Page 27 of Auctioned to the Billionaire Surgeon

My mind went blank, and I saw from Jelly’s deer-in-the-headlights look hers had as well.

“Work,” she blurted, and for the first time ever I saw her face turn pink. It was a good look on her, and I would’ve enjoyed it except… what the actual fuck? Why would she tell the truth?

Cleo went still and looked up at me. “You have another job?”

“No, of course not.” I shook my head, stalling for time. “It’s, ah,” I rubbed my hand over my mouth, desperate. How bad would it be if I said I was a member at a sex club? I looked around the room and saw that all the parents were following the conversation closely.

Bad. It wouldbe really bad.

“From the grocery store,” Jelly almost shouted from the check-out desk. An older man who’d been quietly snoring in the corner lurched awake. Anyone who hadn’t been paying attention was now.

“I stock the pharmaceutical aisle at his grocery store. I’ve been helping him with his…” I could see her mind spinning, and I was aware of the exact moment her thoughts turned devious. “… stomach ailments,” she finished brightly.

Cleo frowned. “Dr. Lanetti, I had no idea you suffered from…”

“Explosive diarrhea, gas, bloating,” Jelly interrupted with delight, “flatulence, anal incontinence… you name it, he’s got it if it has to do with the digestive tract. His other problems with, you know,” her eyes got wide and she fake whispered while actuallyraisingher voice, “STIs, well, those require a prescription, of course. But I’m there for him emotionally,” she almost yelled in the quiet reception room. She shrugged. “I mean, as much as your grocery store buddy can be, am I right, doctor?” She grinned and held up her hand for a high five.

I stared at her hand.

“Mommy, what’s a STI?” a small voice behind me asked.

I was mortified. Beyond mortified. I scanned the waiting room full of parents who trusted me to perform surgery on their kiddos and wondered just how far my almost perfect Google rating was going to drop. I realized I had to do something. It wasn’t what I wanted to do, which was fire her delectable ass. But it would have to do.

I gave her a purposely hard high five, hoping to make her perfect little hand sting like hell. “Welcome to the team, store buddy!”

Our eyes met. The zing of chemistry that was always there crackled between us. I knew she felt it. Why the hell wouldn’t she acknowledge it? Her eyes narrowed as if she knew what I was thinking.

She smirked. “We’re going to have so much fun working together…buddy.”

I didn’t miss the intonation on the last word.

But my dick did. My body responded to enthusiasm, even though it was fake. I gave her a grin that was supposed to say, “we’ll see about that,” but I’m not sure that’s what she got from it. I turned to go back to work, hoping my lab coat covered my fucking hard-on. Great. Now I’d be surrounded by Jelly during the day at work where I wasn’t supposed to touch her, and at night where I could touch her just enough to drive me fucking insane and nothing more.

What did I do to deserve this?

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Paolo

I followed Nico and Enzo to Carmen’s office. I’d been in the back hallways of the clubs, but I’d never actually been in her office. Leo was already in there talking to Carmen about something else.

“Come in,” she said, seemingly relieved.“Leo,” she turned to her youngest brother,“go ask Ardley about that. She’s in charge of the hostess’uniforms.”

“God, Carmen. Not Ardley! That girl has no taste at all. If she buys the new holiday uniforms, the hostesses are going to look like… I don’t know, pilgrims or something. And not in a sexy way.”

I blinked.Wasthere a way for Pilgrims to look sexy?

“Mr. Salazar,” a quiet female voice said behind us. I turned around to see a small young woman in a fairly shapeless cardigan and skirt combo, glasses, and her hair put up in a messy bun with a pencil somehow holding it.

Leo closed his eyes briefly, obviously upset at having been caught talking about the woman.“Ardley,” he said, standing up and hurrying over to her.“I’m sorry you had to hear that, but I think it was for your own good. The uniforms you showed me last week looked like they were meant for a family of librarians, not hostesses at a strip club.”

I saw tears forming in the woman’s eyes.“I understand.” She started to turn to leave.

Carmen shot daggers at her brother with her eyes.“Go help her,” she mouthed to him.

“Hold up. I’ll help you pick them out,” Leo followed her out, closing the door to the office behind him.

Carmen slumped back in her seat.“My God. Those two are at it every day. Leo hurts her feelings constantly, and I live in fear of her quitting. She’s the best personal assistant I’ve ever had, but he seems to only care that she’s not hot.” She rubbed her temples.“Lord, I’m getting a headache.”