You Are My Everything (Your Every Day Hero Book 3)

by Higgins, Marie

  Cassidy jerked her head to Joan and narrowed her eyes. Why did Joan use her maiden name? And would she live up to the Hilarion name as her sister had? Could she act like a loose woman?

  TWO

  All at once, men shouted out dollar figures, making Cassidy’s head swim. The bar had collected more money tonight than the entire last month. Shoot, probably two months. It shocked her to think they’d bid even one hundred dollars on her. She wasn’t as young as the other women, and certainly not as beautiful, or as skinny. So what was the gag? Why were the men acting like hound dogs during mating season? It was definitely the alcohol.

  “I bid two hundred,” one man shouted.

  Another raised his hand. “Two hundred and fifty.”

  The higher the amount bid, the more her smile stretched. Although she dreaded the date part, having men bid on her gave her a powerful feeling she’d been without for too long. It’d been a while since she felt attractive. She needed this after she’d had her heart trampled on.

  But soon the bidding stopped on one amount. Four hundred dollars. Although it was still a lot of money, she knew the bar needed more. She also knew what she’d have to do to get it.

  Taking a deep courageous breath, she relaxed her hands, hooking them on her hips as she tried her best to strut across the length of the stage as she’d witness the other girls doing. Hollers from the audience grew, and with it, her nerve climbed higher. Behind her, the drums picked up a lively beat that met the rhythm of her walk. She swung her hips, and the drums’ volume heightened. So did the whistles in the room.

  The bidding lifted to five hundred. Then stopped. Cassidy stretched her arms above her head, lifting the bulk of hair off her shoulders. Tilting her head back, she let the waves fall provocatively through her fingers. The bidding continued to climb to five hundred and seventy-five dollars. Then stopped again.

  Several men stood close to the stage, waving their cash, with drunken expressions on their faces. She shrugged. Might as well have fun while she can.

  She slinked to one cowboy, bent to his level and let her fingers twist in his hair. His grin grew wider. He jumped on the stage and grabbed her around the waist. She gasped, but followed his lead. Thankfully, he only wanted to dance. She moved with him, keeping in the slow-dance rhythm. If he weren’t such a stinking drunk, this might be exciting. By the enthusiastic cheers from the crowd, they loved it.

  The bidding continued, but stopped at six hundred. She’d never be able to top her sister’s bid at six hundred and fifty dollars, but frankly, she didn’t want to. She pushed the drunken cowboy away, and he stumbled down the stairs. She blew him a kiss before sashaying to stand beside Joan so she could finish the bidding.

  “Do I hear six hundred and fifty?” Joan called out. No more bids were voiced, just the cat-calls and whistles from the horde of anxious men.

  “Okay, six hundred and fifty going once. Going twice . . .”

  “One thousand dollars.”

  The voices in the room silenced. Gasps and clinking glasses were the only sounds. Cassidy pressed her hand to her chest. All heads turned to the voice on the other side of the room.

  Joan waved her hand. “I’m sorry, Sir, but I can’t see you. Would you mind standing and repeating that bid?”

  The man rose and the scraping of the chair’s wooden legs echoed through the suddenly silent bar. Cassidy recognized the wannabe cowboy who’d ogled her so openly when she’d first entered. She couldn’t understand why would a man so gorgeous want to bid that high on her.

  Even from across the room, she could spot a drunk, and this particular hunk was not one of them. So why did he bid that amount? His blank expression didn’t tell her anything about what he expected. Yet, by the heated gleam in his earlier gaze, she figured she already knew.

  “I said, I bid one thousand dollars.”

  Joan laughed. “Sold, to the gentlemen in the corner.”

  She motioned her hand. “You can come and collect your prize.”

  Cassidy swallowed a lump of fear, yet anticipation rose in her chest. Suddenly, an image popped into her mind and she envisioned herself locked in a lover’s embrace with his man while his mouth moved passionately.

  Impossible! She would definitely not let that happen.

  The man swaggered toward her. Even his walk was sexy. All he needed was cowboy boots and a hat. He still looked too business-style for that.

