The Billionaire Heartbreaker (6 page)

“I have no idea who I'm wearing.” His good-natured laughter caused a riot of butterflies to take flight in Reily's stomach. He turned around and bent down to the reporter's height. “You can check the tags if you want.”

Okay, so that was a little forward, but just flirty enough to put a smile on the E! News correspondent's face. Reily could live with that.

“I'm not dating Alex Morgan but she's one hell of a soccer player. Anyone want to hook me up?”

The reporters laughed at that one and Reily couldn't blame them. Travis's humor and personality was magnetic. It was a shame that he'd chosen to live his life on the wild side for the press and everyone else to see. It was only when faced with the question about his performance on the ice that Travis's expression darkened and his jaw squared.

Reily took several quick steps forward. It was in both of their best interests to redirect him and usher him past the media and into the building. She hustled behind the line of athletes, celebrities, and their staff to where Travis stared down the reporter from ESPN.

“Travis, I think we'd better get inside.” Even in heels, she had to go up on her tiptoes to get close to his ear. She turned her attention to the guy who smirked while he held his microphone up to Travis's face. “If you'll excuse us,” Reily said to the press at large, “Travis is needed inside. I'm sure there'll be time for questions later if you'll—”

“Hang on, Reily.” Travis's dead serious tone sent a shiver of dread down her spine. “I've got this.”

Oh crap
. From the stern set of Travis's jaw, she had a feeling that she might be bailing him out of jail before he finished up with the smart-ass from ESPN. She might as well kiss her career, shopping, any hopes of a vacation, or even paying her rent goodbye. Damn. She'd been getting used to the idea of being able to buy nice things again.

*   *   *

Travis noticed the anxious terror in Reily's clear blue eyes from fifty feet away. He'd been watching her—watching him—from the corner of his eye while he played the part of the good-natured guy and toed the line with the media's questions. Then, that asshat from ESPN had opened his mouth. It didn't matter what Travis did. How he behaved. He could do a complete one-eighty and still no one would care about anything but the crazy shit he'd done before. He opened his mouth to tell that son of a bitch to take his microphone and stick it right up his nosy ass, but then his gaze met Reily's and he snapped his jaw shut.

“I'm more than ready for the Cup,” Travis replied with a pleasant smile. “As for any late nights I might have had, I don't have any intention of spending my time any other way than training and practicing and getting in the right head space. Hockey and the Stars are my priority right now. Nothing else. It's a privilege to be on the ice with the guys on the team.”

He cast a sidelong glance Reily's way. Her lips parted in a wide smile as her stiff posture relaxed. Good God, when she smiled like that, she took his breath away. Pride swelled in Travis's chest that he'd done something to please her. It felt so damned good that he wanted to do it again and again.

“It was great to talk to everyone but I need to get moving. I'll see you all inside. Have a great evening.” With a wave in parting, Travis grabbed Reily's hand and hooked it in the crook of his arm. “How'd I do?” he asked.

“You were fantastic.” Reily's eyes glittered like sapphires. Travis fought the urge to reach out and ease her glasses from her face. That stuffy librarian look revved his engine more than he wanted to admit, but he longed to see her eyes without the frames. They were beautiful and fathomless and it didn't take much for him to lose himself in the blue depths.

“You thought I was going to choke,” he teased.

Her shocked expression caused laughter to bubble in his chest. “No I didn't.”

“You absolutely did,” he said with a chuckle. “You should have seen the look on your face! I thought you were going to swallow your tongue.”

“Okay, fine. For a second you looked like you were going to beat that guy over the head with his microphone. I might have been a little concerned.”

“Concerned?” Travis replied. “I was surprised you didn't fly in a drone to airlift me out of there.”

Reily laughed and the sound tingled on his skin like cool rain. Did he want her simply because he couldn't have her? Or was there more to it? Either way, Travis was bound and determined to test the waters. He might have agreed to behave himself in front of the cameras, but once they were alone, all bets were off.

Travis was nothing if not a risk taker. And tonight he planned to take a huge one.

