Page 13 of Suddenly Desired (APEX Billionaires’ Club #2)

For a moment, she lay there, blinking in the soft morning light streaming through the curtains, her fingers stroking her naked body.

Her pulse was still racing, her skin humming as fragments of the dream flickered through her mind.

They’d been in the bar, the same booth where they’d sat drinking coffee.

Only this time, no one else was around. The lights were low, shadows dancing across the walls, and Blake had pulled her in to his lap, hands sliding beneath her top, his mouth hot and hungry on hers.

It had felt so real — so unbearably, heartbreakingly real — that waking up alone felt like a cruel joke.

Get it together, Ellie , she scolded herself, running a hand through her messy hair. You barely know the guy.

Still, her fingers curled into the duvet as her mind betrayed her again, flashing images of his dark, unruly curls, the way his fathomless blue eyes had locked on to hers like she was the only person in the room.

And that body . . . carved from stone, his hoodie doing little to hide the sculpted strength beneath.

She groaned, flopping back against the pillows. “Nope. Not doing this,” she muttered aloud, throwing an arm over her eyes. “One day. That’s all I’m asking — just one day without thinking about Blake freaking Fielding.”

But as she lay there, the ghost of his smile teasing the edges of her memory, she knew she was already doomed.

She clambered out of bed, yawning. It wasn’t even seven yet so she put some coffee on and some bread in the toaster.

Josh had spilled a load of coffee grounds on the counter and instead of clearing up the mess, he’d drawn a heart in them.

She scrubbed it out with a dish cloth, pressing so hard she was in danger of leaving a mark on the Formica surface.

She wished she could get rid of Josh as easily, and the thought of having to put up with him at work made her want to climb back into bed and stay there for the rest of the year.

No , she told herself. She wasn’t going to do it anymore. Last night she’d shared coffee with a billionaire — although admittedly one hated by pretty much the whole world. She wasn’t going to let Josh push her around.

She wasn’t sure if she had the courage to say it to his face, though.

He could be irritatingly persuasive. Instead, she took out her phone and texted Lissa, asking if she could come in later.

Rob would be covering the morning shift as well and there was never enough for them all to do.

Besides, even though yesterday had been a complete washout, it had given her renewed enthusiasm for LifeWrite.

Blake had seemed genuinely interested, and even though he might not be in any position to work with her now, maybe somebody else was.

She certainly wasn’t going to find success for her own business while serving coffees in a café.

And besides, who was to say she wouldn’t have another chance to pitch her idea to Blake?

You’re thinking about him again , said her brain, and she slapped herself gently on the side of the head.

Her phone buzzed, Lissa’s message appearing.

Sure, hon, after yesterday I don’t blame you. Take the day if you like.

She was about to reply when another text came through.

And be careful. Josh sent us all the video. Remember, you deserve better. You deserve the best. Love you.

She fired back a thank you, then poured herself some coffee. Sunlight flooded the room and she basked in it, her mood lifting. Yeah, she’d take the day, clean her little flat and work on some designs for LifeWrite, then maybe the next time she met Blake she’d have something concrete to show him.

Enough about Blake!

It wasn’t like she’d ever see him again.

The odds were practically non-existent — he hadn’t left her his number, hadn’t even hinted at wanting to see her again, aside from those fleeting, soul-igniting looks.

Sure, he’d mentioned a few places he frequented, but what was she supposed to do?

Stalk every café in the city, hoping for a chance encounter?

Even if she did see him again, would he even remember her?

Probably not. Guys like Blake Fielding didn’t have time to linger on ordinary women like her, no matter how much she wished otherwise.

She needed to get a grip, forget about him, and bury the memory of yesterday deep in her mind where it couldn’t haunt her.

But then there was that damn smile.

Curled at the corners of his mouth like a secret she needed to know. It hit her low and hard every time she remembered it.

Her cheeks flushed, a soft heat spreading through her that she hated to admit was entirely Blake’s doing. She could almost hear his low, velvet voice again, the way he’d said her name, the way his lips had curved as if he’d known exactly what kind of effect he had on her.

“Stop it,” she muttered to herself, shaking her head as though she could physically dislodge him from her thoughts.

She grabbed her phone and called her mum. She’d barely scratched the surface in last night’s rushed update, and she definitely hadn’t wanted to say too much with Blake right there. But now, maybe spilling the whole story would help her shake this . . . whatever it was.

“Honey,” said Mum. She could hear the idyllic sounds of cows lowing and birds singing in the background. “I’m so glad you called. It’s not like I spent all night wondering whether your date had thrown you into the sea.”

“One, he wasn’t a date,” said Ellie, crunching toast as she spoke. “Two, we were nowhere near the sea, and three, he definitely wasn’t a date.”

“How would I know?” asked Mum. “You never tell me anything. Are you off to work today?”

“Yeah,” she lied. Her mum had instilled in Ellie a strict work ethic, and she didn’t tolerate any excuses for slacking. Especially not excuses of the boy variety.

“I’m sure the café would fall apart without you,” she said dryly. “Just remember, there’s plenty of work back here at home, I can set you up in a good company — they’re looking for bright young things. And you’re always welcome back on the farm. I could use you.”

“I’m fine, Mum,” Ellie said, not feeling particularly young or bright. “I’m working on something big. There’s been some . . . interest.”

It wasn’t a complete lie, was it?

“Well do what you have to do,” said her mum. “You know I believe in you. And Ellie?”

“Yeah?”

“You seem pretty insistent that the man you were with last night wasn’t a date. But if that was the case, why did you sound like a giddy schoolgirl when you spoke to me?”

Ellie’s cheeks blazed. “Gotta go,” she said. “Love you, Mum.”

She ended the call. How ridiculous was her mother? She hadn’t sounded like a giddy schoolgirl at all. She’d just been tired, and Blake had caught her by surprise.

Definitely not a date .

She finished her coffee and toast then showered, dressing in a light, summery dress and flats.

It would be nice to sit and work here all day, but she knew that as soon as Josh found out she wasn’t in the café, he’d come over to keep her company.

There were plenty of other cafés nearby she could use, but she found the hustle and bustle distracting.

A bookstore was out of the question, too, because she’d end up returning home with a pile of new books and she was poor enough as it was.

No, she needed somewhere quiet, somewhere where she’d be surrounded by books but wouldn’t have to pay for any. Somewhere she wouldn’t be interrupted by Josh.

Checking she had enough money for the bus, she grabbed her bag and headed for the library. It was only as she was walking out the door that she remembered to pick up her laptop too, scolding herself for not focusing.

Because the truth was, work wasn’t the only reason she was heading into town.