Designer Genes - The Boyfriend Cut (56 page)

My knees quivered.

"Showtime babe," Jordan whispered, pulling my chair away from the table.

He stood behind me, his hands set at my waist to steady my trembling body while his dad continued. "Friends, this is Marli Davis, Jordan's candidate, and hopefully more soon." The familiar warm burn crept from my toes to my scalp under everyone's appraising stares. Jordan kissed the top of my head before letting me sit back on my chair.

We held hands around the table and bowed our heads. Jordan's father offered a prayer for peace and a blessing over our military serving abroad. A pang of longing tugged. This was my first Thanksgiving away from home. Rick would spend the holiday with Karen and probably not miss me. I thought of my mother. The time had come to find her and at least talk, if nothing else. I didn't want any remnants from the past to retain a hold on me any longer.

After dessert, guests lingered poolside or meandered into the living room. A few excused themselves and left early. The evening, so far, had been nothing shy of wonderful. I gathered scattered dessert plates on an empty tray with the intention of taking them into the kitchen, but stopped outside of the doorway to eavesdrop on an intense conversation between Jordan and Jesse.

"Jesse, Dad's going to have a fit if he catches you drinking. We were told two glasses of champagne, and now you've uncorked another bottle?"

"Don't worry, it's the cheap stuff."

"That's beside the point. You've got to stay sober. I need your help tomorrow and I can't chance you flying a plane if you get wasted tonight."

"Always the 'good son.' Don't you get tired of being perfect?"

"I'm not perfect, Jess, but yes, I get tired of covering your ass."

"Mind your own damn business, big brother."

"It's my business when your life keeps spilling into mine."

"You mean, Marli, don't you? You're still worried she'll choose me over you, especially now that she knows why the damn Program is really after her."

"You're an ass. And drunk."

"I'm far from blitzed. It's only my third and last glass. I just needed to dull my heartache. Marli looks gorgeous tonight, and sorry, but that hurts a bit. I love the constant reminder that Dad put her with you. Again, you win, 'golden boy.'"

"Shit, Jess, Dad didn't do it to purposely hurt you. She was fourteen and we were sixteen. Hell, nobody could see the future. He just knew she was special and picked her for us."

"
Us
. Funny how she ended up in the middle, huh? But, the 'win' I'm talking about is her choosing you. She loves you
.
Don't worry. I'll be at the airport tomorrow morning, ten o'clock sharp. Treat her right Jordan, because if things don't work out, I have every intention of winning her back."

"In your dreams. There's no way in hell, little brother, I'll not lose her to you or anyone else. I intend on keeping Marli with me forever, if she'll have me.

"
Keeping Marli
. Interesting choice of words, Jordan. Makes it sound like she has no say."

Hands trembling and lips pursed to a painful pinch, I kicked the kitchen door open, stopping the verbal banter. "No one's 'keeping' me. I have as much say as I want and I told you, Jesse, I'm with Jordan because I choose to be. Get a grip."

I placed the dishes on the counter and grabbed the bottle of champagne off the island, tipping it upside down in the sink. They both gasped, but neither dared say a word. I pulled Jordan out of the kitchen before matters escalated. The china looked too expensive to be thrown.

A soft rap came at my door when the clock chimed the midnight hour. I opened it and drank in the sexy sight leaning against the frame. We slinked silently down the hallway and out onto the balcony. The wall of glass we stepped through reflected the candles strategically placed around the bubbling spa. Pale lavender light glowed beneath the churning water and below, the city of Miami spilled to the banks of the harbor in a glittery glow.

I dropped my towel onto the teakwood bench and stepped into the warm water and Jordan's waiting arms. Standing barefoot against Jordan I felt small, my head fitting comfortably under his chin.

"Hey handsome," I whispered, indulging in quick taste of his chest.

"Hi, gorgeous."

His hands caressed my bare skin, more exposed than covered in this swimsuit, pressing me intimately against him. I became acutely aware of how thin the layers of fabric separating our bodies were and the warm water swirling around us, tucked it close to our skin as if not there at all. I fidgeted on my feet, my body buzzed and squirming. Jordan's physical reaction to my nearness pressed my stomach and I locked my arms behind his neck and concentrated on his moony eyes to deflect my thoughts. It didn't work. He drew me closer, my body bending to his touch.

Jordan's husky whisper at my ear sent a shiver scurrying down my spine. "I love you so much, Marli." He moved me through the water, lowering me to the tile bench. Only my shoulders and head appeared above the bubbles. He knelt in front of me, eyes level to mine. His lashes brushed his wet cheeks as our lips touched in a gentle, but extremely intimate kiss.

"Can anyone see us?" I asked between breaths.

"No. The bedrooms are on the other side of the house. We're alone."

The kisses pressed harder and Jordan settled his body between my thighs, his hands exploring my stomach with tentative touches, slowly easing over the curve of my breasts. I swallowed hard, pulling back and studying his face. Jordan the "ice man" had changed drastically since our summer romance blossomed into something deeper and the need for each other intensified.

