Free The Billion Dollar Bad Boy by Jackie Ashenden Page B

is there?”
    “You know.” His fingers moved along her jaw, cupping her cheek. “I can show you.”
    Of course she knew. He’d given her a taste back in the limo.
    What about the deal? What about James?
    His thumb brushed along her lower lip and sparks scattered through her, bright as the Milky Way.
    She had to get back on track here. She had to take charge. “Your brother,” she began.
    Donovan pressed his thumb against her mouth, only a slight increase in pressure, but it stopped the words dead. “No,” he said softly. “Leave it behind, Victoria. Just for now. Just for tonight.”
    “I can’t leave it behind.” Her voice didn’t sound like her own.
    “Yes, you can. I can show you how.”
    “There’s James …”
    Donovan’s hand fell away and she swore she could still feel the imprint of his thumb against her lips. Like he’d burned her, marked her indelibly with his fingerprint. “It’s up to you. I won’t force you.”
    She stared up at him, feeling weirdly like she was losing something. “I can’t,” she repeated and she didn’t know who she was trying to convince. Him or herself. “You know I can’t. I have a fiancé. And there’s the deal.”
    He said nothing. Only looked at her. And she felt like he was seeing through her. Like she was one of those buildings in a Hollywood movie set, all facade with nothing behind it.
    There is something behind it. You know there is.
    “If you want to find out what else there is,” he said. “Come and find me.”
    Then he stepped away.
    “Mr. Morrow.”
    He turned.
    “Donovan.”
    And vanished into the crowd.
    Victoria stood there staring after him, her heartbeat unnaturally loud, the blood effervescing in her veins. Fizzing like Champagne. She could still feel his teeth against her earlobe, the touch of his lips against hers.
    Come and find me.
    She couldn’t, of course she couldn’t. She had to close this deal. That was more important. And then there was James. The man she was going to marry. The get-out-of-jail-free card was a one-shot thing and she’d used it.
    Leave it behind. Just for tonight.
    Victoria turned from the shifting crowd, leaning against the bar, having to catch her breath as a wave of something hot and intense pulsed through her. Longing.
    Why couldn’t she do this? Why couldn’t she leave it behind? Just for one night. Surely one night wouldn’t matter? Surely it wouldn’t hurt? There really wasn’t any time pressure with the deal, only herself and her own impatience.
    She could have one night, couldn’t she?
    The music throbbed, the sound of the crowd swirling like smoke. Belatedly she took a quick scan around to see if anyone had spotted her and Donovan together but no one was looking in her direction. No one had seen.
    Victoria took a couple of steps toward the end of the bar, where it was slightly quieter, fumbling in her purse for her phone. Bringing it out and punching in a number.
    It rang for a while before a familiar voice answered, sounding thick and sleepy. “Victoria?”
    Her fingers tightened on the hard metal of the phone. “Hi, James. I’m sorry, I know it’s late there …”
    “Is everything okay? You sound like you’re at a party.”
    “I’m fine.” Why was she calling him? What on earth did she mean to say? “I just … I used it. I used the ‘get out of jail free’ card.”
    There was a silence at the other end of the phone. Then he said, “Good.” And he didn’t sound upset or angry. Or worried. Or even curious. “Is that all?”
    Victoria stared at the crowd, dancing and laughing, talking and drinking. Having fun. Leaving it all behind, just for the night. “No,” she said hoarsely. “That’s not all. I want to use it again.”
    Another silence. Longer this time.
    “Victoria,” James said, and he didn’t sound sleepy this time. “Here’s the thing.” And there was another pause. “You see … I’ve met someone.”
    She blinked. “What?”
    “I didn’t intend for it to