“But while I was away,” Mason continued, “I did some thinking, and you must’ve rubbed off on me more than I thought because I’ve decided it’s time to stay put for a while. Now that you’ve got the beautiful Ilana as your wife, I expect babies soon. I’m ready to be an uncle.”
“Let us be married for a day before you get me pregnant, Mase,” Ilana joked as he took his seat and finished off his flute of champagne.
“Won’t be me doing the deed. I’m more than happy to keep hanging out with your brother.”
Jude winced and chugged his water as Ilana and Doug both turned to him with shocked expressions.
“With Jude? But…” Ilana pressed her lips together, and Jude knew what she’d been about to say.
You hate each other.
“Oh, I think Jude and I buried the hatchet.”
“You did?” Ilana cocked her head, then turned to him and peered into his eyes. “Jude?”
A terrifying moment from the night before hit him: Jude thrusting into Mason’s taut, writhing body, pinning his hands over his head, ravaging his mouth.
Oh, I buried something, all right. My dick inside Mason Reiner.
“I don’t know what he’s talking about. Mason and I don’t hang out. I don’t sleep until noon and party at clubs. I have a business to run.”
Mason leaned past Doug and Ilana to point at him. “Well, Mr. Judgy McJudgypants. Just so you know, I got my business degree online while working in Fiji. So I’m qualified. Maybe you guys can help a brother out.” He widened those honey-gold, twinkling eyes at him. “Or a brother-in-law.”
Jude, once again in control, cut into his eggs Benedict. “We’re at my sister’s wedding breakfast. I’m not here to discuss business.”
Mason smirked. “And here I thought that’s all you thought about. Although after last night, I’m not so sure.”
Jude’s face grew hot, and he shoved a forkful of eggs and salmon into his mouth.
“What happened last night?” Ilana asked him in a low voice when Doug and Mason were busy talking to some relatives. “Last I saw, you were pounding down the tequila.”
That’s not all I was pounding.
“Yeah, well, I paid for it. Trust me.”
“Hangover?” She cast him a sympathetic glance and gave his arm a squeeze. “Make sure you drink lots of water.”
“Now who’s hovering?” Jude teased her as he continued to pour from the pitcher. “But yeah. You know I don’t get drunk. Guess I let it all get to me.”
“I know you’ve been my big brother who never stopped watching out for me, but it’s time you got your own life in order.”
“My life is fine.”
“Because you have none. All you do is work and go home, and until now, worry about me.”
Jude squirmed. “I didn’t mind. And I have a life. I go to the theater and ballet. I work out.”
“That’s not a life, when you do it with people you don’t care about.” A painful noise escaped her, one Jude never wanted to hear from her pretty face. “You’re not fooling me. Or Doug either. We know you bury yourself in the company and give it your everything. But it’s time for you to take a breather and enjoy yourself.”
“Why does everyone think I need a partner to be happy? I’m fine on my own.”
“How would you know? You’ve never even tried. You’ve spent your life watching over me. Not that I don’t love you to pieces, but you need to find another outlet. Doug and I want to start a family and—”
Jude laughed. “Don’t worry. I’ll manage. Contrary to what you might think, I’m not a loser who sits by himself in the dark.”
He either went places by himself or hired someone to come along with him when he needed a plus one. Not for sex, for companionship. His physical needs had dwindled to minimal.
“What was Mason talking about before? You hanging out together?”
