“Hey Adam!” a girl’s voice called out. “Nice job on the keys,” the voice sang through the night, the tone unmistakably flirty, teasing and inviting Adam to take the bait.

Clare turned back around and watched Adam raise a hand and smile at Heather and her friends. “Thanks,” was all he called back, then turned his gaze back on Clare and broke into a huge smile. “Well, what did you think? Was it great? Did you love it? Wasn’t I fantastic?” He laughed and, in two long strides, swept Clare up into his arms, pressed her carefully up against the side of his truck, and kissed her neck. “Say it.” His lips moved beneath her ear. “You thought I was amazing.”

Clare smiled. “Okay, I thought you were amazing.”

He nodded and smiled. “Oh, yes you did.” He kissed her mouth, and she felt him press his hips against hers. God, she hoped to hell that fucking Heather Roberts and all her bitchy friends were watching this right now.

“But you should stop trying to take advantage of me in the school parking lot, Clare,” he said as he pulled away from her and pretended to straighten his shirt. “It’s tacky and, quite frankly, a little slutty.”

She laughed and slapped his chest. “You’re a pig.”

“And yet you sexually attack me? In public, no less.” He leaned forward and kissed her cheek, then reached around her to unlock and open the door that squealed loudly on its rusty hinges. “My lady.” He swept his free hand out and bowed, ushering her onto the passenger seat. “Your chariot.”

She shook her head and climbed onto the springy seat. She watched him through the dingy window as he shut the door, gave her a wicked grin, then turned and jogged around to the driver’s side. Adam was always goofing around, but he seemed especially weird tonight. When he climbed onto the seat next to her, he leaned into the steering wheel and placed his keys in the ignition.

“What’s up with you? Where are we going?” she asked him.

Barely able to contain himself or his conspiratorial grin, Adam only shook his head. “It’s a surprise,” he said in his best showman voice before cranking the ignition and pumping the gas. Once the truck’s engine finally roared to life, he turned to her and wrangled the gearshift into reverse. “You’re just going to have to wait and see.”

“I don’t like surprises.”

“Well, you’re going to love this one.”

As Adam backed out of the parking space, Clare turned in her seat to watch out the rear window. Several packed bags in the bed of the truck caught her attention. “What’s all that in the back?”