Page 68 of The Billionaire Experience

“Yep.” Brody didn’t break eye contact until she sighed in resignation.

“Except me, right?” Reagan whispered as Zander topped off everyone’s glasses again.

“Especially you.” Brody kissed her mouth, which shocked her—she hadn’t expected the PDA in front of his family. She found it amusing that he’d been right about everyone coming outside the moment they’d realized he was missing. She wasn’t the only one susceptible to his charm.

“I’ll start.” Jaylyn cleared her throat, and Dante covered his ears. She swatted his arm. “I won’t be detailed.”

“Thank Christ for that.” He leaned back and crossed one leg ankle to knee. The rest of them leaned in the slightest bit.

“Coachella. Six years ago.”

“Fuck. I knew it. That event is bad news.” Dante’s mouth compressed.

“Six years ago? You were nineteen.” Brody sounded surprised, and Reagan shared that sentiment. She’d have expected spicy Jaylyn to have been an early bloomer.

“I know. I was ancient,” Jaylyn said in response. “He was a DJ. My first and last. It was fun though, and we kept in touch a while. He taught me how to?—”

Zander made a show of humming and covering his ears.

“It’s not bad!” she shouted. Zander stopped humming. “He taught me to always demand respect from the men I’m with, or else don’t stay with them. Which is why I haven’t stuck with a guy since.”

“What was his name?” This from Chloe, who wore a wonky smile, likely from the bubbly she’d been drinking. Reagan was jealous. She wished she felt looser. She was merely tired after a long day of shopping and more shopping.

“Ludvig.”

“Ludvig?” Brody repeated. “That was his real name?”

“Yes.” Jaylyn turned to Chloe. “Next.”

“Oh. Mine isn’t a very interesting story, I’m afraid. High school boyfriend. Prom night. We didn’t even stay in the hotel overnight. Just for a few hours.” She hid her face in her free hand. “Ugh. I had no idea what I was doing.”

“Unlike now.” Zander rumbled in a deep baritone. He leaned over to kiss Chloe’s shoulder. Red as a stoplight, she beamed up at him before kissing his mouth.

“Ho boy. Time to leave.” Brody shifted in his seat.

“Zander. Stop sucking face and share,” Jaylyn demanded.

Thumb to his bottom lip, Zander was quiet for a moment before he said, “A woman in London took mine. I was sixteen, at a pub with friends, and she invited me to her house.”

“Underage drinking? I’m appalled.” Chloe grinned.

“No one asked our age, and we didn’t offer.” Zander raised one eyebrow. “Anyway, I finished my pint and off I went, leaving my blokes behind and cheering me on. In the morning, I realized two things. First, I remembered almost nothing because I was so piss drunk the night before, and second, she was twelve years older than me…and a lot less attractive than I’d thought.”

“Twelve years?” That was Jaylyn.

“Never underestimate an older woman. She taught me how to?—”

“Don’t say demand respect,” Dante joked.

Zander gave them a toothy smile. “She taught me everything but respect, as I recall.”

“Dante?” Chloe asked. “Help take my mind off that, will you? I bet your story is the most sophisticated.”

His spine went straight, any hint of levity vanishing. “I don’t kiss and tell.”

“Bullshit. It was Honesty.” Brody earned a glare from his brother. Reagan didn’t realize that Honesty was a person until Zander spoke.

“Your college girlfriend?”

---