Chapter 1
Beau Evans tried to get comfortable in the ridiculously small chair. He grumbled beneath his breath, unable to stretch out his long legs because of the row of chairs in front of him. He finally gave up and vacated the chair, choosing to lean against the wall instead. The show would be over soon, anyway. He’d purposely arrived late. The last place he ever thought he’d end up was at a fashion show where plus-sized beauties strutted their stuff before an audience. What made it more interesting, they were showcasing sexy under garments.
He released a heavy sigh, crossed his arms, and vaguely listened to the announcer at the podium. He glanced about the room, looking for something, or rather, someone. Only he wasn’t sure who.
Is the killer in the room with us now? Scoping out his next victim?
This was a target rich environment, considering he or she was singling out voluptuous models. His uninterested gaze eventually came back to the runway. At the same time, the curtain parted, and a model emerged, to the delight of the crowd, if their enthusiastic clapping was any indication. Beau narrowed his gaze to take a closer look at the model causing so much fuss. It only took him a second to recognize that she was the very woman he was there about. Her agent had hired him earlier that morning, to protect her.
She’s a plus-sized model?
Beau’s interest peaked. There was no doubt Marissa Lambert had a full figure. Only it wasn’t what he would ever consider fat, voluptuous or anything else he could think of at the moment. His idea of plus size was his aunt Grace. Everything about her was round, soft, and slightly hanging in places it shouldn’t be.
There was nothing lumpy, bumpy or close to resembling cottage cheese about Miss Lambert. He figured she was about the same size as his sister, a size fourteen-maybe sixteen tops. Hadn’t Marilyn Monroe been a size fourteen? And there’d been nothing wrong with her. Beau’s gaze remained riveted on the lovely model as she strutted with haughty assurance and amazing grace down the narrow runway.
She was wearing something a woman might slip into for a nightcap after a date, something more comfortable and inspiring. The black silk chiffon shirt with long sleeves was obviously meant not to conceal, but to highlight the alabaster curves beneath. The elegant garment fell to her smooth thighs, and was unbuttoned so that if flowed out behind her as she moved. Beneath it, a strapless jacquard corset of black and red shaped her full breasts, curvy hips, and outlined the curvature of her waist.
Damn! The lady definitely had the kind of curves he liked. And it didn’t take long before he felt a definite stirring below the belt. This was one woman he wouldn’t have to be afraid of crushing in bed. The thought caused a little quirk on his lips. She was turning him on. He shook his head to clear it of the sensual fog threatening to overrun his senses.
When she reached the end of the runway, she paused. The room was suddenly alight by the flash of cameras as they went off in rapid succession. The model, aiming to please her audience, turned one way, paused for a few seconds, and then pivoted Beau’s way. Her gaze moved with slow disinterest over the crowd, stopping when it came to him. He straightened.
Their gazes locked. Was it his imagination or did the look in her eyes suddenly turn soft and lazy, and her mouth lusciously pouty? Then she gave a tilt of her head while keeping her gaze on him. Slowly, seductively, the sultry plus-sized beauty reached for the clip in her hair. She gave a shake of her head when she released it, and Beau watched an abundance of thick sable hair fall to her shoulders, and below. Once it settled into a soft cloud around her face, he met her eyes again. Her full lips had turned up into a sexy smile, while the come-and-get-me-gleam in her eyes teased his libido into full awareness.
Son of a bitch! She was seducing him right there on the runway. He had a feeling the lady knew exactly how her little show was affecting him. Was this how she got her kicks? Before she turned and walked away she pursed her lips at him, following it up with a wink that promised a hell of a lot more then he bet she meant. The audience ate it up and more flashbulbs went off.
Beau’s gaze followed her sexy gait as she strode away from him. His gaze zeroed in on the rounded fullness of her spankable backside and the backs of her creamy thighs. Marissa Lambert, in one word, was hot! Just before she disappeared through the part in the curtain, she cast a glance back in his direction and had the nerve to run the tip of her tongue over her top lip.