The Boys and Girls Clubs of America charity event boasted a host of professional athletes and celebrities alike. Travis had wanted to cut a check and blow off the event like Carter had, but both Bob and Reily had agreed that Travis needed to show off his new, more responsible image to the press. He wasn't here tonight only to give to a good cause, but to show his support for the Stars organization. As though the goals he saved time and again weren't enough proof of his support and commitment to the team.

The champagne flowed and the food was top-notch, as was the company. Travis met and mingled, laughed and ribbed his friends and teammates. But as the night progressed, his mood soured. Reily hadn't stayed close. Instead, she'd opted to fall back, observing as though Travis were some sort of science experiment she'd be writing a report on later. Some imaginary line divided the night's draw—the celebrities—from their staff, handlers, and less important friends. He'd never noticed it before. He'd always been so wrapped up in himself. Or drunk. Or chasing tail. All three, really.

But while he mixed and mingled, answered questions and schmoozed the press, Reily sat at a table, now by herself, and studied something on her phone as she scrolled across the screen with her fingertip.

“Hey man,” Travis said to Ryan Wright, one of the team captains. “I'll catch up with you later.”

Ryan bucked his chin in acknowledgment as he continued his conversation with a few other guys from the team.

The trek across the crowded ballroom took three times longer than it should have. Every five seconds, someone waylaid him, be it the press, an acquaintance, or a fan looking for an autograph. Travis did what Reily expected of him and kept a polite demeanor with each and every one of them. Even the rude son of a bitch who acted as though Travis owed him for the money he'd lost on the Stars's 3–2 loss against the Avalanche early in the season.

Travis swallowed down the snarky retort that sat on the tip of his tongue, though. He smiled, shook the guy's hand, and promised to try and make it up to him in the finals. It seemed to be enough to placate him—
thank God
—and Travis managed to avoid any more distractions on his way to Reily's table.

“You know, just because I'm on lockdown, doesn't mean that you have to be. I thought this was a party.” He took a seat next to Reily and bumped his shoulder playfully against hers. She looked up from her screen as though she hadn't even noticed him sit down. Now, that was a hell of boost to the ego.
Jesus
. Travis swallowed down his disappointment and motioned for one of the wait staff. The guy brought over a tray laden with fresh flutes of champagne and he plucked two of them from the tray before setting one beside Reily. “You look like you could use a drink.”

“Do I?” Her brow puckered adorably and Travis shifted in his seat so he wouldn't be tempted to lean in closer.

“If you have to ask, you definitely do.” He angled his head toward hers and took a deep breath of Reily's heady lavender scent. “What are you doing over here, anyway?”

“Working.” She reached for the flute and took a sip before pulling the glass away to study it. She'd been so preoccupied, she hadn't even realized what she was doing. God, Travis found those little quirks of hers almost too sexy for words. “The same as you.”

“I'm socializing,” he stressed. “You look like you've got your life savings invested in a risky stock and are waiting for the market to open.”

Reily laughed. “You're sort of right.”

“What do you mean?”

“You're my nest egg.”

“What does that mean?”

“You're the biggest client I've had since I opened my own firm.” Reily averted her gaze as though embarrassed to admit it. “I've been trying to build my reputation back up for months. This is sort of a make-it-or-break-it situation for me.”

Talk about pressure. Travis was pretty sure he'd rather be on the receiving end of a hundred and twenty mile per hour puck. “Why would you have to rebuild your reputation?”

“The firm I used to work for went under last year. A failed business doesn't exactly instill confidence. Despite the fact I've worked with some high-profile clients in the past, it didn't help my firm to take off. Maybe I need my own image consultant,” she said with a bitter laugh.

“Who were some of your high-profile clients?” Travis asked in an effort to pull her out of her maudlin mood. As expected, she looked down her nose at him, over the tortoiseshell rims of her cat-eye glasses. Goddamn, that stern and exasperated expression was hot.

“You know I can't tell you that.”

“Even if I asked you nicely?”

