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down to the low neckline and her straining cleavage. Maybe there was something to this whole dress
thing after all.
His eyes moved up to hers and something tight twisted inside her. He looked so fierce and sexy,
ready to kick ass all for her.
What he did was dirty and the league won t stand for that kind of crap. He paused, I won t
stand for it.
I, she started to speak but a shot of feedback ripped through the air just as the lights went up.
I d like everyone s attention for a moment, please.
Billie turned and watched Logan s mother beam down at them from the stage, her vivid red
costume a stunning contrast to the gray, black and white zombies who made up Ike s band.
We re going to take a few minutes and run our live auction so that we can get the business out of
the way before the band starts playing.
Several cheers greeted her announcement as she introduced the auctioneer, Pat-something or other.
The man was small and appropriately dressed as a hobbit, though he d doffed his wig earlier and his
bald head glistened beneath the overhead lights.
That low buzz of panic that had dodged her all night settled in her gut and Billie rubbed clammy
palms against her upper thighs.
The live auction was supposed to happen at midnight. Shit, she d not planned on sticking around
for it. Damn, Connor and his stupid ass ideas.
For twenty minutes, Billie stood beside Logan as various items were offered up for bids trips to
wine country, his and her massages, cottage getaways and a free legal consultation at Gerald s firm.
After each item, the knot in Billie s stomach grew larger. Sweat broke out along her forehead and
tendrils of hair stuck to the back of her neck.
It was hot. Christ, she was as hot as Logan looked.
She leaned toward him. I think I m going to go get some fresh air, I don t feel so good.
He didn t hear her, because the auctioneer had just announced a fabulous opportunity for one on
one hockey coaching with New Waterford s very own Billie-Jo Barker.
Silence greeted his words. Not total silence mind you since there were a few snickers that rang
out.
Billie stared up at the auctioneer wishing a big black hole would appear and suck her into an
alternate realm. One where nobody stared. Or gossiped. Or shot daggers into her back.
Billie-Jo has generously offered four private coaching sessions to some lucky winner. And
considering she s an Olympic medal champion and a former professional player, what a great
opportunity! The auctioneer beamed down at her and pointed just in case no one knew that the
skanky angel in front, was in fact, her. He winked at Billie. I hear she s causing a bit of excitement in
the men s league.
Wrong thing to say.
Laughter followed his declaration, the kind that was mean spirited hidden behind hands or not.
Sabrina Fairfax made no effort to hide the loud guffaw that fell from her lips.
Aware of the many eyes turned her way, she kept her gaze focused on the auctioneer. [i] Just keep
staring at him. It will be all right.[i]
Okay, let s start with an opening bid of one hundred dollars.
Once more silence greeted his words and Billie s eyes smarted as she stared up at Pat like she
was concentrating on a game winning goal.
Anyone? the auctioneer coaxed, the smile on his face fading as he gazed down into a crowd that
had suddenly turned into an entirely different animal. He squared his shoulders and dug back in. One
hundred dollars, folks! Come on this is an amazing opportunity for some lucky winner!
Billie s cheeks burned as the auctioneer moved restlessly from side to side, cajoling the crowd&
looking for that opening bid that was never going to come.
[i]Keep your head up and focus on anything other than this stupid auction.[i]
What is wrong with you folks? This is a great opportunity for your child or your grandchild.
Or your husband, someone quipped.
Hell, maybe she ll give a team discount, Sabrina Fairfax threw in, her meaning more than clear
as she stared at Billie from a few feet away, candy-red lips pulled back in a sneer.
Bobbi-Jo shoved her way forward, Gerald trailing behind, and yanked on Sabrina s arm. What
the hell does that mean?
Billie took a moment to appreciate the fear that rushed over Sabrina s face. Her sister looked like
an enraged Scarlett O Hara, one who could have kicked the entire North s asses back in the day. And
even though Bobbi and Billie weren t exactly on speaking terms, they were still family and if
anything, the Barkers always stood up for each other. It was a sibling kind of love that not a lot of
people understood.
Heck, Billie hardly did.
Back off, Bobbi.
Are you going to make me? Bobbi pushed the woman in the chest, eliciting several gasps from
the immediate circle of women all of them stepped back. Bobbi-Jo Barker may clean up nice but
her reputation as a hell-raiser had never fully disappeared.
Billie wanted to die. Leave it to the Barkers to stir things up.
The auctioneer s face was red now it was obvious he wasn t used to working this hard to sell
something. Not at a charity.
This had become one hell of a shit show.
One thousand dollars.
Everything went quiet. Sabrina s mouth hung open not an attractive look and Bobbi took a step
back. The catcalls and snide comments ceased as everyone looked toward Billie.
The auctioneer was surprised, but it was quickly replaced with relief. He held his hands up he
knew it wasn t going to get better than this and shouted.
Sold! To the man in black.
Chapter Fifteen
What in the hell was that all about?
Billie was pissed. No, she was beyond pissed. She was furious. And emotional. And furious. And
humiliated.
And pissed.
It was bad enough that no one else had bothered to bid on her offering, but to have Logan throw
down an over-the-top bid like that was just& ludicrous. It was& shit, what the hell had he been
thinking?
He glared at her from a few feet away every freaking six foot four inch of his gorgeous self.
Okay, maybe I m missing something here but I thought the idea of you volunteering your time and
offering coaching sessions was to raise money for the support center.
They were outside in the parking lot. Billie could hear the steady beat of the bass guitar and Ike s
vocals clear as day from inside. Her gut churned, just like it did before a big game, when her entire
body was a big humming ball of energy. In a game it was good, but right here? Right now? She felt
like she was going to puke.
She knew it was October late October but she was so hot. Hot and itchy stupid damn
feathers and pissed.
She yanked on a hunk of hair that stuck to the back of her neck and the pins that Tracy had so
painstakingly set went flying. Her perfectly arranged hair was no more.
I know that s the point but now everyone thinks we re sleeping together!
Everyone thinks we re sleeping together, he repeated.
Was he an idiot?
Billie threw her hands in the air. Of course they think we re sleeping together. Hell, half the town
thinks I m sleeping with their husbands, or at the very least I m banging every single Angry Pirate in
sight. She snorted. Because, you know, I m not playing hockey for the love of it or anything.
Her chest heaved and a hot prickle of tears stung the corner of her eyes. Why had she let Connor
talk her into donating to the auction?
She d known it wouldn t end well and she d end up looking like an idiot. [i]Dammit[i]. When
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