Page 9 of Suddenly Desired (APEX Billionaires’ Club #2)

BLAKE

It really was the perfect spot. A cosy but dingy, dimly lit basement venue with soft wall lights and flickering candles.

The only other customers were an old guy propping up the bar and a couple talking quietly at a corner table, their hands intertwined, their eyes full of love.

Blake glanced at them briefly, then let his eyes settle on the mystery woman as she rummaged in her bag.

The soft glow of the candles reflected in her glasses, and the little hearts on her purse matched the pattern on the dress she had been wearing earlier.

Everything about her felt warm and easy, real .

“So,” she said, snapping his attention back, “what’s your poison?” She tipped a pile of coins from her purse on to the bar, and Blake’s eyebrows lifted in surprise.

“I can’t let you buy me a drink,” he replied, taking off his sunglasses and pulling down his hood. It would make him instantly recognisable, he knew, but there were so few people in here he hoped it wouldn’t matter. “Please, let me.”

“No way,” she said, pushing her glasses into place again. Every time she did it her nose wrinkled, something he found indescribably cute. “A deal’s a deal. You returned my notebook, I buy you a coffee.”

Blake chuckled, shaking his head in surrender. “In that case I’ll take a double-shot espresso, no milk, no sugar, please.”

She whistled, clearly impressed. “That’s a serious coffee,” she said. “One serious coffee coming up.”

She turned to the bar, her energy so casual and confident that Blake was momentarily at a loss.

He wasn’t used to this. He was always the guy who made the orders and who paid.

He could buy this whole bar with a cheque right now.

He could buy the whole street without making a dent in his bank accounts.

Yet here was his mystery woman, counting out battered coins on to the bar to buy him a coffee.

“Keep the change,” she said, sliding the coins across.

“Cheers,” said the barmaid. “I’ll bring the drinks over to you if you want to take a seat.”

The mystery woman turned to Blake with a bright smile. “How about right over here?”

Without waiting for his reply, she led him to a small booth along the back wall.

She slid into one side and he slid into the seat opposite.

The candlelight flickered between them, soft and warm and casting golden highlights across her face.

Blake stared for a moment too long, completely disarmed by how beautiful she looked.

His mind went blank, devoid of all rational thought.

Luckily, she was a little more composed than he was.

“Is your day getting any better?” she asked.

He laughed, the sound surprising him. Somehow, in the span of a few minutes, she’d made him forget everything. Heartbook. The scandal. The headlines. But it all came flooding back with her question.

“Not really.” He sighed, thinking of the last news story he’d read on the way over to drop back the notebook.

“Well, I’ll try not to take that personally.” The little laugh she gave made his skin tingle.

“Oh, God, sorry. I didn’t mean you.” He laughed in return.

“You’re not worse. You’re the opposite of worse.

” He caught himself before he said too much.

“I just mean, it’s nice to be with someone who doesn’t hate me.

Or someone who hides it very well, at least. You might hate me.

I don’t know. I don’t even know your name. ”

She laughed, covering her mouth with a slender hand. “Oh, yeah,” she said. “It’s Ellie. Ellie Mae Woodward.”

She stretched the same hand over the table and he took it, holding it for a fraction longer than he should have.

Her skin was soft, but her handshake had purpose, a quiet dominance that sent a jolt straight to his groin.

He didn’t want to let go, not of her hand, nor the ache she’d stirred in him with a single touch.

But if he didn’t, he’d blow whatever it was growing between them.

“I’m Blake,” he said quietly, feeling like an idiot as soon as the words had left his mouth. “But of course you knew that already.”

“Yeah,” she said. “Pretty sure the whole world and their cats know who you are by now.”

“You’re not wrong.” His heart sank a little. “I’m honestly surprised I managed to get here without being mobbed.”

Ellie tilted her head, curiously. “Why did you, then? Come here, I mean? You could have just posted my notebook.”

“Would you rather I’d posted it?” His voice was so deep it reverberated across the table.

Ellie’s eyes looked heavy as she replied with a quick shake of her head.

“Good,” he went on, his chest a tight band. “I’m know I’m pretty antisocial when it comes down to it, but I felt I had a civic duty to return it in person.”

