Page 6 of Auctioned to Dr. Daddy

Before I can respond, the auction starts back up, and I watch as Selma steps out on stage.

Someone in the crowd gives a playful wolf whistle. I don’t blame them.

She looks like she belongs up there, her smooth dark skin lit up beneath the bright lights of the conference room.

The bidding war begins, and just like before, it comes down to two people: Tyler Stone, and a man that I don’t recognize but who’s wearing a flower print shirt under his suit jacket. They go head-to-head for a few long minutes, their paddles flying up.

“Your brother’s an easy spender,” I say, with a laugh. That’s not any better than talking about his interview, but the fact that the auctioneer is talking so fast, and so loud, throws me off a little bit. It’s a lot to keep track of.

“He just likes being flashy. But I’d rather we talk more about you,” says Nathan, abruptly turning the conversation back to me.

I feel like I’m back in middle school, and the teacher’s having us all stand up and rattle off facts about ourselves. I pitch my voice a little bit as I say, “My name is Demi Winters, and my mom was a doctor.”

Nathan looks amused at my choice of introduction. “Was your mom really a doctor?”

“She was,” I say, smiling. The mention of my mom makes me feel a little bit lighter. I reach up and rub my thumb over my golden locket. “But she never made it to department head.”

Someone wolf whistles.

The auctioneer comes to an abrupt halt.

Nathan and I both glance over to see that Tyler has placed the winning bid.

Selma gives him a smile, and soon, she’s joining us with her own flute of champagne.

Another round starts right away. Twins Maggie and Mandy do everything together and the auction is no exception.

Selma shakes her head. “I’m sure you boys are already regretting spending your money so early.”

“Not even close,” says Nathan, reaching out and curling an arm around my waist, pulling me closer to him. “I’m more than happy with my pick.”

Chapter Three

Nathan

There’snotmuchroomfor talking while the bidding is going on. Everyone is happy to drop obscene amounts of cash on events like this.

By the time the auction is over, the future of St. Peters has been properly secured, and I’ve decided that I could grow used to having my arm around Demi’s waist.

“Am I the only one exhausted after listening to that?” Selma asks.

“I’m right there with you,” Demi waves a hand at her face and feigns swooning. “Talk about being worn out.”

“Not too worn out, I hope?” Tyler asks. He offers Selma his hand. “I was thinking that you and I could step outside for a moment.”

Selma’s expression turns giddy. She shoots Demi a look, and then nods, letting Tyler lead her away.

I hook my arm through Demi’s and lead her over to a more quiet spot. I ask, laughing, “So, are you the sort to discuss work off-hours, or should we pick a different topic to try and pass the time?”

She laughs, too. “It's good to see that I’m not the only one who doesn’t know what to do with the ‘purchased social time’. It feels like the opposite of how a date normally goes.”

“Tell me about it,” I say, with a shake of the head.

“Hard to believe that so many people signed up for this. Hopefully, they aren’t all grasping for straws like me.” I pause for a second, thinking about my rusty flirting skills. “Tyler said that you are still a resident?” I ask, tilting my head to the side. “Have you always been at St. Peters?”

It’s so much easier to focus on the conversation without the auctioneer rattling off in the background. Demi must feel the same way because there’s a far more relaxed slope to her shoulders now.

She nods. “I have been. Three years so far. I’m in the cardiac ward.”

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