Chapter 1

I walked around the elegantly decorated bedroom inside the posh hotel. It was furnished with some of the most expensive furniture. Stylish bureau with matching mirror ... oak desk set aside and a chair that looked like it had been picked up at a pricy dealership.

Of course in the middle of the room was the king sized bed, its spread turned down and what felt like silk sheets beneath my fingertips. I wore a black Vera Wang dress which hugged my figure as intended and sheer stockings that led to black heeled shoes.

Underneath I wore lingerie from the most exclusive catalog of Victoria's Secret in matching black of course. All accentuated by a diamond necklace that could have financed my entire grad school education but instead of hocking it, I wore it.

Perfect for the occasion ... the party I had just left. Earlier that day I'd been at the day spa where Sophia sent her to get an aromatherapy massage and of course, a full manicure and pedicure.

Whatever it took to be ready for this night ... the grand event inside the ballroom of the city's most posh hotel ... which had attracted a most exclusive crowd.

I mingled around the party while suited waiters served champagne to guests who stood in throngs talking to each other. Sophia told me to walk the room and if any man wanted to talk to me I would stop and give him my full attention. Quite a few distinguished men had walked up to me already, men who had made their mark in the world in one way or another.

Groundbreaking surgeons, record breaking athletes, famous entertainers and politicians. Men who ran companies at the top of the corporate food chain ... the upper crest of society. They milled around the ballroom conducting power meetings in the guise of a social event.

But that's not all they did. In another room, there was a table where a dozen cards were displayed, highly decorative cards in the most elaborate script. They held photos of beautiful young woman with a brief description. Underneath, was another card where the men submitted bids in what was a silent auction ... I should know, I was one of the women on display.

I thought about slipping away and going into that room to check my card but opted not to do it. It was difficult enough to not remember why I was here.

"You will be here to make every man want you," Sophia had said, "to make enough of them desperate enough to bid ... and for one man, lucky enough to win."

Sophia had looked across from her desk at her while I sat there feeling more nervous by the moment. Eying the door looking for a reason, any reason to leave and not look back ... but reality hit.

"What will I get if a man ... wins?"

Sophia's smile widened.

"You'll get 30% the total winning bid per auction."

My eyes had widened. Damn, the casual way that those words had rolled off of Sophia's tongue. But I didn't see that kind of money every day ... money I so desperately needed. I already knew what the ball park figure would be ... if I did well. But I'd hesitated.

"I ... I'm not experienced in well ... men..."

Sophia shrugged.

"Then you may get even more ... if you sell it as an asset."

Then I understood what would happen next.

I remembered that conversation even before I had accepted the offer. After all, I made barely above minimum wage at her current job clerking for one of the city's most powerful partners at a legal firm.

Cruz Callantine ... who had hired me just out of law school and put me to work as a paralegal while I studied for the State Bar. I currently specialized in contract law, and he loaded up my desk in my little cubicle with work.

He kept me busy during the day but I knew if I were going to keep my apartment and pay off those damn student loans, I had to get a second job which meant ... moonlighting. I didn't tell Cruz that was what I did because I barely saw the guy and I figured if I needed a second job to pay my bills, it wasn't his business as long as it didn't interfere with the work I did for his firm.

Still, this wasn't the normal type of moonlighting job ... to work a job where I'd be auctioned off to the man who placed the highest bid. Then I would be escorted up to a hotel room where the high bidder would show up and claim his prize for the night.

I talked to a variety of men who wanted to know more about me before placing their bids for the night. Most were friendly and asked questions related to my education and work, not what I'd expected at all.

After refreshing my champagne, I walked to a corner of the ballroom. The alcohol had warmed my throat and had given me some courage. But as long as I didn't think what I was doing ... I could almost enjoy myself in such posh surroundings.

Sophia walked up to me dressed in an elegant gown and a diamond pendent around her neck.

"You are enjoying yourself?"

I nodded.

"It's really nice ... the men..."

