CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Taking a deep breath, I walked onto the stage. Instantly, I couldn’t see anything past the lights. They shined in my eyes, making it hard not to squint. I tried my best to keep my posture erect and my face relaxed. I stopped in the middle of the stage where there was a small X and rested my hands on my hips, assuming a pose.
The bidding started shortly after. Five male voice rang out from the otherwise invisible crowd. I recognized two of them almost immediately – Michael and Charles. I moved around a bit, shifting the weight from my right foot to the left. I tried to see the crowd in front of me, but it was impossible.
The bidding was slow at first, raising up in increments of twenty-five thousand. The five men battled it out until three of them eventually grew silent. Michael and Charles, however, were still going at it. They were bouncing back and forth so fast, that it was hard to figure out who was saying what. The price reached $800,000, double the highest bid of the last girl. I couldn’t believe these men were willing to spend nearly a million dollars for a night with me…
In a daze, it took me a moment to realize that someone called out for a bid of two million dollars. The room went silent. My eyes grew big. Who had bid? Michael? Or Charles?
“Did you say two million?” Victoria, who had taken over the role of the auctioneer sounded shocked. There must have been a nod because she slammed her gavel against the podium, closing the deal. “Bidder 70, you are tonight’s winner.” I looked over at her, and then out at the crowd. Who had won?
Still in a whirlwind of confusion, I was ushered off the stage. Victoria’s hand pressed into the small of my back. I desperately wanted to ask who the winner was, but my voice had suddenly stopped working. It was like a rock was lodged in my throat.
Backstage, I was bombarded by the remarks of some of the girls who hadn’t participated in the auction.
“Wow! I can’t believe you fetched such a high price.”
“How did you make those two want you so bad…? You simply have to tell me your secret.”
“Beginner’s luck if I ever saw it. Congrats, girl. I’m sure you’re going to have one heck of a night.”
“I’m so jealous. My first time, I barely made fifty grand!”
“It must’ve been this gorgeous dress! I haven’t seen this style of Dimitris before, it suits you really well.”
All the girls were very gracious as they congratulated me. I felt my face heating up with their compliments. As I sat down, I tried to clear my mind and as I did, I couldn’t help but do the math.
Two million dollars… minus Victoria’s cut of 50%… I would still have just enough money to skip over the media consultant project and get straight back to First Date Boutique. I could fund it myself if I wanted to. I could finally make my dream come true. I grinned to myself.
Victoria finally approached me, her long black dress masking her figure. “Are you ready to meet the man who won?” She helped me up, taking my hand in hers.
My fingers were shaking. “How does this work now?” I asked quickly, hoping there was still time to answer the question, but we were fast approaching the exit. My heart felt like it would explode.
“That’s up to you, my dear. You’re free to do whatever you’d like with the winner, but keep in mind that if they’re not satisfied, they’re not obligated to pay the full bid amount.”
I nodded and gulped down my fears. When my hand touched the doorknob, my heart skipped a beat. Somehow, I knew – no, I felt – that it was Charles standing behind the door. My fingers tightened around the knob before I slowly turned it.
It opened.
And there was Charles. Our eyes locked and the world seemed to stop for a moment before he grinned. “I couldn’t let you get away this time.” He pulled me close, our faces gravitating together. “I couldn’t watch you go away with someone else for another night.” Before I could stop him, he leaned down and kissed me. The kiss was soft and sweet. His lips were gentle against mine as if he was afraid to break me.
His arms tightened around my waist, pulling me even closer until our hips locked together. My heartbeat quickened and I felt my skin tingle with electricity. The hair on the back of my neck stood on edge.
Charles pulled away and smiled, our noses touching. “You don’t know how long I’ve been waiting to do that…” He whispered, once again kissing my lips. I wrapped my arms around his neck and felt myself melting into the kiss. As it intensified, I was glad Emanuel had opted for the 24-hour lipstick, meant to last even through the most passionate of moments. At least that’s what Emanuel had told me. I parted my lips and Charles’ tongue slowly slipped into my mouth, tangling with mine, until I was lost in the passion and sweetness of the kiss. Everything was slowly falling back into place. Life was once again making sense…