The-Spanish-Love-Deception-www.indianpdf

My gaze shot back to the stage, clashing against Aaron’s. That grin had
been wiped off, his features now hard and empty. I felt a pang of
disappointment I had no time to inspect.
I had one job tonight, and I was failing at it. For the second time.
Readying myself, I released a breath. I couldn’t let myself be distracted
by something as wonderfully shocking yet pointless as Aaron’s ability to
smile or laugh.
“Seventeen hundred?” Angela announced, and I gestured with my hand to
place my bid. Too late. “For the lady in red.”
Lady in Red had beaten me—and around another five or six hands—to it
again.
A quick look at Aaron’s tense shoulders told me he felt as unhappy about
it as I was.
I squared back my shoulders, focusing on Angela and her next words.
“Wonderful,” she said into the microphone. “Let’s raise this up, ladies
and gentlemen. Mr. Blackford is after all in high demand. How about
nineteen hun—”
My hand shot up in the air, keeping an eye on Lady in Red, whose bid
had been faster than mine. Again.
Angela chuckled and pointed at Lady in Red again, acknowledging her
bid.
To my shock and surprise, Lady in Red turned in my direction with a
smug smile on her face.
My eyes narrowed. Oh, hell no. This wasn’t about charity. This had just
gotten personal.
Angela announced the next amount, and I launched my hand in the air
with impressive speed, so much that I almost pulled a muscle, but Angela’s
next words made up for possible injuries.
“For the lovely lady in midnight blue.” Angela smiled from behind the
stand.
I returned it, feeling a weird burn in the pit of my stomach, matching the
one on my shoulder.
Next bid was called, and it was mine again.
Ha! Suck that, Lady in Red.
As if she had heard me, her head whirled around. Her eyes narrowed to
very thin slits, and her lips pursed. The woman whipped her blonde hair back
and dismissed me.