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Thefringesofthisdarling dress Alex has me wearing tonight feel like mini kisses on my flesh. Crossing my legs in this unfamiliar luxe car, I slowly close the AC vent that’s facing me. On our way to the auction tonight, I watch Alex bend in and slide into the car, scooting in close enough that his leg grazes mine. His peppery smell has a pinch of mint to it, making him smell like spearmint. I swallow, struggling with the inevitable attraction my body feels when next to him.
“How’s your last two days been?¨ Alex asks with great authority.
¨Good. I didn’t expect to not see you at all.¨ I admit.
His ears perk up as he faces me. ¨A deal is a deal.¨
¨Got it. You intentionally made sure we wouldn’t pass each other’s ways these last couple of days. Extremely professional of you.¨
¨ I’m not the man you remember.¨ He nearly whispers.
Although I did hear laughter and music coming from his room across the hall last night. I wondered if he had company. I wondered if it was company he slept with. If so, hopefully, whoever it was knows about our pact, or maybe it was a prostitute, although as scummy as I may paint him, I can’t imagine him hiring sex.
¨You look glorious, by the way. Love that color against your skin.¨
He has me in a muddy maroon beaded dress. It’s a bit dark for the summer, but it does look regal against my tone. When it was on a hanger, it looked like a big beaded bruise, but with my dark hair and summer hue, I look like I’ve walked out of Vogue Italia.
¨Thank you. You picked it.¨
He taps the wine color tie he has on as if I hadn’t checked him out when he slid into the car.
¨This auction looks exciting.¨ I hold the brochure I found at my bedroom’s door this morning in my hands.
¨Two sculptures, the tower, and the dynasty look incredible. Which one do you have eyes for?¨
¨Both.” Alex declares, straightening his tie. ¨They go together. If you buy one, then you have to buy the other.¨
¨ Shouldn’t it be auctioned off as a pair?¨
¨I would assume, but sometimes the auctioneers don’t understand the art and will price them separately. If anyone buys one and not the other, they aren’t really buying the art but buying to buy. Some jerks do that, but usually, someone who knows will buy the other piece and try to negotiate with the other buyer afterward. Sounds strange, but it’s more common than you know.¨
¨Well, hopefully, you’ll get them both.¨
“That’s the plan. I want them on either side of the museum’s foyer.¨
¨Ooh, that’ll be stunning.¨
¨You know I have an exceptional eye for real beauty.¨
He gives me a sly wink and turns to his phone. How simply he can make me wet. I turn to face the window fighting to concentrate on anything but the handsome man beside me.
The auction hall is larger than I thought, with cream walls and gray-trimmed windows and doors. It smells festive here; maybe it’s the combination of perfumes and cologne. Yet it’s drafty. Someone needs to cut the AC down.
Sensing I’m cold, Alex runs his hands along my arms from behind. His breath nestles in the crook of my neck as I gingerly step forward. As much as my body wants, I don’t need to feel how easily he turns hard for me. Even the thought of it makes me clear my throat and scan the room to weaken my horniness.
“There’s Kilo. Oh, and Paula.” I nod at the back of their heads as they’ve arrived earlier enough to catch the first row.
Alex steps from behind me, grabs my hand, and leads me down the carpeted aisle. Turning into the third row, I spot Simon. Whoa, ok. He’ll be sitting right next to me.
“Hey!” I exclaim.
“This fucking guy.”I hear Alex mumble over my shoulder.
With a firm grin, Simon shoots up from his spot to greet me. The tightness of his hug reminds me of an Italian man, not a British man. Smelling like leather, he releases from our hug, sliding his hand along my bare arm until he reaches my hand. He squeezes it tightly before letting it go. If I saw someone doing this to another person, I’d assume they were really good friends if not interested in each other. I clear my throat out of respect for my fake relationship.
“Hey, Alex!” Simon exclaims.
I take a seat so the two of them have enough room to shake the hell out of each other’s hands.
