Natalie Acres (10 page)

“Don’t worry about Cherie. Confide in me, Kimberly.”

The sincerity in his voice was like a green light.

“I’ve been at auction several times.”

He squared his shoulders. A frown drew his brows together and he looked displeased.

“You said you were aware of the fact,” she reminded him.

“Go on.”

“I don’t remember much about any of them. Being in a large lineup comes to mind. I recall entering a ring, walking around, being led around or what have you, but outside of the auctioneer slamming down the gavel and yelling, ‘Sold!’ there isn’t much else to tell.”

“Did you spend time with other Doms?”

“I’m not sure, but I don’t think I ever spent time with any of them. Jason—well let’s just say I have no idea why Jason ever took me to a benefit. He refused to honor the hourly contracts with any of the Dominants, and in the end, I assumed his motivation was based on some sort of Dom-sub game we played. I don’t think he ever had any intentions of letting the bidders spend time alone with me.”

“He paraded you around for show,” Wyatt suggested.

“That was the universal accusation.”

“But you don’t remember much about these auctions?”

“Nothing more than what I’ve just shared with you.”

“Are you sure?” he asked, seemingly interested in learning everything about her in a short period of time. “Did you know any of the men who attended these functions?”

A flash of hard male flesh entered her mind. With six-pack abs cut from perfection and a golden mane of perfect hair, one man had always been at the center of the Carolina auctions. She couldn’t remember his name, but she damn well remembered his face.

“Kimberly?” Wyatt pressed. “Did you remember something?”

“Just a man.”

Wyatt’s lips twitched. “Gauging the look on your face, he must’ve been some man.”

“He was,” she said, realizing regret strummed through her voice. She started to explain herself and the Dom she’d met on several occasions, but after a quick glance at Wyatt, she realized it wasn’t necessary.

A confident Dom, Wyatt apparently didn’t feel slighted by her confession. And why would he? Wyatt was there beside her and this other stranger was now nothing more than a figment of her faded imagination.

Cherie popped in again. This time, she rushed the settee, grabbed Kimberly’s hand, and pulled her to her feet. “If you want to spend time with her now, Wyatt, you’ll have to buy your time like everyone else.”

“I will, you know,” Wyatt assured Kimberly before Cherie whisked her away.

She smiled to herself as she followed the petite bundle of fire down the hallway and behind a drawn curtain. She had extraordinary faith that Wyatt would keep his promise.

He’d pay a pretty penny to spend the evening with her, but he could’ve gotten off cheap. She would’ve spent the night with him and it wouldn’t have cost him a dime.

“The conversation with Neely went exceptionally well,” Sebastian said, taking his seat beside Wyatt.

“Hello to you, too.” Wyatt slapped his lifelong friend between the shoulder blades. “Everything in place?”

“You’d better believe it,” Sebastian replied, briskly rubbing his palms together.

“You spoke to Kane?” Wyatt asked.

“Followed your advice and earned his blessing.”

“I doubt that.” Wyatt shrugged.

“Scout’s honor.”

“You weren’t a Scout,” Wyatt reminded him. “And your honor may be in question by the time this is over. What’d Kane say?”

“Like I said, we have his blessing. And he told me to assure Kimberly the club is in good hands so she won’t feel the need to rush right home.”

Wyatt winced at that image. From what he’d seen of Ansley, she took hold of responsibility about as well as Sebastian planned for eventual parenthood—without the first consideration.

“He must hate Neely worse than rumors suggest.”

“That may be a gross understatement. Kimberly’s parents heard about Kimberly’s experiences at the auctions. One of her godparents happened to be in attendance at one of the events.”

“What?” Wyatt asked, wondering if Kimberly had any idea.

“It’s true. Joshua McKay, apparently her godfather, saw a nice episode similar to the first one we witnessed at Lynx.”

“The McKays are family friends. They’re good people,” Wyatt said. “I’ve met Joshua. Patience McKay is Ansley and Kimberly’s partner at Clink.”

“Active lifestylers?”

“Who, the McKays? Oh yeah,” Wyatt drawled. “I’m surprised you haven’t heard of Joshua and Aspen. They traveled the same circles as you and Jason. Their brother is the town doctor in Fletcher. In fact, he’s my physician.”

“We’ll find you another doctor,” Sebastian teased.

“As far as I know, I’m healthy as a horse.” He snickered. “Hung like one, too.”

“Debatable,” Sebastian grumbled. “Tell me you haven’t already been playing around with our girl.”

“I’ve been the perfect gentleman.”

“I find that hard to believe,” Sebastian said.

“Tell me again why she won’t be pissed when she finds out we set up this whole thing?”

“I can’t promise she won’t be furious, but she’ll have thirty minutes to decide if she likes you enough to spend the weekend with you. If she doesn’t think she can tolerate your ass for that long then we move to plan B.”

“What’s plan B again?”

“I’ll come up with one if she doesn’t march her pretty little ass out on stage when she’s supposed to.”

Wyatt rubbed his jaw. “How’d it go with Neely?”

“Excellent,” Sebastian replied. “I sent him the photo we plucked from the security cameras. He’s properly pissed and I’m pleasantly pleased with the conversation.”

“Got a thing for
p
’s tonight?”

Sebastian laughed. “I’ll let you know after we see Kimberly stretched out on that big bed of mine with her legs and arms bound to the four posts.”

“You’re getting ahead of yourself.”

“I don’t think so. Remember, I’ve bumped into her on several occasions and each time we meet, there’s that undeniable chemistry. Even in front of Neely, she showed her interest.” He grinned. “The night is young. The woman will soon be ours for the taking.”

“About that,” Wyatt said, noting the auctioneer walking to the podium. “She was with Jason this morning.”

Sebastian scowled. “With him how?”

