Bachelor Auction Read Free Page B

the
    edge of the dance floor. She swung around to
    confront her assailant, clearly no gentleman, then
    let out a long breath as Harry Townsend, the biggest
    letch in three counties, winked and teetered toward
    the champagne fountain, obviously a return trip.
    She cursed the male species all the way to the
    bidding tables and stopped beside Melody. “I swear
    that man has the manners of a goat.”
    “Who?”
    Charlotte pointed toward Harry, who could
    barely stand to fill his glass.
    Melody peered past her and blinked in
    disappointment. “Oh, and after he just got through
    promising he’d be nice to you.”
    “He doesn’t know the meaning of the word.”
    Charlotte rubbed her bruised flesh. “Do me a favor,
    will you, and don’t invite him to the wedding?”
    “That might be kind of hard to do, considering
    he’s Spencer’s brother.”
    Charlotte glanced quickly from Harry to the
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    other end of the table where Marcus helped the
    lovely brunette Mitch had been talking to fill her
    plate. It wasn’t the first time she’d seen Marcus with
    another woman, and it wasn’t the first time she’d
    felt the pangs of what she refused to admit was
    jealousy, an emotion she avoided. To be jealous
    would mean she cared, and to admit that...
    She faced the dance floor and waved off Melody’s
    misconception. “I can handle him. I’m talking about
    Harry Townsend. My butt is always black and blue
    after one of these gatherings.”
    “You shouldn’t have made the mistake of flirting
    with him last year at Liz Melbourne’s wedding. Now
    he thinks you want him. And you shouldn’t have
    worn that outfit.”
    She batted her lashes in mock innocence.
    “What’s wrong with my outfit?”
    “Why, Charlotte,” Melody said in a voice that
    sounded much like Melanie Wilkes scolding Scarlett
    O’Hara. “It’s simply disgraceful. What were you
    thinking?”
    “I was thinking of all the bees I’d attract with its
    honey color.”
    Melody shook her head. “You were thinking
    Marcus would see you in that getup and steer clear.”
    She stilled. “What do you mean by that?”
    “Just that I used to think you were trying to find
    a man to replace your father, someone to love you
    because you felt he didn’t. But then I figured it out.”
    “Oh, yeah. What did you figure out?”
    “That you’re afraid of commitment.”
    “You got that right,” she said, trying not to panic
    as her friend’s observations came a little too close to
    the truth. She waved a hand to indicate the crowd
    around them. “I’m afraid, with all there is to choose
    from, one man could never satisfy me.”
    “Don’t.”
    Charlotte blinked at Melody’s sharp tone. “Don’t
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    what?”
    “Belittle yourself. You know how much I hate it
    when you cut yourself down.”
    “But Mel, I—”
    “Don’t ‘but Mel’ me. I know you’re not what you
    try so hard to portray.” Melody’s brow unfurled as
    concern filled her eyes. “And I know there’s more to
    it than just your fear of commitment. There’s
    something going on between you and Marcus.”
    Charlotte felt the blood drain from her face. “Are
    you crazy? Don’t you see the way he looks at me? He
    hates me.”
    “That’s where you’re wrong. I’ve seen the way he
    looks at you—it’s not hatred I see in his eyes.”
    “So there’s a little lust going on,” Charlotte said,
    fighting for composure. “I’m clearly not his type.”
    “Isn’t that the kind of man you usually gravitate
    toward? The ones not looking for a particular type,
    who just want to have a good time?”
    Charlotte shrugged. “Hey, I wouldn’t mind
    sharing the sheets with Marcus, but...”
    When Melody didn’t say anything, she almost
    sighed in relief. She had been on the brink of
    blurting out the fact that she’d already given in to
    the attraction, had offered herself to him, opened
    herself to the pain of rejection. In that, Marcus
    hadn’t disappointed.
    She