The Billionaire’s Girlfriend Bet - Leslie North Page 0,16

which training had only barely been discussed. Most of the time, he’d simply enjoyed the day at her side.

And that was unprecedented.

So was the way that Michelle threw him off balance, even though she probably wasn’t trying to. In fact, he suspected that Michelle would never want him to feel anything but great about himself. But the truth was that her humble, unassuming nature sent him more off-kilter than he’d ever felt before. Yet somehow, she was able to center him, even when she destabilized him. Bring him down to the ground, when he was so accustomed to flying off into outer space.

It wasn’t just the fact that she’d gently and sweetly gotten him into her run-down car. It wasn’t just the fact that she’d insisted on eating her lunch on Sunday out of a cracked and stained Tupperware container. It was the fact that she didn’t want anything from him. She didn’t see his wealth and think cha-ching. She wasn’t impressed by his driver, or his limited model sports SUV, or the fact that he owned baseball teams and a record label.

She appreciated him, respected him, but didn’t fawn over his wealth.

And that was wild.

Blake checked and double-checked his appearance in the mirror. He’d go pick up Michelle, who had arranged for a babysitter for Mollie tonight, and then take her to his still-unfinished nightclub, where they’d have a special dinner.

It seemed intimate and unique and something that Michelle would love. And that was also giving him the big-exam-before-graduation feelings as well.

Blake chose black slacks and a gray button-up for the evening, paired with a black bow tie that seemed somehow quirky yet appropriate. The ride to her house was full of nerves. When he showed up, Mollie was the one who answered the door, shouting with excitement.

“Mommy, Mr. Blake is here! Hi, Mr. Blake!” She hopped into his arms and he laughed as he hugged her. He hadn’t expected to become so attached to Mollie, but here he was. Yet another unexpected consequence of getting to know Michelle.

Michelle appeared a moment later, and the sight of her stole his breath. She wore a navy wraparound dress that perfectly highlighted her fit body and beautiful curves. Paired with dark peep-toe heels and simple pearl earrings, he wanted to sweep her into his arms, press that beautiful body against his and see where the night took them.

“Hey, Michelle. You look great.”

“Isn’t my mommy beautiful?” Mollie asked, looking up at Michelle.

“Yes, she is,” Blake said, smoothing down the front of his shirt as he took the chance to look her up and down again. “The most beautiful woman I’ve met.”

And it was true. Looking at her all dolled up helped the truth click into place. She was beautiful from the inside out. That first day, he’d noticed her striking blue eyes and killer bod, but what had drawn him in was the soft beauty that came from the inside. She was the most beautiful woman he’d ever met, and even the most picture-perfect supermodels he’d shacked up with in the past didn’t come close.

“You’re the most beautiful to me,” Michelle whispered to Mollie as she leaned down to give her daughter a kiss. “Mr. Blake and I will be back later. Be good for the babysitter.”

“Ok, Mommy! I love you!” Mollie hugged her mother’s waist before Michelle shut the door, fiddling with her earrings as she followed him to the car.

“Are you ready for the big surprise?” Blake asked, pausing so they could fall into step, even on the short walk to the car.

“Yes! I’ve had about a thousand ideas, wondering where you’re taking me today, but I bet they’re all wrong.”

“Oh? Let’s hear the speculation.” Blake walked to the passenger side of the car with her, tugging open her door before she slid in. Yet another night without the driver. He wanted this to be just the two of them, not least because over the past three minutes, he’d come to a decision: he did want the evening to take a risqué turn. Even though he’d planned to trudge through these five dates without a hint of seduction, well…he’d been wrong.

He wanted to seduce Michelle. Just a little.

“Well,” Michelle said once he’d climbed into the driver’s side, “I thought maybe we were going to a sporting event.”

“Wrong.”

“I also thought maybe we’d be going to that restaurant you mentioned last week.”

He smirked as the engine turned over, the SUV humming to life. “Also wrong.”

“Then I thought, well, this could be dinner