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Sutter has arranged a vacation that will keep him at arm’s length from his ‘date’ while still showing her a piece of the world that few people ever get to see. In fact I suspect he – “ Anthea broke off abruptly. “That’s it. No one is going above Sissy’s eight thousand.“ Anthea’s fingers tightened on Mandy’s arm. “Bid ten.“
    “What?“
    “I can hardly bid on my own nephew, can I? Do it!“
    “T-ten,“ Mandy said.
    “Louder!“
    “Ten thousand dollars!“
    There was a long pause while the audience swiveled to see the new bidder. At Anthea’s prod, Mandy held up a trembling hand.
    “Eleven,“ Sissy said coolly.
    Anthea’s elbow dug into Mandy’s ribs.
    “Eleven five,“ Mandy said.
    “Twelve.“
    “Twelve five.“
    “Thirteen.“
    “Fifteen thousand dollars,“ shot back Mandy, not waiting for Anthea’s response.
    The audience murmured. There was scattered applause.
    Mandy didn’t even notice. She was looking across the footlights at Sutter’s calm face and burning green eyes. The idea of the shallow, glittering Sissy buying Sutter as though he were a designer dress irritated Mandy unreasonably. The man might be impossible in a social setting, but he was undeniably brilliant and of proven physical courage. She doubted that Sissy was interested in those particular qualities, however. No doubt the only thing Sissy burned to know was whether Sutter’s stamina extended to areas other than chopping through jungles for weeks on end.
    And then Mandy heard the echo of her last bid rippling across the audience. She turned to Anthea with a stricken look. The older woman smiled and squeezed Mandy’s hand in silent reassurance.
    Sissy hesitated for a dramatic moment, looked over at Mandy and the tiny woman standing next to her, then turned back to the auctioneer.
    “Fifteen thousand dollars,“ the auctioneer said. “Do I hear fifteen thousand five hundred? Fifteen five, anyone?“
    Sissy sat down.
    “Sold for fifteen thousand dollars to Samantha Blythe!“
    There was a burst of applause.
    “Well, go on,“ Anthea said, prodding Mandy. “Go up there and claim your prize.“
    Wide, cognac-colored eyes fixed on Anthea. “What?“
    “Sutter,“ Anthea said. “You’re supposed to walk offstage with him.“
    “But I didn’t – “
    “Of course you did,“ interrupted Anthea. “Everyone here heard you. Now get up there before you embarrass him.“
    “Embarrass? Sutter?“
    The thought was so ridiculous and at the same time so delicious that Mandy laughed aloud. She was still smiling widely when she walked onstage, followed every inch of the way by the spotlight, her long legs gleaming in their black silk sheaths. In a glittering, slithering cloud of black fabric, she came to a halt a few feet away from Sutter.
    And crooked her finger at him.

Chapter 3
     
     
    Even two weeks later, the memory of that moment was enough to make Mandy shiver. Sutter’s sudden, dangerous smile was burned indelibly into her memory, as was the feel of his hand on the naked small of her back as he escorted her offstage; but it was his eyes that haunted her. Gem hard, dismissive, saying as plainly as the words he had whispered in her ear that he thought she was silly and inconsequential.
    That’s your free one, little girl. You pull a stunt like that again and you’ll feel like grass after an elephant stampede.
    She had looked down his tuxedoed length to his polished calfskin shoes and then back up, all the way up to those cold eyes. You needn‘t be so sensitive about the size of your feet. If they weren’t elephantine, they wouldn’t fit so neatly in your mouth.
    The memory of her retort made Mandy groan silently. She put her hands over her face, shutting out the sight of her empty desk. She had always had a quick mind and even quicker tongue, but never had she regretted the result quite so much. Sutter unnerved her. Half the time she wanted to hide when she saw him.
    And half the time she couldn’t