The-Spanish-Love-Deception-www.indianpdf

… what? What should I have been feeling?
“And the highest bid will be yours. Not anyone else’s.”
My heart raced as I looked up at him, feeling overwhelmed in a way that
wasn’t strictly negative for how close he was standing.
Aaron didn’t step back; instead, he continued talking, his voice coming
closer and closer, “I will take care of the money. The donation will leave my
pocket, not yours, so don’t be shy with the bid as long as you beat everyone
here. Hurl the money at my feet, if you will. Just make sure it’s you”—he
paused, and I felt my throat drying up—“the one buying me. Understood?”
Those last few words seemed to echo in my mind, mingling with the
fluttering sensation in my belly, making my skin tingle.
I had to literally step back to force myself to process what he had just told
me. I didn’t think I’d be able to donate more than a few hundred dollars on
my own, so it was a good thing Aaron had concocted this plan with his
checkbook and not mine.
Which led me to consider one of two possibilities: Aaron Blackford truly
cared about the cause, or he was wealthy enough not to care how much I
donated in his name as long as I spared him a date.
A date we were supposed to go on after this, if we followed the rules. But
one that wouldn’t be real. Because this wasn’t real. It was all an act.
“Well, a deal is a deal, Blackford,” I told him with an awkward shrug,
shoving away the strange and hazy thought of going on a date with Aaron. To
an animal shelter. And seeing him play with a bunch of cute pups. In his
football gear with—
Por el amor de Dios, I have to stop all these mental images.
Aaron’s mouth opened, but before he could speak, a man approached us.
He placed a hand on Aaron’s shoulder. The latter turned at the contact and
relaxed as soon as he took in the man by his side.
“I cannot believe my eyes.” He patted Aaron’s back firmly. “Is this Aaron
Blackford, gracing us with his company tonight? It must be my lucky day.”
Aaron snorted; it was a short and light noise, but I had heard it. “It
certainly isn’t mine now that you are here too,” he muttered, the right corner
of his lips bent with the ghost of a lopsided smile.
The man—who I assumed was or had been close to Aaron at some point,
if his reaction was any indication—shook his head. “Oh hell, that hurt.” He
brought a hand to his chest as the dark skin around his eyes wrinkled. “How
long has it been since I last saw your nasty face?”