The Auction: The Billionaire Wins a Date

by Starla Harris

  They came with a matching necklace. The necklace had the same design, but both the ruby and the diamonds in the pendant were much larger and hung from a white gold chain.

  “OK,” Lia said. “What about my hair?”

  “Let me see.” Maggie pulled the towel off of Lia’s head. A heavy cascade of dark brown hair fell down Lia’s back, tiny beads of water still clinging to the strands. Maggie took a few strands of hair and twisted them around her fingers, holding them to Lia’s head. “I’d kill for hair like this.”

  “I love your hair,” Lia said in return. “It’s so you.”

  Maggie laughed. “You mean wild and crazy?”

  “I mean bubbly and passionate.”

  “Aww, that’s sweet,” Maggie said, smiling gratefully. “Do you have a curling iron?”

  “Second drawer,” Lia said, pointing to her dresser. “All my hair things are in there.”

  Maggie opened the drawer and rummaged through the contents. “Excellent,” she murmured to herself while she collected all of the tools she deemed necessary to style Lia’s hair. Then she sat back on her heals behind Lia’s back and set to work, placing a small pile of hairpins and other accessories on the floor. Hot air blasted from the hairdryer, burning Lia’s ears a little. She welcomed the sudden noise that made it impossible to talk.

  She felt embarrassed that she didn’t take her friend’s feelings into account. Maggie was a hopeless romantic, who no doubt dreamed of being swept off of her feet by a dashing billionaire. And here she was, helping Lia prepare for a date most girls would kill for the opportunity to go on. Lia vowed to be less sarcastic and more gracious.

  Maggie turned the hairdryer off and busied herself with the curling iron, twisting locks of Lia’s hair and pinning them on top of her head. “Ouch,” Lia winced when a pin buried itself deep into her scalp.

  “Sorry,” Maggie said. “But you don’t want these to come undone halfway into your evening, right?”

  “That would be rather inconvenient. I imagine there could be a lot of wind on a yacht.”

  When there were no hairpins left, Maggie leaned back, and admired her work. A satisfied sigh escaped from her lips. “We’re done.”

  Lia got up from the floor and looked at herself in the mirror fixed onto the closet door. “Wow,” she said. The curls cascaded down the nape of her neck in soft ringlets, leaving her back completely free. Maggie pulled out a few ringlets of hair to frame Lia’s face. It was a wonderfully romantic hairdo, and for a moment, Lia wished she could give this whole evening to her friend. “Thank you. It’s beautiful,” she whispered.

  “I’m glad you like it,” Maggie said. “Now, what about make-up?”

  Lia opened the first drawer of the dresser. “Here.”

  Maggie inspected the contents. She nodded a few times, then pointed to the bed. “Sit down.”

  Lia obeyed. She closed her eyes and tried to sit still. But it wasn’t easy, and she almost burst out laughing when Maggie dabbed blush onto her face with the wide feathery brush.

  “Hm. I think I’m done,” Maggie announced and shoved a mirror into Lia’s hands.

  Shimmering purple eyeshadow dusted the lids of her big brown eyes, which were framed by luxuriously long black lashes while her red lips looked soft and inviting. “Maggie, you’re amazing,” Lia said, admiring her reflection in the mirror.

  “Thank you.” Maggie said as she busied herself with putting everything back where it belonged in the dresser. Lia put on the earrings and Maggie helped her with the necklace. Maggie’s eyes shined. “It’s time for the dress.”

  Lia grinned at her friend. She couldn’t help but be excited. . She shrugged off her dressing gown and Maggie helped lift the dress over her head. Lia reveled in the sensation of the cool silk as it glided down her body. It made her feel sexy. The dress had a slight mermaid cut, which showed off her flat tummy and the sensual curve of her hips. Delicate lace patterns lined its Queen Anne type neckline. A thin strip of silk held the dress together over her shoulder blades, leaving her back almost completely bare.

  “Wow,” Maggie breathed. “You’re gorgeous. He won’t know what hit him.”

  Lia smiled at her friend gratefully. “Thank you, Mags. For everything.”

  Maggie beamed at Lia. “The pleasure was entirely mine. I hope I’ll get to do this again. So don’t blow it. And let’s cross our fingers he doesn’t decide to take you golfing next time, or worse yet, bowling.”

