Valerius was completely stunned by Tabitha's exuberant reaction. She felt so good in his arms that it was all he could do not to crush her to him and kiss her until they both made a spectacle of themselves.
She squeezed him tight, then laid a gentle kiss on his lips. "You are the best!"
Shocked, he didn't know what to say to that.
"If you want, we can leave now."
Valerius looked about. "No," he said honestly. "I've come this far and I didn't kill Marla, so I think we should stay and see how she does."
The look on her face made his entire body burn. "Does Ash have any idea just what a sweetheart you are?"
"I shudder at the mere prospect."
She laughed, then took his hand and led him to a table near the stage.
A large group of men greeted them.
"You were great!" the one closest to them said.
Valerius inclined his head as Tabitha introduced all of them. They sat there for a little over an hour while the contestants held a talent and bathing suit competition. The latter of which made Valerius even more uncomfortable than being on stage.
"You okay?" Tabitha asked, leaning toward him. "You look a little green."
"I'm fine," he said, even though he was cringing at the thought of how a man could restrict himself so much in a bathing suit as to leave no trace of his gender.
Some things just didn't bear thinking on.
After an hour, the judges had finally narrowed it down to three contestants.
Tabitha sat forward. She wrapped her arm around Valerius and perched her chin on his shoulder as she held her breath and prayed for Marla.
Valerius didn't move, but the sensation of his hand on hers made her warm considerably. No matter the outcome, she was so grateful to him for bailing her out.
Neither Kyrian nor Ash would be caught dead here.
Tabitha caught Marla's nervous gaze as they came down to the winner's name.
She couldn't breathe. Not until they announced...
"Marla Divine!"
Marla screamed and grabbed the contestant closest to her. They jumped up and down and cried as more contestants moved in for hugs and congrats.
Tabitha shot to her feet, screaming and whistling her support. "Go, Marla, go!"
She looked down to see Valerius staring at her in horror.
Huffing at him, she pulled him to his feet. "Let's hear it, General," she said. "Shout out."
"I only shout when calling orders to troops and that was a long time ago."
Well, there was only so much loosening up a person could do in one night.
She blew him a raspberry, then continued yelling for her roommate.
The emcee placed the crown on Marla, and the sash, then handed her a dozen roses and directed her toward the runway.
Marla walked down it, crying and laughing as she blew kisses to the audience.