The Bid Page 3

  "What for? Drinking?"

  "Going home with a strange man."

  "Am I strange?"

  "You know what I mean. I don't ever do this sort of thing."

  I put on my most innocent voice. "We're just going so I can prove I live in an ordinary house. That's all."

  "Of course," she said, putting a mock stern look on her face. "Absolutely."

  As I drove, I couldn't help but think of Elora and the last auction I'd taken part in. She'd come home with me in much the same way. After it all went wrong, I had no desire for another relationship for a long time. Until Alice. Until she appeared with those twinkling eyes and that perfect smile, the one she was giving me as I turned the corner and put my foot down. "Go on then," she said. "Why is this car so good?"

  "Because the heating gets going really quickly."

  "What? Seriously?"

  I nodded. "Would I lie to you?"

  "You're pulling my leg."

  "I'm really not. Aren't you feeling warm already."

  "I suppose so. But surely there's heating in supercars."

  "Nowhere near as good, trust me."

  Silence for a minute before she spoke. "So what are you going to do to me when we get in?"

  "I'm going to cook you something."

  "You don't have a personal chef to do that for you?"

  "Not at nearly midnight. I do like him to get some sleep sometimes."

  "That's very magnanimous of you."

  "I'm a generous guy. I'm even thinking of paying him one of these days."

  "Stop it, you're breaking my heart."

  She was grinning and I couldn't help smiling too. I thought of Elora, of the way things had gone, the way they'd ended. I thought of how empty the house had been since then, how lonely life could be without someone there by your side. I looked at Alice and tried to picture life with her. What would it be like?

  I got the feeling there would be a lot of jokes. Quite a bit of sarcasm too. Plenty of cheek. If she got too cheeky, I could always spank the sass out of her. That thought got me thinking about her bare ass pointing towards me.

  I glanced down at her chest, almost hitting a parked car as my eyes refused to look away. What would happen if I tore her clothes off her? Told her to strip for me maybe? I could watch her peel those things off until she was naked and then...well then I had a lot of things lined up, far too many for just one night.

  We pulled into the driveway just as she finished the bottle and by then I needed a drink myself. One glass of wine was my limit when I was driving but now I was home, I could have more. I would need it if I was going to calm the rising need inside me. It made me want to take her before we even got out of the car.

  Did she realise the risk she was in coming home with me? How I might not let her go? How I was planning to do things to her that would make her scream my name?

  "Welcome to my home," I said, opening her car door and holding out my hand to help her out. "Told you it wasn't a penthouse."

  FIVE

  ALICE

  It might not have been a penthouse but it was much more than just a house. It was almost as big as the club, a huge red brick building that looked like it should come with it's own retinue of liveried staff. If a butler had appeared on the doorstep to greet me, I wouldn't have been surprised.

  If a horse had wandered past and the groom nodded, "Evening Master Powers," I'd have thought it perfectly normal.

  "What do you think?" he asked, leading me up the steps to the door.

  "It's all right," I said with a shrug. "Not as big as mine, obviously, but for you, it'll do."

  "I'm glad it meets your approval. Now what would you like to eat? I've got a kitchen that can do pretty much everything."

  "Can it order me a lemon chicken from the Red Dragon?"

  "That's what you want to eat?"

  I nodded, the craving for it growing stronger by the second. It was always the same when I had wine. "Sod the carbs, get me that with fried rice and I'll worship you forever."

  "I'll remember you said that."

  He unlocked the front door and we stepped inside to a wall of heat. Compared to the icy cold wind on the drive, this was bliss. "Plenty of pauper orphans keeping the boiler going I'm guessing," I said as we headed along a wide hallway.

  "Only the poorest. They burn the hottest."

  I giggled, the empty bottle slipping from my hand as I did so. "Whoops," I said as it hit the floor with a thud, somehow not smashing but instead rolling slowly away behind me.

  "You're sloshed," he said.

