To the Highest Bidder

by Clare Connelly

  “I know now.” He lifted a hand and cupped her cheek. “The notepad.” It had been bothering him. What had she spent her time writing notes about? Why did she carry it everywhere?

  She nodded. “Studying. Thinking. Doing practice tests.”

  He stood up. “I see.” For the longest moment, he stared down at her, his eyes glinting in his face.

  “Where are you going?” She asked, as he walked slowly towards the door.

  “You need a good night’s sleep, and if I had my way, you wouldn’t get it.” His smile was filled with seductive promise. “Come to my apartment tomorrow. I have… a proposition to run by you.”

  She fell into step behind him, almost sighing as his woody cologne assailed her deprived senses. “Another proposition?” She arched a brow. “Care to give me a foreshadowing?”

  “No.” He kissed her forehead. “I want your mind clear for tomorrow.” He seemed to hesitate for a moment, then shook his head. “I’ll see you then?”

  “What time?”

  He laughed. “What time do the SATs finish?”

  “Midday.”

  “So Martins will pick up just after. Press your button. Don’t keep me waiting.” He kissed the tip of her nose, and lowered his voice to a coarse whisper. “Please don’t keep me waiting.”

  When she arrived at his apartment the next day, she felt as though a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She burst into the door, a huge smile on her face. Any anticipation she might have felt at seeing him again had been removed from the euphoria she felt at having nailed the SATs.

  “Hey, college girl. How did you go?” He was gloriously handsome. Her life felt perfect, in that moment.

  She shook her head. “Don’t jinx me. I don’t get my results for ages. But… unless I’m totally wrong, it felt sort of easy. I felt good. I mean, I think I did well.”

  He nodded. “I know you did.”

  She put her handbag down on the bench and walked towards him. “Well, Carter. You have me here. What do you want to speak to me about?”

  He smiled. “I have various matters to discuss. But first, champagne.”

  “Champagne?” She shook her head. “It’s too early to celebrate.”

  “I don’t think so.” He popped the cork and poured two flutes, then fixed his ice-cold stare on her. “Have I ever told you about RedWhite?”

  “RedWhite?” She shook her head. “No.”

  “It was the first start up I bought into.” He handed a glass to her and put an arm around her waist, leading her to the terrace. It brought back a searing memory of the last time they’d made love.

  “Start up? As in internet?”

  “Yeah. Technology, at least. It’s an app that helps soldiers keep in touch with their families back home. It removes any trace of geotracking, and it was designed to automatically encode any information that the military classed as sensitive. It was obviously a brilliant program, but they needed funding. I gave that to them, and RedWhite became one of the biggest apps of the year.”

  She put a hand on his forearm, her pretty face tilted at an angle. “Now, you do know that, when it comes to technology, I’m pretty much an Eskimo.”

  He nodded. “The tech is sort of besides the point. I saw something brilliant, something wonderful, something no one else had quite harnessed the potential of, and I didn’t hesitate to put my money into it. I couldn’t see a way for it to fail. More than that, I felt it would be a true gift to soldiers abroad.”

  She nodded. “Yes. Of course.”

  “You’re my new RedWhite.”

  “Huh?” She screwed up her nose.

  “I want to invest in you.”

  “What?”

  He laughed. “Have you checked your internet banking lately?”

  She shook her head. “No.” It was, perhaps, the biggest difference between people who had money, and people who didn’t. Jane hated logging into her internet banking and seeing the dwindling funds and increasing outgoings.

  “Log in. Do it now.” He handed her his phone.

  Nonetheless, with a dubious look, she loaded up her bank’s browser and typed her login information in.

  “This must be some mistake,” she whispered shakily, when she saw the number that appeared before her. More than two million dollars was sitting in her account. She lifted helpless dark eyes to his face. Her voice was a shaky whisper. “What have you done?”

  “I’ve made this easy for you.”

  She swore. “What the hell? What have you done?”

