Crushing on my Billionaire Best Friend - Jolie Day Page 0,25

a smartass grin. “It’s funny. That Amber girl you used to mess around with, the one who used to tease her about her weight? Yeah, she’s changed so much I almost didn’t recognize her, and not in a good way.” He grimaced. “But Laney’s looking better than ever. Beautiful curves. I’ve always had a weak spot for her.”

My nostrils flared, and I fake-coughed to cover it up. Shit. Why did his comment irritate the hell out of me? Yeah, I didn’t want Miles to add Laney to his ever-growing list of conquests. “Where did you see her?”

Miles grinned. “I saw her one day when I was driving to work. She was stunning.”

I felt myself growing more agitated, trying not to go there with my brother. “I was just letting you know what was going on with her. That’s all, okay? Sure, she’s gorgeous, we all know that, but I’ve never looked at her that way. And you shouldn’t, either! She’s my best friend…and off-limits.”

He nodded, still seeming slightly unconvinced. “Whatever you say, bro. Not so sure if you’re trying to convince me or yourself, but whatever. We’ve got a meeting to get ready for.”

As anticipated, the deal went down without a hitch three days later, making Miles a very happy man. I got a thrill from it, too, of course, but he was an even bigger adrenaline junky than I was. The higher the dollar amount on a contract, the higher he got from it. I was just glad to get the weirdness with Laney off my brain, especially after everything Miles had suggested about her.

The next night, I was gearing up to join my brother and our client Adriana Miller to celebrate the success of the big deal. Laney had been behaving the same: declining my invites to go out, as usual, but she’d said she’d been crazy busy. Which didn’t surprise me. I was just happy she wasn’t upset about walking in on me with another woman. Again. I knew she’d been trying to get everything in her life back on track. She’d even learned how to use my coffee maker and had it ready for me in the mornings, leaving funny little notes. Today’s had said, “Have a good day, Jockstrap.” I had to chuckle at that one. She never ceased to amaze me with the names she came up with. Man, I could get used to waking up to the smell of fresh coffee and her funny notes. I hoped to catch her on my way out the door, but I had no idea what time she would be home tonight.

I stopped to look in my bedroom mirror and straightened my tie before grabbing my keys and strolling into the kitchen for a quick shot. A little tequila always helped me amp up the charm before meeting up with business associates.

Just as I was about to down my drink, the front door opened. Laney walked in looking calmer than she had the past several nights. She had on black heels, a pretty white blouse and blue jeans, and they hugged her curves in all the right places. Her long brown hair was braided back into a bun, and her big green eyes, behind black-framed glasses, met mine with a smile.

“Oh, hey.” She gave me a little wave as she walked over to the counter, tossing her purse down.

“Hey there.” I smiled. “Would you like a shot of tequila?”

She laughed hesitantly, but finally agreed. “Okay, sure. Why not?”

I poured another one and slid hers across the countertop. We both tapped the small glasses to the counter before throwing them back.

Laney’s face wrinkled, and she stuck out her tongue. “Whew. It’s been a while since I’ve done shots.”

“Did you just say ‘shots,’ as in plural?” I raised a brow. “Because I’m more than happy to pour you another.”

“Didn’t you just have one when I came in? Can you really handle three all in a row like that?” She stared me down with uncertainty.

“Don’t underestimate my tolerance,” I replied confidently, pouring another for both of us. “But, no, that was my first. I hadn’t tossed it back yet when you walked in the door.”

“Well, two is my limit. Because I just realized I’m drinking on an empty stomach.” She stared at the empty glass with what I assumed was regret. “Have you had dinner? I can cook us something. Or we could order some food?”

My phone dinged with a message from Adriana, letting me know she was five minutes