NorthangerAlibiInterior

  ***

  “Claire! I knew you’d come back.” Jaden’s deep voice startled me so much that I dropped the shirt I’d just pulled off the rack.

  “Jaden? You are here.”

  “Of course I’m here.” He looked at me like I’d gone nuts, and then he bent down to collect the shirt. “I work here, remember?”

  I nervously glanced around—I couldn’t see Tony anywhere. Good. “Yeah, uh, I know. I just couldn’t find you when I came in, so I thought you weren’t here for some reason.”

  “You were looking for me?” Jaden smirked wolfishly and moved a step closer.

  Yikes. I stepped back. About ten hangers jabbed me from behind as I collided with the rack. “Well, um—not really. I was just going to say hi, is all.”

  “You know what I think?” He reached his arm around my shoulder and hung up the shirt. His arm stayed conveniently next to me as he shifted his weight against the rack. It was a strong rack.

  “No.” I eyed him warily. “I’d rather not know what you think. I’m still mad at you.”

  He chuckled and brought his free hand up to brush my hair away from my face. I was fast learning that was one of his favorite things to do—touch my hair. “Really? You better not tell me that. I think I like it when you’re mad.”

  “You would.” Sheesh. This is all Tony needs to see right now. I pushed against Jaden’s chest and said forcefully, “Go away.”

  “Nope.” His grin was overwhelmingly arrogant. “I’m not leaving until you admit that you really came here because you couldn’t stop thinking about me.”

  “Are you for real?” I groaned and pushed against him again. “Go away and leave me alone, Jaden, before I kick your butt.”

  He looked down at my hands and laughed at my efforts. “I’d like to see you try.”

  “Really?” I was game if he was. “You really want to see me kick your butt?”

  “Yeah.” His eyes were still on my hands. I had the distinct impression he liked them against his chest.

  I bit back my sudden annoyance and repulsion, and instead looked at him flirtatiously. “Are you sure? Because I’ll do it right here and now.”

  “Go for it,” he whispered huskily.

  As I straightened my back and stepped closer to him, my eyes simmered into his. I allowed my hands to travel up and over his shoulders, and I bit my lip slightly as they traveled down the top of his arms and then back under to stroke the warm, sinewy muscles beneath his short-sleeved shirt. “Rule number one,” I whispered temptingly. “When an annoying guy won’t leave you alone, reach underneath his arms” —my hands glided slowly up underneath his arms— “grab a chunk of hair, and yank.”

  “OW!” Jaden jerked away, his hands protectively covering his underarms. “Holy cra—mother of a—sea lion’s uncle! What was that? Are you trying to kill me, or what?” I saw tears spring to his eyes briefly before he turned his back on me and bounced a bit to shake out the pain.

  “No. I’m kicking your butt, remember?” I said scornfully as Tony came running toward me.

  “Claire, are you all right?” His concerned face was such a relief after Jaden’s leer.

  “Yeah, I’m fine.”

  “Is she all right?” Jaden whipped around. “Are you kidding, man? You’re concerned about her?” He pointed at me with one of his elbows. “Are you out of your mind? That little spitfire is fine. Take my word for it.”

  “It’s true.” I smiled as I put my hands on my hips. “I’m fine. Just remember, you asked for it.”

  “Whatever!” Jaden pouted as he rubbed his underarms. “I said you could kick my butt, not maim me.”

  “You’re such a baby, you know that?”

  “Wait.” Tony seemed a little off guard. “Are you Jaden?”

  Jaden looked at him suspiciously before answering. “Yeah, that’s my name. What’s it to you?”

  Tony took in his towering form. Jaden was seriously a big guy. “Nothing, just curious.” He nodded his head before turning back to me. “So, he was bugging you, and you took him out?”

  “You could say that.” I glared at Jaden. He’s always bugging me. Smiling tightly, I focused on Tony again. “Did you find something you like?” I asked, but what I meant was, “Are you ready to leave now? You met Jaden—let’s go.”

  “Um, sure. I could get a couple things.” Tony glanced at me and then back up at Jaden. “Do we just pay for it up front, or is there a cash register back here?”