  Lia laughed and hugged her friend.

  “Now, I’ve got to go. You have a wonderful time and remember to keep me posted and I want all of the details.”

  “I’ll send you a text every five minutes,” Lia promised.

  “Nah, let’s not go overboard. Every ten minutes will do.”

  Maggie waved goodbye and left. Lia suddenly felt exposed in the ensuing quiet. She dabbed a few drops of perfume on her collarbone and her wrists. She hunted for her black stilettos in the closet, all the while wondering what on Earth she was getting herself into. She draped a black silk cape over her shoulders and regarded herself in the mirror. “I’m going on a date with a billionaire,” she said out loud. The words stirred a strange, almost breathless excitement in her. She suddenly felt frustrated with herself, with Travis and with the whole situation they were forced into. She couldn’t escape the thought that he’d bought her and that she was for sale. But then she remembered Maggie. I promised Maggie I wouldn’t screw up, she reminded herself. She took a deep, cleansing breath. As she exhaled, she tried to let go of her prejudices, her sarcasm, her temper and her worries.

  And at that very moment, the doorbell rang. Lia grabbed her clutch, checked her image one last time in the mirror, and left the apartment. The door closed behind her with a thud, but even that wasn’t loud enough to mask the banging of her heart.

  CHAPTER SIX

  The sun was already setting when Lia arrived downstairs. Travis was there, leaning against a shiny silver car parked in front of her apartment building. The light of the streetlamps bounced off of the car’s sleek exterior and it looked like a predator, a deadly and graceful big cat, ready to strike. Travis on the other hand, was the very image of effortless cool with his hands jammed in his pockets. Lia felt an exciting wave of anticipation wash over her and a small smile appeared on her lips.

  “Hi,” she said a little breathlessly.

  “Good evening,” Travis replied. His face was invisible in the dull light, but Lia thought she heard a smile in his voice. He opened the passenger door for her.

  “What, no chauffeur?” Lia asked jokingly.

  “I’m the only chauffeur on duty tonight and I’m at your service.” Travis replied in a husky voice. He bowed and closed the passenger door so softly it barely made a sound. He must be one of those guys in love with their cars, Lia thought, smirking. She looked around. The car was a two seater with an impressive dashboard. She could tell it was expensive and that was about all she could gather. She knew nothing about cars.

  Travis got in and turned on the engine. Its low humming was completely masked by the soft jazz that flowed from the speakers. Lia felt a moment of panic. What on Earth are we going to talk about all night?

  She racked her brains for a suitable topic of conversation. “Nice car,” she blurted out.

  Travis’ face lit up. “I’m glad you like it. It’s a Porsche 918 Spyder. It has a 4.6 litre v8 engine…” his voice trailed off. “Are you interested in cars?”

  For a second, Lia considered saying yes, just to keep him talking to fill the awkward silence so she wouldn’t have to. But then she thought better of it. “Not really,” she admitted.

  “Well, then I won’t bore you with horsepower and miles-per-hour. Let me just say that what I think is really neat about it is that it’s a hybrid.”

  “Really?” Lia was surprised. “And it’s still good enough for the heir of Paulson Tech?”

  Travis smirked. “It’s precisely because of that that it’s good enough.” He turned the c
ar onto the street.

  Lia raised an eyebrow. “You actually care about the environment?”

  “Is it that hard to believe?”

  “Well, it’s not included in my list of ‘rich playboy’ stereotypes.”

  Travis looked at her, a cheeky grin on his face. “After tonight, you may have to amend some of those belief systems.”

  Lia returned his grin. “Well, I’m open to surprises.”

  They drove in silence for a few minutes, but contrary to what Lia was afraid of, it wasn’t awkward at all. Lia found herself enjoying the ride and his company. The car barely made a sound as it effortlessly made its way through the early evening traffic. It felt like floating on clouds, except a hundred times faster. She sneaked a glance at Travis. The light coming from the dashboard illuminated his profile, and Lia couldn’t help but admire his strong cheekbones and jawline. His face was clean-shaven, with just a hint of a stubble breaking through his skin. Lia found her fingertips itching with the sudden desire to touch his face.

