Free Flirting With Temptation by Kelley St. John

stuff like that all that much. Clarise always told me everything, but Babette’s her own person, you know. Strong-willed, that’s what we always said about her when she was little. And she tends to keep some things to herself. Yeah, the important stuff,” Granny said, laughing, while Babette crossed her arms.
    “Hellooo,” she said, raising a hand and waving her fingers at her extremely talkative grandmother. “I’m right here, and I can hear you. And just so you—and Cecile—know, I’m not changing my hair for him. I simply want something new for my biggest Love Doctor challenge yet. That’s it.”
    Granny Gert put a pink-tipped hand to her chest and mouthed, “Sorry, child.” Then she continued the conversation with their favorite hairdresser. “Yes, Cecile, she can come in an hour.” She looked at Babette. “You can, can’t you? That will give you enough time to eat some dinner first too. We’ve got all that spaghetti, you know.” She paused, then said, “Sure, Cecile. I’ll send you a plate with Babette.”
    Babette nodded, still a bit miffed. “An hour is fine.”
    “Hang on, Cecile. I’ll ask.” Granny grinned, and Babette’s irritation dissipated. How could anyone stay mad at this outrageous woman?
    “What?” Babette asked, knowing Granny Gert was enjoying this way too much.
    “She wants to make sure she’s got the color you want,” Granny explained. “Let me guess. I bet I get it right.”
    The laugh that bubbled from Babette’s throat was unexpected, but welcomed. “You know me better than most everyone, so
I’m
betting you’re right.”
    Granny nodded approvingly, then winked. “Back to her roots, Cecile. Her natural color. Fire engine red, with lots of wild curls. A spiral perm, I’d say. That’s her favorite look for the beach, and that’s where she’s going.” She nodded toward Babette. “Am I right, dear?”
    Babette looked back at the mirror, remembered the first time she’d ever seen Jeff. He’d dubbed her “Red” and then he’d never seen her with fiery hair again, though he’d asked for it repeatedly when they dated.
    Red. In truth, it was her favorite color, and as Granny said, it was the original hue. And the one that signified confidence and spunk, two things she’d need in spades if she was going to pull off a miracle and get Jeff back to Kitty.
    She swiveled and announced with a single, emphatic nod, “Yes, red. Definitely red.”

Chapter 4
    J eff Eubanks hung up the phone after the bizarre call from his brother, stepped onto the patio of his Destin condo, inhaled deeply and welcomed the familiar scents and sounds of the beach. Salty air, crashing waves, laughing kids, giggling females—refreshing reminders that he liked it here, and that he liked where he was in his life right now, enjoying life and freedom and women, each to its fullest capacity. After the one-two emotional punches dealt by Babette and Kitty, it was amazing he was able to, but he was, and he was doing it quite well.
    But thanks to Ethan’s call, Jeff now knew that his life was about to be turned upside down again by the most prominent women in his past. Babette was on her way to Florida to convince him that he should take Kitty back.
    He shook his head, laughed at the absurdity of it all. First, that Babette would begin to think that she was an expert on love, and second, that Kitty would have the balls to think he’d take her back after she sailed away with Farraday. Hell, he must have dated two of the most brazen women in the country if they thought they could pull this off.
    Wasn’t happening. Not now, not ever.
    He glanced out at the beach, specifically at a young couple, probably newlyweds from the look of things, lounging on an oversized beach towel on the sand. The woman rolled onto her back and handed a brown bottle of tanning oil to the guy, who smiled as he took it from her hand. He drizzled the shiny liquid all over her stomach while she stretched on the towel, then ran