Chapter 6 #4
I swallowed, feeling faint, but I managed to stand my ground. I glanced briefly at Jasper as Mr. Burns slammed the gavel down with gusto. His mouth was drawn in a line as he glared across the room at Reed’s table. Oh dear.
“SOLD!” Burns boomed. The guests went nuts! A sea of people pushing to their feet and banging their hands together. They had raised the lights at the back of the hall. Those at Reed’s table were all congratulating him, apart from the blonde who had her arms folded over her non-existent chest.
As I made my way down the steps of the stage, I could see my father’s grin.
With every step I took, I felt the happiest I had in years and the most terrified. What would Jasper say?
Reed had bid on me; surely that had to mean something? But so, what? You can’t do anything about it anyway.
When I arrived at our table, the auction closed, and the DJ started up the music. It was the most successful charity event in years. And all because of Newport’s prodigal quarterback giving up fifty grand.
I was buzzing, even though I could tell Jasper was desperate to say something. Luckily, he didn’t get the chance as there were too many people around.
We both split off and mingled with the guests. I steered clear of Reed’s table. Wondering if he would come and speak with me. I certainly didn’t want to go over there and look desperate.
After freshening up in the ladies' room, I made my way back into the hall.
“So, if I ask you to dance. Is that part of the date or an interlude?” Reed’s voice came from behind me.
“An interlude?” I questioned almost breathlessly.
“Yes. A sneak peek as to what I might be getting.”
I turned to face him, my heart drumming a beat in my chest. I suddenly felt nervous.
“Shouldn’t you dance with your current date first?”
He glanced back to where the blonde was sitting. She appeared to be messaging on her cell.
Reed sent me what I imagined he thought was a comforting smile. “That’s Mia. She isn’t my date. She’s my Head of PR.”
I frowned. “Well, she’s clearly in love with you. You should have seen her face when you bid on my Lot.”
He grinned, and those dimples I used to love appeared.
“She was pissed I won. Not because of me, because of you, Storm. Mia bats for the other team, and you’re looking especially beautiful tonight.
How could she resist you? Fuck, how could anyone here?
” Reed added with a sweep of his arm. There was a boyish twinkle in his eye, one that I had missed so much over the years.
And then he delivered another blow, lowering his head as he husked, “You’re cute when you're jealous, but you don’t need to be. I have loved one woman in my entire life, and we both know who that is.”
I almost melted into a puddle. Hearing him say those words should have made the happiest girl on the planet, but it didn’t. It just reminded me of how cruel and perverse my situation was. How trapped I felt.
I swallowed, feeling as though I would burst into tears at any moment.
Reed could see how thrown off balance I was by his veiled confession, and he stepped forward, further into my space.
He then switched the subject back to what appeared to be his gay assistant.
“Yep. Mia wouldn’t have minded bidding on you herself and was just about to, but I beat her to the punch,” he explained, raising a finger to thread some of my hair behind my ear.
The tender touch was almost my undoing. I didn’t even care that half of Newport surrounded us.
I needed to meet him halfway somehow, but without giving him the wrong message. “Well, I’m glad you did, bid on me, I mean.”
A silence fell between us.
“Yeah. I don’t think they come any straighter than you, Teacup,” Reed replied with a knowing look. Had he misinterpreted me to let me off the hook, or to protect himself? Maybe both?
I swallowed, my eyes roaming over his perfect face. Fuck I was glad he was there. “I didn’t mean it for that reason.”
A beat of silence passed. “I know,” he said softly.
The amount of money he had bid on me came flooding back. “And fifty thousand dollars, are you nuts?” I puffed with wide eyes.
“Don’t you think you're worth it?” He grinned.
Glancing down at my hands, I started to pick at my nails. “For one date, probably not.”
“Bullshit.” That brought my head up, and Reed grabbed my hand to stop me fidgeting.
His expression had switched, intent glittering in his dark gaze.
“It sounds like you have overinflated ideas of what’s going to happen on the date, Reed.”
“Oh, I intend to get my money’s worth, Teacup,” he informed me with a wink.
“We won’t be alone, you know. The media are usually all over it, especially considering you’re a celebrity. The whole of Newport will be watching,” I explained, knowing exactly how things were orchestrated to crowd-please.
“We’ll see.” The silent promise in his tone gave me goosebumps.
“I remember what you said at the club. Won’t you get in trouble with the NFL? The PR people?”
“Fuck it. Trouble is my middle name.”
And didn’t I know it.
Reed then took control, moving further into my space.
“Come on, I want you to dance with me,” Reed said firmly, taking me by the arm and leading me towards the dancefloor.
Glancing over his shoulder at Jasper, I saw my fiancé's eyes narrow as he watched me being led through the swaying bodies all around us. “The dance isn’t part of our date, by the way,” Reed added.
“OK.”
“I have something much more rewarding in mind. Well, at the end of our date anyway.” His voice was like warm honey and full of sinful promises.
“Don’t look at me as if you’re planning on scoring, Reed, as it’s not going to happen. We’ve been there, and both have the burns to prove it.”
“What’s the point of life without the excitement of getting burned?”
“Because burns leave scars,” I stated.
“I agree. But ones that fade over time. Take what happened with the Palmers.”
“Really?”
“Yes, really,” he replied with a frown.
“Well, after reading your notes. I would say yours haven’t: faded, I mean.”
His lips twisted as I brought up his past before he said. “Bullshit. Am I not a huge success, despite the shit that went down?” His eyes didn’t believe the words coming out of his mouth. My professional instincts picked up on that straight away.
My tongue suddenly felt twice its size in my mouth, and my chest tightened.
He said those words with such a cavalier attitude, but I saw through that.
Reed’s scars from the months of abuse he suffered may have faded by repressing them, but now they were back with a vengeance and more visible than ever.
And now I knew it would have been the court case against the Palmers that had done that: triggered something inside him.
I was about to reply, but he rolled his eyes and spun me into his arms. “Look, I don’t need you to feel sorry for me.
Unless you want to come back to my hotel and kiss it better?
” Irrespective of that insight into his demons, I knew Reed was determined to get his way and where he would want our date to end.
“Do you want to talk about it? About what happened with the Palmers?” I asked wide-eyed.
“Now?” he snorted, glancing around the dancefloor.
“You brought it up,” I pointed out, my eyes scanning the changing emotions on his face as he dropped his chin.
“Someone had to. You know I hate elephant-in-the-room scenarios.”
I took a deep swallow, feeling breathless from the motion of our bodies. I pinned my eyes on his bowtie. “OK. So, are you going to talk to me about it in our session?”
His shoulders bunched as he shrugged beneath where my fingers were resting. “Maybe.”
“Reed,” I said in a stern voice, my spine stiffening as I raised my head.
“Yes, OK, Doc. You win. We’ll discuss it then.”
A sense of relief swept through me. I hated that he was struggling and wanted to help him. Knowing Reed, he probably hadn’t even confided in this family.
The awkward atmosphere between us was swept away as Reed tugged me further against his body.
I could feel his strong thighs pushing against mine through the silk of my dress, and my breasts were crushed against his chest. Due to there being no space between us, I was forced to slide my hands around his neck.
It felt so amazing to be held by him again. He was so strong and tall, even with my heels on, and his scent was divine. I recognized it as the cologne I used to buy him immediately.
I knew that night was short-lived, but in that moment, I didn’t care. I would savor it as much as I could, until I had to let reality back in.
I was Cinderella at the ball, and until midnight struck, that’s who I would remain before my pumpkin-shaped Jasper appeared to clog up my freedom again.
That recurring thought raised its head.
How did I get here?