Bachelor Auction (20 page)

Darah Lace

suffered

the

pounding

Wylie

administered to his back along with the smug look

on Charlotte’s face.

There was no doubt in his mind she’d ordered

that drink for shock value. Probably with him in

mind. She had done no more than stir it while he

drained the rest of his beer and half another. Oh,

she had closed her full sensuous lips around the

little red straw now and then, but she never drank

from it. Only an industrial strength vacuum cleaner

could get liquid through those useless holes.

In retribution, he’d made her squirm while he

perfected his act as her lover, displaying intimate

yet respectful affection. He didn’t want to embarrass

her or himself. Just get even. And get his point

across to Wylie.
Back off
.

So far he couldn’t tell if it was working.

Marcus checked his watch and interrupted

another damnable stroll down memory lane. “We

should probably go.”

“Already?” Her disappointment pricked his

nerves like bamboo shoots under his fingernails.

“Yep,” he said, setting his beer on the bar to lift

her off the stool. He left his hands on her waist after

she had her balance for Wylie’s sake, though it was

all he could do not to drag her against him. “And you

better freshen up. Your hair’s a mess.”

Cocking her head to one side, she tilted her chin

up at him provocatively and jabbed him in the chest

with her finger. “If my hair is a mess, it’s only

because you can’t keep your hands out of it.”

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He ignored her playful reprimand—mostly

because it was true—and reached to finger a long

lock that had fallen from the neat twist at the back

of her head. It was satiny smooth, and even in the

dim light it shimmered like moonlight off water.

“I’ve always loved your hair.”

The moment he said the words, he wished he

could take them back. Damn, but what else was

new? He let the tendril slip from his fingers and

forced himself to meet her confused gaze. She was

probably trying to decide whether he really meant it,

or if it, too, was part of their game.

Grabbing her purse, he handed it to her and

lowered his voice so only she could hear. “And you

might want to touch up your lipstick. You left most

of it on Wylie.”

That earned him a frown. She took the little

black bag and turned to Wylie, who sat observing

them quietly. “Don’t go anywhere.”

Wylie nodded. “I’ll be right here.”

“Not if I can help it,” Marcus muttered under his

breath as he snatched up his beer and parked

himself on the stool she had vacated. Resisting the

urge to follow her departure in the mirror, he took a

long draw and studied his nemesis. He might not be

able to save Charlotte from herself, but he could

damn well save her from Grant Wylie. “I never

pegged you as stupid.”

Wylie jerked his gaze from Charlotte’s rearview

to Marcus. “I beg your pardon?”

Marcus leaned both elbows on the bar. “You’ve

got a pretty good setup here. Executive position at a

major hotel resort, conveniently engaged to the

boss’s daughter—”

“There’s nothing convenient about it. I love

Robyn.”

“How long do you think she’d believe that if she

saw Charlotte’s lipstick on your face?”

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Darah Lace

Wylie withdrew a handkerchief from the inner

pocket of his suit coat and eyed Marcus cautiously as

he erased the annoying red smear. “I’d thank you for

the heads up, but somehow I don’t think you meant

to be helpful.”

Marcus lifted his beer to toast the man’s

brilliance. “See? I knew you were smart.”

“So what’s on your mind, Preston?”

He angled his head and pinned the man with a

hard stare. “Don’t think you’re going to use this

weekend to pick up where you left off with her,

because you’ll have to go through me first.”

“Ah,” Wylie said, tension visibly draining from

his face, amusement taking its place. Cocky bastard.

“And where is it you think we left off?”

Marcus gripped the bottle in his hands to keep

from encircling the man’s neck and forced out the

words that twisted his gut. “I know you were lovers.”

“Did Charlotte tell you that?”

“She didn’t have to. Everyone on campus knew.”

All humor left Wylie’s face as he shifted to study

his empty glass, rolling it around in his hands. It

wasn’t so much guilt Marcus saw, though there was

some, but mostly frustration, as if he wanted to say

something and had to bite his tongue to keep from it.

Then he shrugged. “What happened between me and

Charlotte is ancient history. We’re different people

now. Besides, the Charlotte I remember wouldn’t

have bid on you. She wouldn’t have put herself in

that position. The fact that she did says a lot.”

Marcus bit back his own reply. He couldn’t very

well admit Charlotte hadn’t bid on him—at least not

with the intention of buying him—or that his

relationship with her was a lie. And his pride balked

at telling one of her ex-lovers she didn’t want more

from him than she could get from any man.

“And even if I’m wrong,” Wylie continued, “I’m

engaged.”

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Bachelor Auction

Marcus snorted and pushed away from the bar.

“That little detail hasn’t stopped others.” He dug out

his wallet and covered their tab. “Thanks for giving

Charlotte a ride earlier, but from here out I’ll give

her whatever she needs.”

“You know, I’m beginning to think you don’t

know her very well if you think she’d pick up with

me or anyone else.”

“It’s not her I’m worried about.” The lie gnawed

at his gut as he turned to leave. She would probably

jump at the chance to reunite with Wylie if only for

the weekend, regardless of his affianced status, were

it not for the consequences of getting caught.

“Marcus, wait.” Again Wylie seemed to struggle

with his words. “What I had with Charlotte wasn’t

what you think.”

