When their food came, Jessica continued to talk about herself. But she didn't even make the smallest reference to A.J. Whenever she thought of him, Jessica swiftly forced him out of her mind. He wasn't there, so she didn't want to worry about him.
On the other hand, Christopher was there. And he was so obviously fascinated by her that she found herself drawn to him more and more. He kept asking questions about her, urging her to talk. Whenever she tried to ask him something about himself, he brushed her questions away with a self-mocking laugh.
"I'd rather hear about you," he insisted. His penetrating, compelling eyes rested on hers. "I've never met anyone like you."
Jessica blushed with pleasure. Everything Christopher said went straight to her head.
"Well, aren't you lucky you did," she said lightly, darting a flirtatious look at him.
He chuckled, and Jessica found herself staring at his mouth, wondering what it would be like to kiss him. When she realized what she was doing, she was momentarily flustered. She pushed her empty plate away.
"We could go for a walk on the beach," she suggested, not looking at him.
She couldn't believe what she was imagining about Christopher. And she couldn't believe that remembering A.J. didn't make her feel more guilty. She never wanted the night to end.
"Sounds good," he said.
Their waiter came, and Christopher asked for the bill. He paid immediately and then there was nothing else for them to wait for. Christopher caught Jessica's glance across the table and smiled. "Ready?"
"Mmm. Should we . . . ?" She let her question trail off as she stood up.
He read her mind perfectly. "Why don't you follow me in your car? We can park at the beach down at Sea Otter Point and walk there."
Jessica felt she was in a dream as she drove behind Christopher's Volkswagen convertible. Dinner had had a mysterious, reckless excitement about it, and she knew her evening with Christopher wasn't over yet. When he signaled for a right turn, she put the Fiat into low gear and pulled into the parking lot behind him.
Within minutes they were barefoot and walking silently through the wet sand at the water's edge. Jessica inhaled deeply and looked up at a blaze of stars. Even though they weren't touching, she could feel Christopher's presence with every nerve in her body. With every step, electricity seemed to run through her veins.
"Jessica . . ." Christopher halted and stopped her with one hand on her arm. She stared at him in the darkness. "I can't believe any of this is happening," he said in a wondering voice. "I feel like—like—"
Without even stopping to think, Jessica let him pull her into his arms. Then she was kissing him, her hands behind his neck. Tiny, silent waves lapped over their feet as they stood pressed together. Jessica couldn't think of anything but how much she liked kissing Christopher, how exciting and intoxicating being with him was.
Finally he stepped back a pace and held her at arm's length. "I have to see you again. You know that, don't you?"
She nodded, speechless and entranced.
"Tomorrow? Can I see you tomorrow?"
"Sure," she replied. Her voice was throaty and low. For a moment practicality asserted itself again, and she glanced unconsciously over her shoulder. "I'll meet you somewhere—not in Sweet Valley, though."
"Anywhere, I don't care. Just as long as we can spend the day together."
Silent, she turned and headed back to where they had parked their cars. When she reached the Fiat, she turned to him and kissed him again. She didn't care if what she was doing was wrong. It was what she wanted to do. "Why don't we meet in Pacific Shores?" she murmured against his shoulder. "There's a café on Main Street. I can be there by ten tomorrow morning."
Christopher hugged her so hard, she almost couldn't breathe. Then he released her and brushed her cheek with one hand. "I'll see you at ten," he said softly. After giving her one last look in the starlight, he climbed into his car and drove away.
Jessica stood leaning against the Fiat, her mind a blank. She didn't want to think about what she was doing. If she thought about it too much, she knew she wouldn't be able to go through with it.
Four
The next morning Jessica found a parking spot for the Fiat a few blocks from Main Street in Pacific Shores. It was a charming, romantic, old town, perfect for a rendezvous.
Her pulse accelerated as she headed for the café. Just thinking of Christopher brought color to her cheeks and made her eyes sparkle with excitement. Meeting him might be wrong, but she couldn't help it. It wasn't often that she felt so exhilarated.
