Bachelor Auction (10 page)

Melody, who shifted her gaze toward the empty

fireplace. Dread lodged in Charlotte’s chest. “What?”

“We figured this was exactly the reaction we’d

get from you two,” Spencer explained. “So we

brought in extra sponsors, promising them a high

profile couple on a weekend trip to Aspen.”

The band around Charlotte’s chest grew tighter.

“And you guaranteed Marcus and I would be that

couple with the fifty thousand dollar bid.”

Melody nodded.

Charlotte slumped against the chair and closed

her eyes, suddenly weary. If she was this tired after

only one evening of trying to keep up her guard in

Marcus’s company, how would she ever make it

through an entire weekend? Just thinking about it

exhausted her. “How many sponsors are we talking,

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Mel?”

“Five, possibly six.”

Charlotte sensed Marcus’s presence near her

chair, felt him draw near before she heard his voice.

“Excuse me, but would someone mind telling me

what the hell all this means?”

“It means,” Charlotte opened her eyes and

locked gazes with him, “that each sponsor will want

their own photos. It means we’ll be forced together

on at least five, possibly six different occasions

throughout the weekend.”

He turned to the others. “Is this true?”

Melody nodded. “They won’t want to run the

same publicity shot as the next guy. They’ll want

theirs to be unique, down to the slightest article of

clothing. They’ll be hoping for something better than

everyone else’s.”

Charlotte flinched at the string of curses Marcus

let fly as he stalked past her. A second later the door

slammed. Like she’d said, he was damn good at

walking away, getting better with all the practice

she was giving him. Good thing this time would

probably be the last.

She tilted a glance toward Chad and smiled.

“Well, it looks like we’ll be having that good time

after all.”

He laughed. “Charlotte, darlin’, as much as I’d

like to spend a weekend painting the town with you,

it’ll never happen.”

“But you said—”

“Yes, but you heard Marcus. He said he’d do it.”

Charlotte snorted. “I don’t think so.”

“Believe me, he’ll do it,” Chad said. “Whether he

admits it or not, you’re under his skin, and he can’t

stand the idea of anyone else near you.”

A glance at the rest of the conspirators showed

they agreed, and Charlotte had to wonder if Marcus

was really that angry about having to spend time

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with her. Or if perhaps he was afraid. Afraid of what

might happen between them if he did. After all,

every time they’d been alone, which had only been

twice, they ended up hot and heavy.

She thought about those moments in the closet.

He had condemned her in one breath. In the next, he

had stolen hers with a kiss that melted any

resistance she might have offered. He had pushed

the limits, taken what he could in the limited

privacy allotted, then stopped the minute they were

alone again, prepared to walk away. Just as he had

before.

Charlotte released a long, pent up breath and

shook her head. “I’m sorry to disappoint your efforts

at matchmaking, but I just don’t think it’s going to

work.”

“Chad’s right. Marcus will do it,” Melody said.

She scooted to the edge of her chair. “I want you to

remember what we discussed earlier this evening

about using this opportunity to—”

“Yes, Mel, I remember.” Charlotte glanced

pointedly at the others who looked on with interest.

She was sure Melody would tell them exactly what

she meant later if she hadn’t already, but for now,

Charlotte could pretend otherwise and retain some

semblance of self-respect.

Sighing, she closed her eyes and recalled

Melody’s words.

What better way to show him what you’re really

like?

No. Hell no. She didn’t want that.

Okay, then think of it this way. Being confined

with Marcus for a few days on a cruise ship or at a

secluded ski lodge is a sure-fire chance to work your

wiles on him. You could get him out of your system

once and for all.

Melody was right about one thing. She needed to

get Marcus out of her system. Until she did, she

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would never be happy with the solitary life she’d

chosen.

What better way to do it than to actually have

him in a position guaranteed to keep him constantly

within reach? For all that he tried to be different, he

was only a man, and when it came down to it, lust

overpowered

the

strongest

will,

given

the

opportunity.

Charlotte felt the corners of her lips tilt upward.

She could do it. She could seduce Marcus, have a

wild weekend full of hot and steamy sex, and finally

get him out of her system.

And once she did,
she
would be the one to walk

away.

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Bachelor Auction

On Thursday morning, almost a week after the

bachelor auction, Marcus entered St. Anne’s

Hospital for the first of many embarrassingly

difficult publicity appearances as Charlotte’s bought-

and-paid-for bachelor. He still hadn’t gotten past the

fact that he’d been backed into a corner—trapped no

less—by those he trusted. They’d known just which

buttons to push to ensure his cooperation.

Using the threat to Preston Enterprises and the

children’s

benefit

had

been

irritating

but

understandable. He had always considered himself

an honorable man. But knowing they’d guessed his

secret, an unwanted attraction to Charlotte, was

humiliating. More so, they’d known he would never

stand for one of them assuming the role of auctioned

bachelor and spending a weekend with her. For a

moment, he’d almost let pride overrule honor.