“I’m glad,” she whispered.

The way she was looking at him made Blake want to leap over the table and devour her. He shifted in his seat, trying to release some of his pent-up tension. He could actually hear his pulse in his ears, racing into overdrive. What was wrong with him?

“Here you go,” said the barmaid, appearing with a tray and breaking some of the tension.

She set down a tiny espresso in front of Blake and a towering mocha latte, complete with whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles, in front of Ellie.

“Can I get you guys anything else?” she asked, her gaze lingering on Blake like she was trying to place him.

“Not for me, thanks,” he replied, offering a polite smile and secretly hoping she wouldn’t connect the dots.

“I’ve got everything I need,” said Ellie. “Thank you.”

“No worries.” The barmaid gave Blake another curious glance before retreating to the bar.

Ellie scooped a dollop of whipped cream on to her finger and licked it off without a second thought, leaving Blake wheezing into his espresso.

There was a tiny dot of cream left lingering on the corner of her mouth and Blake’s eyes strayed to her lips.

He forced himself to look away before his thoughts strayed again too.

“Is this your regular spot, then?” he said, trying and failing to keep the croak from his voice. “It’s got a good vibe.”

Ellie shook her head, dipping her finger in for another swipe of cream.

Blake wanted to reach across and grab her hand, to draw it to his own lips and suck the cream himself.

He could barely breathe, yet, looking at how sweet she was being, he knew Ellie had no idea the effect she was having on him.

“Not really,” she replied to the question he’d totally forgotten he’d asked. “Sometimes my boss, Lissa, and I come here after work. It’s close, it’s quiet and no one really bothers us. I’m not big on crowds.”

“Same,” he agreed. “Why surround yourself with a hundred people when you only really need one good one?”

Ellie paused, her lips twitching upwards. “True.” She dipped her spoon in her drink and scooped up more cream. Looking sheepish, she added, ”Sorry, it’s been a long day. I need the sugar hit.”

“Hey—” he held up his hands — “you never have to apologise to me for eating what you like. You’re talking to a helpless brownie addict here.”

“Yeah, sure.” She glanced at his chest and arms, her eyebrow raising. “I can tell.”

“I have to work it off,” he said, laughing. “But it’s worth it.”

“My boyfriend,” she said, and his stomach almost twisted into a knot.

For a second the room went darker, and the feeling of dread that gripped him took him by surprise.

Ellie shook her head, staring at her drink.

“Not my boyfriend. My ex . He always told me I drank too much coffee and ate too much sugar. He said I needed to watch my figure more. Apologising for it is an old habit.”

Blake’s jaw tightened, a flicker of anger igniting in his chest. What a jerk .

“Well, in my opinion, chocolate sprinkles are too good to refuse,” he said lightly, trying to lift the mood.

“Exactly!” Ellie’s eyes lit up again. She ran the tip of her tongue over her lips, catching the errant cream, sending a ripple of heat through Blake. “You want some?”

When she looked at him her eyes were all pupil.

“Sure,” he croaked, and she pushed the cup across the table.

He dipped his teaspoon into what was left of the whipped cream and sprinkles and slid it into his mouth, savouring the sweet, velvety taste. Chocolate really was one of his weaknesses. Along with Ellie, it would seem.

“Good, right?” she said, grinning.

“Really good,” he replied. “My espresso seems massively disappointing after that.”

“Way too serious,” she said. “Do you want one of these?”

“Sorely tempted,” he said. “But after this double-shot, a hit of sugar might have me on top of the table belting out Celine Dione, and I’m supposed to be lying low.”

Ellie laughed again, the sound soft and infectious. He decided in that moment that he loved making her laugh

Slow down! Blake ordered himself. Better yet, stop.

Her laugh, her smile, the easy rhythm of their conversation.

Blake had spent years drowning in stiff, transactional interactions.

Dinners with Michelle had been all business, usually while dining on an eye-wateringly expensive meal in an upmarket restaurant.

Michelle had always demanded one hundred percent perfection everywhere she went — anything less was a failure in her eyes.

If Blake had so much as used the wrong fork, or worn the wrong socks to complement his tie, she would berate him about it all night. It had been miserable.

