Letting My Brother's Best Friend Take My V-Card (Jessie and Luke)

LAURA'S PAST IN PARIS Laura Paris, THE PAST

The bass pulsed through the club vibrating beneath my heels as I leaned against the bar, fingers wrapped around the cool stem of my champagne flute. The night was electric-golden light flickered across the dance floor, bodies glittering movement, and Paris, in all hernoveldrama

reckless beauty,

in a sea of thrummed around us.

Jess was in the center of it all, dancing like she was made of fire and silk, her blond hair cascading down her back as she laughed, throwing an arm around a stranger who spun her effortlessly. She'd been staying with me for a while now, running from Luke the same way he was running from her. She wouldn't say it out loud, but I knew. It was in the way she avoided his calls, the way she let her smile linger just a second too long when another man paid her attention. But we both knew the truth-Jess loved Luke. She always had.

I tugged down the hem of my gold sequin mini dress and turned back to the bartender, holding up my empty flute. "Another, s'il vous plaît."

As I waited, I let my eyes wander, soaking in the Parisian night- until they snagged on something that made my stomach twist.

Someone.

Tall. Broad. Familiar in a way that sent a slow, creeping awareness through me.

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My breath caught in my throat.

Luke.

He was here.

And he wasn't alone.

I barely had time to process the sight of him before my gaze shifted, moving past his imposing frame to the man behind him.

Josh.

My pulse stuttered.

I hadn't seen him in two years.

Everything inside me went still.

Josh stood there, hands shoved deep into his pockets, his blond hair slightly longer than I remembered, his jaw covered in a rough shadow of stubble. He was watching me. No-watching us. His sharp blue eyes traced over the dance floor, finding Jess before flicking back to me.

I swallowed hard.

The bartender set my drink down, but I barely noticed as I turned toward Jess, weaving through the press of bodies until I reached her.

"Jess." My voice barely cut through the music.

She spun, breathless, glowing, eyes bright with adrenaline and alcohol. "What?"

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I didn't need to say anything. She followed my gaze, and the moment she saw him, her smile vanished.

Luke was standing only a few feet away now, expression unreadable.

For a second, they just stared at each other. The air between them tightened, a palpable tension thickening the space.

I reached for her hand, giving it a squeeze.

She hesitated. "Are you sure?"

I nodded. "I'll be fine."

"Go."

Jess sucked in a breath, then stepped forward, pushing past the last bit of space between her and Luke. I didn't hear what he said, but whatever it was made her blink rapidly, her throat bobbing as she swallowed. Then, without another word, they moved off to the side, disappearing into a quieter corner of the club.

Which left me.

And him.

I turned back, my fingers curling around my flute like a lifeline, but Josh was already moving toward me.

My heart pounded in my chest, the champagne bubbling up like static in my veins.

He stopped a foot away, close enough that I caught the familiar scent of him-clean, crisp, something masculine that made something sharp twist inside me

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I lifted my chin, meeting his gaze "Didn't think París was your style," I said lightly, hoping he didn't notice the slight shake in my voice.

His lips twitched, but his eyes never left mine.

"People change." Was all he said.

"Yeah?" I asked skeptically.

We stood there, the music pounding around us, the air thick with something I couldn't name. Josh was older now. Somehow a little more mature but still the boy from senior year mixed in there. didn't know why he was here.

I wasn't sure I wanted to find out!