  Travis also stole a glance at Lia. He was surprised at how much he wanted to impress her. Throughout his life, he never really had to do anything to get women’s attention, but this beautiful girl was hell bent on ignoring him. He felt the need to show her that he was worthy.

  Lia looked away to avoid making eye contact and focused on the road instead. As they made their way out of the city toward the Marina, traffic quickly thinned out and the night time air became cooler and cleaner.

  “I’ve never been on a yacht before,” Lia said.

  Travis grinned at her. “Yeah, I kind of assumed that.”

  Lia chuckled. “What’s that supposed to mean? It’s not among your ‘bridge and tunnel working girl’ stereotypes?

  Travis cocked his head to the side, thinking. “I guess not.”

  “Now that’s something I find hard to believe.”

  Travis nodded. “No really, believe it or not, I rarely think of people’s class or wealth when I meet them.”

  “You’re right. I don’t believe you. What do you think of, then?”

  Travis snorted. “I usually think, ‘What do you want from me?’”

  “Huh.” Lia pursed her lips “That’s quite cynical. And also kind of sad.”

  “I know, right?” Travis glanced at her. “Rich people problems.”

  Lia grinned. “You’ll have to work a little harder to make me feel sorry for you.”

  Travis shrugged. “You don’t know how hard it is for me to get people to look beyond my wealth.”

  “You’re right. I don’t know.” Lia nodded. This was exactly what Maggie warned her about. I promised to keep an open mind. Travis pulled the car into a parking space in the marina’s private parking lot. He hopped out of the car and before Lia even had a chance to gather her clutch, he’d opened the passenger door for her. “Mademoiselle?” He held out his hand for her. Lia placed her palm into his and let him help her out of the car. He gave her hand a little squeeze before he let go. The memory of his skin on hers lingered pleasantly on her fingers.

  Lia took a deep breath. She loved the smell of the sea, the salty air cleaning her lungs and refreshing her mind.

  “That’s us,” Travis said, gesturing toward the marina. Lia followed his gaze and her jaw almost hit the ground. Illuminated by bright spotlights, a pristine white yacht was moored at the docks. It had three decks and it seemed big enough to easily accommodate a party of twenty people.

  “It’s beautiful,” Lia breathed. The yacht swayed gently to the lazy rhythm of the waves.

  “She is,” Travis agreed, taking Lia’s arm. “I love taking her out to sea. She’s a dream to pilot.”

  “And of course you know how to drive huge luxury yachts,” Lia said sarcastically.

  “Well, I do have to fill my lazy days with something, don’t I?” Travis replied, raising an eyebrow. Lia couldn’t help but laugh.

  They arrived at the yacht. An older man with distinguished gray hair in a sailing uniform was standing next to it. He greeted them with a nod of his head. “Good evening, Ms. Malcolm, Mr. Paulson.”

  “Good evening, George,” Travis replied. Lia nodded at the man. He gestured toward the plank leading from the dock to the yacht. Still holding Lia’s arm, Travis stepped onto the steel structure. It clanged deeply under their footsteps.

  “I think it’s still too chilly to dine outside,” Travis remarked. “So I asked the staff to set the table inside. But if you want, we can still sit outside. We have heaters.”

  Lia looked up at the sky. It was a beautiful spring evening, a soft breeze lifting the strands of hair around her face. The smell of salty air was stronger than ever, and the yacht rocked gently from side to side, the waves lapping against its hull with a sloshing sound. Lia loved being outdoors, but Travis was right, it was probably still too early in the season for that. “It sounds really tempting, but I’m afraid I’m not dressed for an evening outside.”

  Travis nodded. “Of course. We can always come out later and admire the view when the stars come out.”

  George appeared and opened a door to the interior of the yacht. Soft violin music seeped through the open door. Travis showed Lia the way inside. When she entered she drew a deep breath in. The interior was breathtaking. A pair of crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling and Lia noticed how light bounced off of the antique-looking oak wood panels covering the walls. They’re definitely real crystals, she thought to herself.

