Page 21 of The Billionaire Babe

“A place for a woman like me?” she quips, and my lips thin as I nod. Fuck, this woman drives me crazy.

“You’re too perfect for my world, sweetheart,” I tell her, trying to be sincere but giving her a warning. No good can come of us. This is fire we are playing with.

“You won't break me, AJ. I'm tougher than I look.”

“Oh, sweetheart, I would ruin you.” I watch her intently, waiting for her to step back and start retreating. But instead, she steps closer, pushing her chest against mine. We are a hair’s breadth apart. Her lips are so fucking close, all I need to do is lower my mouth an inch and I could taste her.

“You don’t scare me,” she whispers, her breath coating my lips. I am officially getting hard in my gym shorts.

“You don’t know what I am capable of,” I tease her, fisting my hands, even though I am itching to grab her waist.

“I know you wouldn’t hurt me.” She is giving me everything back, and I am impressed. I thought for sure she would have run home to her father already. I don’t have a comeback for that, because she is right, I wouldn’t hurt her. I would kill any other man who tried.

“You two finished eye fucking each other or what?” Levi calls out. I had forgotten all about him as he sits waiting for me, and my jaw pops as the gym comes back into focus. Valerie steps back a little and clears her throat.

“See you around, AJ.” My name falls from her lips again, and I stifle a moan, really fucking wanting to hear her scream it.

I nod to her, crossing my arms over my chest again, and watch her turn and walk away, my eyes on her perfect ass the entire time until she is out the door and across the street. Then the entire gym erupts into whistles, hollering, and crude remarks, all echoing around the testosterone-fueled space as I walk back to Levi.

“Seems like she likes your pretty face too, AJ,” he quips, and I push the bag into him again, watching him topple for a second time.

“As I said, if you are going to throw the remark, be ready,” I growl at him as he hops to his feet and we get back to work, my mind now only half on the job, the other half on Valerie fucking Van Cleef.

12

VALERIE

“The event is amazing,” Chelsea says to Simone and me as we stand in a small group in Chloe's studio, her launch event now almost over.

My eyes canvass the room, but always come back to the same person. AJ. After a few brief text messages between us this past week, I locked in Fortress for the job and Chloe was able to relax. But my eyes have been glued to him all night. He’s extremely well dressed in a black suit, a uniform that all his team are wearing and not something I briefed him on. But I am glad he had the foresight because they all look amazing. Better than the other security team Chloe usually hires.

“The security gives everyone something else to look at,” Simone murmurs, following my gaze.

“Hey, you,” Lucy Bloomer says, coming up to us with her man, Huxley, by her side. Those two are inseparable and have been since they met. They are a great couple. Down-to-earth and friendly, spending most of their time between Baltimore and their ranch in Whispers, a small town a few hours away.

“Heeeeyyyy. So good to see you,” I say happily as I wrap my arms around her and hug her tight. “Hey, Huxe.” I give him a kiss on the cheek in greeting as Simone and Chelsea move away to look at the jewelry nearby.

“This latest collection is so good,” Lucy gushes, making me smile.

“I don’t know how she does it, but every year she outdoes herself. There are so many nice pieces,” I say.

“You know Connor Whiteman, right, Val?” Huxley says as another man walks up to his other side.

“Hi, Valerie, great to see you again,” Connor says, and I give him a warm smile. I have only met him once or twice. He is a friend of Huxley’s. His family owns Whiteman Whiskey, the best whiskey distillery in the country, the one I am trying to get a deal with. I wonder if the Rothschild men have spoken to him yet about our hospitality businesses and a potential collaboration.

“Great to see you, Connor.” He leans over and gives me a peck on the cheek, and I hear a low growl behind me. Glancing behind me, I see AJ right next to us.

“No leaning on the display, please,” he says formally, and I bite my smile away as he gives Connor a stern look. Connor steps to the side, not realizing that he had hold of the clear glass box that houses one of my favorite pieces tonight.

“Shit. Sure, no problem,” Connor says as AJ’s eyes flick to mine. We haven’t had time to chat tonight, but I haven’t missed the fact that he is already looking at me every time I look his way.

“Connor, I’m hoping we might be able to meet up soon. I want to chat to you about Whiteman’s. We are opening a new hotel down in Tennessee, and I think having Whiteman’s as our whiskey of choice would work really well,” I say, planting a seed. Van Cleef Corp runs a few hotels in our empire and this next one I am hoping to make a little more exclusive than the others.

“I am always open for a chat, Valerie. Ben Rothschild mentioned something to me the other day in passing. Call me, let’s discuss,” he says, giving me a wink and a sexy-as-sin smile. If I didn’t know better, I would say he is flirting, but this is his manner. Seductively sweet, like his liquor.

“We need to go, Luce. Car’s out front, and I think I have spent enough money already,” Huxley jokes with her. I see the love and light in their faces for each other and sigh. That’s what I want. That connection. My eyes flick over Lucy’s shoulder to AJ once again. He is looking right at me, so I quickly look away and say my goodbyes, watching all three walk out the door.

“Urgh, they are so perfect for each other,” Chelsea says, passing me another glass of champagne.

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