Shift (The Neturu Chronicles) (17 page)

               
Kayla interjects, “Thank you!  As much as I enjoyed that, it was still
wrong.”

               
“So wrong, but it felt so good,” Damien states. “Kind of like sex.”

               
“Are you for real?  Come on,” Kayla says, grabbing his hand.  “We’re
leaving.  Thank you, officer, for not arresting him.”

               
The police officer nods.  “Next time I will.”

               
Jackson and Tracy fall into step with them as they walk to the parking
lot.  “That was epic!” Tracy yells.  “It was sexy too.”

               
When Damien puts his arm around Kayla, she tenses.  “As long as I’m
entertaining.  So, Kayla, where am I taking you for dinner?  Since I
nearly got arrested for you, I think you can go on a date with me.”

               
“Oh, come on!” Tracy exclaims. “I haven’t gotten to do anything with her all
week.  You guys are hogging her.”

               
“Would you like to join us?” Damien asks.

               
Tracy bites her lip. “But you called it a date.”

               
“You can be our chaperone, make sure I don’t get out of hand.  You know,
stab me with a butter knife if I touch her inappropriately.”

               
“I will stab you with something bigger than a butter knife,” Jackson murmurs
under his breath.

               
Damien glances at him over his shoulder.  “Do you have a problem with me
going on a date with Kayla?”

               
Jackson looks at him.  “No, of course not.” A shimmer of anger flickers in
his eyes, but it fades quickly.

               
“Good,” Damien states.  He looks down at Kayla. “Where would you like to
go?”

               
“Anywhere?” Kayla asks.

               
Nodding, Damien replies, “Of course.”

               
“The Eve,” Kayla says hopefully.  “They have the best Italian food, oh, so
good
.”

               
“Okay, what should we do until then?” Damien asks.

               
Kayla gives him a look. “If we are going to The Eve, I need to go home. 
You know, change,
do
my hair, that sort of thing.”

               
“I think you’re beautiful just the way you are,” Damien says, with a smile.

               
“Awww, that is so sweet,” Tracy says with a giggle.

               
Smirking, Kayla says, “I want to knock your socks off.”

               
“Oh really?” Damien murmurs. “Well then, go home and get ready, if you must.”

               
“I’ll take her,” Tracy chirps, grabbing Kayla
’
s arm.  “You can pick us up at seven.”

               
He nods. “Sounds wonderful.  I look forward to dinner.”

               
Tracy turns to Jackson. “Are you coming?”

               
He looks down. “I wasn’t invited.”

               
“Don’t be silly,” Tracy snaps happily.  “You can be my date.  Just
know, you aren't getting in my pants.  Oh who am I kidding…you’re sexy as
hell.  I'll be your dessert.”

               
“Is that all anyone thinks about?” Kayla exclaims.

               
“Hey, I’m a virgin, just like you.  I just like making out…a lot,” Tracy
quips. 

               
Slapping her forehead, Kayla sighs. “Let’s go, my friend, before you get
yourself in trouble.”

               
“See you guys later!” Tracy yells as Kayla drags her away.

               
“Bye!” Kayla adds on.

               
When they are finally far enough away, Tracy spins toward Kayla.  “Oh
my gosh
, he’s so good-looking.  How and where did you
meet him?”

               
“At Jackson’s yesterday.  He took me home, had dinner with my family, and
helped me with my homework.”

               
“And you just decided to kiss him to bug Jude?” Tracy asks with a huge grin.

               
Kayla shrugs. “He kissed me last night.  It wasn’t anything like that,
though.”

               
“But he kissed you before even knowing you for twenty-four hours.  What is
going on with you, girl?  Are you suddenly made of gold?  You have
two really hot guys vying for your attention.”

               
“
One
guy is vying for my attention for reasons I can’t fathom. 
Jackson is very adamant that I'm not allowed to have feelings for him. 
Damien, on the other hand, wants to date me because of something between our
families.”

               
They walk quietly to the car.  When they get in, Tracy turns to her. 
“So tell me how you really feel.”

               
Kayla stares out the window for a moment before responding.  “I’m torn
about Jackson.  I mean, I’m really attracted to him, I am.  I won’t
lie, but he is so mood swingy and abrasive sometimes.  When we kiss, it’s
like
pow
, but it’s also that way with
Damien.  Maybe I just need more experience with guys; maybe all kissing
feels like that. It’s not like I have a whole lot of practice in that area.”

               
“So you like Jackson, even though you aren’t supposed to—”

               
“No, it’s not that.  He drives me nuts most of the time.  I either
want to kiss him or wring his neck.” Kayla lightly laughs.

               
Tracy’s face breaks into a big grin. “And the delicious Damien?  What
about him?”

               
“He is hot, huh?  I mean, like really hot, and he’s a
fantastic
kisser.  He’s sweet and very gentle with me.  He’s rich beyond
measure,
and
he’s practically a genius.  He goes to Yale, I mean,
The
Yale
.  Who does that at seventeen?”

               
“So if he asks you out on a real date, will you go?” Tracy inquires as she
starts the car.

               
Exhaling, Kayla says, “I don’t know.  I just met the guy.  I just met
Jackson too, but I feel like we’ve known each other forever.  When we
click, we really click.  Maybe I’m just getting all mushy because I
finally found guys worth my time.”

               
“
And
they're smoking hot with
nice bodies
, let’s not forget
that.”

               
“Mmm, no. You have no idea.  I have seen both of them without their shirts
on…and let me tell you…hello, fantasy land.” Kayla sighs happily.

               
Tracy looks at her.  “You aren’t serious!  How did you see them
unclothed?”

