Page 5 of The Friend

His beer glass halted halfway to his mouth as he registered with shocking clarity that Abby was flirting with him.

They never flirted.

Teased, confided, but never, ever, flirted.

Friends didn’t flirt. At least, they never did. It was as if that kiss on graduation night had never happened and he wanted to keep it that way.

So why the urge to flirt back, to see where this new flicker of heat burning between them could lead?

“Looks like you’re working real hard, boss.” Tom Bradley, his assistant, slapped him on the back, and Judd didn’t know whether to be relieved or annoyed by the interruption.

“I’m in the middle of a business meeting,” Judd winked at Abby, noting her faint blush with satisfaction. His best friend liked to dish out the flirting but looked like she had trouble taking it. “Meet Abby Weiss, fashion stylist extraordinaire.”

Tom’s goofy grin had Judd shifting his barstool closer to Abby’s before he realised what he was doing.

“Pleased to meet you,” Tom said, pulling up a stool.

“Likewise.” Abby shook Tom’s hand, a perfectly polite, normal thing to do.

However, there was nothing normal about the absurd stab of jealousy burning like acid in Judd’s gut as he blurted, “Abby and I went to school together.”

Tom sat bolt upright, sending him a ‘what the fuck?’ look. “TheAbby? Your best mate Abby?”

Judd nodded, wishing Tom would shut the hell up. “The one and only.”

Tom’s head swivelled between the two of them, his grin knowing. “Isn’t this great? The two of you get to work and play together.”

Abby laughed. “I’m not sure whether to be flattered Calloway has been talking about me or should I bail you up and find out exactly what he’s been saying?”

“It’s all good,” Tom said, gesturing to the barman for a beer before turning his attention solely on Abby. “Though he never told me how gorgeous you are.”

“Why thank you, kind sir,” she said, batting her eyelashes in an exaggerated display of coquettishness, joining in Tom’s chuckles, while Judd tried to ignore the insane flicker of jealousy that shot through him again.

He must be more jet-lagged than he thought. He’d heard about Abby’s boyfriends before, had poked fun at them, had teased her mercilessly. So why did the thought of Tom lusting after her annoy the hell out of him?

“So you two have been mates forever?”

“Uh-huh,” Judd said, thankful the big guy had turned off the charm.

He’d seen women flock to Tom, with his Nordic good looks and six-four frame, and he had no idea how Abby would react to his assistant if Tom set his sights on her.

Why do you care?

A prickle of awareness raised the hair on the back of his neck as he took in her big, blue eyes, genuine smile, long brown hair, and lush curves, knowing exactly why he cared but too damned scared to admit it.

“Have you two ever been more than friends?”

Abby made a strange sound somewhere between a snort and a guffaw before quickly hiding a smile behind her glass while motioning for him to answer.

Tom’s question instantly resurrected memories of the one time they’d kissed, an event Judd had no intention of repeating.

It had been far too dangerous the first time around. He’d felt too much, enjoyed the feeling of her body responding to his far too much. He’d put it down to overactive hormones at the time. What eighteen-year-old wouldn’t take the opportunity to kiss the school’s resident Miss Personality?

However, he’d been totally unprepared for the depth of feeling that had swamped him after the kiss, and the responsehe’d glimpsed in her eyes had sent him running—and he hadn’t stopped running since.

He shot Tom his best ‘shut the hell up’ glare. “Listen up, bozo. Quit with the questions and move your ass. We need to be down at the beach in less than an hour for the first shoot, so go grab the equipment and I’ll meet you there.”

“Yes, sir.” Tom rolled his eyes at Abby before snapping him a mock salute. “Nice meeting you, Abby. Looking forward to working with you.”

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