Bidding on Santa (Holiday Heartthrobs Novella Series Book 1)

by Annelise Reynolds

  If the rookie was at Boyd’s station, he’d have hell to pay the next time he went in. Boyd took this shit seriously. Mainly because his family received help from this charity when he was a kid. It’s a longstanding Boston FD tradition. His Pop died in the line of duty when he was a kid, and he followed in his footsteps, wanting to give back. Boyd is a hell of a Captain and firefighter.

  “Let’s go.” I was in the middle of the pack. As we were walking out, they put the cards in order for the bios. “Cory,” Boyd said when I got up there. “They’re going to have you down as Doug. Do you want to go first or last?”

  I debated it in my head, but decided to go last. First bids were always the over eager, and I didn’t want a repeat of last time. “Last.”

  I moved to the back of the line and waited. Watching as the first guys got sold off, the women were more eager. I looked over the crowd and spotted Robyn and Jim. They had no idea I was here. They were sitting next to a dark haired woman that had her back to me. Her dress was bright red and form fitting. Her curves were out of this world.

  After all this was over, I’d have to find out who she was. Maybe she would be the one to get Katie out of my system.

  Katie

  “You’re bidding on a guy, or I’m bidding for you.”

  “No. If I happen to meet someone, that’s one thing, but I don’t have deep enough pockets to bid on someone.”

  “We will help you.”

  “No. I’m not bidding.”

  “Yes you are.”

  I looked at Jim who looked like he wanted to start laughing. I gave him an evil look. “When I decide to murder your wife, you won’t be laughing then.”

  He busted out laughing then. “I’m just enjoying someone else being on the other end of it for a change.”

  I growled at him, my nails drumming on the table. I ignored the fact that I felt half naked in this damn dress. It’s Boston for heaven sake, and cold as hell outside. Why the hell am I wearing a strapless red dress where my boobs are on the verge of popping out of a sweetheart neckline?

  Why did I let Robyn get her way? “Those chocolates, wine, and that trip to the spa may not be enough for this.”

  “Oh come on, it’s for a good cause. You might as well bid on one of the Santas to get the cake, who knows you may get to meet and eat a beef cake too.” She shrugged and winked at me.

  “I can’t believe you just said that.” I looked around, my cheeks flushed, hoping nobody had heard her. Staying home with her baby gave her loads of time to write, and write she did – novels that would make a whore blush.

  I read them of course, I’ve got to support my friend, and of course, I thought those types of things and had my fantasies too, but to be able to put them on paper for someone else to envision and read… She had a kickass talent and a dirty mind that made her readers feel like they were actually in the story.

  It was no wonder she was so successful. Me being a kindergarten teacher, watched everything I said all the time. “Believe it toots, now which one’s cake do you want to eat?” She winked and grinned at me.

  I turned in my seat to look at the line of Santas – each holding a piece of cake that looked delicious. “I’ll bid, but I’m not letting you pay for it. If they all go over the amount I can go, then let it go. Deal?”

  “What’s your amount?”

  “Two thousand.”

  “You’re not going to get one for that amount. I’ll put in three more, and if it goes over that, then I’ll let it go.”

  “You’re going to pay three thousand dollars for me to have a date for the night? Are you crazy?”

  “No. I want you to be happy, and if meeting someone happens, then so be it. Money well spent, and if not, then at least we can say we tried.”

  “How about I don’t bid at all, and I agree to come to your house for Christmas?”

  “Nice try. You didn’t want to do that. Now, the only way you come to my house for Christmas is if Santa comes with you. Now, which piece of cake are we bidding on?”

  I looked at the event program and scanned the names of the participating Santas. Cory J. Alexander was not listed. A small part of me was disappointed that I wouldn’t get to see him. As annoying as he was, he was also sexy as hell, and made my insides turn to mush.

  I looked down the list of cakes and pies to see what sounded good. I bypassed the vanilla and chocolate knowing those would probably go the highest along with the cheesecakes. I’m a firm believer that cakes should not be made with vegetables, so I marked carrot cake off, it left me with two choices. A piece of lemon pie, ‘yuck’ or a piece of red velvet cake.

