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Authors: Delaney Diamond
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safely.”
Thomas’s frowning face expressed his reluctance to leave. “I hate to leave her, but…” Miguel didn’t have to say another word. Thomas quickly talked himself into a decision. “Please, let her know what happened, and I’ll see her at home.”
“Of course.” Miguel nodded. “I’ll explain everything. Don’t worry. I’ll take care of Samirah.”
Chapter Eight
Samirah wiggled her toes one more time before she rose from the padded bench in the ladies’ room. Her feet ached like they never had before, and she cursed herself repeatedly for the vanity of buying and wearing these heels. After listening to Miguel’s speech, she came into the restroom for a break because all the seats in the main exhibit hall had been taken.
She winced as she squeezed her feet back into the shoes. “How do women wear these things all day?” After a quick check of her face and dress, she exited the restroom.
Back in the main hall, the auction was in full swing. Standing on the outskirts of the crowd, she searched the faces of the attendees but didn’t see Thomas anywhere. She did, however, see Miguel talking to another man. During his rousing speech, she’d seen another side of him. The devilish, charming conversationalist had disappeared, replaced with a serious, thoughtful professional who had apparently experienced hardship as a youth.
Samirah wandered away from the crowd assembled before the stage. As the minutes slipped by, she grew concerned because she didn’t see Thomas in the group of bidders, nor did she see him among the people still milling about.
Where could he be? In the restroom?
“You look exquisite,” a voice said over her left shoulder. Her nipples budded at the sound of his voice, and she closed her eyes for a moment as desire coursed through her veins from his remembered touch.
“Thank you.” She could feel him. He was so close.
“Every man in this place wants you.” His voice was thick.
“Every man in this place does not want me.”
“If they don’t, they’re blind fools. Every last one of them.”
Samirah looked over her shoulder to find Miguel’s lowered head close to hers.
“I appreciate the compliment.”
“We have unfinished business.”
“No, we don’t.”
He stepped around her, blocking her view of the stage. “Yes, we do.” His steady blue gaze rooted her to the spot.
“I’m not going to stand here and argue with you anymore. I don’t know how else to tell you I’m not interested.”
“Too bad the message from your mouth doesn’t match the message your body sends.”
Samirah took an unsteady breath, steeling herself for battle against him and her own weak control. “You’re one of those men. You think my mouth is saying no while my body’s saying yes.”
“I don’t think, querida , I know.”
Like a chisel, the word chipped away at her protective wall, forcing imaginary pieces to crumble around her. “Don’t use that word.”
“What word?”
“ Querida . Don’t call me your sweetheart. I’m not.”
“You will be before the night is over.” His confidence irked her while the upward slant of one corner of his luscious mouth continued to whittle away at her resistance.
“You are unbelievable. What makes you so sure?”
“Because Thomas had to leave you in my care.”
“What do you mean Thomas had to leave?”
He explained what had happened, and anger bubbled up inside her. “And you’re only now telling me this?”
“I couldn’t find you before.”
“ You are not taking me home. If I have to walk barefoot on hot coals all the way back, I’ll take the pain.”
He gazed down at her lips. “You have such a smart mouth.”
She tilted her head to the side. “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”
“I would love to see what else you can do with this mouth of yours.”
Breathe. “You’ll never find out.”
His gaze narrowed on her. “Yes, you have a very smart mouth. I’m going to have to find something to
Thomas’s frowning face expressed his reluctance to leave. “I hate to leave her, but…” Miguel didn’t have to say another word. Thomas quickly talked himself into a decision. “Please, let her know what happened, and I’ll see her at home.”
“Of course.” Miguel nodded. “I’ll explain everything. Don’t worry. I’ll take care of Samirah.”
Chapter Eight
Samirah wiggled her toes one more time before she rose from the padded bench in the ladies’ room. Her feet ached like they never had before, and she cursed herself repeatedly for the vanity of buying and wearing these heels. After listening to Miguel’s speech, she came into the restroom for a break because all the seats in the main exhibit hall had been taken.
She winced as she squeezed her feet back into the shoes. “How do women wear these things all day?” After a quick check of her face and dress, she exited the restroom.
Back in the main hall, the auction was in full swing. Standing on the outskirts of the crowd, she searched the faces of the attendees but didn’t see Thomas anywhere. She did, however, see Miguel talking to another man. During his rousing speech, she’d seen another side of him. The devilish, charming conversationalist had disappeared, replaced with a serious, thoughtful professional who had apparently experienced hardship as a youth.
Samirah wandered away from the crowd assembled before the stage. As the minutes slipped by, she grew concerned because she didn’t see Thomas in the group of bidders, nor did she see him among the people still milling about.
Where could he be? In the restroom?
“You look exquisite,” a voice said over her left shoulder. Her nipples budded at the sound of his voice, and she closed her eyes for a moment as desire coursed through her veins from his remembered touch.
“Thank you.” She could feel him. He was so close.
“Every man in this place wants you.” His voice was thick.
“Every man in this place does not want me.”
“If they don’t, they’re blind fools. Every last one of them.”
Samirah looked over her shoulder to find Miguel’s lowered head close to hers.
“I appreciate the compliment.”
“We have unfinished business.”
“No, we don’t.”
He stepped around her, blocking her view of the stage. “Yes, we do.” His steady blue gaze rooted her to the spot.
“I’m not going to stand here and argue with you anymore. I don’t know how else to tell you I’m not interested.”
“Too bad the message from your mouth doesn’t match the message your body sends.”
Samirah took an unsteady breath, steeling herself for battle against him and her own weak control. “You’re one of those men. You think my mouth is saying no while my body’s saying yes.”
“I don’t think, querida , I know.”
Like a chisel, the word chipped away at her protective wall, forcing imaginary pieces to crumble around her. “Don’t use that word.”
“What word?”
“ Querida . Don’t call me your sweetheart. I’m not.”
“You will be before the night is over.” His confidence irked her while the upward slant of one corner of his luscious mouth continued to whittle away at her resistance.
“You are unbelievable. What makes you so sure?”
“Because Thomas had to leave you in my care.”
“What do you mean Thomas had to leave?”
He explained what had happened, and anger bubbled up inside her. “And you’re only now telling me this?”
“I couldn’t find you before.”
“ You are not taking me home. If I have to walk barefoot on hot coals all the way back, I’ll take the pain.”
He gazed down at her lips. “You have such a smart mouth.”
She tilted her head to the side. “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”
“I would love to see what else you can do with this mouth of yours.”
Breathe. “You’ll never find out.”
His gaze narrowed on her. “Yes, you have a very smart mouth. I’m going to have to find something to
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