Page 113 of Forbidden Billionaires, Vol. 9

Monday

I was so nervous. I had never done anything like this before.

The first few girls had already walked up on stage to the cheers of the crowd.

They were all much more well-endowed than me in all the right places.

Kristen would have been a better fit for this contest. I was about to run in the opposite direction when I spotted my lifeguard in the crowd.

He was standing with a few of his male friends, the blonde girl nowhere near him. I wondered where she went.

Kristen was standing a few feet away from J.J. She gave me two thumbs up. I gave one weak one back, hoping it didn’t look like I was about to piss myself.

"You'll have to take off your shirt and shorts," a woman said to me who was standing by the stage directing the other girls.

"It's a bikini contest. The judges need to see you in your bikini ,” she added, like I was dense.

Maybe the other girls on stage needed it explained to them five times, but the idea was pretty straightforward to me.

A bikini contest meant showing off your bikini.

"Right." I unbuttoned my shorts. Can I really do this?

Any confidence I had when I came back here had suddenly disappeared.

But seeing J.J. had made the flight response searing in my brain come to a halt.

Sure, he'd probably just tease me about this afterward. Or maybe…he’d finally see me the way I wanted him to see me.

"Actually, do it on stage. Everyone will get a kick out of that. Like a striptease, minus the actual stripping."

I buttoned my shorts back up. I can't pretend strip on stage! Fuck, I can't do this. I was about to bolt when the woman grabbed my arm.

"Okay, you're up." She directed me toward the stage. It felt a little forceful, but only because I had been stepping in the opposite direction.

"I don't think I..."

"You'll do great." She lightly pushed me up the steps.

Shit. I couldn't not do it now. I was already halfway up the stage.

I took a deep breath and walked up the last few stairs.

The stage was slightly blurry. I'm so drunk. Or maybe I was about to blackout from nerves. I didn’t even like when professors took attendance and I had to say “Here.” What had I been thinking agreeing to this?

I walked toward the middle of the stage and stopped. All I could see was J.J. He smiled at me. I had finally gotten his attention. I needed this to work. I didn't have any more tricks up my sleeve. And I wasn’t wearing sleeves for that matter, so this was my one and only shot.

"Take it off!" someone yelled.

J.J.'s smile faded. He turned his head toward whoever had said it.

I needed him to look at me again. I slowly pulled my shirt off over my head and tossed it toward him in the crowd. He looked back at me just in time to catch it. His lips were slightly parted. He was shocked by what I was doing. Was that good?

My semi-striptease had gotten a few whistles and hollers from the crowd.

Even though I was still wearing my bikini top, I felt so exposed.

But J.J.'s eyes were glued on me. I couldn't stop now.

I unbuttoned my shorts and turned to the side.

I arched my back and bent forward slightly as I let the fabric slide down my hips and to the floor.

I kicked my shorts toward J.J. He had to take a few steps forward and snatch them away from some random guy.

I was glad I was wearing my nicest bikini. I twirled around during the applause. This was actually super fun. Why had I been so scared? I was a natural stripper. Well, down to my bathing suit, not my birthday suit. I’d never actually strip.

"Let's hear it again for Mila!" the announcer yelled, which caused even more applause.

I walked over to the other girls standing to the side of the stage.

"Such a good move," one of them whispered to me. "I wish I had thought of that. You’re totally going to win."

I smiled to myself. I had J.J.'s attention for the rest of the competition. He didn't even look at the other girls. But I couldn’t tell what he was thinking. He looked kind of…pissed.

"Okay! All the votes are in!" said the announcer. "And the runner up is Mila!"

What? Oh my God.

"You’ve just won a 100 dollar gift certificate to Salt Air!"

I just stood there.

"Mila, come claim your prize!"

I walked over to the announcer and grabbed the gift certificate. It was so surreal. I looked out at the crowd but J.J. was gone. Shit. I didn’t even listen to who the winner was as I quickly got off the stage. A bunch of guys crowded around me, blocking my path. Fuck. Where is J.J.?

"You were awesome up there," one of the guys said.

"Thanks." I tried to see around them, but they were all taller than me.

"So, are you seeing anyone? I'd love to take you out to dinner sometime."

