Bidding on the Billionaire (Bad Boys Billionaire Bachelors Club) (2 page)

Chapter 3

M
andi observed Sergio get up on to stage as she
stood in the back room, waiting for her turn.  She was so nervous, but it was
quickly put aside because it was fascinating watching Sergio go out there.

He
was so charming and confident, not looking like he had a care in the world. 
Mandi wondered how he did that, and then answered her own question.  He was
obviously used to the spotlight and lots of adoring attention from women.

As
a rather lively bidding war for Sergio continued to go on, Mandi took notice of
one woman in particular who seemed determined to bid on him.  She was
absolutely striking, with rich auburn hair and lively green eyes.  Mandi
couldn’t help but be curious about who she was.

Sophia
was standing next to the auctioneer as they were getting the room to bid higher
and higher.  Mandi caught her looking over at her with a concerned look on her
face and she quickly motioned for her to come over, and she walked into the
shadows just off the stage.

“Who
is that bidding on Sergio?”

“Oh
her,” Sophia answered, rolling her eyes.  “That’s his ex, Olivia.  She
completely cheated on him, and broke his heart.  She’s a gold digger with no
class.”

“Apparently
she’s gotten some gold though,” Mandi commented.  “She is rather aggressive
with her bidding.”

“Yah,
she knows she goofed up bad.  Sergio had to break up with her when he found out
she’d cheated with one of his friends from the BBBBC.”

“That’s
horrible.”

“Yah,
he wouldn’t admit it, but he was pretty devastated.  Needless to say, the sight
of Olivia annoys me, and I don’t even know how she found out about this.”

“Is
the guy she cheated with here?”

“No. 
He was definitely not invited.  Sergio told me to forget about it, but I’d
rather hold a grudge—especially since I don’t like her.”

“You’ve
always been protective of Sergio.  I know that if I had a sibling I’d probably
be protective of them too,” Mandi said.  She crossed her arms, looking out at Olivia. 
The woman was shooting darts with her eyes at every one who dared bid against
her.  Sophia noticed it too.

“Hey
Mandi, I have a brilliant idea.”

“Oh
oh, your brilliant ideas usually border on terrifying.”

“Not
this one.  I’ll let you out of your bachelorette auction duties if you go out
there and bid on Sergio.  Don’t stop until you beat that auburn haired vixen.”

“Sophia,
I can’t do that.  The bidding is already higher than what I even have in my
checking account.”

“Trust
me, don’t worry.  You’ll be covered.”

“And
how is that?”

Sophia
looked at Mandi and smiled brightly.  “Andre.”

“Andre? 
I don’t follow.”

“Andre
owes Sergio big time for helping bail him out of a horrific blind date a few
months back.  Plus, he’s told me that he’s really worried about Sergio having
some fun.  He’s so focused on business, and all the acquisitions his ambitious
self has taken on are really starting to take their toll on him.”

“The
play boy has retired?” Mandi asked, laughing.

“And
how.  He won’t even go play a round of golf anymore unless it’s tied to a
business deal.”  Sophie spotted Andre in the distance.  “I’ll be right back,
Mandi.  Get your butt out there and start bidding.  Don’t hold back.  I’ll let
Andre in on what he’s doing.”

“And
you’re sure he’ll be game?”

“I
am sure.  I have a certain persuasive charm to me.  Or at least people tell me
I do.”  Sophia looked at Mandi innocently, batting her eyelashes.

“Yes,
you do.”  If there was one thing that Mandi had learned it was that Sophia was
used to getting her way.  It was a good thing that she had a big genuine heart
to go with those big blue eyes and bright white smile.

Mandi
started to make her way to the bidding floor, ready to help Sergio out.  She
felt surprisingly nervous about it.  What if he took it the wrong way?  She’d
be so embarrassed because she certainly didn’t want to look like a desperate
twit who’d do anything to go on a date with one of the most eligible bachelors
in New York City, maybe internationally.

