Page 26 of The Friend

“Definitely in my dreams,” he murmured, delighted when a faint pink matching her dress stained her cheeks as she rolled her eyes in familiar fashion and snatched her hand away.

“You’re full of it,” she muttered, her mock frown at total odds with the cheeky curve of her lips. “Less talk more work from you, please.”

“As long as we get to play later.”

A thrill of anticipation shot through Abby at Judd’s whispered words and she determinedly ignored her pounding pulse as she turned to smile at Tom who she finally noticed.

The minute she laid eyes on Judd standing on the beach in his tux, everything and everyone had faded into the background, until all she could see was the guy about to turn her world upside down.

Because she had little doubt that once this shoot was over and a hard day’s work done, they’d move onto the next step of their friendship, one from which there was no turning back.

“Hey, Tom. Judd assures me you’re almost as good as he thinks he is, so I’m assuming you can do this?”

Tom gave her a thumbs up sign of encouragement. “All systems go. By the way, you look fantastic. If you ever tire of styling, you should consider modelling. You’d make a squillion.”

“You’re a sweetie,” she said, wiggling her fingers at Tom in a flirty wave, eliciting a low growl from Judd.

“Go easy on the big guy. You’re breaking his heart.”

She laughed, her nerves taking a back seat as Judd slipped his hand into hers and squeezed. “Yeah, that’s me. A real heartbreaker.”

She glanced at their clasped hands and quirked an eyebrow, grateful for the reassuring contact yet wishing her pulse wasn’t slamming through her veins at breakneck speed.

“Just in case you feel like bolting.” He smiled, holding on tighter, and her breath hitched as the full force of his smile hit her, packing a powerful punch that almost floored her in its intensity.

When he smiled like that, she felt like she was the only woman in the world and she was all his.

Considering what they were about to do tonight, it wasn’t far off the mark. He’d always held a special place in her heart as her best friend and he’d soon be her lover. Would they be as good in the bedroom as they were out of it? If the way her body responded to his slightest touch the last few days, she’d shoot straight to the stars and back.

For now, she had to focus. This shoot had to be a success, the photos stunning, and only then could she unwind as she deserved. As they both deserved.

Despite her qualms, a small part of her had been looking forward to this shoot, curious as to how the ‘other half lived’ so to speak. She already knew modelling was hard and what better way to make her work come alive than a bit of firsthand experience?

In reality, she should be nervous, but with Judd standing by her side, reassuring her with his familiar smile, she felt nothing but confident she could pull this off and look great in the process.

However, as she glanced at Tom standing poised with camera in hand and Tara holding up a huge light reflector, a zoo’s worth of butterflies took flight in her belly and she pulled away from Judd, smoothing the front of her dress in a purely nervous reaction. It was one thing to feel confident, another to actually go through with this modelling gig when she’d never done anything remotely like it before.

“Go easy on the nerves. This’ll be a cinch,” Judd said, picking up on her mood in the same way he’d always done, a way too calm smile crinkling the laugh lines around his gold-flecked eyes.

“Uh-huh.” She nodded mechanically, casting a frantic glance around for a last minute reprieve from prancing in front of the camera. However, the beach was deserted as she’d requested and logically, she knew there was no way out.

“Wish Tom would hurry up,” she muttered, fiddling with a crystal on the bodice before stilling her fingers with effort. That’s all she needed, for the expensive dress to fall apart before they’d done the required shots.

“Hey, consider this a game, a bit of a laugh.”

She raised a cynical eyebrow. Considering her job could be on the line—or a promotion, at least—she didn’t find this remotely funny. But Judd was right. She needed to lighten up, otherwise she’d look uptight and constipated in the shots rather than a blushing bride.

“Nice monkey suit,” she said, making an effort to alleviate the tension as she pointed at the exquisitely tailored tux that looked like it had been made for him.

“Thanks,” Judd said, teasing grin firmly back in place as he cast a pointed glance at her chest. “And nice to see you’re still using tissues.”

“I am not.” She thrust out her breasts to make a point, unprepared for the swift rush of longing his triumphant gazeevoked and the accompanying heat that sizzled through her body.

“You’re too easy, Weiss,” he murmured, his eyes darkening with desire, intensifying the moment tenfold.

“I hope you mean that in the nicest possible way.”

She crossed her arms over her chest, knowing it would push her breasts together and upward, hopefully driving him wild in the process, and as he tore his gaze away to shake his head, a dazed expression followed by a rueful smile, she had her revenge.

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