Free The Billionaire's Elusive Lover by Elizabeth Lennox

mansion looming in front of them. It was magnificent. The white brick highlighted the large windows on three stories with ivy growing up two sides. The drive curved around the front entrance which was lined with flowering trees. She had no idea what kind of tree flowered this late in the season but she couldn’t believe how beautiful it looked.
     
    Jim laughed softly. “No. Not a hotel. Just a residence. Although not like anything I’ll ever be able to afford,” he said smoothly. He stepped out of the car, handed his keys to the valet who efficiently slipped into the vehicle. Jim came around to the passenger side of the car and offered his arm to Helen who was still staring up at the enormous house. She’d lived with her father during the summers so she understood wealth. Her father lived in a mansion sitting atop a cliff in Athens with extensive gardens and more rooms than the man knew what to do with. But this was on a whole other level than even her father who was considered extremely wealthy by many standards.
     
    A bad feeling seeped into Helen’s bones. “Jim, who is hosting this party?” she asked nervously.
     
    “I told you,” he laughed softly. “My boss asked all of his upper management to a cocktail party to celebrate the latest acquisition. I was lucky enough to be on the proposal team. This is my second time here but I’m still a little awestruck by the man and his house, to tell you the truth.” They were walking up the steps behind several others who were dressed in conservative dark suits for the men and the black cocktail dresses for the women. Many were wearing pearls at their throats but a few had diamonds. One or two were wearing white cocktail dresses but Helen’s red outfit was by far the most colorful. One might even say outrageous in this company she thought, considering the high necklines and severely tailored dresses on the other women. The most daring accessory she saw was a woman wearing a double strand of pearls, Helen noted, hearing her gold chain tingle as she moved slightly.
     
    “Please tell me you work directly for someone other than Alec Dionysius, Jim. Please, please tell me that your immediately supervisor is not the owner of your company.”
     
    Jim puffed up, a proud smile on his face. “Of course I have managers in between, but I interact with Mr. Dionysius on several issues now that I’ve been promoted over the years.”
     
    She started to pull back and Jim looked at her questioningly. “Is something wrong?” he asked.
     
    Helen swallowed painfully. “I can’t go in there,” she whispered, dropping his hand and starting to walk backwards. “I’m sorry,” she said to him as he walked beside her, the worry already in his eyes. “I just can’t do it and you wouldn’t want me to be with you anyway. Alec hates me. So I guarantee I’ll be a liability to your career.”
     
    Jim laughed and grabbed her hand, stopping her and turning her around. His blue eyes were amused as he looked at her. “Helen, I don’t think Mr. Dionysius even remembers that you were there at Edna’s party so don’t worry. Besides, with you on my side, I’ll be guaranteed to have the prettiest woman in the room. You won’t be a liability. You’ll be a huge asset. Trust me.”
     
    Helen shook her head at the last statement. “You don’t understand. He’ll definitely remember me from the previous occasions.” She didn’t go into the details of her kiss with Alec but she could tell that her face was heating up at just the thought of how she’d felt in his arms. Shaking off that memory, she turned to Jim and looked him right in the eyes. “Alec blames me for messing up the smooth operation of his executive staff. It’s happened twice recently and each time he’s been furious so you don’t want to be seen with me.”
     
    Jim laughed harder. “Come one. The car is already gone to some distant parking space and you can’t wander around the grounds alone.”
     
    “No