Designer Genes - The Boyfriend Cut (14 page)

His voice quieted. "I know I should stay away. You're assigned to Jordan." He focused somewhere beyond the windshield. "As much as I want to be with you Marli, I won't hurt Jordan."

"Who says I'd choose you?"

He laughed. "Touché."

I squeezed his hand. "Can you stay a little longer? We could make sundaes."

Oddly, he pulled his hand from mine. "Oh now it's okay for me to stay? Don't you need to get ready for your date with the octopus?"

"Don't remind me, but there's still time."

Jesse's leather seat squeaked when he leaned closer and eased his arm behind my shoulders. "Do you have candy sprinkles? I like candy sprinkles."

I stilled when he twirled his fingers in my hair. "I wish you wouldn't do that."

He unraveled a long curl over my collarbone. "What? Touch your hair or make you feel like this?"

I swung the car door open. "Both."

We'd barely finished our ice cream when Dad's truck pulled into the driveway. Panic welled up as I imagined his reaction to the red sports car parked at the curb.

"Uh-oh, my dad's home early."

Jesse looked baffled. "So?"

I rolled my eyes. "
So
?" He doesn't know you're here. Crap—he doesn't know
you.
"

"He will soon enough. Besides, I've something I want to ask him."

I whirled around, fear of the unknown taking the air out of my lungs. "What?"

No time for an answer because the front door slammed, rattling all the windows in the house.

"MARLI DAVIS!
FERRARI?
" Rick bellowed. "Now who's here? And girl, please tell me what I heard today is not true."

"Dad!" I rushed him when he walked into the kitchen, kissing his cheek with a big, guilty smile plastered on my face.

Jesse extended his hand, a gesture I might have thought twice about, but who was I to judge? "Jesse Mason, sir. I'm Jordan's brother."

Warily, my father shook Jesse's hand. "Why are you here, if I might ask?"

"My band is performing in Cleveland, so I thought I'd check in on Marli. For Jordan."

"Liar," Rick accused. Jesse's cheeks flushed immediately and he pushed his hands deep in his pockets, stepping back.

"Dad!"

Rick's cheeks puffed, his faced reddened. He placed his medical bag on the counter and moved between Jesse and me, his hands firmly pressed on his hips. His head dipped slightly, eyes sharp and locked on mine, the creases in his forehead rolled into deep furrows—all signs I walked a dangerous line.

Using great restraint to keep his anger subdued, Dad continued. "I said Sam couldn't come here anymore
,
but he's the least of my worries. I heard 'episode two' of your ever revolving love life, Mars." His eyes flashed between Jesse and me, his thumb hooking Jesse's direction. "Is it true? Were you two kissing in his car? Who's on your lip agenda tomorrow, Marli? Honestly, what's up with you?"

My eyes narrowed. All the suppressed frustrations pushed to the surface and I took a half step back. "For your information, Dad, and anyone else's for that matter," a pointed glance at Jesse, "whom I kiss is my business. If I want to kiss Jesse, I will. And I'll kiss Jordan if I want, too. In fact, I might march across the street and place a big wet one on Mr. Baxter."

Jesse's mouth tightened and Dad's flew open.

"Marli Elizabeth Davis!"

Dad shrilling my middle name, used rarely and generally not for positive reasons, meant I'd probably be grounded the rest of my life. Jesse's head lowered. Embarrassed at placing him in the middle of a domestic warzone, I pulled back my bubbling anger.

"I'll be fine with Sam. After tonight, I'm not seeing him anymore."

Dad's stance widened, his arms crossed. "You mean you're finally breaking it off with him?"

"Yes. It's only right with Jordan in the picture now." Jesse's face fell and I instantly regretted being so callous.

"Jordan? You're back to Jordan, now? Done with Jesse already? Make up your mind, Marli."

My nose burned and I knew tears would appear next, but I couldn't let Dad think he gained the upper hand in our argument, especially in front of Jesse. "Stop!
My
life, remember?"

I stormed upstairs, slammed the door to my room, and scrubbed my fists over my wet cheeks in frustration. A familiar melody chimed on my receptor and Jordan's handsome face appeared on the screen, a grin sliding up one corner of his mouth. My big fat cheating heart dropped to my shoes.

I slid to the floor against the door and answered in a small voice. "Hi."

"Hi yourself. Is everything all right? You sound kind of down for a Friday night. Hopefully it's because you miss me."

Jordan came the last three weekends to visit, but this weekend he stayed at Cornell to cram for finals. The only
studying
we managed was the human anatomy. It also made sense now why Jesse showed up today. He knew Jordan would be stuck in New York.

"Of course I miss you. I wish my dad would let me come there and spend a weekend."

"I think we both know why he doesn't; not to mention, I'd never get my homework done. So my lonely girl, what are your plans for the weekend?"

"Tonight is Senior Ball. Before we met, I promised Sam I'd go with him."

Jordan covered the phone, but I heard the explicit oath. He grew silent and I checked the video transmission. His thumb and forefinger pinched his nose.

"Jordan?"

"Give me a minute, Marli."