"Jessica!" Christopher saw her first and ran toward her up the sidewalk. He caught her in his arms and kissed her.
"Hi," she uttered and stepped back to glance around bashfully. She raised her eyes to his face, wondering if the night before had just been a dream. But she could see from the look in his eyes that it hadn't.
"I brought you something," he said, grinning. When she looked down, she saw he was holding out a single red rose. "A woman was selling them on the street," he explained as she took it. "Do you like it?"
Jessica nodded, secretly moved. It was such an incredibly romantic thing for him to do. She brought the rose to her face and inhaled the sweet, delicate aroma. "I love it."
"Stay here."
Before she realized what he was doing, Christopher had dashed across the street and down the block. Jessica stood rooted to the sidewalk, puzzled. A couple strolling arm in arm passed her and smiled, and Jessica felt herself blushing with happiness. She sniffed the rose again and waited.
Moments later she was astonished to see Christopher rounding the corner, his arms loaded with roses. Her mouth opened, but she couldn't speak.
"For you," he said triumphantly when he reached her side. He cradled the huge bouquet in her outstretched arms. "That was all she had."
"Christopher!" Jessica stared at the roses. They were a deep velvety red, glittering with water droplets. A heady fragrance surrounded her. The beginnings of a laugh started in her throat and bubbled up. She shook her head in amazement. "You're crazy, you know that?"
"I'm crazy about you," he countered. "Let's walk."
"Don't you wish you could live here?" Jessica asked as they ambled down Main Street. Tiny shops, boutiques, and art galleries under bright awnings lined the sidewalk. Behind wrought-iron gates, narrow alleys stretched back to sunlit courtyards. "I love it here, I really do," she went on.
Christopher looked down at her with a warm glow in his eyes. "This can be our town. Our favorite place."
Jessica felt a twinge of guilt. How could she break the spell by telling Christopher she couldn't see him after the weekend was over? She knew it was unfair not to tell him about A.J., but it would only hurt him if he knew, she reasoned.
I don't want to spoil what we have right now, she told herself. It's too perfect.
She felt a confusing mix of emotions being with Christopher. Meeting him in secret made every ordinary thing seem more exciting, almost more real. And she had to admit he made her heart flip-flop every time he looked at her with his captivating, mysterious eyes. But she knew deep down that it was all just a fling, a thrilling, one-time romance. Once Sunday came and A.J. returned, it would all be over.
So I'll just have a good time while it lasts, she told herself.
They passed a souvenir shop, its window crammed with California mementos. Usually Jessica sneered at tourist junk, but everything seemed different that day. In one corner a trio of stuffed animals caught her eye.
"Look at the little seals!" she crooned. She pointed at the toy sea lion pups. "Aren't they cute?"
Christopher squeezed her hand. "Which one do you want?"
She smiled. "The one in the middle," she answered instantly. "The really tiny one with the enormous eyes."
"Come on."
He pulled her after him into the crowded shop. Jessica hugged her roses to her chest and waited while he plucked the tiny seal out of the window display and paid for it.
She watched him covertly. Everything Christopher did seemed spontaneous. In the back of her mind she realized she really didn't know anything about him, and it was almost impossible to believe she had only met him the day before. But none of it mattered. All that mattered was that they were together.
When they were out on the street again, watching a stream of pedestrians go by, Christopher let out a contented sigh.
"I bet everyone's jealous of me," he said.
Jessica arched her eyebrows. "Why?" she asked, even though she knew what he meant.
"You're the best-looking girl in town, and you're mine. If you were with someone else, I'd die of jealousy." Christopher's eyes were dark and serious, even though he was smiling.
"Well, I'm with you," she pointed out. "So there's nothing to worry about."
"I know." He gave her a long, appraising look and nodded. "I know."
A ripple of excitement tingled through Jessica as she met his steady gaze. It thrilled her to think Christopher would be jealous about her, after knowing her for only a day. But at the same time it made her feel guilty again, thinking about how she was lying to both him and A.J.
"Are you hungry?" she asked, turning away to break the intensity. "I'm starved."
