There had been a change in the order the bachelors were being announced, and I didn’t know if this had been Karen’s call or some macho-he-man crap that Rocco guy was trying to pull. Either way I was nervous for Gabe’s department. If my math was right, they were slightly behind.

“SOLD!” the good-natured MC called, hitting the gavel on the podium. “Police Lieutenant Williams, please meet your date at the cashier’s table!” The good-looking lieutenant nodded and stepped away from the stage.

“Now, ladies and gentlemen, I have a serious treat. Homegrown boy, born and raised. This guy is known for enjoying a good basketball game, locally brewed IPA’s from Hank’s, and punching his best friend in front of the entire fire department,” the MC joked. People laughed, and my eyes widened. He had punched Maverick? I snuck a peek at Sofi and a now slightly red-faced Maverick, who was laughing along with everyone else. “In all seriousness, this guy is a genuine hero. He got hurt, and that could have been it for his career, but from what everyone says, including his boss, Fire Chief Zano, he has come back stronger and more determined than ever to serve our beautiful city. Gabe Blanco.”

“You ready?” Ruby whispered next to me, and I glanced over my shoulder toward where Sofia stood next to Maverick. Her eyes met mine, and with a gentle nod and sneaky smile, she winked at me.

“I don’t know. Should I—” The words got stuck as nerves struck.

They wanted me to bid on him. Sofia had handed me a bunch of twenty-dollar bills and a blank signed check, letting me know how high I could go.

I had two thousand dollars to bid with. I’d never had two thousand dollars just hanging out in my account for shits and giggles. Other than when my income taxes hit, I don’t think I’d had more than four hundred dollars just sitting in my account. Money to burn wasn’t something I was used to.

Sofia tried to explain she felt guilty for having volunteered him, and then I felt bad, so I added two hundred to the till. She said if she bid on him, it would only embarrass him. No one wanted their little sister to be the one to win them at an auction. Ruby had even offered to be the one to bid, but a weird wave of jealousy hit. I loved Ruby like a sister, but the idea of her winning Gabe made me want to rip her eyes out. What the hell is wrong with me? What did he do to me?

It was like that kiss of his was sprinkled with not only crazy high sexual prowess, but he’d obviously been part wizard in a past life and had cast some kind of spell. I laughed to myself, touching my lips as his eyes caught mine, and I knew by the heated smolder he was also thinking about our time in the photo booth.

“Earth to Daisy,” Ruby hissed, and I looked at her trying to bat away everything he made me feel.

“What?”

“You gonna bid or let the blonde win?”

“Shit.” I looked around and saw exactly who she was talking about.

“I have seven hundred,” the MC said. “Do I hear seven fifty?” he asked, and I didn’t miss the confident smile she wore. “Seven hundred going once—”

“One thousand!” I shouted, lifting my number pallet. My heart was hammering in my chest.

“Eleven hundred.”

“Eleven fifty!”

“Twelve!” the busty blonde in a gold sequined dress and teased hair retorted, and I scowled, not missing Ruby’s encouragement on my left side

“Thirteen.”

“Ladies and gentlemen, we have thirteen hundred dollars!”

“Thirteen fifty.”

“Fourteen.”

“Fourteen hundred and twenty-five dollars.” She tilted her head, shooting fire through her eyes, but I could see it. She was losing. Whether it was out of budget or interest, I wasn’t positive, but I didn’t want her to win him.

“Sixteen hundred!” I shouted with a smile, the adrenaline coursing through my veins, a potent drug, as Ruby squealed.

The blonde’s shrewd stare met mine, and with a sigh and shrug, she put her pallet down.

“Sixteen hundred dollars for Mr. Gabe Blanco. Going once. Going twice. Sold! To number 513!”

The crowd clapped and cheered, but I couldn’t get myself to look away from the man who had made me lose my ever-loving mind. He winked at me. His smile promised so much I had to look away. When I did, the busty blonde had moved toward me and stood off to my side.

