Lucky Stars (Ghosts and Reincarnation #5)(6)

“We were, ages and ages ago. Now we’re just friends. Close friends but just friends. We’ve been friends for years. But we’re only friends,” Yasmin made herself perfectly clear and Jack felt Miles’s displeasure without having to look at him.

“So, you’re friends?” Belle mumbled her dry question and Jack chuckled.

As he did so, he saw her eyes on him held a hint of shocked pleasure before they quickly moved away.

“Yes,” Yasmin replied, amusement in her voice, her eyes on Belle. “By the way, Joy showed me the brooch you gave her. It’s stunning.”

Belle and Jack both looked at Yasmin.

“What brooch?” Jack asked.

“Joy told me that the girl Miles brought with him, Belle, obviously,” she nodded her head at Belle and then carried on, “bought her a brooch for her birthday. Very unusual, very gorgeous. I want one,” Yasmin replied throwing a smile toward Belle as Jack’s eyes moved to her as well.

She was, again, looking anywhere but him.

“You bought Mum a brooch?” he asked her and her eyes went to his ear.

“Yes,” she replied.

“It’s fantastic,” Miles put in, pulling Belle closer to his side and Jack watched her body grow visibly tense. “It’s from her shop in St. Ives.”

“I’ll have to visit your shop,” Yasmin told her.

Belle looked relieved to have an opportunity to move her gaze to Yasmin whom she gave a nod and another small smile. “I’d like that.”

“She made her dress,” Miles declared and Jack watched a becoming flush creep into Belle’s cheek as Miles went on. “The one she’s wearing tonight.”

“Miles,” she whispered, clearly embarrassed and equally clearly wanting him to shut up.

Miles ignored her and kept talking. “She designs clothes.” Miles’s eyes moved to Jack and his hand not wrapped around Belle’s waist came across his body. Holding his champagne glass, he flicked the ruffle at her collarbone with an extended finger. “Sexy little number, isn’t it?” he asked Jack.

“Miles!” Belle hissed with now obvious embarrassment as her body went solid.

“It’s lovely,” Jack murmured, wondering how angry his mother would be if he did physical injury to his brother at her birthday party before turning the conversation off Belle’s more than just lovely dress to something else. “Are you spending the weekend?”

Belle’s eyes came to his and he thought he saw a hint of gratitude at his change of topic before they moved swiftly away.

“Yes,” Miles stated, curling Belle possessively closer, his head bending in an openly intimate way toward hers, both actions gave his words more meaning. “We’re staying until Monday.”

His insinuation was not lost on anyone and Belle’s cheeks flamed.

“Joy tells me you’re in separate bedrooms,” Yasmin remarked, boldly calling Miles out on his nonverbal lie. Jack would have laughed but Belle’s eyes flew to Yasmin and she looked mortified.

She turned into Miles and tipped her head back. “You know,” she said softly but somewhat desperately. “I think I need to go fix my lipstick.”

It was clear she was desperate to escape.

Clear to everyone but Miles.

“Your lips are perfect, gorgeous,” Miles replied and Jack watched as something crossed her face. Even in profile he could see it and it looked like she flinched as if she’d been struck.

Jack found her look both stirring and upsetting.

He didn’t have time to try and understand this reaction, Yasmin moved forward.

“Yes, her lips are perfect, Miles. But mine aren’t,” Yasmin declared and linked an arm through Belle’s, forcibly moving her away from Miles before she continued. “Now, as you men know, we ladies have to visit the little girl’s room in pairs so I’m claiming Belle as my second. We’ll be back.”

Before anyone could say a word, Yasmin led Belle from the room.

Belle, Jack noted, didn’t look back.

Both Miles and Jack watched them leave.

“She’s something, isn’t she?” Miles asked Jack, his eyes still on the door the women had walked through.

Jack clenched his teeth as anger surged inside him.

In a low, displeased voice, Jack demanded, “Give it up, Miles.”

Slowly, Miles’s head turned and he looked at his brother.

Jack saw a sly look in Miles’s eyes, a look that Jack also knew very well as he’d seen it countless times. It was the look Miles assumed when he knew he was going to lose (which was frequently) and decided to do whatever he had to do to win no matter how devious or underhanded it needed to be.

“Give it up?” Miles repeated, his face changing to false innocence.

“Yes, give it up,” Jack returned. “Play your games on the pitch, in the board room and with women who know the score. Belle Abbot clearly doesn’t know the score. Fucking with that woman’s head, Miles, is lower than you’ve ever sunk. And you’ve sunk pretty damned low.”

Jack watched the red creep up his brother’s neck, signalling his anger.

He leaned toward Jack and clipped, “I saw the way you were with her. You’re not asking me to give it up for Belle’s sake. You’re asking me to step aside because you want a crack at her.”