Page 20 of Auctioned To Be Mine

Ismoothed my hands down the front of my dress for what had to be the hundredth time that evening. The fabric was a cornflower blue that Betty insisted brought out my eyes. I’d actually spent money I didn’t have on it because tonight needed to be perfect. Not for me. For the charity. That’s what I kept telling myself as I’d spent an extra forty-five minutes on my hair and makeup.

It had nothing to do with the fact that Callum Blackwell was going to be there.

Nothing at all.

I was being ridiculous. The man had literally knocked me on my ass and hadn’t even apologized. He’d smiled about it later when we’d crossed paths in the restaurant. He was arrogant and careless and exactly the kind of man I’d spent the last few years of my life avoiding.

But I couldn’t stop thinking about those green eyes.

“You look amazing,” Betty said, appearing at my elbow with a clipboard clutched to her chest. She looked frazzled but happy, which meant everything was going according to plan. “Seriously, that dress is killer.”

“Thanks.” I tugged at the hem self-consciously. “How’s everything looking out there?”

“Full house. Every seat is taken, and we’ve got people standing in the back. Max Blackwell really came through for us.” She flipped through her clipboard. “The catering is on schedule. And our bachelors are all checked in backstage.”

My stomach did a little flip. “All of them?”

“Yep. Including the Blackwell boys.” She gave me a knowing look. “You nervous?”

“Why would I be nervous?”

“Because you’ve been fidgeting with that dress since you got here, and you only do that when you’re anxious about something.”

I hated that she knew me so well. “I’m fine. Just want everything to go smoothly.”

“It will.” She squeezed my arm. “You did the hard part. You got them here. Now all you have to do is sit back and think about all the children we’ll be helping.”

She hurried off to handle something else. I made my way backstage. The area behind the curtain was buzzing with activity. Men in suits and tuxedos stood around in small clusters, some looking confident, others looking like they wanted to run. I recognized a few faces—a local news anchor, a professional athlete, a tech entrepreneur who’d recently made headlines for selling his company. He wasn’t attractive, but he was wealthy and that basically made him the sexiest man alive.

And then I saw him.

Callum Blackwell stood near the back corner, talking to his brother. They were both wearing tailored tuxedos. Probably from Blackwell Couture. They looked like they’d stepped right off a runway. Callum’s hair was styled perfectly, and even from across the room, I could see those green eyes that had haunted me since I’d first seen them.

He was just too damn sexy for my own good. I had to remind myself he was a first-class asshole. I didn’t need that kind of drama in my life.

“Well, hello there.”

I looked up at a man I didn’t recognize. He was tall, probably in his early thirties, with sandy blond hair and a smile that was a little too friendly. He was handsome in a generic, country club way. He was the kind of guy that had a trust fund and a summer house in the Hamptons. And never worked a day in his life.

“Hi,” I said, keeping my tone polite, for the children.

“I’m Jeff Connors.” He extended his hand. I shook it briefly. His grip lingered a beat too long, squeezing and subtly pulling me into him. “I don’t think we’ve met.”

“Victoria Cavendish. I work with the charity.”

He smiled but it didn’t reach his eyes. “My mother insisted I participate. Said it would be good for my image.”

“That’s very generous of you.”

“I’m a generous guy.” He took a step closer, invading my personal space. He still had my hand. I could smell his cologne and it wasn’t good. Pretty sure it was toxic. “So, are you going to bid on me?”

I took a step back, trying to maintain some distance while pulling my hand. He finally released it. “I’m actually working tonight.”

He moved closer again, and I found myself backed up against an equipment case. “You must have a favorite. Someone you’ve got your eye on.”

“I’m just here to make sure everything runs smoothly.”

“That’s too bad.” His voice dropped lower. I was sure it was supposed to be sexy but he was missing the mark by a lot. He leaned in like we were sharing a secret. “Because you know what? You don’t even need to bid on me. I’ll give you a night with me for free.”