  "Maybe a bit. Just don't take advantage of me."

  "I'll try not to. Now do you want anything else apart from the number seventeen."

  "Nope. Hang on, how do you know it's a number seventeen?"

  He lowered his voice. "Don't tell my chef but I might sometimes order it myself."

  "Your secret's safe with me," I said before yelling, "Ethan orders lemon shicken from Red Dragon takeaway."

  "Shicken?"

  "Chicken."

  "Not shicken?"

  "Shush."

  You mean chush."

  "You're teasing me."

  Only a little."

  He pushed open the door to a drawing room like something out of a Merchant Ivory film. The only pretension to modernity was a phone on the far wall and a flatscreen TV in the corner. He picked up the phone. "Hi, Lee. Not too late to order am I? Great. Two seventeens and a twenty-three. Wonderful, thanks."

  He hung up the phone and turned back to me. "Do you want to sit down?"

  "I'm not sure. Are you allowed to sit on museum pieces?"

  "Are you complaining about the furniture?"

  "It's not exactly Ikea quality, is it?"

  "Maybe not but can you forgive me?"

  "For now but you better get some flat pack in your life soon or you'll regret it when these things crumble to dust."

  "That's lasted three hundred years so far. I think we'll be all right."

  I sat on a sofa so soft, I was almost swallowed by it. He took the seat opposite, sitting in an armchair and looking suddenly masterful. It came with a slight shift of his body language, his facial expression hardening at the same time. "While we're waiting for the food, we should talk."

  "Oh, should we? What about?"

  "About what wine to have with it."

  I cheered. "You're my kind of guy."

  "Glad to hear it. What would you like?"

  "Can we have the one we had at the club?"

  "The Lafite? I might have a bottle or two in the cellar. Be back in a minute."

  While he was gone, I sat back and examined the room. It was like I was dreaming. I'd started the night working behind the bar, just another shift like the last week's worth. Now I was in some billionaire's mansion while he brought me wine and Chinese food as if he was my servant. Not only that but he'd paid seventy-five thousand for the privilege of enjoying my company.

  I thought about him, about how quick his replies had been when we'd been talking. He clearly had a mind as sharp as the suit he wore. What was under that suit? I found myself thinking about that more and more as I waited. He'd said it was just an evening of company but I remembered Rowena's words. Everything was negotiable.

  He wouldn't have invited me back if he wasn't interested in me. I didn't know why he would want someone like me but he did. I'd take that. Time to bring my flirting game to the fore.

  It took him a while to get back and when he did, I was ready, leaning forwards, hint of cleavage on display, toes turned inwards, trying to act all innocent.

  "Your wine," he said as the doorbell rang from far down the hallway. "And your food too by the sounds of it."

  He left the open bottle and glasses with me and I poured out two generous quantities, sipping at mine while I waited. It really did taste good, sweet and subtle and there was the glass emptied already. Oh well, time for more.

  It never occurred to me to wonder why I was drinking so quickly. If I'd stop
ped to think about it, I might have realised I was trying to drink away my anxiety. I had been insanely nervous since the moment my name was called out. The vodka from Rowena had helped take the edge of it and then when he'd given me wine, I'd gulped it down, my nerves fading more and more as the level in the bottle started to run down. Now I was having another glass but I wasn't thinking why, I was thinking how much fun this was, how much I wanted him, how relaxed I felt.

  He walked back in with the food, handing me chopsticks which I tried and failed to use. "I'm normally really good at this," I said as I flung another portion of rice onto the floor. "Honest."

  "I have a back up," he said, producing a fork from nowhere. "Try this."

  "You don't trust me?"

  "I just think carpets look better without the paddy field look to them, that's all."

  When we'd eaten, I sat back and sighed. "That was good."

  "Yes it was," he agreed. "Now we need to talk properly."

  "No we don't," I said. "We've done enough talking. What we need to do is get down to kissing." Wine had upped my flirting game off the charts.

