If The Shoe Fits (Some Girls Do It #8) - May Sage Page 0,12

someone told him that blowjobs weren't included in the package? Not that her blowjobs were worth one million freaking dollars, either. Helene wasn't aware of the rate blowjobs went for these days, but if they were this expensive, maybe she should consider a drastic career change.

Helene was half awed, half pissed. These people truly came from another universe. They might as well be aliens. Here she was, struggling to put together the funds to rent out an overpriced closet in the city, but some old guy with a beer belly dared waste that kind of cash on a damn dance. How was that fair?

She had to admit she wasn't being entirely fair. The cash was going to help dozens of households. It was a good thing. She was just having a hard time not feeling salty about her circumstances in this crowd. How had Cassie adapted to all this? Helene wasn't sure she ever could.

Good thing she didn't have to.

"One million going once. Going twice. And sold, to Mr. Lawson. Next, we have…" As the auctioneer carried on, Helene walked off the dais, joining Cassie, who was beaming from the side lines.

Amy, a black beauty Helene had seen once or twice, advanced as she stepped out.

"Good luck," Helene said, passing her by.

Amy smiled back at her, and walked the platform with the confidence of a goddess. If anyone could be worth millions, it was her.

"Oh my God!" Cassie squeezed Helene tight. "A million dollars, Helene!"

She chuckled, hugging her sister back. "Same to you, I guess."

"Yeah, but only because Carter and Liam had a pissing contest. That doesn't count."

"I think Mr. Lawson was probably just joining the pissing contest." She rolled her eyes. "These people are crazy."

And by these people, Helene realized she had to include her sister and her husband, as much as she loved them.

"Tell me about it. At least, you won't end up with Craig Thwayn. That guy has never heard of deodorant. I don't know Cade Lawson well, but he's been charming whenever we've met. And he's more than a little easy on the eyes." Cassie wiggled an eyebrow suggestively.

Helene twisted her neck, curious now. She hadn't even entertained the possibility that the guys bidding on her could have been hot. If they were, why wouldn't they just ask her to dance?

Then again, both of Cassie's suitors had been attractive--although one was her husband and the other, a well-known married businessman.

"Oh? Which one is he?" she asked, scanning the crowd.

Almost immediately her eyes fell on him.

Him.

Helene's jaw fell open. The man from the elevator. The hot Viking, with his longish hair and deep, dark eyes. He was even more striking than she remembered.

No, it couldn't be possible. That simply couldn't be the man who'd thrown out a million freaking dollars to dance with her. Life just didn't work that way. Not hers, in any case. But he kept walking. Toward her.

Helene was vaguely conscious of Cassie prattling on about one thing or another, but her attention was entirely focused on the stranger still closing in, until he stopped, right in front of her.

Of them. Cassie was there, too. In fact, he spoke to her first. "Mrs. Harris. Always a pleasure." He took her hand, and lifted it to his mouth, kissing the back of her hand.

Who even did that?

"Cade. Mrs. Harris is Carter's grandmother. Call me Cassie."

Cade. As in Cade Lawson?

"Helene, I take it?" His soft, kissable mouth stretched into a smile.

Hell, she wasn't ready for this. No simple smile should have an effect like this.

"Yep. That's me. Helene. And you're Cade." Shit, now he was going to think she was stupid. As was her way when feeling stupid, she chose to attack first. "The idiot who threw out a crap-ton of money to dance with me."

"And here I thought I donated a crap-ton of money to the unfortunate souls laid off around the city." His smile only widened. He was a good sport. Charming.

And she was way, way out of her depth.

Cade

Cade couldn't help but smile. She wasn't afraid to speak her mind. Good. He wasn't fond of people who licked his boots simply because he was fortunate enough to have been born with a silver spoon in his mouth.

"You have to admit, it's a little bit stupid," she insisted. "Some people work their entire life and never see that much money. Spending it like it's spare change is weird."

"It's entirely stupid." Cade wasn't delusional. "But it serves a purpose."

She lifted a brow, wordlessly challenging him.

"These