Chapter 2

Chapter Two

J udd ran a hand over his face and stared at his reflection in the mirror behind the bar.

Yeah, same eyes, same nose, same chin.

Then why had Abby stared at him like he'd sprouted horns when he'd surprised her a few minutes ago?

He'd assumed she'd be over the moon to see him and though she'd seemed happy he could tell something was bugging her. Even though it had been a few months since they'd talked he knew her almost better than he knew himself. Their closeness scared him at times, because most women had expectations.

But Abby was different. She didn't want anything from him. She was content being his friend, and if she ever demanded anything more he'd run, like he had eight years earlier.

"Preening in front of the mirror, Calloway? Some things never change."

He swivelled to face Abby as she returned from the toilet and resumed her seat at the bar, struck all over again by how incredible she looked.

They followed each other on social media so he knew she hadn't cut her hair and still favoured casual clothes over the designer stuff she worked with, but seeing her in the flesh had him in a spin he hadn't expected.

Those pics online didn't do her justice, considering her sexy new bod: toned legs, tiny waist, cute ass, and great boobs. Her athletic figure in high school had morphed into curves in all the right places and he'd be blind not to notice.

"I never preened back then," he said, his mock offended expression not fooling her for a second, considering they always sparred like this.

She quirked an eyebrow. "Oh yeah? I distinctly remember a certain high school jock flexing his muscles in front of my full-length mirror after he joined a gym. And another time when you bought that atrocious flannel muscle shirt, and that time you—"

"Okay, okay. Give a guy a break." He held up his hands to ward her off and she swatted them away, her playful pat lingering, the warmth from her palm tingling against his skin.

He gritted his teeth, hoping the flare of awareness didn't show on his face.

He thought he was past this with her.

He'd thought wrong.

Surely eight years away from her should've dulled the attraction?

"You've got a memory like a damn elephant. I'd hate to think what else you remember."

"You'd be amazed," she said, her voice surprisingly low as she raised her glass in his direction, an enigmatic smile curving her glossed lips.

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. " The Abby? 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 response he'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."

"Same here."

Judd waited until Tom left before eyeballing her. "So, have we?"

Her baby-blues widened as she registered what he meant but chose to play dumb. "Have we what?"

"Been more than friends?"

"You tell me," she fired straight back at him with a toss of her gorgeous hair.

He laughed, at ease with the way they slipped back into their banter, feeling increasingly stupid by how he'd reacted to Tom's light flirtation with her.

"I guess you don't ever think about that sensational kiss on graduation night, huh?"

"You guessed right," she said, her fingers plucking at the edge of her skirt before she stilled them when she caught him looking. "And it wasn't that great."

"Liar," he murmured, placing his hand over hers, vindicated by the slight tremor of her hand beneath his, all too aware of her bare leg mere millimetres from his curious fingertips.

Would it feel as smooth as it looked?

Would her skin be warm and soft or cool and firm?

Would touching her leg be a prelude to more?

"Okay, you got me. You're the best damn kisser I've ever had. There. Does that satisfy your humungous ego?"

She squirmed away and he lifted his hand, shaken by how close he'd come to caressing her, by how much he wanted to.

"It would if I thought you meant it," he said, forcing a chuckle as he tried not to stare at her breasts and the evidence of how she'd responded to his touch despite acting immune.

Damn, what was wrong with him?

They'd gotten past that kiddie kiss, had been best buddies for eight years. Why had he turned into a walking hormone the minute he laid eyes on her?

She drained her drink, slamming the soda glass on the bar before sliding off her stool. "As much as I'd like to stay and flatter you, I've got work to do. See you on the beach shortly."

"You got it, boss."

"And don't you forget it." She wiggled her fingers in a saucy wave over her shoulder as she sashayed out of the bar, leaving him with a spectacular view of her lovely legs and the way her short skirt flipped around her thighs, as if teasing the observer to discover the hidden delights beneath.

And boy, did he have a sudden hankering to go exploring.

He swiped a hand across his eyes in a futile effort to wipe her sexy image from his mind and picked up his camera bag.

He didn't need this.

He didn't need any complications in his life.

Was the new, flirtatious Abby a complication?

Damned if he knew.