The Sex Project is located in a business section near the east side of Tucson. Eleven years ago, Donna and her husband moved their business out of a tiny shop in a strip mall and into an enormous warehouse that they share with a video rental store, a loose-leaf tea shop, and a business that owns half the warehouse which is rented out for various things such as kid’s birthday parties to weddings, to archery events. Tonight, The Sex Project has dibs on the space and is using it for their fundraiser event. It’s a smart choice. Not only do they have a great deal of space and can invite people to explore their shop, the setup also allows people who aren’t comfortable with the idea of walking into a store that sells sex toys to attend and have a good time.

I survey the enormous parking lot and grin. “It looks like they’ve got a great turnout tonight, doesn’t it?”

I know that lots of people were attracted to tonight’s event because it’s raising money to help women who are fighting to get whatever kind of help they need after being a victim of a sex crime. Ever since the #MeToo campaign took over the world, events like this one have been seeing outstanding attendance. But I also know that the work Tracy and I put into advertising this event is the main reason so many people know that there’s even an event to attend.

Garret finds an empty spot near the back of the lot and we climb out of the Cayenne. Hand in hand, we walk toward the warehouse.

Garret reads the sign on the front of the building that has the names of the businesses the warehouse holds and chuckles. “The Sex Project? Really? When I sent you that box of goodies, I had no idea you were familiar with this place. Talk about karma.”

I squeeze his hand and laugh. “When that box of stuff you bought from this place arrived, I was just wrapping up a meeting with the owner about this event. She was very impressed by where you shopped and thought the items you sent me were an excellent choice. She’s a fun lady. I think you’ll like her.”

Garret releases my hand and slings his arm over my shoulder, pulling me close. “I do like her.”

I look up at him. “You know Donna?” A sudden thought blasts through my mind. “You own The Sex Project, don’t you?”

Garret’s teeth flash as he leads me to the door that leads to the giant open area where the event is taking place. “I have a quarter interest in it. I bought that when Donna and her husband decided they needed more space and moved to this location. They’re shrewd business people. Not only did the money I used to buy into the business cover the cost of the loan and the profits they lost because they had to stay closed until they were settled in, but it also supported the business for a few months before people finally came to terms with the new location.”

Despite the large space, the event is already packed. Long tables with the items that were donated for the silent auction run along three sides of the perimeter of the room. A massive buffet table occupies the fourth wall. One section has been roped off to serve as a dance floor.

Posters containing stats, photos, and personal stories are scattered about the room.

I lean closer to Garret and tip my head back so he can hear me. “If this goes well, and earns as much money as Donna hopes, she plans to do some different, themed events, like mystery dinner theatre and a ball. At one point she was even thinking about hosting a bachelor auction.” I bat my lashes at Garret.

“Don’t even think about it,” he says in a low tone. “I’m a behind-the-scenes kind of guy. Not the kind that’s willing to get up on a stage and shake his money maker in exchange for actual money.”

“But you’re gorgeous. You’d make all kinds of money.” Of course, it’d be coming out of my bank account. No way would I let any other woman ‘buy’ Garret. There are plenty of other attractive, single men in the world. This one is mine. I’m already sharing him with the memory of his dead wife. There’s not enough room in the relationship for anyone else.

“You figure out how much you think I’d earn on the auction block, and I’ll promptly donate twice that amount to charity. Okay?”

I laugh and wrap an arm around his waist. “Nothing I love more than a compromise that I can get behind.”

“Erin!” Tracy’s voice interrupts our conversation. “Just the girl I was looking for.” Her gaze moves from me to Garret. “I’m sorry, I don’t remember your name.”

“Garret.” He shakes her hand. “Tracy? Right?”

“You got it.” Tracy smiles at him. “So glad you managed to make it out here tonight.” Her gaze flits from his arm around my shoulders to mine around his waist. “And even happier that you’ve been so good to Erin. And on that note, do you mind doing some mingling on your own for a few minutes while I borrow Erin? There’s a potential client here that she should speak to.”

Garret nods easily and gestures to the buffet on the far side of the room. “The two of you do whatever it is you’ve gotta do. I’ll just find myself something to eat.”

It takes all my willpower not to dig my heels in as Tracy leads me to a small table where a group of pretty girls, all of whom are wearing way too much makeup, are seated at a table, waiting to talk to me.

I glance over my shoulder at Garret, who has already started to fill a plate and looks pretty content, but I can’t shake the feeling that has suddenly come over me, the one that indicates my entire world is about to blow up in my face.