Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 88212 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88212 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Then Brady shouts, “Four hundred!”
I’m gonna lunge across Caleb, tear this guy out of his chair, and—
No, I’m not, because the judge was really cool with me and will not show me mercy again if I reappear in his court. And obviously, I wouldn’t actually pummel the guy for simply being into Dax. Even if, fuck, it feels like I should.
“That’s probably a wrap at four hundred,” Troy says, waving his prop gavel. “Going once…twice…”
The thought of Dax sitting across from Brady at a restaurant, this guy batting his blue beauties, charming the fuck out of him, fucks with my head. Even the thought of Dax laughing at one of his jokes is enough to drive me out of my damn mind. This bastard doesn’t know Dax like I do. Doesn’t know what a great guy he is. Doesn’t know how he needs to fuck that ass…or how to cuddle him right. He doesn’t know a damn thing about him except he’s hot, and he’ll go on a date with my guy over my dead body.
“One thousand!” I say—and I don’t just say it, I shout it at the top of my lungs, so loudly that it echoes through the theater and a girl nearby audibly gasps. No, not a girl. Tatum.
Troy’s mouth hangs open. Dax’s forehead is creased up, and he rightly looks as confused as I feel. Meanwhile, people turn in their seats to see who called that out, and I distinctly hear my name being whispered. Makes me want to crawl into my goddamn chair and die right now.
What. The. Fuck?
24
Dax
One thousand dollars?
One thousand dollars?
What the hell is Miles thinking? But judging from the look on his face, he has no idea either, and for a second, I think he’ll bolt. Then his expression shifts to panic, like he’s about to have another attack. The theater is eerily quiet, everyone trying to make sense of what just happened. Even Troy hasn’t said anything yet, and Troy is usually really good about keeping things steady and going with the flow.
I can see how big Miles’s eyes are, the way he’s fidgeting, his surprised and frantic gaze never leaving me, and all I want is to go to him, to hold him, to tell him he didn’t have to pay for me because he’s the only person I want right now anyway.
I take a step forward, and he gives me a small shake of his head. My heart is trying to beat its way out of my chest, everything sounding echoey. If it’s like this for me, it must be even worse for him, but I don’t want to make a scene. No good will come of me going to Miles and drawing even more attention to him in the middle of the damn auction.
Please be okay, please be okay, please be okay.
“Wow. Leave it to Dax to be our most popular bachelor. Did you pay Miles to do that?” Troy jokes.
“No. I’m just that good.” I try to smile when it’s killing me not to go grab Miles and kiss his stupid face. Why did he tell me to do this auction if he was going to bid on me?
“One thousand dollars going once, twice, sold to Miles Tanner!”
The second the words are out of Troy’s mouth, Miles is rushing toward the door, Tatum going after him.
Um, what the fuck is that? Why does Tatum think Miles needs him? I mean, am I glad he has a friend? Yes. But I also want to be the one by his side right now.
I give the crowd a fake smile, trying to play it off as if my heart isn’t about to burst, my mind all confused, and…all I want is Miles. To figure out what the hell is going on with him…with us…and to make sure Tatum knows he’s mine.
The two of them have fucked before. Miles told me about it, and I’m not the jealous type, but no one has ever gotten to me the way Miles does. No one gets me all mixed up or rattles me because no one has ever mattered like him before.
“Dude! What the fuck was that?” Teddy asks me.
“Holy shit. Miles fucking Tanner just bid a thousand dollars to date you!” Andy adds.
Yes, yes he did.
“First the hooking up, now this. Is there something more going on with the two of you?” Leo asks, and backstage is starting to feel claustrophobic.
I shake off his question, hoping they’ll leave me alone and not push me on it. I have zero interest in standing here and discussing all this with them, so I keep trying to work my way through the group of people, the sound from Troy onstage muffled yet somehow too loud.
“What’s up with you and my stepbro?” Damien asks, and the question makes me stumble.