Lola

“GOOD EVENING, LADIES and gentlemen.” I smiled past the mic in my hand at the large crowd, making a conscious effort to avoid eye contact with Grayson. I was afraid I’d lose my nerve and chicken out again if I looked into his eyes. And I couldn’t do that to him. I couldn’t do that to us.

I’d already made the girls aware of the change in plans. Now all that was left was to make the announcement. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d been so nervous. Public speaking was my thing. But standing there on the small stage as the ballroom fell quiet, I was a jittery mess.

“Thank you all so much for coming out tonight to help support the Wave Foundation. As you all know from previous years, I, along with the other ladies of Girl Talk, like to do our bit to raise even more money for this cause. And this year is no different. After deliberating about what we could do to make everyone reach even further into their wallets, we finally came up with the perfect idea. What better way to raise money than a bachelorette auction, right?”

The crowd clapped and applauded excitedly, clearly loving the idea that Sophia, Daphne, and I had come up with, just as we’d hoped. “We decided that we’d auction ourselves off for a date to the highest bidder — now, hold on,” I said over the playful laughter and cheers. “It’s just a date, so don’t get too excited,” I teased, earning more chuckles.

“But after we came up with this brilliant idea, something changed,” I continued, finally finding the courage to look in Grayson’s direction. “See that devastatingly handsome man sitting right over there?” I pointed at him, drawing the entire room’s attention his way, silently reveling in the way his cheeks tinged pink under everyone’s scrutiny. “Well, we came up with the plan for the bachelorette auction before I ever met him. But now that I’ve had a chance get to know him…” Here goes nothing. “…and fall in crazy stupid love with him, I decided it wouldn’t be right to offer up something that was no longer mine to give.”

I ignored the surprised gasps and “awes” of the crowd and kept my focus trained on Grayson’s shocked face. “Because the truth is, I belong to him completely. And it wouldn’t be fair to him. But to make up for the fact that I unexpectedly — and somewhat unwillingly, at times — gave my heart to that sexy man shortly after publicly humiliating him on the radio” — more laughter — “I’ve enlisted the help of a friend to take my place, and I’m certain you’ll all be thrilled with my choice.”

My eyes inadvertently went to Deacon as I announced, “So please welcome the beautiful Fiona Prentice to the stage.” I didn’t miss the way his jaw dropped open, or the way lust clouded his vision as he watched Fiona make her way up the steps to where I stood next to my two best friends. “Gentlemen, get your checkbooks ready. And let the auction begin!”

With that, I handed the mic back over to the MC and made my way off the stage on shaky legs. Grayson was standing there as soon as I cleared the last step.

“Gray—” Before I could get another word out, his mouth was on mine, his tongue invading in a soul-destroying kiss that rendered my knees completely ineffective. Luckily, he was holding me tightly against him so he took my weight instead of letting me fall to the floor.

He ripped his lips from mine before I was ready. “Did you mean it?” he panted, his voice rough and jagged.

“I’m in love with you,” I said as an answer. “I’ve been in love with you for a long time. I just wouldn’t let myself believe it.”

“Christ, baby,” he grunted, dropping his forehead against mine and tangling his fingers in my hair. “You have no idea what you’ve just done. There’s no fucking way I’m ever letting you go now.”

I wrapped my fingers around his wrists, holding his hands in place as I nuzzled into his touch. “Well I’d hope not, seeing as I just publicly declared my love for you. It would be humiliating if you did, and then I’d have to kill you. Can you imagine the PR the company would have to do?” I bugged my eyes out comically. “Talk about a disaster.”

He chuckled deeply, then declared, “God, I love you so much.”

“I love you too,” I replied, a huge smile splitting my face in two. “But there’s still one last hurdle we have to jump before we have our cheesy, clichéd happily ever after.”

“I took an online quiz that said I’d belong to Ravenclaw, so if you’re worried I’d end up in Slytherin, it’s not a problem.”

My mouth dropped open in complete shock. “God, I don’t think I’ve ever wanted you more than I do right now. You’re going to get so lucky tonight.”

He let out a deep belly laugh that made my insides all melty. “Good to know my research on Harry Potter is such a turn-on for you.”

“While I’m thrilled you’d go to such great lengths to prove your devotion to me, that’s not the hurdle I was talking about.”

“Whatever it is, we’ll get through it.”

I pulled back and gave him a skeptical frown. “You say that now… but you haven’t met my mother.”

If there was ever a statement more deserving of ominous background music, I hadn’t heard it. But he didn’t seem fazed in the slightest.

Poor guy. He didn’t have a clue what he was in for.