“Oh you know, the usual.”

“Usual as in a consummated affair?”

“What do you think?” Wyatt asked, his voice elevated. “They fucked.”

“And you know this how?”

“She told me.”

Sebastian frowned. “She’s already that open and honest with you? I don’t buy it. Were you prowling around in her personal life?”

“I might have
probed
her a bit, but no, she volunteered the information.”

“Another ‘
p
’ word worth exploring,” Sebastian pointed out. His temporary soured mood quickly improved.

“But like I said, she was with him this morning.”

“And you’re trying to imply you don’t like sloppy seconds?” Sebastian arched a brow. “This coming from a man who adamantly professes he cannot fall in love unless there’s someone else around to carry the potential workload involved in cultivating a productive relationship?”

“This has nothing to do with leftovers. She should be punished for the act. That’s all. Before she reaps the rewards of good loving, she needs to take her punishment.”

“Now there’s the king of all
p
words.”

“Gentlemen.” The auctioneer tapped the microphone. “We’re ready to start. Let’s go over the rules for this event.”

As the auctioneer read the regulations set in place by The Elite Gentleman’s Club, sponsor of the Fourth Annual Lifestyle Benefit for Feeding South Carolina and Beyond, Wyatt considered the night ahead of them. He wondered if Kimberly was apprehensive. But more than anything else, he considered how she would react when she realized he wasn’t the only benefactor buying and paying for her time.

“How well do you know Wyatt?” Cherie asked, directing her to the line forming next to a dark curtain.

“I haven’t known him long,” Kimberly admitted. “How about you?”

Cherie tossed her head back and released a contagious laugh. “Wyatt and I go way back.”

For some reason, Kimberly found her admission unsettling. She picked nervously at her shoulder, flicking a loose thread with her pinky.

“Don’t worry, sweetheart,” Cherie said, patting her arm. “He isn’t like most of the guys here.”

“So he isn’t a Dominant?”

“Oh he’s a Dom all right, but he and Sebastian rarely take a sub.”

“Sebastian?”

“Sebastian Ketchum. This is his house.”

“Right,” Kimberly said, wondering why she was suddenly intrigued by the man she’d yet to meet.

“You haven’t had the pleasure. Have you?”

“Of?”

“Meeting him, silly girl,” Cherie replied, waving her hand in front of her face. “Trust me when I tell you, none of us here have really enjoyed the pleasure of Sebastian’s or Wyatt’s company for longer than a minute.”

A few of the other women waiting nearby agreed with Cherie. One woman quickly stepped forward and said, “They think they’re too good for most of us.”

“That’s not true,” Cherie said, blowing her off by turning her back. “Sebastian and Wyatt shared a sub for several years. They were around some of the charity benefits. There was a rumor about Sebastian falling for some woman who was involved with another Dom, a real prick from North Carolina. Apparently, Sebastian purchased her time at an auction like this.”

“Several times,” another woman piped in.

“What happened?” Kimberly asked, trying to remember where she’d heard the name Sebastian Ketchum prior to this evening.

Cherie shrugged. “All I know is he paid a million for a couple of hours and her Dom went ballistic on the charity’s sponsor. Sebastian’s money was returned, but his ego was bruised. If you believe the tales told, he went to several auctions thereafter looking for her. Couldn’t find her and gave up on love altogether.”

“It happens,” Kimberly said, refusing to explore the similarities between Cherie’s story and one of her own. Could Sebastian be the man who had paid for her time on countless occasions only to have Jason refuse to let Kimberly honor her commitment?

“You’re right. It happens.” Cherie winked. “But not to somebody who looks like you. Besides, you’re here with Wyatt, right?”

“Yes.”

“Keep a secret?”

“Sure.” Who the hell would she tell? She didn’t know these people.

“Wyatt Clanton hasn’t brought a woman to any charity auction other than the gal I mentioned earlier.”

“The one he shared with Sebastian?”

“Right,” Cherie replied. “And he never pays for time with any of the subs even when there are benefactors willing to gift him with one of the featured submissives.”

“Wonder why,” Kimberly said, trying to participate in the conversation as much as possible so she wouldn’t think about what awaited beyond the curtain.

“You know how that rumor mill churns,” Cherie said. “Most of the women think he’s a hardcore Dom looking for a slave versus a submissive.”

Kimberly felt her body tighten then. She could certainly see where Wyatt possessed those tendencies.

“Honey, let me tell you, if becoming a slave meant landing in bed with Wyatt and Sebastian? I’d give up all free will and tell them to lead me away in shackles.”

“You would not,” someone said, joining the conversation. “Cherie, you’re all talk.”

Cherie leaned closer. Lowering her voice, she whispered at Kimberly’s ear, “They don’t know me as well as they may think. Wyatt and Sebastian are the ultimate here, baby girl. If you can latch onto one, you’ve got the other. Just remember that.”

“I haven’t met Sebastian,” Kimberly reminded her.

“Oh, but I think you have,” Cherie said mysteriously.

Before Kimberly questioned her, Cherie stepped up to the platform, the appointed place to wait when it was the next sub’s turn to hit the auction block. “Now listen up, friend. I only have a minute to walk you through this. Let me explain what will happen out there.”

Kimberly suddenly felt as if she were fading in and out of reality. As Cherie talked about the process, Kimberly couldn’t help but feel as if someone had walked her through similar protocol a dozen times before.

“Think you can handle this?” Cherie asked, flipping her fiery locks over her shoulder.

Kimberly didn’t respond. She was lost in possibilities. Wyatt hadn’t mentioned sharing her. Then again, he hadn’t mentioned their host at all.

“Did you listen to anything I said?” Cherie adjusted her cone-covered breasts.

“Yes. I appreciate the information.”