Page 18 of Merry on the Mountain
Fuck, if only she’d replace her gaze with her hands. She notices my hands flex and looks back up at me. Mischief sparkles in her expression.
“So, who should I bid on?” she asks, looking around the room at the various men waiting to be cattle called up to the stage.
“Me.”
Her smile is quick. “Just you?” She arches a slim brow. “I want to make sure I get my money’s worth.”
“I’ll make it worth your while.” My eyes fall back to her mouth and that sexy as hell smirk she’s so good at wearing.
She hums as though she’s not sure. “I’ll think about it.”
Ava’s voice comes over the sound system, calling all the bachelors over to the stage. Willa puts her hand on my chest and gives me a little nudge.
“Go on. Duty calls.”
Fuck, I want to sink my fingers into those long golden strands and press my lips to hers. I’m almost desperate enough to beg her to bid on me. Actually, I am desperate enough, butjust as I’m about to drop to my knees, Aiden hooks his hand around my bicep and pulls me away.
“Time to go,” he says jovially. “Hey, Willow, right?” He pauses when he sees who I’m speaking to.
“Willa.” She offers her hand.
“Right.” He shakes her hand. “Sorry to get in the middle of whatever’s going on here, but he needs to get up on stage.”
“Are you being auctioned off as well?” she asks.
“I am.” His chest puffs up.
“I do love a well-prepared meal.” She knows exactly what she’s doing.
“You know who to bid on, then.” He winks at her.
“I can cook, and I’m right next door.” The words are out of my mouth before I even process them.
“Good to know.” She smiles and turns to disappear into the crowd.
I watch her go until Aiden yanks me in the opposite direction. “Let’s go. Ava will kick our asses if we’re late.”
I follow him through the crowd of women who look at us with a ridiculous amount of interest. I’m no stranger to the spotlight, but it’s been a while since I’ve felt the harsh glow like this. It’s wild how becoming a father changed me so completely. Not that I’m upset about the change, it’s the polar opposite, actually.
I love the simple life I’m giving Izzy. Though, it’d be a lie to say having Willa so close doesn’t make me wonder what it’d be like to have a partner. Not just someone to warm my bed, but someone to brush Izzy’s hair and tag team life with.
We get to the hall behind the saloon’s little stage, and Ava and another woman from the shelter line us all up. They rearrange a few of the guys, and then get to Aiden, Ben, Noah, and me. Ava yanks me to the front of our little group.
“You’re first, then Ben, Aiden, and Noah. Melody will be reading the intros you gave us. They were all pretty dry, so I took the liberty of adding some flair.”
“What does that mean?” Aiden asks. “And why are you not presenting us?”
She holds up a paddle. “I’m bidding.”
Aiden might miss the look that passes between her and Ben, but I sure as fuck don’t. When she moves down the line to whisper and argue with Aiden, I raise a brow at Ben. They work together, she’s a teacher at his school, and there’s definitely a story here. He gives me a slight head shake and looks away.
There are about a dozen guys before us, and I watch as one by they’re auctioned off to the crowd of raucous women. The starting bids are two-hundred-and-fifty dollars, and some go much higher. I’m not sure what Willa’s financial situation is; hopefully, she can get me at an affordable price.
The guy in front of me is auctioned off at seven-hundred-and-fifteen dollars, and then my name is called. I step onto the stage and give the crowd a little wave. Behind me there are photos projected of animals from the shelter that are available for adoption now. There’s one dog that catches my eye as a possibility for Izzy. I make a mental note to ask Ava about it.
When Ava said she added flair, she actually meant she added that I’m a former football player with a Super Bowl ring to my name. I specifically left that out of my bio because I don’t want to deal with any possible jersey chasers. Women all over the floor glance at each other with interest. It’s for charity, though, so I paste on the cocky smirk I used to wear on the sidelines.
My eyes search the crowd for Willa, but I can’t see any faces past the first few rows because of the spotlight shining on me. The bidding opens, and the numbers start climbing higher and higher. My pulse increases every time I see a different paddle liftinto the air. There’s someone at the back of the crowd who keeps topping everyone’s bid. I can only hope it’s her.