As
she moved to a spot where it’d be easier to bid Mandi noticed Sophia talking
with Andre.  She couldn’t help but observe Sophia’s mannerisms, and knew enough
about her to see that she was definitely interested in Andre as more than the
savior to her brother’s current dilemma.

Just
like Sophia, Andre also had blonde hair and bright blue eyes.  His long
eyelashes and casual waves in his hair made him look like a California guy
who’d be spending his days surfing on the beach, and his night’s hanging out by
a campfire.  Yet that really wasn’t the case.  Like the other BBBBC’s, he was a
dedicated and focused career guy who also had a flair for living it up.  Mandi
knew that Andre was just Sophia’s type, and she hoped it would work out. 
Sophia deserved a great guy who wasn’t intimidated by her vibrant personality.

Sophia
and Andre turned around and both waved to Mandi.  She waved back, and smiled
with the thumbs up.

Mandi
mumbled under her breath.  “It’s show time, I guess.”

The
auctioneer announced the latest bit in the quest to have a date with Sergio.  It
was $48,000.00, and the thought of spending that much money on a date—even for
charity—made Mandi gulp.  That was a lot of money.

“$49,000.00,”
Mandi called out.

Everyone
turned to see who the newest bidder was in the battle for a date with Sergio,
including Olivia.  Mandi was pretty sure that she saw a look of annoyance in
her eyes.  The woman didn’t like competition, and frankly, Mandi thought she
was probably used to not having much of it.

Olivia
upped Mandi’s bid, and the bidding war had begun.  No one was more surprised,
or intrigued about it than Sergio himself.  He had a feeling that his sister
had something to do with Mandi’s sudden desire to bid, but he didn’t care.  It
was most fascinating, and his mind drifted to thoughts of what it would be like
to know Mandi on a more intimate level. He liked a woman who was not afraid to
take charge, and from the looks of it, Mandi was taking full charge of winning
him.

Chapter 4

S
ergio couldn’t believe what was unfolding
before his eyes, and he didn’t mind admitting that he really was enjoying it. 
Olivia was so used to getting her way and she didn’t know how to handle
anything that disrupted her plans and goals.  Seeing Mandi suddenly start
bidding and catching her off guard was delightful, and yes…a bit of a nice
feeling, kind of like a little bit of revenge for how she’d manipulated him
when they were involved.  There couldn’t be a more beautiful and intimidating
woman in the room to go head to head with Olivia.  It was a definite turn-on,
and Sergio hoped that Mandi would win.

Sergio
looked at Mandi and smiled.  It was easy to see her lovely smile even in the
dimly lit room.  She knew how to command a presence, and he was looking at
someone he’d never really noticed before.

What a
difference a couple of years or so could make.  That was about how long it had
been since Sergio had seen Mandi, and she had definitely matured.  She was no
longer the happy go lucky person he’d used to see at his house all the time. 
He’d always thought she was beautiful, fun, and very interesting, but she was
definitely off limits.  Guys didn’t go after their younger sister’s best
friends—that was not acceptable, and there were always other eligible women
around to enjoy without going there.

Another
thing that Sergio was very aware of was that he hadn’t seen Mandi ever since
her mother passed away.  She’s grown so serious and focused, seemingly loosing
that happiness and joy that used to light up a room.  Yet, in this moment as
she was going head to head with Olivia, Sergio noticed a bit of that
returning.  Mandi’s mannerisms and gestures showed that she had the spirit of
competition in her, and that she didn’t hesitate to pursue something once she
set her mind to it.  What an interesting thought that he might actually be what
she was pursuing.  What would he do?  Was Mandi the one that would make him
consider entering into a relationship again, and moving on with his personal
life?