"Then let's get something to eat. And we can go to the planetarium, too," he suggested. One of the main tourist attractions in Pacific Shores was the combination aquarium and planetarium.
She smiled angelically. "Sounds great."
For the next two hours, they ate, talked, walked, and laughed. Jessica found herself telling Christopher things she had never told anyone except Elizabeth, and he told her over and over that he had never known anyone like her. She was beginning to feel the same way about him.
It's like a dream, she told herself later when they were seated in the darkness of the planetarium. "Like a dream," she whispered.
"What?" Christopher turned to her attentively.
Blushing, Jessica realized she had spoken out loud. "I'm having a great time," she whispered.
Christopher's eyes were huge in the darkness. He leaned closer to her as the stars appeared overhead. "Me too." He kissed her softly. "I think you're fantastic."
Jessica sighed, suddenly wistful. Everything was so great, but so mixed up at the same time. Instead of trying to sort it all out, she decided to put it out of her mind and just have a good time.
After the planetarium show was over and they stood blinking in the sunlight outside, Christopher looked at her intently, hopefully, "What about tomorrow?" he asked.
"Well . . ." Tomorrow. Sunday. A.J.
Frowning slightly, Jessica turned and walked to the railing around the otter pool. Below, a dozen sea otters cavorted in the water. But Jessica didn't really see them. After tomorrow it would all be over, and she knew that was the best way. She couldn't risk letting things get beyond her control.
"All right," she said finally, glancing up at him. She had to tell him about A.J., but she couldn't. Not yet. "But only until noon. I—I have to do something."
"Just until noon?" Christopher gave her a teasing smile. "What happens then, you turn into a pumpkin?"
Jessica giggled but tried to be firm. "Really, I have to go at noon. We can meet at—" She scanned her mind, weighing the choices. Before noon on a Sunday, most of her friends stayed indoors. It would be safe to meet somewhere in Sweet Valley. "At the beach."
"Where we met—yesterday?" Christopher shook his head in amazement. "I can't believe it was just yesterday."
"I know. Me, either." She looked at him for a long moment, then smiled. "But anyway, there's still all the rest of today, right?"
Christopher nodded. "Right. Until noon tomorrow, you're all mine."
When Jessica got to the beach on Sunday morning, Christopher was already there. He was sitting on the sand, facing the ocean. She ran to him and plopped down beside him.
He turned with a surprised smile. "Hi."
"Hi, yourself," she shot back. She tucked her knees up and hugged her legs. It was overcast and chilly, a rare bad day in Sweet Valley. The beach was almost deserted except for a few joggers and beachcombers. Her chances of being seen with Christopher were almost nonexistent.
"I had a really good time yesterday," she told him. She looked out at the breaking waves, and a feeling of sadness came over her. "A really good time."
"You sound like it's all in the past." Christopher glanced at her when she didn't answer. "What's wrong?"
Jessica squirmed, avoiding his gaze. She wanted to put off telling him about A.J. for as long as possible. But maybe her time was up. Her weekend fling was over, and that was the way it had to be. Trickling sand through her fingers, she said, "I can't see you after today."
There was a long pause. The silence stretched out so long that Jessica finally had to look up. Christopher was staring at her, a look of intense hurt in his green eyes.
"Why?"
Jessica swallowed. "I—have to leave at twelve," she said lamely.
"That's not a reason."
"I know, but, see—" Frustrated and embarrassed, Jessica hunched her shoulders and let them drop. "I have a boyfriend," she mumbled.
"What?"
"I have a boyfriend," she repeated more clearly, raising her eyes to meet his gaze. The look on his face made her cringe. "I didn't mean to—I mean—he was away this weekend, and when you asked me to dinner, I just thought. . ."
Christopher shook his head, a small, rueful smile on his face. "I should have known," he said with a sigh. He picked up a pebble and tossed it down to the water's edge. "I knew a girl like you would have to have a boyfriend already. Hey, don't worry," he added when he noticed her stricken look. "I understand. Really."