"Yes, I am," I lied. "Sorry, if you'll excuse me."

But none of them moved.

"Let me at least buy you a drink," one of them said.

I’d honestly had quite enough to drink. And if I was going to do anything else tonight with anyone…it would be with my lifeguard. I tried to sidestep the guys again, but none of them moved.

“Excuse me,” I said.

“Oh, come on.” The one that had offered me a drink put his meaty hand on my shoulder.

I suddenly felt claustrophobic. “Get off of me.”

“Don’t be like that…”

“She said to stop fucking touching her.” J.J. stepped through the crowd and shoved the guy who had his hand on my shoulder.

Before anyone else could react, J.J. grabbed my hand and pulled me away from them and through the crowd of people.

"J.J."

He didn't say anything. He just kept leading me away from the party.

"J.J.!"

He ignored me again.

When we were well past all the spectators, I pulled my hand away from him. "What the hell are you doing?"

He turned around. "What the hell am I doing? What the hell are you doing?!" He grabbed my hand again. "I'm taking you home. You're drunk."

"I'm not drunk!" Maybe I was, but that wasn't why I had entered the contest. I just wanted him to notice me. "You’re acting like you’ve never seen me in a bikini before. News flash…half the people at that party were just in their bikinis.”

He ignored me.

“What, you can just go around flirting with everyone, but if I do it, you get upset? You're such a hypocrite." I pulled my hand away from him again and walked past him.

"I'm not flirting with anyone else."

"You flirt with everyone, J.J.!" I yelled and turned around. "You keep leading me on and then pushing me away."

"That's not true." His blues eyes were smoldering.

"Being just friends was your idea. I told you I wanted more. So you don't get to be jealous if I talk to someone else!"

"You think I'm jealous that you had your hands all over Reggie? Who’s a fucking prick by the way. He was clearly hitting on your friend too. And you think I'm jealous that a hundred guys were watching you do a fucking strip show on stage? I’m not jealous. I’m protective of you. There’s a huge difference.”

Protective. Like an older brother. I felt like he’d punched me in the gut. I couldn’t do this anymore. “Goodnight, J.J.”

He stepped closer to me before I could turn away from him. “What do you think would have happened if I hadn’t pulled you away?”

“Nothing. There were hundreds of people around.”

“Don’t be so na?ve, Mila. I just saved you from getting taken advantage of.” He threw my clothes that he had caught during my performance at me.

I let them fall into the sand. “Taken advantage of? I can take care of myself. I don’t need a knight in shining armor who doesn’t even like me.

If you don’t like the way I act, tough luck.

Deal with it. Either you want me or you don't. And obviously you don't. You don't need to take me home. Go back to the party."

He gripped my wrist. "That's not fair, Mila, and you know it."

"Life isn't fair, J.J. Look, I get it, okay. I know why you don't want to be with me." I could feel tears prickling my eyes. "I'm not like that girl you were dancing with. I get it. I'm not your type."

"I don't fucking like Jenn. I was dancing with her because you invited some other guy to this party. You should have come with me."

"You didn't invite me!"

"Because you were avoiding me."

"Because I like you, okay! I like you as more than a friend. I can't help it. And every time we hang out, I like you more and more. So do me a favor and stop talking to me. I can't do this anymore. I can't be your friend. Because it hurts like hell that you don't feel the same way."

"Damn it, Mila. You're leaving in less than two months."

"Right, there’s no point in starting something.

You've already told me that. So let's just stop whatever this is now and save each other the trouble.

Go be with Jenn or whatever you said her name was.

Go have meaningless sex, because that's what you like, right?

You just want an escape from whatever it is you're so worried about with your job?

I'm not stopping you. I don't want any part of that. "

"That's low. I made some mistakes, but you have no fucking right to judge me.

You dated some asshole for over two years just so you wouldn't be alone in California.

That's pathetic. And then you came crawling back home to escape from him when things went south.

You're hiding from your problems too. More than I am.

And you think a new relationship will fix whatever self-doubt you have going on? Well it won't."

I wiped my tears with the back of my hand. Shit. "Thanks for finally telling me how you really feel about me." I shook out of his grip. "Have a nice life, asshole." I turned around and started to walk away.

"Mila. I'm sorry. I didn't mean..."