Just Friends (Aegis Group Dangerous Ladies #2) - Sidney Bristol Page 0,1

last night, and he wants to know if I’m coming to his party tonight.”

“Tonight?” Jennifer croaked.

Please, no...

Milan’s face practically radiated. “Yes!”

So much for nursing a travel hangover and getting a full night of sleep. Jennifer would have to get in as much rest as she could this afternoon before the primping for the party began.

At least she’d have a comfortable bed. That was one of the nice things about staying at Lux.

The familiar walls of the luxury hostel came into view.

How was it she could both look forward to and dread this stay?

On one hand, when they stayed at the Lux Ibiza, safety was of no concern. Milan would be taken care of and looked after. Their accommodations were the most comfortable and the food always delicious. Jennifer would be allowed actual privacy and down time.

On the other, Jennifer couldn’t escape the owner.

Milan smacked Jennifer’s arm. “Look, there’s Orion!”

She fought the urge to sink down farther in her seat.

Great.

The car turned, and she caught a glimpse of the man himself.

Orion Doukas.

Every time she thought she was ready to lay eyes on him, and every time she was dead wrong.

Her physical reaction to the man was out of her control. Just looking at him was a pleasure. Despite the cool interior of the car, she was hot all over.

For a brief second, her eyes locked with Orion’s through the window as the car turned.

In that moment, Jennifer knew she was cornered.

She and Orion had been at this dance from the first time they’d met. Each time she left, she brushed it off. In the beginning it had been easy to assume, with looks like those, he had his pick of the ladies. However, upon her third or fourth stay, the staff at the Lux had been quick to dispel those myths.

If she believed the staff, Orion only had eyes for her.

It made Jennifer feel...hunted.

She much preferred ignoring his advances. She didn’t know what to do with a man like that. He couldn’t possibly want her. Not really. And no part of her believed there weren’t other women.

There had to be more to it was the only thing she came up with.

Milan bounded out of the car. Jennifer sucked down air, catching the fragrant aroma of all the lush, flowering plants in front of the house that added color to the otherwise stark, white exterior.

“Tell her,” Milan pleaded.

Lovely.

The her in question was no doubt Jennifer.

She grabbed her travel backpack and pushed her sunglasses up her nose. They were minimal protection, but necessary against Orion. Thus prepared, she opened the door and got out, glancing over the top of the car at the two now staring at her.

“Tell me what?” Jennifer asked.

“Zechariah really is into me.”

Orion placed his hand on Milan’s bare shoulder. “You are a beautiful, charming young woman. A man would have to be sick in the head to not see that.”

A non-answer.

Milan beamed at Jennifer. “See?”

She trudged around the car, side-stepping the staff that appeared to whisk away their bags.

“We don’t have glam lined up. We just got here.” Jennifer checked her watch. “That gives us six, maybe seven hours to eat, unpack, sleep, get dressed...”

Not to mention Jennifer hadn’t been to this Zechariah’s house before. She’d only done precursory background on the guy after he popped up in Amsterdam during the pre-birthday Bali trip. She knew very little about him, which didn’t sit right with her. It was part of her job to thoroughly vet friends, boyfriends, potential business investments, services. Basically, everything. Given that they’d been traveling almost constantly for a month, she hadn’t had a moment to do her laundry, much less check out the new eye candy Milan was interested in.

Orion patted Milan on the shoulder. “The two of you just need to eat and rest. Let me take care of the rest?”

Milan smiled up at him. “Can you?”

Jennifer wanted to kick the too handsome man in the kneecaps.

He smiled back with his too perfect teeth. “Of course. That’s what a good host is for.”

“Yay!” Milan twirled. “I’m going to my room.”

Jennifer scowled. “Wait—”

“Bye!”

Milan darted through the double doors and into the hostel proper.

Jennifer let her smile fade and allowed herself a groan.

“You are the worst,” she said.

Orion chuckled and his full attention settled on her.

She shivered.

She couldn’t help it.

There was something about him that was so magnetic. His hazel eyes seemed to sparkle with the late morning light. His sun-bleached brown hair was still loose, which meant he hadn’t been out and about much today.