The Billionaire's Bidding (5 page)

“No.”

“Good.” Then he gestured toward the hallway, putting an end to the intimate moment. “Craps tables are in the Chestnut Room.”

She turned to Katie. “Are you coming?”

“Not for craps,” said David.

Katie peered at her boyfriend's expression. “We'll catch up,” she told them.

Emma nodded. Then she began walking with Alex. “Can we at least switch to ten-dollar chips?”

“No.”

“I can't bet five hundred dollars at a time.”

Alex might be comfortable with a high-rolling, high-stakes lifestyle. But she sure wasn't.

“You're already up several thousand,” he said.

That was true. She felt a little better. She could lose all this, and he'd still be even.

“If you don't start losing soon,” Alex continued. “The Teddybear Trust will be bankrupt.”

Emma stopped, and her mouth formed a spontaneous O. She'd forgotten all about the Teddybear Trust. “I'm doing this all wrong, aren't I?”

Alex chuckled, his hand going to her back to get her going again. “I'll say.”

She gave a sigh of frustration.

Then, unexpectedly, his lips brushed her temple. “You're delightful, you know that?”

Her chest contracted around the compliment.

But then Edwina and Fredrick Waddington materialized next to Alex, and she realized the compliment was part of the ruse. Everything about tonight was part of the ruse. Alex wasn't an easygoing, philanthropic businessman. He was only playing his part.

She forced out a smile as he performed the introductions. No more fantasy. No more intimacy. No more physical reactions. From this minute on, she was remembering it was a game.

N
o matter how hard Emma tried, she couldn't seem to lose. A crowd had gathered around one of the craps tables, and every time she attempted to pass the dice, they'd erupt in a torrent of protest, shoving them back into her hands.

She took a deep breath.

Standing behind her, Alex rubbed her shoulders. “With a bet like that, you're either going to save the charity or buy us a new hotel.”

She shook the dice up between her hands. “We don't need a new hotel. This is getting embarrassing. Don't you see Maxim glaring at me?”

“He's not glaring at you.”

Emma glanced surreptitiously at her host and watched him run a finger under the collar of his shirt. It was bad enough that she was winning. But the entire crowd was winning along with her.

“How do I lose?” she whispered to Alex.

“Roll a seven.”

“Okay.” She blew on the dice.

Alex chuckled at her theatrics, and she dug her elbow into his ribs.

“A little support, please,” she breathed.

“Come on, seven,” he rumbled in return. “You do know you'll lose two hundred grand.”

“It's not my money.”

“Yeah. It's mine.” Despite his protest, he sounded completely unconcerned.

It wasn't his money anyway. It was the Teddybear Trust's money. And she was going to put it back where it belonged or die trying.

She tossed the dice. They scattered along the green felt table, bouncing amongst bets that probably totaled a surgical wing, hitting the far wall of the table, then rolling to a stop. A six and a one.

Delight zipped through her.

She'd done it.

“Quit grinning,” Alex warned as the crowd groaned.

Right. The other betters were disappointed. She quickly hid her smile against Alex's chest.

His strong arms went around her, and he made a show of stroking her back.

Okay. So much for not reacting to his latent sensuality. Every fiber of her body was revving up in reaction to his heat.

“Don't worry,” he said, loud enough for everyone else to hear. “It's only money. And it's for a good cause.”

The groans and grumbles around them gradually turned to good-natured jokes. One man pointed out the tax benefits of their loss, while another suggested they'd all be on Teddybear Trust's Christmas card list this year.

Alex didn't seem to be in a hurry to let her go. No wonder. He had a big audience here—a big audience that would soon start asking questions about their relationship.

Hugging was the smart thing to do. So for just a second, Emma stopped fighting. She relaxed into his strength and let the tension roll out of her body. Gambling was way too stressful, even when she was trying to lose.

Alex's palm smoothed her hair, while his lips touched the top of her head in a tender kiss. It felt way too good, and sirens went off in all corners of her brain.

She ignored them as long as she could. But finally she pulled back. Still, he kept one arm firmly around her waist. Although it went against her mental promise, she didn't try to disentangle herself.

