Designer Genes - The Boyfriend Cut (45 page)

"Jordan!" his mother huffed, slapping his shoulder. "Watch your manners. I'm sorry, Marli. I thought I raised him better." She followed Jordan into the house, chastising him until their voices disappeared.

Jesse put his box down and leaned against the railing. I rested against the post opposite him.

"Mars, I'm sorry for being an ass. I thought I could handle seeing you with Jordan, but the truth is I can't. When I saw your shorts on the seat in the Porsche, the same ones you wore the morning I snuck in your bedroom window, the pain shot straight to my heart." He stared at me intently. "Marli, promise me one thing. Don't let me see you in that black bikini. If I see you in that skimpy swimsuit and Jordan's hands on you, I'll kill him."

"Don't say that, Jess. And you need to get a grip on your feelings, because if I end up with Jordan, I'm going to have you in my life, too. We have to find a way to exist around each other. I shouldn't have to constantly worry about your reaction to everything."

He clamped my shoulders. "I'm trying, but when Jordan kisses you,
I
kiss you. When he touches you,
I
feel your soft skin and know the smell of your hair because it's burned in
my
memory. I get that you're with Jordan. And if you marry him, I'll die all over again, knowing how he'll be with you in a way I never can. Don't ask me not to
feel
."

A couple of gulls landed close by and Jesse's stare veered to them and off me. "Accepting you and Jordan together isn't going to happen instantly. I need time." He picked up the box and turned to the house. "I meant what I said. Don't wear that bikini in front of me. I have enough painful memories of you to erase without adding more." He threw the screen door open and disappeared inside.

"Getting over you is going to be impossible for him."

I whirled around, finding Jordan standing on the lawn a few feet away.

"How long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough," he replied, taking me in his arms and placing a light kiss on my mouth. "Mom's right. I should be more sensitive."

His mentioning his mother brought up something we needed to discuss about this morning, and his second kiss confirmed I couldn't put off telling him why ground rules had to be put in place.

"Speaking of your mother, she saw you sneak out of my bedroom."

Jordan grinned wide with no hint of remorse. "She better get used to it because I plan on sneaking into your room every chance I get."

"Don't you think that's something for me to decide?" He looked stunned. I put my hand on his cheek. "Hey, I'm not saying I don't want you to, I just don't want any one getting the wrong impression."

His hands skimmed my hips and settled at the base of my spine. "I've been away from you too long and want you near me," he paused, kissing my cheek, "to hold you," his lips pecking the sensitive skin below my ear, "kiss you all night," ending with another feverish kiss on my lips, leaving me totally breathless.

A flashback of what else happened this morning returned with the warming tingles taking over. "Hmm, there's something else."

"Something else?" he smiled, his cheeks coloring too much to be innocent.

"Yeah…I-I think you overestimate my willpower. When we get into it—"

"
Into it?
"

"You know what I mean. Kissing…and touching…and—"

"And?"

"Okay, you're not helping! Things start to get out of control and you know what I'm talking about. You
know
what happened to me and while I can't deny I didn’t' like it…"
loved it
... I pinched my eyes shut and lowered my head. "Jordan, I've never experienced that before and it scared me because I did like the feeling. I worry it will happen all the time, or…I'll want to…maybe do more." I pushed my knuckles against my cheeks. "Ugh! Alex would love this moment!" To add to my humiliation, tears started behind my eyes. "I'm sorry," I mumbled. "I shouldn't have said anything."

Jordan slid a finger under my chin and lifted my face. "You've seriously never felt that before?" I shook my head and tried to step away, but he held my arms. "Hey. Don't pull away and get all embarrassed. Talk to me." He gathered a little more of me. "Marli?" I lifted my eyes, the burn on my cheeks strong when his gaze locked on me. "Babe, while my ego would love it if I could make it happen every time, trust me, it doesn't work that way."

"How would you know? Has it happened to you?"

This time he backed away, head down and hand clamped on the back of his neck. I couldn't stop the giggles bubbling from my throat and kept my hand over my mouth, but it didn't help. Jordan turned so red I wondered if he'd self combust.

