The Bachelor and the Beauty Queen (4 page)

“Can she come with us, Uncle Stephen?”

“What?” Stephen found himself blinking at Kimber.

Kimber's eyes blinked back innocently. “Can Miss Lexi come with us to celebrate?”

“Oh, Kimber...” Stephen tried to think of a reason why Lexi shouldn't come with them. For starters, she was dressed like a farmer's daughter. He didn't want to embarrass her by going out to eat at a five-star restaurant. “We don't want to pull Miss Lexi away from her evening plans, now do we?”

“According to my itinerary,” offered the petite woman from the clothing store, “she's free.”

Thankfully Lexi tried to decline. She shook her head back and forth, the pigtails she wore flipping over her shoulders. Stephen found himself focusing on the rubber bands securing the ends of her hair. He wondered if he pulled them loose, how soon her hair would untangle from the braids.

“I wouldn't want to intrude.”

“Well, it's settled,” Stephen said cheerfully. “She doesn't want to intrude.”

Lexi paused for a split second. Her left eyebrow rose in amusement. “Well, if you guys don't mind?”

His nieces cut her off with cheering and chanting her name. Even Nate chanted along. Stephen willed his brother to shut up. “Apparently, they don't think I'd be intruding,” Lexi told him.

Women didn't challenge him. “We're going to DuVernay's.” He ignored Nate's raised brows. The only plans they had discussed were to go to the local Dairy Queen for ice cream. DuVernay's had come highly recommended by the concierge at his hotel. “I'm not sure if you've heard of it...”

“I am from here, Mr. Reyes,” Lexi said through her gritted teeth.

“I'm sure, then, you're aware of the dress code.” He gave her denim outfit a once-over.

With Philly in her arms, Lexi dramatically clutched her heart. “Oh, my bad!” She gaped, mouth open so wide, offering him a view of the white gum in the back of her mouth, “You think I can't clean up?”

As she spoke with a snarky tone, he understood she was taunting him.
Game on
.

“She owns a dress shop, Uncle Stephen,” Kimber volunteered.

“Don't remind me, Kimber.” Stephen gave a tight-lipped grin.

“On any occasion, I promise you, I clean up nicely,” Lexi said through the thick tension. “Unfortunately, I am going to decline.” She hiked her thumb over her shoulder. “I've got to take my friend home.”

“I am not an invalid,” said the elegant woman walking up behind her. “Lexi, dear, may I speak with you for a moment?”

She'd said “friend,” but from the way the woman had leaned in and chatted with Lexi during the pageant, Stephen guessed an aunt or close relative. He cocked his head to the side, hoping for another glimpse of Lexi's skin. As Lexi spoke with the other woman, she twirled her hair around her finger with one hand while wrapping her arm around the woman's waist with the other.

Nate stepped into Stephen's view. “Whatever you did to Lexi, you better undo it tonight,” he warned his brother, then turned around and called out to the two ladies, “Lexi, I insist you bring her along. We're going to—where'd you say, Stephen?”

“DuVernay's,” Stephen gritted out from between his teeth.

“What do you say we head over to DuVernay's to celebrate Philly's win?” asked Nate. “We ought to all get to know each other, since we're going to be spending a lot more time together.”

“DuVernay's?” the older woman said. “That's—”

Whatever she planned on saying died away when Lexi tugged the woman's arm. “Well, if you insist.”

“Of course,” Stephen replied.

“I think we should all head home and change into something a bit more celebratory,” Nate went on, looking down at his jeans.

“Lexi.” The larger guy from the shop made his way over; obviously he'd been listening. “I'll grab your dress you wore earlier. You can change in one of the rooms in the back.”

Lexi gave Stephen one more tart smile before she handed Philly back to him. “I think I'll at least shower first. What do you say? Plan to meet in an hour? Your reservations are under your name? Or should I ask for Nate Reyes?”

Not wanting to lie to his family, Stephen shifted Philly in his arms and bluffed. “We'll meet you in one hour.”