  Keeping his focus on her, he stopped at the bar and handed a wad of bills to Joan. Her cousin didn’t hesitate to take the money, even giggled once the bills were in her grasp. That was when Mr. Cowboy Wannabe smiled…and Cassidy about melted at that point. Her knees grew weak and she scolded her body for having that kind of effect from just a man’s smile. He could try and charm her all he wanted, but now she knew his plans and she was not going to let him win!

  He reached out to her. She really didn’t want to go with a man who thought she was a hooker, but her body didn’t listen to her panicked mind, and she slipped her hand into his. Warmth from his body speared through her, creating havoc like she’d never known. Her throat turned dry, but her blood pumped faster and hotter through her veins, yet she followed him as he guided her down the stairs and to his table.

  Too many people in the bar doused any idea of their first meeting to be private, and Cassidy was now pleased with the auction’s great attendance.

  He pulled out her chair. Her jaw dropped as she sat. Where was he from? Men didn’t do that for women any longer.

  The grin stayed on his face as he sat across from her. “Would you like a drink?”

  She shook her head, planning to deny, but found herself answering, “Yes.” Curse her lonely hide.

  He chuckled and signaled to one of the waiters. She didn’t take her attention off the stranger to see which one of her cousins served them.

  “What would you like?” the strange man asked.

  For you to go away. “Just a Coke, please.” She didn’t want to drink with him, and she definitely didn’t want to drink something with alcohol. Although she refused to drink anything hard, she might need it to calm her frazzled nerves, after all. His sensuality disturbed her. She didn’t know how to handle the dizziness consuming her the longer she stared at him.

  He turned to the server and nodded. “You heard the lady.” Linking his fingers, he leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. “So, Cassidy Hilarion, what have you planned for our date tonight?”

  To escort you home and make you take a cold shower. She knew what he wanted. It was the same thing all the guys at the bar hoped for when purchasing a date for the evening.

  She swallowed hard. “Are you going to introduce yourself?”

  “I’m Mark Carey.”

  “Well, Mark Carey, I thought we’d start out with dinner tonight.” The audible squeak in her voice horrified her and she cleared her throat.

  He grinned. “And how do you plan to end the date?”

  Dumping ice down your pants. “We could go dancing.” She shouldn’t want this man, but heaven help her, he made her tongue-tied in the worst way. His hypnotic gaze only made matters worse, too.

  He shrugged. “I don’t like to dance.”

  “We could see a movie.”

  “What if nothing good is playing?”

  “We could walk around the park and talk.”

  His grin stretched. “Sounds good, but won’t your feet hurt? I’d think those high heels would get uncomfortable.”

  He was right. She shrugged. “Then I’m all out of ideas.”

  He reached across the table and took hold of her hand. “You’re not going to invite me to your place for a nightcap?”

  Her heart jumped, lodging itself firmly in her throat. When their server brought her drink, she glanced up briefly. One of Joan’s brothers grinned. She nodded at him before he turned and left.

  She refocused on the cowboy who looked too sexy to be real. Like a drunken moth, his seductive charm pulled her to his fascinating flame. She
couldn’t swallow, she couldn’t breathe, and she for sure couldn’t look away from his fascinating eyes. Were they green? In this section of the bar, the lighting shadowed his features.

  Cassidy forced her tongue to moisten her dry lips. His eyes focused on the movement, and her traitorous body reacted by shivering. Underneath the table, she fisted her hands.

  Finally, her throat attempted to allow a moist swallow so she could answer his question. “I—I—I don’t do nightcaps or anything close to that.”

  She studied the chic magnet, waiting for his reaction, but she couldn’t read him. In fact, she really couldn’t tell if he liked her answer or not. His smile remained, but it didn’t reach his eyes.

  He pulled away and leaned back in his chair, folding his arms over his massive chest. Her focus strayed to the bulging biceps on his muscular arms.

