A look Angel couldn’t quite identify crossed Emily’s face. “I think he’d like to, but—”
A burst of laughter carried across the grassy expanse, and Emily and Angel turned in unison. Mike stood in front of the school doors surrounded by five or six friends. Angel mentally catalogued the companions before turning her attention back to Emily.
“You were saying?”
Emily’s blush deepened. “It’s sort of personal.”
Angel raised a brow.
“He and I don’t agree on…well, on a lot of things.”
“Let me guess.” Angel placed a finger to her lips and pretended to think, even though she had no doubt her first instinct would nail it. “Mike wants sex and you don’t.”
Emily’s eyes widened. “How did you know?”
Angel lifted one shoulder in a slight shrug.
“You probably think I’m being stupid.” Emily stared down at her pastel-pink-tipped nails. “Truth is, I don’t plan to do that with anyone until I’m married.”
“Really?” Angel tilted her head and gazed speculatively at Emily.
“You agree with him.” Disappointed resignation rang in Emily’s voice.
“Actually—” Angel shot an apple core in a high arch right into a nearby trash can “—I agree with you.”
“You do?”
“Yep.” Angel nodded. “Matter of fact, I’m doing the same thing.”
“Uh-huh.” Emily started to laugh, but stopped when Angel didn’t smile. “You’re serious?”
“Sure I am.” Angel stared intently at Emily and wished she could share more with the girl—but she couldn’t risk blowing her cover.
Emily shook her head. “I never would have guessed.”
Angel gave a careless wave. “So, is that all? The guy wants sex and you don’t?”
Emily shifted uncomfortably and refused to meet Angel’s questioning gaze. “Pretty much.”
“No, it’s not. I can tell,” Angel said, her interest piqued. “We’re friends. You can tell me.”
“He’d be mad if he knew I said anything.”
Angel leaned forward and made a show of zipping her lips. “You can trust me.”
Emily glanced around as if to make sure no one could overhear. Apparently reassured, she lowered her voice almost to a whisper. “Mike and I went out a couple of times. He wanted more from me, but he took me saying no, okay. I mean he was disappointed but…”
“But…?”
“It was the other we couldn’t agree on.”
“Other?” Angel prompted.
“Drugs.” Emily spoke so low that the word could barely be heard.
Excitement shot through Angel like a lightning bolt.
“I know crystal—” Emily stumbled over the word “—is popular with some, but…”
“It’s not for you.”
Emily’s blue eyes were intense. “No.”
“Does he sell the stuff?” Angel said in an offhand manner. She hoped she wasn’t too transparent.
“Why?” Emily said bluntly. “You want to buy some? That’s it, isn’t it?”
“Maybe,” Angel said, wishing she could somehow erase the disappointment reflected in Emily’s clear-eyed gaze.
“Yeah, he deals, too,” Emily said reluctantly.
“Could you fix me up?” Angel could barely contain herself. Crow would be pumped.
“How would I do that without him knowing I told you?”
“Just introduce me,” Angel said. “I’ll take it from there.”
“You must like it, too,” Emily said, sounding thoughtful. “Mike said it’d help me keep my weight down. Said I’d like it, if I just gave it a chance.”
Concern twisted Angel’s gut. “I’m getting it for a friend.”
“You are?”
“Yeah, my friend’s all about Ice. Me, I keep my body pure. You know, God’s temple and all that.”
Emily stared as if she wasn’t sure if Angel was jerking her around or being serious. “I could introduce you tonight at the party for the baseball team,” Emily said. “There’ll be pizza and pop there. They won some tournament, and the whole school’s invited.”
“Perfect.” Angel picked up her bag and slung it over her shoulder. “What time shall I pick you up?”
“Angel. I didn’t expect to see you.” Jake Weston’s voice sounded behind her, and Angel jumped.
She turned slowly and willed her heart to slow. “Jake, my man.”
“Mr. Weston,” Jake said. “Or Coach.”
As if to illustrate, a gangly boy who couldn’t have been more than a freshman yelled across the crowd, “Coach. We need more plates.”
Jake heaved a sigh and waved a hand in acknowledgment. “I better go get them.”
Despite his words, he made no move to leave.
“Where to?” she said, her gaze riveted to his.
“My Jeep.” He jerked his head toward the park’s gravel lot. “Over there.”
The lights from the halogens overhead cast streaks of gold through his hair. She resisted the urge to brush a stray strand back from his forehead. “I’ll go with you.” Angel wrapped her arm around his.
Without saying a word, he firmly removed it. She shrugged and gave him a saucy smile.
He headed toward the parking lot, and she had to almost run to get in front of him. Once there, she slowed her pace, keeping only a few feet between them. Angel swung her hips from side to side, knowing his eyes had to be fixed firmly on her. She smiled, feeling strangely lighthearted and carefree.
Maybe it was this change-of-image thing. She was sick to death of the type of clothing she’d worn the last three weeks.. The dress she had on tonight more closely mirrored the type of attire she preferred to wear.
She and Emily had picked up the floral print fit and flare dress at the mall after school. The light color enhanced her olive skin and made her hair look jet black. The dress wasn’t tight or loose, but just right, and when her new friend had gushed on and on about how cute she looked in it, what could she do but buy it?
If Emily was right and Mike was a dealer, these changes were necessary. She certainly would never fit in with his crowd in what she’d been wearing. An added bonus was that she had a hunch Jake Weston might be impressed with her new look, though he’d never admit it.
“Do you like my dress?”
Jake cocked his head. “Didn’t you ask me that the last time I saw you?”
“Maybe,” she said. “But this is a different one. The other was red.”
He glanced briefly at the short dress, appearing to not notice the sweetheart neckline that displayed her breasts to full advantage. “It’s nice.”
“I wore it just for you.”
“I think I’ve heard that before.”
“I’m trying out a different look.” She twirled in the darkness, her skirt flaring out.
“What does Crow think about these changes?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t asked him.” Angel leaned back against his Jeep. “Right now, I don’t care.”