Free Protected By Her Bear: BBW Paranormal Shape Shifter Romance Standalone (BBW Romance, BBW Paranormal Romance, BBW Shifter Romance, Shifter Romance) by Ashley Hunter
Authors: Ashley Hunter
I.
Kelly laughed as her friends gave her playful shoves towards the stage. “No you guys, stop. This is silly.”
It was a charity dinner with a bachelorette auction at the end. Kelly agreed to come with her friends for moral support, unsuspecting they would expect her to take part in the auction.
Tiffany was far prettier and thin. The perfect package.
Kelly had always been a bit jealous of the way Tiffany could look amazing in any dress, but she had to admit Tiffany worked hard to get there.
She watched what she ate, and worked out just about every day. Her friends were supportive, and Kelly tried to do the same, but it just wasn’t in her.
Kelly was a heavy girl, and that was just how it was. She’d accepted it and moved on.
When her friends told her about the bachelorette auction, she automatically assumed Tiffany would be the one to enter. Why would anyone bid on Kelly when there were all of these other more attractive women?
She had no illusions about the world: guys liked skinny girls. Somewhere out there was a guy that wouldn’t just tolerate her weight, but wanted it. Wanted her. That was the guy she was holding out for.
In a way, it was kind of nice not having to worry so much about finding a guy. Constantly, she heard stories from Tiffany and the others about this psycho boyfriend, or that crazy stalker. It was freeing not having that added stress in her life. Kelly was a patient person, and she could wait for her perfect man.
That is, unless her friends decided to auction her off!
Kelly’s defiance earned her the attention of the crowd, and before she knew it the spotlight was blinding her.
“Here we go, another eligible young lady. Come up here, darling,” the announcer said, his amplified voice echoing throughout the ballroom.
Suddenly, the whole audience was laughing and cheering for her. How embarrassing. She couldn’t back out now!
Kelly and her friends all laughed, and she finally raised her hands and waved. The cheers went louder and seemed to follow her as she climbed the short set of stairs to the side of the stage.
The host grinned at her, coming over to put an arm around her shoulders.
“What’s your name, darling?” he asked and pressed the microphone to her face. The spotlight was blinding, and she couldn’t see her friends’ faces.
“Kelly. I’m here with my friends. They’re out there somewhere.”
The host laughed. “Let’s thank her friends, everyone, huh?”
He and the audience clapped, and he guided her toward the center of the stage.
They’d already had three girls up, some of the bids going as high as $200. No one would have any money left to bid on her.
Kelly stood with her hands behind her back and smiled, knowing full well this wouldn’t go how her friends wanted. That was okay though. She knew it, and without having her hopes up, she wouldn’t be disappointed.
“Kelly, why don’t you tell us a little bit about yourself? What do you do for a living?”
“I’m a financial consultant for small businesses.”
The host and the audience both “ooo”ed at her, as though that was something to be impressed with.
“Beautiful and successful,” he said, “a double-threat!”
Everyone laughed with him.
Oh Chuck, you’re so silly, she thought. He had to build her up, she knew. It was for charity, after all. Not that she needed the charity, but the thought was nice enough.
“So, just like with the others, we’ll start the bidding at $5. Do I hear five? Five, to the young man in the back.”
“Do I hear ten? Ten to the gentleman here in the front. Fifteen. Do I hear fifteen?”
Already Kelly was surprised. She expected a bid eventually, when it was clear no one else was going to. A pity bid.
Instead, four men drove her price up to $25 rather quickly, and by $50 it became a bidding war between two of them.
Her eyes had
Kelly laughed as her friends gave her playful shoves towards the stage. “No you guys, stop. This is silly.”
It was a charity dinner with a bachelorette auction at the end. Kelly agreed to come with her friends for moral support, unsuspecting they would expect her to take part in the auction.
Tiffany was far prettier and thin. The perfect package.
Kelly had always been a bit jealous of the way Tiffany could look amazing in any dress, but she had to admit Tiffany worked hard to get there.
She watched what she ate, and worked out just about every day. Her friends were supportive, and Kelly tried to do the same, but it just wasn’t in her.
Kelly was a heavy girl, and that was just how it was. She’d accepted it and moved on.
When her friends told her about the bachelorette auction, she automatically assumed Tiffany would be the one to enter. Why would anyone bid on Kelly when there were all of these other more attractive women?
She had no illusions about the world: guys liked skinny girls. Somewhere out there was a guy that wouldn’t just tolerate her weight, but wanted it. Wanted her. That was the guy she was holding out for.
In a way, it was kind of nice not having to worry so much about finding a guy. Constantly, she heard stories from Tiffany and the others about this psycho boyfriend, or that crazy stalker. It was freeing not having that added stress in her life. Kelly was a patient person, and she could wait for her perfect man.
That is, unless her friends decided to auction her off!
Kelly’s defiance earned her the attention of the crowd, and before she knew it the spotlight was blinding her.
“Here we go, another eligible young lady. Come up here, darling,” the announcer said, his amplified voice echoing throughout the ballroom.
Suddenly, the whole audience was laughing and cheering for her. How embarrassing. She couldn’t back out now!
Kelly and her friends all laughed, and she finally raised her hands and waved. The cheers went louder and seemed to follow her as she climbed the short set of stairs to the side of the stage.
The host grinned at her, coming over to put an arm around her shoulders.
“What’s your name, darling?” he asked and pressed the microphone to her face. The spotlight was blinding, and she couldn’t see her friends’ faces.
“Kelly. I’m here with my friends. They’re out there somewhere.”
The host laughed. “Let’s thank her friends, everyone, huh?”
He and the audience clapped, and he guided her toward the center of the stage.
They’d already had three girls up, some of the bids going as high as $200. No one would have any money left to bid on her.
Kelly stood with her hands behind her back and smiled, knowing full well this wouldn’t go how her friends wanted. That was okay though. She knew it, and without having her hopes up, she wouldn’t be disappointed.
“Kelly, why don’t you tell us a little bit about yourself? What do you do for a living?”
“I’m a financial consultant for small businesses.”
The host and the audience both “ooo”ed at her, as though that was something to be impressed with.
“Beautiful and successful,” he said, “a double-threat!”
Everyone laughed with him.
Oh Chuck, you’re so silly, she thought. He had to build her up, she knew. It was for charity, after all. Not that she needed the charity, but the thought was nice enough.
“So, just like with the others, we’ll start the bidding at $5. Do I hear five? Five, to the young man in the back.”
“Do I hear ten? Ten to the gentleman here in the front. Fifteen. Do I hear fifteen?”
Already Kelly was surprised. She expected a bid eventually, when it was clear no one else was going to. A pity bid.
Instead, four men drove her price up to $25 rather quickly, and by $50 it became a bidding war between two of them.
Her eyes had
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