Envy

And at that, all traces of joy vanished from Harper’s face.

“I’m eating here, Rand,” she complained. “Can we keep the vomit-inducing comments to a minimum?”

Miranda shook her head in apology. “I’m sorry, it just slipped out. I’m a little off today.”

“Yeah, what’s the deal with that, Rand? I know why I’m climbing the walls,” Harper whined, the image of a blissful Beth and Adam popping, unbidden, into her head. There had been a moment, back at the beginning of the school year, when she’d thought she had a chance. Especially when, in a moment of weakness, Adam had turned his back on true love-and slept with someone else. Just two little problems with that scenario. First, the “someone else” wasn’t Harper. Second, Beth had no idea that her perfect boyfriend had cheated on her. The golden couple was still going strong, and Harper was still out in the cold.

She noticed everything, every look, every touch that passed between Adam and the girl he thought he loved. Every day, it seemed, Harper was treated to an endless series of disgusting displays, her days at school transformed into a constant reminder of what she wanted and couldn’t have. And, since Adam lived next door, his bedroom window facing hers, her nights weren’t much of an improvement. Needless to say, these days she was a little off her game.

“Yeah, I know why my life sucks,” Harper said bitterly. “What’s wrong with yours?”

“I can’t stop thinking about him,” Miranda admitted.

“Kane?” Harper’s heart sank. Miranda hadn’t mentioned the local lothario in days, and Harper had hoped that this little chapter was over. No such luck, apparently.

“I know, I know, he’s out of my league,” Miranda complained.

“No, you know that’s not true,” Harper assured her. But it was a halfhearted protest. Kane Geary was handsome, cocky, a consummate asshole-and had privately confirmed for Harper that the Miranda thing was a no go. He had his sights set on someone else. It hadn’t come as a huge surprise. Miranda was many things-smart, caustic, funny, and at least a seven or eight on the ten point scale-but she wasn’t some gorgeous bimbo who would strip down to her thong in a wink of Kane’s eye. And as far as Kane was concerned, that pretty much took her out of the running.

“No, it’s true. He’s out of my league,” Miranda insisted. “But I’ve been thinking.” She grinned, and her voice took on the same “can do” bravado it had had back in fifth grade when she’d convinced Harper they should start their very own babysitter’s club. Harper issued a silent groan. That plan hadn’t worked either.

“It’s time for a New Miranda Stevens,” she continued. (Harper could hear the capital N in her voice.)

“Uh, do I get a vote?” Harper asked, raising her hand in protest. “Because I like the old Miranda.”

“Are you six feet tall with dark brown eyes, washboard abs, and a killer smile?”

Harper rolled her eyes.

“Then no,” Miranda confirmed. “You don’t get a vote. So here’s what I’m thinking…”

Harper sighed as Miranda began to outline a self-improvement strategy that included hair, makeup, fashion, body, and personality makeovers, and so much detail Harper was surprised it wasn’t accompanied by a PowerPoint presentation. Was she supposed to tell her best friend to give it up, that Kane would never be interested in her? Or that the “someone else” Kane was after was Beth? Was she supposed to admit that she’d secretly agreed to help Kane get Beth, if he would help her get Adam? Should she tell her best friend in the world that she’d basically screwed her over and made a pact with the devil, that all was fair in love and war, and Miranda would just have to deal?

Yeah, that would go over really well.

“So, are you in?” Miranda asked.

“What?” Harper could tell by the self-satisfied grin on Miranda’s face that while she’d been zoned out in guilt land, the lengthy presentation had finally come to a close.

“Will you help? With the New Miranda?”

“I told you, I kind of like the old one,” Harper hedged.

“Harper! Have you been listening to anything I’ve said? I need to do this if I’m ever going to get Kane to notice me-and you swore you’d help me get together with him.”

“I remember,” Harper said. And she did. The promise echoed in her ears every time she saw Miranda, and it faded just as quickly every time she saw Beth wrap her tentacles around Adam. She needed Kane’s help on this one-more, apparently, than she needed Miranda’s trust.

Though maybe if she played things right, she could get both.

“Besides,” Miranda wheedled, “you’re my best friend. This is what you’re here for. If I can’t count on you, who can I count on?”

Good question.

“Where are we going?” Heather giggled. At least, he thought her name was Heather.

“Shh. I told you, it’s a surprise!” Kane whispered as they crept down the empty halls of the high school, deserted now that the last of the after school meetings had disbanded and all the teachers had climbed into their dismal cars and driven home to their dismal lives. Kane supposed that there were those who wouldn’t see the point of sneaking into school-but some people just didn’t have any vision.

“What if we get caught?” Heather whispered.

Kane grinned and gave her a quick peck on the lips. It was a sexy whisper, nothing like the shrill screeching that passed for her regular voice. She had an amazing body, a passable face, but that voice-it could make your ears bleed. Kane suspected that after today’s little adventure, it would be time to show Heather the door. Unless he wanted to make illegal trespassing a constant theme of their dating life. Which, come to think of it, had some possibility…

“We won’t get caught,” he promised her. “And if we do, I’ll take all the blame.”

She giggled again. “My hero.”

They stopped abruptly in front of an unmarked door and Kane pulled out a key similar to the one he’d used to get them into the building.

“Where did you-?”

He put a finger to her lips, then silenced her with another kiss.

“The master never reveals his secrets,” he explained. “Don’t ask-just enjoy.” He pushed open the doors and ushered her down the stairs to the dark and deserted boiler room. Heather clung to him in fear and admiration as he made his way around the room by memory, setting up the candles and mohair blanket he’d brought along.

“Voila!” he finally said in triumph. Soft candlelight lit up the room. It was a romantic getaway, of sorts-and it was clearly enough for Heather.

For all the Heathers of the world, Kane thought. It always was. And he was getting a little tired of it. He’d always looked down on the guys at school with steady girlfriends, relationships. Suckers, he’d thought. Tying themselves down to one girl, being responsible, being trapped, and for what? A guaranteed date on Valentine’s Day? A constant ego boost? A steady source of blow jobs?

Kane had all that already. And without all the whining, complaining, and demanding that seemed to come along with having a girlfriend.

On the other hand, lately, when he looked at Adam and Beth together, when he saw the way she looked at him, held him, Kane wondered. Was he missing out? Was it possible that Adam had stumbled onto something better? Kane didn’t believe there was anything out there better than the life he’d crafted for himself. But he had to be sure, because if there was, he would do whatever was in his power to have it.

In the meantime he’d have no trouble finding something, or someone, to occupy his time…

Heather wrapped her body around him, running her fingers through his hair.

“You’re amazing,” she whispered, kissing his ear, his neck, his chest.

Kane let her pull his shirt over his head and watched in appreciation as her pert breasts, tucked into a red satin bra, made an appearance, accompanied by a tan, taut stomach and slender, perfect legs. Then she pressed against him again, her hands massaging their way down his back-and he had other things to appreciate.

“You’re totally amazing,” she repeated.

“Yeah-I know.”

Kaia took a long sip of her vodka tonic and stretched out along the shallow bench of the Jacuzzi, her long, jet