Auctioned to Him 6: Damage by Charlotte Byrd

Author:Charlotte Byrd [Byrd, Charlotte]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Byrd Books
Published: 2017-12-17T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 15 - Chloe

We enter the ballroom, arm in arm. Is this really happening? Am I actually pretending to be Finn Dalton’s date at this black tie event? I’m a little bit upset about Dolly’s date not showing up, but to have Finn as a replacement is beyond my wildest dreams. Of course, Finn isn’t really a replacement. There’s nothing romantic about this. Though it is quite a turn on to have everyone in the room thinking that I’m his date for the night. This is the coolest thing that has ever happened to me.

“We’re up front,” he whispers in my ear. My arm is wrapped around his at the elbow. I can feel how strong his arm is, powerful and defined. I’ve seen how toned his body is, and walking next to him, I can feel it a little as we move among the tables. For a second, I forget to breathe.

The beginning of the evening is a blur. It’s like I’m there, but I’m also not there. I watch the Governor of California introduce Finn and talk about all the money that he has raised for leukemia research. Everyone listens and claps. Then Finn goes up and talks. When he flashes me a smile from the podium, I feel a spark of electricity course through my entire body.

“Thank you very much Governor, for those kind words,” Finn says. “And thank you very much, American Leukemia Foundation, for honoring me with this honor. But like many of you in this room, the real honor belongs to those brave men and women and children who fight this epidemic every day. I didn’t know anything about leukemia until my best friend, Shawn, got diagnosed with it. But watching him fight so bravely for his life has changed mine. Shawn lost his life, but his legacy lives on. In my heart and in the hearts of so many people who loved him. And that is why we all do this, isn’t it? To prevent unnecessary deaths like his from happening to people all over this country. So, if you don’t mind, I would like to take this opportunity and dedicate this award to my friend Shawn – whose spirit continues to live on.”

The room explodes with applause. I clap so hard my hands start to hurt. Somewhere in the midst of the outpouring of love, I feel a tingling in the back of my throat. Tears are starting to build up, and as much as I try to hold it back, one appears. I wipe it away quickly, but not before Finn sees it.

“That was a wonderful speech,” I say as cheerily as I can.

“Thanks. Are you okay?” he leans close to me. We’re so close, I can feel his breath on my lips. I jerk away.

“Yes, I’m fine. That was just so sweet, what you said.”

“Thank you. It was a very difficult thing to deal with,” Finn says.

“Are you crying?” he asks, leaning even closer to me. As if that were physically possible.

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