I finally came up with the perfect reason to go to see Bobby: I’d return something he left at my house. Guys always wanted their stuff back after a breakup, right?
Picking out what to wear on my mission to Bobby’s proved to be a challenge, though. There was a balance I had to strike. Sexy without being obvious, desirable without being blatant. Hard, but certainly not impossible. I settled on a short black skirt and a sleeveless lacy top.
Logan called me as I finished dressing. “Go out with me tomorrow.”
The pit of my stomach shivered at his low command. I grinned even though I gave him trouble. I couldn’t help it—it was in my nature. “You have some nerve, sugar. Ordering me instead of asking.”
“If I asked, you might’ve said no.”
Oh, he was good. “But you didn’t say please.”
“Somehow I don’t think you care much about manners.”
I shrugged and went with a different argument. “Tomorrow’s Friday. What makes you think I’m free?”
“It’s not a matter of you bein’ free. It’s a matter of how much you want to see me again, darlin’.”
“You’re awfully cocky,” I said, grinning.
“You like cocky.”
There were a thousand nuances in his voice, and all of them were speaking directly to my womanly parts.
Then I winced, remembering I’d told Warren to meet me and Jean at Jubilee’s. Damn. “Actually, Logan, I’m supposed to meet up with a friend and my sister.”
He grunted a response that I didn’t quite understand, but that I deciphered meant, ‘oh darn’. I must be perverse because the disappointment in his mumble made me jubilant. “If you don’t mind, you could meet me there.”
His voice held a tone of amusement. “I might could suffer through it.”
“I’d love it if you came. I’d love to see you.”
Okay, truthfully, maybe a small part of me wanted him to come along because it gave me a date to boast to Bobby about. But I was looking forward to seeing Logan. Actually, I was kind of surprised at how happy I felt that he was going to be there.
Only I didn’t have the right to feel that way. And, since I was going for this truth crap, there was also a layer of something that felt an awful lot like self-disgust. But I shoved all of that aside. I had things to do. I told Logan the details of where and when, hung up, and went to find Jean.
“Red!”
“Don’t call me that,” came from my office/her bedroom.
I pushed open the door, which was ajar, and leaned in the doorway. I tried not to notice the room itself; it still raised my blood pressure to see how she’d mess with my stuff. “Hey.”
She looked up from where she was propped on the bed reading. “What is it?”
I tried to see what she was reading, but she angled the book so I couldn’t see it. Probably some scientific text about the characteristics of the twenty-third chromosome, or something equally fascinating. My sister really knew how to cut loose and have fun.
I shook my head and got back to the reason why I was there. “Are you doing anything tomorrow night?” Ha! As if. But I thought I should be polite since I needed her to come along.
She stared at me with her cool gaze. “Why do you ask?”
I tried to look nonchalant. “I’m going out and I thought you might like to go.”
“You did.” It wasn’t a question so much as an incredulous statement.
“Well, sure. You wanted to go out and experience some nightlife, didn’t you?”
Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. “Yes…”
“I thought this would be a good opportunity,” I smiled winningly.
“Hmmm.”
I tried to decipher what that ‘hmmm’ meant, but with Jean, anything was possible. She didn’t exactly emote. So I tried another tactic. “I invited this guy I think you’ll like.”
“You did?” Her brow furrowed like I’d uttered the most profound riddle.
That hurt. I wasn’t that bad a sister. I hoped not, anyway. I pushed aside the pout that was coming on and concentrated on my goal. “Of course. I think you’ll like him. He’s successful, smart, and handsome.”
“All right.” She smiled. Her version of a smile, which was more of a bare tilt of her lips.
“Good.” Relieved, I turned to leave. “I’m going out now, but I’ll be back soon.”
“Lock the door on your way out.”
“Right.”
“I mean it. I know you’re leaving it unlocked to bother me.”
“I’m truly hurt that you think that.” I waved over my shoulder. “Later!”
“Marie, I mean it.”
“I know.” That’s exactly why I left it unlocked again.
Evil grin. Being the younger sister had to have some perks.
