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The Zeta with the basket of roses doesn’t approach Killian and try to upsell him—probably figuring he already way overpaid—but he snatches one anyway as he walks past her.
“You have to buy those,” I hear her tell him.
“Put it on my tab,” he says, not pausing on his way to me.
Another helpless smile claims my lips. “I like roses,” I say softly.
“I know you do,” he says, as he holds it out to me.
“Thank you.”
He doesn’t wait for me to take his arm the way Vanessa’s date did. Instead, he slides a hand around my waist and pulls me against him.
I wind my arms around his neck and lean on him, but this public display of affection when the public makes up so many… “Can we get out of here?” I whisper.
He smirks. “We sure can.”
His hand lingers on my waist, and I slide my arm behind his back, leaning on him as he leads me out of the ballroom area.
We’re nearly to the door when I hear, “Wait!” and turn around.
Addison is rushing toward us in her cute little dress and heels, holding out a bowl with a blue lid on it.
I glance at the bowl, confused.
“It’s cookies,” she states. “I stole them out of the batch I made for whoever wins me,” she adds with a roll of her eyes. “You mentioned yesterday you were jealous of whoever won, and—” she cuts a pointed once-over at Killian “—clearly you were only referring to the cookies, so I thought I’d sneak you a couple.”
Killian smirks, and I crack a smile as she hands me the bowl. “Aw, thank you, Addison. That’s really sweet.”
She flashes me a brief smile. “I have to get back. Be careful with this one,” she says, eyeing Killian.
“I think she can handle me,” he assures her.
“You would think that,” she murmurs.
Killian uses his hand on my waist to subtly turn me back in the other direction, heading for the exit. “Goodbye, Addison.”
I hear her heels moving quickly across the floor as she returns to her spot in line.
I slow down, looking back once I know she’s gone. “Wait. Can we stay? I’m worried no one’s going to bid on her.”
“Why?”
“Because she likes girls, and I just felt like a poor little fish dangled over a shark tank and I like boys, so I can’t imagine how that would feel if I didn’t.”
“Ryan’s in there. I’ll text him and make sure he outbids any creeps who try to bid on her.”
“Are you sure?” I ask, craning my neck to look back.
“I’m positive,” he says, forcing me to keep moving toward the door. “We have a date to get to.”
My gaze snaps back to his. “We do?”
He nods, pushing open the front door. A gust of cold air hits me and I shiver, realizing I left my coat in Addison’s room because I had no idea I would be leaving the house as soon as someone “bought me.”
“I need to get my coat.”
“No time,” he tells me. “I’ll buy you a new one.”