“You can have him.”

“Well, thanks,” I answered, my smile never faltering as I looked toward my guy, who was now walking away and toward the back of the stage.

“Just a warning, he’s good honey, but he won’t call back.” With that parting shot she walked off.

I turned to see if Ruby heard her, and I knew she had by the scowl she was wearing.

“Don’t listen to her.”

“I’m not.”

“Now, up next is our last police officer for the night.”

“So, Rubix cube, you gonna bet on him?” She frowned and rolled her eyes, and I tossed my arm around her shoulder.

At the end, she didn’t bid on him. To give her credit, she didn’t even look torn about it.

She actually looked like she was looking at him through new eyes. I wasn’t sure of all the details of what had happened between them, but I knew whatever she thought might happen was officially over.

The police department was now ahead by three thousand thanks to the blonde who had decided to cougar up Rocco Fields and hadn’t been afraid to pull out all the stops.

“Last but not least, Beech Grove’s new guy, Aaron Garcia!” the Mc called, and I turned to say something to Ruby, but there was something about the way she was looking at the man on stage. Almost as if through new eyes.

“How about we start bids at two hundred,” the MC suggested, and the crowd was slightly quiet until a woman in the back bid.

“Two hundred.”

“Two hundred so far for one of our own fire guys. Ladies, I am told Aoron is great with his hands, loves to work and play outdoors. The only boy in his family, this guy has four sisters, so you know he will always put the seat down.”

“Two fifty,” someone else bid.

“Two fifty,” the MC confirmed and went on to talk up Aaron. It wasn’t that the guy was ugly; he wasn’t. He was tall and built. You could tell by the way he filled his dark gray suit, he had strength to spare. Just then, Gabe and Rocco closed in, Gabe smiling at me, settling behind me, his heat warming my back as his hands went around my waist.

“Three hundred,” the original bidder called out.

“See what I told you about that guy?” Rocco mumbled as he walked past us, taking his date in his arms and walking away.

“What did you see in him?” I asked out loud, and Ruby simply shrugged.

“No clue,” she whispered, her attention back on the very tall, very built fireman up on stage.

“I think you might have to be on cleaning duty at the police station. You guys are a little over two grand short.”

“Shame too. Garcia is a good guy,” Gabe’s deep voice softly shared.

“Yeah?” Ruby asked, never taking her eyes off the dark-haired man on the stage.

“Honestly, if my sister hadn’t hit it off with Mav, he’s exactly the kind of guy I would want her to be with.”

“Ten grand.” I gasped, turning to Ruby, who looked as surprised as I felt at what she had said.

“Whoa!” the crowd cheered, and the MC clapped.

“Ladies and gentlemen! We have a ten-thousand-dollar bid. If I do the math correctly, this would be the most we have ever raised in a bachelor auction to date!”

“Ruby,” I whispered, “do you have ten grand?”

“I do.” Her face was bright red. Ruby didn’t like attention on herself, and I knew, just as she did, that all eyes were definitely on her right then and there.

“Okay then,” I whispered, squeezing her hand.

“Ten grand going once. Twice. Aaron, my boy, meet your first date of the year! Sold! For a record-setting amount of ten thousand dollars!” The crowd cheered, and the guy set his eyes on her, a puzzled look on his face.

“You okay?” I asked her, and she nodded. “We better go pay for our dates.”

I turned to gaze up into Gabe’s dark eyes and smiled as they were already trained on me. “You set it up, so I could buy you tonight, didn’t you?”

“Me?” he horribly feigned innocence.

“I like how you’re this big. Bad. Fireman,” I whispered in my attempt to be sultry and seductive, my hand on his chest as our faces seemed to be drawn together. “You know what else I like about you?” I whispered, feeling his eyes on my mouth. My lips tingled with need.

“What’s that?” he hoarsely asked as the world around us started to fade away.

