Playing With Fire (3 page)

Todd turned into the long, winding dirt road to Ken's lakeside house, then parked beside a number of other cars that had transformed the Matthewses' neat grounds into a miniature parking lot. “How are you going to stop her?”

“I don't know for sure,” she said dejectedly as she got out of the car. Then she smiled. “But I certainly don't want to ruin your evening, Todd, figuring it out.” Arm in arm they approached the crowd gathering behind the stately stone-faced house.

It didn't take her long to spot Jessica, who, to Elizabeth's dismay, had her arm locked securely around Bruce's waist. The new couple was standing on the patio talking to Ken and his date, Lila Fowler, and Paul Sherwood and a few of Bruce's other friends from the tennis team—a group Elizabeth thought were cliquey snobs. Jessica was staring adoringly into Bruce's deep blue eyes. Elizabeth knew that her twin, who was usually in total control of herself, would die if she could see how she was behaving now, but she also realized that this was not the time to confront Jessica. A big scene in front of this crowd could be a disaster.

Sighing, she allowed Todd to steer her toward another group gathered near the lake.

Jessica, meanwhile, had to keep pinching herself to believe she was really there with Bruce. Totally oblivious to the conversation taking place, her mind kept repeating the words he'd whispered while they'd been dancing.
“I've had my eyes on you for a long time, Jess. We could have a real good time together.”

As always, Bruce was enjoying being the center of attention and enthusiastically reenacted an incident that had occurred the night before. “… So I looked behind me, and there's the big red light of a cop car gaining on me. I could have put my black beauty into fifth and really let her rip, but I was in a generous mood, so I pulled off to the side of the road. ‘What's the matter, officer?' I asked. I was really polite, trying to get on his good side. But he wasn't buying. ‘Gimme your license and registration'—he was really barking at me, you know? The guy was mean, the type who'd put you in a choke hold without blinking an eye. So I gave him the stuff, and he says, ‘Hmm, Patman, eh?' He's no fool, he knows the name, so I say, ‘Yeah, Patman. One of the Sweet Valley Patmans. What of it?' ‘Uh, Mr. Patman'—he called me
mister,
can you believe it?—'you were going eighty-two in a thirty-five zone.' So I say, ‘That's too bad. I'll try not to do that anymore.' Then I flashed a twenty under his nose. ‘What do you say we just pretend this never happened?' And you know, he took it! You ought to try that the next time
you
get caught, Kenny boy.”

“Maybe I would if my name were Patman,” he answered. “You sure you didn't threaten to sic your dad on this guy?”

“Now, would I do a thing like that?” Bruce asked with mock indignation. “I'm too nice a guy to stoop to that, wouldn't you say, Jessica?” He squeezed her around the waist.

A long silence followed as everyone in the group waited for Jessica's reply. Finally, realizing all eyes were upon her, she snapped out of her daydream. “Oh, am I supposed to say something?” she asked. For the first time in her life, she was caught completely off guard.

Lila looked at her with undisguised amusement. Well aware of Jessica's crush on Bruce, she could see that her friend was already off the deep end.
Good luck, Jess,
she thought.
You're going to need it.

Ken, feeling embarrassed for Jessica, stepped in to rescue her. “I think it's time we all cooled off. What do you say we get our suits and hop in the lake?”

*   *   *

After changing into a bright red bikini that accented every curve of her trim body, Jessica joined Bruce at the lake's edge. Though the night was warm, she shivered. Was it the temperature—or the sight of Bruce's own lean, firm frame? She wasn't certain. The sensation was thrilling, nevertheless, and it was heightened when she watched Bruce dive gracefully into the water.
He's beautiful,
she thought, aware of a tense stirring inside her. The first feelings of love, she was sure of it. Confidently she positioned herself on the diving platform and did a perfect backflip into the deep, cool water.

When she surfaced, Bruce was by her side. “Pretty fancy move there, babe,” he remarked, impressed.

“I was on the girls' swim team in junior high,” she reminded him proudly as they swam to a point where the water was no longer over their heads. They both stood, a bit apart from each other. The shock of the cool water had done little to ease the tension within Jessica. Only the touch of Bruce's arms, she realized, could soothe her now. She swam a few strokes and stopped very close to him.

