Dad Bods and Blizzards (Dad Bod Christmas #1)

5. Five

Five

Naomi

I wring my hands together while frozen center stage. How did Jasmine make such an easy show of being up here?

My heart pounds as the mountain men—the same ones Dad tried to sell me to—keep raising the bids against some guy in a designer suit who lost in his efforts to win Jasmine. One of the men—I believe Griz—steps aside to take a call, but his friends keep bidding.

Is it better or worse if the mountain men win?

My mind races through the contract details Lazovski explained earlier. Full protection. Safeword. Security. As long as we stay at the club, everything’s monitored to protect the ‘cherry’. That’s me.

But something doesn’t add up. Why would these guys pay millions to charity when they could’ve accepted me as part of a business deal from Dad?

Maybe they’re not the bad guys? They seemed offended that my dad offered to sell me. Yet here they are. And if they’re the good guys, what does that make my dad? It’s too upsetting to think about.

“Three million dollars.” The tall mountain man with the beard returns and doesn’t even flinch with his bidder’s paddle. It never occurred to me that people with this much money would wear flannel and jeans.

The designer suit guy lowers his paddle, shaking his head.

My breath hitches. Is it over? I stare intently at the fancy guy, praying that he doesn’t reconsider as the auctioneer rambles on. My reaction shocks me.

The gavel strikes. “Sold for three million dollars to bidder number forty-seven.”

My virginity just made three million dollars for charity. How’s that for making history? It’s an odd feeling. Is my penis-free vagina really that valuable?

Maybe that soaking bath would have been a good option. The dollar amount leaves me feeling like I should be extra clean and fresh down there. I’ll run to the bathroom before—my mind spins out for a second—before I have sex.

The thought should be weird, but it’s not. The first moment I saw the mountain men—before I realized who they were—I got a good vibe, aside from the sexual attraction. Plus, the contract is ironclad and enforced by Lazovski’s security team. I’ll be safe.

My heart races and my traitorous sex drips with gratitude. This is happening.

And since they don’t know that I know who they are, I can leverage my innocence.

I catch Griz’s eye across the room. He gives me a slight nod, possessive but restrained. Navigating one step at a time, I meet them, and they seem relieved when I don’t know who they are—or pretend not to. Am I a bad person? I mean, technically, my dad could have been talking to a different Griz.

It’s another moment that doesn’t add up. The whole scenario makes less and less sense as we move into a room.

Toying with the top button on the front of my dress, I say, “How does this work?”

Woody looks away. Weird. Not the action of a bad guy. Or of one that just paid millions to have sex with me.

Griz wraps his thick fingers around mine. I’m ready to melt into his touch, but he’s not encouraging me or helping me, he’s shutting me down.

Tubs says, “We don’t want to force you into anything.”

Uber-weird.

“The contract says we have to—”

“Your happiness and safety are more important than a contract.” But the strain of Griz’s erection against the front of his pants tells me sex isn’t off the table.

I might as well be a guppy in a fishbowl as they stare at me opening and closing my mouth. What do I say to this? They’ve now turned my dad down and are willing to break the contract for the auction. And all three of them have erections.

I’m so confused. I’m also really ready to find out what it’s like to have more than silicone inside of me. To have a man kiss me and touch me and take the work out of having an orgasm.

My vow… Make the most of my circumstances and take control of my life. “Unless you’re bad guys, safety won’t be a problem.” I pause while they acknowledge I’m safe. “That brings us to happiness. I’ve had a long day, and instead of taking a hot, relaxing bath after my earlier waitressing shift, I came to work here and ended up on stage. Can you make me happier than a warm bath would?”

“You bet your ass we can.” Griz relaxes his grip on my fingers and gently brushes my cheek before resting his hand on my shoulder, his fingers wrapping around the back of my neck.

Tubs steps forward. “We’re the good guys, I promise. We may not look the part compared to the other men here, but if you get to know us…”

“Get to know you?” I scoff then steel my reaction. “Are you not who you appear to be?”

Tubs is quick to respond. “Just a few mountain men living in the Cherry Ridge Foothills. Here to make the world safer. You can trust us.”

“Safer, yeah.” Griz cuts in, an awkward exchange happening between the two of them. “We don’t want you running off to have sex with just anybody, or ending up with a crappy partner and thinking sex isn’t great.”

“Interesting explanation of safety.”

“A safeword,” Woody blurts. “He meant that we’ll respect the safeword to make sure you’re happy—and safe. Maybe we should have a few safewords, just to be certain.”

“One is plenty. Red was the suggested word in the contract. Let’s stick with that.” Their reservations make me even more eager to find out who they are. I try to lighten the mood. “Is this part of the foreplay, making me wait?”

Griz tips my head up with his thumb. “We want to be certain that you consent to this.”

I’m so confused, I’m not sure if I’m doing this entirely of my own free will, or if a little part of me wants to spite my father.

With his hand no longer stopping me from unbuttoning my dress, I pop the round bead through the buttonhole and continue my way down the dress.