Part 24 (1/2)
He turned then and his gaze collided with mine. Humor sparked in the dark blue depths of his eyes and my stomach hollowed out. ”That's not the kind I'm talking about and you know it.”
I did. The thing was, I didn't want to know it. I wanted my life to get back to normal.
”I know, but I don't do guns, either.”
Okay, so I wanted to jump Ty first and then have my life get back to normal. But I was exercising some self-discipline and controlling that want. Having him teasing and flirting in my head, however, chipped away at my resolve.
I licked my suddenly dry lips and forced my attention back to Lloyd. ”I can't guarantee that the two of you will get that familiar with each other.” I could only hope and-don't tell my mom-pray. ”It's really a matter of chemistry once you meet. But I can promise that she'll be exceptionally beautiful and very amorous.”
Lloyd's eyebrows kicked up a notch. ”Amorwhat?”
”Amorous,” I said again.
”h.o.r.n.y,” Morty quipped before taking a quick puff on his pipe.
Understanding lit Lloyd's pale green eyes, but he didn't so much as blush.
I couldn't decide if that was a good or bad thing. Good if I were judging his alphaness. Alpha males obviously didn't go around blus.h.i.+ng. That particular quality fell to the full-blooded betas.
On the other hand, Richie Cunningham had probably blushed up a storm during each and every Happy Days episode, which screamed beta, which screamed you are so screwed.
”If you're through pimping, we really need to get back,” Ty said as he came up next to me.
I shot him a glare before giving Lloyd a brilliant smile. ”So what do you say? You interested in a date?” I focused my most intense vamp stare on the brawny man. Yes, I sent him the silent message. You'll say yes to anything I want because I'm so hot and you simply can't resist my inner s.e.xuality.
His eyes glazed over and he stood dumbfounded for several long seconds before Morty elbowed him in the ribs.
”Speak up, boy.”Yes, yes, yes, I echoed silently.
Lloyd's gaze seemed to clear and he nodded. ”I guess so.”
Bingo.
I think.
I watched as he shoved a finger into one hairy ear and scratched. I tried to ignore the rush of dread in the pit of my stomach and focused on being as positive and as enthusiastic as possible. ”Great! The date is Friday night. I'll pick you up here and you can drive in with us.”
Drive? Ty asked silently. Sugar, we flew.
”Maybe you could drive,” I told Lloyd. ”Women love a man who drives.” He nodded and I smiled. ”It's such a macho thing to sit behind the wheel and have all that power right at your fingertips.”
”I guess I could borrow Uncle Morty's station wagon.”
”Then again, maybe we could rent a car. What do you say, dear?” I turned my most charming smile on Ty.
”Are you nuts? We're laying low, remember? Laying low does not include handing over proof of insurance and a driver's license to rent a car.”
”But it's a station wagon. He can't show up at Viola's in that. He needs something big and macho. A Hummer maybe. Or a Dualie.”
Ty s.h.i.+fted his attention to Lloyd. ”Borrow the station wagon.” Before I could protest, he slid his arm around me and squeezed tight enough to make me wince. ”We'll give you directions to Connecticut and you can go it alone, buddy. Later.”
”Thursday,” I called out over my shoulder as Ty steered me around. I was this close to breaking a rib with my elbow, except that I couldn't manage to get my arm high enough to give him a powerful jab.
For a made vampire, he was surprisingly strong. That, coupled with the fact that I'd been drinking as little as possible around him to avoid stirring the hunger that lived and breathed inside of me. My senses had dulled. I couldn't see as clearly or notice every little detail the way I usually did. Likewise, my hearing wasn't as fine-tuned. Not that I still didn't have it going on in the vamp department. I hadn't lost my abilities. I just wasn't functioning at full capacity.
I stayed glued to Ty's side as he ushered me toward the door.
”Wait a second,” Lloyd's voice followed. ”I thought you said the date was Friday?”
”Thursday is the predate prep. I'll meet you here.”
”You're a jerk,” I told Ty when we reached the front porch of the store.
”And you're going to get us caught again. A Hummer? Please.”
”Or a Dualie. Can't you just try to see what I'm up against.”
”A murder rap.”
”I meant professionally.””A murder rap.”
”You have a one-track brain. Do you mind?” I glanced at the hand that clamped around my shoulder.
Ty's grip loosened and he winked. ”All you had to do was ask.”
”Lloyd can't drive a station wagon to Viola's.”
”He'll have to.”
”Okay, let me make myself clear. Lloyd can't drive a station wagon to the full moon powwow at Viola's because it's totally un- alpha, not to mention I don't do station wagons.”
”Then you don't have to worry because you're not going. You're staying right here.”
I opened my mouth only to clamp it back shut.
I know. Me? Who would've thought?
But from the stern set of his jaw and the intense glare in his neon blue eyes, I knew he wasn't about to change his mind at the moment. Besides, I was tired. I didn't have my usual energy and what I did have I needed to preserve. I had much bigger problems to deal with between now and Friday.
Hairier problems.
”Fine,” I huffed. ”Can we get out of here?”
”That's my girl.”
I ignored the warmth that spread through me at the comment and followed Ty around the side of the store and into the woods.