Double Cross Read Online Free PDF Page B

wretched thing out of the
USB port and scowled down at it.
    'Take it back to the shop you bought it from and get a
refund,' said Callie.
    I nodded, not holding out much hope. I had no idea
where I'd put the receipt. I returned the memory stick to
my pocket, mightily cheesed off. Maybe the shop would
exchange it without the receipt as I didn't want my money
back.
    Callie headed back to my bed. 'Well, we can still carry
on with the rest of our report. And I'll update my sections
when I get back home.' She glanced at her watch as she
sat down. 'If your sister is about to burst in on us, you'd
better come over here and sit next to me. After all, you
wouldn't want to disappoint her.'
    I did as requested. I sat so close that our arms and thighs
were squashed against each other. I could feel Callie's
body heat warming me through my clothes.
    'What d'you smell of ?' I asked, sniffing at her neck.
    'Why? Is it minging?' Callie sniffed at her wrist doubtfully.
I suppose she had the same perfume I'd given her on
her wrists as well. And of course she didn't reek. She
smelled lovely.
    'You smell of biscuits,' I told her.
    Callie's eyebrows shot up. 'Thanks.'
    'That's a compliment.'
    Looking deeply unimpressed, Callie said, 'Tobey, a few
words of advice. Don't tell Misty or any of your other
girlfriends that they smell of biscuits. Tell them they smell
of flowers, that they smell sexy, erotic, exotic, good
enough to eat even, but not that they smell of biscuits.'
    'But I like biscuits,' I protested.
    'Is this another of your wind ups?' Callie said suspiciously.
    I grinned at her, deciding that no answer would be the
best answer in this case. I really did love the way Callie
smelled and she smelled of biscuits, but I suspected if I
pressed the issue, she'd go home and flush the rest of my
Crossmas present to her down the loo.
    Callie sighed and lay back on her elbows. I wished she
wouldn't do that. It made her boobs stick out even more.
Once again I had to force myself to concentrate on the
area above Callie's shoulders.
    'Fancy watching a film once we've finished our
homework?' Callie asked.
    I was instantly on my guard. 'What kind of film?'
    'Angie's Mystery is on at nine o'clock,' Callie suggested.
    'What's that?'
    'It's a contemporary social drama set in—'
    'Never mind where it's set. No.' The words 'social
drama' were all I needed to hear to make up my mind on
that one.
    'Or there's Lovelorn on at the same time on Channel—'
    'Hell, no! If it's got "love" in the title, I'm gone,' I
told her straight. 'Can't we watch an action or a horror
film?'
    'What if I told you Lovelorn is an action musical.'
    An action musical? Yeah, right.
    'Nice try!'
    Callie sighed. 'What's wrong with a romantic drama?'
    'Callie, I'm not watching some drippy film that's all
angst and sickly sweet sentimentality so you can sit there
sighing and sniffing next to me,' I said. 'No way.'
    'There's nothing wrong with the odd cathartic cry,'
    Callie informed me. 'I learned that when Nana Jasmine
died.'
    'Well, I wouldn't know,' I replied.
    Callie tilted her head as she regarded me. 'No, you
wouldn't,' she agreed. 'Didn't you cry when your dad
left?'
    'Nope.' I wasn't going to cry over that. It wasn't like he
hadn't run out on us before. And if he ever came back, he
was bound to do a runner again. Crying over him would
be like crying because the sun rose each morning.
    'When was the last time you cried?' Callie asked with a
frown.
    'Years and years ago,' I said truthfully.
    'There's nothing wrong with crying. Sometimes it's the
only thing that makes things better.'
    'I'm not even sure I know how any more.' Crying
wasn't me. 'Can we change the subject please?'
    Callie sighed, but did as I asked. 'So what d'you reckon
your sister's excuse for bursting in on us will be this time?'
    I shrugged. 'Who knows? Getting back one of her
magazines?'
    'Hunting down her college homework?' said Callie.
    Like I'd keep any of her wigs or hairdressing stuff in my
room. Jess went to