Jordan waited for my reaction, his eyes sensually dark and alluring in the flickering candlelight. My breath on his mouth came out in short pants. When his fingers pulled the ribbons apart, I didn't stop him, letting my swimsuit top float away.

"Happy Birthday," I whispered.

The harbor below turned from shades of gray to soft apricot as dawn edged over the Miami skyline and onto the water. Boats sparkled as the first rays of the morning sun struck shiny chrome and brass rails. Waves curled against the breaker walls and rippled through the marina until they flattened to a satiny shimmer.

"Mars?" The voice, barely audible, arrested my heart.

"Jess! You scared me. Why are you up so early?"

"I could ask you the same thing."

"I'm nervous to skydive, but I promised I'd try."

Jesse's fingers threaded through mine. "Marli, about making promises to Jordan." I turned slightly, my brows knitting with curiosity. Gently, I pulled my fingers out of the braid. "Don't say anything, just listen, okay?" He took my hand again and kissed it. I could tell he was nervous, swallowing a hundred times before continuing. "You know I love you, even though I shouldn't. The Program aligned you with Jordan, but even so, remember you have options and don't need to bend to anyone's manipulations. You control your destiny and who shares it with you. Promise me when it comes to
forever,
you'll only make choices that match what your heart wants." He kissed my cheek. "See you in a few hours. And don't worry about skydiving. Neither of us would put you in danger."

He disappeared into the shadows, leaving me confused. Why did Jesse think I wouldn't follow my heart, especially when it came to 'forever,' whatever that meant? And his declaration of love again? Jesse had to understand I loved Jordan, regardless of The Program's involvement—that I chose Jordan of my own free will…over him. I still felt something for Jesse and when he kissed my cheek, my toes even twitched a little. But I loved Jordan…not Jesse.

Jordan stole behind me, his warm arms wrapping and drawing me against him. I slapped my chest to get my heart started again. I really needed to listen for footsteps.

"Sorry, he mumbled in my hair when he realized he'd startled me. He rested his chin on my shoulder where his breath whispered in my ear, "Why aren't you sleeping?"

"Because I'm scared about sky-diving today."
And Jesse proclaimed he loved me right before he said some other weird stuff
. "What if something goes wrong, Jordan? Our lives could end today."

"Marli, I'd never ask you to do something that could harm you." He sounded wounded by my mistrust.

"I know. I'm being silly." I yawned halfway through a sniffle.

Jordan towed me down the hall and followed me into the bedroom. "What are you doing?"

"Tucking you back to bed." I opened my mouth to object. "I'll stay with you," he said, delighting me. Maybe we'd oversleep and miss our chance to plummet to our deaths.

"What if someone catches us?"

"Honestly? I don't care." He slipped in the bed beside me. No fabric barriers—only his long legs crossing mine to warm me under the covers we shared. Strong, caring arms circled my shoulders and my head fell onto my favorite place on his chest where I heard his heart beating every bit as fast as my own. I kissed his warm skin and felt the skipped beat against my ear.

Jordan stroked my hair, letting his fingers run the length of my spine from the ends of the curly tendrils. "No worries, baby. I'll always keep you safe."

"I love you, Jordan," I mumbled, feeling myself sink into a dreamy state.
I can't love Jesse.

33

HEARTS AND ROSES

S
o this was how a caged cat felt right before dropped into water.

"I can't do this, Jordan! You can't make me, either!" I shrieked.

"Marli, stop moving so I can get the harness buckled."

Jordan dressed me under constant protest, zipping the flight suit tight to my chin. He forced me into some contraption comprised of a myriad of buckles and snaps, tethering me to his body. His patience wore thin when I whipped around, unexpectedly throwing him to the floor of the plane. His arms immediately locked around my chest.

"Dammit, Marli! Hold still! I swear nothing is going to happen to you unless I murder you inside this plane."

"I'm not jumping. I changed my mind."

Jordan's expression became confused. Hurt? Anger? No…something else. Fear? Of what? According to him, he skydived all the time. A childlike innocence crept into his tone.

"But you promised."

"Yeah, well…I make a lot of promises where you're concerned."

"Are you saying you don't mean to make them, or I pressure you to think you have to?"

"Of course I mean them. I just don't know about this one. I'm scared.
Really
scared."

His voice faltered, tone flat. "Fine, don't jump. I told you I'd never force you into anything."

Damn. An argument brewed, one I didn't want to have. It was his birthday and I did promise. I reached for his dangling hand. "Okay, I'll jump," I conceded inside a whine, secretly hoping he wouldn't make me. He hugged me hard and kissed my hair with a loud smack.
Damn, damn, damn.

Mike slid the doors open and the deafening sound of air rushing the sides of the plane sucked the last of my oxygen. Panic gave way to fear. Below, far away, lay a patchwork of various colors of green, brown, and gray. I wanted to avoid the grays.
Concrete.
A ribbon of blue curled between—
water.
Water would be good, or green, preferably light green—
grass.