Some of the players moved away from the table, and the stick man called for a new shooter.

Katie and David appeared from the crowd.

“How'd you do?” asked Katie.

“She lost all my money,” said Alex with a playful squeeze.

“Well, it has gone to a good cause,” Emma pointed out.

“You lost my entire thirty-thousand-dollar stake,” said Alex.

She'd forgotten it was that much.

But one glance at his expression told her he didn't care. Certainly he didn't care. He wanted the whole world to know she was here on his dime.

That was the game. His
game,
she reminded herself, trying to ease out of his hold. “Take the tax deduction and quit complaining.”

He resisted her pressure.

She tugged harder.

Alex just grinned at her.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” Maxim's voice came over the sound system. “You're invited to take a break from the casino games and join us in the garden for a surprise, grand prize draw.”

“The gardens are lovely,” said Emma, pulling firmly out of Alex's grip and moving to safety beside her sister. “Let's go watch the draw.”

“Thanks to the generosity of an anonymous donor,” Maxim continued. “Our grand prize this year is a Mercedes-Benz convertible.”

The crowd gave an appreciative
ahh.

“Check the top right corner of your admission ticket for your lucky draw number.”

Emma linked arms with Katie and they followed the flow of people moving toward the lighted greenery. She was trying to focus on the gardens, on Katie, on
anything
but Alex. Or, more to the point, on anything but her reaction to Alex.

“Is David okay?” she asked Katie, concentrating on how the oak trees sparkled with thousands of white lights and lines of lanterns glowed against colorful flower tubs and hanging baskets. The garden was absolutely breathtaking at night.

Katie shrugged her shoulders. “Why do you ask?”

Emma studied her sister's expression. “He seems quiet.” David was normally joking and jovial. Kind of like how Alex was tonight.

Nope, wait. Not Alex.
Not
Alex.

“Maybe he thought I'd win,” said Katie.

“How much did you lose?”

“A couple of thousand.” Katie tossed her blond hair. “I really don't know what his problem is.” Then she whistled low, pointing to the car. “Oh, baby. I can sure see myself cruising around the park in that.”

“Not bad,” Emma agreed, checking out the sleek lines of the silver convertible. The chrome shone, and the paint fairly glowed under the brilliance of the garden lights.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” came Maxim's voice as he stepped up onto the dais next to the spectacular car. “I have to say, Teddybear Trust donors are the most generous people in the country!”

A cheer went up from the crowd.

He bobbed his head in acknowledgement of the gesture.

Then, as the applause died down, he reached into a crystal bowl, stirring the slips of paper around with great drama. “And…the winner of this gorgeous, brand-new Mercedes-Benz convertible is…number seven-thirty-two!”

Alex ruffled Emma's hair from behind. “That's mine,” he murmured in her ear. Then he leaned up and winked. “I'll be right back.”

Emma stared at his retreating back. “He won?” she asked out loud.

Katie stared at her for a moment, her blue eyes going wide. “He won!” she cried.

“I see we have a winner,” called Maxim as he spotted Alex moving through the crowd. Alex stepped up smartly onto the stage and handed Maxim his ticket.

“Mr. Alex Garrison,” Maxim announced after a cursory glance. “Tonight's winner, and one of Teddybear Trust's most valued sponsors.”

Alex made a show of sizing up the car. Then he stepped up to the microphone at the small podium. “Lady luck is definitely with me tonight,” he announced with a broad grin. “And I'm hoping she'll stick around for a few more minutes.”

He turned to Maxim. “Many, many thanks to Maxim and all of the dedicated volunteers at Teddybear Trust.” He paused, gazing at the car for another moment. “Although I'd dearly love to take this baby out for a spin on the expressway, I'm afraid that won't be possible.”

The crowd went silent.

“Because I'm donating it back to Teddybear,” said Alex. “For their September auction.”

Applause burst out as Maxim stepped forward and clasped Alex's hand with both of his.

Emma couldn't help the surge of pride that rose in her chest. Act or not, Alex had just donated serious money to a good charity.

