Surprise Bidder

“The bathroom is right through there.” Gavin points to a door on the other side of the room. “Past your closet and dressing room.”

I have a dressing room?

“I’ll have Tony bring your things in. If you need anything else, you can shop for it tomorrow on Fiona’s website. I’ll give you your own laptop.”

My eyes grow even wider. My own laptop? And a shopping spree? Wow. I’m really living the dream here.

“As I mentioned earlier, you’re free to go around the apartment,” Gavin adds. “You can leave your room anytime, but when I need you, you better be here.”

He grabs the doorknob. “Good night.”

With that, he leaves. I let out a sigh as I sit on the edge of the bed, then let myself fall on top of it. The quilt feels so soft that I have to close my eyes and let out another sigh.

Heavenly.

If I were a cat, I’d be perfectly happy right now. But I’m not. I’m a woman, and Gavin just reminded me that I’m his woman.

I open my eyes and snort. Jerk. Just because he spent money on me, he thinks he can do whatever he wants with me, control my every move. Like he can just snap his fingers and I’m supposed to go on all fours like a dog.

Well, technically, he can. I’m supposed to obey him, to do everything to please him. And I was planning to. I told myself I’d be a good girl. But there’s just something about him that rubs me the wrong way and makes my temper rise.

Maybe it’s because he thinks he’s so hot- well, he is hot, but does he have to act like he’s some gift from God, or like he’s a god himself? Or maybe it’s that beard of his- I hate beards, even though his strangely makes him look even more attractive, which makes me hate it even more. Or maybe it’s because of the way he looks at me, like he’s undressing me with his gaze and setting my skin on fire.

I place my arm over my eyes as I feel my cheeks grow hot. Shit. Why does that have to turn me on? Why did his words have to make my heart pound? And why did his touch make me feel like I was melting, like I was ready to surrender, even though I said I would never give myself to a man completely ever again?

I shake my head. Gavin is a dangerous man. I don’t trust him and I don’t like him. I sure as hell don’t belong to him.

That man at the party thought I belonged to him. I let him believe it and look what happened to me. Never again. I’m going to work for him, that’s it, just like any other employee, and someday, I’m going to leave this place with my baby and my money.

I open my eyes and stare at the ceiling. I just have to survive until then. And I will. I’ve already been through so much. I’m strong enough.

Not even arrogant Gavin Scotsfeld and his sexy beard can change that.

Those thoughts make me feel better, and I give a hopeful smile.

I can do this. I just have to take it one day at a time.

~

In the morning, I wake up to the sound of shuffling feet, of something rustling. At first I think it’s Mandy barging into my room again, searching the drawers and riffling through the stacks of magazines for a secret stash of cigarettes, but then I see the charcoal gray ceiling and remember I’m not in Mandy’s apartment anymore.

I sit up. So who’s in my room?

As I walk to the closet, rubbing my eyes during the first few steps, I suspect Gavin, but then I can’t really think of what he’d be doing in my closet. The door is slightly open, so I just pull it out all the way. As soon as I do, I find a brunette who doesn’t look much older than me wearing glasses and a dark blue dress. She gives me a look of surprise, then quickly gets up on her feet.

“I’m sorry, ma’am,” she says with her head bowed. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”

Ma’am?

I glance at my open suitcase at her feet and then at the open drawers which now contain some of my clothes.

“I thought it might make it easier for you if I unpacked your clothes.” She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. “I hope you don’t mind.”

I shake my head. “No, not at all. And you didn’t wake me. I’m… just an early riser, that’s all.”

“Oh.”

I notice her glance sideways at her watch, so I ask her, “What time is it?”

“Almost ten.”

I chuckle. “I guess it’s not that early.”

The last time I slept in this late was the day after a competition, when my muscles felt sore all over. I must have been tired.