“You can show off your strokes some other time,” he said. “For now, let's pick up where we left off on the dance floor.” Gesturing broadly, he asked, “May I have this dance?”

“Certainly,” Jessica answered. Needing no prompting, she gladly fell into his embrace. Ignoring all the others now in the lake, she basked in the realization that for the evening she was Bruce Patman's girl. And she hoped it was only the beginning.

“Why have we waited so long to do this?” Bruce whispered in her ear as he circled her in the water, which came to her shoulders.

“There's a time and a place for everything, Bruce. It just wasn't our time before.” Jessica's words surprised her. She didn't really believe them.

“It's our time now,” Bruce said huskily. “Or it could be—if you want it.” Gently pressing the back of her neck with his fingertips, he brushed his lips against hers.

“Oh, Bruce,” Jessica said and sighed when their lips parted temporarily. He pulled her closer, this time for a long, lingering kiss unlike any she'd ever experienced before.

As they continued to embrace, Bruce slowly dropped his arms from her neck to her back. Too caught up in the rapture of the moment, Jessica had no idea what he was doing until she felt the cool water swirl under her bikini top and hit her breasts.

Right in front of everyone Bruce had untied her bathing suit strings! Though only her head and shoulders were visible above the water, Jessica was still shocked. Bruce was moving too far, too fast. She realized she had to retie the top without making him think she was some kind of goody-goody.

“Now, Bruce, why'd you go and do a thing like that?” she said, exaggerating a pout. Pretending to be madder than she was, she pushed him away and quickly retied the top.

Bruce smiled slyly. “What's the matter, Jess, don't you like to play big-girl games? Or are you just a tease?”

“Oh, no, Bruce. I like playing as much as you do. I just don't like to rush into things. It's more fun when you take your time. Didn't anyone ever tell you that's what girls really like?” Jessica said, moving a little farther away from him.

“So now you're playing hard to get?” Bruce said mockingly. He moved through the water, away from her.

Anxiously Jessica reached out for him, afraid he might be leaving her.

“I don't play the game by those rules,” he informed her arrogantly.

“Well, maybe it's time to break the rules,” Jessica said.

“Why would I want to do that?” he asked.

“For this.” Swimming over to Bruce, Jessica gave him a slow, moist kiss, then murmured seductively, “Let's start all over again.”

“Let's get out of here first,” he said huskily. “I think we're both waterlogged.”

“Sounds fine to me,” she purred.

“And I know just the place we can dry off.”

*   *   *

Their departure from the lake did not escape Elizabeth's attention. She'd been standing by the water's edge talking with some friends when she noticed her sister and Bruce embrace, then pull themselves out of the water and walk toward some trees. Uneasy about what Jessica could be getting herself into, Elizabeth turned quickly to Todd and said, “Oh, I just remembered I left something in the car. I'll be back in a sec.”

“I'll come with you,” Todd offered.

“N-no, I'll be fine,” she said, running off before Todd had a chance to respond. As soon as she was out of his sight, Elizabeth cut a path to her left, swiftly walking in the direction where she had last seen Bruce and Jessica. Moments later, Elizabeth stood before a dense row of juniper trees that separated the lake area from the more secluded part of the Matthewses' property. Away from the festive party lights and pulsing music, it was dark and still. Elizabeth began to move through the trees, guided only by the dim glow of the moon.

It didn't take long until she heard sounds she had dreaded hearing: the sounds of two people whispering breathlessly as the leaf-covered ground crackled under the weight of their bodies. Elizabeth stopped abruptly, hoping they hadn't heard the crunching sound of her own footsteps. She was eavesdropping on a passionate moment, and it made her feel uncomfortable. Increasingly filled with distress, Elizabeth willed Jessica and Bruce to stop, hoping that her usually reckless sister would for once control her impulses. But the soft sounds continued, and Elizabeth had to make a decision.

Embarrassed or not, she resolved to approach the couple.