Relief flooded through Jessica. It was so strong she had to close her eyes. "You do?" she whispered.
"Yeah, honest. I had a great weekend, and I'll never forget you," he said softly. "But I understand."
A gull cried overhead. The mournful, melancholy sound matched the gray, overcast day. But inside, Jessica felt as light as air. It had all turned out perfectly. No one would ever know, and she could keep her weekend with Christopher as a blissful, exciting memory. Her everyday life and her relationship with A.J. would never be at risk.
"I'll never forget you, either," she said with complete sincerity. She reached for his hand and twined her fingers through his. "Maybe someday . . ."
Christopher shook his head. "No. Let's just leave it this way," he said.
Jessica gave him a tender smile and nodded. "OK. I—I have to go now."
"OK. Bye."
He was looking at the surf again and didn't turn to watch her go. Jessica felt like a heroine in a tragic, dramatic love story. She lifted her chin and turned away. It was all over.
By one-thirty Jessica was a bundle of nerves. A.J. was due any minute, and she wasn't completely sure she could act normal. Memories of the weekend with Christopher kept popping into her mind, and she had to force herself to think of something else—think of A.J.
Out on the patio, she paced back and forth beside the swimming pool. Prince Albert, the Wakefields' Labrador retriever, watched her patiently from a patch of shade. It was clear from the expression in his big brown eyes that Jessica's agitated pacing puzzled him.
"Jessica! A.J.'s here!" Mrs. Wakefield called from the kitchen.
Jessica clenched her fists and relaxed them with an effort. Then she composed her face into a big welcome-home smile. The patio door slid open, and A.J. stepped outside.
"Hi!" she exclaimed and rushed toward him. She wrapped her arms around him in a hug. "How was the trip? What time did you get in?"
"Hi, Jess." A.J. laughed and hugged her back. "It was great. The—"
"I was so bored the whole time you were gone," she chattered on compulsively. She threw herself into a lounge chair and slipped her sunglasses on. "Ken gave his party on Friday, but I didn't go. Oh, and you know that basketball game on Thursday? We won that. So how was your grandparents' party
?"
A.J. grinned and settled his long, lean frame into the chair next to hers. He tipped his head back to the sun and sighed. "It was great seeing all my cousins and aunts and uncles and everyone," he drawled sleepily. "I'm really bushed, though."
Jessica sat up and crossed her legs. She reached down for one of Prince Albert's tennis balls and threw it for him to catch. "I bet you were having such a good time you didn't even have a chance to miss me," she added.
"I did, though," A.J. said. He gave her a sweet smile. "I thought about you almost all the time, and I told everyone about you, too."
"Really? What did you say?"
He shrugged. "Just the highlights—pretty, funny, smart, exciting. You know." A.J. grinned again and looked at her. "I really did miss you."
"Well, so did I. Miss you," Jessica replied hastily.
Actually, she wasn't sure if she had missed him. From Wednesday night to Friday afternoon she had missed him, she decided. But then from Friday to Sunday morning she had wished time would stand still and he'd never come back. She had to admit that that didn't exactly qualify as missing him.
A.J. reached out and took one of Jessica's hands in his. "It's great to be back," he said in a meaningful tone.
Jessica smiled but didn't answer. She knew he couldn't suspect a thing. The best thing for her to do was just keep her mouth shut and stay out of trouble.
In a way, it would be easy to do. No one knew about Christopher, so she wouldn't be discussing him with anyone. And on top of that, she realized with a shock, she knew almost nothing about Christopher—not even his last name or where he lived. She could have imagined the whole thing. It could all have been a dream, except for the toy sea lion on her bureau, and the one rose she had kept. It had nearly broken her heart to throw away the bouquet of roses, but there was no way she could explain them to her twin or her parents.
From now on, no more thinking about Christopher, she told herself. It's all in the past.
Five
On Monday afternoon Elizabeth stayed after school to work on The Oracle, and Jessica had cheerleading practice. Afterward, they rode home together in the Fiat.
Two-Boy Weekend (Sweet Valley High Book 54) Page 3