hazel eyes showing a slight discomfort at the situation that I’d bet neither of his brothers have.
“Wow. He’s gotten so hot.” Lauren’s hand moves for her paddle.
I reach over and stop her. We exchange a look and I nod slightly in Vanessa’s direction. Lauren smirks, removing her hand from the paddle.
A few women in the front raise their paddles and place their bids.
Vanessa is distracted with her phone again, so I slowly raise mine with the hope that she doesn’t notice immediately.
“Two hundred to the lady in the back,” The MC says.
Cristian squints trying to see who’s bidding but my guess is the spotlights are making it hard for him to see. His wide shoulders and strong jaw remind me a little of his older brother. They’re both characteristics the three Bianco brothers share.
Another lady outbids me, so I raise my paddle again.
“Four hundred to the lady in the back.” The MC points to me.
Lauren smiles at me over her shoulder.
Vanessa huffs and she drops her phone to the table and picks up her drink.
“What did I miss?”
I raise my paddle once more.
“What? Who?” Her head whips around to look at the stage. “No!” She grabs for my arm, but I slide out of her reach.
“One…two…Sold to the lady in the back for six hundred dollars.”
I place the paddle down and look over at Vanessa.
“You’re kidding me, right? I told you no blue!” Vanessa’s stern voice does sound scary, but she’ll thank me once she has dinner with him. I can’t imagine Cristian not being the perfect gentleman.
“Sorry, I forgot,” I lie, and she narrows her eyes.
“Game on.” She leans in and whispers something in Lauren’s ear.
Damn it. What did I get myself into?
Chapter Three
We’re about midway through the bidding and the realization that I’m dying to see who grabs Mauro is a bad sign. After all these years he’s still the one that gets under my skin. That night from long ago is like a nightmare always on the playback reel whenever his name is mentioned.
The MC approaches the podium after a short break. “Okay ladies, if you liked the first Bianco brother’s bio wait until you hear this one. These three brothers have quite the sense of humor I’d say, by allowing their brothers to write their bio. So without further ado, let me introduce you to the eldest of the brothers, a firefighter from CFD Engine 55. He’s looking for a woman like his mama who will cook, clean, and cater to him with a smile. He promises to clean his plate at every meal, make sure to compare you to his mama at every turn, and give you unsolicited advice whenever you need it.” The MC takes a break and chuckles. “Sounds like a catch, ladies.” He holds his hands out to the curtain and Lauren’s head whips in my direction. “Mauro Bianco, ladies.”
I try to act indifferent but when he steps out wearing his blue fatigues and a jacket with CFD on it, my heart skips a beat. He opted not to wear his formal wear and I’m not surprised. He never was the type to dress up. Even at prom I’d heard he didn’t rent a tux but opted for a suit and tie that he stripped off before he was crowned prom king.
“Come on Mauro, take off the jacket,” the MC insists, and all the ladies scream like he’s a Chippendale dancer. Are there still Chippendale dancers? I’ll have to google that when I get home.
He side-eyes the MC but lowers the zipper and sheds the jacket from his body like he just got home after a long day. There’s nothing sexual, nor a hint of seduction in his movements, but my cheeks heat anyway. My heart skips a few more beats as he reveals a CFD navy t-shirt, fit snug around his muscular shoulders and biceps. He’s still the GQ heartthrob I remember.
I pull the straw from my cup and toss it aside on the table, then down the rest of my drink.
His jacket is clutched in his hands and he looks impatient for the MC to begin the bidding. Almost like he’s pissed off about the whole thing. Maybe he’s annoyed at what his brothers wrote about him being a mama’s boy and the expectations he holds for his future wife. No doubt becoming a daughter-in-law in that family will be no picnic. Mama Bianco is the queen in that family and I’m not sure anyone could ever live up to