*Unedited*

Chapter 11

My hands were damp and I swear, butterflies had taken the liberty of doing back flips, front flips and sideways flips in my stomach by the time I entered the elaborately decorated ball room. Saying I was just a little bit nervous about the outcome of tonight was putting it mildly. Just knowing that my life would irrevocably change in a few hours was enough to make any girl lose her mind. Either I would be leaving here with bright hopes of a possible future with Rio or if he denied me again, my heart will surely shatter and I will be left with no other choice than to leave town for good.

So this was it. All or nothing. Not too much pressure.

Taking my sweet time I made a sweeping pass of the room until I found a seat towards the back, in the center of the row. I didn't want Rio to be able to see me when he made his grand entrance on the stage and this would be the perfect spot to sit and go unnoticed until I make my first bid.

"Bailey? Is that you?"

Hearing my name being call I quickly spun around and found Ella looking as beautiful as ever in her navy silk evening dress. She was beaming and I have to admit, her bright smile was down right infectious.

"Ella, it's good to see a familiar face. How are you?" I asked her. I was careful to tread lightly because I wasn't quite sure if she's seen Charlie since our big blow up. I really didn't think she has with the way that she was smiling. Or if she has, then Charlie must not of said anything to her because otherwise something tells me that I don't think she'd be this happy at seeing me.

"I'm very good," she replied. "And what about you?"

"I'm fine," I lied. I was the farthest from fine that a person could be but you'd never hear me admit that truth. Glancing around I notices that more people were entering the ball room and it was just about filled to capacity.

"So," she said, pulling my attention back to her, I'm going out on a limb here but I bet you are here to bid on one sexy black haired solider with smoldering bedroom eyes." She phrase the statement as a question and I don't think for one minute that I didn't catch the hint of laughter in her voice.

I desperately tried to avert my gaze anywhere but on Ella and where this conversation was heading but with the momentum of the night in full swing it was a hard fact to deny. "Maybe," I said to her. "Then again, maybe I'm looking for fresh meat."

"Yeah right, there is no maybe to it. You are here for Rio and f you don't bid on that man, then damn it, I will. He just looks to good for us to let one of these cougars take for themselves."

I laughed outright at her comment. Looking around the room I noticed for the first time that many of the women here had what was definitely a predatory look on there faces. I had no doubts that they were expecting to take home there very own hunky men tonight. It didn't matter that most of the men in the auction were fifteen years younger than them. Knowing this made me even more determined than ever to win Rio. He didn't know it yet but come hell or high water that man was coming home with me.

The speaker on the stage crackled before a smooth voice announced that the bidding for tonight would start in ten minutes.

"Well, that's our cue to sit, Ella spoke from beside of me. "Good luck to you Bailey. And just so you know, I'll be routing for you," she said and winked.

I inclined my head in kind and told her, "Thanks. I'm routing for me too."

She chuckled and with a slight wave of her hand she turned to head for her seat. I also turned and took my seat as well just as the lights above us began to dim. The announcer came out on the stage and gave a brief welcoming speech before the real action began.

The first guy was announced and the crowd went wild. The atmosphere was simply electric. Music with a deep bass beat pumped from the speakers, hyping up the women in the audience. A strobe light flickered from somewhere behind me. It was nothing like I had ever experienced before.

After the anticipation in crowd was properly built, the announcer called out the first name, Eric Wheaton. Eric appeared through a curtain bare chested, wearing tight jeans and his cowboy boots. He then proceeded to dramatically strut his stuff across the stage like one of the guys from the Magic Mike movie. The only problem was he didn't have the moves to be strutting and the whole scene was comical at the most. But Eric is a good guy and he was cute in a down home country kind of way. Everyone and I mean everyone in the ball room cheered him on. The bidding started at twenty-five dollars before ending at a whopping nine hundred and twenty-three dollars. Not bad at all for Eric.

Three other guys came out and the process was the same. The men strutted and the women were rowdy routing them on. The bids ran between Nine hundred and eighteen hundred dollars. The charity personnel definitely knew what they were doing when they organized this event. I was actually impressed by it all.

The next name the announcer called was the one that I'd been waiting.

"Alrighty ladies. Next up for bid, we have our own special hometown hero, Rio Mendez."

