Amy quivered as though she’d orgasm, and embarrassed, Dex tried to pull away. But like a leech, Amy clung tightly. “Do I hear fifteen hundred dollars?”

“Hell with this.” Simone Duchaine, one of the Boca elite and Amy’s best friend who’d been chasing Dex for years, pushed her way through the crowd. “I’ll give you fifty thousand dollars. I dare anyone to top that.”

Dexter’s heart slammed into his feet. No way could Char match that.

But Char climbed on a chair, cupped her hands around her mouth and yelled, “Fifty-one thousand dollars!”

The crowd roared as her friends Beth and Jody tried to pull her down. But Char stayed standing on her chair.

Simone smiled and purred like a cat, “Sixty thousand dollars!”

When Char came back with “Sixty-one thousand,” as if it was chump change, Simone tossed down her cheque book and rounded on her opponent.

Simone marched up to Char, her fists balled on her hips. “Seventy thousand!”

Char laughed and said in Simone’s face with glee, “Seventy-one thousand.”

Worried how Char would pay if she won, that she’d cost the hospital a lot of much needed funds and get herself fired, Dex tried to wave her off. Still, his chest puffed out and his cock flexed that she wanted him so badly that she’d lost her mind.

To his astonishment, Simone and Char dickered all the way up to one-hundred-one thousand dollars before Simone stomped off.

“Nurse Reynolds wins Dr. Hottie. Better luck next year, ladies.” Amy gave Char a wary look. “‘Fess up, Charity. Are you really good for it?”

Char squared her shoulders, wrote the cheque and sashayed up to Amy. “Oh yeah. Call my bank if you don’t believe me. I live in Boca, don’t I?”

Dex did a double take. Was Char rich? She didn’t strike him as a spoiled Boca Babe. She was hard-working and dedicated. In fact, she was too assiduous, as if she had no other life. Thank God she didn’t fit the mould of a vapid, selfish Boca Babe. He couldn’t stand the breed.

In shock but eager for their night to begin, Dex shot a sexy grin to his mistress for an evening.

Char caught Dexter’s victorious, haughty glance and kicked herself. Oy! He must imagine she was hooked on him. So must the entire hospital staff. What had she done, bidding so high? What had possessed her?

Simone Duchaine, for one. The socialite and her cutting remarks had gotten under Charity’s skin again. That and her mindless need for revenge had been her undoing.

Several people wished her congratulations. Others snubbed her, their noses high in the air. Some regarded her as if she was one of America ’s Most Wanted.

Beth took her aside and put her hand to her forehead. “You can’t afford this. Are you nuts?”

Char rubbed at the beginnings of an achy head as she regarded her friend and wondered just how much she should divulge. Finally, she admitted, “But I can.”

Beth tucked her hair behind her ears and adjusted her glasses higher on her nose. “A few months ago, you were sweating about paying your property taxes. What gives?”

Char crossed her heart and looked into her friend’s eyes. “My great Aunt Laila recently left me a nice inheritance. She was like a grandmother to me. She didn’t have any kids so she doted on my dad and me.”

Beth hugged her then shook her head. “Lucky you! I wish some of my feisty old relatives would hurry up and kick the bucket and leave me a wad of cash. I’m tired of living paycheque to paycheque.”

Aghast and disbelieving, Char shook her finger at her best friend. “Beth! No, you don’t. Take that back.”

“Well, I guess not. None of them are rich, anyway, but I wouldn’t wish that on them. So what are you going to do with Dr. Hottie?”

“Oh, you know. Whips, chains, torture, and all that good shit.” Char knew Beth would never believe the truth, not from her. No one ever believed she could be bad, and she was sick of being the good girl all the time, but sometimes it worked to her advantage. She could get away with a lot-if she wanted.

Beth guffawed and screwed up her lips. “Yeah right. I mean for real?”

Char tossed her a Cheshire cat smile and shrugged. “I told you.”

Beth still looked quizzical but stopped pushing her for answers.

When they re-entered the smoky, noisy room, Dexter still gloated up on the stage, galling her. “Look at him, so smug and self-righteous. Now he really thinks he’s hot shit.”

“And just whose fault is that?” Beth said in a sing song voice as she poked Char in the ribs.

“I do believe I created a monster.” More of a monster. She should be flogged.

“Shush!” Beth jumped on the chair and wildly waved her arms. “It’s Dr. Hunky’s turn. I want a hot night, too.”

Revelation struck Char square between the eyes and suddenly, she knew what she had to do. Although Beth gave her questioning, malicious glares, she kept bidding until she won Dr. Hunky at thirty-five thousand dollars.

Dex glared at her, too, and shook his head as he slumped in his chair. His flesh looked grey, but it must be a trick of the lighting.

Amy tapped her fingers on the mic and looked ready to eat metal. “Aren’t you being a tad greedy, Reynolds, buying both dreamboats?”

Char climbed on stage. “Do you want the money or not? Is anyone willing to go higher? It’s all for the kids, right? So give me some competition people!”

Several pairs of eyes lowered and several other heads shook as a grumble echoed through the crowd. After several moments of waiting, Char asked Amy, “Well, what’s the verdict? Do you want my cheque for Dr. Hunky, too? Or not?”

Amy glowered but snatched the second cheque, passed it to her assistant and mumbled under her breath, “Call the bank right away and make sure these are good.” Louder, she said to Char so that the entire audience could hear, “Are you done, or do you want them all?”

Char offered the most innocent look she could. “I’m done. When do I get to collect my booty?”

Dex looked like he was about to gag, and he bent his head over his knees and wrung his hands.

Ben slapped his thigh and laughed as if he got the joke and enjoyed being her partner in crime.

Her gaze bounced from man to man as she pondered which was hotter. It was a toss up, but she had no idea what to do with the extra man.

Simone slinked up like the snake she was. “I always knew you were a greedy bitch. I bet those cheques bounce to the moon. Or did you rob one of your geriatric patients?”

Char’s fists balled up, and her temperature sky-rocketed. She’d had enough of Simone’s bitchiness for three lifetimes.

When Char advanced on Simone, Beth and Jody caught her arms and spun her around. Then Beth pinched her arm hard. “Your men for a night are waiting for you. You don’t want to disappoint them.”

Char yelped and gave her friends a rueful look. She rubbed the sore spot on her arm hoping it wouldn’t bruise. When she checked it, there was no discolouration-yet. “Thanks.”

Jody gave her a lopsided grin. “What are you going to do with two men? I hope you have plenty of condoms. I know a place you can get a big stock for discount. Coloured. Flavoured. Ribbed. I’ll give you the address.”

Beth made a moue of her lips. “What a little slut you are. Who would’ve thunk? Gimme the address, too, while you’re at it.”

Char gulped but grew warm and gooey. It had been a long time since she’d needed condoms, and her pussy quaked at the idea of needing lots of them. Purrs rose in her throat, and she winked. “What do you think I’m going to do with two gorgeous men who are at my mercy? Play Tiddlywinks, of course.”

Beth’s laughter tinkled over the throng. “Of course. Good for you. It’s about time you got a life outside this hospital.”

Not liking the sound of that one bit, she wrinkled her nose and decided to evaluate her life when she got a free moment. Did she spend all her time here? All her friends were on staff. She didn’t know her neighbours. She hadn’t been to church in forever because she worked every Sunday and religious holiday.