Page 18 of Auctioned to the Billionaire Surgeon

She nodded.“I’ll be right back.”

I watched her walk away. Now there was a woman I’d love to have on my arm at hospital galas and high society events.

I winced inwardly. But she was a hostess in astrip club. No matter how pretty she was, the chances of her being able to carry on an appropriate conversation with West Bay’s society elite were slim to none.

I sighed.

“What’s wrong with you?” Nico said, lowering himself in the chair across from me and turning to watch the end of Abbi’s set.

“Nothing.” I forced a smile.“I just have another black-tie charity gala to attend this weekend. And I don’t want to go.”

“What’s the big deal? Just take some woman you want to fuck and kill two birds with one stone.” Nico leaned his arms on the table as a large-breasted blonde started her set onstage.

“I don’t have time to meet the kind of women I can take to events like that,” I sighed.“I go to work, and I come here. I won’t fuck anyone I work with, and I won’t date anyone I fuck here.”

Nico frowned and gave me his full attention.“You should do the auction. I could call Carmen out to talk to you about it.”

I shook my head. This wasn’t the first time he’d tried to sell me on the sugar baby-style auction his younger sister had started. Of course, she didn’t call the women sugar babies. She called them Cinnamon Girls. But it was the same thing. Basically.

“No. I’m not interested. I’m looking for women I can take to charity events and work functions. I can’t take someone like that,” I said, gesturing towards the woman on stage performing raunchy dance moves. “I’d fuck her, sure. But I’m not going to try to have a conversation with someone who probably can’t string together a complete sentence.”

“Are you serious?” Nico shook his head at me.“You know, you can come off like a real snob, Paolo. You did just talk to Nora, who’s studying to be a librarian, remember?”

I shrugged. “I’d say she’s the exception to the rule.” I wasn’t trying to be snobby or elitist. Just realistic.

“I’m just saying,” Nico Salazar continued, as I stared absentmindedly at the naked woman dancing onstage,“we dohave several hostesses, dancers, and bartenders who are very classy. These are women in college, women in graduate school, women in medical school, women in law school—you catch my drift?”

I nodded, still not convinced.

“These are women who would look good on your arm at society functions…”

I waved my hand in the air, cutting off my friend.“I’ll tell you what I want. I’ve been thinking about this for a couple of weeks now. I want a separate, elite auction with society types whodon’twork here. Like debutantes whose parents have lost the family fortune or something. Maybe they’re a bit down on their luck, but they haven’t fallen so low they’d work in a place like this.”

Nico stiffened, and I realized what I’d said.“I mean…”

But he cut me off, his blue eyes focused on someone behind me. He was pissed but doing his best to hide it.“Here’s the hostess I wanted you to meet.”

I fought back a sigh. He’d told me there was some hostess I had to see. That she was beautiful and didn’t put up with any shit. He thought I’d like her. I knew I wouldn’t—at least not as more than a quick fuck, maybe.

I turned and did a double take as Jelly, the gorgeous hostess I’d already met, stood in front of me. Maybe Nico knew what he was talking about after all. She really was one of the most stunning women I’d ever seen. I grinned at her.

She didn’t smile back at me.

“Hello again,” she said with a slight uplift of the corners of her mouth.“Can I get you a refill?”

I turned on the charm. Ifthisgirl was in the auction, I’d bid on her. She had a sort of standoffishness about her that screamed class, even elegance.

“A date?” I gave her my best smile, the one that made panties drop and legs open. She cocked an eyebrow at me, clearly unimpressed. I was confused; why had her attitude changedfrom before?

“Oh, I didn’t think you were interested in the kind of trashy women who would work in a dump like this.” She gestured around her at the luxurious surroundings.

I winced. I was an idiot, and she’d heard me.“That’s not what I meant…”

“I’ve found people tend to say exactly what they mean,” she said.“Don’t mind me. I’m not here to try and attach my classless ass to you like a barnacle. I have no desire to date you. I’m only here for your drink order.”

I gaped at her.

“And I have other tables.” She stared at me pointedly.