10. Bergan

10

BERGAN

Harrison puts on a big smile and shakes hands as he works his way to the stage. I can’t help but swoon a little at how he looks in a tux. The broad shoulders, the tight waist, and how he shoves his hands in his pockets, only pulls the material against his ass. Perfect.

So damn perfect.

And how kind he’s to everybody in the crowd. Even with the Teagarten sisters, he wants me to believe he’s afraid of them, but there’s an amusement in his eyes.

“Tonight’s auction includes a date with Frostwolves hockey player, Harrison Briggs, cousin to all the Brigg’s brothers here in Storm Canyon. Let’s start the bidding at $1000.”

“$1000.”

“$1500.”

“$2000.”

The Teagarten sisters have taken over the bidding and I can’t get a word in as they keep outbidding each other while they all glare at one another.

“$2700!”

“$2900!”

$4000!”

“Whoa, that’s a lot of money,” I say to Aria.

“They have plenty. If you’re going to get in there, you better work fast.”

“$5000… going once…”

Harrison’s eyes are wide and he mouths, “Help me.”

“Going twice…”

“$10,000!” I burst from my seat, shouting out a ridiculous sum of money I do not have, but I’m hoping Harrison will easily cover.

The room goes dead silent as people's jaws drop and Harrison grins at me and winks. The people begin to stir with excitement and the Teagarten sisters huff, but I don’t look at them.

“Going once, going twice… sold to the lovely young lady in green.” The emcee hits the gavel on the stand and has a huge smile.

Harrison doesn’t hesitate. He comes down the stairs and heads straight for me. The look in his eyes has me struggling to swallow as he gains ground like he’s hunting me and wraps me in a hug. He’s so warm and smells so good. My defenses drop and I close my eyes, feeling his hard body pushed up against mine. My nipples sharpen and I fight back a moan as they rub against his chest.

“Thank you for saving me.” He lifts his head and kisses me with the sweetest, softest kiss that has me melting into him. The crowd goes wild as they whistle and cheer, but I’m lost in the feel of Harrison.

This kiss is everything I could ever want it to be, and it surprises me. I always thought kissing Harrison would be heated, passionate, and a little desperate. But no, he takes his time. He’s seducing me with gentle, soft teases as his tongue taps against mine and retreats. Only to repeat the process again.

I try to retreat, to stop all of it, but it feels too good, like I’m cherished.

“Well, if I knew that I would get that , I would’ve bet $20,000!” Violet says and the room laughs.

The four of us walk into Colt and Aria’s house after spending a couple more hours at the auction laughing and having drinks. It was fun getting to see Harrison in his small-town element, which I never expected to be a part of his story.

Colt claps Harrison on the back. “I can’t believe we raised $50,000 for the family center. Thanks, Harrison.”

“I’m happy to help. Thanks for working on such a worthy cause.”

“Well, we’re beat. We’ll see you in the morning. Goodnight.” Aria grabs her husband's hand and drags him upstairs.

Harrison and I head into the den, and he pours a glass of whiskey, holding it up in an offering. I wave him off. After that kiss and two glasses of champagne, I need to not indulge. I need to keep a clear head.

I sit on the couch and Harrison sits right next to me, and his body heat has me tingling.

“Thank you for bidding for me.” Harrison runs his hand down my back, making me shiver.

“It’s your money, but $10,000 is a lot of money. Harry, I overheard the Teagartens say you’re rich.”

Harrison drinks his whiskey and shrugs his shoulders. “Money isn’t everything.”

I turn toward him and sink my shoulder into the couch so I can watch as we talk. “What is everything to you? Hockey?”

Harrison rolls his lips together, his five o’clock shadow even darker and more attractive this late in the evening. He sets his glass down. He moves in closer to me and captures my gaze with his. “You, Bergan. You’re everything. You’re smart. Beautiful. Talented. Funny. It’s you.”

“Pfft.” I shake my head. “I can’t be everything to you.”

But why do I want to be?

“Can you be something ?” His face softens as he searches for something in my eyes. With his walls down, I can see him clearer than I’ve ever seen anybody and it has me aching like I’ve never ached for anybody before.

The idea of being with him has quickly overtaken everything else in my life, but I won’t risk getting hurt. I can’t but to have a taste. To have a night to remember. Something to keep me warm when it’s cold and lonely. I’m going to take that.

“For tonight we can be something, but no one can know and when we go back to Denver, we can’t be anything.” There’s steel in my voice. Not only for his sake, but for my own. He needs to know I’m serious about this.

Harrison is silent as he studies me closely, and he must see I’m serious because he swallows and nods. “Okay, Bergan. I’ll take it.”