The Mogul and the Muscle: A Bluewater Billionaires Romantic Comedy(36)

“No, he wouldn’t have.”

I put a hand on my hip. “And how do you know that?”

“Money doesn’t make him man enough for you.”

I had no idea how to reply to that. Especially when Jude’s hazel eyes smoldered with heat.

Was he picturing me naked?

I was picturing him naked.

This was ridiculous.

“I don’t need your opinion on who I date, and I certainly don’t—” I stopped mid-sentence, hoping the man I’d just seen from the corner of my eye was anyone but the man I thought he was.

No, it was him. Aldrich Leighton.

He was impeccably dressed, as always, in a lavender button-down and dark slacks—although the two buttons open at the top was new. The dark-haired beauty on his arm had to be fifteen years younger than him—at least.

I’d known this moment would happen eventually. We traveled in the same social circles. It was inevitable that we’d run into each other.

I glanced down at my dress, suddenly wishing I’d taken Daisy up on her offer to wear one of hers. This one was boring. One of her five-thousand-dollar sequined numbers that barely covered my ass might have been a better choice.

Aldrich’s eyes met mine and a slow smile crossed his face.

“Oh, god,” I mumbled.

Jude took a step closer. “Your ex.”

I noticed he hadn’t phrased it as a question. He already knew.

Keeping my expression smooth, I watched Aldrich and his date make their way across the courtyard. Frantically, my mind raced for the right words.

Now wasn’t the time for a confrontation. Aldrich didn’t know that I knew, and the sex tape hadn’t been made public. As far as I knew, it had only been passed around to a handful of his buddies, and I wanted to make sure it stayed that way. One wrong word in a public place, with the wrong person within earshot, and the gossipmongers would be offering a hefty sum for a copy of that video.

But in the brief moment it took for Aldrich to cross the distance between us, I realized my fear of that tape making it into the media wasn’t the only reason I couldn’t say a word about it now.

Jude didn’t know, and I did not want him to find out.

Jude accidentally seeing my boobs hadn’t embarrassed me, but I was deeply ashamed of that video. Ashamed that I’d let Aldrich record it in the first place when I should have known better. Ashamed that other men had seen it—seen me in such an intimate act. I didn’t know why the idea of Jude finding out about it hurt so much, but it did.

But I was Cameron fucking Whitbury. President of a multi-billion-dollar company. Badass aerospace mogul. And I wasn’t going to let my ex hurt me.

“Cameron,” Aldrich said with a smooth smile. He made a move to step in closer—probably to kiss my cheek—but he seemed to notice Jude. He hesitated, his smile faltering, then offered his hand.

I let him take my hand and shook his—hard. “Aldrich.”

His only reaction was a slight eye twitch.

Jude no longer kept a respectful distance, the ever-watchful but unobtrusive bodyguard. He crowded my space, standing so close if I had leaned backward a fraction of an inch, I would have pressed against his chest. I could practically feel his body heat.

“I was wondering if I’d run into you,” Aldrich said. “How have you been?”

“I’ve been well. You?”

“I can’t complain. Busy, as usual. You know how it is.”

The girl at his side didn’t seem to care that he hadn’t introduced her. She pulled her phone out of her purse and started typing.

“Yes, I do know how it is.”

“What do you think of the installation?” he asked.

“It’s interesting. Very colorful.”

“You know what it reminds me of?” His eyes darted to Jude, then back to me. “That trip we took to Costa Rica. The place we stayed had that big painting above the bed. You said the colors were soothing.”

Why was he bringing up a trip we’d taken more than two years ago? “Did I?”

“Don’t you remember lying backwards on the bed so we could stare at it?”

I barely restrained myself from rolling my eyes. Was that comment for me, or Jude? Either way, it was clearly an attempt to show off the fact that he’d been with me.

“Vaguely,” I said. Silently hoping Jude would understand my signal, I shifted my feet, just enough that my shoulder brushed against his chest.

I felt him lift his arm. Checking his watch? He put a hand on my arm and leaned closer to my ear. “It’s time to go, Ms. Whitbury.”

I kept the smile from my lips, but nothing could stop the rush of warm fuzzy feelings that poured through me. There were benefits to having a cock-blocking bodyguard.

“Thank you, Jude.” I set my empty martini glass down on a ledge. “I have another engagement to get to.”

“It was great seeing you, Cameron,” Aldrich said, his lips curling in a smile that made me feel like vomiting all over his suede shoes.

I took a step closer to him and lowered my voice to almost a whisper. “I’d say it was nice to see you too, but that would be a lie.”

Without another word, I walked away, allowing myself a little strut. A little hip sway. My dress might not have been club-worthy, but I did have a great ass. I’d worked hard for it.