Still the Billionaire's First Choice - Chapter 2

Felipe Mazzoni gazed down Sophia Dimou’s luscious form once again—appreciating her sheer perfection while avoiding looking into her eyes for as long as possible. She could’ve been a catwalk model with those long limbs and jaw-dropping curves, but all she’d wanted was—

‘You’re not leaving because of me, are you?’ he snapped.

He’d seen the instant she’d recognised him. Her smooth skin had flushed then paled. He’d had to laugh at something inane to cover his own excessive blood rush. Though his hadn’t flooded his face, but a more southern part. That instant lack of control was infuriating.

‘Of course you’d assume I’m leaving because of you,’ she replied frigidly.

He glanced up. Huge mistake.

Sophia’s big eyes were a combination of green with gold flecks and they pierced his soul. Her upper lip was too full while that slight gap between her front teeth tantalised. Her dirty-blonde hair was swept into a chic messy bun. He’d dated women who’d spent hours in a salon to achieve that look, but Sophia could nail it with a flick of her wrist and a single hair tie. He’d watched her do it countless times before she’d dived into the pool he’d tended every damned summer. He rubbed his thumb across his fingertips to stop their sudden itch.

It was six years since he’d last stood before her, and now he’d finally looked into her face, he couldn’t tear his attention away. She’d never looked more beautiful.

He’d seen her name on the event-management document this morning, done a search to confirm and arrived early.

Just curious. Correction. Just stupid.

Because instead of feeling nothing, he felt fire. Rage, right?

Not entirely. Because he hadn’t always hated her. And in seconds his old annoying fantasy regenerated with twenty times the impact. He’d experienced first lust with her.

And first betrayal.

Sophia Dimou had always been unattainable. Bred to be a billionaire’s perfect bride, astoundingly she’d bought into that insane destiny. But two years ago her long-standing betrothed had suddenly married someone else. While Sophia… What? Was she here to snag a new rich husband?

‘Isn’t it?’ His bitter anger escaped as insolence.

Emotion flared in her jewel-like eyes. As much as she’d denied it, her response to him had always been raw.

‘I’m not actually leaving. I—’

‘—should hope not,’ he interrupted coolly. ‘We’re paying a fortune for your services.’

Her jaw dropped. ‘You work for Eduardo Benedetti?’

Her surprise irritated him so he didn’t inform her he was only still there as a favour to the man. ‘Why is that so shocking?’

‘It isn’t.’ Her lashes lowered. ‘Please excuse me. I need to run through final preparations. I’ll be in the service room—’

‘No,’ he interrupted. ‘You won’t.’

She stiffened. ‘You’re sacking me?’

He clenched his jaw. Of course she’d leap to an extreme—insulting—conclusion. But if she was determined to think the worst of him, then perhaps she could get the worst of him.

‘Of course not,’ he muttered. ‘I need you too much to do that.’

Another jolt of awareness enhanced her burnished emerald eyes. ‘Pardon?’

‘I need you to attend the ball as my guest.’

‘What?’ She looked aghast. ‘You want me to be your date?’

Another incorrect conclusion. He’d meant just as a guest, not anything intimate. But suddenly, he couldn’t resist the idea of being out with her publicly. They’d spent so much time together but she’d never acknowledged him when anyone other than his own damned mother was present.

‘Why?’ she questioned. ‘I refuse to believe you don’t have other options.’

Refuse was the word he heard and his old resentment exploded. He mightn’t have the family connections of her former fiancé but he certainly had the minimum bank balance required now. Maybe he would have all the options she’d previously denied him.

‘Indeed, I have plenty,’ he drawled, ignoring the fact that while he could bring any number of women tonight, he couldn’t remember any of their names right now. ‘But you’ll definitely be the most amusing.’