Double Love, chapter 5

“Pardon me, Heaven-which way to Mars?"

"What?" Jessica stared in astonishment at the boy leaning out the open window of the jacked-up Camaro.

She recognized him as Rick Andover, the most outrageous guy at Sweet Valley High-until he dropped out six months ago. Jessica found it hard to believe he was only seventeen. He looked older than most guys their age. He had the ice-cool handsomeness of a junior Clint Eastwood, and a hint of danger lurked in his sultry dark eyes. One elbow was hooked casually over the door. Jessica stared in fascination at the eagle emblem tattooed against the densely packed muscles of his forearm. Her stomach executed a slow somersault. She'd never been this close to Rick before.

"What are you staring at?" she finally asked, unnerved by the way his arrogant gaze raked over her.

One corner of his mouth turned up in a slow, sexy smile. "You," he answered. "I'm driving you home. That is, unless your mommy warned you never to take rides with strangers."

Jessica's eyes narrowed. Mr. Big-Shot Andover didn't know who he was talking to.

"I do as I please," she said, hesitating only a split second before she jumped into his car.

"I'm in for a lot of trouble." Rick grinned at her as they squealed away from the curb, shooting ahead of an elderly Pontiac, which had to slam on its brakes to keep from running into them.

"Why is that?" Jessica asked, a thrill that was half fear, half excitement racing up her backbone.

She'd heard a number of stories about Rick and the fast-lane life he led. He ran around with an older crowd and always had a lot of money in his pocket, even though it didn't look as if he had a job. He spent most of his time either working on his Camaro or cruising around in it-usually with a gorgeous girl at his side. Jessica squirmed with pleasure at having been selected as Rick's companion for that afternoon.

"Because my mother told me never to ride with strange young girls, that's why," said Rick. "How do I know you won't try to take advantage of my innocence?"

Jessica giggled. She found Rick's sense of humor wickedly fascinating-like everything else about him.

"Don't worry," she replied, arching an eyebrow. "I'm fighting off the urge to attack you."

He shot her a look full of unmistakable meaning. "Just as long as you don't fight too hard. I'm not used to taking no for an answer."

Neither was Jessica, for that matter. At that moment she was reminded of Todd's indifference, which triggered a spurt of angry rebellion in her. She didn't resist as Rick's arm snaked around the back of the seat, his fingers squeezing her shoulder. She wished Todd could see her now. Maybe he would even be jealous.

"I'll pick you up at eight," Rick told her as they were cruising down Calico Drive, doing fifty in a thirty-five zone.

"What?"

He grinned. "Tomorrow, at eight. We've got a date, Heaven."

"But you never even asked me," she complained.

"I told you-I'm used to getting, not asking. Are you saying no?" he challenged, as if the thought were unheard of.

"No." She frowned slightly, biting her lip. "It's just that I'm not sure my parents-"

"Mommy and Daddy wouldn't like the idea of their Little Red Riding Hood going out with the Big Bad Wolf?" he supplied, sneering. "What do you want?"

He was looking at her in a way that made her skin tingle. His heavy-lidded eyes held a hypnotic hint of the excitement to come if she decided to go out with him. Jessica found it irresistible.

"Did you say eight?"

"Yeah." He gave her shoulder a harder squeeze. "Don't be late. We've got some serious boogeying to do. And, hey, forget about the folks, they don't even have to know you're out with me."

"Where should I meet you?" she asked.

"Right here," he answered, jerking to a noisy stop just around the corner from her house. "This is where you live, isn't it?"

She stared at him. "H-how did you know?"

"You're Jessica Wakefield, right? I make it a habit to know where all the foxiest chicks in Sweet Valley live."

Jessica felt herself grow warm all over. It was good to know she wasn't invisible to every boy in town! Maybe Rick wasn't Todd, but he wasn't exactly a clown like Winston Egbert, either. In fact, Rick Andover might just turn out to be fun....

Before she could get out of the car, Rick pulled her close, giving her a light, teasing kiss on the mouth that promised more than it delivered. He smelled sexy, but in a strange way-like leather and gasoline.

"Where are we going tomorrow?" she asked as she was climbing out.

He winked suggestively. "That's for me to know and you to find out." He gunned the engine, drowning any protests she might have had. "Catch you later, Heaven."

The Camaro shot away from the curb, swerved in front of a bus, and ducked back into traffic just in time to miss a red Fiat coming up Calico Drive. Jessica shuddered. It was her mother!

The Fiat pulled over, and Alice Wakefield waved at Jessica.

"Jessica, hi! Come on, I'll give you a lift."

Jessica climbed in, her pulse still racing from her encounter with Rick.

"Did you see the boy driving that silver Camaro?" her mother fumed. "He almost ran into me!"

"Uh, no, I didn't see," Jessica stammered.

"It was that wild Rick Andover, I'm sure of it," she said.

Jessica bit her lip and said nothing.

"That kid is headed straight for trouble!" Mrs. Wakefield pronounced with unusual vehemence, her expression darkening.

Jessica was surprised to see her mother so uptight. She was usually pretty calm about things! Come to think of it, she'd been uncharacteristically tense for the past week or so. Could it have something to do with the fact that both she and Dad had been working so hard lately-and spending so little time with each other? But Dad had Marianna West to keep him company during those late nights at the office. Marianna West was beautiful, divorced, and, most of all, available.

Jessica's thoughts whirled in panicked confusion. Poor Mom! Did she suspect as well?

"You look pretty dressed up for someone who's just going over to the library to do some studying," remarked Elizabeth as she observed her sister's elaborate preparations in front of the mirror. Come to think of it, Jessica had seemed strangely secretive throughout dinner, Elizabeth thought, as if she had something up her sleeve.

Jessica finished applying her lipstick, then stood back to examine herself in the mirror. Finally she turned to Elizabeth and gave her a sly smile, her aquamarine eyes sparkling with mischief.

"The truth is, I'm not going to the library," she confessed in a low voice. "But if you tell Mom, I'll boil you in oil."

"Where are you going, Jess?"

"I have a date." Jessica went back to admiring her reflection. "Do you think the red blouse would look better with this skirt, or my new yellow T-shirt?"

"Jess, stop changing the subject!" Elizabeth practically screamed at her. "Who are you going out with?"

Borrowing Rick's phrase, she answered coyly, "That's for me to know and you to find out."

Elizabeth frowned. She had a sick suspicion who Jessica was going out with, but it didn't make sense. Why should she have to sneak to go out on a date with Todd? Knowing her sister, it was just one of the many detours Jessica took off the straight and narrow in order to spice up her life. She stared at Jessica, who was bubbling over with excitement, and her heart sank.

She was certain Jessica was going out with Todd.