“I also like that you’re a terrible liar,” I panned, and his serious smolder melted away into laughter. My breath hitched. Damn. He’s seriously sexy!

“I don’t like to lie,” he shared, grinning from ear to ear. “It’s never been my thing.”

“I like that too,” I whispered almost shyly. What was it about him that brought out a brazen woman one second and a shy one the next?

“I gotta go pay. You coming?” Ruby asked, snapping me out of my thoughts.

I looked away from Gabe and behind me toward my friend who was more than amused by what was going on with Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome. She wasn’t the only one. I was lost about my mind and body’s reaction to him in a way I didn’t want to be found. Not trusting the sound of my own voice and having the ability to mask the lust coursing through me, I simply nodded.

“I’ll go with you.” His hand took mine, and we walked side by side toward the cashier.

I watched from the sidelines as Daisy and Ruby paid the cashier for the auction. I was dying to get us out of here and to my place, so we could get to one another better. My body was hard, my skin and blood too warm, the need for her greater than I had ever experienced.

But I didn’t.

I didn’t even try.

I wanted this night to be one we would both remember. When everyone from our table got up to dance, I made it a point to take her out there too. Watching her look up at me in the soft lighting of the room made me want to somehow eternalize the moment, but I knew no matter what, I would never forget it.

The feel of her in my arms. Her body pressed close against mine. The scent of her skin and perfume. Each amazing, all three a potent aphrodisiac as our bodies moved. In sync. Like we’d done this a lifetime. Whatever was going on between us was not a fluke. It was the real deal.

One song melted into another. Minutes ticked away, and all sense of time seemed to fade as we moved. Every song that played was added to a mental playlist to create one day. Some were slow and melodic. Others upbeat, while even others held some sultry beats and sexy-as-hell lyrics. I didn’t know which one was my favorite, but I knew we would be dancing to one of them at our wedding.

God. I wanted to laugh. The twists and turns life sent you on. Over a year ago, I was praying I’d be able to walk without a limp after my accident. Each grueling, painfully long moment of physical therapy, of self-doubt, was worth its weight in gold if she was my reward.

“You excited about clean sheets?” she asked as the upbeat song melted into something a hell of a lot slower, and it took me a moment to figure out what she was talking about. Rocco and the bet.

“You have no idea.” I smiled at the thought of Rocco Fields’ arrogant face stuck doing laundry. “I think the best part will be watching Fields choke on his stupid words about the kid. It’s probably killing him he got outbid.”

“Were you being honest about Aaron?” she asked after I leaned my head down, pressing my cheek against hers.

“I told you. I don’t lie.” And I didn’t. It took too much effort. One lie was usually where tangled webs began.

“I know. She’s just—”

“Your girl,” I cut her off. “I get it. I meant it. With anyone out of our guys or the guys in blue up there, she is safest with Garcia and me,” I said, taking my cheek off her so I could look at her.

“You?” Her brow perked up, and I wanted to laugh. She was jealous. She had nothing to worry about.

“Yep. She’s totally safe with me. I’m a one-woman kind of man.”

“Oh?” That pretty brow rose again, and I smirked.

“I only have eyes for you,” I admitted, and damn, if she had any idea how honest I was being. It should have terrified me, but I’d never been more content or confident about anything in my life.

“You make it so hard not to want to believe in your words.”

“You can always believe me. Even when I think you might not like it, I’ll always tell you the truth, Daisy. Trust me,” I pleaded, and I watched, completely mesmerized, as she licked her lips. She opened her mouth, but before she could respond, the MC spoke into his mic.

“Ladies and gentlemen! It’s about to be that time. Everyone, please grab a glass of bubbly and join us on the dance floor.”

Excitement and anticipation in the air moved up a notch. When my sister and her friends joined us, I left her to grab us glasses of champagne.

“Gabe?” a voice called, and I turned, but the smile Daisy had placed on my face faltered at the sight of Monica.

