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“No.” She folded her arms across her chest and watched Eric on stage.
“Come on ladies, I know you have a few dollars left. We can’t let this fine specimen of a man go home alone. I’ll read his stats again. Dr. Eric King is a marriage therapist. So he knows how to read your mind. He’s gorgeous. Look at those arms.” Eric took his jacket off and flexed his arms. The auctioneer walked over and patted his bicep. “He’s solid. I think I’ll get in on this…three thousand.”
A voice in the back shouted, “Turn around.” When he turned around, she yelled out, “That behind alone is worth five.”
Another bid, “Ten”
Another, “Twelve.”
Then the numbers came rapidly, “Fifteen, eighteen, twenty, twenty two, twenty four…”
The bids kept going. Olivia was growing more and more irritated. She was angry with Eric for intruding on her event. Angry with the other women bidding on him, and angry with herself for caring. But, at the same time, his final price would push her over her goal for the evening.”
“One hundred and fifty thousand dollars,” a voice called from the rear. Everyone looked in the direction of the bid.
“Who said that?” Called out the auctioneer. A light scanned the ballroom looking for the woman who called out that insane bid. Olivia covered her mouth with her hand as the light landed on her. “Miss Bennett, was that you?”
Olivia cursed to herself. She shielded her eyes from the spotlight, looked at the auctioneer, and nodded. She couldn’t believe she did that. She didn’t care about the money, it was the fact the she made herself vulnerable to Eric.
“SOLD! Everyone, let’s give our committee chairman a round of applause.” The auctioneer looked at Eric. “Dr. King, go get your date. On behalf of the Milford Clinics, we would like to thank you for your contributions, and we look forward to seeing you next year. DJ, hit it. Where’s my date, Harold?” The music came up, and Eric went searching for Olivia.
He finally found her in the service corridor pacing. It looked like she was talking to herself.
“Olivia…” She ignored him. “Olivia…” He carefully approached her.
She stopped pacing, faced him, and folded her arms across her chest. He couldn’t help staring at her. She was beautiful. Her skin was glistening and her anger added to the color in her cheeks. He carefully stepped toward her.
“Why did you embarrass me like that?”
“How did I embarrass you?”
“You made it seem like…now everyone will…never mind.”
He stepped closer. “Everyone will what?”
“Eric, how could you do…”
He brushed her arms. “What’s wrong? If it’s about the money, I’ll…”
She brushed his hand away. “It’s not about the money.” She turned and started walking away.
“Olivia,” he said sternly. She kept walking. He ran towards her, grabbed her by the arm and turned her around. Her eyes were filled with tears. This was definitely not the strong and sassy woman he’d been seeing. This was a hurt little girl.
“How could you do that to me?” She wiped the tear rolling down her cheek.
“Do what?” He was confused. He thought he was one upping her as usual, but she seemed hurt.
“Everyone in that room probably thinks you and I are, or that I…”
“What, like me?” He rubbed her shoulders. She started laughing. “What’s so funny?”
“You really need to work on your words.”
He stepped closer. “It made you laugh, didn’t it?” She nodded. He lifted her chin and gently pressed his lips against hers, and then slowly pulled back. “I think you’re afraid to let go.”
“I’m—“
He put his index finger on her lips. “Shhh…let’s get out of here.”
