Tempting the Billionaire: Falling for my brother's best friend (The Hartford Brothers Book 1)

by JA Low

  “What? No. And keep your fucking voice down would you?” I hiss at him. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

  “I see the way you look at Audrey,” Remi bites back.

  “I don’t look at her in anyway.” My voice raises, getting angry with my brother.

  “Shut up, bullshit. You want her,” Remi argues. I still at my brother’s observations, my stomach drops at the thought that maybe I haven’t been hiding the way I see Audrey all these years well. “And it’s getting harder for you to hide it.” My heart is beating uncontrollably through my chest. “Well from your brothers anyway,” he adds that last caveat to his comment. I relax a little.

  “Nothing will ever happen between Audrey and me.” My words are firm and succinct I need my brothers to know whatever bullshit conspiracy theories they have going on in their heads they need to stop it. “I promised Rhys.”

  “When you were fucking teenagers,” Remi grumbles.

  “I have too much to lose. I can’t.” Remi gives me a side eye.

  “Even if she’s worth it?” he pushes.

  “I won’t ever find out if she is,” I add.

  “Fair enough.” My brother shrugs his shoulders and pulls out his phone and begins playing on it, cutting off our conversation.

  8

  Audrey

  “Are you okay?” Rainn asks as her and Nell fuss over me. I don’t know why I’m crying over Stirling rejecting my lap dance. It was a stupid thing to do in the first place. I should have given one to Remi, at least he would have understood the joke.

  “Stirling’s a bit of a dick,” Nell adds as Rainn grabs the toilet paper and wipes away my tears.

  “No, he’s not.” I say, surprising myself as I defend him. Nell’s eyes widen at my comment.

  “I knew it would make him feel uncomfortable and I still did it,” I tell them.

  “He does need to lighten up,” Rainn adds.

  “He’s loyal to my brother. Could you imagine if Rhys found out that he let me give him a lap dance and enjoyed it?” I ask, looking between my girlfriends. “He would kill him.” They both nod in agreement.

  “Then why are you crying?” Nell asks.

  “I don’t know.” I answer, sniffling again. “I think it was the rejection and I’m super sensitive at the moment.”

  “Is it that time of the month?” Nell questions me.

  “No, I don’t think so.”

  “She can be emotional without being on her period.” Rainn rolls her eyes at Nell. Okay, I didn’t mean to trigger Rainn on one of her feminism talks.

  “Guys!” I call out pulling both of their attentions back to me. “I needed a moment that’s all. Stirling did nothing wrong. We are all good. It’s been a crazy twenty-four hours that’s all.”

  “Maybe the shots and champagne weren’t the best idea.” Nell shrugs, which makes me smile for the first time since news of David and Dior’s deceit came out.

  “No, it was exactly what I needed,” I say, giving her a grin so she doesn’t feel bad about my breakdown. “I promise you guys. I’ll be fine.” Reassuring them both.

  “I still think Stirling is the fun police.” Nell grins which makes me chuckle.

  “Don’t forget he’s old,” Rainn adds.

  “Not that old,” I add quickly. Rainn eyes me suspiciously.

  “You seem to have changed your tune on Stirling all of a sudden?” Rainn’s eyes narrow on me as if she is trying to read my mind.

  “There was no tune to change,” I tell her. She doesn’t look like she believes me. “He’s a friend. A good friend who I turned to when I didn’t know where else to go. He took me in, listened to everything then let me crash. Nothing more,” I tell them, explaining myself for the millionth time.

  “I notice he’s looking at you a little differently now that’s all,” Rainn muses.

  “What do you mean?” I ask her because I haven’t noticed him doing anything other than ignoring me.

  “He sees you differently now.” Differently how? Going back through what happened the other night. Nothing other than us waking up in bed together but that was all innocent. “Maybe it’s because Rhys isn’t around, he is a little freer with his appreciative looks of you.”

  Rolling my eyes, I say, “You are clutching at straws.”

  “He’s not as blatant as Remi is with Nell,” Rainn adds.

