Page 43 of Auctioned to the Billionaire Surgeon

“Jelly,” he called before I’d gotten far. I turned around.“Why wouldn’t you do it? Why would you rather take the risk of being with someone you don’t know?”

I knew I was revealing more of my pain to him, but I was tired. He’d worn me down.“Because I’m tired of being around people who like me in private but act like they don’t know me in public. I deserve better.”

He flinched as if I’d hit him. I don’t know why… he’s the one who didn’t want to be seen with me. I turned and walked off. This time he let me.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Jelly

“Hey, Ardley. Is she ready for me?” I asked as I approached Carmen’s office.

The small, quiet woman jumped when she heard me.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to sneak up on you.”

“No, it’s not you.” She waved a hand to indicate it was no big deal.“Leo has taken to jumping out at me from different places and scaring me.” She looked around, her pretty hazel eyes magnified by the thick glasses she wore.“He could be anywhere.”

I tried not to be amused by her tone, almost like she was afraid of him, but I had to work to keep from smiling.“Oh, I’m sure he’s nowhere around…”

“BAM!” Leo yelled as he jumped out of a closet I didn’t even realize was there.

Ardley and I both screamed our heads off, but that didn’t stop him. He kept on coming, running straight at Ardley. He got a couple of feet from her desk and launched himself in the air. He landed on top of her desk, slid across it, fell on top of her, knocked her out of her chair, and they both ended up lying on the floor.

I sat in my chair, speechless.

Carmen opened her door.“What the fuck, Leo? You do realize this is a place of business and not your personal playground, right?”

Leo popped up from behind Ardley’s desk, dragging the poor woman up beside him. She adjusted her glasses whilestaring at him, her face turning pink.“Ah, come on. Ardley and I were just having a little fun.”

Ardley’s face told a different story.“I’m not sure I would call that fun…”

Leo looked down at her.“So, Ardy, couldn’t help but notice you’ve got some stellar breasts under all those clothes you’re wearing. Why don’t you wear more… revealing clothing?”

Ardley’s face turned bright red.“First off, don’t ever call me Ardy again. Second—what the heck? You can’t talk to me like that! And you shouldn’t have had your hands anywhere near my breasts.”

Enzo and Nico happened to be walking down the hall and heard the tail end of the conversation.

Nico shook his head, looking pained.“I swear to God, Leo, if you land us in a lawsuit, I’m going to fucking kill you.”

“I’m not going to sue,” Ardley said.“But… keep him away from me, please.” She grabbed tissue off her desk and hurried down the hall to the restroom.

Carmen smacked the back of Leo’s head. Hard.

“Ow! What the fuck, sis?”

“You’re a goddamn, idiot, that’s what,” she hissed.“I swear if Ardley quits, I’m going to makeyoumy personal assistant.”

Leo got a slow grin on his face.“Hmm. That’s not a terrible idea. I mean, don’t you get visits daily from lots of the hostesses and dancers at Sugar?” He gestured to me as if proving his point and gave me a sly wink.

Carmen made a face.“Jesus. There’s no winning with you, is there?”

“You should know that by now.” Leo flopped down in Ardley’s chair, leaned back, and put his arms behind his head as he put his feet up on her desk.

“Get out of that poor girl’s chair,” Enzo said.“You’re going to run her off, and then who will you have to play with around here?”

Leo got a thoughtful look on his face.“You think I enjoy hanging out around Ardy?”

“You at least enjoy torturing her,” Nico said, sighing and running his tattooed hands through his black hair.“I don’t have time for this today.”