  “I’ll take you up front,” Jaden graciously offered. Too graciously. He rubbed his underarms a moment more, then led us to the checkout.

  Actually, the whole meeting incident took place much more easily and more stress free than I’d thought it would. I don’t know what I expected—maybe for them to duke it out or something—but it wasn’t until the checkout that things got a little testy.

  Jaden sulked a bit as he got the machine ready. When he turned to look at us, he watched Tony for a second, but refused to look at me. I watched a confused expression come over Jaden’s face, and then hesitantly, he stepped back. Surveying Tony from a different angle, he picked up the shirts on the counter. “Don’t I know you from someplace?” he asked as he scanned the first one. “I can’t put my finger on it, but I’m sure I’ve met you before.”

  Oh my gosh. Not Jaden, too.

  “Really?” Tony shrugged and acted cool, but kept his eyes averted from Jaden’s. “Hmm . . . I don’t know. Maybe.”

  “Nah, I’m pretty good with faces. I’ll figure it out.”

  I wonder if he’ll tell me once he figures it out.

  “What’s your name?” Jaden abruptly asked.

  I jumped in. “Oh, this is Tony. Tony Russo.”

  Both guys looked at me.

  Then all at once, it dawned on Jaden. “Ah, the guy texting you the other night. I remember now.” He smiled smugly at Tony, but quickly replaced his smirk with a look of bafflement.

  Did he have to imply we were together? I smiled. “Yep. This is him.”

  “Tony?” Jaden appeared to mull that over as he scanned the other shirt. “Are you sure that’s your name?”

  Tony looked down at his hands, and I laughed. “Uh, yeah. I think he’d know his own name.”

  “Really? I don’t know why, but you seem like a Jason, or John, or, or a Jack to me.”

  Tony stiffened. “That’s funny. Not something you hear every day—someone questioning your name. Uh, what’s the total?” It was obvious he wanted out of there.

  Jaden told him the price, and Tony quickly brought out his wallet and paid cash. As he handed over the receipt, Jaden said, “Watch out for her, okay? She looks sweet, but she’ll kill you.”

  I glared at him. Thanks.

  Jaden winked. “Oh! And whatever you do, don’t mention the word ‘Twilight’ to her. She may start thinking you’re a werewolf or something.”

  That did it! If I’d been closer to him, I’d have given his armpit hair another strong tug. The moron.

  At least Tony was polite enough not to comment until we were out the door and way out of earshot.

  Seventeen

  It's in His Kiss

  We’d decided to sit on a bench not far from Old Navy to wait for Nora. I had just lathered myself in antibiotic sanitizer, hopefully killing off Jaden’s germs, when Tony came back with some pretzels and asked, “So, have you really known Jaden just a few weeks?”

  “A few weeks too many,” I grumbled as I pulled off a piece of the warm pretzel and popped it in my mouth.

  Tony chewed a bit more. “So, what’d he mean by that werewolf comment?”

  “Uh . . .” Great. Now what am I going to say?

  He smiled and took another bite. “No, wait. Don’t tell me.” He chewed and swallowed. “You thought he looked like a werewolf?”

  Looked like one? Yeah, right. Try acted like one! “Something like that.” I quickly bit into my pretzel so I wouldn’t have to elaborate.

  “Hmm . . .” Tony chuckled around ano
ther bite. “That’s funny.”

  “What?”

  “Oh.” He glanced over at me and then shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ve just always thought werewolves were kind of cool.”

  I almost dropped my pretzel. “Are you kidding me? You think they’re cool?” What in the world? Vampires and werewolves hate each other, don’t they?

  “Yeah.” He grinned. “You know, roaming around, getting a chance to run at super-fast speeds, being free and seeing the world.”

  “Viciously killing things by instinct—without thought—just because you’re mad?” I replied with a smile. “I can see the potential there, oh yeah. What guy wouldn’t love being a werewolf? Gee, as a girl, I find myself attracted to you already.” I shook my head, thinking he was crazy. “That could be a pick-up line, you know? I wonder how many dates you could get, telling girls you wish you were a werewolf.” I rolled my eyes and pulled off another chunk of pretzel.