  “What does that mean?” Nell questions Rainn who promptly chuckles.

  “Remi has it bad for you, girl.”

  “Ew. No, he doesn’t.” Nell squishes up her face at Rainn.

  “There is nothing ew about that man, Nell. He is one hundred percent certified beef cake.”

  “If you think he’s so hot, why don’t you go for him then?” Nell tells Rainn.

  “Maybe I will. I’ve heard nothing but great things about him. I could use a man who knows how to fuck in my life.” Rainn smiles and for the tiniest of moments Nell’s face drops and she looks a little hurt before she hides it again.

  “You won’t be disappointed, that’s for sure,” Nell grumbles.

  “London just got more interesting.” Rainn grins. I shake my head as I can see she is teasing Nell because deep down inside I think she does like Remi but she’s too stubborn to admit it. Also, she thinks his brother Miles is some kind of hero after saving her life when she was bucked from a horse.

  There’s a knock on the bathroom door.

  “Aud, are you okay?” It’s Stirling. Nell and Rainn jump up and down with joy as they scream silently.

  “We’ll let you go,” Rainn states as they push open the bathroom door and the two of them stumble out into the plane and right into Stirling’s path. “She’s all yours,” Rainn adds giving me a wink before pushing him into the bathroom and slamming the door behind us. The two of them walk off giggling to themselves.

  “Sorry.” Stirling looks around the larger than a normal airplane bathroom. It’s still a little cramped but nothing like flying in coach. “Are you okay?” he asks looking a little awkward standing there before me.

  “I’m fine, really. It wasn’t you. I think the entire situation got to me,” I begin rambling. “I shouldn’t have put you in that position. I understand how loyal you are to my brother. And I put you in an uncomfortable position. So, I’m sorry for that.” Stirling looks up at me, and his brows pull together in a frown.

  “I should be the one apologizing. I had to go and be a stick in the mud and ruin your fun which you needed in that moment with everything going on.” This whole conversation makes me laugh which confuses Stirling.

  “This whole conversation is funny. I’m fine. You’re fine. We are both adults. I’ve had way too much drink. I let things get out of hand and here we are.”

  “I never want to be the reason you cry, Audrey,” he tells me quietly. The air in my lungs disappears at his words as my heart begins to beat wildly in my chest. He reaches out and brushes some escaping strands of hair from my face, and my body subconsciously moves toward him and into his touch. His palm curves around my cheek as his thumb caresses my face. “I …” Stirling seems lost for words. “I care about you, Audrey. And I never ever want to hurt you.” I swallow the lump in my throat at his kind words. This bathroom is feeling rather cramped suddenly. “Just know that I will never forget the way you felt between my legs.” And with those words, Stirling’s hand falls from my cheek and he disappears out of the bathroom leaving me in a puddle of goo.

  “I don’t feel so well,” Nell moans beside me in the plane.

  “Me either,” Rainn agrees putting her sunglasses on. We continued with the party after the lap dance incident. I needed it to calm my nerves after hearing Stirling’s confession in the bathroom. When I eventually stepped out and sat down in my seat, he was busy working and never looked up at me for the rest of the journey. It stung a little, but what else could he do. Nothing. Stirling is loyal to a fault and that is admirable.

  I don’t think partying on the plane was the best idea. Especially now th
at we are on the ground, and it feels like it’s moving.

  “You need to rehydrate ladies.” Remi hands us each a bottle of water.

  “Maybe we should grab them something greasy too,” Stirling adds.

  “Good idea,” Remi agrees.

  The boys talk to the driver about stopping on our way to Rhys’s place. I take a tentative sip of my water and am able to keep it down.

  “You, okay?” Stirling asks. I can feel his presence looming over me, protecting me.

  “I’m going to be. I think I need some food then sleep,” I grumble, rubbing my head. He pats me on my back gently then sits back against the limousine’s seat. A little while later we slow down, and the boys jump out then come back in with a British hangover cure of bacon sandwiches, Gatorade, and hot chips. We devour everything slowly. The greasy food settles in my stomach horribly, but I can feel it doing the job.

