True to her word, Mandi came out ten minutes later a transformed person. Her hair was now hanging down with loose curls in the end, and a beautiful barrette loosely pulling it back out of her face. That was something Mandi usually did when she was going out because she had a nervous habit of tucking her hair behind her ears on occasion. Her light make-up made her bright green eyes look stunning, almost mesmerizing too. She was the picture of class, sophistication, and approachability all wrapped up in one beautiful package.
“Ooh la la,” Sophia said, whistling at Mandi. She was wearing a black form fitting dress with a slight flair just above the knees. The neckline was plunging and showed her very attractive curves, and long legs off nicely. “Oh my gosh, those gold heels are the perfect accent. You look fantastic, and you’ll be perfect if one of my bachelor’s doesn’t show up.”
“What are you talking about?” Mandi asked, not liking the premise of Sophia’s question.
“Well, the gala is to raise money for children, and we are doing that by having a bachelor auction. They’re all boys from the Bad Boys Billionaire Bachelors Club, thanks to Sergio agreeing to help me out. It would be great to have one bachelorette in there if it was necessary, and you definitely fit that bill. You are stunning, and I know that you’d draw a great price.”
“And let me guess…you are the one who will be doing the describing of the goods up for auction.”
“Who else could describe you and the others better than me? There is a professional auctioneer for the actual bidding though—just for a bit of fun.”
“I sure hope that guy shows up,” Mandi commented. The thought of standing up there in front of everyone and getting auctioned off was slightly overwhelming. It would be fun to watch the guys though, and who knows, maybe she’d even bid on one. After all, this was all for children.
“You’ll be just fine either way. Now let’s go. It wouldn’t be very good if the hostess was late, would it?”
“Definitely not. By the way, Sophia, are there going to be any guys there who you are interested in?”
“Maybe,” Sophia replied, winking mischievously. “That’s probably a battle best served for a different day. It’ll be a busy night.”
Mandi smiled at her friend. She was so casual and assured that she would eventually find the one—that guy that finally clicked with her, and she could create a future with. She was inspiring, and gave all girls hope that love would always prosper in the end.
Chapter 2
The first person to greet Mandi and Sophia when they entered the ballroom was Sergio. Mandi tried not to act too obvious, but she was immediately drawn to how gorgeous and sophisticated he looked. His black Armani tux, black bowtie, and sapphire studded cufflinks and studs sparkled in the glimmering light, and were only offset by an amazing smile that definitely showed he was still a heartbreaker. He was better looking than she’d recalled since seeing him last a few years ago, more sophisticated and intense.
“Mandi, it’s so great to see you,” Sergio said, leaning in to hug her, making Mandi instantly tingle from the feel of his muscular physique.
“And I’m so glad to see you. You’re looking very dapper, Sergio. You should bring a good price at Sophia’s latest fundraising efforts.”
“You’re too kind, Mandi.”
There was a brief pause when Mandi and Sergio looked at each other appreciatively. Sergio couldn’t believe how much Mandi had matured, and had transformed from a pretty college girl to a stunning sexy woman. She was gorgeous with that thick shining long hair that he can imagine grabbing a handful of, green eyes that can captivate any man, smooth kissable skin, and lips luscious enough to suck on. Mandi was definitely a woman he wanted to explore a little more. The only problem was, she was Sophia’s best friend, whom he practically knew since she was a young freshman in college. Boy has she grown up!
Despite how gorgeous she was, Sergio could tell in an instant that she wasn’t like other women who knew they were sexy and smart. She didn’t have an angle, and everything she did was from the heart.
Mandi, on the other hand, thought Sergio was possibly the most handsome man she’d ever seen. Unlike Sophia, Sergio had black hair that was slightly wavy and fell just to his shoulders, and the most entrancing amber colored eyes that looked mysterious yet dangerous at the same time. His build was all muscle, and you could just sense how each one rippled when he did even a simple motion like raising his arm. Not to mention from having known him a while through Sophia, Sergio was smart, wildly successful, and had so much infectious energy about him. He always had a strong presence about him. She also realized that he was a very well noted playboy, and she’d have to be careful not to fall into that trap even if certain parts of her were ready to throw caution into the wind.
Sophia looked from Sergio to Mandi and smiled. Did she see something there? She was very perceptive, and suspected that she did. Interesting. “Well, if you two will excuse me, I have to go make sure everything is set for the auction, and that all my bachelor’s are here.”
“Are all of the guys in the auction from your club?” Mandi asked Sergio. She was trying to start some small talk, and get over the tingling sensation she had from standing next to him.
“Yes, all the guys were glad to be a part of this event. Sophia made a rather irresistible offer, and something like this is, well…fun.”
“If I were you I’d be so nervous. The thought of being up there makes me cringe. I can just imagine me standing there and the room immediately falls silent, and then stays that way.” Mandi laughed and found herself wanting to tuck her hair behind her ear, but she couldn’t because of the barrette.
Sergio smiled, oddly attracted to the way Mandi discredited herself. There was nothing about her, at least from what Sergio could see, that wasn’t alluring. He said, “That would be impossible. Trust me; I’ve seen some very appreciative looks delivered your way. I’d consider bidding on you.”
“That’s good to know,” Mandi laughed. Sweet Heavens. He’d bid on me.
For the next ten minutes or so Mandi and Sergio talked casually, with his friends coming up for introductions on occasion. They discussed the gallery, Sergio’s businesses, and a wide variety of other things. Mandi really enjoyed hearing about Sergio’s work because she found it interesting, and really enjoyed business in general. That was what her degree was in, and she looked forward to eventually going into it as a career instead of the gallery when the time was right. She was particularly interested in marketing, and corporate identity strategies. It was the perfect blend of her creative side and natural business mind.