I hopped into my car and drove to Bobby’s. I had to concentrate to remember exactly where it was. In the year we’d dated I’d been there only a few times. Bobby usually came to my place for sex. It was that unwritten rule we had about keeping our lives separate, I supposed. But now that his blossom was having dinner at his place, I was beginning to think that maybe he didn’t like me enough to share his space. Wasn’t I as likable as the next girl?
I frowned and parked in front of his home. It was a fancy pseudo-colonial I think he’d told me his mother picked out. I remember thinking how fussy it was, on the outside as well as the inside. Didn’t seem to suit him, but what did I know?
“Now or never.” I took a deep breath, hopped out of the car, and stalked up the walkway to the front door. Hand raised, I hesitated there for a second, wondering what I was doing. The answer was immediate: Showing my parents I was as good as Jean. I couldn’t back down from this.
I knocked firmly, waited two seconds, and then rang the doorbell for good measure. As the door swung open, I pasted a smile on my face. “Hi, Bobby.”
He stared down at me and blinked several times. “Marie?”
Didn’t he recognize me anymore? “Yeah. I was just driving by---“
“You were?”
Okay, so maybe that was a little hard to believe, because he didn’t live close to anywhere I might want to go. But that was beside the point. “Yeah. I had an, um, errand.”
“Oh.” His frown deepened. “Marie, this isn’t a good time.”
“No problem. I understand,” I nodded, wondering how I was going to get into his foyer with the way he was guarding the door. “I just wanted to---“
“Bobby?” A sticky-sweet voice drifted from the living room. “Is everything okay?” Bobby’s blossom stepped into the entryway, a tentative smile on her lips.
In person, she was more like Jean than on the Web. Except for her eyes, which were a warm, approachable brown rather than an icy, stay-away-from-me blue. I tried to find something wrong with her--- a big wart on her chin or bad fashion sense—but Bobby’s blossom was nothing short of perfection. Short, shiny blonde hair, big brown eyes, and creamy skin. Lots of it, too—her dress was tiny. Even the expression in her eyes held no hint of malice or anything but friendly inquisitiveness.
Did I mention her dress was really little?
Bobby cleared his throat. “Uh… uhm…”
Glancing at him, I saw he was torn between complete adoration and horror. I guessed the adoration was for his sweet blossom and the horror was for me. I’m intuitive that way.
His blossom took the initiative. She stepped forward with her bright smile and stretched her hand out. “I’m Kitty. Are you a friend of Bobby’s?”
I snapped out of my stupor quickly enough to realize this might have been the opportunity I was looking for. I accepted her shake. “Yes. I’m Marie. I’m sorry if I’m interrupting anything.”
“Oh! I’m so happy to meet you.” She squeezed my hand between both of hers. “Bobby’s told me so much about you.”
I flashed on Cameron Diaz in My Best Friend’s Wedding telling Julia Roberts something very similar right before she tried to kill Julia with her driving. No way was I getting anywhere near a car with Kitty.
Bobby cleared his throat again. “Was there a reason you stopped by?”
“Bobby, don’t be rude,” Kitty chided as if she had the right. “Invite her in.”
Before I could open my mouth, Kitty jerked me inside. “We have enough for dinner, right?”
“Oh, no. I wouldn’t want to impose,” I said politely. I really didn’t; I’d probably choke if I tried to eat anything.
“Then a drink.” She smiled warmly at me and led me into the living room. “Close the door, Bobby, and get Marie a drink.”
Bobby looked as shell-shocked as I felt, but I noticed he quickly hopped to do Kitty’s bidding. I couldn’t help but also notice he was never that obedient with me, the bastard.
Kitty sat down on a fancy, uncomfortable couch and pulled me down next to her. “You’ll have to tell me all about Bobby.”
“Um. Yeah.” I smiled, hoping I didn’t look like I was going to throw up. I certainly felt like that enough.
Bobby returned quickly. I’m not sure I’d ever seen him move that fast. I had the impression he didn’t want to leave me alone with Kitty. I wondered why.
“You didn’t tell me why you’re here,” Bobby said as he handed us our drinks.
Champagne. I wrinkled my nose and pretended to take a sip before setting it on the table in front of me. “I was going through some stuff and found this” I riffled through my purse and pulled out the CD. “I though you might want it back.”
