Designer Genes - The Boyfriend Cut (13 page)

Karen apparently didn't miss any details
.
Alex would definitely hear from me. I also swore I heard a growl from under my bed.

Dad looked at his watch. "We'll talk later. I know your dance is tonight, but you better meet Sam there. I don't want him around here anymore." He paused in the doorway, "Mars, I hate to ask, but could you put Muffy out for me? I'm running late. I bought a stronger cable leash."

"
Daaadd
."

He ruffled my tangled nest of hair. "Thanks, Pumpkin—I'll owe you."

As soon as the front door shut, I dropped to my knees. "Okay, it's safe to come out."

Jesse dragged himself from under the bed. "I'm not so sure. What are you planning to do with me?"

I sat cross-legged on my bed, pondering the same question. Part of me felt unexpected excitement with Jesse being here, but another part of me—the one controlled by a shred of common sense, feared the consequences.

I had no idea what The Program would do about the situation and Rick would ground me for the rest of my life. But Jordan? His twin brother climbing in the window of his assigned candidate's bedroom—kissing her, well technically that already happened, but I was dressed and not lying on a bed—how would he react? We shared something, although I couldn't say exactly what the connection was, but it felt powerful enough to know he'd freak if he found out.

Jesse brushed lint off his shoulders and stretched an arm across me. "All right, who's Sam?"

"My soon-to-be-ex-boyfriend. His hands got a little carried away, but nothing to create an international incident over." Jesse
hmfed
a disapproving grunt. I picked a couple of stray dusty clumps from his hair. "Looks like I need to work on my housekeeping skills. If Jordan chooses me, maybe he'll invest in a maid?"

Jesse didn't smile back. "I don't want to think about you with Jordan." He glanced around my room, a teasing grin returning to his face. "I kind of like your domestic talents. It makes finding something to wear much easier when your entire wardrobe is spread across the floor." He caught my fist in midair, thwarting a playful punch. "Do you want to wrestle me? I warn you, I don't play fair." He kissed my neck below my ear, whispering, "And I
will
win."

"I don't doubt it." My hand on his chest stopped him from moving closer. "So? Why are you here?"

"Kiss me and I'll tell you."

"Stop playing games. This is serious, Jesse. If you don't want to chance falling to your death from that old tree, you better start explaining."

The bed groaned loudly when he dropped backward. "I had to see you, Mars. I can't stop thinking about you."

"Jess, you
can't
see me. It's against the rules."

He rested on his elbow. "You already know my thoughts about rules."

"What about Jordan? The kiss on the yacht is one thing, but you showing up here? You know it's wrong."

Jesse slid his fingers down mine from the hand dangling off my knee. "Then why does it feel so right?"

He pushed me against the headboard and when his mouth came close, I didn't block the kiss—I couldn't. His body stretched between my bent knees, his arms snaking around my waist. I knew I should stop him—stop myself, but the reckless moment filled a void left since Daniel's death. The need to please everyone, be the good daughter—the strong friend—the ideal candidate—the 'perfect everything,' disappeared. I was simply a teenage girl who desperately wanted to feel something besides sorrow, anger, and unbearable frustration knowing I could possibly fail.

Right now, I wanted to break the rules and lose myself in Jesse, but my dutiful conscience played dirty. She threw the memory of Jordan's eyes staring intensely into mine seconds before he placed that first sweet, tentative kiss on my lips. The kiss of a promise to care for me as a person, not just his genetic link. His second kiss I granted permission to, tasted of a future filled with hope and possibly the forever I'd dreamed about as a child.

I abruptly broke the heated connection between our mouths. "No more, Jess. I need to keep my head straight."

"Why?" he asked with a shallow breath.

"Because of Jordan. I don't want to mess things up. You understand, don't you?"

Jesse moved back, his brows scrunched. "Not really, but if I'm coming on too strong, I'll back off."

I struck a dramatic pose, finger pressed to my chin. "Let’s see. Crawling through a bedroom window uninvited—trying to undress and seduce your brother's girlfriend—and you still need to ask? What do you think, Jesse?"

"So you two are officially boyfriend and girlfriend?"

We weren't officially anything, but that didn't change the situation.

"Titles aren't really the issue here, are they?" I moved off the bed and opened my bedroom door. "I need to get ready for school. You can see yourself out."

"Mars, wait. At least let me fix you breakfast."

I slapped down my conscience before she could object. "There's a catch. You take Muffy out first." I grinned wide, knowing this would be a true test of Jesse's strength and patience
.

"Any doggy 'doo-doo' guidelines I should follow?"

"Just hold tight and enjoy your flight
.
There are pickup bags next to her leash in the laundry room." I almost felt remorseful, pushing him into the hallway.

"It's only a dog. How hard can it be?" Two seconds later, Muffy barked and Jesse yelped. "Leash hell! Where's her saddle?"