  He raised his hands in defence. “You have a funding problem, Jane. I’ve looked at the figures, and I’ve looked at the problems, namely, that big old sense of duty of yours. Even with a full scholarship, Anita will have expenses. Frankly, you’d struggle to cover those, rent, and your own fees.” He lifted his finger to her lips. “I know you. You would sooner give up your own college course to fund hers. Now, you don’t have to.”

  “It’s too much, Carter. I simply can’t accept this.” She was physically shaking with surprise and emotion. She stood up and paced across the room. “I don’t want it,” she seethed, thrusting her hands on her hips and glaring at him.

  “Why not?”

  “Because! I don’t want to owe you money. I don’t want you to think that’s why… that’s why I’m interested you.”

  His smile was so confident it bored on arrogant. “But you are interested in me.”

  She bit down on her lip. The words were on her tongue, but she didn’t say them. She couldn’t. “I don’t know.” She loved him, but their future was anything but clear.

  “Why would you give me that much money?”

  He reclined in his seat, his expression a mask. It occurred to Jane that they were both hiding something. Finally, he sighed. “I ended things with Renata because she gave me an ultimatum.”

  “Huh?” She blinked, and tried to refocus her mind.

  “We’d been sleeping together, on and off, for a fair while, I guess. But in my mind, it had always been clear that we had no expectations. That we owed one another nothing.”

  Jane turned away, feeling sickened by the thought of him with the beautiful blonde. “I don’t really want to think about it,” she whispered.

  “I’m sorry, but I need you to know this, Jane. Please, please come here and listen.”

  She didn’t move and so he drew to her, as though pulled by an invisible string. He lifted her against his waist and carried her back to the chair, where he sat them both down, her in his lap. “Do you need anything? A drink? Lunch?”

  She shook her head, though she needed many things.

  “Renata told me she loved me.” Jane froze. “That she wanted to marry me.” Jane felt sick. “That she would leave me if I didn’t propose.” Jane stared at him, curious and distressed in equal measure. Carter shrugged. “I didn’t love her. Not even a bit. I didn’t want to marry her. I didn’t propose. I left her. I left her without so much as a backwards glance. I met you, anyway, and so even without her ultimatum, I would have ended things with Renata.”

  Jane was silent. Finally, she looked at him. “Why did you want me to know that?”

  “Because Renata is nothing to me. She never has been.”

  “Frankly,” Jane whispered, “It isn’t helping your cause to be so proud of your ability to have meaningless sex. After all, I have no reason to suspect that we are anything more than that.”

  He swore with a soft frustration. “You have every reason. You know we’re more.”

  Her heart turned over in her chest. “Do I?”

  “The moment I saw you, I knew I wanted you. The moment I had you, I knew I needed more. I wake up every morning with one thought in my head. You.”

  Her breath caught in her throat. “You do?”

  He nodded. “In my world, I have become used to recognising what I want very quickly, and taking steps to protect my interests. I think of you as mine. I think of us as sacred. I am trying to do what I can to wrap what we share in
an unbreakable shield.”

  She blinked. “What are you saying?”

  He shook his head. “You have given up more than any person should have to, for a sibling. You have sacrificed so much. You have carried worries on your shoulders when most people are being frivolous and fun.” He kissed her shoulders, first one, then the other. “I need you to know that your decision is completely yours to make. You see, Jane, you’re not the only one out on a limb here.”

  She continued to stare at him wordlessly.

  “If you decide to walk away from me, I will be devastated, but I will accept it. God knows, you’ve already had too many people making claims on you. The last thing I want is to be yet another duty to you.” He gripped her shoulders, suddenly overcome. “You need to know that life is no longer just happening to you. You have money. You can walk whatever path you choose. Leave me. Study. Do what you want. Or stay with me.” He grinned. “Please.” Then shook his head. “Or not. But whatever you do, do it only because it’s what you want, not because you have a hand pulled up your back.”

  Jane wriggled off his lap, to another timber chair, and she lifted her hands to her lips.

  “Why would you do this for me?”