  There was a bar at the front end of the boat with a few leather barstools lined up in front of it. In the middle of the room was an elegantly laid dining table with candles that were already lit. Lia spotted an open fireplace behind the bar. It wasn’t working at the moment, but it still emanated the faint smell of wood smoke, a reminder of fires past.

  “May I take your wrap for you, Miss?” George asked. Lia nodded and unbuttoned her cape. George lifted it from her shoulders in a swift motion and disappeared to another room.

  Lia heard a sharp intake of breath behind her. She turned around, just in time for her eyes to catch Travis staring at her in the red dress. “You look amazing,” he said. His voice was filled with true admiration and his eyes were shining. Lia felt heat rise in her cheeks.

  “Thank you,” she said. “You don’t look too shabby yourself.” She wasn’t just being polite. Travis was dashing in his crisp black evening wear, a white bow tie sitting snugly at the base of his neck.

  He grinned at her. “May I offer you a drink?” He gestured toward the bar. She nodded and allowed him to help her onto a barstool. He hopped on to the one next to her. “I suggest an Aperol Spritz. It’s my favorite aperitif.”

  “And of course you’re the type of man to have a favorite aperitif,” Lia remarked, smiling. “Thanks, that’ll be perfect.”

  “Come on, cut me some slack!” Travis said in mock-outrage while he signaled to George who had appeared behind the bar. “I can hardly believe aperitifs are exclusively served to the rich and privileged!”

  Lia held up her hand. “All right, all right. I concede. Though they’re not exactly served by your common fast-food chain restaurants.”

  “I thought we were comparing tonight to your average middle class date. I hope your previous dates haven’t been taking you to a fast-food eatery! You deserve so much better. A cozy Italian restaurant or at least a decent steak-house.”

  Lia blushed again at his comments. She couldn’t deny how he made her feel—Sexy, smart and irresistible, as if she were the only woman in the world who mattered. “Thanks. I must confess, my average first date used to consist of pizza and if I’m lucky a movie.”

  Travis raised an eyebrow. “Used to?”

  Their drinks arrived. Lia took a sip. The aperitif tasted refreshing and bubbly. “I haven’t been dating for a while. Too busy with work,” she admitted.

  Travis raised an eyebrow. “Then I’m really honored that I’m the first person allowed to take you out in a while.”

  Lia gave a sarcastic chuckl
e. “Well, you paid your dues for the dubious honor.”

  Travis raised his glass. “I believe it was worth it.”

  Lia averted her eyes, studying the intricate patterns carved into the crystal glass. “How about you? Is this what your typical first date looks like?” She gestured towards the elaborately laid dining table.

  Travis sipped his drink, his expression changing. “Yes,” he said at last, a slight boastful note creeping into his voice. “Ladies I choose to take out deserve nothing less.”

  Lia picked up on the change of his tone. It was as if he slipped into a costume and now he was someone else. “Well, it does nothing to amend my stereotypes about rich men,” she pointed out. “Truth be told; I don’t really like such elaborate displays of wealth.”

  “Then get used to it,” Travis remarked breezily, downing his drink. “We have two more dates to go. And I don’t intend to scale back.”

  Lia felt a bit taken aback by his change of tone, but she was moved by the confidence of his words, his tone, his manner and his whole person spoke to her on a deep, almost carnal level. As a fiercely independent woman, she hadn’t met many people whom she would allow to order her around. But in Travis’ company, she somehow felt ready to give up control and let him determine what would happen next. This unfamiliar sensation made her feel terrified and exhilarated at the same time.

  “Mr. Paulson?” George said. “Dinner is ready, sir.”

  “Excellent,” Travis replied. He held out his hand to Lia. “Mademoiselle?”

  Lia giggled and slipped her hand into his. His long fingers curled around hers and he helped guide her gently lower until both feet were firmly on the ground. He offered her his arm and escorted Lia to the dining table.

  The table was elegantly laid with sparkling glassware and monogramed cutlery that surrounded large silver dinner plates. George held out Lia’s chair and helped push her into place. Even though she’d participated in countless formal dinners for work, Lia suddenly felt particularly exposed and vulnerable in this environment. A part of her wished she was back home, curled up on the couch in front of the TV with her usual Asian take-out. Come on, get a grip, she told herself. Don’t let this intimidate you.