Free Romance: The Billionaire's Demands by Jodi Cooper Page B

my lip, furrowed my eyebrows, and thought deeply about the question for a moment. 
    I leaned closer to hi m . “Don’t tell my boss this, but I would have to say Chinese takeout from Chan’s.  Sweet and sour chicken.  Not that the food isn’t good here or anything…”  
    I felt a little strange suggesting a competitor’s dish, but it was an honest answer.  
    At first, I thought he was flirting with me a little.  
    But then I shook it off.  
    After all, a billionaire must surely be taken already.  I searched his hand for a tan line where one might have been on his ring finger, but I saw no trace.  I did notice that he had nice hands, though.  
    In fact, the billionaire had quite a lot of things going on for him in the looks department.  I realized I had been staring at him when another patron opened the door and startled me back into reality.
    He smiled arrogantly at me.
    “Thank you for the dessert. It is delicious. Magical.”
    I smiled back, and he turned around and exited through the door that he had thrown open only moments before.
    It was only when he had exited the door that I began to breathe again.
     
     

Chapter 3
     

 
     
     
     
    “Somebody’s got a crush on you!” Anne teased as the kitchen began to return to normal.
    “Hardly.” I chuckled.  “Look at him.  I mean, the guy is a player, Anne.  I don’t know what has all of you so excited.”
    I rolled my eyes at her and picked up the dessert for table six.  
    They want the banana dish.  
    Great.  
    I hate making that piece of dessert.  There are so many different parts that it is very easy to get wrong. It isn’t even our best-tasting dessert.
    I briefly peeked back out the kitchen door to watch Bradley leave.  His limousine driver held the door open for him, and then the two of them were off.  
    I wondered what it would be like to show up in a limousine for all of my important business meetings.  What a great life it must be to never have to worry about money, or in my case, a lack thereof.   
    Although this was the best restaurant in L.A., it doesn’t pay well. But if you can survive a year here, you will be highly sought after in your next job and can demand whatever price you see reasonable.
    It’s almost an apprenticeship.
    “Rumor is that he had his plans on getting married within the next year.” Anne caught me staring. 
    “Oh… Well, that’s good for him and his fiancée.  I should give him congratulations when he comes in next time.”  
    I was a little disappointed at the news.  
    Bummer.  
    She was one lucky girl.  
    “Who’s he engaged to?”
    “That’s the best part!” Brianna chimed in. “No one!  He plans to meet and marry by the end of this year!”  
    She was far too bubbly today.  Nineteen-year-olds shouldn’t have four coffees before they came to work.
    “It’s almost a dream come true!” she continued. “Imagine being that rich!”
    Sure, I could imagine being rich.  
    I saw it on reality television.  
    I couldn’t help but giggle at her naivety that this man would possibly even fall for a chef in this restaurant, much less any other commoner.  
    Surely billionaires would seek out other wealthy women, or at least seek out the daughter of some famous business tycoon.
    “His brother did the same thing in 2004, Jasmine…  He married a gal who was working under him as a maid!  Do you believe it?  Some lowly maid suddenly swept off her feet by a handsome billionaire!  What an amazing love story!”  Anne was either trying to convince me of her story, or she was trying to convince herself that it was a possibility the billionaire would meet someone in our very restaurant.  
    I didn’t buy it. 
    He must have his own circle of friends to choose a lady from.
    Mind you, he dined alone tonight.
    That was a bit odd.  
    This restaurant is the place to be seen in L.A. It’s strange that you would come here without a date.
    That makes a very public statement.
    Maybe they