The Billionaire’s Girlfriend Bet - Leslie North

1

“You might own a baseball team, but do you even know how to throw a baseball?”

Blake Harrison grinned, tossing the baseball in his left hand while his two best friends looked smugly across the baseball field. Grayson had delivered the friendly ribbing, but Daniel could have just as easily said it. Mockery was an essential element of their friendship, though it was always meant in good fun.

“Throwing a baseball is irrelevant,” Blake countered, “when you own all of what you see around us.”

Daniel snorted. “Yes, yes, Mr. Owns A Baseball Team. We know. Now throw the ball.”

Blake narrowed his eyes at his best buddies. It had been a long time since the three of them had come to one of his practice fields together. Owning their own highly successful businesses meant that it was hard to find time to meet up consistently, but it was harder than ever now to snag their coveted bro time since Grayson had gotten married and become a new father.

With Daniel’s own marriage on the horizon, Blake knew it was only a matter of time before he was the lone inhabitant in the Singles Club he and his best friends used to rule. Which meant he had to not only get comfortable being the last bachelor standing…but also, he needed to get ready. Prepare himself. Because his best friends had a weird twinkle in their eyes recently, and Blake knew they were only amping up to start convincing him to join them in so-called wedded bliss.

And if there was one thing Blake didn’t plan on doing in this lifetime, it was to marry himself off.

He hauled back and threw the ball as hard as he could muster. Grayson caught it easily in his outstretched glove.

“Damn. You think someone with all these baseball teams could afford to work with a physical trainer,” Grayson said, the shit-eating grin on his face in full view.

“I can afford a thousand personal trainers,” Blake said, watching as Grayson lobbed the ball to Daniel. “But I can’t afford the time. Besides, my lady friends don’t care about my throwing arm—they’re more interested in other parts of me.”

Grayson and Daniel laughed. Blake grinned as Daniel threw the ball his way. It landed in his mitt with a hard thhwump.

“Can’t be that impressive—it’s not like any of them stick around past one or two nights,” Grayson said.

Blake scoffed. “You know damn well that any one of them would be happy for more—it’s my choice to keep things loose. And who can blame me? I own a baseball team, a record label, and my nightclub is opening next month. Why bother starting anything with someone when I don’t have the time or attention span?”

“I think it’s more the attention span that’s lacking,” Daniel cracked. Blake smirked as he caught the baseball his friend tossed his way.

“You’re one to talk,” Blake shot back. “Or did we not just bet that you couldn’t hack a relationship the length of Grayson’s wedding?”

“Yeah, well, turns out, an attention span can grow.” Daniel sent Blake a smug smile. “If you want it to.”

Grayson looked like he was enjoying this way too much. “Daniel’s right. I think he and I are both proof of that.”

“Well, I’m glad for both of you. I truly am.” Blake swiped at the longish brown hair hanging past his brow. He’d needed a cut for weeks but still hadn’t found the time. “But when it comes to women, my attention span is incapable of expanding.”

Daniel snorted, catching the ball from Grayson. “Yeah. right.”

“I bet you it’s not,” Grayson said, a familiar tone in his voice. The one that could set Blake on edge and push them all into competitive mode in no time. But then, with the three of them, it never took much. Just those magic words… “I bet.”

Blake held up his mitt to receive the ball Blake sent his way. “Come on. Not again.” But he knew it was coming. With Grayson, the bets were always coming.

“I bet you can’t go on a date five times in a row with the same person,” Grayson said. Blake sent the baseball back his way extra hard. The thwack echoed through the field.

“Five times?” Blake asked, trying to sound bored. Because it was boring. Seeing the same woman more than twice just wasn’t something that interested him. Blake liked to keep things fresh and exciting. New places, new experiences, new gadgets, new lovers. Committed relationships were fine for people who wanted them—but he didn’t. Never had. Never