No Strings Attached (Last Hope Ranch Book 1) by Amanda McIntyre Page A

pretty difficult for her. At least, it’s what he told himself before he opened his mouth. “Sure.” He shrugged. “What do I have to do?”
    “Yee haw ,” Liberty pumped her fist in the air.
    Clay heard a muffled giggle from the girl Tyler had been eyeing at Dusty’s bar. He brought his gaze back to Sally’s, whose mouth resembled a bass. She stared at him. Maybe he’d spoken too soon, because another thought, far more disturbing, occurred to him. “Okay, wait a second. This isn’t one of those Magic Mike kind of auctions, right?”
    Liberty clapped her hands and uttered a feminine squeal. “What a fabulous idea! That would really pack them in. You should consider that option, Sally.”
    “Liberty?” Sally said. “Seriously?” She tossed her friend a stern look.
    “What? You’ve got to admit. It would certainly liven up things.”
    “No,” Sally repeated as though disciplining a student. She looked at Clay. “No, it’s nothing like that. The annual Montana Buckle Ball is the Business Chamber’s Spring gala, dinner and dance. Apparently a few years back they decided to go from a silent raffle auction to the bachelor auction where we feature some of the area’s finest single men.”
    He held in a smile, wanting to tell her he appreciated the compliment, but he was pretty damn sure she was being muscled-armed into this decision.
    “The proceeds from the auction each year goes to a worthy cause in the area,” Angelique interjected. “This year the Women and Children’s shelter in Billings has been chosen as recipient.”
    “The chamber takes the applicants we’ve suggested, but they must first meet certain criteria before they’re officially accepted.” Sally kept her gaze on his. “Those chosen must agree to be the winning bidder’s date for the remainder of the evening.”
    That was it? If he didn’t know better, it sounded as though Sally was making it sound as difficult as possible to go through with this. Which, of course, pissed him off enough to shove that challenge right back at Little Miss Bossy Butt. “I’m in, then. Thank you, ladies.” He purposely avoided eye contact with Sally. He knew his presence in the event had thrown a wrench into her plans, but what the hell. He grinned. He still had to pass muster with the chamber. He looked back, resting his gaze on Sally. “That is, of course, if the chamber approves me.”
    The lights flickered again and suddenly he found himself staring into Sally’s beautiful eyes. Her cheeks, he noted, were noticeably flushed. “I should probably go.”
    “I’ll show you to the door,” she offered in a curt tone.
    “Ladies.” Clay nodded and followed Sally to the foyer. She stood ready, her hand on the doorknob. He couldn’t get his coat zipped up and his gloves on fast enough.
    She opened the door and a rush of icy snow blew in as though blown through the screen by a wind machine. A yelp sounded from the other room even as the pictures hung along the stairwell clattered and fell to the floor.
    Aimee appeared in the entry. “Close that door! Look the snow is blowing in.”
    Sally struggled against the rugged wind and the small drift of snow that edged against the bottom of the door and along the hall toward the back of the house.  Snow swirled around her stocking feet. Clay reached out and grabbed the door, shoving it shut with his shoulder. He released a sigh as he leaned against it.
    “Well, you certainly can’t go out in that.” Aimee fisted her hands on her hips.
    Clay wasn’t terribly excited about the prospect either, but one look at Sally’s face gave him pause about the alternatives.
    Liberty appeared at Aimee’s side. “What kind of person would turn someone out on a night like this?” Clay caught Liberty’s not-so-subtle nudge.
    He brushed the snow from where it clung to his eyelashes. “Tyler’s place is just a few blocks from here.”
    Liberty spoke first. “That’s ridiculous. You’re already here, where its