Page 103 of Tempt Me

He turned to look over his shoulder at me, and a frown marred his beautiful face. “Why did you pick me then?”

I blinked at him. The poor man was obviously burdened by the competition of being surrounded by a bunch of macho footballers. I knew what it was like to be surrounded by beautiful people. I knew what it was like to feel inadequate and unworthy next to my friends.

I smiled at him, sat up, and cupped his cheek. “Because you were by far the most handsome man on that field. I couldn’t take my eyes off you.”

He swallowed, and his eyes softened. For a moment, I thought he’d lean over and kiss me. I would have let him, too.

I shuffled forward so my legs dangled over the side like his. We sat side by side, and I felt completely comfortable with the familiarity of it. I put my hand on his leg and tried to form the right words in my head before I spoke. “Sometimes men who have everything going for them become too cocky. They try to be something they’re not. Your stunning looks are what caught my eye. Your casual understatement is what made me choose you.”

His eyes glazed and I feared he may cry, but instead a huge smile lit up his face. It was that smile . . . the one that told me I’d made him the happiest man in the world.

With that glorious vision permanently etched into my brain, I stood and collected my bikini bottoms off the floor. As I tied them up, he disappeared into the bathroom. By the time he returned, I had my bikini on, my cover-up over the top, and my wooden necklace back around my neck.

“I don’t even know your name,” he said.

I stepped into one sandal and hooked the strap over my heel. “I’m Memphis.”

“Hi, Memphis. I’m Adam.”

I put on my other shoe. “It was lovely to meet you, Adam.”

With my bag on my shoulder and the image of that glorious man smiling at me, I returned to my room. I turned the faucets on the bath to full, and while I waited for it to fill, I removed my wig, makeup, and colored contact lenses.

And then I gasped.What the fuck!

On my neck was a massive purple oval.

I leaned closer to the mirror and tugged my skin. My eyes bulged, and my heart jumped to my throat as I realized what it was.

A fucking huge love bite.

“Oh shit!”

What am I? Seventeen?

I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry as I tried to rub it away. “Jesus.”

After a while, I laughed. It had only taken me twenty-eight years to experience my first ever love bite.Lolita will have a fit over this one.

As I wondered how long it would stay there, I poured a good slosh of scented bubble bath into the water, and once the foam began its own little party, I headed to my bedside table, grabbed my diary, and placed it on the edge of the tub.

As I slipped into the bath, the water hugged me in a wonderful embrace. I lowered my shoulders below the waterline and sighed deeply at the simple pleasure of a beautifully scented bath. Much like the simple pleasure of a beautiful, muscular man’s hard-on deep inside me. After I relived each moment of us exploring each other’s bodies, I sat and reached for the diary.

I turned to the 25th of June and wroteMr. Redhead Room 19, and as I was the one who’d chased him, I wroteSeducing the Sportsman. It didn’t matter that he wasn’t actually a sportsman. He was a winner in my mind.

In great detail, I described the new position he’d introduced me to and how he’d alternated from slow and seductive to rocking my world.

As I closed the diary and slipped below the water again, I thought about his insecurities. How could a man as uniquely beautiful as Adam feel so insecure?

What hope was there for a woman like me?

There was nothing about me that was unique or interesting. Even my wonky boobs were probably a common occurrence.

Except . . . I was certain I was the only woman in the world to ever take on a crazy year-long sexual challenge.

That’s what will make me unique.

But would it make me an attractive partner?

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