His dark head slipped through the curtains. One hand in his back pocket, the other at his side he simply walked out to the center stage and smiled, an aura of quiet confidence surrounding him. Wearing tight fitting black jeans and a plain button up white shirt, he stole the show with his devilish good looks.

"Let the bidding start at one hundred dollars," the announcer said.

My legs were bouncing with unsettled nerves. I didn't want to be the very first person to bid so I held my tongue. Luckily I didn't have to hold it for too long though.

"Five hundred dollars," a tall and willowy red head stood, shouting at the front of the room.

"Nine hundred dollars!" Another gal with bleached blond hair and entirely too much make up shouted from beside of me.

The announcer hadn't even got a word in edge wise when a brunette that was old enough to be my mother shouted, "Fifteen hundred dollars!" 

Rio was grinning from ear to ear and looking more than pleased with the results that he was already pulling in.

Now is the time. Standing up, I held on to the chair in front of me hoping to bank back some of the rattled nerves coursing through me. "Nineteen hundred dollars!" I yelled keeping my eyes glued to Rio.

As soon as the words were out of my mouth his head whipped in my direction and the look of shock on his face was unmistakable. 

"Twenty two hundred dollars!" someone else shouted. I wasn't even sure who it was because at the moment my eyes were locked steadily with Rio's.

"Twenty five hundred dollars!" I countered confidently. I planned to keep going until that man was mine. No matter how much it took. For so long I refused to touch the inheritance let to me from my parents. I had access the day I turned eighteen. Tonight would make it the first time I touched the money in my savings and I couldn't think of any better way to use it than this.

"Twenty eight hundred!" Another female voice behind me shrieked.

Okay, now I'm starting to grow tired of this game. Time to put an end to this.

"Five thousand dollars!" I yelled out, my eyes still locked firmly with Rio's. Several gasps came from around the room and I distinctly heard the girl from three seats down curse me under her breath before she finally took her seat.

The announcer cleared his throat before speaking. "Okay, ladies. Five thousand dollars is the current bid. Going once, going twice..." And after a second of silence he confirmed my win a resounding, "Sold to the lady with the red dress in the back."

Everyone around me clapped and I was smiling like a girl who had just received her first baby doll. First step of my plan was now complete. I have him. At least, I will have Rio all to myself for the night and there was nothing but fate and opportunity standing in my way. If all goes as planned then I will successfully seduce Rio, showing him how good we could be together and make him mine forever.

At the end of the auction I was instructed where to go to make my payment. After I wrote the the sizable check the clerk showed me where to go pick up my Rio. Nervously, I walked down the corridor where she pointed and headed for the door at the end of the hall where she told me that Rio should be waiting for me. When I found the door I didn't hesitate and walked right into the room and stopped, suddenly not sure of what I should say.

He was here. Rio was standing by the window, his back ramrod straight and staring out into the night. I had seen that look many times before and knew that he was in deep thought about something.

We stood there until I couldn't take the stifling silence surrounding us any longer. "Rio," I called out.

He whipped around and his eyes fell on me. His face was pretty much a blank slate leaving me with no earthly idea of what he was thinking so hard about.

Suddenly, Rio moved with purpose, crossing the room to stand in front of me. He offered me his arm never saying a word.

My heart started to thump wildly in my chest. This was crazy. I'd never seen Rio so subdued before and it confused me. I hated being confused.

Hesitantly, I took his waiting arm, looping my arm through his and let him lead me out of the building. We walked over to his car and he held the door open for me. Still no words between spoken. The butterflies from earlier were more like angry hornets churning furiously in my stomach as the door slammed behind me.

Oh shit! I have a bad feeling about this. A really bad feeling that maybe my plan wasn't the best plan after all.

The driver side door opened and Rio slipped in the seat. A dark sense of foreboding filled the space in between us. At first he did nothing but continue to stare through the windshield out into the darkness of the night.

My head was starting to throb and for once, I just wish he'd say something already.

Finally breaking the silence, he slowly turned and glared at me. Okay, maybe we should both keep quiet. This was mad Rio. A really, really frustrated and angry Rio.

"Bailey, what the hell were you thinking?" he asked, bitterness dripping thickly in every word.

I stared into his face hoping to find any hint that maybe I was just imagining all the anger, the hate. But for once, I knew. I knew I wasn't imagining anything. Rio was truly pissed off that I'd won him at the auction. I fucked up. 

