Page 12 of Reindeer and Restraints
We both answer yes and I get to work pulling the reins from her. How the hell did she wrap three loops around one wrist? I stroke my thumb over the inside of her wrist. Is she into this kind of thing… in the bedroom, not in the children's barn.
"Thank God I wasn't holding Jane," she says, half-laugh, half-groan.
Sliding the last rein over her shoulder, I'm unable to step away. I fail to do anything but stare. I force out, "You sure you're okay?"
"I'm fine. Bet no one's ever done that before." She returns the strap of the diaper bag to her shoulder. "I'm pretty special."
"Yes, you are." I grab her hands again, not really sure why. The air electrifies. Her sweet vanilla scent floods my senses. I could pull her closer, see if she tastes—what the fuck is wrong with me?
She glances down at our hands, then back up. We just stand there, lost in the moment. I should ask her out. I have to stop her from going to the auction.
Jane's fuss kills the mood. Molly carries the squirmy kid closer, a ripe, unmistakable whiff in the air. Sweet vanilla gone.
"Ewww." Blondie slips free, grabbing Jane. "Gotta handle this."
"Bathroom's that way." I point down the hall and watch her go.
Molly helps rehang one of the reins that fell to the ground. "She's new to this."
"To crashing displays?" I grunt, smoothing my fingers over a leather strap to mask the pounding in my chest.
Molly laughs. "To being a mom." Molly glances toward the door. "Wouldn't even know this place had a kid exhibit if her brother hadn't tipped her off."
Seizing my chance to get more information about Blondie, I ask, "Does he work here?"
"Kind of. He's a mechanic. Comes when needed."
"Jeremy?"
"Yeah."
The pieces slot together. This is Jolene. She looks a lot different than the picture I saw of her, different hair color and without makeup. But now I see it. That’s why I’m so drawn to her. She’s the forbidden woman I’ve been craving.
I can't ask her out, Jeremy would kill me. But if I win her, I’ll have a contractual obligation to claim her. Jeremy wouldn’t have the heart to kill his sister’s baby daddy.
She emerges minutes later with Jane fresh and happy. "That was the last diaper, we better go."
Molly falls in step, and they head toward the exit. I trail at a distance, mind racing. The auction's in two days.
Rushing to my office, I pull out my phone so I can educate myself about this auction. There's no room for error. She's mine to claim.
Chapter 7
Jolene
Walking into the dressing room at the Aubergine Affair, a chuckle escapes me, drawing Bellamie and Starla’s attention. I mutter, “I’m really here.” Then I raise my voice, “I’m so glad we all made it to the auction.”
Bellamie, Starla, and I share a moment of excitement, then start getting ready.
Helping Bellamie zip up her auction dress, I say, “Thank you so much for finding a babysitter for me.”
“We wouldn’t have accepted the invitations without your encouragement. The least I could do was make sure you got your turn on–oh my gosh, I almost forgot the goodie bags I made.”
“You didn’t have to do that, Bellamie,” Starla says.
Grabbing the small, red organza bags from her purse, Bellamie sets the special one for Jefferson, the emcee, to the side and hands the others to Starla and me. “I wanted to. They’re survival kits, really, full of blister Band-Aids, an assortment of headache pills, gum, safety pins–those sorts of things.”
“Thank you,” we say at the same time.