Blond, beautiful, and always up for an adventure, she had been one of my regular hookups until recently. The meaningless sex had already started to lose its appeal, and I had noticed she had started to grow weirdly attached.

Tonight, she had bid on me and won Rocco.

“Hey, Monica.”

“One of those for little ‘ole me?” she asked, placing a hand on my chest.

“No. Sorry.” I scowled, taking a step back from her touch.

“No sweat off my back.” She shrugged, crossing her arms. “I see you’re taking your auctioned date seriously.” She tilted her chin behind me toward where I’d left Daisy, and I smiled.

“I take everything in my life seriously.”

She snorted and gave me humorless smile. “Oh, please. We both know that’s not true.”

“Monica, you and I were never that. Not even close.”

“You and I? You never gave things a chance past a weekend. But don’t worry, honey, I warned her all about you.”

“What did you do?” I glanced back and saw my girl. A vision in red who stood out in a crowd of people mostly dressed in black and white. But no matter what she was wearing, I’d always be able to spot her in a crowd.

“Warned her all about your phobia,” Monica shared, bringing my attention back to her.

“My what?” She was crazy.

“Oh, come on, Gabe. You know exactly what I’m talking about.”

“Actually, I have no clue, Monica.”

“Your aversion to calling back. She looks like a smart girl. Maybe a little young for you, but who knows. Maybe young is smart for you,” she cryptically added.

“Why is that?” I gritted through my teeth.

“They’re all about fun,” she simply said, and I frowned. It wasn’t what I thought she was going to say.

“What?”

“Awe. Gabe. Are you really that slow?” My jaw clenched, and I exhaled slowly. “I’ll enlighten you, babe. Girls like her? Driven. Motivated. They’re looking for a good time. Just like you.” She enunciated each of her last words with a smile. “So maybe with her, you won’t even have to worry about not calling, ‘cause I’m almost positive she wouldn’t answer.”

I shook my head and looked over. Daisy’s eyes were on me. I winked in her direction.

“Happy New Year, Monica.” I nodded, and she rolled her eyes.

There was a possibility Monica could be right about Daisy, but I wasn’t going to let her ruin what I had found. Regardless, the outcome was going to be the same. Daisy was mine.

I reached my girl and handed her a glass of champagne.

“What was that about?”

“The past,” I answered honestly because after one taste of Daisy’s lips, my memory of anyone before her had been cleared away.

“Hmm. That it? You looked, I don’t know, upset maybe?”

“Give me a chance,” I said, pulling her in close. The dance floor was crowded, bodies brushed up against one another, but all I could see was her. Holding her glass to her lips. Her eyes sparkled like gems, and damn, I wanted to know what she was thinking. Read her every thought.

“A chance, huh?”

“A serious one,” I leaned in and said to her ear, not missing the goose bumps that covered her shoulders.

“Are you asking me to be your girlfriend, Gabe Blanco?”

In the background, the crowd had started to count down, and I cupped her face. The delicate skin of her jaw felt like silk in my palm. “Be mine.”

“You don’t think this is a little fast? We hardly know one another.”

“I know what I’m feeling, and I think we’re on the same page.”

“Maybe.” I could tell she was tempted to give in. To say yes to me.

“Every day I go into work I’m reminded of how precious life is. How it can slip through your fingers.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” she answered so damn sweetly.

“That’s not a yes,” I goaded.

“It’s also not a no.”

“Seven! Six!” the crowd yelled, and I leaned my face closer to hers. breathing the same air, her breath sweet from the champagne.

“Five! Four! Three!” We both joined in the chanting.

Our eyes were locked on one another.

“Two!”

I’m sure someone said one, but I didn’t hear it. I couldn’t. Not through the roaring of blood at my ears, the clear drumming of my heart. We both went after what we wanted. The moment our lips touched, I closed my eyes and my hand drifted to the back of her head as we got lost in one another as Auld Lang Syne played in the background and metallic hued confetti fell over us from above.