Izzy couldn’t draw her eyes away from Xavier as he reclined casually in his chair and dared her with a searing look to become one of his floozies. There’d been a moment there where she’d glimpsed an uncertainty and purity that had drawn her in much more than his good looks, talent, or fame would ever do. But it had disappeared, and now, he was the hot ladies’ man who planned on treating her like every other plaything he dated.

Her eyes narrowed, and she looked down at the exquisite raspberry cheesecake in front of her. She’d only taken a couple of bites before the bidding on Xavier had started. There was little hope of finishing it now. Her father had matched the five hundred grand. That innocent little girl part of her that used to idolize her daddy, before he’d grown cold and awkward with her and then she found out what a cheating louse he was, wondered if he was trying to show that he cared about her, about the children she’d dedicated her life to.

The grown-up woman knew better. There was an angle here. It might even just be a publicity stunt. She could see it now, “Owner donates exorbitant amount to Dallas Children’s Hospital because he adores his daughter.”

She didn’t think that was it. The Triple Threat gave her father plenty of publicity. What was his angle? She didn’t want it to come out. It would just be another reason to hate him.

Loud cheering broke out, and she snapped out of her reverie. The bidding on Kade Kincaid must’ve just ended. He was teasing with America and beaming for the crowd. Malcolm made a few jokes and some kind of thank you speech that America echoed. Then, thankfully, the event was over.

Izzy started to stand. The young man on her right, who had been trying to keep her attention all evening, pulled out her chair. She thanked him. Robert, that was it. He was a medical student at TCU and the grandson of some U.S. senator she couldn’t name right now.

“I thoroughly enjoyed our conversation tonight,” Robert said. “Could I bother you for your number and take you to dinner sometime?”

“Oh, I …” He seemed like a decent young man and it’d been fun to reminisce about medical school, but she wasn’t really interested.

“The lady is only going to dinner with one man.” The deep voice came from right behind her.

She whirled and found herself face to neck with Xavier. “Now, you hold on a minute,” she protested, leaning back to glare at him.

“You bought me sweetheart. Don’t go trying to backpedal now.” He nodded to Robert, who suddenly looked like a little kid. “If you’ll excuse us.” Xavier placed his large hand on the small of her back and directed her away from the table, leaving all the people staring at them.

“Goodnight,” Izzy murmured, trying to maintain some decorum. She allowed Xavier to escort her out of the ballroom and down the hall, but when he tried to steer her into a small corridor with the obvious intention of finding some privacy, she halted. “Now you see here. I am not one of your little hotties.” Where were her stinking bodyguards when she needed them? Probably under instruction from her father to let Xavier Newton have any time alone with her he wanted.

“I think you’re plenty hot.” His eyes roved over her before he smirked and arched an eyebrow. “You’re the one who bought me lock, stock, and barrel.” He took a step closer, and she backed into the wall. Resting his arm next to her head, he leaned close. Dang if he didn’t smell divine. “What are you going to do with me now?”

She pushed at his chest, but he wasn’t going anywhere unless he wanted to. “I only bought you for the hospital.”

“Yeah, I figured that, with Daddy’s money.” He lifted his free hand and trailed it down her cheek.

Izzy lost all rational thought. Her blood felt like it was boiling, and she couldn’t concentrate on anything but his closeness and the feel of his fingers on the sensitive skin of her face.

“Now, what I’m trying to figure out”—his voice went low and gravelly, and he leaned dangerously close—“is if you bought me because of Daddy, or if you’ve got some secret desires of your own.”

That snapped her back to reality. He didn’t know how close to the truth he was on both points. Izzy ducked under his arm and stepped a respectable distance away. “Everything I did was for the children, but I can’t say the same for you.” She gave her hair a saucy flip. “You can just forget about the date mister because I have no desire to be alone with the likes of you.”

Xavier straightened away from the wall and took a step closer again. Izzy held her ground, refusing to back away and show him she couldn’t handle his closeness, his smell, or the predatory gleam in his eyes. She could see why he was labeled a playboy, and she had no desire to give into him, but my, oh my, it was tempting. She had a lot of sympathy for every woman who fell under his power.

“You owe me a date, Miss Knight. I’ll pick you up Saturday morning at nine. Wear something you can get dirty in.” His dimples deepened.