  Tony laughed and nudged me with his elbow. “Come on—you don’t think it’d work? I bet I could get someone to go out with me.”

  “Yeah, right.” I chuckled and tossed the piece into my mouth. “‘Hey, wanna kiss? I have doggy breath.’”

  Tony laughed.

  “Like I said, that’s just tempting me already. Hot dang!” I laughed too.

  “Okay! I get it!” Tony continued to chuckle. “Werewolf is out. I don’t want to know where you found out werewolves have dog breath, but believe me, I’m starting to feel real sorry for Jaden right now.”

  It was my turn to nudge him. “Whatever. His kisses were fine.”

  “Grr . . . Let’s change the subject. So, what is the ultimate superhero character, then?” Tony asked as he raised his eyebrows, daring me to answer. “Or, wait! What do you see me as?”

  Uh—dang! How did this happen? All at once, I wanted to be as far away from him as I could get. I quickly took another bite and hedged. “Um . . . that’s hard.” Chew. Chew. Chew. “The perfect hero?” Vampire! Chew. Vampire, and you know it! Chew. Chew. “Gee—uh—”

  “Come on, you’ve gotta see me as something.” He turned on the bench so we could face each other. His light brown eyes sparkled with copper flecks.

  He is one hot vampire! I silently gasped and swallowed.

  “How ’bout I help you?” His eyes playfully traced my features. “Do you think I have laser vision, like Cyclops? Or quick comebacks and super card-throwing action, like Gambit?”

  Tony was grinning like mad, and I was having a really hard time focusing.

  “Uh—an X-Men fan. Okay.” Seriously, is there a hotter guy in the world?

  “Focus.” He chuckled and raised his eyebrows.

  Dang! He heard me, didn’t he? “Ahem. Well, I don’t see you as either, actually.”

  “What? You’re kidding! Those two are the best.” He scooted closer. “Okay, tell me it’s Superman, then. I could handle that.”

  “Superman?” I scrunched my nose.

  “Ah, come on! You don’t like Superman, either?”

  “No! I love Superman! Really. I even like the X-Men. I was picturing you as someone else, that’s all.”

  “Who?”

  I looked down and fiddled with what was left of my pretzel. “I don’t want to say.”

  Tony gently reached under my chin and brought it up. His eyes darkened, and for about ten seconds his gaze locked with mine—it was so intense I could hardly breathe. “Is he a good guy?” he finally asked.

  I nodded slightly. I couldn’t speak if I wanted to.

  “Is he somewhat good-looking?”

  Edward? Um, yes! And then it hit me. How cute is Tony? He wants to know if I think he’s hot. I licked my lips and found my voice. “Oh yeah.” I really nodded that time. “He’s seriously hot.”

  Tony’s eyes flew to my mouth. “Thanks,” he all but whispered. “You’re pretty hot yourself.”

  Really? Warm, delicious fuzzies exploded inside me. Never had any guy been as wonderful as Tony. Never.

  “Claire?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Let’s go.”

  “Where?”

  “You’ll see.”

  “What about Nora?”

  “Just a sec.” Tony jumped off the bench and stopped a guy and girl who were holding hands about ten feet from us. He was talking so quietly, I couldn’t understand what he was saying.

  What’s he doing? Nervous, excited butterflies took the place of the warm fuzzies.

  Within seconds he was standing in front of me again. “Okay, there is one. Let’s go.”

  “One what? Seriously, are we just gonna leave Nora?”

  He had my purse and his bag already in his hand. “We’re not leaving the mall. There’s just someplace I want to take you. Nora’ll call me when she wants to find me. Honest, we always shop like this.” He held his hand out. “Now, come on. Hurry.”

  Smiling, I slipped my hand into his and allowed him to pull me up. “Well, lead the way then.”

  And he did—right to one of those cool little photo booths.

  “Ta-da! Here we are.”

  “No way. We’re going in there? Really?” I giggled. It was just too cute. “This was the surprise?”

  “Yep.” He sounded awfully proud of himself.

  I entered the small booth and scooted over, waiting for Tony to put in the money and start the machine. I’d never realized just how small these booths were until Tony came in and sat next to me.