  “Because you’ve had a shitty run. Because you could have been living an entirely different life now, and yet you aren’t. Because you deserve someone to fucking do what they can to help you, for once.”

  Jane shook her head, the reality of her situation sinking in. She stood up and walked towards the glass doors that led to the terrace. “And what do you want from me in return?”

  “I told you,” he said slowly. “I want nothing in return.” He stood. “At some point, if you decide to stay with me, I would like to talk to you about marriage. But not now. I want you to get used to the idea that you have real options, before you think about something as big as ‘forever after’.”

  She froze, as though she’d been whipped. Carefully, slowly, she spun around. “What did you just say?”

  “I will miss you, but you should travel. You should enjoy life.” His smile was indulgent. “Jane, I love you too much to ask you to sit tight with me in Manhattan. I love you too much to ask you to marry me at twenty three years of age.” He shook his head. “I love you just enough to let you go. To set you free, and hope that you see the world and still decide the only place you want to be, ultimately, is here, with me.”

  She closed her eyes and reached out for a wall for support. “Carter, I think I’m going to pass out.”

  He laughed, but her knees buckled, and he swore, grabbing for her and catching her just before she hit the ground. Her eyes flickered open though, her mouth tickled at the corners.

  “How can you say you love me?” She asked, sounding, to both of them, like an entirely sensible person. “We only met a month ago.”

  He nodded. “I told you. My job requires me to be swift at making decisions. And I never make a bad decision. I’m sort of renowned for it.”

  She shivered. “It’s too much.”

  He was very, very quiet. “It’s only too much if you don’t feel the same way.”

  Jane’s brow furrowed. “Why would you say that?” She asked, truly stumped.

  “Because you’re a secretive little creature,” he teased to cover his anxiety. “You are adept at keeping your feelings hidden from me.”

  She laughed. “You are… incredible.” She shook her head. “Also, a bit of an idiot, if I’m honest.”

  He was an idiot for her. He freely admitted it. He stared at her watchfully.

  She shook her head. “Carter, I worked as an escort from when I was nineteen years of age. I met a huge array of gorgeous, intelligent, rich men. I never once slipped onto the terrace of a swanky hotel and made out with one of them.” Her cheeks glowed pink. “I have no doubt that if Hank hadn’t interrupted us, I would have made love to you then and there.”

  “But he…”

  She held a finger up to his lips. “Please. Let me say this.”

  He nodded with mock contrition. “Go on.”

  “This last month, I’ve been almost paralysed by fear. From the moment I realised that I love you, I’ve been living in a world of torment, because I knew that if you were to end things, I would be completely ruined.” She lowered her gaze. “But how can I hope for things to work out?” She chewed her lower lip. “You’re so gorgeous, and so successful. You’re corporate royalty, and I’m… no one. The daughter of a runaway cop who ended up working as an escort.”

  He lifted her chin, angling her face to his. “Do not speak about yourself like that ever again. You are a woman who made her sister’s dreams come true through sacrificing her own wants and needs.”

  Jane looked up into his arctic eyes and smiled, brightly. “Have we just said we love each other?”

  His expression mirrored hers. “I think we have.” He lowered his mouth to hers. “But in case it wasn’t clear, I love you, Jane. And whether you stay, or go, I will always love you, and I will always wish you well. Because love isn’t about what you can give me, or how you make me feel. Love is about what I can give you. And I want to give you the world, in whatever way you desire it.”

  She let out a slow, exaggerated sigh. “The thing is, Carter Mann-Hughes, the world I want pretty much revolves around you.”

  He pushed aside his first impulse – which was to grab hold of her and never let go.

  “That’s not good enough. I don’t want to be your new Anita.”

  She blinked up at him, confused.