“I … owe you?” She pointed at herself then at him. “I’m the one that paid for the date, and I get to decide what we do, and if we even go at all.”

“I don’t think so.” He took another blasted step, and his body was overshadowing and overpowering her. She glared at him and refused to back up one inch. “We both know your daddy paid for this date, and I’m not letting you weasel out of it now. I could’ve had a perfectly nice date with Grandma in there or the plastic blonde.”

Izzy had to smile at that.

“You owe me, and I’ll see you Saturday.” He gave her a smug look and then brushed by her, the quick touch of his body sending shock waves through hers.

Izzy hurried out into the main hall and watched him go. He stormed to the front door, bumping into Ace Sanchez on his way. They spoke quickly. Ace looked back in her direction before walking with Xavier out the tall double doors. Izzy imagined they’d make quite the sensation, two of the three most eligible and good-looking bachelors in the city.

She sagged against the wall, placing a hand to her heart. Had that really just happened? With Xavier Newton? She didn’t know if she liked him or not. Her body certainly reacted to him, but that didn’t mean anything. He had been cute with her before the bidding, but after, it was obvious he was trying to intimidate and upset her. He must’ve been mad when he found out who she was. There was nothing for it but to get through Saturday. She didn’t want her dad to rescind the funds he’d offered to her hospital—a million dollars. She did a little dance just thinking about that. No matter what Saturday brought, tonight had been more than worth it. Now, if only she could get the smell of Xavier’s cologne out of her head.

She was safely back in the car her father had sent for the night when her phone rang. She pushed out a frustrated breath. Think of the devil, and he shall call.

“Hello?” she said tartly.

“Hi, sweetheart. How did the dinner and auction go?”

He’d always called her sweetheart. Even in those years after her mother died when he’d shrunk away from her like she caused him physical pain, whenever he addressed her it was sweetheart. As a teenager she’d fire back that she’d never be his sweetheart. As she’d grown into adulthood, she let it slide. If he wanted to pretend they had a relationship for publicity’s sake, she really didn’t care.

“Fine. Thank you for your generous contributions.” It was stiff, but at least she’d said it.

“Of course. I’m right proud of you, sweetheart, and all you do for the children.”

“Thank you,” she muttered again.

“Everything went well with Xavier?”

Xavier. Her heart thumped against her chest. She couldn’t tell if things had gone well or to pot. It didn’t matter. She’d done her part, and her father had been more than generous with funds for her hospital. Again, all she had to do was get through Saturday. “Fine. We’re going out Saturday.”

“Oh, good. Have a great time, sweetheart.”

What did he care if she spent time with Xavier or enjoyed it? She heard a scuffle. Then her stepmom’s voice came on the line. “Oh, my love, isn’t Xavier Newton the cutest thing you’ve ever seen?” Dolly squealed. “Mercy me, those dimples!”

Izzy couldn’t help but smile, imagining Dolly’s hand going over her generous bosom. Izzy had tried through the years to hate her stepmom and half-sister for all that they represented of her father cheating, but it wasn’t possible. Dolly and Hailey were the most genuine and loving blonde bombshells she’d ever met in her life. Her stepmom truly looked like Dolly Parton and took great pride in it and she loved Izzy, her dad, and Hailey so much it sparkled out of her. How did someone resist pure love?

“I don’t know if I’d say cute,” Izzy said, “but he’s definitely easy on the eyes.”

“He’s a stu-ud. Oh, you’re going to have so much fun on this date. I told your daddy—”

There was another scuffle for the phone. It happened any time these two called, and it was kind of endearing. Well, on Dolly’s part, it was.

“Dolly was just telling me how she hopes you’ll enjoy yourself because you work too hard.”

Izzy couldn’t help but bristle. She worked hard because she loved the children and because she’d cut herself off from him. She took a calming breath. The choice to cut herself off had been hers. There had been many anonymous donations to her checking and savings accounts throughout her college years. She always donated them to charity. At least he did try, in his own twisted way.

The car pulled up to her condo gate. “I’ve got to go. Give Dolly my love.”

“I will. Love you, sweetheart.”

Izzy hung up. Yes, she had to give him credit for trying, but mistakes like his weren’t easily forgiven.