She flashed me a gorgeous smile and lifted her numbered paddle. “I was born ready. Just remember to do a little twirl for me when you’re up there.” She winked, and I had the urge to pull her over my lap and smack her ass with the paddle.
Great. Now I was going to go on stage with a hard-on.
I brushed my hand across her bare back, desperate to have her scent on me as I got up from the table. Her little smile told me my move hadn’t been at all subtle.
I waited with a group of six other men—all alphas—in the wings of the stage as the auction started. I recognized a few of them through business dealings, but none of us really knew one another. I couldn’t see Lucy from here. Was she okay? That asshole Jack wasn’t bothering her, was he?
I was second to last. When the assistant gestured me forward, I stalked out onto the stage. The lights cast the audience in shadow, and I squinted as I tried to spot Lucy.
“Here is one of New York City’s most eligible bachelors, businessman Sutton King. He might spend his days as CEO of Empire Enterprises, but he certainly didn’t get that body just from sitting behind a desk.”
I scowled. What the fuck? The auctioneer was an old guy in his seventies who spoke in a croaky monotone. Catcalls rang out in the room, and I thought I caught Lucy’s voice in the mix.
“We will start the bidding at five thousand.”
I forced myself to stand tall and not fidget, but I hated not beingable to see who was bidding on me. What if someone beat Lucy? Not only would I have to spend the day with a stranger, I would miss out on spending time with her.
The bidding hit thirty thousand, but it wasn’t slowing down. So far, the top bid for the other alphas was thirty-five thousand.
The bidding hit forty, and there was a pause as the auctioneer waited to see if there were any other bids.
“Going once. Going twice…”
Hurry the fuck up.
“And sold! To bidder three hundred and twenty.”
A relieved rush of air escaped my lungs. That was Lucy’s paddle number.
I jogged off the stage and wound my way through the room until I got to our table.
“I won you,” she said, a twinkle in her eyes.
In one swift motion, I pulled her up from her chair. I didn’t care who was watching as I wound my fingers through her hair, using the leverage to tilt her head back to meet my gaze.
Her breath caught. “You didn’t twirl onstage. I’m sure you would have had more bids if they had seen that ass of yours.”
My lips twitched for the briefest heartbeat before they crashed against hers. Her taste bloomed on my tongue. She was all sweetness with an edge of something more, something uniquely hers that reminded me of the feeling of running full speed down a hill. Like plunging into something terrifying and exhilarating.
I forced myself to pull away. Her pupils were blown, her cheeks a delicious bright pink. My lips ran down the side of her face until they were right against her ear. “You were such a good girl, winning me, but it’s time to go.”
She nodded quickly and I wrapped my arm around her shoulders, keeping her pinned to my side as we strode to the exit. Multiple alphas cast me jealous glares.
Yeah, fuckers. She’s mine. You never stood a chance.
18
Lucy
King pulled me out ofthe event room, but apparently I wasn’t moving fast enough in my heels because suddenly, I was in his arms. I let out a shriek mixed with laughter as we stepped into the Boston night.
I wrapped my arms around his neck as he carried me bridal-style down the street toward the hotel. It wasn’t very far, and neither of us were interested in waiting for a car.
My mind spun as I tried to make sense of King’s change in behavior. The reserved, grumpy businessman had transformed into someone hot and passionate. Was he just that thrilled that the auction was over? Or was this going where I thought it was going?
He pressed his face into my loose curls and breathed in deeply.Yep, this is definitely going where I think it is.I squirmed in his arms as anticipation rocketed through me, sensitizing my skin. I hadn’t had sex since everything fell apart with my exes. After their betrayal, I’d felt disconnected from that part of myself, but my time with Wilder and Leo had awakened it again.
The fear of rejection still clawed at my chest, but I wanted King,cravedthe pleasure he could give me, and I was finally brave enough to risk being vulnerable to get what I wanted. I ran my nose down his throat. He smelled so good, like the brightest orange blossom breeze mixed with the velvet night sky.
