Boston Avant-Garde: Impetuous by Kaitlin Maitland

auction was set up with cute stuffed replicas of each endangered species beside an informative display about shrinking habitats and humanitarian efforts. Attendees could bid on their favorite animal, the proceeds going to help the Endangered Friends Fund.
    “I think the skirt should be just a little shorter, though.” Jackson reached underneath the table and rested his hand on her leg. “I like to see your thighs. You should show them off like you did this morning.”
    The first item on her agenda was going to be the burning of that cursed white dress. Not only did it hold bittersweet memories of a night spent with Nicolai, but it seemed to be the sole focal point of Jackson’s entire brain.
    “Just a half hour more and we can go someplace else to get to know each other a little better.”
    She’d rather go to hell. “Hey, aren’t you supposed to be bidding on that baby jaguar for Selena?”
    Jackson jerked as though he’d been prodded with a Taser. “Right. Thanks.”
    He raised his hand as the auctioneer was about to close the bidding. Desiree hid her satisfied smirk. She could have given her date a little more notice that his fiancée’s fave animal was up for bids, but that would’ve taken all the fun out of watching Jackson bid more than he’d ever intended to spend on a stuffed jaguar.
    The bids closed, and Jackson stood as the audience applauded his outrageous winning bid. When he sat back down, she could see a muscle in his jaw jumping around. She supposed it was a little perverse to enjoy his discomfort, but Joshua had been right about him. Jackson was an asshole.
    He stood up, taking her hand and forcing her to follow along lest she lose an arm. “Thank God we’ve got to go pay. It’s an excuse to get out of here.”
    Shit . Talk about your classic backfires.
    A state-of-the-art banking center was set up near the rear of the hall. They meandered through the tables, stopping to accept congratulations from acquaintances. Desiree wondered if her face would eventually crack from all the fake smiling. If she had to make any more lighthearted excuses for her dear sister, she was going to vomit.
    She wondered what some of these old society matrons would say if she told them the truth. That her sister was living it up at a spa because she was so overwhelmed by all the tantrum throwing she’d been doing about wedding details that were really the wedding planner’s problem anyway. Then Desiree could go on to say that while her sister was relaxing, her faithless asshole of a fiancé was busy trying to get up Desiree’s skirt. Yep, that would’ve made a definite splash.
    More like a social cannonball.
    The payment station had been draped with lengths of silk in exotic colors and flanked by potted palms and banana plants in an effort to disguise its true purpose. The personnel wore elegant sheath dresses or tuxedos with leopard-print accents. Really, the event planner had done a good job with the atmosphere, but the bottom line was still the same. They needed your money. At least this cause was a lot better than others Desiree could vaguely remember being asked to support.
    Jackson got into a long-winded discussion with one of the reps about his tax deduction. Drifting away from her so-called date, Desiree pretended to examine one of the banana trees while slipping farther into the shadows. If her luck held, she could duck out the door and hail a cab before Jackson figured out what was going on. If he kicked up a fuss later on, she’d say they got separated. If he made a really big issue out of it, she’d resort to playground rules and threaten to tattle. Childish? Sure. But damn effective with one of Joshua’s ironclad prenups as a potential weapon.
    The corner of the hall was dim and smelled like a greenhouse, but Desiree could just make out one of the exits. She sidled closer. Leaning around a wad of thick foliage, she tried to see if Jackson had noticed her absence. Her heart began to pound when she