               
“I walked in on Jackson at his house,” Kayla replies.

               
Before she can say anything else, Tracy yells, “He was naked!”

               
“No.” Kayla laughs.  “His shirt was off.  He is all muscly and
perfect.”

               
“And Damien?”

               
Another sigh escapes Kayla. “He’s leaner, but fit, abs and all.  He
started to strip yesterday at the coffee shop, tried to con me into putting
money down his pants.”

               
“And why didn’t you!”

               
“Because I’m not you.  Though if he strips tonight, I’ll loan you some
singles.”

               
Tracy pulls out onto the street and says, “Hell.  Forget that, I’m going
to stop at an ATM.”

               
“I think he’ll keep it all on tonight.” Kayla giggles.  “I wouldn’t mind
seeing either one of them shirtless.  Why do hot guys even wear clothes?”

               
“I don’t know.  They probably say the same thing about women.”

               
The girls laugh all the way to Tracy’s house.  When they get into Tracy’s
bedroom, Kayla shakes her head.  “How do you even find anything in this
mess?”  She looks at the two giant piles of clothes in the corner of
Tracy’s room.  Her eyes then glance at her desk, which is cluttered with
stuff and then at Tracy’s closet, which looks like it vomited all over the
floor.

               
“If my mom comes and cleans in here, I can’t find a thing.  So what should
I wear?  It’s Friday night and a nice restaurant.  We're dining with
Greek gods, even though both are off the market, which is disappointing for
me.”

               
“Neither of them is off the market.  You can try to pick one of them up if
you want.  Jackson is obviously not into me.  I say go for it.” Kayla
sighs as she clears off a spot on Tracy’s bed.

               
As she starts to go through her closet, Tracy says, “Yeah right, they are both
gaga over you, no matter what Jackson says, but that isn’t going to stop me
from flirting.”

               
“Whatever floats your
boat.
  They would probably
enjoy that.” 

Kayla’s phone beeps from
her pocket.  She looks at it and it says she has a text from Jackson. 
Curious, she opens it up.

               
It reads: 
Do you mind if I come with tonight?

               
She
texts back:  
Of course not, why would I
care?  The more the merrier.

               
I didn’t want to impose on your…date.

               
It’s not a date, Jackson
, Kayla writes back. 
I don’t even know
Damien that well and Tracy is going to be there!

               
A minute goes by and then Jackson texts: 
All right, I’ll come with.

               
Sweet!
Kayla replies.  She looks up at Tracy. “Jackson is coming.”

               
“Cool,” Tracy mumbles.  Pulling out a dress, she asks, “What about this.”

               
It’s a strapless red dress that doesn’t leave much to the imagination. 
“Wow,” Kayla whispers. “Going all out are we?”

               
“Did you see who will be accompanying us tonight?  I sure need to look my
best,” Tracy retorts, throwing the dress on the bed.  She bends over to
find shoes.  “I think this is going to be a blast.”

               
“It has potential,” Kayla murmurs, looking at her friend’s dress.

               
Two hours later, they are at Kayla’s house.  This time Kayla is the one
going through her closet.  “I don’t even know what to wear.”

               
“Something sexy,” Tracy says, flopping down on her bed.  She fixes the
strap on her shoe.

               
“I don’t know if that’s a good idea,” Kayla replies.  “I did just meet
these guys.”

               
Tracy rolls her eyes.  “Relax already. We’re just going out to have fun.
And it’s not wrong to want to look good for the guys.”

               
“What about my black leather skirt?”

               
“Ooh yeah, I like that,” Tracy draws out.  “What will you wear on top?”

               
Kayla shrugs. “A nice sweater.”

               
“No, no, no, don’t be ridiculous.  You have to wear something more
daring.”  She hops off the bed and walks to the closet.  Pushing her
friend to the side, Tracy says, “Let me pick.”  She rifles through the
shirts and then stops.  “Oh, this is it.”  Tracy pulls out a pretty,
blue, corseted top.  It’s lacey with capped sleeves, more elegant than
sexy.

               
“I don’t know, are you sure?” Kayla asks.

               
“Definitely,” Tracy confirms.  “Put it on.  I’m going to find you
shoes, which won’t be hard since you’re so damn organized.”

               
Nervously, Kayla puts on the outfit.  When she looks in the mirror, she
gasps.  “Tracy, this is really sexy.  I think I should wear something
else.”

               
“Shut up, that’s nonsense.  Here, put these on,” Tracy says, pulling out a
pair of black stilettos.

               
“Okay, now this is really too much.”

               
Ignoring her, Tracy walks over to her jewelry and pulls out a necklace. 
“You should wear this.”  Holding it up, Tracy asks, “What kind of stone is
that?  It’s such an unearthly blue.”

               
“I have no idea,” Kayla answers.  “It was my great grandma’s.”

               
“Hmmm, very pretty, nonetheless.”

               
Tracy helps Kayla put soft curls in her hair.  When they are finally
finished getting ready, Kayla looks at the clock.  “They should be here
any minute.”  She walks over to the window and looks down.  Sure
enough, Jackson’s car is sitting outside.  “Okay, I lied, they’re here.”

               
“Let’s go,” Tracy chirps, heading to the door.

               
As they descend the stairs, the doorbell rings.  “I got it,” Kayla yells,
practically skidding to the front door.  She stops and takes a breath to
reassure herself.  When Tracy comes up next to her, she opens the door and
smiles.

               
Jackson and Damien are standing in the doorway.  They both look at Kayla
and raise their eyebrows.  She blushes and silently curses Tracy. 
“You look exquisite,” Damien finally says with a huge smile.  “Tracy, you
do as well. I feel totally underdressed.”