"Hey Liz!"
Mark was waving from across the crowded room and hurrying in my direction. He looked even more distinguished than usual in the tuxedo he was wearing for his role as Master of Ceremony. The holiday fundraiser had been his idea, and since he was the head of the medical center, the majority of the guests appeared to be fellow doctors.
"I'm so glad you're here," he said, pulling me over to the side. "I need to ask you something."
"What?"
"Well, I figured if anyone would get offended by something I've planned tonight, it would be you." I raised my eyebrow suspiciously as he took a deep breath and continued. "I thought it would be a real money-maker if I auctioned off a date for tonight… it is New Years Eve after all. You know, we've got quite a few single doctors here."
"So, you're auctioning off a woman?"
"Right," confirmed Mark.
"Are you auctioning off any men?" I asked.
"I knew you'd ask me that," he sighed. "No, I couldn't find any. This was a last minute idea, and well… it's easier to find women who will do this than a man."
"What are you two over here whispering about," asked Bill, slipping an arm around my waist. Bill was a fellow gynecologist at the hospital and had been overtly flirting with me for months.
"One of Mark's charitable causes," I said, sarcastically. "He's trying to get one of his doctor's laid tonight."
"Are you looking for volunteers?" asked Bill, winking at me.
"Well, if you have your checkbook, you can volunteer yourself," explained Mark. "I'm going to auction off a date as part of the fundraiser."
"I don't suppose you'd be my date for free," asked Bill, pulling me closer to him.
"I'm sure I would cost a whole lot more than the woman he's auctioning off tonight." I ground my hip seductively into his side as an added tease.
"I'll pay anything," Bill added quickly, "just name the price."
"Hey," interrupted Mark, "You want to volunteer for the auction? We'd make a million."
"In your dreams," I laughed.
"So, you're okay with the auction thing?" asked Mark.
"Well, I think it should be balanced. You really should have a guy to auction as well."
"Yeah, I know…" agreed Mark.
"Hey, maybe Bill will volunteer," I suggested. Bill looked stunned as Mark and I looked to him for confirmation.
"Me?" he gasped. "I don't think so."
"Why not?" I asked.
"If I thought you'd buy me, I'd do it in a minute." He looked hungrily at my cleavage in the low-cut dress. "But I know I would probably end up with Marge over there or one of the lab techs."
We all laughed and then Mark asked again for my assurance. "So you're okay with this?"
"Why are you asking me, Mark? There are other women doctors here tonight."
"You're the rebel in the crowd and you know it," he answered. I knew exactly what he meant, but pretended complete ignorance.
"I have no idea what you mean."
Even Bill laughed at my answer. He still had his arm around my waist and I moved a step away causing him to let go.
"Well, let your conscious be your guide," I added. "But prepared for the consequences."
"What does that mean?" asked Mark.
"Nothing…" I winked at him mischievously.
"This is why I have an ulcer," groaned Mark. "Well, dinner's over and I need to get the ball rolling here. You two try to behave yourselves."
"Yes sir," I mocked.
"Except you," he said to Bill as we walked away. "You get your checkbook ready."
I turned to Bill and smiled. "Well, I'm going back to find my wine."
"Mind if I join you?" he asked.
"Not at all, but I'm sitting with Mike and Tom." I knew he didn't get along with either one of them at the hospital, so socializing with them would be a stretch.
"Well, I'm in a charitable mood tonight," he said, motioning for me to lead the way.
As we neared the table, the other two doctors looked surprised to see Bill returning with me. They had both been dropping hints of taking me home after the dinner and now they probably thought they had another man to contend with. The truth was I had no intentions of spending the evening with either one of them.
"Have you been slumming again, Liz?" Mike's little joke had just the amount of venom I had expected.
"Why do you think I returned to your table dear?" I winked at Bill as we sat down and he poured us a couple glasses of wine. Mark was tapping on the microphone up on the stage and getting ready for his big event.
"You guys won't believe what he's got planned tonight," I said.
"What now?" asked Tom. "I hope he doesn't want more money. The two hundred to get in here tonight was enough."
Mark was trying to get everyone to quiet down and we all turned toward the stage.
"I want to thank you all for coming tonight," started Mark. "We've raised over twenty thousand dollars so far… and had a great dinner besides." Everyone applauded as he continued. "Someone… and I won't mention any names… had an idea for a way to raise a little more money tonight. I have to admit I'm a little concerned about how some of you might take this, so please keep the charity in mind as we continue."
