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“Ladies and gentlemen, it is now midnight and you know what that means…” Allie wiggled her hips in a suggestive dance.

Adam didn’t have a clue what was going on, but one glance at Charlie told him that his friend knew and was pleased.

“What happens at midnight?” he whispered out of the side of his mouth.

Charlie removed his wallet and counted the bills inside.

“Auction night. Every Friday, Allie auctions off a shot of tequila to the highest bidder. It’s a tradition she started and I dare say a popular one at that,” he murmured and then groaned. “Damn. I knew I should have hit the ATM before we got here.”

Adam peered at him in amusement. “What are you doing? Man, a shot cost four bucks as it is, why pay more than you have to?”

Charlie replaced his wallet and chuckled. “If it were a normal shot, I’d agree with you. But this isn’t any ordinary shot of tequila.”

“What is it then?”

“A body shot.”

I’m in. Adam removed his wallet and glanced inside, grinning at the twenty, fifty, and one hundred-dollar bills. Though he was certain plucking a shot glass from this woman’s ample cleavage would give him a raging hard-on, it would be well worth it if he could catch her interest in the process.

“Let’s do this,” he said, setting his glass next to an empty beer bottle.

Charlie shook his head with a lopsided grin. “You go ahead. I have forty bucks to my name and that’s got to get me home tonight.”

Adam hesitated. “You sure? I can spot you cab fare.”

“Go, before I take you up on it.”

As Adam approached, Allie’s lips twisted in a smug, this-ought-to-be-fun smile. Their eyes locked for only a second, but it was enough for him to catch the subtle hint of delight reflecting back at him.

She glanced away and placed her hands on her supple hips. “All right. We’ll start the bidding at four dollars. Do I hear four dollars?”

“Four dollars!”

Adam glanced to his left and smirked at the middle-aged man standing next to him. The man smoothed his thinning hair and tried, without success, to suck in his protruding belly. He darted Adam a quick glance and wiggled his bushy eyebrows.

“I’m going to win this one,” he said. “I planned ahead just so I could.”

Don’t count on it. Adam returned his attention to Allie, his eyes sliding over her perky breasts and tiny waist. Oh, the fun he could have retrieving that drink. He hated tequila, but tonight it was his drink of choice.

“I have four dollars. Do I hear five?” Allie called while shielding her eyes with her hand.

“Five!”

“Aren’t you going to bid?” the balding man asked once the bid reached fifteen dollars. “These auctions don’t normally go above thirty bucks, so you might want to put in your bid before you lose your chance.”

Adam smiled. “When the time’s right, I’ll bid.”

*

“Twenty!”

Allie pointed in the direction the voice had come from. “I have twenty! Do I hear twenty-two?”

She turned her attention to Adam. Why wasn’t he bidding? When she saw him approach, a feeling of giddiness had swept over her. The prospect of this handsome man burying his face between her breasts to retrieve a shot glass had set her motor running, but he wasn’t bidding. Was he simply watching? Biding his time? What?

Get a grip, Alacia. Okay, so he’s hot. Big deal. She’d met hundreds of attractive men while working at The Guild. This one wasn’t any different. At least, that’s what she tried to tell herself as the bid rose to thirty-five dollars.

“Seventy! I bid seventy dollars!”

Allie swallowed a groan. No auction had ever gone this high before, and the thought of Merton Douglas pressing his slobbery face to her chest made her skin prickle in distaste. Please let the bid go higher. An image of Merton waddling up to the bar sprung to mind and she swallowed. I’ll never auction off another body shot if the bid goes up just one more time.

“Two hundred, fifty-seven dollars and thirty-six cents!”

Allie scanned the room, searching for the person who had shouted such an outrageous amount. She didn’t have to look hard. All eyes had turned to Adam as he held up a small wad of cash.

“Sold!” Tim smacked his hand against the bar.

Adam strode up to the bar and Allie bent forward, stretching her hand out for him to take. He placed his hand in hers and a tingle shot from the tips of Allie’s fingers straight to her brain. He pulled himself onto the bar with little effort, but didn’t release his hold on her.

“You’re crazy,” she laughed and withdrew. “You’re about to pay two hundred and fifty-seven dollars for a shot of house tequila.”

He looked her over wolfishly and shook his head. “No, I’m about to pay two hundred and fifty-seven dollars to put my lips on your breasts. The house tequila is an added bonus.”

Slick. This guy certainly seemed to know what to say. She studied him for a moment, trying not to stare and failing. Upon closer inspection, she noticed his eyes were a unique shade of blue-green, a thrilling contrast against his coal black hair. Yes having him do a shot from her body was definitely going to be fun.

“Here’s the rule, mate,” Tim announced once Adam handed him the money. “Your hands are to stay behind your back at all times. If you don’t comply, we keep your money and you leave. Hear me?”

Adam nodded, his gaze locked with Allie’s. “Loud and clear, chief. Anything else?”

Tim grunted “Yeah. Does insanity run in your family? No one in their right mind pays two hundred bucks for a shot.”

Adam laughed, a hearty sound that sent the faintest of shivers down Allie’s spine. He tossed a look at Tim and shrugged.

“I’m a lawyer, so you tell me.”

Tim groaned. “That explains it. You are crazy. Lime?”

Adam stuck his tongue in his cheek and nodded. “Of course. The lime is the best part.”

Oy vey. Allie took the lime slice, placed it between her lips before taking the shot glass and carefully wedged it between her breasts. Her heartbeat quickened when she noticed Adam’s eyes flash with desire. I’m not the only one who’s going to need a cold shower.

Adam laced his fingers behind his back. “It appears that we have a problem,” he said in a low voice. “I like salt with my tequila and since I can’t use my hands, I’m at a bit of a disadvantage.”

Careful not to spill the drink down her shirt, Allie crouched to retrieve the saltshaker Tim was holding out to her. With the lime already in her mouth, she couldn’t very easily lick her fingers, so with a matching expression of mischief she offered Adam the side of her hand.

She felt his soft, warm tongue glide against the sides of her thumb and index fingers and a mixture of delicious sensations swam in her head and pooled deep in her belly. She wondered vaguely what it would feel like to have him lick her in other places, places that hadn’t received attention in far too long. She pressed her knees together, hoping to squelch the flash fire of lust within her.

“Ready when you are, Alley Cat.”