Free The Billion Dollar Bad Boy by Jackie Ashenden

collar undone. He was smiling but it was razor sharp, and when his gaze met hers, all the air in her lungs abruptly disappeared.
    “Well, unless you have some competing docklands real estate to sell me, then I can’t think why,” she said, pleased with how cool her voice was.
    “I can think of a reason. And it doesn’t have anything to do with real estate.”
    Victoria made herself look away from Donovan, trying to get her breathing under control. “Like what? We’re doing business together.”
    “Men don’t look at women like that over business, darling.”
    “Men shouldn’t look at women like that at all.”
    Alex gave a soft laugh. “But where’s the fun in that? Don’t worry, Victoria, I’m the very soul of discretion.” He stepped away from her. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll leave you to your … business. I have some other women I need to go and harass.”
    Victoria flicked a glance back over to where Donovan stood at the bar. He had the fingers of one hand curled around an empty crystal whiskey tumbler, the other hand in his pocket, leaning there casual and slightly bored. As if he was standing at a bus stop waiting for a bus.
    As she met his eyes again, the smile that curved his sensual mouth lost its sharp edge and softened with an echo of heat. He lifted a brow at her in a silent question, then took his hand out of his pocket, glancing down at his watch rather pointedly.
    Irritation crept down her spine. He didn’t want to discuss this deal anyway so why was he acting all impatient about it? She’d been on her way to talk to him when Alex St. James had waylaid her. And you didn’t say no to Alex St. James. No one did.
    A small vibration came from her phone in the beaded clutch she held. No prizes for guessing what that was about. Her father, probably. As soon as she’d gotten out of the limo, she’d had a De Winter minion courier her over a dress so that she didn’t have to wear her suit to the party, changing quickly in one of the 2 nd Circle’s opulent powder rooms. No doubt her father had found out about the dress and wanted to know exactly what the hell she was doing attending a Morrow party.
    Victoria took her phone out and glanced down to check the text. Sure enough, a text from her father glowed on the screen.
What the hell are you doing at Jax Morrow’s party?
    Damn. She hadn’t wanted to talk with him until the deal was in the bag.
    Quickly, she sent him back a response.
A deal, Dad. You’ll see.
Then she turned off her phone to prevent him from harassing her further, and put it back in the clutch. She steeled herself. And began to move through the crowd to the bar.
    Donovan watched her all the way, that charming, insolent smile curling his mouth. But something glowed in the depths of his eyes. Something hard. Something determined.
    It made her heart speed up and excitement gather in her throat.
    Why was the thought of matching wills with him again so thrilling? So much more intoxicating than the one glass of champagne she’d allowed herself? God. It didn’t bear thinking about. Especially when all those kinds of thoughts kept leading back to one place: the limo.
    “Ah, Ms. de Winter,” Donovan said as she approached the bar, his voice full of lazy heat. “At last. You said two hours and it’s a couple of minutes past that now. I was getting anxious.”
    “Really? And here I was thinking you didn’t want to talk about it.”
    “Of course I want to talk about it. I mean, who wouldn’t want to ruin a perfectly good party by discussing business?”
    “So, have you had a chance to consider my earlier offer?” She found herself clutching her purse somewhat more tightly than she should have been. “I’ll get a better deal together and we can meet tomorrow.”
    Donovan made a soft humming sound, looking down into his tumbler as he did so, a meditative look on his face. “A better deal. Tomorrow. It’s an attractive offer, I have to admit.”
    Victoria stayed quiet.