Dark Revenge Of A Jilted Bride: Till Life Do Us Part!-Chapter 37: Auction III

Gianna opened her mouth at the mouthwatering handsomeness before her, and shut it when she realized she had been gaping, when he smiled down at her.

The smile was slow, warm, confident, like he already knew the effect he had on her. She didn’t want to like it.

"I see I have effectively surprised you..."

Indeed. She thought dimly, appraising him. Indeed.

Under the brightness of the chandelier, the male whom she had danced with on her celebratory night, on the day she had gotten her job at the Becketts, looked even more handsome in a charcoal grey three-piece suit.

The light kissed the sharp cut of his jaw, the firm line of his mouth, the startling clarity of his blue eyes, which she hadn’t noticed that night—eyes that seemed to hold mischief and intent in equal measure.

His body spoke of years in the gym, but lean, just enough, sculpted in a way that suggested restraint rather than vanity. A body that could turn a terribly reserved woman into a touchy one. 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

The tailored suit hugged him like it had been made with him in mind alone, running down to handcrafted shoes polished to a sheen, and a watch that gleamed subtly at his wrist, understated luxury.

"Do I meet your standards, beauty?"

She cocked an eyebrow, ticking off funny too, and shrugged. "Maybe."

He laughed, and she ticked off beautiful laugh too. It was rich, warm, and maddeningly infectious.

"How did you find me?" she started, turning to face him fully, treating herself to the goodness of him, pleased when he seemed pleased with her look for the night.

The male shrugged, meanwhile, that playful smile yet on his lips. "You wouldn’t give me your number that night, you left me to sleepless nights... thinking about you."

A sweet mouth too, she recorded.

"That doesn’t answer the question."

"Well, the news about you being married to the Zane Whitman did make the rounds..."

A pause. "Believe me, when I saw it, I actually did feel lost, and then you went up the platform, bold and fierce... and debunked it. Felt like a personal win."

Gianna nodded slowly, folding her hands loosely across her chest. "I see... so you tracked me to the Beckett’s Jewelleries then..."

"I couldn’t help it. You wouldn’t have, if you were in my shoes."

"Well, I am not." She said lowly, firmly, meeting his gaze, not ready to be swept off her feet even if he already caught her fancy.

"So your name, since you already know mine..."

"Noah," the male recited. "Noah Newman."

"N.N."

Noah nodded, unable to take his eyes off the beauty before him, the thirst for her drawing his gaze to her rosy lips.

She pretended she didn’t notice; it only served to urge him to make her his, this bold vixen that had turned down the Zane Whitman, and his cousin.

Just when he was about to ask her more, so he could hear that voice which could switch between bossy and gentle in a second, the host, using a spoon, tapped his glass. "It’s time for the auction... let’s convene..."

He watched her turn and study the host, watched her revert her gaze to him, watched her furrow those well-carved brows.

"Are you going to spend the whole night watching me?"

"I can." He replied, before drawing her close, her light chuckle kickstarting a heat below his spine.

"Do you know them?" he asked when he noticed the two females staring at them brazenly, who were standing in their path.

Gianna shrugged. "They are not important. Let’s go."

The jab effectively punctured whatever bubble Josephine and her daughter had been in, enthralled as they were with Noah’s look and aura.

They didn’t know him, but he looked... known, sophisticated, someone not to be trifled with. And they wondered how Gianna had come to meet the fellow.

"Not important?" Josephine laughed like she couldn’t believe her ears. "Well, I will see your stance on that, by the end of tonight..."

And then, holding the hand of a smirking Sabrina, she stalked out of Gianna’s view toward the sitting area.

"Are you sure they aren’t important?" Noah asked gently, leading her forward.

But Gianna’s mind was far away as she walked beside Noah toward their seats. What did her aunt mean by that statement? What had they planned this night?

As the auction started, Gianna found her mind straying to possible problems.

So far, nothing has transpired. Men were shoving out money for pieces of items that wouldn’t cost more than a few hundred dollars, for charity that wasn’t charity, not anymore.

"You seem bored." She heard Noah whisper into her ear, and bit back a scoff.

She wanted to tell him she could hear him if he just talked, but she shrugged after thinking better of it. He was her date tonight, and so far he hadn’t touched her inappropriately—a gentleman through and through.

"There’s nothing interesting really..." A pause. "Why did you invite me here?"

Her face twisted into a confused frown as she turned to meet his gaze, his eyes that she considered the most beautiful part of his face. It was too coincidental.

"Honestly, I thought it was a neutral ground of some sorts... and who doesn’t love charity? I had a feeling that asking you to dinner would be turned down."

He had a good feeling. As a matter of fact, she wouldn’t have accepted to come here, but for her cousin’s dare.

"Don’t you love charity, beauty?"

Her frown deepened when she noted that his voice had taken a deeper quality, velvet thickness meant to ensnare.

She raised a brow. "If you are hoping for a night in the sheets, you got a wrong call."

It was delivered flatly, so flatly that a flash of surprise passed Noah’s face before he chuckled—laughed—attracting the attention of people around them.

"Oh feck it, I really love you, Gianna Aldo."

Gianna rolled her eyes and turned away, unfazed—well, fazed a second later when she saw the next item to be auctioned off.