Page 4 of The Marriage Auction 2: Part 2

JACK

There was a weight of some kind pressing directly on my chest as I slowly started to come out of dreamland. A purring rumble entered my sleepy brain as I opened my eyes to find myself face-to-face with a black cat with striking yellow eyes.

I stared at it, and it, in turn, stared at me.

“Um, hello there, furry friend. Are you a nice kitty or a mean one?”

The animal brought its face closer to mine, and I held perfectly still. I did not want to be attacked by a strange cat by startling it. To my surprise, it rubbed its forehead against mine, the purring sound increasing in volume.

“You’re a nice cat.” I lifted my hand and stroked its silky body from head to tail.

In response, it rubbed more of itself against my hand, demanding more pets. I was happy to oblige. I liked animals, but didn’t have time for them back home since I spent most of my time at work.

I sat up and cradled the cat in my lap as I looked around Summer’s bedroom. The woman herself was nowhere to be found. The bathroom door had been left ajar, and I couldn’t hear any sounds that would suggest she was close. I glanced over to the end tables. No clocks. I continued to scan the room; shedidn’t have a single timepiece anywhere. Perhaps she used her phone as an alarm. I had a clock in every room back home so I wouldn’t be late. I doubted my free-spirited fiancée would have the same philosophy.

I grinned at the thought of Summer. My fiancée. The woman was something to behold. When she dropped her robe last night, baring her naked body without a hint of concern about her nudity, I fell a little in love with her. That kind of confidence was inspirational and incredibly attractive. Granted, her body was insane. Breasts that were a nice handful, rounded hips, soft stomach, and toned legs that I fantasized wrapped around my waist more than once. She wasn’t a hardbody gym type girl, but she wasn’t all soft either. She was perfect for me. Which made me eager to see how she was fairing this morning. I looked forward to finding her and seeing what was in store for the day. With a woman like Summer and her family, all I knew was that it would be interesting.

Smiling, I went to move the cat off me and it meowed loudly and dug its claws into my shirt in objection.

“You want to come with me?” I curled my arm around its lithe form and scooted out of bed and cradled it in my arms as I went to the bathroom, setting him or her down on the vanity so I could do my business. The cat waited patiently for me to do my thing, brush my teeth, and wash my face before it meowed a demand.

Maybe it was hungry. “Did your mom forget to feed you?” I scooped it back into my arms and headed out of the room and down the three flights of stairs. “I’ll find your food bowl and check it out,” I promised the cat.

To my delight, it meowed a couple times in response.

When I made it to the kitchen, I noted coffee was already brewed and the cabinet where mugs were housed was wide open, clearly an invitation to make myself a cup.

My cat friend jumped from my arms onto the counter, and I set about pouring myself coffee. I went to the fridge and found some milk, adding a hefty dose before putting it away and closing the cupboard.

The cat bolted to the floor and went over to what I assumed was a door that led to the garden orbackyardas Americans called it. I frowned as the cat scratched at the door and meowed, which was also when I heard the sound of female laughter coming from outside.

I smiled at the noise and opened the door. The cat walked out as I exited. It looked up at me, waiting, seemingly expecting something. I realized the cat wanted me to pick it up and hold it again. I chuckled as I scooped up my new friend once more, coffee in one hand, lazy cat in the other as I set about finding my bride.

Two distinct female voices could be heard as I walked along a winding path that led deeper into the yard. There were towering trees, intricate bushes, crawling green vines, and lush flowering plants everywhere the eye could see. Someone had not only a green thumb, but fully greenhandsif the wonderland I was walking through had been done by one person. Summer was a horticulturist, and her business was plants. If she could do all of this in her own yard, I couldn’t wait to see what her business created.

I came to a fork in the path where there was a little wooden sign with two arrows. One arrow said:There be dragons that way, the other:Be nice to the gnomes.

I chose the gnomes on instinct that led to a path with a variety of garden gnome ornaments in varying poses. One was meditating, another climbing a tree, one hung from a branch, another sat on the edge of a small trickling fountain. It was bizarre, unlike anything I’d encountered before, but also charming and entertaining to look at. There was somethingspecial and unique in every little nook and cranny, whether it be a small statue of a toad, a stack of painted rocks, a suncatcher, even a little pond that was home to orange, white, and black koi fish swimming peacefully.

This place was an escape from reality, a breath of fresh air, a way to connect with nature without having to leave your own house. It was damn impressive and made me wonder what Summer would do with my homes. I looked forward to seeing what she could come up with to make them more cozy and less minimalist.

Finally, I came upon my girl who was bent in half, pointing at the dirt where Autumn had dug a hole. Summer was wearing a tiny slip dress that rode up showing a tiny bit of cheek, her long bare legs on full display. I had to grit my teeth as the sunlight shown straight through the flimsy white cotton and outlined the pert shape of her breasts and erect nipples.

“No, I think it would look better there,” Summer instructed, her bare feet and knees covered in dirt and bits of mulch. She’d obviously been at this for a while.

“Ohh, good idea. Then I’ll encircle it with the river rocks I gathered last week. It will look awesome,” Autumn gushed.

“Totally, sis. That is badass! Look at you, coming up with all the cool ideas,” Summer stated with appreciation.

Autumn looked at Summer and smiled sweetly. “It’s because I have an excellent teacher.”

Apparently the two of them could stop bickering long enough to actually be kind to one another. This dynamic was curious to say the least.

“Which reminds me, you were going to show me exactly where on the foot to press in order to loosen the muscles in the lower back.” Summer lifted her dirty foot and placed it on her sister’s bare knee. Autumn didn’t so much as blink at the move,and instead grabbed Summer’s foot, flexed it and pressed her fingers into a specific spot.

“How about right there?” Autumn asked while manipulating the arch of Summer’s foot.

“Gaaaawwwwd, right there. For goddess’ sake that feels good.” She groaned in appreciation, rubbing her lower back.

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