Page 66 of Enemies

Elle, another friend from school, who’s now a comedian, holds a bottle of champagne over her head. “Get your ass up here before I drink this all myself.”

Ash heads for the boarding ramp, but I turn to stare up at the man by my side.

He’s wearing chinos and a dress shirt, his hair ruffling in the barely-there breeze as if even nature can’t resist the chance to touch him.

His handsome face is drawn, eyes shielded from the sun with a hand.

I’ve been to some of the biggest parties in the world, but here, at a private dock with a handful of friends and this man, I’m overwhelmed.

“This is… obscene,” I say, struggling to form words.

“You haven’t even seen the inside.”

I make to grab my bag from him, but he holds it over the water. “You already lost it once,” he warns.

“Don’t even think about it.” I wrench his arm back toward the dock while he smirks.

Even out here, there’s an undeniable pull between us.

He sets the bag on the dock and steps closer as if he’s thinking the same thing. But when he reaches up to touch my face, I duck away.

“What is it?” he demands.

“Nothing.”

He frowns, unconvinced.

I have a dangerous fascination with a billionaire who buys and sells properties like secondhand synths on Craigslist, and I can’t shake the memory of seeing him with another woman as if they were friendly.

More than.

He’s around beautiful women all the time for work, but not usually alone, and not looking as relaxed as he did strolling through the streets.

It’s not as if I have a right to him. I can’t blame him for spending time with another woman.

But what does throw me is how it felt.

Like the fluttering in my stomach was quashed with a baseball bat.

I turn away from his scrutiny, and as soon as I step onto the deck, Annie wraps me in both arms and squeezes hard.

I shove any other thoughts from my mind as I pull back to stare at her stomach.

“You’re huge.” I glare accusingly at Tyler, who only lifts a shoulder.

It makes sense the rock star gets along with Harrison. They have the same serious, distant vibe.

Annie, by contrast, is warm and genuine as she leans in. “You want a play-by-play on how the pregnancy thing went down?”

“Not as long as you guys are good. Hey, E, thanks for coming. You guys know Harry. Harrison,” I amend, flicking him a look as he responds only with a raised eyebrow. “This is his brother, Ash.”

They exchange greetings.

“Welcome aboard.” The captain introduces himself with a smile, gesturing to two waitstaff. “We’re here to provide for your every need. We’ll be heading to Formentera shortly, which is only a short trip away. I expect you’ll want to take a look around. But first, would you like something to drink?”

“Yes to the drinks,” Elle decides. “Aren’t we short a person?”

Annie holds up her phone. “Beck called. He’s running late.”

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