While his heart calmed, mine beat frantically. If he took the news about a date with Sam this badly
,
I couldn't fathom what his reaction would be if he knew Jesse waited downstairs.

"Marli, I don't have a good feeling about this. I worry about you being alone with Sam."

"I'll be okay. Brit and Alex will be there, along with practically the whole senior class. I already warned Sam to behave, and I'm sure Dad will enforce my midnight curfew. He's not happy I'm going with Sam, either."

"Why not?"

"He heard the rumors from his nurse about what happened. I'm surprised he's letting me out of the house."

"I wish I was there. I'd take you. Can you call when you get home, please?"

"Sure. And for the record, I wish you were my date instead of Sam, too."

"Marli, have fun, but be careful. I don't know what I'd do if something happened to you. Not now. I care too much."

Something in his statement stirred a funky ripple in my abdomen. I liked Jordan more than I wanted to admit, even with Jesse tugging on the other half of my heart.

I wiggled and tugged the corset-like contraption Alex talked me into buying, snapping and tucking everything into place. My breasts overflowed and I flushed red when I saw my reflection, quickly pulling on the dress to cover the black lace.

Dark blue satin hugged every curve and the deep slit up one side of the skirt, exposed my good leg clear to my hip. When I glanced in the mirror at all the skin the dress did
not
cover, I feared tonight might turn into another wrestling match with Sam.

I couldn't get the zipper up all the way and needed Dad's help.
May as well deal with the shock factor now.
Holding the dress against my chest, I cracked the door.

"Dad? Could you help me? I can't get—"

Jesse appeared at the top of the stairs, my breath catching when I saw the look in his eyes.

"Wow," he choked, averting his gaze to the floor. "Your dad took Muffy for a walk. I think he needed to vent some frustration."

The grandfather clock in the living room chimed the seven o'clock hour. "Great. Sam will be here any minute. Can you finish zipping my dress?"

Jesse followed me into my bedroom, leaving the door open in case anyone came upstairs. I gazed pensively at him in the mirror, standing behind me. He zipped the dress, placed a tender kiss on the back of my neck, and stared back at my reflection in the mirror.

"You're beautiful." Jesse turned me in his arms, his expression worrisome. "Marli, are you going to be safe with Sam?" His eyes dropped, unfortunately to my cleavage,
heaving
with my heavy breaths. "I mean, this dress..."

"Hey, eyes up here." I locked my arms around his waist. "Jesse, what I said earlier about Jordan, I'm sorry."

His thumb brushed my cheek. "Don't worry about it. I've a tendency to push limits, and you're definitely 'off limits.'" A mischievous grin curled the edges of his mouth. "Not that
that
could stop me."

I wanted to drown in his kisses like before, but the doorbell interrupted my steamy reverie. "I guess I better get this over with."

The back door slammed.

"MARLI!" Dad shouted up the stairwell then muttered a stream of profanities. Taking a deep breath and aware Rick salivated planning Sam's demise, I clutched Jesse's hand. However, seeing me come down the stairs in a strapless, body hugging dress with Jesse might take matters a treacherous direction.

"You better wait here," I whispered, feeling the gentle hug of his hand.

"Are you sure you'll be all right?"

"No, but I'm the only one that can do this. I have to break Sam's heart tonight. I just hope I can do it and come home dressed." His expression blackened and his grip tightened. "Jess, I'm joking." But I wasn't. Suddenly, I realized Jesse wouldn't be here when I returned. "You'll be gone when I get back. I don't know how I feel about that."

"Well, that's promising. You haven't ruled me out all together." He tapped my cell receptor. "I programmed in my number."

I gave him an unbelieving glower. "Jess…"

"What? I just want you to call when you get home so I know you survived. Delete it after if you're so worried."

We both knew I wouldn't, which meant delivering a sobering reminder of the boundary line we kept crossing. "Jordan asked me to call him, too."

It worked. Jesse let my hand fall. "Jordan? When did you talk to him?"

"He called while I was getting ready. He's not thrilled I'm going with Sam either."

"At least we agree on one thing. Did you tell him I'm here?"

My gaze dropped. "No."

Jesse tipped my face upward. A smug grin tugged his lips, undoubtedly pleased I kept this snippet from Jordan. "Why not?"

"I'm not sure, exactly." Dad's berating of Sam escalated. "I need to rescue Sam."

Rick caged poor Sam against the wall. "You have Marli back in this house by midnight Samuel Jenkins, or I'll have the police out looking for you! Understand? And keep your damn hands off—"

"Dad!" I moved between them. "Enough," I mouthed.

Jesse appeared around the corner from the dining room and Sam's brow furrowed. I explained he was Jordan's twin, hopefully deflecting any further reaction. When Dad evaluated my dress, I decided we needed to leave before he murdered one of us.

We paused on the porch and Sam's eyes roved the length of my body, his gaze fixed on my bulging chest. "You look
smokin'
babe."

8

LAST DANCE

S
am guided me onto the dance floor, brushing through a wind of hushed whispers from the gossiping mouths we passed. His fingers splayed across my lower back, pressing me close.