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He smiles gently. “You will. Don’t worry.”
“So what happened when you graduated high school?”
“I immediately got kicked out of foster care so I was on my own. I slept on the streets for awhile until I got the notice from my guidance counselor who kept in contact with me. He got me into college on a full scholarship. From then on, I just worked my ass off in college until I got an offer from a semi-pro team.”
“I didn’t know any of this,” I gasp, my heart aching for him. “You haven’t had an easy life of it, have you?”
“Don’t feel sorry for me. I made something of myself. Now myself and my brother are doing well in jobs we are happy with. He loves his. I like mine.”
“If you had a choice, what would you like to do?” I ask, stunned at how much I want to hear his answer.
“I want to be a chef someday. I’ve already started taking classes whenever I can. But with the long season and everything else, I can’t do much yet. But as soon as I retire, I’m going to go to school.”
I nod, smiling. “That sounds like an amazing goal. I’ll have to stay friends with you now because I’m a terrible cook.”
He stares me down and I feel my core clench. “I would take care of you even if we weren’t friends.”
I smile. “You say that now.”
“I mean it, firefly. You’re too important to me to ever be out of my life. I’ve never had someone like you in my life.”
I flush and stare down at my hands twisting in my lap, the teal silk shimmering in the dim light. “I’m just an ordinary woman, Steele. Nothing special.”
“Hmpph!” He snorts. “I don’t think you know how special you are.” He reaches down under his seat and hands me a long, slim box. “Here. I got you this to wear.”
“Steele,” I chide him. “You shouldn’t have.” But I open the box and gasp. He’d asked me what my dress looked like and he bought a pair of earrings and a necklace in a deep London blue topaz to match my dress. “Oh my word,” I whisper. “It’s beautiful.” I snap the lid shut and try to hand it back to him. “It’s too much, Steele. I can’t possibly accept something so expensive.”
He pushes the box back at me and when I hold my hands up, he gently lifts the necklace out of the box. “Come here. I’ll put it on you.”
With shaking hands, I unclasp my necklace and turn so that he can place the gorgeous thing on my neck. He gently smoothes down the chain when he gets it clasped. I shiver when his hands touch my skin lightly.
He turns me gently towards him and his hand gently touches the gemstone, straightening it on my chest. “So damn beautiful,” he whispers.
I flush and my hand lifts to caress it lightly. “It’s really too much, Steele. But it is beautiful. I’ll borrow it for tonight. But I’m not keeping it.”
He lifts a dark eyebrow and smirks at me. “We’ll see, firefly.” He hands me the earrings and I gently trade them out for my crystal pair.
We pull up and stop outside the venue and he opens the door, holding out his hand for mine. “Let’s go, baby girl.” I let him help me out and then the flashbulbs start going off in our faces. I try to cover my eyes, wincing at the horrible glare of light and the screamed questions.
“Let us through,” Steele growls angrily. He pushes people out of the way and covers me so that nobody touches me.
He turns back. “Are you okay?” He mouths back to me and I nod.
We make it inside and I breathe in deep when the shouted questions stop and the quiet of the well-lit foyer cradles me.
He holds my hand up and kisses my knuckles. I immediately gasp, feeling a creeping warmth steal over me. “We made it,” he says.
My lips quirk. “Yeah. That wasn’t fun.”
“Let’s go get this over with. Remember, whatever you spend on the bidding, I’ll pay it. Just don’t let someone else win me!” I laugh and tap his cheek.
“Got it!”
CHAPTER8
Steele
The gems at her throat gleam, making her skin glow with health and vitality. Possessive pride rears up inside me. She’s wearing my mark. She doesn’t realize it but she’s wearing my mark.