Looking away, I fought to keep the tears in. I refused to let him see me cry again. "I just wanted to spend some time alone with you," I finally told him honestly. I couldn't stop the slight tremble in my voice and I hated that I didn't sound more confident.

"Seriously? Five thousand dollars worth? Don't you think that five thousand dollars is a bit much for two people who are supposed to be just friends to spend time together?" 

His voice rose with each word and by the end of his question I recoiled from the vehemence radiating off of him. Now I was the one at a complete loss for words. I could see my future slipping through my fingers.

There had to be something I could say. Something I could do to show Rio that I did this for us. Five thousand dollars is chump change. It was worth spending every penny if Rio would just open his eyes and see what's right in front of him. Me.

This was it, I reminded myself. Now or never. If I could not convince him in the next ten seconds that we should give each other a try then it was over. There would be no more chances. I had to do something to save the possibility of 'us'.

Since I couldn't think of the right words were to say, I leaned up on my knees and took a chance. I brushed a gentle kiss across his lips. At first he stiffened but when I licked along his lower lip he crumbled. Rio wrapped his arms around my neck and pulled me into him. He took total possession of the kiss and internally I was doing a happy jig. I was more than happy to let him take the lead. He pulled me over him so that I was straddling his lap. I could feel the growing bulge between my legs indicating just how badly he wanted me. Then his tongue slid across mine and a breathy moan escaped my lips. The sound must have startled him because one minute we were both all hot and heavy and the next, he had not so gently pushed me away from him and back into the passenger seat.

Breathing heavily I stared at Rio. "What's wrong?" I asked him wanting nothing more than climb back on his lap and kiss him until we were both blinded with pleasure. I couldn't help it. He was just so damn irresistible.

"What's wrong?" he repeated my question. "You really have to ask me what's wrong?" Jerking back, he drew his fist back and angrily punched the wheel. "Everything dammit! Everything about tonight is just wrong. I've told you more than once, Bailey. We can't do this." Pressing the heels of his palms over his eyes he started to shake his head from side to side. "No," he said more sternly. " I can't do this with you. I won't do this with you and I have already told you this. When are you going to get it through that thick head of yours? We can't be nothing more than just friends. Not now and not ever. A kiss and five thousand dollars isn't going to change that."

His look was hard and I felt the tears welling up in my eyes. He didn't have to worry. I got the message loud and clear. My worst nightmare was happening right before my very eyes. My world was falling apart and my heart was breaking in two and there wasn't a damn thing I could do about it.

"No. Don't you dare cry on me Bailey. I've told you this before. You were well aware of my feelings before you thought up this cockamamie plan of yours."

And that was the straw that broke the camels back. Rio wasn't in love with me the same way I was so in love with him. He would never change and moreover, he was right about one thing. It was high time that I realized there could never be anything between Rio and myself. I'v been such a fool. And now it was time for this fool to leave. Wiping the traitorous tears from my face with the back of my hand I did the best that I could to regain my own composure.

"Your right," I admitted barely above a whisper. Now, it was time for me to make my exit. It was time for me go and leave this town so that I would never have to feel these feelings or see Rio Mendez again. 

Fidgeting with the handle I opened the passenger door and was just getting ready to step out when I sopped and against my better judgment, took one more look back at him. "I'm sorry Rio. I'm sorry to have troubled you. I promise it won't happen again."

I didn't wait to see if he had a response. Turning around I all but jumped out of the car feeling numb and heart broken. I slammed the door close behind me and the sound of the door closing was like a finality for us. It was the closure to all my hopes and dreams of being with the one man that I've longed for so many years. It was over. It was done and there was nothing that I could do about it now but go.

I ran like hell for my car. The tears streamed unchecked down my cheeks. I was dying inside and all I wanted was to go somewhere where I could lick my wounds.

"Bailey!" Rio called out my name but I didn't dare stop. "Bailey," it sounded like he was running across the parking lot. I kicked it into second gear. "Damn it woman, stop. Please. Bailey stop for a minute." 

Oh hell no. I refused to let him see me weaken any further. I kept up my steady pace ignoring his calls until I thankfully reached my car. My fingers trembled as I struggled to unlock the door. When it finally opened, I collapsed into the seat.

