Free Billionaire Romance: Flame by Stephanie Graham

Chapter One
     
    The one and most important rule to follow when eloping with a hot young billionaire is to be sure that he is truly independent from his control freak father. Belle Winters knew that rule by heart. It was the only rule she had willingly broken in her life. Her heart pummeled against her chest now that the consequences were knocking at the door.
    Belle sunk further in the luxurious passenger seat of the white Maserati Ghibli as a patrol police car whizzed past the gas station. It didn’t matter that she was concealed behind dark tinted windows, guilt had already arrested her and the gnawing feeling in her stomach attested that it would not be too long before the police caught up.
    She squeezed the cellphone in her hand. Sliding the screen with a finger, a message popped up. She cancelled it and tried to dial a number. The call failed.
    “Bloody rotten reception!”
    She angrily tossed the phone over her shoulder. It flew over the lavish interior seat, landing at the back. In the same instant, the driver’s door opened. Belle started.
    “You alright?” The deeply accented Germanic voice that always tingled her ears, said.
    Quickly, she plastered a smile on her face and feigned composure.
    “Yeah.”
    Her deep blue gaze stalled on Dennis Kroesh. She didn’t blink or breathe for a full moment until he was comfortably settled right next to her. She could hardly blame herself for gawking either. Dennis had the looks of an angel and the haughty manner of a devil. He was tall, clean shaven, deep set topaz eyes and bore a strong jaw. To top it off, he had style. He wore a casual tight fitting jacket over a white shirt which emphasized his long ripped torso and brought out his long neck, then finished the look with fitting Bermuda shorts and closed leather designer shoes. However, it was the fact that he had takeout in his hands that mesmerized Belle most.
    “I expected that would be a disaster. Turns out ordering your own food isn’t so bad, after all,” he said.
    “You’ve never done that before?” Belle was amused.
    He grinned, taking in her youth-like face. “No, Sir. Elliot does everything for me.”
    Elliot was Dennis’s Butler. A very loyal man. Belle liked him but she was glad that Dennis had left his entourage behind, to be with her and only her. The idea left her heart in puddles and her eyes wide with adoration.
    Dennis stretched his muscular arm to the backseat, in search of something. He found her phone and gave it to her, then retrieved a crocheted beanie hat. Belle giggled as he placed the hat over her wavy brunette hair with overgrown bangs.
    “You shouldn’t have. Oh, I thought I’d lost it forever.” She kissed him on his temple.
    He beamed at her, and then started the vehicle. Their great American adventure had just begun.
     

Chapter Two
     
    Belle Winters was feeling quite dreamy. It was like she was a teenager again. The vehicle was park by the roadside so she propped her legs out of the window seat. There she was, on a great road trip across the Pacific Coast of North America, seated next to the love of her life while he munched on burgers. Dennis extended his burger and she bit out of it even though she had her own. She giggled. 
    “I’ve never been out of London before.”
    “Gee. Your life is a bore,” he said without thinking.
    Belle swallowed hard. He’d killed her euphoria with only that one sentence. She knew not to take it to heart but still asked, “Do I bore you?”
    Quickly, he filled the rest of the burger into his mouth. He ignored her question and said, “This tastes so good! I should buy that burger chain.”
    “You’ve never had a burger before?” He shook his head and took his time to swallow. She wanted to let it pass but simply couldn’t so when she saw he could freely speak, she asked again, “Are you bored with me?”
    “I would never take a nun anywhere with me.”
    “I’m easy then?”
    Dennis stared at her quizzically. He was smart and