Deliberately coughing loudly, Elizabeth made her way through the leaves, walking slowly, hoping to give Jessica and Bruce enough time to disentangle themselves. But they refused to be warned. She was practically standing on top of them when they finally noticed her.

Jessica looked up and scowled. “God, Elizabeth, must you go sneaking up on people like Jack the Ripper? Don't you have any respect for other people's privacy?” She was lying wrapped in Bruce's arms, and she barely turned her face from his.

Elizabeth refused to budge. “Could I see you for a minute, Jess? I've got a real important problem.”

“It can wait, Liz,” said a very annoyed Bruce.

“I'm talking to Jessica, not you,” Elizabeth retorted. “Jess, can you come inside for a minute?”

Before Jessica had a chance to answer, Bruce raised himself on one elbow, coolly allowing his free hand to slide seductively along Jessica's right arm and come to rest on her shoulder, just above her breast.

Jessica didn't move.

“Look, honey—” Bruce started.

“I'm not your honey,” Elizabeth snapped.

“Hey, whatever. Can't you see Jessica's busy? Whatever you want can wait.”

“I have to talk to my sister now. Jessica?” Elizabeth's stare bored directly into her sister's eyes. “Please, Jessica,” she practically pleaded.

Bruce smirked. “Go on,” he said to Jessica. “I wouldn't want to hold you. Unless you want me to.”

To Jessica the message was clear: Go with Elizabeth and kiss Bruce Patman goodbye. It took only a second for her to decide. “I'm not going anywhere—just now.” Then, turning to Elizabeth, she added, “Look, whatever it is, I'll talk to you about it later, OK?”

Elizabeth was mortified. Jessica had never rejected her so bluntly before. It was clear that she would have needed a crowbar to pry her sister from Bruce's arms. “Forget it,” Elizabeth said. There was a mixture of hurt and disgust in her voice. Then she turned and headed back to the party.

Jessica smiled. Now that she had nothing to lose, she wanted to show Bruce her strength. “Do you believe her?” she said as soon as Elizabeth was out of earshot. “Sometimes she's really off the wall.”

“From the way she came stomping over here, you'd think she was your baby-sitter.”

“Nah, I'm sure it has nothing to do with me.” She lied easily, knowing full well it had everything to do with her. “It's probably more stuff about that guy she's madly in love with. She did say
she
had the problem. Remember?”

“Oh, yeah. You mean Todd?” Bruce asked, taken in.

“I couldn't possibly tell you,” Jessica purred coyly. “After all, she is my sister, and we never betray each other's secrets, no matter what.”

“But,” Bruce whispered, “can you keep a secret from her?”

“What do you mean?” she asked, their faces barely inches apart.

“This,” he said, and he kissed her deeply. It took her breath away, leaving her helpless in his arms.

As much as Jessica loved the way she was feeling, another part of her was disturbed. She was used to having the upper hand with boys, but already she was starting to feel out of control. She had to slow Bruce down, and now was the time to try. She blurted out the first thing that came to her mind. “Actually, I hope Liz hasn't found out the truth.”

“What's that?” asked Bruce, his curiosity revived.

“That Todd's been fooling around,” Jessica lied. “I can't bear to tell her. She'll be so hurt. Anyway,” she added, having achieved her purpose for the moment, “we shouldn't be bothering with it. It's not our problem.”

“That's for sure, baby. We don't have any problems, do we?” He kissed her again, and this time she felt herself respond with rising passion. And as Bruce's lips pressed against hers, she felt her power over him slip away.

Bruce, in control and knowing it, broke the kiss and looked deeply into her eyes. “But, baby, you'd know in a minute if we
did
have a problem.”

“How?”

“By the empty space next to you.”

Jessica suddenly felt insecure and vulnerable. She cuddled closer to Bruce and in her sexiest voice, with her lips tickling his ear, whispered softly, “It sure doesn't feel empty now.”

He responded by turning his face to hers and kissing her hard, his arms crushing her against him, his mouth demanding what his body wanted to take.

Three

Elizabeth, rolling over, lay awake in her bed. She looked at the clock for the fortieth time. It was already after three
A.M.
, and she hadn't slept a wink. She was not only angry at her twin, but worried, too.