She raised her paddle again at five thousand pounds, her jaw set, her lips pursed.

“You are so fucking hot when you bid on art,” he said to her, and she flashed a quick smile.

“Does it make you want me more?” she whispered as the goateed man hesitated briefly, but stayed in the game.

“He’s wavering,” Nate whispered. “Go for it. Go big, and then I can take care of that sweet ache between your legs like you want.”

She trembled and her eyes flashed a hot and hungry look at him. “We can’t leave. I want the other Valentina too,” she said. “I just decided it. I need both.”

“And you’ll get both. And as soon as you get this one, we’ll find an office or another sales room or a coat closet, I don’t care. But I’m going to have my hands up your dress in about fifteen seconds,” he said roughly, and his tone seemed to spur her on.

“Do we have 5,250 pounds?”

Casey raised her arm high, and then spoke in a loud, but measured tone. “6,500 pounds.”

The auctioneer raised his eyebrows in appreciation, then scanned the room, his gaze settling on Casey’s opponent. Nate watched the pin-striped man start to lift his paddle, but it was half-hearted at best. The man shook his head.

The auctioneer beamed. “I shall sell it then. It’s the woman in the green dress’ bid at 6500 pounds.” He slammed the hammer down. “Sold.”

The expression on her face was one of pure victory, then she wrapped her fingers around his wrist and stood. She tipped her head to the exit. When they walked out, he heard the man who’d lost out utter a curse of frustration. Nate didn’t take it personally; not getting what you wanted was a bitch.

Thirty seconds later, they were inside a bathroom at Sotheby’s, locking the door behind them.

“By my calculations we’ve got less than eight minutes ’til the next Valentina goes up for bidding,” she said, and locked her arms around his neck. “Give me something.”

A tremor of desire shook him to his bones. He wanted nothing more than to take her hard and fast, and send her back into the sales room, ready to bid again, looking like a woman who’d been fucked thoroughly. But her pleasure always came first for him, and what turned him on most was sending her flying into bliss. He’d wait for the hotel to get his own needs met.

“Turn around,” he told her, and she slinked around in his arms. “Look in the mirror,” he said, gesturing at the gold-framed glass along the wall, reflecting her back at him. “See how sexy you are? You’re all fired up from winning, and you’re heated up from wanting me. This is who I’ve been looking at all night—the most beautiful, stunning, sexy and powerful woman I’ve ever seen. A woman who goes after what she wants. Who pursues what she wants. And no one has ever aroused me like you do,” he said, savoring her reaction to his words as she trembled in his arms. He clasped his hand around her throat, not too tight to hurt her, but firm enough to hold her as his. To let her know she belonged to him. Her lips fell open, and she breathed out sharply as he stared at her captivating reflection.