  She cursed the direction of her thoughts. It didn’t matter if he had muscles or not. He was still a man, and all men were alike. They were all cheating good-for-nothings who enjoyed laying the blame at her feet. Only one thing stayed on their teeny-weeny minds, and by the way his gaze kept sliding to her chest, she knew what was on his mind. He’ll be sorely disappointed knowing he would not get what he wanted from this date. He could charm her all he wanted, but she would not give in.

  “Let’s leave and begin our date, then.” He stood and held out his hand.

  As she sipped her Coke, her movement was unsteady then she set the glass down before placing her fingers in his large one. Just like before, warmth from his body soaked into hers, creating tingles to bite at her nerves, reminding her how long it had been since she’d had this kind of attention. Yet she didn’t want it. How could she convince her body of that?

  No matter how much this man made her heart flutter and stimulated every inch of her skin with his heated gaze, she needed to remember he was a man. A man like Lyle.

  He’d break her heart if she was fool enough to let him.

  THREE

  Mark tucked Cassidy’s arm under his and escorted the very sexy woman to the door, squeezing past drunks on their way. She shivered, yet her body remained stiff. She wasn’t like the other girls who’d joined in the bidding. So why did the announcer label Cassidy Hilarion the prize?

  From the moment he set eyes on her when she walked into the bar and flattened herself up against a wall, he detected her hesitation. The whiteness of her face—contrasting greatly with her auburn hair—her wide eyes and her shaking limbs gave away her true feelings.

  Or was that just an act to get everyone’s attention?

  Huddled this close, her lilac scent drifted around him, making him want to bury his nose in her wavy hair. His fingers even itched to touch her red curls, but he fought the urge.

  After a few minutes of her standing on the stage, a new personality blossomed. He liked the way her hips swung to the beat of the drums and the way her long hair bounced when she flipped it over her shoulders. And he especially liked the way she cozied up next to the drunk who’d slow-danced with her. Mark had mentioned earlier he didn’t like to dance, but he’d rethink it if she’d dance that way with him.

  When they stepped outside, the fresh late summer air assaulted his senses. He inhaled a deep breath, enjoying the smoke-free air. Beside him, she shivered. He glanced at her. Her bottom lip quivered while her gaze darted around the parking lot. For some reason, she was scared.

  “Are you cold?” he asked.

  Her attention swung to him. “Just a little.”

  He slid his arm around her shoulders and pulled her body closer to his. The evening’s temperature wasn’t cool; in fact, the afternoon’s intense heat still lingered in the light breeze.

  “My Jeep is right over there.” He nodded in the direction before walking that way.

  She didn’t speak, but her teeth chattered. He unlocked the door and opened the passenger side. She climbed in and hugged her arms around her. It was hard for him to believe she was this cold. He hurried and shut the door before the air chilled her any more.

  He slipped into the driver’s seat and immediately started the engine. Cassidy still shivered like a naked baby in an igloo. Leaning toward her, he slid his hands up and down her arms, helping to warm her.

  She jumped back with wide eyes. “Wh-what are you doing?”

  He shrugged. “Thought I could help warm you up.”

  “Why do you think I need your help?”

  “Your chattering teeth gave it away.” He chuckled.

  Her body relaxed slightly. “I’m sorry. You’re right.”

  “Do you want me to try again?”

  She hesitated before nodding. Her eyes stayed on his while he rubbed her arms. Like earlier, her scent assaulted his senses. She smelled tantalizing. He’d always had a weakness for women who smelled like a flower in full bloom.

  He met her gaze and smiled. “Are you getting warm now?”

  “I feel better, thank you.” She laughed lightly. “I guess the adrenaline of the night is finally wearing off.”

  He drew back, puzzled over her comment. “Why do you say that?”

  “Well, to be perfectly honest, I wasn’t supposed to be part of the auction.”

  “Oh, really?”

  “Yes. One of the waitresses called in sick. Joan, the announcer, talked me into filling in for her.”

  He smiled. “That certainly explains why you looked so frightened the first time I saw you. So are you really a Hilarion?”

  “Yes, but that’s my maiden name.”

  Shock splashed through him. “You’re…married?”

