The Billionaire Heartbreaker by Mandy Baxter

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.
    â€œHey 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.
    â€œYou 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.”
    â€œDo I?” Her brow puckered adorably and Travis shifted in his seat so he wouldn’t be tempted to lean in closer.
    â€œIf 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?”
    â€œWorking.” 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.”
    â€œI’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.”
    â€œWhat do you mean?”
    â€œYou’re my nest egg.”
    â€œWhat does that mean?”
    â€œYou’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