The Naughty List (The Naughty List #1)(34)
Author: Suzanne Young

I stared at him, confused. “Why?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know. Because I like you. I like how you make me feel. You’re just good, Tessa. I don’t know how else to explain it. And I think somebody should be looking out for you. Your boyfriend isn’t doing a bang-up job.”

“Don’t talk about Aiden like that,” I said quickly. But did I disagree? Aiden had been different lately. Distant. I … I was lonely.

“Besides,” Christian said with a smile. “I’d be good for stuff. Like for when you fall off buildings.”

I laughed. Yes. He did try and catch me, and that was chivalrous of him. I exhaled, still watching him carefully. I had no idea how to handle this. My gut was telling me that this was a terrible idea, and my gut was rarely wrong. But then again, I was in a very awkward formation. Not only was my reputation on the line, it was for the other Smitten Kittens too. I had to look out for my girls. I always looked out for them.

“One assignment,” I said, holding up my finger. “That’s it.” He grinned. “Three.”

I stared at him. I didn’t have the energy to apply my keen negotiation skills. “Two.”

“I can live with two.”

Could I? This was not a great thing. I had to tell Aiden. Somehow, I had to tell him before things got even further out of my control.

Christian seemed satisfied and restarted his car, reminding me that I had to go. I still needed to meet the girls at Leona’s.

“I’ll…” What should I say? Thanks for being my trampoline? See you on Tuesday at the movies to spy on Isaac Park? I opted to keep it simple. “Good night.” I reached for the handle.

“Tessa,” he said. I turned to him. “It was nice hanging out with you.”

Fudgsicle! How could he be polite at a time like this? “Uh … bye.” I got out. There was no need to respond when I wasn’t “hanging out” with him by choice. He just showed up to basket-catch me. I didn’t fall on purpose.

I paused in my driveway and waited until Christian’s car pulled away before I took out the cell phone. Kira needed to know what was going on with our newest addition. But I paused. I put the SOS phone back in my purse and pulled out my cell to dial Aiden.

He answered on the first ring. “Hello.” He’d been sleeping. I closed my eyes.

“Hi,” I said.

“Tess? What’s up, baby?” There was a rustling of sheets.

“Can I come over?” I asked. Tears were stinging my eyes. He would be so angry with me when he found out. I was so scared to tell him. But I had to. Then I wouldn’t have to do anything with Christian, and there’d be no more sneaking around. Ever.

“Of course,” Aiden said, sounding more alert. “You need me to come get you?”

“No.” I opened my eyes and looked at my car, parked off to the side. “I’ll come in the window.”

“I like when you sneak in my window,” he whispered.

My body ached. All I wanted was for SOS to uncomplicate itself. I should’ve told Aiden from the beginning. I could barely remember now why I hadn’t.

“Tess, you okay?”

No. I wasn’t. I was very not okay. “Yeah. I’ll see you in ten minutes.”

I closed the phone and paused, thinking back to the night Mary told us her idea for SOS. Everyone had thought it was crazy. But I hadn’t. I’d liked it. I wanted couples to stay together, but to stay together honestly. The idea was a slam dunk as far as I was concerned. Because I’d always wondered why my dad had left for so long. I always wondered if it was another woman.

A breeze blew through my hair and I shivered. Our first assignment. I wrapped my arms around myself, thinking of Caleb Perkins. Two years ago, he was Aiden’s best friend. He’d also been cheating on his girlfriend.

That was it. That was why I hadn’t told Aiden. Wow. I hadn’t thought about it in years. When Caleb’s girlfriend saw those pictures of him hooking up with another girl, she freaked. She was the senior class homecoming queen, and she proceeded to destroy his rep. In fact, it’d gotten so bad he’d had to transfer schools. Aiden had been distraught.

And yet I’d let him stress over it, never telling him that it was me—that it was me who’d taken the pictures. Now it seemed so stupid for that to be the reason I’d kept the secret for so long, but what could I do now?

I put my palms over my face, trying to gather myself. In this moment, I wished I’d never heard of SOS. Or cheaters. Looking down at my clothing, I realized I was still dressed like a ninja. Aiden couldn’t see me like this. I readjusted my pack and turned to go inside my house to change.

I called Kira and set up a meeting before school. I didn’t mention Christian. I’d tell them tomorrow. He was my problem, and I’d deal with him. But the squad needed to know that he’d be around.

Over the last two years, not one client that we helped had outed us. It was total girl-code: a survivor’s bond. But Christian wasn’t obligated by any set of female ethics, or possibly by any ethics at all. I just hoped he could keep a secret; otherwise, the Smitten Kittens would be toast.

My adrenaline carried me up the wooden slats of Aiden’s lattice quickly. He’d left the window open, and he sat up when I swung my legs over.

“Hi, baby,” he called from the bed, looking all Hugh Hefner in a robe. I quickly wondered what he had underneath it. I was happy his mother’s bedroom was on the first floor. I might need more than a foot rub tonight.

I smiled. Just smelling his room, perspiration with a hint of soap, felt so natural to me. So much better than the smell of Christian’s cologne, which still lingered in my nose. Stop. I didn’t want to think about him. Not here.

“Where were you?” Aiden asked, getting up to meet me at the window, closing it quietly behind me.

“Tonight?”

“Uh …” He nodded. “Yeah. I called you like five times.”

Shoot. Where had I told Aiden I was going to go? I blanked. Great Scott! This was already going badly.

“Tessa?” he asked.

I met his gorgeous green eyes, and I could see they were so concerned. But he was too adorable to have his brows pulled together like that. I used my thumb to smooth out the wrinkle between them.

“Let’s not talk about me,” I said, trying to channel my inner perk. “What have you been up to? I missed you.”

“Really?” He grinned, leading me toward his bed. He smoothed out the plaid comforter and then patted it. “Sit down,” he said. “I made you hot chocolate.”