  It’s not long till we are pulling up out the front of Rhys’s townhouse. Moments later, Stirling is helping me from the limousine gingerly.

  “Audrey, are you okay?” I hear my brother’s voice. I look up and see a concerned frown on his face. “You don’t look so good. None of you girls look so good.”

  “Hey, speak for yourself,” Rainn pipes up which makes me smile. I move out of Stirling’s arms and move into my brothers. I hug him so tightly I might have broken some ribs. He gives me a soft chuckle.

  “They may have partied a little too much,” Stirling tells him.

  “I wanted to forget about everything,” I mumble into my brother’s chest. Rhys hugs me tightly at my words.

  “Come on in guys. Think it might be an early night for you all,” Rhys tells us.

  “See you all later. Thanks, ladies, for one of the best flights I’ve ever been on.” Remi chuckles.

  “You’re not staying here?” Nell asks him.

  “Sorry, sweetheart. I’ve got a hotel in the city. As much as I would love to stay and play with you, I have work to do,” Remi explains. I can see a tiny frown form on Nell’s face before it disappears.

  “You’d be cramping our style anyway,” Nell bites back. This makes Remi smile before he jumps back into the limousine and disappears into traffic. We all head into Rhys’s home and follow him as he shows us to our rooms. I say goodnight to Rainn, Nell, and Stirling as I continue on through the home to my room.

  “Here you go.” Rhys smiles. “The same room you had last time you were here.” It’s a gorgeous room Rhys has given me; it’s made up of neutral tones and a chocolate palette. There’s an oversized wooden bed that sits in the middle. There’s a fluffy cream duvet over the bed and a scattering of chocolate cushions across it. To the side is a large window that overlooks into the private garden. It’s your typical English style cottage garden with pinks, purples, and white flowers littering the edges. Sweet smelling roses, whose scent drifts over as you walk past, as well as bright green manicured lawns where not one blade of grass is out of line and all right in the heart of the city. I have my own bathroom with the deepest bathtub known to man in it. I remember last time sinking deep down into the warm water and letting everything melt away from me. I think I’m going to need that tonight to cure this hangover and broken heart.

  “It’s so good to see you again.” Rhys pulls me into his side.

  “When are you coming home?” I ask him, feeling a little light-footed as I sway in his embrace. Rhys notices and moves me toward the bed, where I fall backwards and instantly the room starts to spin.

  “I’ll be home soon. I promise,” he tells me, laying down beside me.

  “How are you doing?”

  I give him a huff and he chuckles. “Didn’t think you were going so good by the state you’ve arrived in London in.” I close my eyes to concentrate on his voice. “You know you can talk to me, Aud.”

  “I know.” I sigh, squeezing my eyes shut. “I’m so humiliated by the whole thing.”

  “You have nothing to be embarrassed over. None of this is your fault.” My brother tries to make me feel better.

  “I know. Still, how was I so blind to what was going on under my nose.” I ask him, slowly opening my eyes and turning my head to where Rhys is lying beside me.

  “Look at me. I had no idea my wife and former best friend were hooking up. At least you didn’t marry that jerkoff,” Rhys adds. He’s right. Here I am feeling sorry for myself when my own brother is going through the exact same thing but fortunately for me, I didn’t marry David.

  “I’m sorry,” I tell him, as I reach out and clasp our hands together. “I’ve been so wrapped up in my drama I forgot about yours.”

  “Hey, now.” Rhys squeezes my hand. “You’re allowed to be upset that David broke your heart, Audrey. It’s still so fresh. Guess we are both very similar in running away to London to get away from our problems.” He gives me a wide grin. I reach out and give my brother a hug. “Go have a shower cause you smell like a brewery, then go to bed. I’ll bring up some Advil and a bottle of water for you so that you will feel more human in the morning.” Rhys jumps up off the bed and heads out of the bedroom. I roll onto my back and stare at the white ceiling until my eyelids get heavy and I fall asleep.

