Our drinks were delivered along with a couple of appetizers Erik had added to our order.
I sipped a lovely, buttery white wine, letting the tension in my shoulders drop as I finally felt like I could relax. “So, now that we’ve ordered and have drinks, what happened with the auction?”
Memphis sucked in a sharp breath of air and peeked at Jade.
She groaned under her breath but sat up straight in her chair. Her almond-shaped eyes were lined with kohl that accentuated her lashes making them look a mile long. Her lips were cherry red and a stark contrast to her olive skin tone. The woman was drop-dead gorgeous.
“I only had a few interested persons initially. It upset me deeply. Then when Madam Alana requested I remove my dress right there on the spot, I froze. It wasn’t my best moment, to be sure. When the hecklers started up, I just ran.”
“Madam Alana did request security remove those men after you left. She seemed as upset at the proceedings as you were,” Erik added.
Jade nodded. “We talked with her after the event was over. She’s going to allow both Memphis and me to enter into the next auction a little over three months from now.”
“Ah, I see. That makes sense. I’m glad you’ll have another opportunity,” I agreed.
“I just wish I hadn’t reacted so emotionally.” She scowled as if it hurt her to admit it. “That’s when the big fella here offered to stay with me and forgo tonight’s auction. Chivalrous to your own detriment, Mr. Taylor.” She chastised Memphis and demurely sipped her red wine.
“Sounds to me like you have a good friend in Mr. Taylor,” Erik complimented.
“Memphis, please, both of you. Mr. Taylor reminds me of my father.” His dark brows rose as he looked at Erik and then Jade. “Besides, my momma would tan my ass if I’d left a woman in tears to manage all by herself. And like Jade said, we were told we could both enter into the next one. No harm, no foul. Just a delay in the game.”
Erik reached out a hand and clapped Memphis on the shoulder. “Silver linings. Positive outlook. I like that.” He nodded and released his hold.
“And what about you two? What’s next on the agenda?” Memphis asked while shoveling an entire piece of bruschetta into his mouth.
“We’re taking things one day at a time. Together. Right, Erik?”
He nodded and reached for my hand, held it, and brought it to his lips where he kissed my knuckles. His beard and mustache tickled the skin there and I shivered, gooseflesh appearing on my arms. His irises went from a caramel color mixed liberally with green to a burning golden brown. Like a torch that had just been lit.
“I’d walk to the ends of the Earth to be with you, Savannah.” His gaze didn’t stray even for a second from mine when he dropped that honesty bomb.
My breath caught and I held his hand firmly, finding it hard to look away from him when all I wanted to do was melt deeper into the warm honey of his gaze.
“Anyway, we’re um…” I shook my head and focused back on our new friends. “I’m sorry, what were we talking about?”
Memphis grinned wide and shook his head, hiding his sudden laughter behind his cocktail glass. Jade was smirking, and I suddenly felt as though the room’s temperature had tripled in degrees.
“You and me, taking things one day at a time,” Erik supplied helpfully.
“Right!” I squeaked out. “I believe after tomorrow’s meeting we’ll be heading to Norway?”
Erik nodded. “I’d love to show you my home. Introduce you to my family.”
Family.
My family, or at least my father, would not want to meet Erik. Nor did I want to flaunt this new relationship in front of Jarod who helped manage the farm and land back home. That heartbreak would be coming all too soon, and I was not eager to poke at that fresh, open wound.
“I’ve never been to Norway,” I said and clung to my wine glass. Heck, I’d never been anywhere besides Montana and now Nevada. Getting out of here, away from it all, sounded like a mighty fine idea.
“Then it’s settled. After the meeting tomorrow, we’ll head to Oslo.” Erik smiled.
The waiter approached right then and dished out each plate and refreshed our drinks. I was still dumbstruck about what Erik had said earlier about following me anywhere.
“You okay?” he asked .
I nodded and picked up my silverware, eager to relax. “So… Guess where we were right before here?”
Both Jade and Memphis focused on me.
“At the Little White Wedding Chapel watching Dakota get married,” I dished.