French kiss (19 page)

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brooding after all. And when Alexa showed Holly the photos of Xavier in the stack of magazines she was keeping next to her bed (but probably would have preferred to put under her pillow), Holly hoped she'd get to meet the famous artist.

Standing in Frou-Frou and studying Alexa's radiant face, Holly felt a tickle of concern over how quickly and recklessly Alexa was falling for this new guy. Though the passionate painter did sound just right for Alexa, Holly wondered, as she had before, if her friend wasn't plunging into something too soon post-Diego. But Holly, not wanting to puncture her friend's euphoria, decided against mentioning that issue.

"I only wish I knew what we were
doing,"
Alexa sighed, sinking down onto one of the many pink beanbag chairs scattered throughout the store. The whole surprise element of their date
was
sexy, but the constant guesswork was stressing Alexa out much more than she was accustomed to. "Hoi, why can't you be psychic and tell me what's going to happen?" she pleaded, smiling up hopefully at her friend.

"Hmm," Holly said, feeling playful now that she wasn't dwelling on the Pierre Tyler conundrum. "I predict... that by the end of the night Xavier will be asking you something." Holly grinned and, despite the fact that she was in the middle of a chic boutique,

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wiggled her hips and softly sang,
"Voulez-vous coucher avec moi ce soir?"
in an uncannily good imitation of that cheesy "Lady Marmalade" song which had, incidentally, taught Holly her only complete French phrase. Then she blushed and ducked her head, hoping none of the chichi customers had witnessed her impromptu performance.

From her perch on the beanbag chair, Alexa burst out laughing. She loved it whenever her normally buttoned-up friend got her silliness on, which seemed to be happening more often lately. If only Holly, the poster girl for self-consciousness, knew how charming and funny she could be when she loosened up a little. Then, as the words to the song sank in, Alexa felt her cheeks color. She imagined Xavier
actually
asking her to sleep over that night, and a bolt of anticipation shot through her.

Before Alexa could swoon, however, Raphi returned bearing a purple satin clutch with a shimmery silver clasp, and a paisley bag that were both clearly meant for Alexa. She also held the mint-green bag Holly had been admiring earlier. Urging the girls to put their euros away, Raphi sent them off, along with instructions on where to find the best vintage shopping spots.

By the time a happily exhausted Alexa and Holly made it back to the apartment around six, they were

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laden with bursting shopping bags and had to scramble to take care of their respective duties showering for Alexa and packing for Holly.

An hour later, a towel-clad Alexa was blow-drying her golden hair in front of the guest-room mirror, trying not to feel too antsy, while Holly was stuffing two new purchases a green safari-print wrap dress and flat-heeled suede beige boots -- into her bulging duffel. Holly had just succeeded in zippering the duffel shut when the doorbell buzzed.

"Shit, that's him!" Alexa gasped, her stomach jumping as the blow-dryer slipped out of her grasp. "I'm not even close to ready! Hoi, can you ---"

"No problem," Holly said, getting to her feet and hurrying out of the room, her own excitement mounting. She ran through the empty apartment -- neither Raphi nor Pierre was home yet -- and unbolted the door.

"Bon soir,
" the extremely attractive guy leaning in the doorjamb murmured. He was wearing a battered leather jacket over a tight black T-shirt and shredded jeans. He removed his wraparound sunglasses and then slowly ran his gray eyes up and down Holly's body. "You are not Alexa," he pronounced in English, his stubble-darkened face breaking into a grin.

"Urn, yeah, I'm not," Holly replied, instinctively

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crossing her arms over her chest as her cheeks reddened. She hated how she always shrank into herself whenever guys sized her up -- though, considering Xavier's what-do-you-look-like-naked? stare, her shyness felt almost justified. Holly couldn't believe that this was the same Xavier that Alexa had raved about. And though the artist resembled his photographs in the magazine, Holly noticed that in real life, he gave off a vibe that was less
celeb
and more, well,
sketch.