He turned back to the microphone. “If you'll be patient with me for another minute. There's one more thing I want to say.” He cleared his throat. “I was only half joking about lady luck. Truth is, I attribute tonight's luck to one very special lady.” He stepped back for a beat.

“Emma,” he continued, nodding in her direction.

It was a little overboard as courtship went. But, okay. She could go along. He'd earned this one. She smiled warmly up at him, trying to look love-struck.

He grinned back, his obsidian eyes sparkling under the tree lights. “Emma, will you do me the honor…Will you marry me?”

Emma froze. Her stomach plummeted to the patio.

A collective gasp went up from the crowd, followed quickly by a smattering of applause that grew and grew, while heads turned her way.

This was as bad as the JumboTron. No, it was worse than the JumboTron. At least at a baseball game, she'd have some anonymity. Half the people here tonight knew her, or had known her father.

Katie nudged her, and she realized Alex was staring at her expectantly.

While she tried to form a coherent thought, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small velvet box. He'd planned this, the rat.

He
was the anonymous car donor. The entire evening of chivalry and philanthropy had been designed to back her into a corner.

“Emma, say something,” Katie hissed.

“I can't,” she whimpered under her breath.

“We made a deal with him,” Katie reminded her.

Yes, they'd made a deal. But not for this. Not for such a ridiculous showy, sentimental display. Her reputation was at stake. And, besides, she'd specifically vetoed this very thing.

Katie gave her a slight shove toward the dais. “Get up there.”

She wasn't going up there. She couldn't do it. Her feet had become concrete.

“Emma?” Alex singsonged in an overblown, adoring voice. The faker.

“Bankruptcy,” whispered Katie in a warning tone.

Bankruptcy.

Emma forced one foot forward. Then she moved the other. Then she pasted a sickly-sweet smile on her face and made her way toward him.

The crowd's applause escalated, and people congratulated her all along the short route. She let her vision go soft, and the multitude of faces blur in front of her.

Up on the stage, Alex gallantly took her hand. “Will you marry me?” he repeated, popping open the velvet box.

She barely glanced at the ring. She just wanted to get this over with and get out of there. She hastily nodded her head. “Yes. Yes, I'll marry you.”
And then I'm going to kill you.

His grin said he was reading her mind again. It also said he'd won this round. He took the marquise solitaire out of the box and slipped it onto her finger.

Then, as the crowd roared its approval, he leaned down.

He wasn't…

He wouldn't…

He
would!

She tried to step back, but his arms slid around her.

Under his breath, he commanded, “Kiss me.” And she realized she had no choice.

Several hundred people were watching, and this was the crux of a multimillion dollar deal. She tipped her head and saw him smile.

She promised herself she'd make it quick. She'd pucker up, get it done and get the heck away from this sham. But then his lips touched hers, igniting twenty-four hours' worth of pent-up passion.

His mouth was warm and firm, and way too mobile for a perfunctory photo op. Fine smoky scotch had flavored his lips, the residual alcohol tingling her sensitive skin.

She told herself to end it, but his arms pulled her tight, and fireworks went off inside her head, counterpoint to the flashes of cameras in her peripheral vision. A primal hormone kicked in, and her eyes fluttered closed. Her body went limp, and she opened to him, giving him access, returning his parry, her body alight in raw desire.

Ever so slowly, his arms loosened. Then he drew back, finishing with a brief, tender peck on her ravaged lips. Then the cheers of the crowd penetrated her consciousness, as every photographer in the place finished a montage of their kiss.

A cold wash of reality hit Emma. Keeping a professional distance was going to be a lot more difficult than she'd imagined.

 

Alex couldn't believe how easy that had been. Maxim had been more than eager to participate in the Mercedes scam. Sure, it meant Teddybear got a sizable donation, but Alex had a feeling the man was more excited about the flamboyant engagement. Whatever.

Alex shrugged as his limo pulled away from the portcullis in front of the McKinley Fifth Avenue. He'd seen Emma to the penthouse elevator and now picked up the phone to dial Ryan's number. He guessed a lot of people had a romantic streak.