He cleared his throat nervously and continued. "Well, we notice that quite a few of you young doctors don't have a date tonight, and well… it is New Year's Eve." He looked at his watched before he continued. "It's already ten o'clock. So if you want a date to kiss at midnight, you still might have a chance."
The crowd started to mumble as Mark turned toward the side of the stage. "Jenny, would you come out here please?"
A beautiful blond woman in a long, sexy dress walked out onto the stage. The wolf whistles came from around the room, including Mike and Tom, as she stood next to Mark and smiled at the audience.
"Whoa," groaned Bill.
"So what's a date worth to you these days?" I teased.
"Glad I have the over-draft protection," he sighed, keeping his eyes on Jenny.
"Well, Jenny assures me she's a great dancer, so who needs a dance partner for tonight? Someone give me a bid!"
"A hundred dollars!" shouted someone from the other side of the room.
"One-fifty!" yelled Mike. Bill and I turned and looked at him and he grinned sheepishly.
"Two hundred!" countered the man from across the room.
"Too steep for you?" I asked Bill.
"Not at all." He shuffled in his seat and leaned closer to me. "I've been to enough auctions to know when to get in and when to wait."
"Oh really?"
"Three hundred!" yelled Mike.
"Yes," whispered Bill. "Jumping in now would just raise the price, but if I wait until the bidding is just about over and then add a substantial amount on top of it, I will win. And, at a considerably lower price than if I had bid all along."
"Four hundred!" countered the man across the room.
"Fascinating," I whispered.
"Five hundred!" yelled Mike.
The crowd watched the two bidders like a tennis match and when the bidding slowed, Mark turned to Jenny and nodded. She pulled the side of her dress up and bent her leg, making the long slit in her dress part. Her shapely legs were donned in black stockings that were held by a garter belt. The crowd went wild.
"Six hundred!" yelled a man at the back of the room.
"Seven!" yelled Mike. Tom slapped him on the back laughing.
Jenny was really putting on a show, swinging her hips and encouraging the wolf whistles from the crowd as the bidding continued.
"Eight!" yelled the man across the room.
"One thousand dollars!" yelled Mike.
"One thousand!" repeated Mark. "Do I hear more?"
Suddenly the man in the back of the room was quiet and the crowd waited for another bid. Mark scanned the room and then turned to Jenny.
"Can you tell us something about yourself, Jenny?" he asked.
She leaned toward the microphone, and answered in her sexiest voice. "I'm very oral."
Bill suddenly stood up from his chair. "Two thousand!"
The crowd went wild with laughter as he sat back down. He looked at me and winked when no other bidders called out.
"Wow, two thousand dollars," repeated Mark. "Any other bids for this beautiful woman tonight?"
Everyone looked around the room and waited.
"Two thousand going once," warned Mark. "Going twice…"
I suddenly stood from my chair and shouted. "Three thousand!"
The room was dead silent for a moment and then suddenly went wild with laughter. Jenny grinned at me as I sat back down in my chair and leaned toward Bill. "Thanks for the tip," I whispered.
"Are you crazy?" he asked in disbelief.
"It's for a good cause, Bill." I laughed, turning my attention back toward the stage.
Mark was trying to compose himself, not sure how to continue. "Okay… wow… three thousand dollars. Anyone else want to top that?"
The room was filled with laughter and chatter, but no other bids surfaced. I looked at Bill and winked.
"Are you going to out bid me?" I asked.
"Actually, I'm more entertained at the thought of you with her than me."
"Okay, three thousand going once…" said Mark. "Going twice…. Sold to Dr. Liz Green for three thousand dollars."
I rose from my chair and walked to the stairs at the side of the stage where Jenny was descending. We both giggled as I took her hand and led her back toward the table.
"Hi," she whispered. "I can't believe you did that!"
"I hope you don't mind."
"Are you kidding?" she laughed. "I think it's great!"
Fortunately the band started playing and most of the crowd filtered out to the dance floor. Several fellow doctors stopped us as we walked by to congratulate me. I did my best to accept.
"Well, gentlemen," I said, presenting Jenny to the guys, "I'd like you to meet my date for the night. Jenny this is Bill, Mike, and Tom."
"Hi," she said, shaking hands with each of them. "Thanks for bidding on me."
"Liz obviously has a better investor than we do," joked Bill.
"You know the rumors that are going to be running around the hospital now, don't you?" warned Mike.
