Zander stood there for several minutes as if in a daze. He’d watched Ember walk away to join the group and head backstage and he felt a bit lonely. He knew that Ember was special. She was already special to him and that terrified him. He could not remember a time when he’d become so intrigued and fascinated by a woman he’d just met. But there was something about her. It did not make sense to him and it was completely out of character for him, but he was not the kind of guy who ever lied to himself. He knew what he felt and a spark had just been awakened inside of him that he long thought forever dormant. This could be the beginning of something very exciting.

“So, what do you think so far?” Harrison said sidling up beside him and ordering a beer from the hot bartender.

Zander did not answer right away. His head was too far gone in the clouds thinking about the amazing Ember and he also did not want to seem too interested in whatever Harrison was offering him. He needed the man to beg him a bit more. He might even be able to get Harrison to offer him a better deal, especially if he thought that Zander might take some of his ideas and make them better somewhere else.

He decided that he would plant that seed in Harrison’s mind soon. Not now, but soon.

“Well, so far it’s not too shabby.”

“Yeah, I saw you talking to that girl. Wow, she must be new. I don’t remember seeing her around before, but she is remarkably hot.”

“She does have a bit of something special,” Zander admitted out loud. “I might bid on her, but I am keeping my options open.”

“I would expect nothing less from you,” Harrison said. “Oh, by the way if for some reason you decide not to jump on board this opportunity and then you try to screw me by taking my idea and doing something else with it I will bury you in legal crap so deep your great grandchildren won’t be able to breathe. Do we understand each other?”

Zander slowly turned his gaze to Harrison who was serious as a heart attack. It was hilarious.

“I get you, but you know me. I am lousy at promises.”

Harrison did not seem amused.

He walked away heading towards the backstage area.

Was it something I said?

He sauntered over closer to the stage to wait for the action to begin. After about five minutes he noticed that the place was much more packed than it was before, and at least in front of the massive stage area the tables were now full of guys, many of them with women already, all hooting and hollering.

A striking woman came out to the center of the stage just then. She was tall with long hair, and curves in all the right places. Somehow Zander did not think this woman was up for auction that night. She grabbed the microphone and gave the crowd a smile as she waited for the applause to die down.

“Ladies and gentleman. Thank you so much for being with us this evening. The auction is about to begin. We have assembled a fine collection of beautiful, accomplished women who are sure to strike your fancy. So without further delay, let’s get started!”

The crowd erupted with cheers and applause as a chorus line of beautiful, magical looking women entered from the left side of the stage. There was something there for every type of guy; the club really went out of its way to showcase every type of woman. There were tall women, short women, blondes, brunettes, redheads, curvy, slender, a few BBW’s, and every race and ethnicity seemed to be represented as well. But it was immediately clear that they were all spectacular, not only in beauty but grace and intelligence. They would each present themselves one by one after they took the stage together. At least that was how Harrison had explained it to him earlier.

The last woman to enter the stage stopped his heart cold in his chest. At first it didn’t even register that she was part of the auction. He’d wondered why she had run off suddenly so quickly, but he just figured it was a ladies night out. Maybe a bachelorette party or something. He must have really been off his game to not put it all together.

Ember was standing there. She looked even more angelic up there under the lights standing beside all of those other angels. But even with them she was a cut above the rest. He was not sure exactly how you could describe it, what it was that made her different and special but it was there. Or perhaps it was just because he’d already met her and interacted with her. He felt he knew her on a personal basis.

Wow, she was really up there. He could not believe it. Suddenly he felt very territorial and protective as he heard the crowd roaring even louder when Ember stepped foot on the stage. It was obvious that she was the ultimate prize of the evening, as she would be any evening he was sure. He had to outbid everyone. She had to be his date. He would not lose to this. The killer instinct he’d honed over several years of cutthroat business was rearing its ugly head and it was hungry for a victory.

Her eye caught his just then. Somehow she picked him out of the crowd of men in front of the stage who were all now standing. He felt a bit odd standing there with all these other guys who were practically drooling. Ember smiled and winked at him. He laughed softly to himself. The girl had charm oozing out of every little thing that she did.

He felt a weight in his chest almost like the first time he’d fallen in love as a teenager. They would have called it puppy love then but it felt real enough. And right now he felt no differently. There was something about this woman that had snared him, drawn him to her and now there was no turning back. None at all.

Zander moved to the bar, ordered another drink, this time not even looking at the bartender who was dying to be with him.

“Put this drink on my tab,” he said as he moved around the edge to position himself closer to the stage and closer to Ember.

“Ok, ladies,” Vienna said. With that the women all walked off stage one by one.

Ember winked again at Zander as she left the stage.

“Those are the ladies of the evening!” Vienna shouted. The crowd erupted into an even louder applause combined with some whistles and shouting. “Aren’t they fantastic? Ok, now each one of the girls will come out here and tell you a brief bit about herself. First up we have Nadine Wilkes.”

A sexy blonde girl walked out on the stage as if she owned it. She grabbed the microphone and began to tease the crowd, really playing everything up. Zander was mildly amused but he was not going to waste a cent of his bid on anyone else but Ember.

One by one the girls came out onstage, introduced themselves, and then stepped to the side until they were all standing there waiting to be bid on as Vienna started to go down the line.

Ember stepped out last. She appeared nervous as she took the microphone. Zander thought it was adorable.

“Hi, I’m Ember,” she said. Her voice was weak and she seemed to be having trouble putting her thoughts together.

Zander didn’t understand how a sexy woman like her could ever lose her confidence, but it was endearing. All the guys in the crowd started to cheer and applaud her before she even really said anything.

Ember laughed and giggled at the reception. As the applause died down a bit she glanced down and caught Zander’s eye. He gave her a wink, a nod, and a smile. He mouthed the words “Go for it!” to her.

She laughed and then the confidence he had seen in her earlier surfaced.

“My name is Ember. I’m a Pisces. I love long walks on the beach during the three months of the year weather really permits that here in NYC. I have a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. I like to live life one day at a time and see where the wind takes me without expectations or regrets. Life is just too short for either, right?”

The crowd began to cheer loudly. Zander clapped slowly as he smiled widely at her. That was his girl, alright.

“Wow, aren’t these ladies incredible?” Vienna said. “Alright, let’s not waste any time. Let the bidding begin!”

Alright, it’s time to go to work.