"Oh my gosh! Just this morning?" He shook his head side-to-side. "No! How often? Mason?"

Jordan chased after me as I continued taunting and I squealed when he caught me. He kept me suspended, pressed backward and against his chest, his mouth at my ear.

"You are so going to pay, girl. I'm a weakling, okay? You turn me on. Hell, you make me ape-shit horny and push me over the damn edge practically every time we make-out. Happy now?" He slowly lowered me to the ground. "But I love what you do to me." His mouth hovered over mine. "I love you. And I never want to stop loving you or experiencing all the crazy emotions you create." The end of his nose pressed mine, his pants still breathy. "We'll take things slower, I promise. Just don't lock your door—keep me out. I need to be with you."

I brushed the side of his face, leaving our noses engaged. "I love you, too. I want you with me…always." Another tiny giggle escaped. "Ape-shit horny? Really?"

His cheeks flushed bright again. "Yes. Really."

Our lips pressed, the kiss gentle, but filled with a knowing we didn't have before this moment. A new connection…another wall crumbling away.

Jordan hugged me tight enough I thought my ribs cracked. "Let's go for that swim. I can't quit thinking of you in that bitty black bikini." He laughed as if the Devil himself. "Actually, more like you
out
of that bikini." His grin widened when I scowled. "We'll take it slower
after
our swim.

I tugged him by the hand toward the beach. "I've got a better idea. How about we stay dressed and you take me on a tour of this beautiful place." He groaned, his steps flat and heavy on the sand.

"Fine. Walk and talk. Can I at least picture you in my mind wearing the bikini?" He stopped and closed his eyes, a crooked smirk tugging a corner of his mouth. I punched his shoulder and he stumbled over his foot. "Ouch! Stop reading my mind."

I took off running when he started a low growl in the back of his throat. He scooped me up and swung me around, but didn't put me down. Instead, he carried me in his arms, which I found delightful.

I twirled the messy curl on his brow while he explained how his father inherited the island after his grandparents were killed in some horrific accident when Jordan was a baby. He told me how it took three years to build the house because they had to bring everything by water and could only work on it so many months out of the year.

Of course when I asked about his father's identity, he clammed up and gave me the same excuse he used in California. "When," I decided, had an indefinite timetable in Jordan's world.

He asked me how I felt about my parents' divorce and my decision to live with Rick. I told the version of the story where my mother chose a military career over parenting, taking her some unknown place overseas. I steered any questions that could lead to my illegal candidacy by divulging the details of Daniel's death; a subject I'd never discussed with anyone besides Rick and Chuck. Not even Brittany or Alex.

We ended up on a secluded stretch of beach on the opposite side of the island. The sand looked like snow; brilliant white against the ultramarine ocean. The water appeared darker and the waves bending to the sea almost translucent. Sea Hibiscus, Bougainvillea bushes covered in vivid pinks, purples, and oranges, and shrubs spotting bright yellow trumpet-like flowers, added color patches beneath and around the several trees surrounding this sliver of paradise.

I sat cross-legged on the sand watching Jordan venture closer to the water. In the distance, waves crashed against a rocky point sounding like a cannon. When Jordan noticed I hadn't followed him, he turned my direction and dropped next to me. Another wave…another boom.

"The water is different here," I noted. "The color is even bluer."

"This is the windward side of the island. It takes the brunt of the wind and there's no cliffs to shelter the bay, so the waves travel farther and are stronger. The water is deeper so the color is more intense. This is where Jess and I surf. The swells can get impressive."

"And noisy."

Jordan laughed, swinging his arm around my shoulder and pulling me close. "And hypnotic. I can sit here for hours and watch the ocean literally change with the day. One day I recorded the sound of the waves breaking over the rocks. I listen to the playback when I'm stressed or can't sleep. It's my favorite lullaby."

He kissed my hair and continued to stare out at the sea. I still couldn't wrap my head around this world he lived in and a part of me felt excited to possibly share in it someday. Another part of me, however, worried about the price paid to live in luxury. Because we'd unlocked the door to our personal lives somewhat during our walk to this heavenly place, I chanced asking another question…one on a deeper level.

