Bachelor Auction (28 page)

very well be the only one she’d ever admitted that to,

since she insisted in hiding her decision to abstain.

For that reason, he wanted her to know he believed

her and she didn’t have to pretend to please others.

Especially him. “I figured you might use champagne

in the photos so I had a bottle of ginger ale sent up

this morning. It’s in the fridge. Do you mind?”

Wylie looked at him with surprise—probably

because champagne was a breakfast beverage in the

higher societies all over the world—but he recovered

nicely. “Uh, sure. I don’t think anyone can tell the

difference.”

“Thanks.”

As soon as Wylie’s back was turned, Charlotte

twisted free of his embrace to face him. “What was

that all about?”

Marcus bit back a smile, enjoying her

befuddlement, glad it was her and not him for a

change. He tucked a stray lock behind her ear. “Just

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looking out for you.”

“Well, I don’t need you.” She swatted his hand

then belatedly darted a look at the two men across

the room, one occupied with his equipment, the

other with his head in the refrigerator. “I can take

care of myself. And you can stop being so nice to me

while you’re at it.”

His amusement faded at her words. “You didn’t

seem to mind yesterday.”

“That was before.”

“Before what?”

Her chin rose. “Last night.”

He couldn’t help the sharp bark of laughter that

escaped. “What? If I don’t sleep with you, I can’t be

nice to you? That’s pretty distorted.”

“Ms. Reese, Mr. Preston,” Rick called from a

across the room. “If you’re ready?”

Marcus snagged her hand and pulled her

several feet to the rug, determined to hang on to his

temper. Right or wrong, he could see only one way to

keep her from withdrawing from him again. He had

to keep her rattled. “Lie down.”

“I don’t—”

Marcus placed a finger on her lips and shifted so

that he stood between her and the two men. “It was

your idea to pretend we’re lovers, not mine, but I’m

trying to do what you asked. So if you don’t want

everyone to find out we’ve lied, you’ll do as I say.

Now shut up and lie down.” His last command came

out a little louder than he intended, and from the

look on her face as she darted a glance over his

shoulder, the others heard.

Quick to cover his mistake, she gripped the front

of his shirt and peered up at him from beneath dark

lashes, sultry invitation in her bold eyes for the

others to see. “I know this is taxing, baby, and we

didn’t get much sleep last night, but if you say that

again later, I’ll make it up to you in ways you can’t

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begin to imagine. And maybe some you can.”

The withering glare she shot him before

lowering her lithe frame to the fur rug didn’t stop

the shudder that slid under his skin at the sensual

promise. It didn’t matter that it was false.

Marcus glanced toward Wylie, who looked back

at him with amused sympathy. Having suffered the

same look from his brothers, he shrugged off Wylie’s

pity and turned to Rick. The man practically licked

his lips with unconcealed lust, nothing Marcus

hadn’t seen other men do, but something he feared

he would have to learn to live with if he wanted to

retain his sanity.

And with what he was about to do, he had to be

grateful for the audience.

Stretching out beside her, Marcus propped

himself on one elbow and set the grapes on her

stomach.

Plucking one, he

glanced at

the

cameraman. “You ready?”

The man straightened and lifted his camera.

Marcus turned his full attention to Charlotte.

She lay perfectly still and so goddamned sexy, with

one hand above her head, the other on her belly, one

knee thrust upward. He almost lost his nerve. “How

about you?”

She gazed up at him, still angry but unable to

conceal a bit of uncertainty. “How about me what?”

He touched the grape to her mouth, words

forming on the tip of his tongue that would likely

stir a fire better left to cool before one of them got

burned. “Are you ready for me?”

Her lips parted, he suspected in shock, but her

eyes flared with the same telltale desire he’d

witnessed the night before. It dawned on him that

he’d never seen it in her eyes when she looked at

Wylie. Caring, humor, mischief, and yes, sometimes

sensual invitation, but never the heated passion he

invoked on the occasions they’d been together. The

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sudden knowledge gave him hope even as it warned

of the danger that lurked in the direction he headed,

audience or not.

He held another grape ready. “What’s really

bothering you?”

She paused in her chewing then swallowed.

“Besides you?”

Marcus chuckled and rubbed her lower lip with

the seedless fruit. “What is it about me that bothers

you so much? Other than the fact that I won’t have

sex with you.”
Yet
.

“It’s not you personally.” She tried to snag the

grape with her teeth, but he pulled it back. She

sighed. “I told you last night I don’t want the

happily-ever-after kind of relationship you’re talking

about. I don’t believe it exists.”

“I think you do.” He fed her the grape and

placed a hand at her waist to tug her closer. Sliding

a knee between hers, he rested his thigh on hers.

Vaguely aware of the camera’s whir, he ducked his

head until his lips hovered mere inches from hers. “I

think you’re just afraid.”

“That’s ridiculous.” Her words came out in a soft

whisper as her hand slid up his arm to his shoulder

and her fingers touched his hair.

“Is it?” He nipped her lower lip and tasted the

sweet juice from the grape. “What about your

fascination with fairytales?” He tilted his head back

to look at her. “You tell them to the kids at the

hospital. Are they not supposed to believe in them

either?”

“Those are for entertainment. They’re not real.”

“Maybe, but many of them relay the promise

that love conquers all.”