  I stood up and slid my skirt up enough to reveal my thigh. "What do you think?"

  "I think you're drunk."

  "No, I'm not," I said, sounding indignant as I swayed across to him. "Kiss me."

  "You are drunk. You'd never say that otherwise."

  "Come on," I said, reaching up and fumbling with my top, trying to tease him, thinking it was a great idea, a fantastic way to show him I wanted him.

  I can't remember much about what happened after that. I remember saying some other words but they might have been anything. I remember suddenly feeling incredibly hot and knowing that it was my clothes that were stopping me from cooling down. I needed to get rid of them. I remember a little voice telling me that was a bad idea. Then I remember a gap and then trying to kiss him but as I walked forwards, things went dark.

  Then I don't remember anything at all.

  SIX

  ETHAN

  Seventy five thousand had got me a drunken strip show if nothing else. It wasn't exactly what I had planned though. She was clearly not used to drinking that much.

  From sitting on the sofa and slurring her woods to stripping out of her clothes in a couple of minutes. If I was less of a man I might have taken advantage of the half naked drunk girl unconscious on the rug. But I couldn't do that, much as my cock throbbed at the sight of her body in panties and bra.

  She looked good, really good, before she passed out. Slipping her top over her head had revealed a lacy white bra that was thin enough to make out the colour of her nipples within. Then she'd slid her skirt off and stood there pouting at me.

  Then she stumbled forwards, those slender legs losing their balance as she slumped forwards, mumbling to herself as she did so. Then she snored. It was the most adorable sound.

  "Are you all right?" I asked, looking down at her.

  No reply.

  I shook my head slowly as I leaned down and scooped her up into my arms. The feel of her skin under my hands was as close to her as I got that night. So much for winning the auction. Making her mine. That would have to wait.

  I carried her through to the guest bedroom nearest my own, trying not to look down at her body, my cock was throbbing painfully enough as it was. I could feel the warmth and softness of her skin and it was torture without adding looking at her into the equation.

  I laid her down on the bed, ignoring her mumbles as she rolled onto her side, facing away from me. I took a single glance at her perfect ass in those panties before I covered her with the blankets, tucking her in gently.

  "Good night, Alice," I whispered as I headed for the landing.

  I turned out the lights on the way out. She didn't make a sound. Then I pulled the door quietly closed and turned away. I got into my room and sat on the bed. I couldn't get the image of her body out of my head. It made me ache deep inside to know she was so close to me. I wanted her closer. I also didn't want her to leave.

  The night had gone by far too quickly. From putting her name into the hat to getting her home to putting her to bed. It had been a blur.

  The house felt different with her in it. It felt like a home. It had been a long time since it had felt that way. I might have staff moving about the place, cooking and cleaning for me, but that wasn't the same.

  I got up, heading downstairs. Once I got there, I collected her skirt and her top. They both smelt of her. It was intoxicating.

  For a moment, I was unable to move, it was like the ghost of her was entering my nostrils. It had never been like that with Elora. It was hard to put my finger on why but this was different. Maybe it was because Elora had been working the club floor, used to all the things that went on in there.

  Alice was different. She seemed shocked by everything, like she was experiencing it for the first time. Was she a virgin? That would explain her fear. It wasn't just that. She was excited too, there was a glint in her eyes and a cheek to her manner. I liked it.

  She even got drunk in her own cute way, not getting belligerent, just trying a fumbling attempt at seducing me before passing out.

  I left her clothes outside her bedroom door before returning to my own room. I climbed into bed and turned out the bedside light. In the dark, my mind returned to how she'd looked stood in her underwear. She'd looked amazing. I wanted her more than anything. My night with her might be over but she hadn't left yet. There was still the morning.

  I woke up early the next day, taking a second to recall what had happened last night. Then I was up and heading downstairs. "Good morning, Sir," Eaves said as I walked into the kitchen. "Breakfasting early today?"

  "I'm going to cook, Eaves," I replied. "Go and take the morning for yourself."

