Leah Ashton - Behind The Billionaire's Guarded Heart

Falling for her mysterious boss...

When Australian heiress April Molyneux is left brokenhearted, she looks for a new start in London. Determined to stand on her own two feet, she finds herself working for the reclusive yet sexy billionaire Hugh Bennell.

Hugh likes his life—and his emotions—uncomplicated, but meeting glamorous April changes everything. Hugh doesn’t do relationships, and April wants to keep the independence she’s worked so hard for. But with these sparks flying...resistance might be futile!

Hugh was still so close. Closer than he’d ever been before.

Tall enough and near enough that he needed to look down at her and she needed to tilt her chin up.

April explored his face. The sharpness of his nose, the thick slash of his eyebrows, the strength of his jaw. This close she could see delicate lines bracketing his lips, a freckle on his cheek, a rogue grey hair among the stubble.

He was studying her, too. His gaze took in her eyes, her cheeks, her nose. Her lips.

There it was.

Not subtle now, nor easily dismissed as imagination as it had been down in his basement apartment. Or every other time they’d been in the same room together.

But it had been there, she realizsed. Since the first time they’d met.

That focus. That...intent.

That heat.

Between them. Within her.

It made her pulse race and caused her to lost in his gaze when he finally wrenched his away from her lips.

Since they’d met his eyes had revealed little. Only enough for her to know, deep in her heart, that he wasn’t as hard and unfeeling as he so steadfastly attempted to be.

Behind the Billionaire’s Guarded Heart

Leah Ashton

www.millsandboon.co.uk

RITA® Award–winning author LEAH ASHTON never expected to write books. She grew up reading everything she could lay her hands on—from pony books to the backs of cereal boxes at breakfast. One day she discovered the page-turning, happy-sigh-inducing world of romance novels...and one day, much later, wondered if maybe she could write one, too.

Leah now lives in Perth, Western Australia, and writes happy-ever-afters for heroines who definitely don’t need saving. She has a gorgeous husband, two amazing daughters and the best intentions to plan meals and maintain an effortlessly tidy home. When she’s not writing, Leah loves all-day breakfast, rambling conversations and laughing until she cries. She really hates cucumber. And scary movies. You can visit Leah at www.leah-ashton.comor Facebook.com/leahashtonauthor.

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For Jen—who writes beautiful messages in cards,

talks with her hands and giggles at all my jokes.

Thank you for all your help with this book,

and for your belief in my writing.

You’re fabulous, Jen. I miss you.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text Falling for her mysterious boss... When Australian heiress April Molyneux is left brokenhearted, she looks for a new start in London. Determined to stand on her own two feet, she finds herself working for the reclusive yet sexy billionaire Hugh Bennell. Hugh likes his life—and his emotions—uncomplicated, but meeting glamorous April changes everything. Hugh doesn’t do relationships, and April wants to keep the independence she’s worked so hard for. But with these sparks flying...resistance might be futile!

Introduction Hugh was still so close. Closer than he’d ever been before. Tall enough and near enough that he needed to look down at her and she needed to tilt her chin up. April explored his face. The sharpness of his nose, the thick slash of his eyebrows, the strength of his jaw. This close she could see delicate lines bracketing his lips, a freckle on his cheek, a rogue grey hair among the stubble. He was studying her, too. His gaze took in her eyes, her cheeks, her nose. Her lips. There it was. Not subtle now, nor easily dismissed as imagination as it had been down in his basement apartment. Or every other time they’d been in the same room together. But it had been there, she realizsed. Since the first time they’d met. That focus. That...intent. That heat. Between them. Within her. It made her pulse race and caused her to lost in his gaze when he finally wrenched his away from her lips. Since they’d met his eyes had revealed little. Only enough for her to know, deep in her heart, that he wasn’t as hard and unfeeling as he so steadfastly attempted to be.

Title Page Behind the Billionaire’s Guarded Heart Leah Ashton www.millsandboon.co.uk

About the Author RITA® Award–winning author LEAH ASHTON never expected to write books. She grew up reading everything she could lay her hands on—from pony books to the backs of cereal boxes at breakfast. One day she discovered the page-turning, happy-sigh-inducing world of romance novels...and one day, much later, wondered if maybe she could write one, too. Leah now lives in Perth, Western Australia, and writes happy-ever-afters for heroines who definitely don’t need saving. She has a gorgeous husband, two amazing daughters and the best intentions to plan meals and maintain an effortlessly tidy home. When she’s not writing, Leah loves all-day breakfast, rambling conversations and laughing until she cries. She really hates cucumber. And scary movies. You can visit Leah at www.leah-ashton.com or Facebook.com/leahashtonauthor .

Dedication For Jen—who writes beautiful messages in cards, talks with her hands and giggles at all my jokes. Thank you for all your help with this book, and for your belief in my writing. You’re fabulous, Jen. I miss you.

PROLOGUE

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

EPILOGUE

Extract

Copyright

PROLOGUE

THE SUNSET WAS PERFECT—all orange and purple on a backdrop of darkening blue. Just the right number of clouds stretched their tendrils artistically along the horizon.

The beach, however, was not so perfect.

It had been a warm Perth day, so April Molyneux hadn’t been alone in her plans for a beachside picnic dinner. Around her, people congregated about mounds of battered fish and chips on beds of butcher’s paper. Others had picnic baskets, or brown paper takeaway bags, or melting ice cream cones from the pink and white van parked above the sand dunes.

There were beach towels everywhere, body boards bouncing in the waves, children building sandcastles, women power walking along the beach in yoga pants, gossiping at a mile a minute. Then a football team jogged by, shirtless and in matching deep purple shorts.

April wanted to scream. This was not what she’d planned.

This was not a private, romantic, beachside tête-à-tête.

Evan lay sprawled on their picnic blanket, his back turned away from April as he scrolled through his phone.