He cringed every time he thought how close he’d

come to calling their bluff. God knows he’d wanted

to. But there was no way in hell he could let Chad

take his place. His younger brother got along with

Charlotte too damn well. No telling what kind of

trouble they’d get into.

Marcus had almost insisted Mitch step up to the

plate since he’d recently sworn off women but

reconsidered after a brief glance at Charlotte. If she

had an entire weekend to work her wiles, even Mitch

might succumb to temptation. The only brother he

figured she couldn’t and wouldn’t try to seduce was

Spencer. Somehow, Marcus didn’t think Melody

would agree to that solution.

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Pausing in front of the swinging doors that led

to the game room for the children of the burn unit,

Marcus tried to collect himself. He hated that he

even gave a damn who Charlotte seduced. But it had

bothered him over the years, watching her flirt and

flaunt and literally fall into men’s laps. He’d tried

not to imagine what she did with them in private.

Then things had changed. He had changed.

Since the night of July fourth at the mayor’s party

when she’d come apart in his arms, he hadn’t been

able to think about much else. Just the idea of her

with another man made him crazy. And that pissed

him off more than anything.

Over the last few days, he had dealt with this

realization—or tried to—and had come to the

conclusion that the only way to survive the weekend

with Charlotte was to avoid her. He would do no

more and no less than necessary to fulfill his

obligation as bachelor. She was on her own, and he

would tell her so at the first opportunity.

Dragging in a deep breath, he pushed the doors

open and stepped inside, prepared to face yet

another humiliation. The scene that greeted him

caused all frustration with Charlotte and anger at

himself to dissipate. Whatever his problems, they

paled in comparison to ones faced by the innocents

staring back at him with curious but wary eyes.

In one quick glance, he took in the group of

bachelors and their buyers who hovered in one

corner while the children stood stiffly in another

next to a massive artificial Christmas tree. The only

sound in the room came from a photographer as he

busied himself setting up equipment beneath large

silver umbrellas. It seemed Melody had yet to arrive

with the gifts from the children’s foundation, and if

he knew Charlotte, she’d be late for no other reason

than to make a grand entrance.

Marcus started to join his acquaintances, but

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Bachelor Auction

the smug look on Daphne Cohen’s face made him

hesitate. Peter Dawson stood beside her, grinning

like an idiot as he waved Marcus over. Marcus knew

damned well they couldn’t wait to offer their two

cents on the subject of him and Charlotte.

It was all he’d heard since the bachelor auction.

Everyone wanted to know what was going on

between them, if he thought he could tame her, some

even suggesting ways to go about it. Dawson had a

loud mouth and wouldn’t care what he said or

whether the children across the room heard.

Marcus dismissed Houston’s elite in favor of

more interesting company and strolled slowly

toward the children. They perked as he neared, their

eyes round with cautious anticipation. He stopped to

linger in front of the fake pine.

“Pretty tree,” he said, fingering a paper

snowman covered with silver glitter. “You guys

make these ornaments?”

“I made that one,” a tiny voice answered.

Marcus looked down to the elfin figure beside

him and couldn’t stop the raw emotion that raged

through him. Tight blonde curls haloed one half of

her head, enhancing angelic blue eyes that peered

up at him with timid curiosity. He fought the anger

and revulsion he knew was only natural when faced

with such tragically marred beauty.

Squatting beside her, he braced his forearms on

denim-clad knees and grinned. “I sure like snowmen.

Especially this one.”

That garnered a smile so he asked, “What’s your

name?”

“Amy.”

“Well, now Amy. My name is Marcus, and do

you know the only thing I like better than

snowmen?”

Amy shook her head.

He reached to tuck a lock of gold behind the nub

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of scarred tissue that should have been a shell of soft

flesh, and her eyes flared wider than he thought

possible. His heart wrenched, and he swallowed the

lump in his throat. “Guess.”

She tilted her head to one side, lips pinched in

avid concentration. Then her eyes brightened and

she whispered, her voice filled with awe, “Charlotte.”

Marcus had been so intent on her reaction to his

touch that at first her answer didn’t register. Then

he frowned and for a second wondered if his brothers

had set him up again. “Uh—”

“Charlotte!”

Amy skittered around him and almost fell when

one of the other kids bumped against her in his rush

to get by. Marcus caught her, but she wriggled loose,

determined to follow the rest of the children as they

swarmed past him, all squealing and yelling

Charlotte’s name.

Marcus swiveled on booted heels and nearly fell

on his ass.

The forlorn waifs he’d thought to make

comfortable had become a bunch of excited,

jabbering jumping beans, each clamoring for

Charlotte’s attention. As if she were their pagan

goddess and her very touch would somehow make

them whole again. The similarity between himself

and these children suddenly struck him. The only

times he had ever felt complete were when he’d held

Charlotte in his arms.

Rejecting the idea, Marcus rose to his feet. As

the little nymphs tugged Charlotte toward him, he

got his first really good glimpse of the woman who

enthralled them.

He had never seen her look anything but