* * *

One hour later, the Reyes family was dressed to a T. Keenan opened the backseat door of the car for the clan to step out. A line formed outside the small restaurant located in the center of town by city hall. Well-dressed children played in the last of the daylight while their parents waited for their reservations. People waited in line, dressed in heels, gowns and shawls. Men wore suits and ties, and no one seemed to mind the evening heat. Did everyone decide to celebrate tonight? Stephen wondered if he should have left well enough alone and taken everyone to the Dairy Queen.

“You say the reservations are in your name?” Nate asked, tightening the knot of his paisley tie. They walked on the red carpet, bypassing the waiting guests, and headed inside to the hostess.

“I'm Stephen Reyes,” Stephen said cockily. “I don't need to make reservations.”

Behind him, he heard a chuckle from Kimber and Marvin. He preferred that over the groans he'd got from them when he'd forced them to dress up for tonight's occasion. Hell, they needed to give him a medal for allowing Marvin to come along.

Philly couldn't wait to spend time with Lexi.
You'd think the woman walked on water.
After the way things had happened between yesterday and today, Stephen admitted there was a slight wave of nervousness flittering in the pit of his stomach from the idea of being with her again. He couldn't wait to see what kind of attire she concocted tonight.

“I'm sorry, but your name is not on the list.”

Stephen tilted his head to the side as he listened to a maître d' with a thin mustache and slicked-back inky black hair inform him of his nonexistent reservation. He cleared his throat. “I'm Stephen Reyes.”

“I understand,” the tiny man clipped, “but as you see, we're swamped. Everyone from the four counties is here tonight. Without a reservation, I can only put you on the waiting list. I will get you in within the hour.”

“The hour?” Nate shook his head, “No, the kids need to get into bed.”

Nate patted Stephen on the back before he had the chance to tell the little man what he could do with his hour's wait. “Guess you'll taunt Lexi some other time.”

“Lexi Pendergrass?” the little man repeated.

Both men stopped in their tracks. “You know Lexi?” Nate asked.

The maître d' smiled widely as he nodded his head. “She is here already.”

“She had a reservation?” Stephen heard himself asking as the man ushered the Reyeses through the ivory-covered white fence.

“No, no, no.” He chuckled with a shake of his head. “Ms. Pendergrass needs no reservation.”

The restaurant's interior seemed spacious, despite all the full tables. The tables scattered across the black-and-white-tiled floor were each crowded and adorned with white candles and crystal vases with two single-stemmed roses. Somewhere in the background, a live pianist played music over the various conversations and clinking of toasting glasses.

“Hi!”

Lexi appeared. She wore a champagne-colored dress made of some sort of body-hugging silk. The halter top gave him a perfect view of the swell of her breasts. Stephen cleared his throat. Hoping to stamp down the desire bubbling within, he yanked the hem of his black suit coat. The red color of her lips made them kissable and, with her long, blondish hair pulled to the side and secured with a white gardenia, his lips itched to press against her neck. Her maple-sugar skin begged for him to stroke it. The gold accents of his tie and thin stripes in his button-down Oxford couldn't have matched Lexi's attire more if he'd tried.

“I'm so glad you made it.”

“We've got a special seat for the queen,” cooed Lexi's assistant from before.

After introductions, everyone started to take their seats, with Philly at the helm. A waiter walked in, carrying a tray filled with champagne glasses. Lexi took two and handed one to Stephen. They lingered uncomfortably behind while everyone else got situated. Stephen took a sip, Lexi staring at him. He willed her to read his mind.

This thing between us isn't over.

She'd returned the look with a coy smile as those red lips pressed against the glass. Something about this woman irked him to no end. “Shall we?” he said, inclining his head toward the elegant table.

“Much obliged.”

Everyone had taken their seats. Philly sat at the head of the table with Kimber and Marvin to her left, followed by Chantal. Across from them sat Andrew and then Nate. The only remaining seats were next to each other, as if purposely designated for Stephen and Lexi. Stephen wasn't sure why but he took the seat closest to Nate, thus leaving her to his right, all to himself.

“Lexi,” Nate said, leaning forward, “thanks so much for arranging everything.”