"They've been casting bids in the other room," Sophia said, "I shouldn't say this but you're doing very well ... attracting quite a bit of attention for someone so new."

My skin flushed.

"I ... I ... wow ... so what'll happen... ?"

"Like I told you, you'll be taken upstairs into one of our nice rooms and the man who cast the highest bid will be waiting for his prize. Now the men have all been screened ... so no crazies or sociopaths nothing like that. They are all repeat customers, the cream of our crop receive these invites."

I tried to calm myself. My palms had started getting clammy and my heartbeat quickened.

"You'll be fine," Sophia said, "and you'll have money to pay off that debt."

I nodded and smiled because I really needed that weight off of my shoulders.

"I'll see you afterward..."

Iwatched as Sophia left to work the room. while I listened to the music playing from a band in the corner.

Then Ilooked across the room and saw him. Cruz, standing there talking with another gentleman by the bar. To say he devastated in his Armani would be an understatement. For a man who spent his days in courtrooms or conference rooms, his rugged physique could flatter any outfit but his spirit couldn't be contained by finery. Dark black hair and tanned skin, muscles carved out of his yen for mountain climbing and deep sea diving. He'd led expeditions into the crags of mountains and explored the coral reefs and skeletons of ancient ships.

But he knew how to command attention on the job; he could get out of a cross-country flight one moment and within an hour be arguing a brief in front of a judge. Rumors buzzed about what he did on his travels when he wasn't on the clock. Late nights spent in the fanciest clubs with a woman or two on his arm and later in his bed.

Not that I paid much attention to what he did unless he gave me a project to do. Icould go days without seeing him and then suddenly, Id be called in his office to get an assignment, complete with deadlines.

Though there were times, idle moments in a busy schedule when I imagined what it'd be like to fuck him. I always reined myself in before I got too far into her fantasies. If I didn't she wouldn't get anything done for him that actually involved using my legal skills.

What it'd be like if I weren't such a good employee. What'd it be like if I were in his office on myknees, suckling on the crown of his erection before he slid it inside my mouth. Better yet, he'd be the one with his mouth between my thighs worshipping my nether parts with his lips. My panties grew damp before she knew it.

"I ... what a nice surprise..."

Damn, the boss had seen me and was walking towards me right now. Damn how was I going to explain this to him? After all, he had to know what kind of party this was and what I would be doing here.

"Mr. Callantine ... Hi..."

He smiled at her and to say he had a nice smile would be underselling it. It wouldn't be true either because often he smiled at those he was about to pull the rug out from under in the board room or in court. I learned to be wary of that smile ... even as it made my insides go on slow burn when it was for me.

"I'd ask you what you're doing here but I know why."

I felt nervous suddenly. Oh god, what was he going to do now, would he fire me? It was one thing to moonlight, that he might understand but as a ... I couldn't even say it to myself.

"Mr. Callantine ... I can explain ... I..."

"Call me Cruz ... I think under the circumstances it's warranted."

That confused me and the way he appraised me now ... that threw me way off. I felt flustered and I hated that.

"I ... Mr ... Cruz ... it's just that..."

He put a hand up.

"No need to explain ... we live in a tough economy and I know what I pay you ... it can't be enough for paying off those student loans ... a woman like yourself has to do what she needs to do to support herself."

His voice seemed calm, reassuring and almost soothing but underneath it ... I sensed something else. The skin prickled on the back of my neck.

"Yes ... it's been difficult and I needed to find another job and..."

"You ran into one of Sophia's ads," he said, "I've known her since I became a partner ... she's one of my clients."

I nodded.

"So you're ... here..."

He smiled again.

"Yes ... I come to Sophia's parties to relax away from the grind of the firm," he said, "For these parties, her lists of guests are very select."

"Yeah she told me that," I said, "She told me that she vets them very well."

"Yes as she does the women," he said, "She must have been quite impressed with you but I can see why ... you're very beautiful in that dress."