  "Thank you, Sir."

  I paid him enough for there to be no questions. Once I had the kitchen to myself, I started to cook. She would wake up soon and if I was any judge of her, she'd need a decent meal to start the day, help clear the fog. She'd had nearly two bottles of Lafite to herself. That would be enough to make anyone groggy.

  When would she want to leave? I realised I had no idea. I hadn't planned this far ahead. I'd made it possible to claim her for myself but I hadn't thought through what to do the next day. It hadn't gone at all to plan. I hadn't aimed for her to be so drunk she passed out. She'd done that all by herself. What I could do though was ask her to stay another night. It wasn't in the rules of the auction what happened afterwards, that was for us to negotiate.

  I could make her stay. The thought sent a spark of excitement through me. I could tell her she wasn't leaving until I said so. How would she react to that? Would she submit? Or run for the door, calling the police as she went, wanting to report a kidnapping?

  I heard movement on the stairs. Just in time. Another few minutes and the bacon would be burned. Any minute now she would appear in the doorway. I had a ridiculous hope that she would still be in her underwear. The thought was enough to make my cock twitch. Let her taste breakfast first. Then I would taste her.

  SEVEN

  ALICE

  I woke up in a strange bed. Had I gone back in time? A four poster bed with wood panelling on the walls. There were a couple of moments of bliss where I had no idea what was going on. Then it all came flooding back to me and I cringed so hard, I nearly bit my tongue in half. How had I been so utterly, monumentally stupid?

  I'd been lucky enough to come back to the house of Ethan Powers and what had I done with that opportunity? I'd gotten so drunk, I'd tried and failed to kiss him. Not only that but I had a horrible feeling I'd done something more, something worse.

  I winced as I lifted the blankets and looked underneath. It had happened. It wasn't a bad dream. I'd stripped down to my bra and panties right there in front of him. I groaned as I remembered what I'd done.

  He hadn't even been interested. I remember him just sitting there not doing anything and then I was here. How had I gotten to bed? Had he brought
me? One of his servants? Or had I managed to do it while half asleep?

  It was a nice bed, heavy silk sheets that took the edge of a burning hangover. I had drunk too much? I had drunk an ocean of wine. I had drunk to take the edge off my nerves. Well, it had certainly made me less nervous. Less inhibited. Less dressed.

  I sat up and looked around the room. Where were my clothes? "Please tell me they're not still downstairs," I said out loud as I got to my feet. With the blanket wrapped around me, I shuffled over to the door and pulled it open to look out. "Anyone there?"

  I couldn't hear anything but I could see my skirt and top folded neatly on the floor in front of me. I reached out and grabbed them before retreating to the safety of the room.

  Once I was dressed, I felt a little better, though my head was still pounding and I was in yesterday's clothes. I couldn't stay in here all morning. I had to get home at some point, get showered, get changed, get ready for work tonight.

  It was only when I walked downstairs that I realised how hungry I was. It was always the same when I had a hangover. I went from the appetite of a songbird on a diet to wanting to vacuum up an entire fridge of food. The smell of bacon drew me along the hallway like I was a cartoon character drifting along a visible cloud of scent and I eventually found a kitchen the size of my entire place. At the far end, about a mile and a half away, he was pouring out two mugs of coffee.

  "Morning," he said, walking over and passing one of the steaming mugs to me. "Sleep well?"

  "Yes, thanks. Listen, about last night. Can I just say sorry for-"

  "It's fine," he said. "Don't even worry about it. Just go through there and get sat down or it'll get cold."

  "You made breakfast? I'm honoured."

  He nodded. "Now go sit."

  I did as he said, walking through a door into the adjoining dining room. There was a long dark wooden table in the middle of the room, morning light streaming through the tall windows in the far wall. I had barely sat myself down before he appeared with plates piled high with bacon, eggs, and beans. "Perfect," I said with a grin. "How did you know?"