Bidding on the Bachelor Read online

She got it. He wanted to show that he was the right man for the job. Despite his outward confidence, he was feeling insecure about heading up the family business. Carissa couldn’t imagine how much pressure came with his job.

  “In any case, whatever I decide to do here, it definitely needs a makeover on the outside, that’s for sure. But I’ve heard my mom and Elle talk about this clothing boutique. I know they both do a ton of shopping here. Despite appearances, word of mouth has done wonders for this place.”

  “Elle does have fabulous taste in clothes, so maybe I should just peruse a little.” She’d already untangled their fingers and was heading toward the door. She heard his laugh as she walked inside.

  When she entered the store she was greeted by a pretty woman wearing a darling maxi dress in a fun, frisky chartreuse color.

  “Welcome to Victoria’s Attic. Can I help you find something today?”

  “Just browsing. I’ve never been in here before. Are you Victoria?”

  The woman smiled. “No, Victoria is the owner. I’m Leslie, the manager.”

  “Nice to meet you.” Carissa shook her hand and they kept chatting as Carissa scanned the merchandise. There was an impressive array of flirty dresses, fabulous skirts, interesting tops and killer accessories.

  She learned that Victoria, the owner, didn’t come into the store much anymore. Instead, she let Leslie handle the day-to-day work.

  “So you’re a caterer?” Leslie asked with interest in her eyes.

  “Trying to be. I’m just getting my business off the ground.”

  “I may be able to help with that.”

  Carissa dropped the silky lavender scarf she was coveting and gave Leslie her full attention.

  “We hold a monthly ladies’ night in the store. Nothing fancy. But everything is on sale. We have raffles and some other little games. I’ve been making most of the food myself. And by making it myself, I really mean that I beg every person I know to lend a hand. I’m surprised I have any friends left,” she said with a wink.

  “And you’d like to hire me to cater one of the ladies’ nights?”

  Leslie let out a relieved sigh. “Actually, I’d like to hire you to cater all of them.”

  “But you haven’t even tasted my food or heard about what I can do,” Carissa said.

  “Actually, I was at the Dumont party and my best friend was at Mrs. Dumont’s fund-raiser you catered. Trust me, we’re both big fans already. Our ladies’ nights are nothing fancy. Nothing like a Dumont party. Just appetizers and desserts.”

  Carissa couldn’t believe her luck. Before Jasper had commandeered her weekend—and she meant that in a really good way—she’d planned on spending her time searching for more business to keep her new company afloat. Who would have thought a day of sailing would end up drumming up new business anyway?

  She chatted with Leslie for a few more minutes, agreeing to send some menu options over later in the week. And because she simply couldn’t resist, she bought the scarf, too. Refraining from doing a leap out the door, she clamped down on her excitement as she left the store.

  But once she was outside, she practically bounced down the steps to where Jasper was standing, scrolling through his phone and waiting patiently for her. “Look at that smile.”

  She launched herself into his arms and hugged tight. “I’m amazing,” she announced.

  He leaned back and pushed a strand of her hair over her shoulder. “Yes, you are. Any particular reason why you’ve realized it recently?”

  “Yes, I...” She trailed off when Jasper’s phone began ringing. “Do you need to get that?”

  He checked the display and nodded. “Just one sec. This is business.”

  “I thought CEOs didn’t work on weekends,” she called after him with a smile as he took the call and stuck his tongue out at her. When he returned, he seemed a little miffed. “What’s up?” she asked, nodding toward the phone he was tucking back into his pocket.

  “That adult entertainment shop again. They increased their bid. If they keep this up, it will be hard to keep the board from pressuring me to accept.”

  “You don’t want to accept?” she asked.

  “Let’s just say that it would be very good business for us. But I have other plans for the space. However, if I do what the board wants on this one, I will make a lot of people very happy.” He shook his head and grabbed her hand. “But enough of that. Are you hungry?”

  “A little.”

  “Great, because I happen to know of a very romantic place with the best lobster you’ve ever tasted.”

  It was amazing how fast he could go between business and pleasure. She was fascinated watching him. On the one hand, he’d changed so much since high school. He was wheeling and dealing, running a huge and very successful business. Of course, he was still the same Jasper at heart. Still caring, still kind, still funny, and still the most handsome man she’d ever seen.

  So engrossed with thoughts of him, she followed him back to the boat, her own business deal forgotten for the moment. He spoke of Dumont Incorporated a little more over dinner. Anyone could hear the pride he had in the company. But the business talk didn’t last long. He quickly shifted into more casual conversation.

  “So how do you like the lobster?” he asked.

  Glancing around the hole-in-the-wall restaurant that sat on the water a couple of towns over from Bayside, Carissa couldn’t help but be enchanted. Small rickety tables were dressed up with old drippy candles, and twinkly lights were strung around the small patio where they sat. Stars twinkled overhead and soft music played out of speakers mounted on the walls. The smell of fresh fish wafted out of the kitchen.

  She threw her napkin on the table. “You were right. This is definitely the best lobster I’ve ever had.” And she really liked that she was having it in this small mom-and-pop restaurant rather than the fancy places Preston used to drag her to. He’d always claimed that he was a foodie, willing to try anything. In reality, he’d try whatever new restaurant opened up on Michigan Avenue. In her opinion, places like this were the real treasures of American cuisine.