  “Was married. But I still use my married name, Brown because I haven’t legally changed it back to Hilarion.”

  “That certainly makes sense.” He cocked his head.

  “Cassidy, what kind of name is Hilarion? I don’t believe I’ve heard it before.”

  “It’s an old family name, from when my ancestors lived in Greece. Hilarion means cheerful.”

  Mark laughed. “That certainly describes you, especially when you were on stage.”

  Her cheeks turned a dark pink.

  “So Cassidy. Are you prepared for tonight, though?”

  Her auburn eyebrows pulled together into a scowl. “What do you mean?”

  He didn’t like the sharp tone of her voice. Then again, his question left a lot of options opened, and she’d already told him she did not do nightcaps or anything close to it. “I mean, are you ready for our date?”

  “Um…yes.”

  He chuckled. “You don’t sound convincing.”

  Her shoulders relaxed and she laughed. “You’re right. I’m still a little nervous. Please, bear with me. I promise to loosen up.”

  Turning back to the steering wheel, he adjusted in his seat. “So, where are we going for dinner? Do you have a favorite spot?”

  “No. We can go anywhere you want.” Her voice clipped off at the end, her eyes wide once again. Then she cleared her throat. “I mean we can go to any restaurant you’d like.”

  Mark tried not to smile. He knew what she thought, and he’d been thinking the same. Too bad she didn’t want to take him back to her place to finish their date. Then again, he really didn’t like easy girls. He could tell already that Cassidy was not one of them.

  He put the Jeep into gear and backed out of the parking lot. It was hard to admit, but he’d been edgy and nervous about tonight, as well, but for entirely different reasons. In a way, he wanted her to take him home. He wanted her to prove to him this auction was for one purpose only. Prostitution. Then he’d nab her. He’d have the information he needed for his father to get her bar closed down for good.

  The restaurant he had in mind was a secluded place, popular for their private tables. Each booth at Prairie Nights was decorated like a mini covered wagon, accompanied with a complimentary lamp inside that could be turned up high, or down low for more privacy. The booths lined around the walls, and the middle of the room looked like a genuine prairie, even with stuffed dummies of co
wboys and wild animals. The food at this place was delicious, but it was the seclusion of the covered wagons that people came for.

  Privacy was exactly what he wanted tonight—so that’s exactly where he’d take her.

  “Mark, why don’t you tell me about yourself.”

  He glanced her way and smiled, trying to quickly think up a lie. No way did he want her to know his true identity. “What do you want to know?”

  “Do you live in Coral Gables?”

  “No. South Beach.”

  “What do you do?”

  “I’m an accountant.”

  He kept his answers short and clipped, hoping she’d stop asking. But her eyes narrowed, letting him know she wasn’t going to stop.

  “Funny, but you don’t look like an accountant, and you definitely don’t spend money like one.”

  He chuckled. “I didn’t know accountants had their own look. Are we supposed to be bald? Fat? Wear baggy clothes?”

  She laughed, and he liked the musical sound of her voice. “No, I didn’t mean that. It’s just…I don’t know. You dress professional, but I wouldn’t have guessed an accountant.”

  “What would you have guessed?”

  She shrugged. “An owner or manager of a large corporation.”

  He chuckled again. “Sorry to disappoint you, sweetheart.”

  “Oh, it’s not a disappointment.”

  “So, do you work full time at the bar?” He tightened his fingers on the steering wheel, wondering if she’d be honest.

  “I’m Assistant Manager.”

  “No kidding. And you still let yourself be auctioned off tonight?”

  She laughed, and again, it sounded musical—like angels singing. He silently cursed his traitorous thoughts. No, she was not an angel. Devil, perhaps, and definitely a seductress.

  She pulled back a piece of hair behind her ear. “There’s nothing I wouldn’t do to help the bar.”

  He’d guessed that part. Now it was time to see just how far she’d go.

  Mark reached the restaurant and parked. He climbed out his side, walked around the car and opened her door. Once again, there was an underlying question in her narrowed eyes. She couldn’t possibly know him, so why was she suspicious?