  “Morning,” I grumble walking into the kitchen where Stirling is sitting reading the paper and sipping on coffee.

  “How’re you feeling?” He looks up at me over the rim of mug. The heat is fogging up his glasses. Who knew men reading newspapers, drinking coffee, wearing glasses would make my body tingle?

  “Rough.” I groan. Heading over to the coffee pot and pouring myself some perfect brown elixir. I take the first sip and instantly feel better.

  “Alcohol hits you harder when you are twenty thousand miles above.”

  “I realize this now,” I answer sarcastically which makes him chuckle.

  “What are your plans for today?” he asks.

  “Not sure. Depends on when the others wake up,” I tell him. “I’m assuming you and Rhys are going into the office for work?” I ask, taking another sip of my coffee.

  “Yes. I think Rhys wants to do dinner or something,” Stirling tells me.

  “Sounds good. Nell’s organized for us to attend some kind of exclusive party later on tonight. She thinks I should be seen having fun not being at home wallowing.” I shrug my shoulders.

  “What do you want?” Stirling asks me.

  “I don’t know,” I answer. “Maybe it’s petty but I kind of want them to see that what they did hasn’t broken me.”

  “But it’s also okay to not be okay,” Stirling explains to me.

  “I know.” Taking another sip of my coffee. “But twenty-four hours in the real world is vastly different time frame to the influencer world.”

  “But this is real life not some beautifully curated image.” A frown forms on Stirling’s face. “You deserved better than that halfwit anyway,” Stirling mumbles. His comment warms my heart. I walk over to where Stirling is sitting and surprise him with a kiss on the cheek.

  “You’re a good man, Stirling Hartford.”

  “What’s going on here?” Rhys walks in at that moment. Stirling tenses when he sees the daggers my brother is sending his way.

  “Nothing. Stirling said something that resonated with me. And I appreciated it,” I explain to my brother. Rhys looks over at his best friend, and his eyes narrow assessing the situation trying to work out if there is something more there. So, I walk over and do the same to him. “Now if you will excuse me, I need to check in on the girls to see if they are still alive.”

  9

  Stirling

  “What the hell was that?” Rhys asks and he doesn’t look happy.

  “What?”

  “The kiss?” he asks pointing at me.

  “I was just helping her. She’s going through a tough time and I gave her some words of encouragement. That’s all,” I explain. His eyes narrow on me as he grabs himself a cup of coffee.

  “And that’s it?” Rhys questions me.

  “Come on
. How long have you known me?” I ask him.

  “You’re right. Sorry,” Rhys apologizes. “I hate being so far away from everyone.” He takes a sip of his coffee.

  “Any news on the divorce?”

  “Madison is living her best life while trying to eviscerate me in the media.” Rhys tenses when he talks about his wife. It’s been tough for him since finding her screwing his best friend over their pool table in the Hamptons. She started off as his assistant before moving on to more. We all warned him that she was taking advantage of his good nature, that she was a gold digger, but he didn’t want to hear it. He was in love. I hate the fact that we were right about her, and it doesn’t give me any satisfaction knowing this woman has taken advantage of my best friend. Someone who’s a good guy.

  “I want to come home soon, but I need a little longer,” he tells me. “I mean I’ve gotten so much work done while being out here. I love that we are strengthening our hold on the European market, not just the US.”

  Rhys and I have been in business together for a long time. I started out working for him but as the company grew over the years, he pulled me in to become a partner in his business so we could grow it together. We own luxury boutique hotels around the world. And since Rhys has been in London, we’ve been looking at opportunities over here, and hopefully something good can happen from a bad situation.

  “You’ve been able to make lemonade from lemons,” I tell him. He raises his coffee in agreement.

  “Let’s finish up and get to work.”

  “Come on girls!” Rhys calls up to them from the first floor. “I’m starving.”

  “You know they are having a photoshoot up there,” I tell him, shoving my hands in my pockets.