Page 4 of To the Highest Bidder

“An urgent call from the Philadelphia office. They need your approval for something. It’s important.”

He scowled with all his might. “Fine. Wait here.”

The crowd parted for him as he made his way through it, like a beetle being pulled into a web. She shook her head and made a show of looking comfortably at ease.

Yes, the first party she’d attended like this had made her panic. How could she ever fit in with these wealthy, glamorous socialites? Her finances were stretched beyond belief and she came from a very working class background. If she hadn’t been desperate to support her sister, she would never have dreamed of putting herself in such a position. But desperation had given her a backbone of steel.

Back then, fear had made her stress unnecessarily. For the fact she was at a party, and had a decent figure, seemed to be the only prerequisites for acceptance. After a few events, she’d got the hang of it. A few events after that and she’d actually started to have some fun. Somewhere after that, she’d become bored and cynical. Sometimes, very rarely, she got lucky and landed a nice client who it was actually pleasant to while away a few hours with. Those nights were sort of fun.

She sighed. This was not going to be one of those nights.

“Mind if I keep my father’s space warm?” Carter drawled, putting his arms around Jane’s waist before she had a chance to object.

He pulled her close, his body rock hard. Her eyes flew to his and then dropped to the wall of his abs. “Um, your dad will be back any minute. Something about the Philadelphia office.”

His smile was sinister. “Yes. I’m aware of what called him away. I’m pleased to tell you it will take him a fair while to sort through.”

She furrowed her brow in consternation. It almost sounded like he’d had a hand in having Hank called from the party.

“Are you serious about my father?”

She bit down on her lip, and had the distinct impression she was wading into wholly unfamiliar waters. Hank was employing her for the night. She owed him discretion. She owed him the appearance of loyalty. “Why do you ask?” She hedged, hating the way her bones were made weak by his firm hold on her body.

“What is your name?”

“Jane.”

“Jane what?”

She narrowed her expressive dark eyes. “Just plain Jane, for you.”

He laughed. “Not so plain Jane. I have been watching you. The way you move. Your body. I have never seen someone more… physically seductive… than you.”

She stopped dancing, her skin tingling. This was definitely dangerous territory now. “I’m here with your dad. This is totally inappropriate.”

He didn’t release her. In fact, he pulled her more tightly to his chest, so that she could feel the beginning of his arousal.

“Carter,” she breathed, her huge saucer-round eyes flying to his face.

His grin was loaded with displeasure. “Yes. I appreciate the inconvenience of this. All the women in the world and you seem to have the ability to drive me crazy with a single look. So? Are you serious with him?”

She lowered her lashes. “I’m not interested in casual sex.”

His eyes narrowed. “What are you interested in? Money?” He made a guttural sound of impatience. “He’s got to be twice your age. If not three times. So what else could it be? Have you screwed him?”

Her fingertips itched to slap him. “That’s none of your damned business.”

“Wrong.” He ran an insolent finger down the side of her dress. “You see, if you’ve done the deed, I can’t possibly think about doing to you what I want to. If you haven’t…” he lifted his finger higher, so that it was hooked just beside her breast, “then I have plans for you.”

She sucked in a deep breath.

“Have you slept with him?”

Her whole body felt besieged by a tangle of sensation. She shook her head. “No.”

Carter’s eyes flared in his handsome face. “Come with me.”

“What? Why?”

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