Reality Love Bites

Chapter 9


Bo stepped out of the mansion to find Tamsin standing by the open door of the limousine, holding a red rose. The blonde beauty was smiling brightly and looked extremely comfortable in her casual, tight fit, stretch pants, T-shirt and hoody. Bo had been curious when she had opened the box containing the similar clothing that she had been given to wear for their date today. The hair and makeup crew hadn't fussed over her as much as usual explaining that the activities didn't require a lot of glam. So Bo's hair was pinned back with only a few stray pieces framing her fresh and almost makeup free face. She felt more like herself in these clothes and minimal makeup than she had for almost the entire time she had been in front of the camera's.

Bo had stayed by Lauren's side most of the night, taking care of her and had actually mentioned forfeiting the date to continue to monitor the sickly blonde. Lauren had taken hold of her hand and told her that she had been an angel looking after her while she suffered from the bout of food poisoning that had struck her, but that she was through the worst of it and would probably just sleep for as long as the producers would allow and that Bo should go and have some fun.

However, even as she smiled and greeted Tamsin with a chaste kiss and accepted the rose, Bo couldn't help but wish that it was Lauren that she would be spending the day with. How am I supposed to pretend that this is exactly where I want to be for the entire day when we haven't even gotten in the car yet and I want to turn around and return to Lauren's bedside and take care of her?

Tamsin's voice broke Bo's turmoil, "Let's get this show on the road, shall we? We have a huge day of thrills and fun ahead of us! After you." Tamsin motioned for Bo to climb into the waiting car and gave her a spectacular, shining smile filled with excitement.

Bo entered the limousine and slid across the seat and Tamsin slid in beside her, their thighs touching. Bo tried to ignore the camera man and Vex, who were sitting across from them and focused on the blonde beside her. "So what do you have in store for me today?"

"We'll get to that in a moment. Firstly, I'd like to know how Lauren is doing? I was just told that she was suffering from a bout of food poisoning and I feel terrible that we didn't realise sooner. Though her throwing up on Evony's shoes surely would have been a sight to see!"

Bo let out a small chuckle, relaxing a little, as she thought about Lauren. "Couldn't of happened to a nicer person. Evony isn't exactly the most popular person in the house and she is always getting in Lauren's face about something. But, in all seriousness Lauren is feeling much better now. Thanks for asking. She insisted that I keep my date with you instead of sitting by her bedside."

Tamsin smiled at Bo knowing that that was exactly where the brunette wanted to be. She would choose to sit by Lauren's bed in a heartbeat if Tamsin suggested that that was an option, but it wasn't. Vex and the other TV execs were not happy with how aloof and un-invested Bo seemed in her efforts to competing for Tamsins heart. "Well, Evony certainly has been the most aggressive in her actions and intentions to win my affections and I guess that aggressive tactic is bleeding over into the house."

"She's a bitch to anyone she views as a threat and I think she put Lauren at the top of that list."

"Not you? I would say that you would be equally threatening, if not more so." Tamsin was incredibly pleased when she drew a blush from the buxom and attractive brunette. "I am so pleased that it was you that won the poetry contest. The poem was very illuminating to say the least. You have been hurt in the past and it is understandable that you would be wary of recklessly throwing your heart at a complete stranger. I am hoping to use this day to get to know one another better and to hopefully encourage you to risk your heart and get into the spirit of the game and show me your intentions."

Tamsin watched Bo visibly pale and she reached out and squeezed her thigh, "Don't worry. I'll be gentle. I promise," Tamsin said, finishing her statement with a wink and Bo laughed nervously in response. Tamsin felt a little bad for playing with Bo, but it was the only way she would be able to push her further in the competition, she just needed to get Bo to open up a little and at least appear to be in it to win it.

Bo swallowed the lump in her throat. She hadn't thought it would be this hard to just pretend to be interested in Tamsin so that she could stay on the show and spend more time with Lauren. It was dishonest and Bo valued honesty and she was struggling with the notion of deceiving Tamsin. She wasn't a bad person. She was nice, beautiful and sweet, but she wasn't Lauren. And Lauren isn't the Bachelorette, Tamsin is! You need to start playing the game or don't, make up your mind!, her internal voice screamed at her. Bo shoved her conscience down and looked up into Tamsin's penetrating gaze. "So what will we be doing today? Something active I take it by the wardrobe choice.."