"Jordan, can I ask you something really personal?"

He smiled down at me, his eyes glittering with mischief. "I don't think you can get more personal than earlier. That pretty much defined 'personal.'"

I blushed immediately, not wanting to relive my embarrassing confession. "Okay, let's not go there."

"Damn. I was so hoping luring you to my secret hideaway would change your mind
back
to letting me practice."

I smacked his chest. "Jordan! Stop it already!"

He kissed my hand before I could use it as an assault weapon again. "Okay, I'll stop…for the moment. So what do you want to ask me?"

"How do
you
make your money? I understand your parents are wealthy, but do you—"

"Live off their money?" He scooted away from me and returned his gaze to the horizon. I'd offended him. "No, Marli, I'm not a trust-fund sucker, if that's what you mean."

"No! I didn't mean that at all!" I waited for him to look at me, but when he didn't, I crawled in front of him and took one of the hands draped off his folded knees. "Don't be mad. It's just that I've never been around anyone so well off and if we end up together, I don't want you to think I only like you because you're rich. I don't care about money."

I wrapped my pinky tight around his and kissed his knuckle. "I still don't get why The Program aligned me with you. Seeing all this just makes me think they made a mistake. You need somebody—"

"You. I need you," Jordan stated forcefully. His eyes flashed at me. "Stop talking yourself down and trust me, no 'mistake' was made." As fast as they settled, his eyes lifted away. A couple large swallows rolled down his throat.

I knelt so I could rest my chin on his knee, and served up a pout worthy some attention. "I love you?" I questioned, hoping to bring back his playful mood.

His eyes dipped to my face, a ghost of a smile resurrecting his dimples. He tucked a strand of hair blowing in my face behind my ear, but when he spoke, his voice stayed quiet. "I love you, too, babe. You're my everything."

He opened his legs and I moved between them, resting against his chest and admiring a scene worthy a magazine cover. Jordan's chin settled on a favorite spot on top of my head.

"Our cars," he began, "were graduation gifts from my Grandpa Mason. He said if we got flawless grades from middle school through high school, we could have any car we wanted. We put him to the ultimate test, much to my mother's disapproval, but he came through and told Mom if bribery helped get us into elite colleges because of our grade point average, it was money well spent.

"When we turned eighteen, we received the inheritance our other grandparents left to us. One-half was a cash lump sum, which Jesse used to start up his band. Mine is still in the bank. When I figure out where I want to live, I hope to buy a house." He took a deep breath. "The other half is held in stock shares with SpringCor, the business my grandfather started. Jesse's and my inheritance is in the part of the company that has real estate holdings. The quarterly dividends are what I live off of. Our trust fund does pay a monthly allowance, but it gets eaten up by fuel costs for the jet and insurance premiums, which our parents make us pay. The chopper belongs to SpringCor and we're only allowed to use it for commuting to the island. Anything left over, I use to take trips to see this really hot girl I'm madly in love with so I can make-out with her. I'm trying to convince her I'm worthy of having her in my life."

He pulled my hair to one side and kissed my neck. "Satisfied? Now my turn. How did you end up with a pink car?"

"On the morning of my sixteenth birthday, this huge box truck backs up our driveway and the driver and unloads this old, rusted out Mustang. I got so excited I started jumping up and down, yelling for Rick to come see. He already knew, of course. I think he thought the two of us restoring the car, which the original color was 'lipstick pink,' would distract me from the divorce."

"You were thrilled to receive an old junker?"

I straddled his lap and locked my hands behind his neck. "Not just any old junker. My Grandma Adams's first car and also Mom's. When I was little and we'd go to my grandparents' farm in Pennsylvania, I'd sneak out to the barn where Grandpa stored the car. The doors were rusted shut and the window was broken out, so I had to crawl inside to sit behind the steering wheel. I'd pretend I was driving to get an ice cream cone before heading to faraway places."

"Like where?"

My thumb swept over the shell of Jordan's ear and he drew his knees up to snug me against him. Inky circles slowly consumed the olive green irises of his eyes and his breaths sounded heavy.