The Billionaire’s Legacy (Billionaires & Babies)

Excerpt

Meet Sloane Sutton and Benjamin “Benji” Bennett in the opening scene of THE BILLIONAIRE’S LEGACY.

“Benji? Oh, my God, is that you?”

Benjamin Bennett shifted his attention to the source of the husky female voice he knew as well as his own.

“Sloane.” He hadn’t seen Sloane Sutton in nearly a decade yet he recognized her instantly. The passing years had been good to her; she was even more beautiful than he remembered. “I wasn’t sure you were coming to the wedding.”

Sloane wrapped him in a hug that seared his skin and sent electricity skittering down his spine. He released her reluctantly.

“I just decided a couple of days ago.” Sloane smoothed down the skirt of her brilliant blue, floor-length gown. It hugged her heart-stopping curves, showing off the glowing brown skin of one toned shoulder. “I didn’t even tell Delia I was coming.”

That explained why his sister hadn’t mentioned it.

“Well, it’s good to see you, Sloane. You look…incredible,” he stammered, his face and neck warm. The passage of time hadn’t lessened Sloane’s effect on him. He was as tongue-tied in her presence now as he’d been at fifteen.

His crush on her began the moment he’d first laid eyes on her. He was five years old and Sloane was ten.

“Thanks.” Sloane beamed. “You look pretty darned handsome yourself.”

“Blake must’ve been glad to see you.” Benji nodded toward the groom. He loosened the collar of his shirt, which suddenly seemed too tight.

“It’s good to see Blake so happy.” Sloane’s gaze softened, but sadness suddenly crept into her voice and clouded her brown eyes. “Savannah seems really sweet, and their baby, Davis, is adorable.”

“He’s a cute kid,” Benji acknowledged, shoving his hands in his pockets and shifting his weight to his other foot. “And Savannah is really sweet. You’ll like her.”

Getting to the altar hadn’t been easy for his cousin and Savannah. When they’d first met, Savannah was on a mission to infiltrate the company founded by Blake’s grandfather to prove that half King’s Finest Distillery belonged to her family. But somehow, they’d managed to move past the pain and distrust to find love and happiness.

Sloane caught the eye of someone on the other side of the room and nodded. She turned back to him. “I’d better go, but we’ll catch up later.”

“Count on it.” Benji watched as she walked away.

Sloane Sutton.

Growing up, he’d adored Sloane. She and his sister Delia had been thick as thieves. He’d spent countless nights as a boy kept awake by their girlish giggles, heard through the thin wall between his and Delia’s bedrooms. Sloane had been everything to him, but she’d seen him as an honorary little brother.

She’d been a beautiful girl, but she’d grown into a stunning woman. When they were young, she’d had the toned body of a farm girl who was no stranger to physical labor; her lean, athletic body had given way to softer, fuller curves. The hair she’d worn in a thick, black braid down her back, was now cut short on the sides with thick, glossy curls piled atop her head.

A small, barely there diamond stud adorned her left nostril. And when she’d turned to walk away, he’d noticed shooting stars tattooed on the back of her neck. The tattoo disappeared beneath the fabric, which dipped low between her shoulder blades.

“Better close your mouth and stop drooling or everyone will know you’ve still got a thing for Sloane Sutton,” Parker Abbott, his best friend and first cousin, said matter-of-factly.

“I didn’t have a thing for Sloane Sutton.” Benji straightened his navy tuxedo jacket, hoping he wouldn’t be struck by lightning for the whopper of a lie he’d just told.

Of course he’d had a thing for Sloane.

He’d been a red-blooded teenage boy and she was…well, she was Sloane Sutton. Confident, beautiful, funny, slightly irreverent.

She hadn’t thought him strange because he preferred Star Trek marathons and sci-fi books to spending time playing outside. Nor had she ridiculed him for his fascination with computer programming and astronomy or his love of data. Instead, she’d told him how smart he was, and that one day he’d change the world. She’d said it with such confidence, she’d made him believe it, too.

