London Bound: New Adult Romance (Chase Brothers) by Nana Malone Read Free Book Online Page B

was going to end his career. Of course, she’s the one who was carted off. He emerged unscathed.”
    That sounded like something from a soap opera. “Don’t you think if all that happened, he’d be a lot less likely to sleep with another student?”
    Ilani grinned. “Difference is, I only want him for his body. I have no desire for a relationship of any kind. What about you?”
    The waitress arrived with water and took their orders.
    Abbie shook her head. “Oh, I’m off relationships. I just got out of a bad one, and I’m not eager to repeat the experience.”
    “Oh no, I meant Xander. What do you want him for?”
    “Xander? The only thing I want from him is an excellent job recommendation, if not a job, by the end of the year. Other than that, he’s all yours.”
    Ilani studied her. “Are you sure about that?”
    Abbie frowned and shifted uncomfortably in her seat. “What do you mean?”
    Her new friend shrugged. “It means I saw you guys in the hall earlier. It looked like he might kiss you or something.”
    Abbie blinked. “No. He was not going to kiss me. He was busy imparting some knowledge about how I’ll need to be more vulnerable. Besides, I’m not interested. I’m staying far away from guys right now. He’s all yours.”
    “If you say so. But from where I was standing, he looked plenty interested in you.”
    The look of seriousness on Ilani’s face was the only thing keeping Abbie from laughing out loud. “I promise you he’s not. I’m just a student to him. Besides, with that skirt on, you’re sure to catch his attention.”
    Ilani looked temporarily mollified, but then she added, “Look, all kidding aside, you seem like the kind of girl who would get hurt. I like you, and I don’t want to see that happen. Just be careful.”

 
    Chapter 7
     
    “You ready for dinner?” Lex asked his brother as he narrowly avoided stepping on a box of lens filters.
    “Yeah, just let me put away the student portfolios,” Xander replied.
    Lex looked around his brother’s tiny office. “Just where do you plan on putting them, Xander? It’s not like you have a lot of room in here.”
    “Take the piss all you want, mate. I have a system.” He stuck the portfolios on an already overflowing shelf. “Besides, it’s not like I have an assistant right now. Most of this stuff will move to my studio anyway. Once that’s done, it’ll be downright neat in here.”
    Lex just laughed. “Sure. Whatever you say.”
    His brother studied him as they left his office and took the back hall to the staff parking lot. “So, what’s with you?”
    Lex shoved his hands into his pockets and kept his gaze looking ahead. He didn’t need Xander probing into the dark recesses of his mind. “Nothing. Why do you ask?”
    Xander dropped his camera bag in the boot, then strolled around to the driver’s side of his Pagani Huayra. “Seriously, Alexi? You seem to forget it’s my job to study the nuances of human features and emotion then capture those moments.”
    Lex wasn’t in the mood for his brother’s attempts at psychoanalysis. He carefully opened the passenger door of the Huayra. The car was both the fastest and the flashiest of Xander’s vehicles. Lex preferred to run around in something more subtle, but his brother liked the attention. Although, Lex had to admit, the thing was cool.
    “I’m not biting, Xander. Let it go.”
    “I can’t. It’s written all over your face. The tight set of your mouth. When you smile, it doesn’t quite reach your eyes. Your body has a rigidity to it. Especially in your shoulders. Like you’re poised and ready to take action on something. Not to mention you’re fidgety as hell.”
    Lex immediately stopped playing with the hem on his hoodie. “I am not fidgety.”
    “Come on. Why don’t you just tell me what it is? Is it Gemma?”
    Lex was careful to keep his voice neutral. “When did you become an agony aunt? I’m fine.”
    Xander narrowed his eyes and studied him as they