Page 6 of Hired Husband

I even looked over my shoulder to make sure he wasn’t signaling someone else, but nope. He definitely meant me.

Scoffing, I turned my attention back to the bar, but when I glanced over my shoulder a second later, his seat was empty. I followed the line of the staircase just in time to see him making his way down through the crowd—and he was coming straight toward me.

CHAPTER 3

ISAAC

Jasmine glared at me from across the nightclub, those dark eyes narrowed to within an inch of their lives, her chin lifted ever so slightly in defiance. Her long, raven-black hair was loose tonight, cascading over her shoulders and shimmering with the multi-colored lights shining down from above.

As always, she was a fucking showstopper, drawing attention from every man in her direct vicinity without even trying. Jaws slackened and several guys pointed at her discreetly.

Not that I blamed them.

Before I’d hung out with her a few times, I’d had a similar reaction to her looks, and tonight, she’d dressed to make a man want to drop to his knees and beg to take her home. The curves of her hips were on full display in jeans that looked like they’d been painted on, her crop top showing off a flat stomach and a decent amount of cleavage.

“What are you smiling at?” Brady nudged me with his elbow as he leaned across the table to follow my line of sight.

Before I could follow the bizarre instinct to put myself between them so he wouldn’t see her, he let out a low whistle between his teeth, letting me know that it was too late. “Who the hell is that? And why does it look like you’ve already pissed her off?”

As if she’d heard him, Jasmine rolled her eyes so hard that I was worried she might fall over. Then she spun around and marched toward a group of shiny, pretty people standing near the bar.

Brady laughed. “Whoever she is, I don’t think she likes you.”

“She doesn’t.”

“So why were you waving at her?”

“I wasn’t,” I said. “I was trying to get her to come over so I could say hi. Just being polite.”

He snorted. “There’s nothing polite about that girl.”

I almost shot him a Jasmine-level glare of my own, but if I did, it would become exhausting. He’d never stop giving me shit about being protective of her—and I shouldn’t have felt that instinct flare up at all.

Fuck, why? It’s not like she’s anything of mine.

Even so, I stood up, deciding to take matters into my own hands. If she wouldn’t come up here, I’d go to her.

I jogged down the few stairs to the main floor and weaved my way through the crowd, smirking when I realized she’d put her back firmly to me. Bending my head a little lower, I put my mouth right near her ear from behind, doing my best not to inhale the scent of her.

The Saads owned a perfume empire and these women always smelled good enough to eat. I’d learned my lesson about breathing around Jasmine some time ago and now I avoided it when I could.

“Fancy seeing you here,” I murmured, then straightened up before my next inhale. “What are you doing here, Jasmine? I didn’t know you were coming back to town.”

Her shoulders dropped on a sigh, but she turned to face me, lifting her gaze up to mine and holding it intently. “What am I doing here? No, I think the question is what are you doing here?”

“I was invited.”

“So was I.” She pursed her lips for a beat as her gaze moved from one of my eyes to the other. “I don’t believe anyone would actually have wanted you to come with them.”

I laughed. “You think I broke into a nightclub and forced those guys to let me sit at their table?”

She rocked her head from side to side, pretending to seriously consider it until she shrugged. “I think you’re capable of anything as long as it annoys me.”

“True.” I grinned. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“You shouldn’t.”

“Well, I already have.” I slid my fingers into my pockets and glanced at the group behind her. “Are those your friends?”