Sophia
had been dropping hints to Sergio about if he had any available friends that
would be a good fit for Mandi, and not some jerk that would cause her pain, and
he’d never really answered her. Why would someone as gorgeous and perfect as
Mandi need to be set up on a date? He didn’t like the idea of Mandi dating
around. Somehow the thought made him seeing red. Beside, being a matchmaker was
not something he had interest in, or time to do.  Life was too busy without
adding the emotional journey of dating into the mix.  He’d never mentioned
himself because the time didn’t seem right, and he didn’t want to feel like he
was being forced into a relationship.  Things of that nature developed in their
own time, and in their own way if they were meant to be.

Olivia’s
voice calling out a bid caused Sergio’s gaze to turn to her.  It irked him and
disturbed him a bit that he still had such strong emotional responses to her. 
Part of him wanted to forgive her and go back to a relationship that he thought
was good and possibly even heading toward marriage. A feat, especially since he
was happy being a bachelor. And then there was the other part of him and that
part of him hoped she’d just disappear so he wouldn’t have to see her or be
tempted by her again.  She’d unraveled him but good, and he wanted to move on. 
He really did, but that kept getting put on the back burner in lieu of business
deals and empire building.  Business he got.  Women, now that was a different
story.

With
Mandi’s latest bit of $60,000.00 she showed her determination to win when she
set her mind to it.  Aside from loving the competition, Mandi’s determination
sparked a desire in Sergio and it was rather surprising to him.  He suddenly
wanted to see her happy and smiling, not worrying about whatever concerns she
had going on her life.  Mandi reminded him of what Olivia was like when she was
younger, and it was fascinating.  Her spirited passion and lack of hesitation
to make smarmy faces at Olivia, and show her that she didn’t rule the roost was
absolutely enchanting.  He wanted to see more.

At
that moment, Sergio knew that he wanted something more for Mandi, and he knew
that all the money in the world would not deliver it.  He needed to offer more
if he really wanted to see that.  If he helped her it would be by giving of
himself, not his checkbook, and he’d have to show he had a genuine heart and
purpose.  Although she was grown and composed, Mandi seemed to wear her heart
on her sleeve, and you could just see it in her fiery green eyes that when she
got consumed by passion or a desire for something she did not hesitate. 

Now
the question Sergio needed to ask himself was if he could be the man to do that
for Mandi?  It was risky, but it was worth a try.  One thing that Sergio could
trust was his instincts.

It
looked like the opportunity Sergio hoped for was about to come because without
warning, Olivia shouted out she conceded and stormed off in a huff.  A group of
willing comforters followed her around, ready to help sooth her wounded pride
in any way she demanded.

As
Sergio turned toward Mandi he saw the smile of a woman who enjoyed the thrill of
victory.  How interesting that he was the prize.  Mandi may have won the
auction, but Sergio had a feeling that he was the true winner in this situation
and he couldn’t wait to see what it brought.

Chapter 5

M
andi couldn’t believe how amazing it felt to
win that auction.  She tried to tell herself that it was in honor of Sophia and
how protective she was of Sergio, but deep down Mandi knew that some time with
Sergio was something that she wanted to explore, and she welcomed it.  She’d
always had a bit of a crush on him when he was younger, but now she saw a
mature man, a reliable man in front of her.  Okay, a gorgeous reliable and
sexy-as-hell man.

In
all the chaos of the auction and getting wrapped up in beating that Olivia at
her own game, Mandi didn’t even take the time to find out what the date would
actually be.  She was fairly confident that any date with Sergio would be
memorable, enchanting, and highly tempting to stray from any cautions that may
exist in regards to physical boundaries.  It had been easy to avoid that in the
past due to a lack of serious relationships or dating opportunities. 

Sophia
stood up on stage, and thanked everyone for participating in the auction for
such a good cause and proudly stated that they’d earned $325,000.00 for the
children’s hospital ward.  It was indeed a successful evening.

Mandi
listened to her friend, noticing that Sergio was talking to Andre in the
distance.  She suddenly felt nervous because she saw them glance at her.  What
were they saying and talking about?  Her legs suddenly felt wobbly, like they
couldn’t support her in her sexy insanely high gold heels.  Wow…this night had
really turned out to be something different than what she’d thought it would
be.