  “The first set is just for practice, okay?”

  “Okay.”

  I smiled for the first photo. Tony slipped his arm around my back, and I leaned in toward his chest for the second one. By the third one I was grinning at him, because he had said something stupid to make me laugh—I don’t even remember what. It didn’t matter, because by the fourth flash, the look he gave me could’ve melted ice. Neither one of us was smiling in that one. We had both stopped and stared at each other. I knew anyone could tell by the pictures that something serious was happening between Tony and me—something I don’t think either of us could’ve predicted, had we tried.

  “Wow,” was all he said when he saw that last picture.

  I knew it was coming. I was still humming from the powerful vibe he and I had created together. You could feel it—it was that strong. But even then, with the photo staring me in the face, I wasn’t prepared for the seriousness of how attracted I was to him. It was so obvious, anyone could see it. I knew Tony could. And that’s an embarrassing thought. Mortifying, actually.

  “Do you mind if I keep this?” he asked.

  “I—uh—” Is that a good thing? Or does he want to take it home and burn it? I didn’t think I could bear having that picture burned. I was going to need something to look at when I headed back to Farmington.

  “I’ll let you have the next set, I promise.” His smile was sweet, and he looked so genuinely happy with the thought of keeping the photo, I couldn’t tell him no.

  “Okay.” I grinned up at him.

  “Are you ready for the next set?”

  “Sure.” I turned around and stepped back into the booth, willing my hands not to shake with nervousness as Tony put the money in. I can do this. I’m just going to smile and look natural and enjoy myself. This set is for me, anyway. I’m going to want proof to show my friends that I actually knew this guy. I took a deep breath just as Tony climbed in the booth, smiling.

  I watched him nervously, not sure if he was going to put his hand behind my back again or not.

  He didn’t. Instead he caught my gaze and sat down facing me. His smile fell. We were so close, our knees were forced outwards, and they were still touching. I knew I should turn and smile for the perfect picture, but I couldn’t look away. I didn’t want to look away.

  I blinked as the first flash went off. When I opened my eyes, Tony was still staring at me. By the time the second flash came, he asked me, “Can I kiss you?”

  Yes. Please. “Only if you want to.”

  The third flash
caught his lips hovering just above mine. My eyes were closed, but he was still watching me. The fourth flash exploded just as his lips captured mine.

  My heart soared. Tony Russo is kissing me! I couldn’t believe it.

  When we broke apart, he grinned widely, and I rubbed my lips together, enjoying the tingling sensation. One thing was very certain—no matter what I had thought earlier, Tony Russo was not a vampire. His lips were too warm and soft.

  All at once I felt crazy cool, like the most beautiful girl in the world. My heart was racing, and my cheeks were red—I could feel them, but I didn’t care. Tony Russo had just kissed me. Me! Out of all the girls he could have chosen, he chose me.

  He shook his head a bit and then looked around, as though he’d forgotten we were in a photo booth. When he caught my eyes again, he grinned a devastatingly hot grin. “Now those pictures, I’ve gotta see.” He grabbed the strip of photos as soon as they came out of the machine.

  His arm was around my back and clasping my shoulder as we both chuckled at our faces in the moments before the kiss. I grew all warm and fuzzy again when I saw the way Tony’s eyes watched my closed ones. There was something meaningful about that look—I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, but it was something especially wonderful.

  “Wanna trade?” he whispered in my ear as he brought out the other strip of pictures.

  “No way.” I chuckled, grateful for the pictures I had. You could only see half of Tony, but it was such a special moment, it made up for not being able to really show him off.

  “What are we going to do?” he quietly asked as he slipped his hand from my shoulder to my arm.

  I knew what he meant—he didn’t have to explain himself. We hardly knew each other, and I lived a gazillion miles away. Not the best start to a relationship.

  “I don’t know.” Unbelievable sadness washed over me.

  Tony muttered something under his breath and pulled me into him. I relaxed into his warm, strong hug. “Whatever happens,” he murmured into my hair, “I’ll never forget you. I couldn’t, even if I tried.”