Chapter 3 THREE

I was furious.

It was supposed to be the ideal evening. Running these types of charity events was my dream, far more than the bar mitzvahs and sweet sixteens that paid the bills. And the best part was that I had planned it specifically for my best friend and her wonderful husband.

But then he had to appear.

"What in the world is he doing here?"

" I asked, storming through the event space's back hallways, Kendra keeping up with her usual step-step-step. "I had no idea he lived in Metro Manila!" I heard he was volunteering for Doctors Without Borders or something."

Kendra took out her clipboard and scribbled something on it without saying anything.

"Wait, what did you just write?" I inquired.

"Nothing," she replied.

I gave her my usual exasperated expression that I reserved for people who tried to dupe me.

"Um," she said, her voice a little sheepish. "I'm just trying to figure out which one I want to bid on."

I crinkled my brow in bewilderment before turning my head around to the auction table and whirling back toward Kendra. "Wait, aren't you talking about which of those guys you want to bid on?"

"Well, sort of. Would that be such a bad thing? Take a look at them."

I turned around one more time, taking in the men's presence. Of course, they were all studs, almost comically handsome in their unforms. And, of course, Joey was the most attractive of the bunch. He was dressed in a pair of midnight blue doctor's scrubs that appeared to be a size too small. The fabric clung to his muscles, and his pants were so tight that I could almost see his you-know-what outline.

"Which one do you prefer?" " she inquired, a devilish grin on her face.

"Um..." The question had me in a bind. After all, the hottest guy in the room was the one I'd never want to see again in my life.

"I'd go with the fireman," she said, her eagerness to speak saving me from embarrassment. "Is there anything sexier than a firefighter?" Take a look at those arms. Imagine him carrying you out of a burning building with those bad boys, his chest all sweaty and..." She fannied herself by waving the clipboard in front of her face.

"OK, take it easy over there."

I cast a glance over her shoulder, pausing to watch some of the guests arrive. The nice thing about charity events, aside from the fact that I felt good about my work, was that the people who attended them were a lot more manageable than teenagers.

"Are you serious about spending money on the auction?"

" I asked, turning back to her. She shrugged and smiled. "I'm not sure. I mean, I doubt I can afford the big trip to Bora or whatever, but I can think of worse things to spend a few hundred dollars on than dinner and, um,dessert." She winked at me, aware of the auction's limitations but joking anyway." Besides, it's for a good cause."

I burst out laughing. "In the kitchen, there's an industrial-strength hose attachment." If you don't tone it down a notch, I'll have Chef Joseph come out here and spray you off."

"All right, all right. But, hey, a girl has to have fun, right? "Hell, you could use a date every now and then."

"Please," I said as I shook my head. "Dating is the last thing on my mind.And work is more than enough for me." I knew the words weren't entirely true as soon as I said them, but discussing my dating life was the last thing I wanted to do on the most important night of my career thus far.

"Anyway," Kendra said, jokingly shoving me. "It's just for kicks. Even so, I wouldn't blame you if you put in a bid."

"This isn't going to happen," I said. "Never in a million years-"Right in the middle of my sentence, I looked over at the table and noticed Joey wasn't there. "Are you serious?" I hissed under my breath as I shook my head.

"What?"

"We've got ten minutes before dinner starts, and Dr. McDreamy is nowhere to be found."

Kendra cast a glance over at the table. "You're right – he's dreamy."

"He's a jerk, that's all he is."

Kendra shifted her gaze to me, a puzzled expression on her face. "Is he a jerk?" How did you find out? "

I didn't want to go into detail about my relationship with Joey at the time. But I didn't want to lie at the same time. "He was a classmate of mine. He was a cocky jerk who believed he was better than everyone else."

"I can't blame him for being cocky when you look like he does."

I needed to find him and make sure he was seated before the auction started. The last few guests were arriving, and the serving staff was preparing to plate and serve the first course. It wasn't the time for one of our auction items to run away like a child in a toy store.

Before I could start looking for Joey, I came face to face with the man himself. He was standing at the bar, and I caught a good look at him from behind. His scrubs were so tight that the fabric clung to his round ass that I couldn't help but feel a rush of blood to my head...and other places.

Then he turned around, holding a glass of what appeared to be whiskey in one hand and a pair of champagne flutes in the other. He locked his gaze on mine, a devious grin on his face indicating that he was up to something. It took all of my willpower not to let my gaze fall down to see how well the fabric fit the front of him.

"Wow," Kendra exclaimed. "Those scrubs don't leave a lot to the imagination." I mean, I'm not complaining."

As relieved as I was that he hadn't gone too far, I wasn't in the mood for chit-chat. But he seemed to be thinking about something, and he was walking right toward me.

"I hope you're pacing yourself," I said, my gaze falling to his whiskey. "The last thing we need is for you to get hammered and start dancing around shirtless on a table."

"Are you certain about that?"

he inquired, unaffected by my remark. "I believe that may help, ah, move the merchandise."

"Don't get any crazy ideas," I cautioned. "I'm running this thing like a machine."

