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Tony was freaking out. I had never seen him so pale before. “N–no, no. You’ve got me confused with someone else. It happens all the time.” His hands shook as he released me and whipped out his wallet. Nervously, he rummaged through it until he came up with a few bills. “Here, have lunch on me. So sorry about the accident.” He crushed the money into her palm, and with a little wave said, “Hope you have a good day.” His arm wrapped around my waist again, and he maneuvered us out of the area so quickly I thought his feet would catch on fire.

Dangerous Secrets

Nora had to run to catch up to us. “Dang!” She panted. “Why does that always happen to you?”

“Drop it, Nora.” Tony’s voice was clipped as he moved faster. I very nearly had to fly to keep up. Not that it was hard—with his arm around me in a vice grip, I didn’t have much choice.

She wasn’t going to be put off that easily. “You know Mom and Dad said you aren’t supposed to make scenes. If you just acted like everyone else, no one would notice you. What’d you do, anyway? Why were you talking to her?”

“Nora, stop it. Please.”

“Yeah, but you know better. You hardly ever talk to people when we’re out. What happened?”

Tony halted to a stop and jerked around, facing her. “It was nothing, okay?” He flicked his eyes in my direction, and then back over to her. “Just an accident. Now leave it, all right? I don’t want to discuss anything right
now.”

Nora’s eyes were huge as she looked over at me attached to his hip. “Oh. Sorry.”

What in the world is going on? Just who is Tony Russo, anyway? Is there something besides him being a vampire that I don’t know about?

He grunted and ran his free hand through his hair. “Great. Thanks. Nothing like keeping ‘you know what’ under wraps.” He glanced over at me again and then sort of half smiled as he released his hold a bit on my waist. “Claire, I . . .” He heaved a sigh and closed his eyes a minute, agitation written all over his face. It was obvious that whatever was going on, he didn’t want me to know about it. He took another breath and started again. “Claire, there’s some—”

“Tony, stop.” I pulled away from him completely. “It’s no big deal. You don’t have to tell me anything anyway.” My fingers fiddled with the strap of my purse as I hitched it higher. He still looked upset. I smiled.

“Claire, there’s—it’s just—”

“Don’t worry about it.” I turned around so he wouldn’t see the hurt in my eyes. Not that he needed to tell me anything. I mean, I wasn’t his girlfriend or whatever—it’s just, I was hurt anyway, with no reason to explain it. “It’s obvious there’s something going on that you want to hide, but no worries. It’s no big deal if you don’t want to tell me.”

“Claire, I
can’t
tell you.” He stepped up next to me and put his arm across my shoulders. “There’s a difference.”

My eyes met his a moment before looking away. “Yeah, it’s no big deal.” I smiled again. “So, who’s ready for Old Navy?”

“Claire,” he growled.

What is it with guys growling at me lately?
I met his eyes again. He was staring right at me, almost as if he were trying to tell me something.
What, vampire? All of a sudden,
now
you want to talk to me? Well, then, spit it out.
His gaze was so intense my heart stopped beating right then and there, completely belying my cool façade. Oh my gosh! He can probably see right past all this anyway, can’t he? Can he tell how much I’m really starting to like him? Like, borderline-unhealthy-crazed sort of starting to like him? Holy cow! I’m already a groupie, and I don’t even know who he is!

“Oh, just tell her,” Nora exclaimed.

“I can’t.” He was still looking at me.

Why not?
I gulped.

“You know it’ll break my contract if I do.”

Contract?
Curiosity was killing me.

“You know, for a guy who’s been obsessing about Claire all this time, you’re sure sending out all the wrong signals if you want her to think you’re interested.” His twin smiled annoyingly at us both.

I could cheerfully kill her.

Tony’s eyes went cold. “Thanks, Nora. I owe you one.”

The underlying threat behind his words must’ve hit home. “Aw, come on, Tony. Give me a break—I’m only teasing you. Besides, I never thought I’d say it, but I hope you actually succeed with this one.” With that, she turned around and started walking back the way we’d come.

“Where you going?” he called after her.

She glanced back and smirked. “Uh, hate to break it to you, but Old Navy’s this way. You
are
coming, right, Claire?”

“Yeah. Of course.”

“Good.” Her smile was icky sweet. “I think Tony needs to see his competition face to face. It’ll be good for him to know he actually has to win a girl’s heart this time.” Nora turned and laughed as she marched forward.

Oh, no.
I’d almost forgotten about Jaden. I really, really didn’t want to go to Old Navy.

“Uh, look.” I glanced back up at Tony. “If you’d rather stay here and not go through those people again—I mean, hide out a bit, I don’t mind waiting with you.”

His eyes scanned my face, and he smothered a chuckle. “Yeah, Nora can be scary sometimes. Believe me, I know. I’ve lived with her the last seventeen years.”

It wasn’t really his sister I was worried about. “You know, I—uh, think I caught that vibe, actually.”

“You did?” His smile nearly blew me away. But it was the way his eyes probed mine that did the most damage to my well-being. “Thank you.”

I scrunched my forehead. “For?”

“For being so great about everything.” He heaved another sigh and looked around. “Look, I know you probably have a few questions.”

More like a hundred thousand.

“But thanks for acting like you don’t.” His eyes seared into mine again. “This isn’t easy for me. I’m not really a guy who tries to hide stuff—if you know what I mean. I’m just more like, what ya see is whatcha get.”

“It’s okay. I get it.” I nodded my head and then grinned.

“What?” His mouth imitated mine. “What are you smiling for?”

“I don’t know.” I shrugged and briefly glanced down. I could feel a massive blush coming on, but I met his gaze despite it. “It makes you more mysterious in a way.”

“Mysterious?” Tony absorbed that for a moment. “Ah! I’m a puzzle. So, you like solving things, do you?”

“I guess you could say that.”
This flirting thing is getting way easier than I ever expected.

“So, Nancy Drew,” he teased as he put his arm around me again, “just how brave are you?”

Not at all. I’m a total wimp.
“Oh, very brave.”

“Then let’s go meet this Jaden guy, eh?” He took a step forward. I didn’t move a muscle. “You’re not telling me that a girl who loves mysteries and solving puzzles is chicken, are you?”

Ugh.
“Of course not. I was just fixing my purse.” I brought it up to my shoulder and allowed Tony to bring me closer to his side. “Besides, I don’t think it’s me who has to worry about being brave.”

“Touché!” He chuckled. “Bring it on.”

The vampire meets the werewolf.
All at once, I hoped Stephenie Meyer was wrong about them being archenemies.
I mean, really, can’t we all just get along?

***

“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.”