Without Warning: A Billionaire Romance (Playboys of New York Book 5) JA Low (e textbook reader .TXT) 📖

She rushes over and gives them both a cuddle. I’ve met Anderson a handful of times at these events, I have heard about him in the business community, and I’ve seen his wife, Emma, around. She’s an ex-supermodel, and she’s absolutely stunning. But the thing I do notice is Ariana standing behind them. Emma turns around and whispers something to Ariana.

“Audrey, this is my best friend, Ariana,” Emma introduces her to my sister.

This is a little too close to home.

“Please tell me you’re as much fun as Emma?” my sister asks.

“She’s just as bad,” Emma answers for her.

“Please…” Ariana nudges her friend with a smile. “No one is as bad as Emma, even if she is married.” The girls all have a laugh.

“Which table are you guys at?” my sister asks.

“Table twenty-six,” Emma replies.

That sounds familiar. Then my eye catches our table number, and I realize they’re sitting at our table.

“That’s mine.” Audrey smiles.

The group turns around, and Ariana stops in her tracks when she sees me sitting there.

“Let me introduce to you all my brother, Rhys, and his business partner, Stirling.” We both stand and shake everyone’s hands. When mine connects with Ariana’s, sparks fly again. I can tell she notices it too as those chocolate eyes flicker with remembrance.

“This is going to be such a fun table.” Audrey laughs. “Oh, Emma, you are beside me.” My sister points to the seat. Looking down at the place card name beside me, I realize Ariana has been set to sit beside me.

“You’re here, Ariana,” I tell her while pulling out her chair.

Those eyes widen with surprise. She then turns and stares at Emma, who is grinning widely for a couple of moments. Ariana then makes her way over and takes her seat. I push her in and let the back of my hand slide lightly against her arm. I can see the goosebumps rise as my fingers trace her skin.

Knowing she’s as affected by me as I am her is good.

“Just so you know, I did not plan this,” Ariana whispers to me.

“Neither did I,” I reply. She looks up at me and smiles. “The universe might be trying to tell us something.” I wink at her.

“I don’t think it’s the universe, just my meddling friends.” She looks over where Emma is sitting across the table. Emma’s watching our conversation intently, and unashamedly she raises her champagne glass in our direction with a smile, and I laugh.

“She seems great.”

“Em’s the best, but she likes to meddle,” Ariana grumbles.

“Are you upset that you’re stuck with my company for the night?” I ask her.

“No,” she answers quickly and honestly. “Tonight’s just been… you know… interesting.” Ariana grins.

Leaning over a little more, I whisper into Ariana’s ear, “I think what we just did was much more interesting than sitting here and pretending my tongue wasn’t just eating your pussy.”

Ariana chokes on my words and reaches for her glass of water to take a sip. Her cheeks flush pink from my words.

“Rhys,” my sister calls my name sternly. “Can you please stop trying to chat up my new friend for one moment? I don’t want you scaring Ariana away.” Audrey shakes her head at me.

“You’re right. I’m sorry.” Smiling over at my sister, then back to Ariana.

As the evening progresses, our table becomes louder and louder with the amount of champagne we have all drunk. Also, our pockets seem to be getting a little lighter as we all urged the other on in the auctions. I may have stupidly bid on a weekend away in Turks and Caicos at my own resort when Ariana stated she had always longed to go there. I, of course, won and promptly told Ariana that she and I would be going there soon. Seeing her face light up at the gesture made my stone-cold heart beat once again. Ariana then lectured me on being a fool for bidding on my own donation. “It was for a good cause,” I told her. Which had her melting again.

Our hands are all over each other under the table during the evening, especially the drunker we all become. Honestly, this has been the most fun I’ve had in ages, which is rather sad, but also the most fun I’ve had at this fundraiser as an adult. Of course, Stirling and I had fun as teenagers getting drunk while the adults partied the night away.

“Andy and I are going to head home,” Emma states rather tipsily, but her eyes are squarely on Ariana. There are a few moments of silence where Ariana’s unable to answer her question.

“I can drop her home,” I tell them.

Emma smirks at my reply. “You okay with that?” Emma asks her friend.

“Sure.” Ariana gives her a nonchalant shrug.

“You don’t sound so sure.” Whispering into her ear, “Does my tongue need to remind you?”

Shivers lace Ariana’s skin. “It’s all good, Em.” Ariana pushes her chair back and stands to give her friends a hug goodbye.

“Yay, we need to keep partying,” Audrey states.

I don’t think my sister needs anymore to drink, to be honest. “I think you’ve had enough,” I tell her.

“Boo.” She glares at me. “You’re a party pooper.”

“Maybe Stirling can help you to your car?” I ask, turning to my friend.

“No,” Audrey replies loudly, and I still. “He’s too much of a gentleman.” I pull my eyebrows together in my sister’s direction. “I’m sick of gentlemen.”

“Okay, I think you have had enough.” Pushing my chair back, I walk over to where my sister is seated.

“Men suck, Rhys.” Audrey pouts. “Men are intimidated by my money.” She sinks further into her seat as if she’s exhausted. “Or they just want to date me for my name.” She huffs and folds her arms across her chest.

“I think you’re forgetting one thing, Aud,” I tell her. My sister looks up at me with glassy eyes. “I married a gold digger.”

She bursts out laughing, then begins clutching her stomach she’s laughing so hard.

I didn’t think it was that funny.

“Sorry, Rhys. I guess my