“Okay,” I said because I had no idea how to respond to everything that had just happened. Jeff had never kissed me before, had never touched me intimately, had certainly never insinuated anything sexual to me, and well, I had quite liked it. I just didn’t know what that meant. “But maybe I’m not the one that needs to be spanked. If you weren’t Nolan’s best friend, I think maybe I’d show you what was what.”
“Oh, yeah.” His eyes brightened and he grinned. “Would you wanna borrow my handcuffs as well?”
“Hmm, not sure if I want to take you to jail.”
“Oh, I’m not talking about jail. I’m talking about tying my wrists to the headboard while you had your wicked way with me.”
“Oh …” My face was tinged with a deep pink hue. I knew because my cheeks felt like they were burning.
“I do quite like cowgirls.”
“Cowgirls?”
“Ride ’em—” he started, and I held my hand up as I interrupted him.
“I get it. I get it.”
“Regular cowgirl or reverse cowgirl is good with me.”
“Whatever, Jeff. Life isn’t all about sex. I’m not doing the kissing booth or the Bachelor Auction—”
“Bachelorette Auction.”
“Yeah, yeah. I’m not participating in the Bachelorette Auction just to get laid. If Nick and I have a connection, well, great, but it’s more than about sex and his perceived notions of my kissing ability.”
“Spoken like a woman that knows her mind.” He nodded. “And also knows she can’t kiss. It’s like when ugly women say they want a man who cares more about personality than looks.”
“Oh my gosh, what?” My voice rose. “Are you for real?”
“You know it’s true. Ugly girls want a man who can see past their ugliness, and you want a guy that can see past your bad kissing.”
“So, I’ve gone from average to bad now?” I shook my head as I packed up the empty food boxes and placed them on one of the empty plates and handed them to him. “Take these through to the kitchen, please.”
“I’m not saying you’re bad, per se. Maybe it’s just an off night for you.”
“Or maybe I wasn’t really trying. Ever consider that?”
He looked back at me for a few seconds then laughed as he shook his head. “Nah, you definitely gave it your all.” He looked at my lips and nodded. “You were pressing those lips into mine as if you were wanting to go to the next level.”
“Is that what you think?” I put my hands on my lips and laughed, throwing my long blond hair back and shaking my head. I reached up to pull my hair back with a scrunchie and I felt my T-shirt riding up my stomach, leaving an expanse of skin exposed.
Jeff stared at my stomach for what seemed like an eternity, the smile gone from his face. He stood there with the plates in his hands, and I stared at the full length of his muscular body. He was so hot, even though he was proving to be as big of an asshole as my brother was.
“I propose we have a bet.” He glanced at me.
“Oh? What sort of bet?”
“A kissing bet.” He grinned. “We have each participant fill out a form after their kiss, and then we average all the scores and see who gets the highest score.”
“You want us to have a bet on who is the better kisser?”
Was he for real? I didn’t want to think about one other woman kissing him, let alone multiple women kissing him. And what sort of kisses would he be doing to win the bet? Would he be French kissing everyone? Feeling them up and maybe down? Jealousy flooded through me again. I didn’t want Jeff and me to have a kissing bet, but I also didn’t want him to think that I was scared. I was annoyed that I’d let Stella and Jules talk me into this plan without having had the chance to think it through properly. I wanted to win Jeff’s heart, not compete with him for who was the best kisser.
“Worried that Nick will think you’re kissing too many men?” he asked.
Irritation coursed through me. Why was he bringing up Nick yet again? I didn’t even know Nick. I could barely remember what he’d looked like. It had been Jules who had thought he was a hottie. She’d always been into the surfer look. I’d agreed he was attractive, but I’d never had any sort of crush on him.
“I’m sure Nick won’t have much to say once I get my lips on him.” I lowered my eyelashes and licked my lips seductively. “I’ll just give him a little dance and sing him a little song, and he’ll be like putty in my hand.”
“A dance?” Jeff raised his eyebrows at me. “What sort of dance?”
“You know …” I said, the alcohol making me braver than I normally was. “I love it when you call me señorita,” I sang and raised my hands up in the air and did a sexy little dance that I’d seen in the “Señorita” music video with Camilla Cabello and Shawn Mendes.
“You love it when I call you what?” Jeff looked confused, but his eyes were watching my every move.
“Señorita.” I laughed. “Don’t you know that song?”
“No, I’m afraid not.” He shook his head. “I’m afraid to tell you that it’s against the law for you to dance like that at the auction.” His face looked serious. “It’s against the law to—”
“To dance?” I raised an eyebrow at him as I cut him off. “Since when has it been illegal to dance?”
“The city ordinances in Canyon Beach forbid lap dancing and strip clubs.”
I burst out laughing and grabbed a handful of glasses to carry with me to the kitchen. “You think I’m going