"I'm sure you'll do your best to start them," I said, waving him off.
They were playing a fast dance and I tugged on Jenny's arm. "Come on Jenny, let's go dance."
Everyone laughed as we moved onto the floor and started dancing together. Even Jenny seemed to enjoy the playful tone of pretending to be dates. We held hands and did the bump and grind, teasing the guys at the table watching us.
"So which one do you think is the cutest?" I asked Jenny, nodding to the trio watching us.
"The tall one with the dark hair," she said, noting Bill. "Isn't he the one who bid two thousand for me?"
"Uh huh."
"He's really sexy."
"Yeah, I guess he is."
"Is he your boyfriend?" asked Jenny.
"No, just one of the doctors I work with."
"So … can I ask you…"
"No, I'm not a lesbian."
"Oh…" she seemed kind of disappointed at first. "So this was just kind of a joke?"
"Well… not exactly."
"I'm confused," sighed Jenny.
I danced closer as I whispered in her ear. "I was thinking more along the lines of a threesome with the cute doctor over there."
"Oh…" she said, grinning. We both turned and looked toward Bill, who was watching us.
"That is if you're interested," I added.
"Does he know?" she asked.
"Not yet."
"Oh how fun," she giggled.
"Is that a yes?" I asked.
"Sure.
"Great," I said, waving Bill to the dance floor. "Don't tell him about it just yet. I have to go and give Mark my check. Feel free to tease him as much as you like."
"Do you two need my help already?" joked Bill.
"Just keep her warm for me while I go give Mark a check."
"The things I do for my friends," sighed Billed sarcastically.
I left them and returned to the table for my purse. Mike and Tom were pouting.
"You didn't give her to him, did you?" spat Mike.
"Oh no, just going to write the check before I forget. Have you seen Mark?"
"He's right behind you."
I turned to find Mark standing behind me with a scornful look on his face.
"I should have known you'd do something like this."
"Hey, it was your game," I countered. "Here's your check."
"Well, thanks. Actually, it kind of lightened the whole auction thing. No one will think of you being naughty with her."
"Really?" I teased, nodding my head toward Mike and Tom. "I think they will."
"You guys have a nice evening," I said to the three of them. "I'm taking my date up to my room."
"You're what?" asked Mark, as I walked away.
I found Jenny and Bill on the dance floor grinding to a slow song. I tapped Bill on the shoulder and he and Jenny pulled me into their little circle.
"Mind if I cut in?"
"Hey, I really like your date," said Bill.
"Yeah, she's pretty cute, huh?"
"Totally cute."
"I'm going to take her up to my room now."
"You got a room here?" asked Bill.
"Well, I didn't know I'd have a designated driver when I got here."
"Oh don't go," whined Bill, squeezing us both closer. "I was just starting to have fun."
"What do you think Jenny?" I asked.
"I really want to go upstairs and be with you Liz," she said, kissing my cheek softly. Bill groaned and dropped his head.
"Oh man," he sighed. "I REALLY want to upstairs and be with you too Liz." He kissed my other cheek and Jenny giggled.
We were moving slowly in a circle and pressing against each other. I was getting more and more hopeful that my idea was a good one.
"Gee, what's a girl to do?"
"Well, you could take us both," suggested Jenny. Bill nodded eagerly in agreement.
"I could, couldn't I?"
"Yes, but if you two tease me any further, I won't be able to walk to your room."
Jenny laughed and rubbed her hip against him.
"Okay you two, here's the plan. You each have to talk a table out of their bottle of champagne. When you each have an unopened bottle, we'll go up to my room."
Jenny and Bill looked at each other and grinned.
"Let's go," said Bill, taking Jenny's hand and heading out.
I laughed watching them scurry around the room. Then I returned to table to find Mike and Tom finishing off a bottle of wine.
"I thought you were going up to your room," said Mike.
"We are. I just sent those two off on a mission. They'll be back shortly."
"A mission?" asked Tom.
"We're going to need champagne," I explained.
"For what?" asked Mike.
"For a midnight toast, of course."
Within moments, Bill and Jenny approached the table, each holding a bottle of champagne.
"That was quick," I laughed.
"That was a piece of cake," said Bill.
"Do you always carry that much cash?" asked Jenny. "You wouldn't believe it, but he just paid two hundred dollars for this champagne."
"It's for a good cause," laughed Bill.
"Come on, let's go upstairs."
Mike and Tom shook their heads in disbelief as Bill followed Jenny and I from the room.