  “Say that again,” Jasper said, reaching for her hand and entwining their fingers again.

  “This lobster is amazing? I’ll be saying that until my dying day.”

  He offered her a mischievous grin. “No, not that part. The bit where you said I was right.”

  She laughed and rolled her eyes at the same time. “Oh please. Such an ego on you.”

  “But I was right.” He started playing footsie with her under the table.

  She ignored his statement. Instead, she moved her foot far up his leg, delighting when he jumped.

  “Are you trying to seduce me, Ms. Blackwell?”

  “Do I need to try?” she said cockily.

  “Not even a little.” He yanked her over the table and kissed her.

  Even such a short, spontaneous kiss left her breathless. When they separated, she licked her lips, relishing the taste of him mixed with the lobster butter on his lips. “So what’s next?” She fully expected him to make a quip about his bed or some other sexual thing. But he surprised her.

  “I was thinking about dancing.”

  * * *

  Besides some fun girls’ nights back in college, Carissa had never been dancing. In fact, she didn’t really know anyone who went dancing and had kind of doubted that it was even a thing. Instead, she thought it was some activity that writers made up to put in books and movies.

  But here she was with Jasper, having one hell of a good time at a Latin club he knew about, having caipirinhas and salsa dancing. She had no idea Jasper even knew how to do this, but he sure did. She was so mesmerized by his gyrating hips that she kept stepping on his toes.

  “I’m sorry,” she said for the hundredth time, even as she laughed
.

  He pulled her closer. “You’re overthinking it. Just follow my lead.”

  She would follow his hips to the end of the earth. But in the meantime, she’d settle for this dance floor. They kept it up for a couple hours. Finally, they both needed a break so they grabbed water from the bar and headed outside to a quiet spot.

  “Are you cold?” he asked.

  The temperature had dropped a bit from when they’d been out on the water earlier that day. “No way. This air feels great on my skin.” They had matching layers of sweat from their dancing.

  Carissa had to admit that she’d had more fun today than she’d had in a very long time. In fact, she couldn’t remember the last time she’d let her hair down. From sailing to that amazing dinner to the dancing, everything had been perfect.

  Jasper had been perfect.

  Careful, she cautioned herself. Preston had been perfect, too. She didn’t even realize she’d frowned until Jasper gently ran a hand across her forehead where she was sure a frown line had formed.

  “Where did you just go?” he asked kindly.

  “Back to Chicago,” she answered without thinking. She really shouldn’t bring this all up again. She turned from Jasper but he gently pulled her back.

  “Tell me more,” he said gently.

  “I was thinking about my marriage.”

  “Anything specific?”

  He was so damn patient. It made it impossible to keep anything from him. “I was thinking about how boring it was, actually.” He seemed surprised at the admission. “I mean, on paper it was... Well, let’s just say that Preston would have never salsa danced. In fact, he would have never even known this place existed or had the inclination to ever find it.”

  “Everyone’s different,” Jasper said evenly. “What kind of stuff was he into? What did you guys do together?”

  Not much, and wasn’t that depressing. “We’d go to events for his company. Everyone spoke in hushed tones and pretended to like each other.”

  “Fun,” Jasper said drily.

  “Yeah, a real riot. He liked art. I do, too, but I tend to go for the bolder, brighter, more eclectic stuff. Preston prefers whites, beiges, very modern, very streamlined. He got me this painting for one of my birthdays and it was, well, I’m thrilled he wanted it back in the divorce. It was a white canvas with three black dots. I mean, what the hell is that?”

  He chuckled. “Maybe the dots represent something.”

  “Yeah, like the boredom that was my marriage. Like the apathy of my husband toward me.”

  “What do you mean, Car? How could anyone be apathetic around you?”

  She smiled even though she felt like crying on the inside. “I think that Preston chose to date me because I looked good on the outside. Because I was the perfect package of what a trophy wife should look like. To be honest, I don’t think he ever really knew a damn thing about me.” She was on a roll now and couldn’t stop the words coming out of her mouth even if she wanted. “He didn’t know my favorite band or the fact that I really like beer. And he definitely didn’t know that I like extra cheese and anchovies on my pizza.” She touched Jasper’s chest. “One time I told him that I liked anchovies and he said we couldn’t ever have them in the condo because they were too salty and we should strive to maintain a low-sodium diet.”

  She ran a hand through her hair. “I didn’t see you for over ten years and you remembered. You remember everything about me, don’t you?”

  Staying silent, Jasper nodded.

  “One time I tried to talk to Preston about my dad. He listened. He said he was sorry. But he never mentioned it again. My dysfunctional family would mar our perfect image. And it made me less amazing.”

  He kissed her then, out of the blue. Deeply, tenderly. When he pulled back, he framed her face in his hands. “Didn’t he ever tell you how beautiful you are?”

  “No,” she whispered.

  “Didn’t he tell you that you are the most amazing person?”

  She shook her head.

  “Didn’t he thank God every single day for the mere fact of getting to be with you?”