Tamsin nodded eagerly, "Your profile said that you're an adrenaline junky and loved being active and enjoyed the outdoors. So they have planned a fantastic day for us based on that. Afew activities to get our adrenaline pumping and then ending up for an afternoon in the great out doors before going to Olive Garden for dinner."

Damn it, Kenzi!, she thought to herself. To Tamsin she said, "What else did this profile say out of curiosity?"

Tamsin burst into laughter, "You should know if you filled out the form, but I'm going to take a stab in the dark and say that it was in fact your BFF that filled in all the paperwork. Am I right?"

Bo couldn't hide the embarrassment she felt and nodded, "Yeah, I had no idea what was going on until she told me we were going to be on a reality tv show. Kenzi has always been the crazy one and I'm the one that gets dragged along," Bo responded with a laugh. She missed her best friend and it had only been just over a week since she had slunk out of the house after being caught in the closet with Hale the cameraman.

"You were the double act and Kenzi certainly made an impression in more ways than one," Tamsin responded with a giggle of her own. "I actually miss her vibrant personality, though I must say that I always suspected that her interest wasn't with the ladies."

"You didn't say anything, though?" Bo asked curiously.

"Sexuality is quite fluid these days and a lot of the stereotypes just don't fit in this day and age. I suspected that she was either straight or bisexual, but I wasn't a hundred percent sure for quite some time and when I was sure that there would never be a sexual thing between us, I still wanted her around because I thought that we could be really great friends and she was such a fun and effervescent character. I wanted her around for a bit longer."

"I get that. I don't know what I would do without her and I miss her already and it's only been like a week! You must be excited about Ciara too, then?" Bo watched Tamsins face light up with the mention of Ciara. The waif thin and elegant English woman had charmed the house with the exception of Evony and her sidekick Crystal. "Perhaps I should have snuck Ciara out for this date. Especially if you are practically climbing the walls in frustration like she is at not even being able to talk to you when she was added to the mix."

Tamsin surprised Bo by wrapping her arms around her in a hug, "Oh my goodness! Aren't you just the sweetest person in the whole wide world!" Bo patted Tamsin's back awkwardly for a moment until the blonde moved back, her eyes actually shining with unshed tears. "Wow. I have no idea why I am almost crying right now," Tamsin exclaimed as she use the sleeve of her hooded jacket to dry her ryes and gain some control of her emotions.

"She's your best friend. You miss her and it was cruel that they thrust this huge surprise at you and waved her in your face before making you leave without even a hug and a hello."

Tamsin took Bo's hand and nodded vigorously, "Exactly and to be told that she has had feelings for me for a long time. I was completely floored to say the least. Gosh, I hope I get to at least talk to her soon. I have so many questions!"

Bo smiled at Tamsin sensing that Evony had no hope in hell of winning this competition if Ciara managed to get some alone time with her friend. Tamsin was a stunning woman and she was practically glowing as she thought of her friend. "You honestly had no idea that Ciara had feelings for you. Nothing had ever happened in the past?"

Bo watched as Tamsin's eyes went to another place and time. An air of sadness seemed to fill the air to mingle with the longing that Tamsin had to speak to her friend. "There was a moment when we were first getting to know each other, a kiss during a silly drinking game at a party in college."

"That's all?" Bo asked with a rise of her eyebrows.

Tamsin nodded, her eyes still holding the far away look. "Yep. That's it because a bit later at the same party she introduced me to her friend Jesse and I fell head over heels in love with her. I married Jesse a year later, right before I started at the police academy. Ciara has been there all the way, through every significant event in my life and I don't think I would be where I am now if it wasn't for her after losing Jesse." Bo squeezed Tamsin's hand as fresh tears sprung from her eyes and trailed down her cheeks as she talked about her deceased wife. "Ciara was my saving grace. I had completely shut out the world, trapped in the darkness of my grief and guilt. She was the light that guided me out of that pitch black hole of despair and has been a beacon to me ever since."

"And now that you know that Ciara loves you as more than just her best friend?"

Tamsin focused back into the present and looked into Bo's dark, understanding eyes. "I... I don't know... It has me desperate to talk to her... To be able to see that this isn't just some joke to make the show more dramatic and exciting. I need to hear it from her, you know... Because if she really does care for me... loves me beyond our friendship..." Tamsin's voice trailed off. She seemed to shake herself and patted Bo's hand before releasing it. "I'm so sorry! This can't be any fun for you. I didn't mean to completely fall apart and spurt all my emotional baggage on you."

