Page 6 of Filthy Rich Brother's Best Friends

Harper follows my gaze, and the second she sees who I’m looking at, her eyebrows shoot up. “Wait. Is thathim?”

I nod. Or I try to. It’s more of a barely-there jerk of my head, because I’m too busy trying not to pass out.

Harper leans closer. “That’s him?Thatguy?”

I swallow hard, and manage to choke out the words. “That’s him.”

“Oh, you weren’t kidding. Golden god doesn’t even do him justice.”

My thighs press together under the table. I am suddenly, acutely aware of how hot my skin feels, and how little oxygen seems to be available in this building.

He’s still watching me.

And I have no idea what’s supposed to happen next.

But he does.

He starts moving toward me. I tell myself I’m imagining it. But, no, he’s heading straight for our table.

“Oh! Oh! He’s coming over here! Lola,” Harper grabs my arm and shakes me, “you are so getting laid tonight.”

I swat at her as he stops beside the table. His gaze flicks to Harper for the briefest second, a polite nod, before he turns that crooked smile on me.

“Didn’t expect to see you again so soon,” he says.

His voice hits low in my stomach. Who am I kidding? It hits a whole lot lower than that. It’s confident without the smug edge. I try to remember how to smile without looking deranged.

“I could say the same.” My voice comes out steady, which feels like a small miracle.

Harper looks between us with a glint in her eye that should probably worry me. “Hi,” she says, holding out her hand. “I’m Harper. And I am one hundred percent here for this.”

He laughs. It’s an incredible sound, and I feel it hum right through me. “Jude.” He shakes her hand, then turns his attention back to me. “Can I buy you a drink?”

I should say no. I should thank him politely and leave. But my body is already leaning toward him, and my mouth is opening without permission.

“Sure,” I say, and the smile he gives me makes me tingle inside.

He flags the waitress, orders a beer for himself, and another round for me. And then he looks at me. He gives me his full attention the way he did earlier, when he rubbed my entire body and I couldn’t remember my own name.

But he doesn’t say anything. And neither do I.

I cross my legs under the table. My throat feels tight. The air between us buzzes with something I’ve never felt before.

“Okay,” Harper says suddenly, slicing through the silence like a knife. “That’s enough eye sex for one evening. I’m thinking it’s not going to take long before the two of you abandon me for the backseat of his car.”

I blink. Jude’s smile pulls wider, but he doesn’t look away from me.

“I wasn’t planning on a backseat,” he says. “Were you?”

My entire body lights up like it’s just been plugged in.

Harper lets out a low whistle. “Oh, my. I need some popcorn for this show.”

I finally break eye contact. It takes effort. Real, physical effort.

I take a sip of my drink, though I have no idea when it arrived.

“Do you always pick up women this way?” I ask.