She cracked a grin. “No.”

“What if I bribed you?”

“Nice try.”

The dance music the DJ had been spinning all night died down to something slow and mellow. Travis stood from his seat and grabbed Reily by the wrist. “Come on.”

“Where are we going?” Her bemused expression made him want to put his mouth to hers that much more.

“We're going to dance,” he said.

Reily resisted and tried to pull away but Travis kept his grip on her hand. “Oh, no. I don't dance.”

“There's a first time for everything,” he countered as he tugged her closer to the dance floor. “If I can try to behave tonight, you can at least try to dance.”

“Dancing isn't in my job description.”

Travis grinned. “It is tonight.”

Reily cocked a brow. “And if I refuse?”

Travis chuckled. “If you do, I'm bee-lining it for the nearest bar and I'm not leaving until they kick my drunk ass out.”

The threat worked and Reily fell into step beside him. “I'll be damned if I'll let that happen, so I guess I'm dancing.”

Damn straight
. Travis never did take well to losing. And he wasn't about to start tonight.

Six

What in the hell are you doing, Reily?

It was like watching an accident about to happen from a mile away and not being able to do anything to stop it. She'd never done anything like this before. Hell, aside from giving guidance to her clients, she never interacted with them more than in a strictly professional capacity. Travis's laid-back attitude and his inability to recognize boundaries forced her out of that professional comfort zone. But no matter how much he flirted, Reily needed to remind herself that flirting was
all
it was.

Travis pulled her close and took one of her hands in his while he settled the other at the small of her back. Heat radiated from his palm, soaking through the thin chiffon fabric of her shirt and Reily shivered. He held her close, closer than what was appropriate for business colleagues and when he angled his head toward hers, the warmth of his breath brushed her ear. Reily tried not to let herself melt against him. Their close quarters caused her nipples to tingle in anticipation of contact and she resisted the urge to allow her breasts to brush against his chest. Her breath caught and her step faltered. If not for Travis's size and balance, she would have tripped them both.

“How'd I do tonight?” His words vibrated low and husky in her ear, spoken for her alone. Did he have any clue what sort of effect he had on her? That the tenor of his voice sent delightful shivers that wandered over her flesh and settled in a steady thrum low in her belly.

“Not too bad,” Reily said with a nervous laugh. “I've definitely seen worse.”

“That response isn't doing much for my ego, you know.”

He held her tighter, the tips of his fingers gripping her with a possessiveness that made Reily want to moan. “I think we've already established that your ego is just fine without any help from me.”

Travis pulled away and met her gaze. “Maybe I'm only interested in hearing it from you.”

Heat rose to Reily's cheeks. She couldn't tear herself away from the intensity of his gaze. “I told you, you can't talk to me like that, Travis.”

A corner of his mouth hitched. Sweet mercy, she wanted to kiss him there. “And I asked why not.”

“Because of the way you're looking at me right now,” she breathed.

Travis put his mouth to hers. Reily started to pull away but he held her close, his arm wrapped tightly around her waist. It was probably a good thing, too, because her knees actually went weak. What sort of woman literally swooned from a kiss? She did, obviously.

He tucked their grasped hands between them as he slowed to a stop on the dance floor. The world melted around them until there was only the two of them. Reily had never been kissed with such sinful intent before. As though the kiss was a precursor to what he'd do to her body, given the chance.

His lips brushed against hers once, twice, and again. Each time slower and more methodical than the last. His tongue darted out at the seam of her lips and Riley's clit pulsed as though his mouth were a hell of a lot lower than it currently was. Travis urged her to open to him and she obliged, her heart thundering in her ears as he deepened the kiss. She'd never felt such a rush before. As though a stream of pure, electric light shot through her veins. The taste of bourbon lingered on his tongue and coupled with his clean, masculine scent, Reily wasn't sure how much more she could take before she did something she'd regret. For once, she understood why Travis took the risks he did. Was there anything more exciting than kissing him in the middle of the crowded dance floor for all the world to see?