fifty-dollars, which Wade returned with a subtle nod. He continued looking at Sydney to make it clear he was going to win this auction, and her.
He knows it’s my pie. Her heart soared at the thought but she kept her face as calm as she could with Wade’s heated stare fixed on her.
“Now this must be a quality pie.” The auctioneer laughed as the crowd cheered in return. The excitement in the hall was palpable. “Any other men want to get in on this?” When no one else dared to raise their hand, he focused his attention back on Wade and Luke, determined to find a victor but not before convincing them to part with a bit more of their cash. “Now, let me repeat myself. I have a bid of one hundred and fifty dollars for this delicacy. Can I get one hundred and sixty?”
Melissa was nearly jumping up and down in the audience mouthing, “I told you so!” and pointing at Wade. Faith was perched on a chair watching the two men banter back and forth with the auctioneer.
“Who’s gonna win, Mommy?” Faith asked wide eyed as the dollar amounts went higher and higher.
“I don’t know. We’ll just have to see.”
Some of Melissa must have rubbed off on Sydney’s daughter because she suddenly whispered, “Who do you want to win, Mommy?”
Sydney felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment as she tickled her ornery daughter. “Don’t you worry about that. Now hush and watch the auction.”
Luke accepted the next bid, then someone in the crowd shouted, “Come on, Sheriff, raise that hand! You’re always at Pete’s eating pie.” There was excitement in the air now that Wade had entered the bidding. Luke was furious, but the crowd was thrilled. A few of the older women had followed Wade’s attention to Sydney and were nodding their heads approvingly. Through it all, Sydney managed to keep her face neutral and simply looked back at Wade even though the heat of his gaze was so intense she felt like it was melting her bones. There was no doubt he knew the pie was hers and he looked damn determined to win it.
A night alone with Wade Jenkins. The thought sent a delicious shiver down her spine. The chemistry between them was unlike anything she’d ever felt before. Since he admitted he was thinking about kissing her, Sydney’s imagination had been running wild.
As if sensing the direction of Sydney’s thoughts, Wade winked at her then accepted the next outrageous bid, much to the delight of the auctioneer. Not to be outdone, Luke agreed before the auctioneer finished saying the follow-up price. In the blink of an eye, her pie was up to one hundred and ninety dollars. Feeding off the momentum of the men, the auctioneer rapidly called for two hundred dollars, and you could have heard a pin drop in the hall.
“Whoever she is, she better be worth it,” a deep voice shouted from the back of the room. The crowd laughed good-naturedly and even the corner of Wade’s mouth turned up into a grin.
“I’m betting she is,” Wade said and nodded to the auctioneer.
Sydney could feel Melissa and countless other women staring at her with their mouths hanging open in disbelief. Wade Jenkins always played his cards close to his chest. He rarely shared his feelings and here he was, in front of the entire town, expressing interest in her.
When Luke growled, “Two fifty,” Wade finally broke eye contact with Sydney long enough to look at his competitor, the animosity between them clear. “How high are you willing to go, Sheriff?” His nasty taunt reached Sydney’s ears. She couldn’t tell if he was bidding to win the pie, or simply to beat Wade. Knowing that it was probably the latter left a bitter taste in her mouth.
Wade mumbled something to Luke under his breath, and then turned to the auctioneer. “Three hundred dollars.”
A whoop came up from the crowd, as people voiced their excitement. She heard the woman beside her mumble, “That’s a new record!” She smiled at Sydney. “You must be quiet the little
He knows it’s my pie. Her heart soared at the thought but she kept her face as calm as she could with Wade’s heated stare fixed on her.
“Now this must be a quality pie.” The auctioneer laughed as the crowd cheered in return. The excitement in the hall was palpable. “Any other men want to get in on this?” When no one else dared to raise their hand, he focused his attention back on Wade and Luke, determined to find a victor but not before convincing them to part with a bit more of their cash. “Now, let me repeat myself. I have a bid of one hundred and fifty dollars for this delicacy. Can I get one hundred and sixty?”
Melissa was nearly jumping up and down in the audience mouthing, “I told you so!” and pointing at Wade. Faith was perched on a chair watching the two men banter back and forth with the auctioneer.
“Who’s gonna win, Mommy?” Faith asked wide eyed as the dollar amounts went higher and higher.
“I don’t know. We’ll just have to see.”
Some of Melissa must have rubbed off on Sydney’s daughter because she suddenly whispered, “Who do you want to win, Mommy?”
Sydney felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment as she tickled her ornery daughter. “Don’t you worry about that. Now hush and watch the auction.”
Luke accepted the next bid, then someone in the crowd shouted, “Come on, Sheriff, raise that hand! You’re always at Pete’s eating pie.” There was excitement in the air now that Wade had entered the bidding. Luke was furious, but the crowd was thrilled. A few of the older women had followed Wade’s attention to Sydney and were nodding their heads approvingly. Through it all, Sydney managed to keep her face neutral and simply looked back at Wade even though the heat of his gaze was so intense she felt like it was melting her bones. There was no doubt he knew the pie was hers and he looked damn determined to win it.
A night alone with Wade Jenkins. The thought sent a delicious shiver down her spine. The chemistry between them was unlike anything she’d ever felt before. Since he admitted he was thinking about kissing her, Sydney’s imagination had been running wild.
As if sensing the direction of Sydney’s thoughts, Wade winked at her then accepted the next outrageous bid, much to the delight of the auctioneer. Not to be outdone, Luke agreed before the auctioneer finished saying the follow-up price. In the blink of an eye, her pie was up to one hundred and ninety dollars. Feeding off the momentum of the men, the auctioneer rapidly called for two hundred dollars, and you could have heard a pin drop in the hall.
“Whoever she is, she better be worth it,” a deep voice shouted from the back of the room. The crowd laughed good-naturedly and even the corner of Wade’s mouth turned up into a grin.
“I’m betting she is,” Wade said and nodded to the auctioneer.
Sydney could feel Melissa and countless other women staring at her with their mouths hanging open in disbelief. Wade Jenkins always played his cards close to his chest. He rarely shared his feelings and here he was, in front of the entire town, expressing interest in her.
When Luke growled, “Two fifty,” Wade finally broke eye contact with Sydney long enough to look at his competitor, the animosity between them clear. “How high are you willing to go, Sheriff?” His nasty taunt reached Sydney’s ears. She couldn’t tell if he was bidding to win the pie, or simply to beat Wade. Knowing that it was probably the latter left a bitter taste in her mouth.
Wade mumbled something to Luke under his breath, and then turned to the auctioneer. “Three hundred dollars.”
A whoop came up from the crowd, as people voiced their excitement. She heard the woman beside her mumble, “That’s a new record!” She smiled at Sydney. “You must be quiet the little
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