Emily’s POV
The air in the main hall was thick with the scent of expensive perfume and the low hum of wealthy anticipation. Jin led me to our table—front and center, of course—his hand a firm, impersonal pressure on my lower back. The space where his fingers had curled around my neck, where his thumb had stroked my skin, felt like it was on fire, a brand hidden beneath the emerald silk.
I tried to focus on the auction, on the polished auctioneer and the glittering items being paraded across the stage. But my mind was a reel of the moments just passed—the heat in his eyes, the rasp of his voice, the devastating almost-kiss. Prove that one night with me wouldn't ruin you for any other man. The challenge echoed, a dare that made my blood hum.
Then, a new piece was presented: a necklace. It
