Bought by the Billionbear(2)
Owen started to stretch again, then caught himself with a sigh. The chair was too small for him. The city was too small for him. His bear was restless, and he was restless. He’d make his donation and go on his date, and then he had to get out into the country. He needed room to roam.
No. What he needed, his bear insisted, was a mate.
Got any ideas on where to find her? Owen asked his bear.
As always, he came up empty. He believed in the lore of his clan: that every shifter had their fated mate. But having a mate didn’t mean that you’d ever find her. For all he knew, his mate was someone he’d never meet, living in another country whose language he didn’t speak.
People were always telling him, “You have everything.” It was almost true. But without a mate— without the love of the one woman in the world who was meant for him— all his billions didn’t mean a damn thing.
“Our next bachelorette,” the auctioneer announced. “Miss Raina Williams!”
Owen sat up straight, suddenly more interested, as Raina walked on to the stage. She was a vision in curves, nothing but luscious softness all over. Her scarlet dress clung to her delicious body, cupping the pearly globes of her breasts and outlining the most gorgeous ass he’d seen in his entire life. Her hips swayed as she walked, sending ripples through her whole body and delivering a jolt of desire straight to Owen’s cock.
Owen wished he could see Raina’s face. If it was even half as gorgeous as her body, she’d be by far the most beautiful bachelorette present. But her head was lowered, her face hidden by a fall of glossy brown hair. He wondered if she was shy, and why she’d volunteered to go onstage when she couldn’t even bring herself to lift her head to meet the eyes of the audience. He could sympathize. He wasn’t shy himself, but he knew what it was like to be uncomfortable in a crowd.
She stopped at the center of the stage. Between her hair and the shadows cast by the brilliant stage lights, her eyes were invisible, but Owen could now catch a glimpse of a sweet kissable mouth, a firm chin, and delectably round cheeks. Raina was lovely. But her body language was hunched and uncomfortable, as if she was trying to hide within her own body. Owen didn’t understand it. She had nothing to hide.
The auctioneer began reading off a piece of paper. “This lovely bachelorette brightens the days of shoppers as a supermarket cashier. Her favorite color is forest green.”
Forest green, rumbled Owen’s bear. She has good taste. Bid on her!
Owen frowned. The poor woman was still staring at the floor. She obviously didn’t want to be there. Would he be doing her any favors if he bid on her? But if he didn’t, someone else would. She’d have to go on a date with someone.
Owen raised his hand. He had no intention of forcing her into something she didn’t want, but he could catch her afterward and inform her that she didn’t have to go on a date with him if she didn’t want to— he’d donate the money regardless. Though he hoped that she just had stage fright, and would want to go out with him once she was away from the stage and the crowd.
“One thousand dollars,” Owen called.
At that, Raina looked up. Her hair fell away from her face, and the bright lights shone on it. She was just as beautiful as he’d imagined, with huge, golden-brown eyes like dark honey. From across the room, those lovely eyes met his.
A shock of recognition jolted Owen.
She’s the one.
His entire being sang with the knowledge that the woman onstage was his mate. Every atom of him yearned for her, like they were magnets pulling each other together. That exquisite, perfect, sexy woman onstage was meant for him, like he was meant for her. After all those years of hoping and waiting, he’d finally found her.
It was like he’d been struck by lightning. His blood fizzed like shaken beer. He was hot all over. And he had the biggest hard-on he’d had in his entire life.
“Going… going…” The auctioneer cleared his throat. “Mr. Maguire, are you sure you want to let the lovely Miss Williams go to the gentleman on your right?”
Owen blinked. The man sitting next to him also had his hand up. He must have bid while Owen had been lost in the perfect happiness of finding his mate.
Owen’s lips curled in a snarl. He had no idea how much that man had bid, but he wasn’t letting any other man win a date with his mate. He’d grind his rival into the dust.
“Fifty thousand dollars,” Owen called.
Raina’s lovely brown eyes widened, and her sweet lips parted in shock. Owen smiled. His mate’s worth couldn’t be valued in money, of course, but he wanted her to know that he’d spare nothing to be with her.
The man sitting next to him glared, then raised his hand. “Sixty thousand.”
“Seventy!” Owen said instantly.
The auctioneer looked delighted. Raina looked stunned.
“Well, well,” said the auctioneer, rubbing his hands together. “For the benefit of those in the audience who don’t know them by sight, I’ll introduce our eager bidders. The gentleman who just bid seventy thousand dollars for one night with our bachelorette is Owen Maguire, the young CEO of OwenTech. Our other bidder is Austin Stroud III, the senior partner of Stroud, Stroud, and Stroud. Mr. Stroud, are you going to bid?”
Owen had heard of Stroud, Stroud, and Stroud. It was a very successful law firm that specialized in defending mega-corporations from charges of illegal chemical dumping. As a bear shifter, Owen hated it when forests were recklessly destroyed by companies trying to save a few dollars. He had to tamp down his rage at the thought of Austin Stroud daring to try to get his hands on Owen’s destined mate.