The contrast now was intoxicating. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d just sat and talked like this, with no agenda, no pressure to impress or perform.

It was as if he’d known Ellie for months, years , not half a day.

There was something so natural about the way they spoke with each other, something so effortless.

Ellie knew who he was, knew what he was worth, but there was none of that fake flirting he was so used to, the blatant body language, the sickening insincerity.

But he wasn’t entirely free of his thoughts.

His company was sinking, and the board were getting ready to throw him overboard.

Every single move he made was being scrutinised and sitting here with Ellie like this felt like walking a tightrope.

It wasn’t a date, not technically, though Blake kind of wished it was now he was here.

But being like this — happy, smiling, relaxed in the company of a gorgeous woman — might be enough to drag the whole thing down to the bottom of the ocean.

Still, he couldn’t bring himself to leave. Not yet.

“Are you okay?” Ellie asked, her head tilting slightly, a genuine curiosity in her eyes.

Blake smiled, but he could feel that it wasn’t quite reaching his eyes.

“Not exactly,” he said, honestly. “I mean, this day has been . . . interesting, to say the least. One minute I’m just a guy running his own company.

Next thing I know, I’m public enemy number one.

” He finally took a sip of his espresso, savouring the bitter edge.

“It’s a bit surreal, to be honest. I feel like I’m living in a TV series, and not a very good one at that. ”

Ellie leaned forward, her expression still soft, but with a trace of humour laced through it. “So, you’re telling me the big, bad billionaire in the show has bad days too? I thought he was just there as comic relief.”

“Plenty of bad days.” Blake leaned forward too, his elbows on the table.

The gap between them narrowed and he could see the scattering of freckles on her nose under the frames of her glasses.

This close she smelled of strawberries and cream and Blake didn’t want to admit that was probably the sprinkles.

“Though, to be fair, this one is shaping up a little better than planned.”

Ellie arched an eyebrow. “Really?” she teased. “And why is that?”

Well,” Blake whispered, pulse spiking as her eyes flickered to his lips. “I don’t often get rescued by mystery women who also happen to have impeccable taste in drinks.”

Ellie laughed and sat back in her chair, throwing her head back in glee. “You’re just lucky I didn’t bring the full works — marshmallows, syrup, the whole sugar coma in a cup.”

“I wouldn’t have complained.” He sat back too, missing the scent of her already. “Honestly, I’m just glad I have someone who I can talk to who doesn’t want to throw coffee in my face or write the next headline about me.”

“Oh, don’t worry,” Ellie said with a grin. “I’m saving my coffee throwing for our next meeting and it’ll be a flat white because there’s no way I’m wasting good toppings on teaching someone a lesson.”

Blake chuckled. “Noted. I’ll bring a spare shirt.”

Ellie rolled her eyes, but she sounded serious as she placed her hands on the table in front of her and looked him right in the eyes. “You’ll figure it out. People love a scandal, but they love a good comeback even more. You’ll just have to ride out the storm for now.”

He glanced at her hand, so close to his on the table. Without thinking, he reached out, his fingers brushing hers lightly. “Thanks for saying that. It helps.”

Ellie’s smile softened as she turned her hand, letting her palm meet his. He felt the heat travel all the way up his arm and shoot like a bolt to his groin.

“You’re welcome,” she said. “And, for what it’s worth, you don’t seem like the type to stay down for long.”

Their eyes met, and for a beat the world between them buzzed.

“Maybe I just needed a little reminder of who I am,” he said, his thumb grazing her palm almost absentmindedly. “And maybe someone to tell me I’m not completely doomed.”

“Doomed?” She shook her head, her smile wide. “You? You’ve got more resources than most people combined. You’ll bounce back. Probably quicker than you think.”

“I guess I’m going to have to keep you around for motivational speeches,” Blake said, his smile teasing.

Ellie’s eyes narrowed and she pursed her lips. They looked delicious, like ripe strawberries. “Careful,” she whispered. “You might not be able to afford me.”

Blake’s gaze locked back on her eyes. His pulse quickened. Afford her? He wasn’t sure he’d survive her.