typical rules for dating. Regardless of the fact that she never denied her enjoyment of great sex, she also never had sex with a guy before the third date. Well, except for Jeff, and that baffled her. Lots of things about Jeff baffled her, if she wanted to get right down to it. Which she didn’t. Not now, anyway.
“Granny’s right, that hottie you brought is mighty pleasing on the eyes. You sure he isn’t third-date material?”
“Not for me, but I definitely see sparks between him and Jesilyn.”
“I don’t know. They’re talking and all, but lots of people talk and dance at weddings. And I thought I heard you tell him earlier that you didn’t feel like dancing earlier, and that he should dance with Jesilyn, since she’s here solo. He could just be waiting for you to decide to dance.”
Babette scooted her chair closer to her sister. “Come here. I’ll show you.” She indicated Jesilyn and Robbie, now sitting at a table across the reception hall with their glasses of punch in hand. “Okay. See how they’re sitting?” Babette smiled, her point proven.
Or so she thought.
“They’re sitting by each other,” Clarise said, unconvinced. “I’m not sure that qualifies as anything more than the fact that the reception hall is crowded, and they need a place to sit.”
“You honestly don’t see it?”
“See what?”
Babette sighed. “Okay, for starters, in the past two minutes, they glanced at each other at least twice, with Jesilyn looking down and away afterward, because she’s wanting him to extend the gaze.”
Clarise’s brows dipped down, and her mouth quirked to the side. “They glanced at each other because they’re being polite, and I don’t get how her looking down and away is telling him she’s interested in him. Seems like that’d mean she wasn’t.”
“If she wasn’t, she’d just look away and keep her eyes level.”
“You seriously believe that?” Clarise shook her head. “Sorry sis, but I can’t buy into this one.”
“The eye glance isn’t all I’ve noticed,” Babette said, surprised by how much fun she was having showing Clarise how telling body language could be.
“Okay, I’ll bite. What else do you see?”
“One, they’re both sitting open, relaxed in each other’s company and receptive to the other’s ideas.”
“Open?”
Babette turned toward Clarise and draped one arm over the back of the chair, then she leaned slightly forward and raised her brows as though waiting to hear whatever Clarise said. “This is open posture.” She then pushed her back against the chair, folded her arms against her chest and looked away. “This is closed.”
Clarise looked at Robbie and Jesilyn. “Okay, I agree. They’re open. Anything else?”
“Look at the way they’re sitting, turned toward each other and almost mirroring their positions, one leg crossed over the other.”
Clarise nodded.
“That says they’re in the same place emotionally. And now look; Jesilyn is touching her cheek while she talks. That means she’d like him to touch her there—not necessarily now, but sometime.”
Clarise tilted her head as she studied the pair. “So now, she’s rubbing a finger over her lower lip . . .”
“Ooh, they’re definitely getting along. She’s thinking about being kissed.”
Maybe, if Babette nudged things along, Robbie might even give Jesilyn a ride home from the reception. Then Babette wouldn’t have to worry about trying to explain why she didn’t want to go out with him again.
“He might not be the third-date guy for me, but their body language says maybe he is for Jesilyn.”
“Not trying to be too nosey, but you haven’t gotten to the third date with anyone since Jeff, have you?” Clarise may not be able to read other people’s body language, but she had an uncanny knack for reading Babette; now, unfortunately, was no exception.
Babette stabbed her cake with her fork, then popped the big chunk of cake and icing in her mouth, chewed and swallowed. She really needed more sugar for this conversation. “You know, now that you mention it, I haven’t had a third date with anyone since Jeff.” Might as well lay it all out there for her sister to dissect, since she was bound and determined to do it anyway.
“I’m surprised you ended things with him, if he still has this kind of effect on you. It’s been a year and a half.” Clarise leaned forward, obviously studying Babette’s reaction to her words.
Babette focused on her cake, took another bite.
“I know you said you didn’t want to talk about what happened, but have you seen him at all since then? Or at least talked to him?”
“No,