Page 51 of Highest Bidder

Then I saw another on the end table.

And another on the mantel.

By the time I stepped back and looked around, the whole room glowed in soft light. It was romantic as fuck; the only thing missing was soft music.

That’s when I spotted the Bose speaker on the side table. I picked up my phone and tapped Bluetooth. It connected without a password, which to me, seemed like serendipity.

Without thinking too hard, I opened my music app and scrolled to a playlist labeledLate Nights.

A slow, sexy song poured out of the speaker, and I sat down on the couch with my wineglass just as I saw lights in the driveway.

****

Jeff

I came into the house through the garage and hung my keys on the hook next to the door before walking further into the house.

I’d hurried home—notbecause I was anxious to see her. But because my cock hadn’t been drained in five days, and it was overdue.

That was all.

I was late and was half expecting to find her asleep on the couch, naked. I’d wake her up with my dick in her mouth.

Instead, I walked into the living room and found candlelight and music.

Soft and slow, the kind of song no one plays by accident. The living room glowed. Every flat surface had a candle on it—mantel, end table, bookshelf. The air smelled like candle wax and whatever perfume she wore that had clung to my sheets all week.

She was sitting on the couch in a black lace teddy and holding a glass of wine like she belonged there.

Something tightened in my chest at the sight of her. I liked coming home to this. For a split second, I didn’t move, I just looked at her.

And then the second passed.

She didn’t live here. She wasn’t my girlfriend, and this wasn’t a date night.

This was a transaction. She was being paid to be here.

“I didn’t realize I was coming home to a Hallmark movie,” I quipped as I moved further inside the room.

She looked around with that damn smile I was becoming addicted to.

“Sorry, I went a little overboard.”

My voice was cold when I replied, “I don’t recall you asking if this would be okay.”

Her smile faltered, but she held her ground.

“I just thought—” she started.

“That’s the problem,” I cut in. “You’re here so I can use your holes, not to think, and definitely not to cover up what belongs to me.”

Her mouth opened slightly and her eyes widened. I’d pissed her off.

Good.

She set her glass down with a thud, then went about blowing out the candles without a word. The room went eerily quiet when she killed the music; smoke filled the air.

She whirled around and glared at me, then gestured to the lingerie she had on.

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