“Oh, sure.” Lexi gave his brother a toothy smile and possibly a flirtatious wink. “I figured, since I have this room as a standing offer, it was probably best to let your brother's reservation go to someone else.”

“You were lucky to get one,” Chantal said in awe. “DuVernay's is in the center of the four surrounding counties. It's tradition for everyone to get all gussied up and come here after the fair.”

“Really?” both Stephen and Nate chorused.

“Don't act so surprised. We're
small
-town, Mr. Reyes, not
backwoods
,” Lexi said.

Chantal cleared her throat and turned the conversation on to something positive. She made a toast to Philly and to Lexi producing another Ultimate Grand Supreme.

Her words made Stephen think about what Lexi brought to the table for Philly. Obviously Philly had the right stuff because she was a beautiful child. She'd surpassed all the other children in the entire pageant tonight. Did the pageant world mean that much to her? She seemed happiest on the stage. After her parents died, Philly went into her own little world. She stopped talking as much, clung to her dolls more, and now here she sat with a crown too big for her head, the life of the party and entertaining everyone.

It was priceless. No amount of money or cool toys from Uncle Stephen brought the same smile Philly sported while seated next to Lexi. She did this.

The music from the other room filtered through to their area. The big fella, Andrew, cooed over Philly's crown. Nate chatted with Chantal, while Marvin and Kimber were in their own world. Stephen pushed his chair away from the table and stood up. He reached his hand down for Lexi to take. For a moment, he thought she was going to stab him with her salad fork. Her dark eyes flared at him. The table grew quiet.

“Dance with me.”

“I'm good,” she declined politely.

“I didn't mean to sound as if it was a request,” he said, trying to smile, “I need to speak with you.”

“No,” she said, shaking her head, “I don't dance.” Of course she danced. Women with her beauty danced. They were the center of attention on the dance floor, seducing men with their moves. Lexi leaned in close; the sweet smell of gardenias teased his nostrils. “As in, I can't dance. I'm horrible.”

“I don't plan on judging your skills.”

He enjoyed the way her eyebrows rose in shock. What he liked even better was that she pushed her chair away from the table and took his hand. A spark shocked his fingers when their hands touched. Flicking them apart after the jolt, Stephen glanced around the table to make sure no one noticed. Everyone stared.

“Are we allowed to dance, too?” he heard Kimber ask. Fortunately Nate vetoed the idea.

Stephen pulled Lexi away from the table and hard against his body. Her soft skin reminded him of rose petals, her irritated glare of the thorns. Their shoes clicked against the wooden dance floor. Her body trembled from the stems of her stilettos. “Your legs are shaking.”

“I don't like to dance.”

“Yet here we are.” The warmth of her body against his made him clear his throat.

“Everyone is staring,” Lexi responded in a clipped tone. She stretched her left arm across his shoulder. He squeezed her hand and placed his right hand against the small of her back. If his pinkie finger slipped an inch downward, he would feel her tailbone.

“Let me guess, you're not one to make a scene?”

“I'm a Southern lady. We don't cause scenes.”

Oh, if only all women were that simple
. The women he'd dated lived for scenes. There'd been several occasions where he'd had a drink thrown in his face for showing up to an event late due to work or simply forgetting. Women didn't like the honest truth. Women liked to play games. Lexi was playing one now. She knew he hadn't wanted her to come along. She knew that he was going to need reservations for dinner tonight, yet she let him stand there and make an ass out of himself at the fair.

“No scenes, huh.” He mused over her statement. “Is that right?”

She tightened the slack in her arms. “Why did you want to dance with me, Mr. Reyes?”

For a moment he'd forgotten, lost in her dark eyes and the color of her hair. “How do you get your hair so blond?”

“I am sure you did not ask me to dance to find out about my hair-care products.”

He'd dated bottled blondes. There were ways of finding out the truth. A lower part of his body wanted to find out, but his brain tried to focus. “You're right. I thought this would give us a chance to get to know each other better.”

“Oh, yes, we're going to be best friends.” Lexi rolled her eyes. “By the way, I know all about your type, too, Mr. Reyes. You like to throw your wealth around to intimidate people.” She shook her head.