Suddenly
Mandi realized that Sophia was talking about her up on stage.  She said, “Our
final person in the auction, Miss Mandi Jenkins, will no longer be
participating since she is on her way to a great date with my brother,
Sergio.”  Mandi turned beat red as she heard groans from some guys in the crowd. 
If she could have moved she would have left the room, but she seemed to be
frozen in place.  Was it embarrassment, or the fact that Sophia’s words
solidified that she was actually going to be going on a date with Sergio.  She
glanced at Sergio again, and couldn’t help but admit that he looked absolutely
scrumptious, and being seen by his side as a date would be a thrill.

Sophia
walked up to Mandi smiling brightly.  She couldn’t have looked happier, or more
proud of herself.  Mandi smiled back, and asked what the date was going to be.

“It’s
much more than a date, Mandi.  You and Sergio are going to be heading to Rome,
Italy for a week.  It’s a combination of business and pleasure, but I am
confident you’ll find a way to bring out more of the pleasure side of Sergio
than he’s shown in quite some time.”  Mandi couldn’t believe it.  She’d always
longed to go to Rome, and thought of how her mother had always wanted to go
too, but had fallen sick on the year her dream was finally supposed to be
realized. 

“When
would we leave?”

“Tomorrow,”
Sophia said.

Mandi’s
heart sank immediately.  She knew that she couldn’t take off and leave the
gallery for a week, especially on such short notice.  It was a business with
one employee, and that meant that her options were limited—very limited.  Plus,
she hadn’t really won or paid for that prize, just helped out Sophia and
Andre.  It was disheartening because it was another opportunity that was blown
because of her profound discipline for the priorities in her life.

“Oh
Sophia, I’m sorry.  I can’t go.  There’s no one to run the gallery.”

“That’s
nonsense, Mandi.”

Mandi
knew that when Sophia was determined she’d stop at nothing, but even Sophia was
out of her league with finding someone trustworthy to run the gallery for a week. 
“I just don’t see how it’s possible on such notice, Sophia.  I’m sorry.”

The
disappointment in Mandi’s voice couldn’t be hidden.  She should have asked what
the date was first, and the entire situation would have been avoided.  Sure,
Sergio would have had to go on vacation with Olivia, but if anyone could handle
themselves, it was him.  What had inspired her to think she needed to save
Sergio from anything?  Okay, that answer was easy—it was Sophia and her
persuasive ways.
You didn’t take much persuading.  Admit it that you want
more…physically if anything.

Mandi
looked over to Sergio, and she felt a slight pang in her heart for him.  She
just didn’t understand how someone could be so heartless to a great guy like
Sergio.  She knew everyone made mistakes, but didn’t think that people like
Olivia knew how lucky they were to find that special person—the one that would
care for them.  It was something that her and Sophia longed for, and had spent
many a night talking about while they were in college and even now that they’d
graduated and entered into their careers.

Sophia
broke the silence that came with Mandi’s thoughts on the situation.  “Your
problems are solved.  I am going to watch the gallery for you, and ask Andre to
help me.  It’ll do you good, and it’ll be good for the gallery.”

“Really?”
Mandi asked.  “Good for the gallery or good for you to spend some time with
Andre?”

“Both,”
Sophia said.

“When
did you get into Andre, out of curiosity?”

“It
just sort of happened and I am clueless as to why,” Sophia said, raising her
hands up in surrender.  “It really doesn’t matter though.  You’re not going to
ruin this chance for me are you?”

“Well,
if there’s anyone I can trust with the gallery, it’s you,” Mandi said.

“And
Andre is actually very knowledgeable in fine art.  Maybe he can make you some
sales, or even buy a few pieces for his family’s estate house up north.”