Bobby frowned as he took it. “Sounds of the Forest?”
“The rainforests,” I corrected.
He studied the cover before he finally said, “This isn’t mine.”
I blinked. “It isn’t?”
Of course, I knew it wasn’t. I’d bought it once when I was having trouble sleeping. I thought the soothing sounds would lull me to sleep. Mostly it just served to improve my tropical bird call.
My idea of returning something to Bobby was brilliant. The only flaw was Bobby had never left anything at my place. So I had to improvise.
I pursed my lips because I thought it’d make me look puzzled. “Are you sure it’s not yours?”
“Positive.” He handed it back to me.
“Huh.” I stared at it for a second and slipped it back into my purse. “I could have sworn it was.”
Kitty patted my hand. “Now that you’re here, Marie, tell me about you.”
I didn’t want to tell her anything about me, except maybe that I’d had a parent-pleasing boyfriend whom I wanted back. How would she take that? But I shrugged and said, “I study martial arts,” so she’d know she shouldn’t mess with me.
She perked up. “For real?”
“Yeah.”
“You aren’t kidding me?”
“Nope.”
“Wow.”
Scintillating conversation. But my feathers were somewhat smoothed by her impressed gawking. I thought of telling her I was a third degree black belt and that I could break her with just a look, but I thought that might be overkill so I kept quiet.
I did, however, have the presence of mind to bring Logan into the conversation. “That’s why Logan and I get along so great. Because we’re both fighters.” I fluttered my eyelashes and glanced at Bobby to see if he took the bait.
Bingo. At the mention of Logan’s name, Bobby stiffened and set his champagne flute down. “Logan?”
Then I had another brilliant idea: I’d ask for Bobby’s permission to date his friend.
Well, not his permission per se, but asking him if he minded was a great way to highlight that I was dating Logan. It’d give him a chance to feel jealous again, too.
So I fluttered my lashes some more. “You don’t mind if I date him, do you, Bobby? You guys being friends and all.”
Kitty answered for him. “Of course he doesn’t mind. Do you, Pookie?”
“No.” he scowled. “No, I don’t.”
Woo-hah. I hid my grin behind my glass and pretended to take another swig of the wretched toilet water.
“I like Logan sooo much,” Kitty chirped in her saccharine voice.
“You do?” She’d only been dating Bobby for a week and she’d already met Logan? I’d gone out with him for a year and I’d barely met any of his friends. I frowned at Bobby.
He downed the rest of his drink.
Oblivious, Kitty nodded. “We should all go out sometime. Like a double date or something.”
“Right,” I said sarcastically. Then I blinked and smiled wide. “Right. That’d be great.”
“Totally.” Kitty smiled delightedly, not knowing how easily she was falling into my plans.
“Maybe even tomorrow,” I spoke quickly, aware Bobby was beginning to stir. I needed Kitty to agree to my suggestion before he could veto it. “We’re going to Jubilee’s and it’d be great if you could stop by.”
“Oh!” she clapped her hands together. “That’d be fabulous. Is that the new champagne lounge?”
“Uhm, no.” Jubilee’s? I resisted the urge to guffaw. “It’s a pub.”
“I don’t think you’d like it, sweetie,” Bobby said quickly. “They serve beer.”
She shrugged flippantly. “I’ve always wanted to try beer. It’ll be fun.”
She’d never had beer? What alternate universe had she been sequestered in?
Before he could offer any other objections, I said, “Great. Nine o’clock.”
She clapped her hands together again, once. “I have to go shopping for the perfect outfit.”
I raised my brows at Bobby. What planet did he find this woman on anyway?
He cleared his throat. “Sweetie, the dinner’s getting cold…”
That was my cue to leave, but the perverse part of me settled back like I didn’t understand I was being subtly encouraged to move along.
His sweet blossom didn’t play along either, though I’m not certain she got it. She grasped my hand and said, “You should stay for dinner.” She smiled at Bobby. “We have enough food, don’t we, Pookie?”
“Uh…” His will visibly shriveled under her sweet imploring gaze. “Well, I guess.”
