Page 53 of Auctioned to the Billionaire Bodyguard

“Why don’t you go back out? You could swing by Cayenne with Joaquin,” I suggested. I knew they liked to share women and thought that might cheer him up.

“Nah. He’s bummed tonight, too. He wanted to win you in the auction. He’s got a serious thing for you, Jess. And Joaquin almost never feels like that about anyone. So, he might come over and bring a pizza and some beer. I think we’ll play on the PlayStation or something.”

“That sounds fun,” I lied. I didn’t enjoy the PlayStation. I liked mobile games, but I wasn’t going to tell him that. “Do y’all play those shooter games?”

He shook his head. “We likeMLB: The Show.

I nodded as if I knew what it was. Skeeter and the MC guys had sat around playing console games a lot. I’d used it as an excuse to disappear for a while and read a good book.

I thought about Joaquin having a thing for me. I couldn’t imagine being with him. I mean, I could imagine the sex. That part wasn’t difficult at all since I’d seen him in the act. More than once. But the day-to-day relationship? I couldn’t see him doing that.

And I wasn’t looking for a sexual relationship without any meaning. That just wasn’t my thing. I didn’t fault anyone else for it; I just wasn’t interested in that. I liked seeing what Reynolds and my sister had. They seemed to be perfect for each other. Nadine had told me enough to know that their relationship had gotten off to a rocky start.

But she said he’d more than made up for that, and she couldn’t imagine life without him now.

That’s what I wanted. I had wanted it with Byron, but it was clear Carmen was going to get that, not me.

I didn’t know that I would ever have the kind of relationship I’d dreamed about.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Byron

When I met with Carmen to fill out the paperwork necessary for winning Jess in the auction, it didn’t exactly go well.

“I didn’t realize that you had three million dollars just lying around at your disposal,” Carmen said. I could tell by the look on her face that she still wasn’t over the talk we’d had before I’d left for Virginia.

I glanced up at her, not pausing in filling out the contract that Jess had already signed. Carmen had quickly adapted it from Enzo’s name to mine. “Yes. I do.”

“Youdidhave it, you mean. You don’t now. I hope you didn’t just blow every bit of your savings on that girl.”

My eyebrows rose, and I put my pen down. “What’s on your mind, Carmen?”

She sighed. “I just thought… Well, I thought that if I confessed my feelings to you that you’d want to be with me. You always did before.”

I had to be gentle. I didn’t want to hurt Carmen. I cared too much about her to let that happen. I wanted us to be friends for life. It was important to me. “We’ve been lovers off and on for almost half my life. I’ll never regret that. And I was in love with you for a long time. But from the moment I first laid eyes on Jess…” I shrugged, “I felt something different. Something I never felt with you. I didn’t think that was possible. And I’mgoing after her.” I put my hand over hers. “That doesn’t mean I don’t value your friendship. You will always mean so much to me. You have to know that.”

She almost looked like she could cry. I’d never seen Carmen cry. Not even when her abuela died. She’d been close to Carlos’ mom. “I thought I’d never want to settle down. And now I think I might’ve been wrong about that. But it’s too late. You found someone else.” She shook her head. “My mom was right. I hate when she’s right.”

“What do you mean?”

“She told me that one day I’d regret not settling down with you. She was totally right. I do regret it.” She looked up at me with her chocolate brown eyes. “Are you sure, Byron? Jess is the one for you?”

“I’m sure.”

“You just met her,” she protested. “You’ve known her, like six weeks or so.”

“It seems crazy to me, too. But that’s how it happened for my parents. They met, went on two dates, and eloped. They’ve been happy ever since. Maybe it runs in the family.”

“Are you saying you want tomarryher?”

“One day,” I nodded. “I just feel it in my heart. It’s so strange. I’ve had a couple of serious girlfriends. I tried to make it work with them, but I just couldn’t ever imagine being with them forever. I thought my feelings for you were holding me back.” I leaned back in my chair. “But now I don’t believe that’s what it was. I think Jess was always out there waiting on me. I just had to find her.”

Carmen shook her head. “She’s a lot younger than you are.”

“She is. But I think she’s an old soul. She doesn’t seem as young as she is. Not by a long shot. She’s come through a lot in her life.”

“I’m not trying to bash Jess. I like her. But… it hurts to know I discovered my true feelings for you too late to do anything about it.”