Barbara Dunlop - The Billionaire’s Bidding

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.