Page 60 of Beyond the Hate

I narrow my eyes on him. “I can mingle. I’m not socially awkward.”

“Nope. You just find most people boring.” He leans close to whisper in my ear, “Rich people tend to be extremely boring.”

“What are the two of you whispering about?” a woman asks as she stops in front of us.

“What I can buy to spoil her,” Eli answers.

“And, as I’ve explained to him several times, I don’t want him to spoil me.”

The woman bats her eyelashes at Eli. “You can spoil me as much as you want.”

“Sorry. I’m a one-woman man.” He squeezes my arm. “And this is the one woman.”

“How utterly boring,” she says and glides away.

I’m confused. “Being monogamous is boring?”

“Who knows what she meant?” He motions to the other auction items. “Shall we continue?”

“Only if you promise not to bid on anything for me.”

“What if I accidentally bid on an item for you?”

“How do you accidentally bid on an item? Oops. My pen slipped and my wallet opened and now it’s ten thousand dollars lighter?”

He grins. “It could happen.”

“You’re delusional.” I shake my head as I sip on my beer.

“I’m…” He trails off when he notices a woman making a beeline for us. “I apologize in advance,” he whispers.

“Apologize? What for? Do you have gas?”

He barks out a laugh as the woman reaches us.

“Is it true?” she demands.

“Lucinda, it’s lovely to see you.” Based on the way Eli’s gritting his teeth, he’s lying.

“Who is this?” She practically snarls at me. “Is it true the great Eli Raider is off the market?”

“The great Eli Raider? Who’s he?”

I scan the room as if I’m searching for this mystical creature and Eli pinches me. “Behave.”

I mutter Chloe’s favorite line. “Why start now?”

Lucinda’s nostrils flare as she glares at me. “Is this her?”

I offer her my hand. “Nice to meet you. I’m Paisley.”

She looks down her nose at me. “And you’re drinking a beer.”

“I own a brewery.”

The woman’s lips purse as her gaze travels up and down my body. “Of course you do.”

“Lucinda,” Eli growls. “Be nice.”

---