I hadn't even started the ignition when I heard the engine of Rio's car rev up loudly. Spinning in my seat, I watched him peel out of the parking lot like a mad man. He not only peeled out of the the parking lot but out of my life for good. The starch reality of him being gone sunk in like a ton of bricks weighing on my chest. The heavy emotion I struggled to hold in so tightly while I was stuck in the car with him came pouring out like a waterfall. My chest ached and my head pounded. After an hour of heart wrenching sobs, I half heartily pulled myself together. A girl only had so many tears in her to cry. It was time to go home.

Pulling up to the place I shared with Charlie, I cut the ignition and felt like I'd been wrung through the wringer. Already mentally going through a check list in my head I realized I still had a ton to do if I planned on making the first one way flight I could get out of this town. The sooner I was gone and there was more space between Rio and I, the better off I would be. At least that was what I keep trying to tell myself. 

I'd no more than just made it up to the top of the porch when Charlie met me at the door. He looked about as bad as me. Of course that didn't help me feel any better.

"Bailes, I am so sorry." He said, running up to me and wrapping me up in a giant bear hug. He buried his face on my shoulder and I could feel wetness seeping onto my bare skin leaving me with no doubt that those were his tears. "I don't know what come over me, it just happened. You made me so mad and God, I am so, so sorry. There is no excuse. It should have never happened."

I held up my hand to him signaling him to stop. Charlie was my only family and I could tell he was truly sorry for smacking me. I didn't want us to leave on a bad not. " Don't worry. All is forgiven," I told him. "Everything happened in the heat of the moment and now it's over. Let's just leave it in the past, okay?"

"No. it's not okay," he said pulling back from me and searching my face. "I hit you. There is nothing even remotely okay about that." 

Looking up at Charlie, I tried to smile but I'm sure that it came across as anything but a smile. My face felt puffy and the running mascara from my tear stained cheeks probably left me looking more like a cast member from 'Night of the Living Dead'. "It doesn't matter now. I know you love me and I know if I need you that you will be here for me. That is all that really matters now, Charlie."

"Wait a second." He grabbed my chin and turned my face towards the light. "What the hell happened to you?" he demanded.

Great, his big brother protective instincts were already kicking in.

"I don't want to talk about it okay," I told him. "All I really want to do is take a bath and get some sleep before I had to pack up my life in a suitcase and leave. I'm boarding the first plane I can get tomorrow and leaving."

He couldn't hid the surprise coupled with some hurt filling his face "Why?" he asked. "I said I was sorry. I don't want you to leave."

"It's not you, Charlie." I told him, opening up the front door and walking into the house.

He followed me inside. "I don't understand."

I was about to step on the first step when I stopped and stared down at my feet. "You were right, okay," I told him. "You were right and he broke my heart," I whispered, feeling the tears slip out unchecked once again.

"Shit," he muttered and then I felt his arms surrounding me again. He turned me around and pulled me tight against his chest. If my life wasn't falling apart then I probably would have found his gesture rather endearing. What was important was that Charlie was here for me, helping to hold me together. That was what big brothers did and when I needed him the most I was able to lean on him.

"I'm going to miss you Bailes. You know that right? You just finished with school and I just got you back." he said from above my head.

"I know." I spoke into his chest. "But right now this is what I need to do for me."

"I know," he replied solemnly, still not ready to let me go. We stood there in that position for some time before I made myself step back out of his arms. I motioned up the stairs. "I really do need to get moving."

He quietly handed me the handkerchief from his back pocket. When I just stared at it he chuckled. "Don't worry, it's unused."

Taking the handkerchief from him, I did my best to smile before I wiped my face dry.

Charlie shoved his hands in his pockets. "You need some help getting ready?" he asked.

I nodded. "Yeah, that would be great," I whispered. My brother could be a real jerk sometimes but he could also be a sweet heart. This moment right here, right now was bitter sweet.

"Come on," Charlie nudged me in the shoulder. "Lets get started." 

"Kay." I sniffed and left it at that. He threw his arm over my shoulder and we headed up the stairs. I was getting ready to pack my entire life in a couple of suit cases and tomorrow, well tomorrow I would leave my heart behind with a ma. A man that didn't share the same feelings as I. My heart would forever remain here with Rio Mendez.