"You are lovely in a different way," Xavier said, his eyes finally moving up from Holly's chest to her face. Running a paint-stained hand through his unkempt auburn hair, he stepped into the apartment, even though Holly had made no move to invite him in.

"Thanks," Holly muttered, taking a big step back. Normally, a hot guy like Xavier calling her lovely would have given Holly a minor coronary attack, but now she felt kind of... annoyed. Wasn't he supposed to be all smitten
with Alexa?

Xavier gave a small laugh, reaching into the front pocket of his jeans and pulling out a pack of cigarettes. "And you are more innocent," he observed accurately, placing a cigarette between his lips. "So perhaps it
isn't
true, then, what they say about American girls?" He grinned at Holly again.

"What
do they say about American girls?" Holly

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asked defensively, now putting her hands on her hips. Her timidity was starting to give way to full-on pissiness.

Xavier struck a match against the side of his ratty matchbook, raising one eyebrow. "You know. That you are all willing to ..."

"Xavier."

Holly turned at the sound of Alexa's voice to see her friend was strutting down the hall as if it were her personal runway. In a matter of minutes, Alexa had managed to change into an off-the-shoulder, plum-colored top with long bell sleeves, a tiny white skirt with a jagged hem, and lace-up, knee-high brown boots. She'd even piled her hair on top of her head in the faux-messy style worn by many chic French girls. Had Holly not been so thrown off-kilter by Xavier, she would have complimented her friend on successfully pulling off the boho-chic look she'd been coveting as of late.

Alexa's heart fluttered as she saw Xavier see her. He removed the lit cigarette from his mouth, his lips curving up in that familiar half-smile she was already half in love with. Then he gave her a slow, appreciative nod. Abandoning her cool, Alexa rushed over to him and draped her arms around his neck; since her boots had sky-high heels, she and Xavier were now almost the same height. Xavier slid his hands down her back

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and then leaned in close, kissing the soft skin right below her earlobe, which made Alexa's head swim.

"Let's get out of here," she whispered in French, her lips tickling his. Alexa was in such a fog that, as Xavier took her hand to lead her out the open door, she barely heard Holly speak her name.

"Hoi, I'm sorry!" she exclaimed, whirling around to see her friend behind her, hands on hips and mouth set in a firm line. Letting go of Xavier's hand, Alexa asked if he wouldn't mind waiting while she and Holly had their good-bye moment. Xavier agreed to hang out downstairs, and, shooting Holly a fast wink, turned and left.

"So I guess I couldn't convince you to stay," Alexa sighed, wrapping Holly in a bear hug. Though she
was
bummed about Holly's departure, a tiny part of Alexa was also eager to hurry up this fond farewell so she could join Xavier outside.

"Alexa -- listen," Holly said, extracting herself from Alexa's embrace. "I need to tell you something." She took a deep breath, feeling the butterflies start in her stomach; Alexa was
not
going to react well to this one. But Holly knew that she had to speak up that instant, before she left Paris. "About Xavier."

"Isn't he
amazing?"
Alexa exclaimed, her face lighting up. She glanced longingly over her shoulder. "I should really get downstairs --"

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"I don't like him," Holly cut in.

Alexa turned back to her friend, shocked. Holly rarely made such firm declarative statements and, like the Pollyanna she was, always gave people the benefit of the doubt. Alexa knew, for example, that Holly wasn't wild about Portia and Maeve, but Holly had never said anything blatantly negative about them. Why would she randomly take issue with
Xavier?

"What are you
talking
about?" Alexa demanded, putting her hands on her hips in an unintentional imitation of Holly's pose. Facing each other, the girls squared off, the tension already building between them.

"I don't like him," Holly repeated firmly, trying not to crack under Alexa's hard gaze. "I felt like he was being um really forward with me, and he seemed, I don't know, almost sleazy...." Holly bit her lip, not sure if she should continue. She felt terrible telling Alexa that Xavier had been semi-hitting on her, but Holly didn't want Alexa to walk out that door without knowing the whole truth. But to her surprise, Alexa looked not upset, but amused.

