Flirting with Temptation - By Kelley St. John Page 0,80
left wanting her.
The same way Jeff wanted her.
“Damn, anybody got her number?” some guy asked beside Jeff.
Jeff didn’t bother turning to see who’d asked; there were too many guys asking, anyway. They were all talking and gawking and leering, and Jeff was suddenly fuming. He’d thought this was a great idea, but standing here with a mob of men who’d like nothing better than to get their hands on Babette wasn’t the way he pictured this little challenge ending.
Thankfully, surfer guy finally made his way back up on stage and announced the judges had selected the winners. He started with third place, the blond with the one-piece dental floss number. Then he announced second place. Jeff, and everyone else, from the sound of things, wasn’t surprised when he announced Miss Texas.
“And our winner is,” he said loudly, his voice bellowing through the speakers now, “Contestant thirty-four!”
Babette smiled broadly, and blushed slightly, as she took the stage and accepted her check. The crowd yelled and cheered, and she graciously nodded her appreciation.
After everything finally died down, the event ended, and Jeff moved to the side of the stage, where she was completely surrounded by adoring, and apparently horny, males.
“Thank you,” she repeated again and again, while Jeff worked his way through the pack, took her hand, and stated, “We’re leaving now.”
Babette was still smiling when they neared White Sands, and Jeff was merely enjoying listening to her chat about her victory.
“I told you I’d win,” she said again, for about the tenth time, as they made their way toward the back of their resort.
“Yes, you did, and you were right.”
She stopped walking.
“What?” he asked.
“You knew I would, didn’t you? And without flirting.”
He grinned. “Yeah, I did, though I’ll admit that Miss Lone Star gave you a decent run for the money.”
She smirked at that. “Why? Why did you think I’d win, especially when I’m not built like the typical bikini contest winner?”
He’d had enough. He’d thought winning that contest would show her she had everything every other woman had and then some, but she was still dwelling on what she considered her main negative aspect. And he wasn’t listening to it anymore. It was time she understood, and he was going to set the record straight.
“Babette, I’ve told you before, and I’m telling you again, your body is perfect.”
Her head had already started shaking to disagree, and she opened her mouth to argue, but then she looked at him, and apparently she saw that this wasn’t the time to disagree. He wasn’t backing down.
“There’s nothing—nothing—wrong with you. I wouldn’t change a thing. You’re natural, and you’re exceptional. And it goes way beyond how well you fill out your top. You mesmerized every guy there the minute you walked on that stage, and I can guarantee you that if they weren’t all at least marginally hard just looking at you, then they don’t belong in the male gender.”
She gaped at that, but he was on a roll, and he wasn’t ready to stop.
“I won’t listen to you put yourself down again. You’re what every guy there wants, and while they only wanted in your pants, or your bikini, as the case may be, if they had a chance to get to know that the fire extends beyond the surface, then they’d want even more than a romp in the sack. That’s what happens when I—when guys—get to know you. They want more.” He could tell he’d said too much, because her head tilted slightly, and her eyes glistened, just a bit, but he noticed. He swallowed. “Just don’t let me ever hear you put yourself down again. Understood?”
She nodded.
“Babette! Yoohoo! Are you ready for your cooking lesson now?” Rose’s shrill squeal stood out among the other sounds on the beach, and they both turned toward Rose and her friends, perched on the Sunny Beaches deck. “Are you ready?” she repeated.
“Yes,” Babette answered, her voice a little shaky. Then she turned to Jeff and said, “Don’t forget to cancel your plans for tomorrow night. That was the deal. And come to my condo, around seven. I have something to show you.”
He really didn’t want to wait until tomorrow night to continue whatever they’d touched on now, whatever had transpired between them this afternoon with the walk on the beach and the contest and his sudden blurt of honesty now, but Rose and her crew were already climbing down the deck stairs and heading toward White Sands.