  It’s not my favorite cake, because most of the time it’s dried out. Now if the cake was dry and so was the guy, my night would be shot to hell. At least there is always icing.

  “Red velvet. Which Santa has red velvet?” I craned my neck to look at the Santas when I spotted the red velvet cake, I looked up to the face hidden behind the beard. My stomach clenched and my core ignited as two golden brown eyes stared straight at me. His gaze held mine, and I felt a tingle of excitement ignite inside my chest. I didn’t know who he was, but I felt for certain, before this night was through, I would know him – intimately.

  Cory

  Katie was here. When she turned around, and I saw her face, I wanted to get this over with so I could catch her beneath some mistletoe. Her lips were painted as red as her dress, and the curves I’d only been able to see once before were out for the world to see. The red scrap of a dress was no match for a Boston winter.

  Her breasts looked like they were ready to pop out, and my dick was hard as a rock looking at her cleavage that the dress barely covered. I wanted to take off this tacky red suit and wrap the damn jacket around her so that no other man could see her chest – that was meant for my eyes only, but she wasn’t mine – yet. I’d change that tonight.

  I waited as Boyd introduced the first guy, not saying his name, just some random facts about him. Then the auctioneer called everyone to bidding, and the bids flew in. I was right, the over eager ones were about to jump out of their seats to get a Santa, and the looks of downright anger at being outbid started to fly.

  Katie just sat there and patiently waited, I kept my eyes on her, and she squirmed in her seat a bit. “Good,” I thought to myself. I’d really have her squirming later. She knew I was watching her because every now and then her eyes would flick toward me, and she’d blush, then look away. Then she would re-cross her legs.

  I needed to calm myself, because I wasn’t just making her hot, my cock was rock hard and, if I wasn’t careful, my wood would show through the baggy red suit. Santa would be going X-rated for everyone to see.

  Thank God, Doug was a bit bigger than me so the suit wasn’t as tight across the gut. Not to mention the heavy jacket – that was hot as fuck – hung down low enough to cover my bulging prick.

  It seemed like it took forever for them to get through the line. I was right, bidding started slowing down as it progressed, women weren’t bidding so enthusiastically as before. The prices didn’t go up as high either.

  Some of the other guys lifted their shirts to show their flat stomachs to rocket the bids up and to get the women bidding. Others would motion for women to bid, the few that had been through this before like me stayed quiet and just awaited their fate. You could always tell who the rookies were.

  The rookie that smarted off earlier for instance was now stuck with a clinger. I looked over at him and almost started laughing at the look of strain on his face. He wanted desperate, he got it.

  Katie would bid on me, I’d make sure of it. She hadn’t bid on anyone yet. There were two guys left in front of me, and still our eyes basically fucked each other from across the room every time they locked.

  I couldn’t wait to tie her up and paddle her ass for making me wait so long. I’d wanted her for too long, and she’d led me a merry little chase, but that chase was over now – she was caught. She was in my sights, and tonight she w
ould be in my bed.

  I didn’t realize they were already to the guy beside me until he moved front and center. One more, and then Katie was mine.

  “Alright, our last Santa. He’s been with the fire department for eleven years, he’s a great guy and a good friend. Recently out of a long relationship, our last Santa is looking for fun. Who’s going to show Santa a good time tonight?”

  Doug’s intro, shit, so not the most flattering of intros. I said it didn’t matter, but that was before I knew Katie was here. Fuck. I caught her gaze again and held it. Her eyes were so dark, but had a warmth and a spark when she smiled. Right now, her eyes focused on mine held a different kind of fire – one fueled by suppressed lust. Hopefully she wouldn’t feel differently when she found out who was behind the beard.

  I waited until he stopped talking then I went over to her. Jim recognized me and grinned, but didn’t say anything. I did my best to avert my face from Robyn. I moved in close behind her, my beard dragging against her shoulder. I watched as gooseflesh spread across her smooth skin.