Still savoring the taste of my last piece of bacon, I gathered our dishes and placed them in the sink. "I better get going. I can't be late for my Calculus final." Jesse moved behind me, resting his chin on my shoulder.

"You sure I can't talk you into playing hooky?"

Holding me like this, he could talk me into anything without a problem. I turned and shook my pink bracelet.

"I wish. Only a couple more hours and I'm done with finals."

"Okay you win, but I'll take you and wait while until you're done. I've nothing to do today but spend time with you."

"What happened to coming on too strong? And what if someone finds out?"

Jesse's smile held its own warning. "I'm a work in progress. Don't worry. No one will find out. I move like smoke. Sneaky and silent."

"Smoke? Really? That's reaching, even for you." We stepped out into the warm morning sun blanketing the front porch. "Where's your car?"

"Around the corner. I didn't think it was a good idea for your dad to find a strange car parked in front of the house."

That gave me an idea. Pulling Jesse across the front lawn to the side of the house, I explained my father wouldn't know anything if I drove. He agreed until he saw my car.

"You're joking.
Pink
?" He stood planted on the grass, immoveable as granite. "No way. I'm not that comfortable with my feminine side." He grabbed my arm. "We're taking my car."

We rounded the corner and I tripped over my feet. Parked against the curb was a bright red Ferrari
.

"Jesse, please tell me that's not yours."

He opened the passenger door. "Hurry up, or you're going to be late."

The car roared to life like a tiger waiting to pounce on its prey. To the side of the steering column I noticed a button marked "Hover."

"This
hovers
?"

Jesse glanced at me, a wicked wink eclipsing one eye. "I told you some rules are meant to be broken."

Déjà vu. Students froze into statues when we pulled in front of the school, necks straining to see inside the sleek, red rocket.

"I'll be back to get you in a couple of hours. Good luck on your test." Jesse took my face in his fingers, his mouth holding mine in a deep lip lock, curling my toes inside my shoes. When a second kiss loomed, I pressed my hand to his mouth.

"'Sneaky,' remember? I can't take the risk. Besides I've got to think about math, not you."

My Calculus test proved nothing but a mental strain. My thoughts weren't remotely close to anything academic. My brain and heart waged war. Why did Jesse show up? I was perfectly happy letting myself fall for Jordan before he waltzed, or climbed into my life and kissed me. Damn! Both Mason brothers' lips should be registered as lethal weapons. Once either of their mouths touched mine, I became an emotional, not to mention, hormonal mess.

The buzzer rang and I scanned my bracelet, saving my answers before sending to the teacher's computer for final grading. I'd barely stepped out of the classroom before Alex and Brittany dragged my body to the nearest alcove by. Alex's eyes were wild.

"Ferrari? Who the hell brought you to school?"

Brittany stood only remotely calmer. "Marli, what's going on? He's not Jordan."

"Would you two keep your voices down? You're right, he's not Jordan. He's his twin brother, Jesse
.
"

Both sets of brows disappeared, eyes wide with shock—an appropriate response, given the bomb I'd dropped.

Alex's eyes shifted from side to side. "I saw him kiss you."

"Yes..." The corners of my mouth curled at the hot little memory flashback. I grabbed Brittany's arm when she teetered.

"No! Marli, you could get in serious trouble. What if someone demanded a DNA swab?"

"You mean a virgin popsicle?" Alex teased. "I'd like to see what color mine would turn."

The Program randomly tested candidates' DNA using special sticks that changed colors when sucked, should a candidate violate the chastity clause in their contract. The spit test also revealed
whose
DNA you shared.

"I can't get in trouble for kissing someone." Trouble, however, brewed inside me emotionally and I feared physically, if not checked
.
Still, this was my life and my so-called "love life" stayed my business. Not my friends'.

The anger rising surprised me. "You know what? Nobody owns me yet. I can do whatever I want." Breaking through their body fortress, I marched out the front doors. They both trotted behind and I turned a half step backward. "By the way, thanks a lot, Alex, for opening your big mouth. Worry about your own life and stay out of mine."

My mood lightened as soon as I spied the red chariot tucked under the trees at the end of the parking lot. I jumped into waiting arms, slamming our bodies against the side of the car. Jesse smiled wide at my reaction.

"Hello to you, too. I take it things went well?"

"Only missed one—a miracle considering you were all I could think about."

"I like the sound of that."

Surely an audience watched, but I didn't care. Jesse opened the car door for me and I slid inside, wanting nothing more than to disappear with him.

"We better go," he warned. "I'm sure that little performance didn't go unnoticed."

The Ferrari slowly made its way down my street. A serene scene, locked in a past time when life wasn't complicated and the government didn't intrude. Simple things like falling in love with the boy next door remained a choice you made for yourself, not one made for you.

"Mars? What are you thinking about?"

"How messed up my life is. I'm so confused. I've always known what's expected, but I used to know what I wanted. Now, I'm not sure I know the difference."