  Beyond moved by his words, a single tear fell from her eye.

  “Because getting to be with you, Carissa Blackwell, is the biggest gift in the world. He should have realized what he had.”

  She sniffled and moved her hands so they lay around his. “You see me differently than everyone else.”

  “Lucky me.” And then he kissed her again.

  Overwhelmed, Carissa hugged him tightly. Then she pulled herself together, pushed back and smiled up at him. “I’m sorry. I don’t really know where all of that came from.”

  A crease formed on Jasper’s forehead. “You don’t have to apologize for feeling things. Not with me anyway. I think you needed to get that off your chest. I think you’ve been through a bad time and you’re healing. Keeping it all bottled up will never help you.”

  “You know what will help me?” she asked with a sparkle in her eye.

  “For me to go to Chicago and beat the snot out of your ex-husband?”

  She let out a little chuckle. “Well, actually, yes. But I was thinking since the airport is closed already we could go back inside and do more salsa dancing.”

  He kissed her, grabbed her hand, and together they returned to the dance floor.

  * * *

  Jasper had learned to salsa dance from a girlfriend back in college, but he’d never enjoyed it as much as he had tonight. Even though Carissa was not the world’s greatest dancer, she did try. And watching her eyes lock onto his lower region was definitely a turn-on.

  Who wouldn’t be turned on by her, though? Well, apparently her husband. What an asshat, he thought. But it wasn’t the first time he’d thought it. After what she’d shared tonight, Jasper was truly shocked. He was also saddened. To know that she’d been disappointed first by her father and then by her husband made his blood boil. Especially when he knew how amazing she was.

  Growing up together, he’d always gravitated toward her. And not only because of her looks. Even before they’d dated, he’d call her up when he wanted to do something fun. She’d always been up to try something new. Kayaking, fishing, laser tag, you name it. So it was interesting to learn that her husband hadn’t been on the daring side.

  Although after everything he’d learned this weekend, he got why she’d married him. Her father had been unreliable, and even though Preston sounded dull as hell, at least he’d been consistent and dependable. Maybe a little too consistently boring, but still.

  He returned his attention to his dancing partner, who was laughing and throwing her hair back and finally getting the hang of the dance. They weren’t out on the dance floor for too long before the sensual movements and close proximity of their moving bodies started to remind him of another intimate act.

  When the music slowed down and they were swaying together, he saw the same look in her eyes as he was feeling. “Do you want to get out of here?” he asked softly, lingering a moment to nip at her earlobe.

  “You have no idea,” she said back, trailing her hand just a little too low to be appropriate in public.

  Jasper settled their bar tab and they made their way to his car and then back to Bayside. Driving was difficult, though, as Carissa was dancing her fingers up his thigh. At every stoplight, he’d lean over and take her mouth until some driver laid on their horn.

  As they neared his condo, Carissa leaned toward her window. “I’m still surprised they put apartments in Bayside.”

  “They’re condos, actually, and my company did them. We’re really trying to revitalize Bayside. It’s not a very large building. I actually just made a deal with someone for more apartments, retail space—”

  “Jasper, that’s great and I totally want to hear all about it. But um, rig
ht now...” She nodded toward the condos and squeezed his leg. “I really want you to take me inside.”

  He looked down at her hand. He had to hold back a growl from escaping. “Yes, ma’am.”

  Jasper had never parked his car so fast. After they left the underground garage, Jasper punched in a code on a keypad to let them into the elevator, which was thankfully empty at this hour because he couldn’t hold himself back from attacking her. She plastered herself to his strong body as his arms went around her and his lips feasted on hers.

  He didn’t even remember the elevator stopping or walking to his condo at the end of the hallway. But clearly they must have made it because the next thing he knew, the door to his condo was flung open, banging against the wall, as their mouths stayed fused together.

  “Before I forget, I had so much fun today,” she said, ripping her mouth from his. But the rise and fall of her full chest, along with the pure lust shining in her eyes, told him she wasn’t in for a long conversation.

  Suddenly, their hands were everywhere at once. He kicked the door shut and felt her fingers running along the waistband of his pants. He couldn’t stop his intake of breath at the feel of her fingers grazing along the sensitive skin of his stomach.

  The moonlight was streaming through the large picture window, shining on her thick hair. He ran his hands through her locks, which allowed him to angle her head just where he wanted it. He plunged his tongue inside her mouth. She met him kiss for kiss, nip for nip, touch for touch.

  He took her mouth again as she tugged at his pants. While the kiss started off as steamy as the thing she was doing with her fingers, it soon turned soft and lingering. When he was done feasting on her lips—although, he didn’t think he would ever really be done—he trailed his lips down the long column of her throat. She gasped, wrapping her arms tightly around him. Ah, still responsive there.

  She pulled his shirt and he helped by reaching his arms over his head. With his shirt removed, her gaze swept over the length of him and she let out an appreciative sound.

  It dawned on him that they were barely inside his condo. But the way her hands were all over his chest, igniting the skin everywhere she touched, made it abundantly clear they weren’t going to make it all the way back to his bedroom. “Couch?” he asked with a strangled voice.