Mastering The Virgin 1-5 novel Chapter 7

I click through to read her details.

“Charlotte. Age: twenty-two. Five feet eight. 135 pounds. 38, 22, 36. Interests…. not listed. Background…. not listed. Virgin.

Virgin?

This girl?

How can a girl who looks like this, conceivably be a virgin at twenty-two? Men must lie at her feet.

It’s just got to be a con….

….

….

…. but what if it isn’t…?

The image of the girl, of Charlotte, stays with me through the day. As I work, it drifts through my mind; those incredible eyes.

Wonder if the photo’s been touched up?

Taking a coffee break, I open the message again, clicking through to see if I can learn anything I missed the first time, but no, there’s nothing more.

Perhaps I should check out the Auction House? See if it seems kosher?

I’ve nothing much on tomorrow. I could take an hour or so out of the schedule to call by….

I sip my coffee.

Then I sip it again. Why not?

You can’t afford it….

Doesn’t hurt to look though….

*****

“Good morning, Sir. How can I help you?”

The woman on reception is outrageously fat, middle-aged, and judging by her sour expression, has forgotten what it ever felt like to be young.

Please don’t let age turn me into that….

“I’m enquiring about an email you sent to me, advertising an auction. I wanted to see if it’s genuine?”

“Which auction is that, Sir? We run a wide variety of sales.”

“This one.” I offer her my print-off.

“Ah, that one.” She glares at me over her spectacles. “Mr Chambers handles enquiries on that particular…. event. I’ll go get him for you.”

Thank God for that….

No way do I want to discuss…. anything…. with that woman.

After only a minute or so, she returns, scowling, with a man of about my own age. “Good morning, Sir. Would you like to come this way, please. We can talk more privately in the office.” He shoots the woman a toxic glance and she subsides, then sits.

As he leads me through, I say, “Really, I just wanted to check if it is genuine, and not some internet hoax or swindle.

“No, Sir. It’s quite genuine. Although I’ll grant you, it is a little unusual.” He waves me to a chair. “If you would like to register, we’ll need some details from you. You understand that we need to take precautions on behalf of the girls involved. There is also a $1,000 deposit to attend the auction, whether that be in person, by proxy or by internet.”

A thousand dollars?

“That’s quite a deposit.”

“Yes, Sir. We set it high to discourage the voyeurs and other riff-raff. You can imagine what kind of people we might be getting through the door if we didn’t restrict the audience to genuinely interested potential buyers.”