AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Five point five.”
“Six and a quarter,” the Irish woman growls.
“Seven and a quarter.”
“Do I just let them duke it out?” I quietly ask Alex. He doesn’t answer as the women keep going until the bidding reaches ten million dollars. There’s a brief pause. “Ten million, going once… Going twice…” My heart breaks as I announce, “Sold to number four hundred fifty-six in the back.” The crowd roars with excitement, while I stifle a groan.
As applause continues, Alex covers the microphone. “That’s Mickey and Finn’s cousin. She bought me… for you.”
“Forme?What are you talking about?”
“I was never going to go home with anyone but my wife. I’ll see you in the morning, princess.” He discretely slips me a hotel key card and walks off the stage.
It takes a moment for me to collect myself. This man,this beautiful man, had a woman buy him… for me? I inwardly swoon at the notion until reality sets in. He doesn’t have ten million dollars.
The Gallaghers.
Chapter 40
Chris
The two women bidding on my brother was embarrassing, especially since I never raised more than three million… and the fact that the woman I planted in the crowd to bid on him lost. If it keeps him far away from Jaclyn, I don’t care who won. The auction is for a single date, to anywhere the bachelor chooses. With the beautiful, eager redhead winning, I have no doubt that the tides are turning in my favor. It’s only a matter of time before he forgets about my wife and moves on.
Jaclyn and I are exhausted after the busy few weeks we’ve had, so I suggested we make it an early night. As soon as everything wrapped up at the gala, we skipped the afterparties and headed to our room. I made sure to reserve the largest one available—a metaphorical honeymoon suite.
Despite my apprehension before the accident, I love being married to Jaclyn. The more time we spendtogether, the more confident I am that the two of us will survive this. She’s the perfect woman, and the biggest regret of my life is not noticing it sooner.
I unlock the hotel door with my key card and drop it onto the front entryway table, flicking on the lights. I hold the door for Jaclyn, who looks as tired as I feel, as she carries her red strappy heels in one hand and a clutch in the other. Only a few feet inside, she places her clutch on the table and tosses her shoes haphazardly onto the floor.
“Can you unzip me?” She huffs out a breath. “I’m probably going straight to bed with my makeup on.”
I guide her by the small of her back further into the suite, turning on lights as we go. On the dining table, I find the red roses that I had delivered next to a single blue rose. Jaclyn pauses for me to help her with the dress as a growl is stuck in my chest, unable to tear my eyes from the flower. There’s no card, but I know damn well that rose is from my brother.
“Everything okay?” she asks sleepily.
I pick the rose off the table and toss it into the trash. She follows my movements but doesn’t react. Either she’s too tired or doesn’t care.
Maybe she’s already over him, and chose me?
“Yeah, everything’s fine.” I step behind her to unclasp the top of her dress and unzip it until it stops just above her ass.
Holding the crimson fabric with her arm over her chest, she turns. “Thank you.”
Jaclyn’s hate that she used to hide behind her eyes has diminished, and I breathe a sigh of relief that this woman may finally be mine. I close the distance and slide my hand into her hair, kissing her softly. She doesn’t melt into me, but she doesn’t fight me, either.
“Tonight was amazing; you did an incredible job. While you get ready for bed, I’ll set up my CPAP, and we’ll call it a night.”
It earns me a small smile, and she makes her way through the bedroom to the ensuite, turning on the shower. Opening my suitcase, I take out a pair of boxers and set them aside. As much as I’d love to sleep naked with her, I don’t want to push my luck.
While she showers, I pour distilled water into the plastic compartment of my CPAP machine and make sure everything is plugged in properly. The water shuts off in the bathroom after what has to be the quickest shower Jaclyn has ever taken. She emerges from the ensuite with a white towel wrapped under her arms and another on top of her head, twisted in her hair.
“My turn, already?”
“You could’ve joined me,” she chuckles coyly.
I shrug as nonchalantly as I can as my heart leaps at the thought that things are starting to really look up between us. “I didn’t think you wanted me to.”
“I mean, you probably would’ve had to hold me up. I almost fell asleep in there.” She gestures with her thumb to the bathroom.
