Ballykissangel's annual `Slave Auction' has come around and it starts off on a low note when Fr. Mac wins the bid for three hours of Assumpta's time. She knows that he has something devious in mind for her and she tries to buy her way out of it. However, she does manage to win the services of Peter so she puts him to work behind the bar, much to the annoyance of Fr. Mac.
Peter decides to put on a play and persuades Assumpta to take the starring role, but if she doesn't agree to Fr. Mac's demands, then the play will be called off, to the upset and expense of everyone involved, so she agrees to let rooms to two Priests and a bishop.
Niamh tries to pair Assumpta off with a newly arrived rock star, but Assumpta is not overly interested. This fellow, Enda, is booked to play her romantic lead, but an accident with Assumpta's dog, Finn, leads to a sprained ankle and Peter is called in to take over. Things hot up on stage as the dialogue and the truth become confused. The last scene in the play involves a passionate kiss between the two leading characters and Assumpta and Peter are very uncomfortable about rehearsing the kiss in front of Brendan and Padraig so they kick them out to rehearse it in peace. They get down to rehearsals but in the split second before their lips meet, Peter notices Fr. Mac, two priests and a bishop watching them. Brendan and Padraig are stunned by the power of their `performance' but Fr. Mac is not pleased. He notices the chemistry and he realises that there is more feeling between Peter and Assumpta than he thought. He orders Peter to give up the role. Peter feels guilty because he knows how close he came to kissing Assumpta and that it wouldn't have been acting but he refuses to pull out. However, on the night of the performance Enda makes a recovery and reclaims his part. Peter is upset and cannot watch the love scene between the two of them and he leaves. Fr. Mac comes out to him and tells him that it is best for Assumpta if she gets involved with somebody else. Peter nods his agreement, but inside, he is longing for Assumpta and feeling the loneliness of a celibate life.