"Right," Kendra said. "Gia doesn't appreciate improv." She was trying to remain calm and professional, but I could tell Joey's presence, tall and towering and handsome, was causing her to become agitated.

"I brought you ladies some refreshments," he explained, passing one glass to Kendra and the other to me. "I figured you could use them."

"Oh my God," Kendra exclaimed as she eagerly took the glass. "You have no idea how badly I've wanted this. Thank you very much, Doctor..."

"Joey," he said, flashing her his signature winning smile, the kind that caused little dimples to form in his perfectly formed cheeks. "A doctor isn't required."

"But it has such a nice ring to it," Kendra pointed out. "Doctor Joey," he says. Not to mention you know exactly what prescription this patient requires." She laughed musically before snorting.

I'd known Kendra long enough to know that a snort was the sound of her becoming agitated in the presence of a guy she thought was completely hot. I'd also known Joey long enough to know that charm and smiles were just the starting point for a broken heart. And he'd left a trail of devastation in his wake.

This includes my own.

"Glad to hear it," he said, his smile still on his face. "And, I apologize for being impolite, but would you mind if I spoke with your boss for a moment?"

"Actually, I've got a million things on my plate right now, and talking to a man in a shrink-wrapped set of scrubs isn't one of them," I stated emphatically.

Joey looked down at his chest, still holding my drink and his. "I suppose they're a little snug around the pecs." I was under the impression that Joven and I were the same size."

"Well, I'll let you guys talk," Kendra said. "If you need me, I'll be assisting stragglers in finding their seats."

"No," I said, raising my hand as she walked away. "No, you don't-"

She, on the other hand, winked over her shoulder as she twirled and made her way to the front doors. I sighed, realizing I couldn't get out of this conversation.

"She's nice," Joey remarked.

"Don't get any ideas in your head," I cautioned, pointing to his chest. "She is sweet – sweet enough that I don't want her to be sucked into Planet Joey's orbit."

"Planet Joey," he grinned, his eyes flashing. "That sounds interesting."

"It fits – your ego is planet-sized, in my opinion."

He made an exaggerated expression, as if he was in pain. "Come on, now," he pleaded. "This is the first time we've seen each other in years, and this is how you act?" "I've got to say – I'm wounded."

I exhaled a sigh. I was probably being overly harsh. "I'm just a little riled up right now," I said, motioning around us to indicate the event.

"I understand," he said, nodding. "That's why I wanted to speak with you about something without taking up too much of your time."

He handed me the drink, which I accepted. Even though I still wanted to dump the champagne over his head, I was curious what had brought him over to me.

"What is it?"

His usual unflappable confidence faded for a moment, and he appeared genuinely concerned. But it was only for a split second. Whatever he desired was serious. "It's...kind of a sticky situation," he cleared his throat.

"Fortunately for you, I excel in sticky situations." It comes with the territory."

"Then you're exactly the person I need to get me out of this jam."

"Are you in a pickle?" This is something I have to hear." I was trying hard not to enjoy his discomfort too much.

"My...ex-wife has arrived."

My pupils dilated before narrowing. "Crystal? " I scanned the room, spotting her massive, blonde curls from afar. She wasn't on the guest list, so she had to be someone's plus-one, which irritated me.

"You're right, Crystal. And, despite the fact that she has remarried-"

"Remarried?" I enquired, snorting. "What is it, number seven?"

He smiled. "In fact, she told me it's only number four. In any case, they appear to be in the early stages of a divorce. And she's trying to re-hook her hooks into me."

"I'm sorry, what happened?" " I noticed Joven and Alma approaching the side stage, preparing to perform. Looking at Joey again, I made the talk faster gesture by spinning my hand in a circle.

"To cut a long story short, she wants to make a bid on me."

"It appears to be a problem with you."

"Oh, it's definitely a me issue. But I need your assistance."

"How can I help?"

"Place a bid on me."

"What? " I squealed, my eyes rolling.

"Place a bid on me." I don't care how much money you need to spend – I'll cover every penny."

"You're joking, aren't you?" I can't simply...bid on you."

"What's the harm?"

"Because I'm in charge of the event. I'm supposed to be working behind the scenes and not participating in the festivities. Do you have any idea how bad it would look if I got into a bidding war with a guest? "

"It would appear as if you're invested in the charity, as if this isn't just some event to you." And even if you did end up in a bidding war, so what? That means more money for Joven and Alma's charity. Plus, you don't have to do anything other than raise your paddle and hope Crystal doesn't outbid you. Simple."

I wasn't comfortable with this for a variety of reasons, the most important of which was that I didn't want to win a date with this man. "Joey, I'm not sure..."

"It's ideal. And I'll owe you a lot." Taking my response as agreement, he leaned in and kissed my cheek. "Thank you in advance, G," he said, using the nickname he'd given me when we were on better terms. Then he turned and walked away, smiling as he did so.

As angry as I was, as frustrated as I was that he'd put me in such a bind, there was something I couldn't ignore.

His kiss had me hooked like a fucking maniac.