Undisclosed Desire: An Alpha Billionaire Romance: + bonus novel Read Free Page A

the club's entrance. He smiles and approaches me.
    I look up at him in confusion as he comes to a halt in front of me, carrying a suit jacket on his right arm.
    "I am really sorry, I didn't mean to –"
    "It's okay," he interrupts me. "Real dancing should come with clashes."
    All right. What does he want from me then? Instead of asking, I just shrug and try to return his smile, but I feel that it must come across as a bad effort. It is not sincere, after all. He smells fucking good – and I don't like what his voice does to me. It's so deep, strong and... pleasant.
    "I know, it's a lame opener, but: Do you come here often?" he asks.
    I frown at him. "That really is a lame opener..."
    He laughs. "I knew it."
    "You obviously don't," I add.
    "Come here often?"
    "Yes."
    "No," he says, moving closer and leaning against the wall next to me. "I don't. In fact, I have never been here before."
    He is so close, that I can feel his body warmth. And his smell. Fuck, he smells good.
    "Doesn't seem to be your usual crowd," I comment, nodding toward his outfit.
    "What do you think my 'usual crowd' looks like?" he asks, now looking at me defiantly. I pause for a moment, raising my eyebrows as I blatantly check him out.
    "Meal at a fancy restaurant?" I say. "Followed by cocktails on the rooftop bar of some prestigious hotel. Or – if you're in for a 'crazy' night – dancing at one of the hottest clubs in town after you've had to place yourself on the waiting list months beforehand. Maybe drinking champagne? Guess that depends on what level of corporate smug you are."
    He raises his right eyebrow, obviously offended by what I said, but not willing to let it show too much.
    "Are you always this prejudiced?" he asks.
    "No," I reply. "But I am rarely wrong when it comes to people."
    "Still, tolerance and an open mind don't seem to be your strong point," he says, hitting me at a weak spot. "I honestly expected more."
    "Why?" I ask. "What did you expect?"
    His eyes are still on me, his body dead still as he fixates on me. Why is he still here? His intense gaze sends shivers down my spine – the kind that would usually draw me closer. I am still trying to fight it, but he attracts me. And what scares me most: I think he knows that.
    "The way you dance," he says, his eyes still fixed on me. "It's enticing."
    I reciprocate his look and blush. He is intimidating. I want to look away, but I can't. No one has ever called me or anything I do "enticing". What is wrong with this guy? What's his end game?
    "In fact," he adds, now whispering. "You are the most beautiful person I have seen in a long time. I couldn't take my eyes off you since the first moment I saw you."
    "Oh, come on!" I object. "I mean, look at me! I am drenched in sweat, my hair is all over the place, and I am not even sure that my makeup is not running down my face in ugly black streaks right now."
    "It's not, don't worry,” he says, shaking his head. “I’d love to see that, though.”
    What?
    I’m blushing. How brash. Who does he think he is?
    "And again, you disappoint me," he adds.
    "Why?" I ask.
    "Your definition of beauty," he explains. "So superficial. Why do you think I am talking about your body, your hair – your make-up even?"
    I look up at him, dumbfounded.
    "Of course, you are a beauty in that shallow sense," he continues. "You see yourself in a mirror every day. You know that you are beautiful. Your pale complexion complements your dark brown hair the same way it does on Snow White. Your lips are red, even without lipstick, and your long, wavy hair may be a mess right now – but it still decorates your slim frame in a stunning way that anyone would describe as pretty."
    He pauses but keeps his eyes on me. I don't know if he is waiting for some kind of reply, or just soaking in my reaction. I am not saying anything or deliberately showing any signs that I heard what he has been saying.
    But now that he has stopped talking, I notice that my breathing has changed