  I kept my voice low and at a whisper so she was the only one to hear my words, and I hoped they were muffled enough she wouldn’t recognize my voice.

  “You don’t want vanilla, and you’re not always in the mood for chocolate. You want red velvet, and I can give it to you. Bid on me.” I heard her breath hitch before I walked back to the front. Several bids went up all at once, quickly taking it up to two thousand dollars.

  Katie still didn’t bid – she didn’t even look at me. It was hard to tell if she was still breathing at this point. I shook her – good, I wanted to do a whole lot more, but she needed to snap out of it and bid on me before I went to one of these other women that looked a little too eager for my liking.

  ‘Come on Katie,’ I said under my breath, willing her to bid. I saw Robyn talking to her. Finally, she turned her head and looked at me over her shoulder. Her eyes searching, her plush red lips slightly parted, her tongue nervously slid across her bottom lip, and I turned to granite in my pants. She was going to have me cumming before I even got her in my bed. Fuck, I wanted her.

  “Two thousand, eight hundred – going once.”

  “Three thousand,” Katie’s voice rang out clear across the room. I grinned beneath my Santa beard.

  “Three thousand, five hundred.” I looked to the other bidder and almost groaned. She looked like a clinger. Katie had to win.

  “Three thousand, eight hundred.” Robyn grabbed Katie’s number and held it in the air. I’d have to thank her later, and I’d gladly pay half or all of the bid tonight.

  “Four thousand.” The clinger had her eyes on me. I was her last chance. I was her prey.

  “Five thousand dollars.” Katie’s face was on fire, Robyn had her hand in the air holding the number up high. I was going to hug that woman hard.

  “I have five thousand. Any other bids?”

  “Five thousand – going once. Going twice –”

  “Five thousand, five hundred.” Dammit, the clinger bid again. My eyes found Katie’s, she was defiant and beautiful. Her eyes were rebellious, not wanting to bow to me, but oh, she would bow.

  “Now,” I mouthed.

  “Seven thousand dollars,” Katie said loudly. No longer hiding behind her hand. She was calm and confident. No longer embarrassed that she was bidding on an unknown man in a Santa suit.

  “Seven thousand. Going once. Going twice. SOLD, to the lovely lady in red.” The auctioneer closed the bidding war. Katie had won, or technically – we both had – she just didn’t know it yet.

  Katie

  What the hell did I just do? My five thousand dollar limit went out the window for a pair of golden eyes and some smooth words. I shivered again. Very smooth words.

  He was spot on. Vanilla sex bored me, and hardcore BDSM scared me. Something in between seemed nice, but I had no idea how to find it or ask for it. How the hell did he know? Could he read it on me?

  I’d never had earth-shattering sex. The kind of sex that makes it impossible for you to stop smiling the next day. The rock your world, make you stupid kind of sex. I wanted that, bad, but I was beginning to doubt it actually existed outside of books.

  I wanted the kind of love Robyn and Jim had. She bought him a shirt that said something along the lines: ‘Thank me for your current book boyfriend.’ He never wore it, but it was funny as hell, and true.

  Robyn’s erotic stories certainly got my imagination running and my juices flowing. More than once, I had to put the books down and get out my trusty toy just to take the edge off, but lately, even that hadn’t been enough. I just felt restless, like I needed more.

  Now the question is, do I let Santa give me more for just one night? For just one night, do I get to have my cake and eat the beef cake too?

  My mind was whirling with everything I’d just done. Regrets and wary thoughts ran rampant in my imagination. So many things could happen. So many things could go wrong…

  “Earth to Katie.” Robyn’s voice came through. She snapped her fingers in front of my eyes, and I blushed at the thoughts I’d been having in the middle of a charity event.

  She stood up, and grabbed my hand, heading to where we got to fork out seven thousand dollars for a date with a Santa. “Oh shit, what the hell did I just do?”

  “You got yourself a hot date by the way you two were eye fucking each other. What did he say to you anyway?”