Alexa laughed, rolling her eyes. Now she got it.
Of course
sheltered little Holly Jacobson would be turned off by suave, worldly Xavier Pascal. She'd probably been appalled by his stubble. "Hello, he's
French,"

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Alexa explained, her impatience mounting. "That's how guys
are
here --"

"Not Pierre," Holly interrupted, blushing. She felt herself start to tremble.

"Oh, please," Alexa snapped. "Grow up, Holly. Pierre is
not as
innocent as he seems."
Or maybe you've failed to notice that he'd like to
voulez-vous
you himself
she thought venomously.

"Well, neither am I," Holly shot back, feeling a burst of fury as Alexa continued to smirk. Holly thought back to Xavier's earlier assessment of her, and realized she was fed up with being regarded as a five-year-old. And no matter how much she despised confrontations, Holly couldn't
stand
to let Alexa St. Laurent condescend to her for the zillionth time in their friendship.

"I know you think I'm naïve, Alexa, but I'm not stupid," Holly went on, determined to get her point across. "There's just something... something about Xavier I don't
trust."
Holly couldn't pinpoint where this distrust came from, but she'd felt it in her gut, like a stomachache, from the instant she'd seen Xavier on the doorstep. And even though bullheaded Alexa was being infuriating, Holly still wanted more than anything to look out for her oldest friend.

Studying Holly's earnest expression, Alexa felt

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the smallest tremor of doubt; maybe she'd been so swept off her espadrilles by Xavier that she hadn't stopped to wonder if he might be playing her. Then Alexa brushed the suspicion away. She knew how to read guys -- she was a freaking
expert
on them -- and if that kiss from yesterday was any indication, then Xavier was as into her as she was into him. And even if Xavier
could
be sort of sketchy, Alexa realized with a wry smile, that was exactly what made him so irresistible. Alexa was
done
with playing it safe. Who wanted some squeaky-clean Mama's boy like ... well, like Tyler Davis?

"Thanks for the heads-up, Hoi," Alexa said coldly. "But that's why
I'm
with Xavier, and you're with
your
boyfriend
if
you can call him that," Alexa added. "I mean, have you guys even had sex yet?" Alexa saw Holly's face flush at these words. She knew how intensely private Holly was about that stuff, and felt mildly guilty that she'd gone there.

But she was kind of curious.

Does she know?
Holly wondered, her stomach clenching as she stared back at Alexa.
Does she know that Tyler doesn't want me the way he wanted her?
Holly felt the warm, salty threat of tears, and she swallowed hard. "Can we leave Tyler out of this?" she whispered, her bottom lip quivering.

Alexa's knee-jerk reaction was to comfort a clearly

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shaken-up Holly -- she hadn't meant for this to erupt into a real fight until she realized something glaringly obvious. How had she not seen it before?

"But, in the end, this is
all
about Tyler, isn't it?" Alexa asked softly, flicking her eyes over her friend's confused face. "It's about Tyler, and Diego, and every other boy that's ever come between us."

"You're not making sense, Alexa," Holly sniffled, dabbing at her eyes. What did she care about Diego anymore?

"Yes, I am," Alexa replied steadily. "You're jealous of me, Holly Jacobson. You always have been. And this time, you're jealous of what I have with Xavier and
that's
why you're flipping out about him." Satisfied with her logical conclusion, Alexa folded her arms across her chest, waiting for Holly to admit that Alexa was right, that she was terribly sorry, and that Alexa should have an amazing time on her date.

"Okay," Holly burst out, catching Alexa off guard with the force of her response. She no longer looked like she wanted to cry, but like she wanted to kick something hard. "I admit it -- I
was
crazy-jealous of you and Diego last year. And maybe I am currently jealous of what you had with Tyler -- whom, by the way, I
tried
to go all the way with, but he turned me down " She paused for a breath while Alexa felt her