’m coming with you,” she offered.
    Ollie shook his head as one of his trademark curls fell over his forehead. “I need some time on my own.”
    Madison hid her disappointment with a flat “Okay.” Rupert squeezed her hand to soften the blow Ollie’s indifference had caused, and she faked an improvement in her mood by perking up her voice. “I’ll knock at your door when I’m back and tuck you up in bed.”
    “Sure.” Ollie headed toward the exit and dived back into his own little grieving world.
    “It’s going to take time, Maddie.” Rupert dropped a kiss on the tip of her nose.
    Before he could stand up straight, she had taken hold of his shirt collar and clung to him. She wanted to keep him with her longer, even for a few minutes. His hands cupped her cheeks as he always did to strengthen his words.
    “I’ll help with Ollie. Between the two of us, he’ll get back to full-on geek mode. I promise you. Can we see each other tonight?” Rupert asked.
    “I can’t. I have to finish my paper for a tutorial tomorrow. Medieval art and feminism.”
    Rupert faked a shudder of fright. “Oh dear.”
    “You go to Monty. I’ll give Ollie thirty minutes, then I’ll check on him back at Christ Church.”
    His gaze lingered on her, testing the truth in her smile. Satisfied, he parted with one last kiss. “I’ll see you tomorrow at the cricket.”
    Madison’s shoulders dropped a couple of notches when she found herself alone in the middle of the laughing pub crowd. Her skin tingled when she felt the eyes of the girl Rupert had talked to in the courtyard. She was giving an order, her massive boobs spilling out of her cleavage all over the bar. Gross.
    Slapping the burning jealousy back into control, Madison lifted her chin. She wouldn’t let the herds of sluts who would happily toss her into hell to sleep with Rupert slide under her skin. No paranoia here. Not. At. All.
    The girl turned her focus back to her drink and Sam’s arms delivering it. Madison couldn’t see her face but registered her hungry grin and her silent “Yummy” squeals.
    Sam was a dark and dangerous male package. His testosterone-filled stare and wicked grin moved over Cleavage Girl and targeted Madison. He