The Naughty List (The Naughty List #1)(38)

Aiden grabbed his T-shirt off the back of the couch and slid it over his head, pushing his arms roughly through the sleeves. “And how long have you been aware of it, Tessa?”

I tilted my head. It was nice to see Aiden get jealous, but I didn’t need him to be unreasonable either. I’d still have to handle Christian somehow without exposing the Smitten Kittens. I straightened my posture. “At lunch detention he made it clear. And at miniature golf—”

“Wait. What?”

Gingersnaps! I’d let that one slip out.

“It was nothing.” I waved my hand. “Leona and I—”

“Did you go on a f**king date with him?” Aiden’s voice boomed through the room, bouncing off the cement walls of the basement. My face burned with shame.

“Absolutely not! How could you ask that?”

“I don’t know, Tess. I never know where you are anymore. You’re quiet all the time. You’re like a different f**king person lately… .”

My mouth fell open. He was being crude.

“And don’t tell me not to swear,” he said, holding up a finger. “I’m really angry, and I have every right to swear.”

“Aiden.” I reached out to touch his hair, but he moved his head away.

“Would you rather I didn’t give a shit? Would that be better?”

“No!” Hadn’t I wanted Aiden to get a little jealous? He should be. Christian was after me. But I had to diffuse this situation because now, Christian had the power to ruin my life. To ruin Aiden and me.

I twitched my nose, trying to channel the sweet, peppy cheerleader everyone loved so much. I met Aiden’s eyes.

“Forget Christian,” I said in the cutest voice possible. “You’re more than I can handle, Wildcat. And you’re the only one I purr for.” I leaned toward him and kissed his cheek, believing my words.

“Tessa,” he whispered, but I could tell he liked it. He liked me like this.

“Come on, point guard,” I said, standing up, taking his hand. “It’s late. And I think my feet are still a little sore from practice. You…” I licked my lips. “You want to rub them for me?”

It was true. My toes did feel a little cramped, and Aiden liked to make them feel better. I’d deal with Christian later. Right now, I had someone else to cheer up. I could be like this. Energetic. Positive. Even if I was so very tired.

Aiden got up, looking at me doubtfully. Then, “Did you bring any polish?” he asked off-handedly, like he didn’t care either way.

“Passion pink.”

He growled. “Baby, that’s my favorite.”

“I know.”

We stood together, smiling at each other, and it felt right. The way it’d been before SOS started getting so many cases. The times before new students came to Washington High to mess with my life.

Aiden and I were the real deal. We could get past this. If we loved each other, we could get past anything.

SOS BACKGROUND CHECK RESULTS FORM

RESULT: 004

CLIENT: Madeline Haskel

SUBJECT: Roger Stanvick

Dear Ms. Haskel,

We are sorry to inform you that Mr. Stanvick’s background report has not ended positively. SOS does not endorse him as your next boyfriend.

It was determined that Mr. Stanvick spent his 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. shift in Mini-Golf Mania’s back room with an unidentified accomplice. We believe his name was Mark.

We are terribly sorry that it’s not better news. SOS would like to offer you an extension on your certificate. Please let us know if you find another potential boyfriend. But we do advise that for your next subject, try to avoid the drama club.

Thank you for your continued support, and SOS truly hopes that your dating needs are eventually met. Have a great day.

CHAPTER TWELVE

ON SUNDAY, KIRA SHOWED UP WITH THE BLUE prints for the next assignment. She’d spent half the day in the library while she mapped out Mitch Angley’s house and charted our course. It was a rough one. Scaling walls, roof tie-downs. I hated second-story bedrooms.

I debated telling her about Christian, but Kira would get really shaky. That wouldn’t work if she was going to be supporting my weight as I snapped some photos. No. This was my problem to handle. After all, I was the captain.

The night was quiet and cool as I started descending the wall of Mitch’s house. The siding was slippery under my sneaks, and I tried my best to get a foothold.

“Tessa,” Kira whispered from the roof above me. “I’m losing my grip.”

Not good. If Kira (a very dependable base) did indeed lose her grip, I would end up in a pile on Mitch Angley’s rosebushes. Ouch.

“Just one more second,” I whispered. Placing my feet against the sill of Mitch’s second-story bedroom window, I tried to take some of my weight off of Kira’s short and compact frame.

I reached into my backpack, glancing down once to see that I would probably miss the rosebushes and instead land on the side yard fence. Silk pajamas! That would be painful.

“Hurry,” Kira grunted, the rope shaking under my weight.

I found the night scope for my camera and snapped it on. It didn’t take me long to find the figures in the dark room. Through the slats in the blinds, I aimed my camera at the bed. I swallowed the metallic taste in my mouth. There were some things a lady should never do, and one of them was to see another girl on her hands and knees and take a picture.