“I
think he’s done enough by funding my date.  It seems like an awfully big
repayment for some assistance with a lousy blind date though.”

Sophia
gave a guilty look, and admitted that there was more.  She went on to tell
Mandi how Sergio had been working so hard that he was withdrawing from his
friends, and not interested in having any fun whatsoever.  The guys were
worried about him, especially how he had withdrawn since the whole breakup with
Olivia, and could see that he needed to relax a little bit and have some fun. 
Mandi suddenly realized that there were certain things that money and charm
couldn’t provide, and she couldn’t agree more with Sophia and Andre’s
assessment of Sergio having some fun.  Despite being a very dedicated type A
personality when it came to business she knew full well that nothing in life
was worth it if you didn’t take time to enjoy it.  She’d been enjoying life too
little as of late herself.

Mandi
thought about her mom again, and was surprised how much thoughts of her had
entered into her mind tonight.  Her mom had always wanted her to be happier
more than anything else, and had wished for her to find an amazing and grounded
man to sweep her off her feet.  Yes, her mother was a romantic, and she had
every right to be.  Mandi’s father had been that sort of man himself, and had
only been taken away due to a car accident.  At the time, Mandi was only two
and now the only memory she had of her father came from the pictures that her
mother kept so tidily in an album that she’d created just for Mandi.

Not
even realizing that Mandi had drifted off to other thoughts, Sophia kept
talking.  “Andre and I are going to do wonders with the studio.  Oh look…here
he comes with Sergio.”

That
caught Mandi’s attention.  She looked up and saw Sergio was about two steps
away and that Andre was right behind him.  She was impressed with his confident
stride and glad that he’d come over because she was very overwhelmed at the
moment.

“Are
you all set to go on a grand adventure tomorrow, Mandi?” Sergio asked.

“Thanks
to Sophia and Andre.  They’re going to watch the gallery when we go.”

“Are
they now,” Sergio commented, looking at his sister and friend.  Mandi saw his
look, and could tell he’d had the same speculation she’d had about the two.

“Well,
the only work event that I must tend to while in Rome is a 50
^th
anniversary party for the company’s Rome division.  Hopefully you won’t mind
being my date.”

“I
don’t think I’ll mind at all.  In fact, I’m looking forward to it.”  Mandi
couldn’t believe it.  She knew that press followed Sergio around everywhere,
and wondered if they would be pictured together in the paper.  That would be
crazy.  Yes, Mandi was in the papers frequently with gallery events, but a date
with a highly eligible BBBBC in Rome was completely different territory.  She’d
better prepare herself for this journey because it’d likely be a very
interesting one.

“Well,
my driver and I will be at your place at 5:00 tomorrow evening.  If it is
possible, can I get your passport information tonight for the ticket and
customs?”

“I
hadn’t even thought about that.  Can they do that on such short notice?”

“For
me they can,” Sergio commented.  He laughed softly, but the words he said were
true.  Sergio operated in a league that got things done on their time and that
others bent over backward to ensure their demands were met.  “Well, I must get
going and tend to a little business before leaving tomorrow.  So, until
tomorrow, Mandi,” Sergio said.  He grabbed her hand and she felt an instant
flutter in her stomach.  Then he turned to Sophia, and gave her a hug goodbye.

Mandi
couldn’t help but watch Sergio walk away, and what he was looking at instantly
annoyed her.  She saw him looking in Olivia’s direction with an odd look on his
face.  She was surrounded by men, and laughing gaily and flirting away.  Mandi
was sure she was putting on a show, knowing that Sergio was looking at her. 
The real question Mandi had was why Sergio was looking at her?  If he’d wanted
to be with her he should have let her win the auction, or taken her back
already. 

As
Mandi turned her eyes away she reminded herself to be careful.  It was never
good to open your heart to the possibilities of a relationship with a guy whose
heart still belonged to someone else.  She was so confused, wondering if an
answer would come before it was too late—for her heart anyways.