I shook my head. Pathetic. I was tempted to stay, but I wanted to more subtle than that. “I need to get home. But thanks for the invite.” I disengaged myself from Kitty’s eager grip and edged toward the foyer. “But you guys should go ahead and eat. I’ll show myself out.”
Bobby pulled Kitty to her feet and practically dragged her toward the archway that led to the dining room and kitchen. “You don’t mind?”
I recognized the question for what it was: his proper upbringing requiring him to be polite. “Go ahead and enjoy yourselves, kids. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
I smiled and waved as I walked out of the room before Kitty could follow me. In my haste, I bumped into the table in the foyer where Bobby dumped the crap in his pockets when he came home.
The table rocked and his cell phone jumped off and onto the floor. Wincing, I reached down to pick it up. Knowing how much he loved his phone, I flipped it open to make sure it wasn’t damaged. I didn’t want to be accused of foul play later.
I shook my head. The idiot left Bluetooth on. It was such a security risk—I don’t know how many times I’d warned him. Anyone who had a Bluetooth device within a certain range could get access to everything stored on his cell.
Shrugging, I flipped it shut. And I froze when it really hit me. The Bluetooth functionality on Bobby’s cell phone was on. On.
This was opportunity slapping me upside the head. If MacGyver were here, he’d--- well, he’d rig the phone as a detonation device and blow up Bobby’s house.
But I didn’t need to go that far. If I turned on Bluetooth on my phone, I could download all his calendar information—his dates and appointments, all his contact information… I’d know where he was and when.
It’d be accidental, of course. Though this wasn’t a felony like trespassing on a server. At least I didn’t think so.
I rubbed the tip of my nose. It wasn’t like I had to use the information, but it’d be a comfort to have. Just in case.
I pulled my phone out, clicked Bluetooth on, and synced the devices. Come on, come on, I waved at Bobby’s phone, which I’m sure made it transfer everything faster. Once it finished, I flipped the phone shut, put it back on the table, and turned to leave.
Then I stopped.
“Hell,” I muttered. I turned around, intending to grab Bobby’s phone again, but I walked into the table again, only this time hard enough to send a lacquered dish skittering to the floor.
“Marie? You still here?” Bobby called from the kitchen.
Oh, shit. “Just tying my shoe.” My fingers fumbled over buttons as I accessed his calendar and deleted a couple of entries marked Kitty.
When I heard the clicking of Bobby’s dress loafers on the parquet floor of the hall from the kitchen, I flipped the phone shut and put it back.
“See you tomorrow,” I called out as I ran out the door. I hurried to my car before Bobby noticed I was wearing slip-on shoes.
Heart pounding, I drove off. I was about a block away when I realized his Bluetooth was still on. I screeched to a stop and rubbed my nose.
MacGyver would go for it.
“I shouldn’t do this,” I told myself. I didn’t even know if it’d work; I only read about it online. It would be like an experiment. To test the boundaries of technology.
“I really shouldn’t do this,” I repeated. But I didn’t listen. Instead, I turned around, drove back, and parked several blocks away. I hopped out of the car and softly shut the door. Dropping into a crouch, I hobbled through the neighbors’ yards, over the short fence, and into Bobby’s--- right in a rose bush.
“Shit,” I mouthed, conscious of the lit kitchen windows fifty feet away. Thank God there were curtains, otherwise I’m sure Bobby and Kitty would have seen me.
Biting my lip as thorns prodded my skin, I tried to gently untangle myself. I mouthed another curse.
Finally I got myself loose, if worse for wear, and snuck around the side of the house to the front. Fortunately there was a bush on either side of his door that provided adequate coverage for me to hide. I ducked behind the one on the right and flipped open my cell.
A minute later it was done: I’d planted several calls from other women onto Bobby’s call log.
“Who knew?” I whispered, shaking my head in wonder. I closed my phone, scurried back to my car, and took off. All the way home I swore that I was never going to do anything like that again. And I wasn’t going to use the information I’d stolen. I’d get rid of it.
Later.
Really, I would.
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Author's Chapter Notes:
No one kill me just yet... I swear more Logan is going to be involved soon. In fact, he's very much involved in the next chapter. Seriously. I'm slabbing on a big 'ol heap of him in the next installment.