Page 36 of Keep Your Friends Close and Your… Work Enemy Closer?

"Shit. My makeup," Cordelia muttered. "Why did you let me read that?"

"Babe."

She carefully dabbed at her eyes with a napkin while I watched her. Goddamn, she was pretty. And smart. And so fucking snarky.

Sighing, I looked away, scanning the room once more, trying to see if there was anyone I knew. A few faces were kind of familiar, but with my little issue, it was hard to say. All I could do was hope and pray that no one would walk up to me and greet me as Max.

While Cordelia and I ate hors d'oeuvres and sipped on our drinks, our table began to fill up, the two of us making small talk with the people around us. Mostly, all anyone could talk about was Venus La Fleur, although a few actually seemed to care about the animals. It was an interesting mix.

A few people made a gasping noise, and then all eyes turned toward the entrance where Venus stood in the grand archway,pausing to survey the room, jutting her hip out and posing as if she knew everyone wanted to take her picture... which they did.

Even Cordelia seemed impressed, making a sound next to me. "Wow, she's even more gorgeous in person. Don't you think?" she asked.

"I suppose?"

Honestly, even though Venus La Fleur was known as one of the most beautiful women on the planet, she did nothing for me. She was too much. Too flashy, too everything, and I couldn't imagine how exhausting that would be to be around all the time. To each their own, of course, but all I could think about was what I was quickly realizingwasmy type.

Short women with bite apparently.

I felt Dee's eyes on me. "You don't think she's the most stunning woman alive?"

I shrugged. "Maybe to some people."

"Jesus Christ, Jared. What impossibly high standards for female beauty you must have."

"That's not it at all," I argued. But my voice and my point were lost in the mayhem that followed as Venus made her way through the room and the emcee hit the stage to welcome her, the crowd erupting like she was the second coming.

And that was just the beginning of the night as we dined on a three-course meal prepared for us by a Michelin-starred chef, listened to a series of speeches, and then watched a video about a bunch of different rescues, includinginterviews with their new owners.

Dee and I both sniffled our way through it.

"Damn," she whispered afterwards. "I had no idea this night would be so emotional."

"Fucking animals. They do it every time." I handed her a spare napkin that sat next to my empty plate. "How's your drink? Want another?"

"I'd love another."

I watched her carefully. "What was it again?"

"You're joking."

"Seriously, I don't remember what it was."

"A fucking meowgarita, Jared. Okay?"

Not bothering to hide my grin, I got up and headed toward the bar, stopping at the silent auction along the way. Maybe it was the buzz of being here or maybe it was the warm, gushy feeling for animals that made me do it, but I couldn't resist bidding on something, writing my real name down and bidding an exorbitant amount that could probably be matched only by Venus herself.

It was for a good cause, and it seemed like the right thing to do. Besides, silent auctions were just that. Silent. And no one would ever know.

Taking my seat next to Dee again, I handed her the drink. "Here's your meowgarita."

She gave me a cute smirk. "Thank you."

"Ladies and gentlemen," the emcee announced, "we're going to announce the winners of the silent auction now."

Well, fuck. So much for the silent part of a silent auction.

My stomach churning at how this might turn out, I sat there stewing as names were called and people cheered, the booze clearly flowing freely at this point. Someone won a private dinner with tonight's chef, another person a luxury vacation package, and another a Caribbean cruise.

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