Page 28 of The Billionaire's Betrayal
“The props closet?”
She marched across the empty space and into the hall, until she reached a door across from her office. “Every time we have an auction, we match the virgin’s personality to the decor of the stage. And here’s where we keep some of the stuff.” She opened the door and he glanced at several shelves, crowded with party crap. Everything from cheesy boas to colorful wigs, high-end shoes, and more. Two large racks contained different costumes, some with a paper clip and a post-it note attached.
She headed to the back of the room and returned with a couple of orange beach towels. Smiling, she threw one at him, and he grabbed it, dabbing his shoulders and hair. “I forgot we still had these.”
His stomach contracted. What decor had they picked for Pamela? The intrusive thought broke the romantic spell and sent him back to reality. A weight sat on his shoulders, stiffening his muscles. He shouldn’t know—and he shouldn’t ask. The theme chosen to sell his dead sister’s virginity didn’t make a difference. He tasted bile at the back of his throat. It reminds me of why I’m here.
Alexa walked up to him, drying her hair with the towel. Awareness flickered far back in her baby blues, sobering her expression. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to—”
He shook his head, looking away. “It’s okay. We needed towels.”
“Yes. Tomorrow, I’ll get Jackie up to speed and you can come in the morning and ask her whatever you need.”
“Thank you.”
She shrugged. “You should probably go now.”
He glanced at her, disappointment cooling his internal temperature. “I was hoping you’d go with me. Maybe take a hot shower to make sure you don’t catch a cold,” he said, telling himself staying close to her would make sure she just didn’t disappear the next day. A lie he himself didn’t believe. Damn it. He wanted to be with her, even if temporarily—to explore this scorching pull to each other until they were both sated.
She upped an eyebrow, staring at him. “It’s okay. I’ll take my chances.”
“All right. I’m just saying, I haven’t checked in a hotel yet and—”
“And I’m sure you can find a presidential suite in the best one in town,” she said, leaving no room for discussion.
