Page 56 of The C*ck Down the Block

The gavel hit the block, and the room burst into applause. That one bid was more than any other class had ever raised at one of these Honeybee Alumni fundraisers in the history of the school as far as I knew. I handed the microphone over to Marie, who was due up to auction the next item. She gave me a smile and a wink.

I stepped off the stage, and Lulu rushed over to me.

“What was that all about?” I kept my voice low, so the others around me wouldn’t hear. I pasted a fake smile on my face so it would just look like I was congratulating her. “Tell me that was Chris, because you don’t have that much money, and I’m pretty sure Rachel will notice if you don’t pay.”

Chris came up behind me and grabbed me around the waist, pulling me against his chest. He bent and whispered softly in my ear. “Some things are too important to leave to chance.”

Lulu grinned and did not speak quietly at all. “Sometimes, you’ve got to put your money where your mouth is. Besides, Mina is a huge fan. Aren’t you, honey?”

Mina snorted. “Huge.”

I caught sight of Rachel weaving her way through the crowd toward us, and more of them were paying attention to us than the next item up for bid. Her lips were curled in what looked like a congratulatory smile, but her eyes... well, they still had that razor-sharp glint I’d learned to be wary of.

“Wow, Lulu, that was some aggressive bidding,” Rachel said, once she reached us. “You must really want to hang out on a football field.”

Lulu grinned. “Oh, you have no idea.”

“Congrats to you then,” Rachel said, her eyes suddenly shifting to Chris, who had his arm wrapped protectively around my waist. “It’s going to be quite an experience, spending that much time with such a talented quarterback.”

Her voice oozed insinuation, and she took a step closer to Chris. “I’m sure he could teach you quite a few... techniques.”

My stomach churned, but I clamped down on the surge of insecurity that tried to rise.

“Oh, I’m sure we’ll have a great time,” he said, his eyes never leaving mine.

Rachel’s lips tightened, the veneer of her gracious-loser act cracking just a bit. “Well, enjoy your prize. I do hope it doesn’t strain your pocketbook to pay. And you will pay, won’t you? I’d hate to have to inform the school administration how much we raised, but then only give them a small portion of that number.”

With a final, lingering glance at Chris, she walked away, joining Amanda and Lacey, a few yards away.

Chris leaned into me as one of the cowgirls announced the next auction item. “I had my eye on that Vegas trip for us. A romantic weekend getaway, maybe during our bye-week. Unless you want to go up to Bear Claw Valley with the rest of the family. What do you think?”

“You don’t have to bid on something else. I think maybe you’re already on the hook for a huge donation to St. Ambrose. But remind me to put in for that week off, because I’d love to go to Bear Claw with everyone.” Mr. Kingman liked to take his whole family back to his hometown, now a ski resort, in the mountains for his annual charity 5K. We’d gone up to the resort a few times with the Kingmans when I was younger, but I hadn’t been in years.

“Sweetheart, I promise I can afford it. Besides, I’m betting you haven’t tried hotel sex yet.”

Oh geez. I swatted him but mostly to distract from the blush rising up my cheeks. “Shh. How about Vegas to celebrate your next championship win?”

I was manifesting both that we’d be together then and that he’d win the big game again this year too.

He gave me a little boop to the nose. “I like how you think, chickadee.”

“A luxurious weekend in Vegas, ladies and gentlemen,” Cowgirl Stephanie announced. “We’re talking a suite, fine dining, and a top-rated show. Starting the bid at five thousand dollars.” She waved toward her husband and pointed toward the certificate like she wanted him to bid on it.

“Five thousand,” Chris called out without hesitation, his eyes never leaving mine.

A giddy kind of warmth washed over me. It wasn’t about the money or even the trip. It was that look in his eyes—the excitement, the intent—that made me feel incredibly special.

“Six thousand,” Rachel piped up, her voice dripping with faux sweetness.

I felt my heart sink momentarily. She couldn’t outbid Chris. She knew it and so did everyone else. He’d just proven that. She was running up the tab, just to spite us for thwarting her plans.

Chris gave me a playful wink. “Ten thousand.”

“Fifteen,” Rachel smirked, convinced Chris would take the bait. How far was she going to push this? I had a feeling it would be more than that fifty grand mark from before.

Chris looked at me with that competitive glint in his eye that I knew all too well. “Watch this. Twenty.”

Rachel countered immediately. “Twenty-five.”

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