Her gaze drifted to a spot over his shoulder. “I’d

say most show how much love hurts.”

“Is that what you’re afraid of?”

She chewed her bottom lip for a moment then

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looked into his eyes, searching for something.

“Marcus, this thing between us...I’m—”

“That’s a wrap.” Rick’s voice penetrated the

quiet. “I got what I wanted.”

Marcus muttered a curse when Charlotte bolted

upright and shoved him off her. He rolled to his

back, an arm over his eyes, and released a long

breath. “Glad somebody did.”

He’d been close. But not near close enough.

****

So close Charlotte had forgotten the others in

the room and fallen completely under Marcus’s spell.

She hadn’t even heard the arrival of the woman at

Grant’s side. Worse, she’d let her guard down and

nearly revealed things she hadn’t even wanted to

admit to herself.

“Hi, I’m Robyn Jeffreys, Grant’s fiancée.” The

animated redhead rushed forward. She ignored the

hand Charlotte thrust forward and pulled her into a

hug. “I can’t tell you how much I’ve wanted to meet

you.”

“You have?” Charlotte felt rather than saw

Marcus climb to his feet, sensed the well-contained

frustration that ran beneath the surface as he stood

beside her.

“Yes, of course.” Robyn stepped back to capture

Charlotte’s hands in hers. “I owe you a debt I’ll never

be able to repay.”

“You do?” Geez, she sounded like an idiot. And it

was all Marcus’s fault.

“Oh, goodness, yes.” The woman’s head bobbed

up and down. “If not for you, Grant would never

have made it through some of his classes.”

The floor shifted beneath Charlotte’s feet. She

didn’t have to look to know Robyn’s announcement

had piqued Marcus’s curiosity. Again she blamed

him. If she’d been thinking straight, she would have

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anticipated the direction of this conversation and

headed it off. She sent Grant an imploring glance.

“But he did get through and that’s all that counts.”

“Yes, but—”

“Robyn,” Grant interrupted. “This is Marcus

Preston.”

“Of course it is.” She let go of Charlotte to clasp

Marcus’s hand. “Who else would be on the verge of

devouring our Charlotte?”

“Who indeed?” Marcus drawled, sounding

amused.

Charlotte met his very interested gaze and tried

not to grimace. He obviously realized Grant’s fiancée

contained a wealth of information about her past.

The look in his eyes told her he intended to glean

whatever knowledge he could from the chatty

woman.

Robyn rambled on, oblivious to Charlotte’s

dilemma. “You must be so proud of her. I know

Grant is. After Chad called to say she was coming,

all I heard was Charlotte this and Charlotte that.”

She laughed. “I was quite jealous until he told me

about their agreement.”

“Agreement?”

Charlotte waved off his question. “It was

nothing you’d be interested in.” She looped her arm

through Robyn’s and tried to tug her toward the

sitting area. “Why don’t we all sit down, have a

drink?”

Robyn wouldn’t budge. She looked from

Charlotte to Marcus and back. “You mean he doesn’t

know?”

“It didn’t seem important. Now, there’s a

delicious—”

“Not important? Why it is to me. If you hadn’t

tutored Grant, he might never have made it through

college. Then he wouldn’t have gone to work for my

dad and I’d never have met him.” She pulled free of

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Charlotte and moved to link arms with Grant, who

shrugged as if to say, ‘I told you to tell him.’

Marcus slung an arm over Charlotte’s shoulder.

“So you helped Grant with his studies?”

“Mmm, we locked ourselves in his room for

hours.” She slid him a sideways look she hoped

conveyed that studying had been the last thing

they’d been doing. It was all well and good for Grant

to spill his guts to Robyn. He didn’t have near as

many secrets as Charlotte, and she wouldn’t give

them up without a fight. Too much was at stake.

“Oh, don’t tease the poor man.” Robyn leaned to

pat Marcus’s arm. “You don’t have anything to worry

about from Grant. They were
never
lovers.”

“That’s good to know.”

Charlotte refused to look at Marcus but felt the

deep rumble of his voice all the way to her toes.

“That’s what I thought, too. I wouldn’t be here

now if Grant hadn’t told me everything.” Robyn

laughed and squeezed Grant’s arm. “Not that I’d

blame you if you had slept with him. He’s very

good—”

“Robyn.” Grant tempered his warning with a

tender smile.

“Sorry, I
do
tend to run off at the mouth. It’s a

bad habit, and I’ve tried to break myself of it, but

when I get excited, I ramble. Like right now.” She

clamped a hand over her mouth.

“No, please, I’d like to hear more.” Marcus

disengaged himself from Charlotte. The Preston

charm he’d never deigned to use on
her
literally

oozed over Grant’s fiancée as he moved to her side.

“Charlotte is so modest. When it comes to talking

about herself, she clams up.”

Robyn let go of Grant and shifted her full

attention to Marcus, who started them on a slow

stroll across the room. “Well, it’s really quite

confusing.”

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He glanced over his shoulder at Charlotte. “Is

that so?”

“Yes. You see, Charlotte wanted to discourage

the nicer guys who wanted to date her. Which really

is tragic because she’s a wonderful person.”

“She is, isn’t she?”

Charlotte groaned and shoved Grant toward

them. “Geez, would you do something? Call her off,

muzzle her—something?”