“What do you mean?”

“That’s for you to ask her.”

“I’m asking you.”

“If she wants you to know, she’ll tell you.”

Wylie indicated Charlotte’s approach with a nod,

and Marcus was left to speculate the meaning

behind the man’s vague statement. Had they not

been lovers? He had a hard time swallowing that. No

matter the things he’d recently learned about her.

But the alternative tortured his very soul. What

if they’d been more than lovers? What if their

feelings had run deeper than anyone thought? What

if they still did?

****

headed toward the exit with the last of his

equipment. The restaurant manager shooed the

hovering waiter from their partially secluded table

in the corner of the candlelit dining room. “You two

did a great job for Max. He’ll make sure you’re taken

care of for the rest of the evening. Enjoy your meal.”

Charlotte clasped Grant’s hand with mixed

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Darah Lace

emotions. “I wish you wouldn’t go.”

He cast a cursory glance at Marcus in the chair

across from her then extricated his hand from hers

and bent to kiss her forehead. “As much as I’d like to

stay and catch up some more, you don’t need a third

wheel and Robyn’s waiting for me. I’ll see you in the

morning for the hotel shoot.”

She stared after him, somewhat relieved since

he might have accidentally let something slip, but

mostly amazed at how much she had allowed herself

to trust him not to. They’d made a pact in college

and he hadn’t betrayed her. Not then and not

tonight.

He paused at the door and waved. She smiled at

his boyish grin and waggled her fingers back at him.

She’d never had a male friend. Or at least not that

she’d realized. Turns out, she’d had one all along in

Grant Wylie. Too bad his kisses had never made her

lips burn, her breasts tighten, and her belly quiver.

Not like—

“How long has it been since you’ve seen Wylie?”

Charlotte flushed to find Marcus studying her

over a silver vase of red roses, his dark eyes void of

all emotion. She scooped a forkful of steak from her

plate, glad he couldn’t read minds. “Geez, it’s been

years. Not since college.”

At the first taste of the succulent beef topped

with sautéed mushrooms, onions and melted cheese,

she closed her eyes and moaned. Cardboard would

have tasted good after skipping breakfast and lunch,

but this was heavenly. Like an orgasm for her taste

buds.

When she opened her eyes to go for another bite

of bliss, Marcus was still watching her. More

specifically her mouth. His gaze dropped to the

untouched food on his plate. But not before she

noticed his eyes weren’t as blank as they had been

throughout the shoot.

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Feeling once more self-assured and a little more

in control, she pointed with her fork and asked,

“Aren’t you going to eat? It’s really wonderful.”

He picked up his wine glass and sat back. “I ate

too much at lunch.”

She scrunched her nose. “Lucky provided a nice

spread, but something about eating in the same area

where

animals

eat,

sleep

and

do

other

unmentionable things just doesn’t appeal.”

His lips quirked as she’d intended but thinned

again just before he drank the last of his wine. He’d

been quiet—more so than usual if that was

possible—and somewhat distracted during the

promo for the restaurant. Not that he hadn’t played

his part. He’d done and said all the right things. But

his hands hadn’t lingered on hers between poses.

He’d pulled them back to his side of the table. He

hadn’t glared or growled at Rick, not even when the

photographer put his clammy fingers on her back to

adjust her position.

Still a bit off balance because of the admission

he’d made at the bar about her hair, she hadn’t

noticed his withdrawal until after they arrived at

the restaurant. She had tried to take everyone’s

attention off him by chattering incessantly—

something she never did—with Grant and the

restaurant manager. Rick hadn’t complained so she

must have succeeded.

“Did you know he’d be here?”

She nodded then swallowed and raised the

napkin to wipe the corner of her mouth. Once again

Marcus’s gaze followed her actions, and she couldn’t

resist licking her lips. “He told me on the way to the

hotel this afternoon that he’d be at all the sponsor

promos.”

“No, I mean in Aspen.”

“Oh.” So the reason for his irritation hadn’t

changed. Grant remained his concern. “Yes, I knew.”

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Darah Lace

“So you’ve kept in touch?”

“No, Melody told me when she gave me the

itinerary.” Charlotte took a sip of water, then added,

“He looks good don’t you think? I’d forgotten how

gorgeous he was. Still is.”

His answer came in the form of a grunt as he

glanced out over the room and seemed to draw

inward. The waiter approached to freshen their wine

glasses, though hers remained full, and Charlotte let

Marcus deliberate in peace. She took the opportunity

to study him as he had her.

The minute the shoot ended, he had removed his

charcoal suit coat, loosened his multi-colored tie and

rolled up the sleeves of his crisp white dress shirt. If

she thought him breathtakingly handsome before,

his casual appearance only enhanced the raw

sensuality she’d always responded to.

Jet-black hair fell over his brow to one side,

casting a shadow of mystery over brooding emerald

eyes. He’d shaved before meeting her in the bar, but

the smooth skin along his jaw revealed a hint of new

growth every time he clenched and unclenched his

jaw. The corded muscles of his bronzed forearms

bunched and relaxed as he gripped and released the

stem of his glass.

Maybe it wasn’t a good idea to keep prodding his

jealousy over Grant. If he continued to withdraw to