  I whispered in her ear his words, and again my core clenched at the promise they held for me.

  “Am I a total whore for doing this? Does this make him a prostitute?” I was the good girl, the safe girl, and what I’d just done was anything but.

  “No you aren’t, and he’s not making any personal money off of it should anything happen, so he’s not either. You’re just two adults that have a mutual attraction and an itch that needs to be scratched. Go for it, what do you have to lose?”

  “My self-respect for one thing.”

  She waved it away, “Meh – since when does self-respect keep you warm at night and satisfied in the sack? Throw caution to the wind, Katie. Live a little. Just use protection when you do.” She winked at me, and we moved forward to the table.

  Arm in arm, we walked up to the table. I presented my number, and my card. “Five thousand here,” I said, handing over my debit card. I would be eating beans and rice and pasta after this. That meant I needed to work out extra too.

  “Two thousand here,” Robyn said handing the guy her card.

  “I could have paid more.”

  “Hell no. This is my fuckup. I wish you didn’t have to pay any.”

  “Why is it a fuckup?”

  “I just paid for a fucking date. What the hell does that make me? Pathetic.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Well, we could have called an escort service instead, but then the money wouldn’t have gone to a good cause.”

  “I know, but damn, at least I’d know who the hell I was picking. What if I picked a total asshat?”

  “Here you go. Doug will be out here shortly.”

  “Doug. Do you know a Doug?” I looked to Robyn as we moved away to the side.

  “Yes. He just got out of a bad breakup about a month ago. His fiancée ditched him for more money. He’s a nice guy, a little quiet. I never pictured him saying something like what he said, but it proves you never know a person. In fact, the whole chocolate, vanilla, red velvet thing is more something Cory would say.”

  Robyn cut off and looked toward the Santa heading in our direction. Her lips curled in and smiled, then she took off for Jim. “Bitch,” I hissed behind her back as I waited for my red velvet cake-wielding Santa.

  His eyes seemed to be stripping me and leaving me bare as he approached. I felt naked in front of him, despite the long gown. My nipples hardened beneath my strapless shelf bra, and his eyes seemed to hone in on the hard targets.

  “Red velvet cake.”

  “Yes.” His voice sounded strangely like Cory’s, but his name wa
s Doug. “Doug?”

  He hesitated for a moment. “Yes.”

  “I’m Katie. It’s nice to meet you.” I held out my hand for him to shake which seemed so dorky considering what he’d whispered in my ear earlier, but damn, I was nervous.

  He moved the plate to one hand, extending the other. Instead of shaking my hand though, he used it to propel me forward. His long beard tickled my exposed chest. He bent down and kissed my cheek. “Thank you for your donation.” His breath and beard tickled my ear as he spoke. Gooseflesh broke out across my arms and shivers danced up my spine.

  I wasn’t sure what to expected him to say, but that was not it. It sobered me some to where we were.

  “Sure.” I didn’t have a clue what to do. I hate that I’m so damn awkward in this type of setting. I avoid these things. Robyn asked me weeks ago to come, I said no. I guess we see how well that panned out.

  “Come.” He pulled my hand away from the crowd and out the door. I looked back to see Robyn and Jim watching – both of them laughing and grinning. ‘I’m going to make their kid an orphan at this rate,’ I thought to myself.

  “Where are we going?”

  “To my sleigh.”

  ‘Throw caution to the wind, just use protection when you do.’ Robyn’s words came back to me. Could I go through with this? The electric currents were there – palpable between us. It was unlike anything I had ever felt.

  He pulled me along with him, and I followed, excited and nervous about what was to come.

  Cory

  I didn’t have any of this planned. She wasn’t even supposed to be here tonight. Thank fuck Doug chickened out and wanted to be on duty. If any of the other guys got to her… I let the thought trail off, not even wanting to go there.

  Luckily, we were at a hotel. I was going to get us a room, not wanting to take the time or risk going out in the weather as it had picked up since I drove in. She and I were about to be snowed in, and I’d have her cumming until she heard Christmas bells.