  He kissed her forehead. “I love you, but I’m not someone to look after. I’m not a cause.” He kissed her again, then his eyes sought hers. “I want you as an equal. That’s why I gave you money. It is a gift. And an opportunity.” He ran a hand down the side of her body. “I have booked a table for three at The Four Seasons. You, Jenna and Thomas are going to go there tonight to celebrate your SATs. Then, Martins will drive you home, and then you’re going to take a few days to get used to the idea that you can literally do whatever you want. You are a millionaire. And after that, only when that’s sunk in, we’re going to see one another. And at that point, I will discuss a future with you. You must understand, Jane, that I am incredibly possessive. I saw you and I wanted you. I wanted to own you, to have you all to myself. It’s not right, but it’s how I felt. I wanted you to be mine, in every way. If you agree to this, I need you to know what you’re getting into. I have never told a woman that I love her. I have never said those words. I have never so much as thought about feeling it. But I do love you, and I do want you, forever and always, to be mine. Do you understand?”

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  “Excuse me, madam. This has been sent, compliments of Mr. Mann-Hughes.” A magnum of Dom Perignon arrived. Jenna looked at it with a scowl, Thomas with a grin.

  “Thank you,” Jane nodded. It was the same waiter from the night she’d been there last. Celebrating her birthday and being propositioned by Carter. He poured three measures and then departed, leaving the enormous white elephant in the middle of the table.

  “He’s a romantic,” Thomas swooned happily.

  “Mmm,” Jenna shook her head. “I’m not so sure.”

  Jane bit her lip. “Actually, guys, I kind of have news.”

  Thomas, sitting beside her, put his hand over hers. “News?”

  “Yeah.”

  “What is it?” Jenna sipped her champagne, her expression wary.

  Jane’s cheeks were flushed. She leaned forward and lowered her voice to a husky whisper. “I don’t know where to start.” Their faces were so earnest, she burst out laughing.

  “What’s going on?” Jenna pushed, leaning further forward.

  Jane relayed most of the details to her friends, omitting the precise amount Carter had transferred to her account. Her words were enough to sell them, she could see.

  “OhmyGod,” Thomas said on a sigh. “Did you have any idea?”

  “No!” She shook her head. “He’s been pretty full on
, but I just thought that was him.”

  “But he loves you.” Jenna grinned. “I’m glad, and relieved. I think he might just about deserve you, Jane. Just about.”

  Jane looked at both of them. “The thing is, I don’t need days to know how I feel, and what I want.”

  Thomas looked over the rim of his champagne, wiggling his eyebrows at Jenna. He turned back to Jane and shook his head slowly. “Then what the heck are you doing here with us, girl?”

  She reached for her clutch. “You’re right. I’m sorry, guys. I’ve got to go.”

  “Yeah, you do!” Jenna squealed, clapping her hands together.

  “Do you hate me for rushing out like this?”

  Jenna rolled her eyes. “This somewhat softens the blow,” she smiled, pointing towards the bottle of champagne. “Tell Carter we want him at the next dinner with us.”

  Jane nodded, and blew a kiss at her friends, then walked as quickly as she could from the hotel. She had her head down, and wasn’t looking where she was going, so she bumped straight into the hard wall of Martins’s chest.

  “Oh! I didn’t see you.”

  His expression was bemused. “Apparently not.”

  “I need to go to Carter’s.”

  “Of course.” He opened the door to the jet black Bentley, allowing Jane room to slide into the leather interior.

  The short drive to his apartment, her mind was swimming with questions of what to say and how to say it. But when he opened the door, and her eyes landed on him, she knew. She just knew.

  Dressed in only a pair of low slung jeans, he was delicious from his bare feet to his muscular chest.

  “What are you doing here?” He asked, a slightly perplexed expression on his handsome face.

  “I don’t need days to know what I want, Carter.” She put her hands on her hips, wishing she’d stopped to eat dinner. A few sips of champagne had made her feel woozy. Or maybe it was the realisation that she was so close to getting everything she could ever want in life. “I love you. I don’t care if I have two dollars, or two million. For that matter, I don’t care if you are rich or poor, or obscenely rich, as the case may be. It’s you. I just want you. Forever after, I want this.”