Page 32 of Auctioned to the Billionaire Bodyguard

Nadine giggled and ran up the stairs with him chasing her.

I cleared my throat and made a face. “Oh my God. Are they like that all the time?”

“Pretty much,” Byron winced. “They’re very… affectionate with each other.”

“I need to get out of this house,” I mumbled. I turned to him. “I’m almost ready to go. Is that okay?”

He nodded. “Anytime you’re ready.”

I rushed upstairs to brush my teeth, careful to avoid Reynolds’ and Nadine’s bedroom.

***

I had the distinct impression that Carmen didn’t like me. I knew she and Nadine were great friends, so I couldn’t understand why.

Unless it had to do with Byron.

Byron had looked uncomfortable when he dropped me off at Sugar. He’d gone to Saffron, the health club, to work out with Reynolds and Nico.

“So, you want to dance?” Carmen asked.

“Yes. Nadine wanted me to be a hostess, but I’m a good stripper. I’m not sure I’d be great as a hostess. I’ve never waited tables or anything.”

She looked at me. “What do you want to major in?”

I blinked. That was an abrupt subject changed. “In college?”

She cocked a perfectly shaped eyebrow at me. “Yes.”

“I’d like to go to medical school, so I’ll probably double major in biology and chemistry.”

Her mouth parted just a bit. “Oh. Well. I… didn’t expect that.”

I frowned. “What did you expect?”

She looked slightly guilty. “I don’t know. Something a lot easier, I guess.”

I crossed my arms over my chest. “I thought you of all people wouldn’t be that way.”

“What way?” She was back to looking down her nose at me.

“Look at me like I must be stupid because I’m pretty and have big tits.”

She coughed. “Uh, sorry. You’re right. I got sick of people telling me all the time that I was so pretty I didn’t need to work so hard in school. I didn’t mean to do the same thing to you.” She looked at her watch. “Nico’s going to come and watch you with me for a try-out. He should be here soon. Let me see if I can scrounge up Leo. He’s usually hanging around here instead of running one of his restaurants.”

“I saw him sitting with your personal assistant.”

Carmen took a deep breath, like she was trying to be patient. “Of course he was.” She pressed a button. “Ardley? Is Leo out there with you?”

“Yes,” her PA sounded a little pissed about it, too.

“Leo, get your ass in here!”

The door swung open a few seconds later and her blond-haired, blue-eyed brother burst inside her office. “Carmen, you would not believe what Ardy’s doing.”

A small woman with lots of brown hair and large glasses came right behind him. “I’m not doing anything that I’m not supposed to do. I can’t say the same for you! Why are you even here?”

Leo gasped and put his hand over his heart. “I can’t believe you! You agreed that we could pick the fabric for the new hostess dresses together.”