“Seven hundred!” someone else jumped up from their seat making a show and dance out of their bid.
“Seven hundred. Do I hear eight?”
Enzo piped up again and from there on I lost track of the bids, the bidders, and everything else.
My gaze gravitated toward the man in the back. The man who hadn’t stopped staring at me, and though I knew other people were too, his gaze was the only one I could feel deep into my bones.
I knew I should look away. I knew I should pose and smile for my bidders, but I couldn’t. All I could do was stare at him and think how I wished we were the only ones in the room. That I wasn’t part of this farce. That I was just regular Cole, in my normal clothes. I could talk to him about his cats, books, or a hundred other things.
And then I saw his paddle going up and it broke whatever spell I’d been under.
I sighed.
What was wrong with me? Why was I lusting after a man twice my age? I didn’t do that. I hadn’t done that since I lost the love of my life. There was absolutely no reason I should be craving Samir or anyone for that matter. Love, sex, romance; they weren’t in the cards for me. Never again. Even if I could move on after Sandra, I couldn’t risk losing someone else again.
“No,” I said and looked away from him, focused on a man in the front who was a little too slimy the way he held up his paddle. As if he wanted to eat me up.
“What was that dear?” Hwan put his hand on my shoulder, and I found the perfect excuse to look away from the creepy bidder too.
“Huh? Oh, nothing. Sorry,” I mumbled, and Hwan smirked.
“Fourteen hundred. Do I hear fifteen?”
Someone raised their paddle, and I was shocked people were still going. Was I really worth that much to people? I mean, it was good for Duke’s Sanctuary, but this was nuts.
“Two thousand,” I heard a woman scream, but when I searched for her, the only one I found with their paddle in the air was Samir.
“Ooh. Someone’s eager.” Hwan whistled. “Do I hear twenty-one hundred?”
Had he really bid on me? Was he willing to part with two grand for a date—no, twelve dates with me?
Or had he been forced to bid by his friends like I’d been forced to do this embarrassing show by mine?
“Going once… going twice…” Hwan started, and I held my breath.
Did I really want Samir to win me? And why was my stomach doing somersaults at the prospect?
“Sold to the handsome bookstore owner with the pretty smile!” Hwan exclaimed, and everyone applauded, led by none other than Enzo and his mom.
What the hell had I gotten myself into?
10.Samir
“Ican’t believe you made me do that!” I whispered and sunk into my chair, trying to make the world disappear.
When did it get so hot in here? Was everyone looking at me? Was Cole? Oh, what he must think of me.
“Oh, come on, Sami. Lighten up,” Zay said, elbowing my side playfully.
“I was trying to. But you just embarrassed me in front of everyone. Embarrassed me in front of Col?—”
“Ooh, Cole? So you’re on a first name basis with the man you were just drooling over?” Alina asked, and I slapped my face, hiding it behind my hands.
What had I done? I’d given them even more ammunition. I should have kept my mouth shut.
“I wasn’t drooling,” I mumbled.
“You were so,” Zay said.
