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married.”
    Netherland nodded. Although she didn’t know Corinthians’s best friend Brenna personally, she had heard from Syneda how the woman had gone on a three-week cruise and met the man of her dreams on the ship and married him.
    Netherland was about to take another sip and noticed her glass was empty.
    “Want some more?”
    She looked at Ashton, again noticing how close they were sitting on the love seat. “No, I think I’ve had enough.” Netherland looked down at her empty glass before raising curious eyes to Ashton. There was something she wanted to ask him, something that had been bugging her all day.
    “Why did you volunteer to be a part of the Brothers Auction?”
    Ashton studied her, remembering something Trevor had said. “Does it bother you that I did?”
    Inhaling deeply, she blew out her breath in a rush. How could she explain to him that yes, it did bother her and make him understand why it did, when she didn’t fully understand it herself? She had no dibs on him, and he was free to do as he pleased with whomever he pleased. “It shouldn’t.”
    He looked at her, met her gaze intently. “Does it?”
    Netherland hated that he was making her admit to something she didn’t want to admit to. A part of herwanted to lie to him and say, “No, it doesn’t matter.” But another part, the part that had asked the question earlier of why he had volunteered to do it, still wanted an answer. “Yes, it matters.”
    He was silent for a moment as he continued to hold her gaze. “And why does it matter, Netherland?”
    Netherland bristled slightly. She had answered several of his questions and he had yet to answer one of hers. “It just does, okay,” she said curtly. “Now will you tell me why you volunteered to do it?”
    He reached out and traced a finger along her cheek. “The reason I did it was that I thought the money was being raised for a good cause and that my participation would be my contribution. You contributed by volunteering the use of your restaurant.”
    Netherland nodded. “So your volunteering had nothing to do with…”
    When she didn’t complete her question, he raised a dark brow. “Had nothing to do with what?”
    She looked at him. “Knowing all those women would want you and that one of them will get the chance to spend a weekend with you in New Orleans.”
    Ashton wanted to pull her closer. He wanted to tell her that the only woman who would be spending that weekend with him would be she. What Netherland didn’t know was that he had devised a plan and had given someone strict orders to top the highest bid, no matter what it was. In essence, that person would be bidding on his behalf. There was no rule that said a contestant could not bid on himself and present thewinning bid to the woman of his choice. He had no intention of letting any woman choose him. He would be the one doing the choosing.
    “The notion of spending time with a woman had nothing to do with it, Netherland,” he said finally. “Because no matter what those other women may want, you are the only woman that I want.” Instinctively he pulled her closer to him. “You are the only woman who matters.”
    Netherland wanted to tell him that although she’d wanted to hear those words, she shouldn’t be the only one who mattered because there would never be a future for them as long as he was in the military. But she couldn’t force herself to say the words. The only thing she could do was to continue to look into the darkness of his eyes and see how the lighting from a nearby lamp shone on his features making them more profound, more handsome. As he continued to look at her she felt that same jolt of awareness she had felt the first time she had met him, nearly three years ago, and the same jolt she felt upon seeing him every time since then. Around her he generated heat, electricity, desire.
    Without a word she tilted her head up when she saw his mouth move closer to claim her lips. She knew she should