undress right here in the
elevator?”
Charlotte didn’t have to open her eyes to know
Marcus wore a frown. She heard it in his voice, same
as she had so many other times. Opening her eyes,
she found him standing in the doorway, one hand
braced to keep the door from closing. She hoped that
meant he hadn’t made up his mind to ride with her.
She let her gaze travel from his tense chiseled
features past broad shoulders clad in a black long-
sleeved pullover that fit snug across his chest and
brought out the green of his eyes. His faded jeans
emphasized his narrow hips, the length of his
muscular legs, not to mention the curve of his ass.
He was one well-toned package.
She licked her lips and looked at him from
beneath her lashes. In her most sultry voice, she
asked, “Would you like me to?”
He straightened but didn’t budge any further, as
if still undecided which way to go. Hoping to give
him the extra push he needed to fully retreat, she
78
Bachelor Auction
flicked the fourth button, exposing the lacey edge of
her red bra. “I’ve never done it in an elevator, but
I’ve heard it can be...uplifting.”
The doors began to close, but instead of backing
out as she’d hoped, Marcus slid forward, his frown
intensifying. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that.”
“You know, Marcus. You spend a lot of time
apologizing to me for some infraction or another. You
should try to relax, loosen up.” She gripped the silver
bar behind her, knowing the position thrust her
breasts forward. “You should just accept me as I
am.”
“You’re right.” He took a step toward her. “If
we’re going to make it through the weekend without
getting into it every five minutes, we’ll have to
accept each other as we are.”
He moved closer until he stood inches away, his
unreadable gaze locked with hers. She forced herself
to remain still when inside she trembled with
anticipation. She wanted so desperately for him to
touch her, to kiss her. And yet, she feared it. “Every
five minutes, huh? Sure you can manage that?”
“The question is,” he reached for the buttons of
her sweater, “will you let me?”
His calloused fingers grazed the swells of her
breasts, and Charlotte shivered as heat spread
through her belly. Her gaze fell to his lips. It didn’t
take much to imagine them replacing his fingers.
She knew firsthand the pleasure both could bring.
“I—uh, I...”
Then suddenly he stepped to the far side of the
small space, his hands clasped behind his back. “Will
you?”
“Huh?”
“Let me accept you as you are?” He smiled
knowingly. “As you truly are?”
Charlotte glanced to where his fingers had been
and felt as if the floor had dropped out from under
79
Darah Lace
her. The pearl buttons she had freed moments ago
were now tucked safely in place.
The elevator doors opened, and with a smug
grin, he gestured for her to precede him. She lifted
her chin and strode forward, angry at herself for
letting him have the upper hand. She had to get
herself together, and to do that, she had to put some
distance between them. Which went in direct
opposition to her plan. Geez, the weekend could
prove more difficult than she thought.
At the front door of the hospital, she paused.
December in Texas could be warm during the day,
but the sun had set and the chilling wind at night
sometimes carried a mean bite. Marcus took her coat
before she could protest and held it out. She
reluctantly accepted his assistance and murmured a
wary thanks before passing through the door he held
open and heading for the parking lot.
This was getting way too weird. Seeing his
kindness to Amy was one thing, but being on the
receiving end of it was another. It made him too
human, too...not like the other men in her life. Not
like her father.
But he was. All men were. She had to remind
herself of that, could never forget it.
Charlotte stopped beside her car, a little
elevator?”
Charlotte didn’t have to open her eyes to know
Marcus wore a frown. She heard it in his voice, same
as she had so many other times. Opening her eyes,
she found him standing in the doorway, one hand
braced to keep the door from closing. She hoped that
meant he hadn’t made up his mind to ride with her.
She let her gaze travel from his tense chiseled
features past broad shoulders clad in a black long-
sleeved pullover that fit snug across his chest and
brought out the green of his eyes. His faded jeans
emphasized his narrow hips, the length of his
muscular legs, not to mention the curve of his ass.
He was one well-toned package.
She licked her lips and looked at him from
beneath her lashes. In her most sultry voice, she
asked, “Would you like me to?”
He straightened but didn’t budge any further, as
if still undecided which way to go. Hoping to give
him the extra push he needed to fully retreat, she
78
Bachelor Auction
flicked the fourth button, exposing the lacey edge of
her red bra. “I’ve never done it in an elevator, but
I’ve heard it can be...uplifting.”
The doors began to close, but instead of backing
out as she’d hoped, Marcus slid forward, his frown
intensifying. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that.”
“You know, Marcus. You spend a lot of time
apologizing to me for some infraction or another. You
should try to relax, loosen up.” She gripped the silver
bar behind her, knowing the position thrust her
breasts forward. “You should just accept me as I
am.”
“You’re right.” He took a step toward her. “If
we’re going to make it through the weekend without
getting into it every five minutes, we’ll have to
accept each other as we are.”
He moved closer until he stood inches away, his
unreadable gaze locked with hers. She forced herself
to remain still when inside she trembled with
anticipation. She wanted so desperately for him to
touch her, to kiss her. And yet, she feared it. “Every
five minutes, huh? Sure you can manage that?”
“The question is,” he reached for the buttons of
her sweater, “will you let me?”
His calloused fingers grazed the swells of her
breasts, and Charlotte shivered as heat spread
through her belly. Her gaze fell to his lips. It didn’t
take much to imagine them replacing his fingers.
She knew firsthand the pleasure both could bring.
“I—uh, I...”
Then suddenly he stepped to the far side of the
small space, his hands clasped behind his back. “Will
you?”
“Huh?”
“Let me accept you as you are?” He smiled
knowingly. “As you truly are?”
Charlotte glanced to where his fingers had been
and felt as if the floor had dropped out from under
79
Darah Lace
her. The pearl buttons she had freed moments ago
were now tucked safely in place.
The elevator doors opened, and with a smug
grin, he gestured for her to precede him. She lifted
her chin and strode forward, angry at herself for
letting him have the upper hand. She had to get
herself together, and to do that, she had to put some
distance between them. Which went in direct
opposition to her plan. Geez, the weekend could
prove more difficult than she thought.
At the front door of the hospital, she paused.
December in Texas could be warm during the day,
but the sun had set and the chilling wind at night
sometimes carried a mean bite. Marcus took her coat
before she could protest and held it out. She
reluctantly accepted his assistance and murmured a
wary thanks before passing through the door he held
open and heading for the parking lot.
This was getting way too weird. Seeing his
kindness to Amy was one thing, but being on the
receiving end of it was another. It made him too
human, too...not like the other men in her life. Not
like her father.
But he was. All men were. She had to remind
herself of that, could never forget it.
Charlotte stopped beside her car, a little
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