Rachel looked at him, her gaze locking on his sensuous mouth, and for a moment, she found herself wondering what it would be like if they kissed for real. Was he thinking the same thing?
She ran her hand through her hair and cleared her throat, forcing herself to focus on his question. “Some of us can, yeah.”
“Can you?”
“No.” She gave him a small smile. “You have to be in complete harmony with your inner wolf. Apparently, I’m not there yet.”
He held her gaze. “Maybe we can both get there if we work on it together?”
“Maybe,” she murmured, wondering if he was still talking about shifting into a wolf or this thing that was building between them.
Chapter 5
“Do you think this dress makes me look grown-up?” Addy asked, twirling back and forth to see herself from the various angles provided by the trio of full-length mirrors mounted on the store’s dressing room walls in the alcove in front of her.
Rachel frowned at the slit running up the side of the black gown, flashing skin three-quarters of the way up the girl’s thigh, as well as the plunging neckline that didn’t belong in the same frigging zip code as a sixteen-year-old.Grown-updefinitely wasn’t the word she’d use to the describe the dress.
She wondered if it was too late to join Knox. After the tenth different gown Addy had tried on, Rachel’s partner for this evening’s security detail had disappeared, saying he’d rather stand guard in front of the mall’s upscale boutique. That was probably good, considering things had gotten a little strained between them ever since they’d almost kissed.
That had been three days ago. Since then, they hadn’t talked much or set up another training session. Apparently, Knox had decided he didn’t need any more werewolf lessons from her. For some ridiculous reason, that bummed her out.
Pushing thoughts of Knox aside, Rachel glanced at Addy’s mom, hoping she would handle the situation regarding the revealing gown. Unfortunately, Jennifer still had her nose stuck in her cell phone, a yellow notepad balanced on her knees. From what Rachel had been able to overhear of the conversation, the prosecutor was talking to one of her investigators concerning new evidence on Marshall that had been uncovered earlier today. It sounded like it was something big, too. At least Rachel hoped it was something big, since Jennifer had ignored her daughter the whole time.
When Jennifer didn’t even bother looking up to see what kind of dress Addy wanted to buy, Rachel sighed. It appeared she’d have to be the one to give the girl some guidance. That was damn scary considering she wasn’t sure she should be giving herself clothing advice most of the time. Fashion wasn’t her thing.
“How about we go for something a little less daring?” Rachel suggested with a smile. “Maybe something more like these.”
Grabbing as many dresses from the nearest rack as she could get her hands around, Rachel nudged Addy toward the dressing room. She wasn’t sure what most of the gowns looked like, but honestly, almost anything would be better than the one the girl had on now.
Addy dug in her heels, looking down at herself with a frown. “What’s wrong with this dress? I think it’s perfect. Don’t you, Ben?”
Rachel almost groaned out loud, wishing they could have avoided pulling a teenage boy’s opinion into this situation. But that was why Addy had dragged her best friend since kindergarten, Ben Sullivan, along on this shopping trip—for his valuable insight on the latest in Valentine’s Day teen fashion.
At the sound of his name, the dark-haired teen boy who’d been sitting quietly on the far side of the fitting area jerked as if startled, staring slack jawed at his friend from behind his hipster glasses while trying his best to make it seem like he wasn’t looking at all. Because while Addy and Ben were supposedlyjust friends, it was obvious from the way the boy was sweating right then that he’d really rather be anywhere but in the friend zone.
“I think you look amazing,” Ben breathed, clearly not helping the situation at all.
Addy smiled and turned to give Rachel a superior look. Without a word, Rachel shoved the dresses into the girl’s arms and nudged her toward the dressing rooms again.
“I know you think the gown you have on is beautiful, but I think we can find one even better if we keep looking,” Rachel said as she followed the teen to the changing rooms. “One that suits your personality a little better.”
Addy regarded her silently for a moment, then sighed and slipped into one of the small alcoves, closing the saloon-style door behind her. “I know you think the dresses I’ve been trying on are a little racy, and maybe they are. But Aaron is a senior, and I have to look the part if I’m going to date him.”
Rachel leaned her shoulder against the wall beside the dressing room. “I know he’s a senior, but is going out with him worth it if you have to wear a dress that really isn’t you just to impress him?”
“Well, yeah. Duh,” Addy said. “Did I mention he’s a senior? And gorgeous? And has a motorcycle and a leather jacket?Andcan text with one hand behind his back while taking notes with the other one in class? I mean, who else would I want to go to the dance with?”
Opening the door, Addy stepped out to show off a dress with a demure neckline and hem that was perfect in every way but the color. Yellow that bright didn’t work for anybody but Belle fromBeauty and the Beast.
Rachel shook her head and motioned Addy back into the dressing room. “You could always go to the dance with Ben. He seems nice.”
“Ben?” Addy laughed as if that was the funniest thing ever. Rachel was glad Ben didn’t have the hearing of a werewolf. A laugh like that would have scarred the kid for life. “I can’t go to the Valentine’s Day dance with him. He’s my best friend. Besides, he doesn’t even like girls.”
Rachel did a double take. Could the girl be any more clueless? Ben gazed at Addy like she was the most beautiful girl in the world. How could she have missed that?
“What makes you think he doesn’t like girls?” Rachel asked curiously.
Addy stood on her toes to peek over the top of the changing room door. “I’ve known him since we were five years old, and in all that time, I’m the only girl he’s ever hung out with.”