How could he not have a thing for her?

“I know that reading people isn’t my thing,” Parker said, “but if that wasn’t the very definition of having a thing for someone, I’ll marry Kayleigh Jemison.” He nodded toward the woman he’d escorted down the aisle during the wedding ceremony.

Parker and Kayleigh had been at each other’s throats for as long as Benji could remember. But since Kayleigh was close friends with Parker’s new sister-in-law, he’d been charged with escorting her down the aisle.

“Speaking of having a thing for someone.” Benji chuckled.

“Me? Have a thing for Kayleigh?” Parker’s cheeks colored, though he dismissed the idea with a wave of his hand. “You must’ve fallen and banged your head.”

The wedding photographer beckoned them, indicating it was time to join the rest of the wedding party for some group shots.

Benji was thankful for the distraction. Still, he couldn’t help scanning the crowd, hoping to catch another glimpse of Sloane.

Pre-order THE BILLIONAIRE’S LEGACY here.

A wedding reception reunites a billionaire with his childhood crush in this captivating contemporary. After one dance leads to a torrid weekend, fiercely independent Sloane Sutton finds herself pregnant with twins by irresistible Benjamin Bennet. Six months later, Benjamin contacts Sloane, hoping to pick up where they left off and build a relationship; he’s stunned when she tells him he’s about to be a father. Sloane’s decision to refuse Benjamin’s marriage proposal despite her simmering feelings and financial difficulties injects a dose of realism into this Cinderella romance. Benjamin must go all-out to convince Sloane to grant him a permanent place in her life, even if that means cutting ties with his family. With clever insight, vulnerability, and touching honesty, Ryan (Savannah’s Secrets) explores this couple’s hang-ups about family, trust, and intimacy. Alternating perspectives give clear views into each character’s thoughts and choices. Readers will want to shake sense into this strong-willed pair even as they root for them to seize happiness. (Oct.)

~ Publisher’s Weekly

Ryan hits it out of the park with this compelling addition to the Billionaires and Babies series. Living the American dream after selling his start-up tech business for billions, Benji unexpectedly runs into his childhood crush. Sloane, a strong and independent woman on her dream career path, must make life-changing decisions after their chance encounter leads to a one-night stand. Nine months later, both of their carefully laid plans are derailed, and their worlds turned upside down. Will the vicious gossip of Magnolia Lake, Tennessee, hinder the growing love within this new family? Readers will avidly follow the twists, turns, and domestic drama that conspire to spoil the future happiness of these unintentional parents.

~ Shoshana Frank, Booklist

Ryan was able to put a refreshing spin on the billionaire trope and I loved it so much! Benji and Sloane had been friends since childhood. Sloane is his older sisters best friend and I loved that spin on the story as well.

~ Shelly’s Book Corner

I liked that the MCs recognized the issues in their relationship and worked to resolve the conflicts that were under their control, by the end. It made for a satsfyingly realistic happy ending. I especially enjoyed all the family and parenting details, and seeing them fumble with each other and figure things out. And the moments when they risk being vulnerable with each other were just lovely.

~ Corey’s Book Corner

Lovely, absolutely lovely. The story of Benjamin and Sloane…was completely endearing and heartwarming… The story of this couple pulled at the heartstrings for many different reasons, it touched on a lot of emotional issues, such as economic status, childhood feelings, and strained family relationships. These characters became very relatable due to their past experiences and personal values which shaped them into the people that they are as adults…

~ I Heart AA Book Reviews

233. THE BILLIONAIRE’S LEGACY @ReeseRyanWrites
– m/f
– black mcs
– one night stand turns into secret baby (twins!!)
– childhood crush
– sibling’s best friend with slight age gap
– billionaire hero
– class disparity
– sloane sutton deserves only good things i would die for her pic.twitter.com/vdoOlGmDYQ

— leah (they/them) | donna sheridan is bi (@nickyoflaherty) August 27, 2018