"You don't need to apologize, but I honestly don't think anyone else in this game has a chance of winning. Which will infuriate Evony for sure!" Bo exclaimed in delight.

Tamsin cocked her head to the side and raised a single eyebrow, "And why do you say that?"

Bo smiled at the clueless blonde, "Because I think Ciara already has your heart and you just haven't figured it out yet."

Tamsin smiled softly, leaned in close to Bo and kissed her on the mouth, taking the brunette completely by surprise. After breaking the kiss, Tamsin moved her face to the side of Bo's face and brushed her lips against her ear, whispering, "And I think someone in the house has already stolen your heart." Tamsin leaned back to find Bo blushing furiously.

"Time will tell if you are right about my heart Bo, but I think there are plenty of opportunities left in this game, don't you. I mean, you have managed to charm me without even trying and we haven't even arrived at out first date destination yet."

Tamsin watched Bo struggle to find something to say. Tamsin hadn't planned on showing her hand so soon, but the temptation to push Bo to do something unexpected in order to prove that she was worthy of keeping on the show was too hard to resist.

Tamsin looked over to Vex, who had managed to stay silent through the entire exchange of conversation and the surprise kiss. He was sitting there with a giant smile on his face. He also obviously couldn't keep quiet any longer either. "Finally something I can use to make Bo seem interesting. We will have to cut out a lot of the audio and dub it with some commentary about you two having a deep and meaningful conversation and connecting with some ridiculous sappy, romantic music in the background, but the light touching and the kiss is DYNAMITE!" He clapped his hands. "Let's continue to move forward. Bo? I want you to use this as a stepping stone to show me that you can truly be a top three contender, because honestly, it has only been through Tamsin's insistence that you are still here!"

Bo switched her attention back to the blonde beside her, "Really?"

Tamsin grinned, "He's right. I was made to keep Crystal because I insisted that you stay at the last elimination."

"But why? If you... I mean..." Bo threw her hands up at a loss after Tamsin's little whisper of knowledge that something was going on in the house with another contestant.

Tamsin knew that Bo was asking her why she had kept her if she already knew that Bo was falling for someone other than her. "Oh, because I have big plans for you, my dear." Tamsin laughed as Bo got a wary look on her face. She leaned into Bo again and whispered, "Don't worry, I won't bite... much."

Vex's announcement that they had arrived at their destination saved Bo from responding to Tamsin's playful teasing. It was suddenly too hot in the limousine and Bo fumbled with the door handle, not even waiting long enough for the driver to open the door for her. She tumbled ungraciously out of the vehicle and ignored the crew and camera's that approached her hurriedly. Tamsin's exit was much more graceful and she stepped up alongside Bo and placed a hand in hers.

"Relax, Bo and try to look like you are enjoying yourself."

Bo looked at Tamsin, "I'll do my best. What are we actually doing?" The noise of a plane engine grew louder and Bo watched as the small plane skipped along the tarmac and came to halt. She read the sign writing on the side of the bright red plane. "Oh God! I really am going to kill Kenzi when I go home for writing adrenaline junkie on my profile."

Tamsin watched as all the colour drained from Bo's face as Vex announced to them both that they were about to each get to experience a thirty minutes of aerobatic flight, going through barrel rolls, loop the loops and other adrenaline charged aerobatic manoeuvres. "We have camera's mounted onto the plane so that the viewer will see you scream and shout as you have your session. Have fun ladies and we will see you when the ride is over and we can move onto the next activity that will have you landing in a secluded piece of nature for an intimate lunch by a spectacular waterfall!"

"May I please ask how we will be getting to this secluded place?"

Vex clapped his hands together, "by jumping out of a plane and parachuting in, naturally," he said with delight.

"Oh yeah, I am definitely going to kill her," Bo muttered under her breath as Tamsin laughed and squeezed Bo's hand as they made their way over to the pilots for the small safety talk before take off...


Author's Note: Ok another chapter down and I hope it didn't disappoint. It is late and I am tired so I apologise if there are more mistakes than usual. I would love some sunshine as winter has come to my kingdom and I have had grey skies and rain for days! lol Thanks as always for your support for my stories and I will try to get an update for Genesis in the next week or so. Until next time thanks for reading and take care!

xoxo