Expecting the Billionaire's Heir - Chapter 3

Baz.

Brody’s old nickname only disturbed him more coming from those bee-stung lips which glimmered in the half-light. No one had called him by that name in close to a decade.

‘Ellie,’ he whispered, then shook his head to break the spell making him lose focus. What was wrong with him? She was just hotter than expected. No big deal. He let his gaze drift over her figure, trying to locate his usual cool.

‘You grew up…’ he murmured.

A tentative smile appeared. ‘That’s what usually happens, yes.’

A rough chuckle expelled from his lungs. ‘Are you legal to drink now?’ he asked, already alerting the barman to order himself another half, because his throat had gone bone-dry.

Her smile widened, making the rich chestnut sparkle. ‘Since when do you care about legalities, Baz?’ she whispered, low enough for only him to hear.

He tensed, the mocking comment too intimate. The glow of affection in her eyes for that messed-up boy derailed his usual cool even more—that and the shot of undiluted lust.

‘I care about them now,’ he said stiffly. ‘And no one calls me Baz anymore. It’s Brody.’

Her smile died. ‘I’m sorry.’

He cursed himself, the sharp slap down more revealing than he’d intended. When was the last time he’d struggled to play the part women expected of him as the charming, shallow bad boy billionaire?

‘We should leave you two alone.’ One of the other girls remarked, innuendo in her eyes.

‘Yeah,’ he said.

At the same time Ellie said. ‘No!’ Then began to talk too fast. ‘This isn’t romantic… W-we just knew each other… Once.’

His confidence returned, as her blush intensified. ‘You really want to catch up in front of your colleagues?’

Those doe eyes rounded as she clocked the threat to her new identity, which he hadn’t exactly been subtle about.

‘Actually, it would be great to catch up with Ba… With Brody alone,’ she said.

He dismissed the prickle of guilt when her friends gave her high fives and then left them alone.

‘Grab a booth, and I’ll get us a drink,’ he said.

At the back of his mind was his original plan—to get an invite back to the Hall—but that didn’t account for the shot of adrenaline when she said. ‘That would be great.’

He took her order and watched her cross to a booth. His gaze skated down her figure, his original plan going up in smoke. Because an invite to the Hall wasn’t his main priority anymore.

Ellie Smith had grown up to be seriously hot. And what better way for them both to forget about their messed-up childhoods, than to show her who he was now.

A man who got whatever he wanted.