15. A Proven Theory
A Proven Theory
I should've brought a change of clothes to Marlow's place. If I had, I wouldn't be staring at Jesse's front door, looking like I completed my first-ever walk of shame. And the only shameful act committed last night was the misspelling of a Scrabble word which lost me the game.
But given the fact that I'm wearing leather pants and high heels at ten in the morning, I doubt a board game loss is the first thing that'll come to anyone's mind.
My disheveled appearance already garnered a few judgmental glances on my walk back from Marlow's.
A stranger's opinion of me doesn't matter.
Not now. But behind this door? My heightened nerves tell me I do care.
Sucking in a long breath, I wince, skittishly tiptoeing through the front door. Please be asleep. Please be asleep. Please be?—
"How do you like your coffee?" A chirpy, feminine voice coming from the kitchen stops me dead in my tracks. My stomach sinks. "I think you're out of cream. "
Are you freaking kidding me?
"Black's fine."
A girl? He brought a girl home?! Surely, that's a girl's voice, right? I doubt Jesse randomly took up the art of impressions in the last eighteen hours.
One night. I'm out of the house for one freaking night, and he brings a girl home? Unbelievable. Actually, no, totally believable. Why am I even surprised? This is exactly?—
"Is someone here?" the mystery girl asks. Shoot! What do I do? There's no way I'll make it to my room undetected. Not in these heels. "I thought I heard something."
Crap! Flight or fight kicks in double time as I spin around and bolt back to the front door like a maniac. As I'm twisting the doorknob, freedom in sight, my name's called.
Busted.
"Savannah." I turn around to find Jesse staring at me, head cocked and arms crossed. A smidgen of amusement tugs at his upper lip. His sandy eyes blaze with power play energy as he asks, "Coming or going?"
"I don't know," I state in a sharp tone, shutting the front door and nodding to the kitchen. I mimic his power stance. "You guys want some for time alone or...?"
"You're more than welcome to join us," Jesse says, smirking. "Amber's just making us a pot of coffee." He gives my face a quick sweep. "Looks like you could use some caffeine."
"You're right," I say, taking a step forward as I narrow my eyes at him. I lower my voice to a hushed rasp, "I did stay up far past my bedtime last night." Winking at him, I add, "You know how those things go, right?"
Jesse smiles down at me, licking his lips. "I sure do, princess." He motions toward the kitchen. "After you."
"Thanks," I state, digging my nails into my palm. Amber looks up from the two cups of coffee she's pouring. She blinks, giving me a little smile. I let out a tiny breath of relief. At least she's fully dressed. In jeans and a plain t-shirt, nonetheless. Her own t-shirt. "Hi there."
"Oh, hi," she says, circling the dining room table. She holds out her hand. "I'm Amber." She looks over nervously at Jesse before clearing her throat. "Nice to meet you."
"Likewise," I hum, shaking her dainty little hand. "You making coffee?"
Amber giggles. "Trying to, but you seem to be out of cream. All I could find was, uh—almond milk." She scrunches her nose. "I don't know how people drink that stuff."
"I imagine it's with a lot less guilt than those drinking milk from cows kept in captivity," I state. "But what do I know?"
Amber blinks. "Umm...maybe I should go home." She grabs her purse off the table, stopping in front of Jesse. "Thanks again." She pats his chest, which stirs up foreign emotions in my belly. "I owe you one." Before rushing to the front door, she waves at me. "Bye!"
"Well, she seems lovely ," I say as the door shuts. I walk to the fridge and grab the almond milk, adding a few splashes to one mug while leaving the other one black. I hand Jesse his coffee. "Y'all have a super fun night together while I was gone?"
Jesse chuckles, a smug gleam in his eyes. "Oh, you know it. It's always a fun night with me." He rounds the table, slowly closing the distance between us. "How was your night, princess?" He ducks down to my level and whispers, "Get up to anything wild ?"
"Wouldn't you like to know? But I don't—" I regrip my mug, knuckles whitening as Jesse releases a sweet breath that spins my head. Holy moly. Get a dang grip. I swallow, taking a step back from his sorcerer-like magnetism. "But I don't kiss and tell."
"Kiss and tell, huh?" he asks, taking two steps forward and backing me up against the kitchen counter.
He sets his coffee aside, removing mine from my hand.
My chest rises as he sweeps his fingers across my cheek and under my chin.
"Interesting." He arches over, lips feathering against the soft shell of my ear.
My breathing quickens, and I can freaking feel his smile against my skin.
"Who'd you kiss, princess?" He pulls away as I clutch on the edge of the counter for damn balance. A cocky grin spreads on his face. "Was it Pippa? Hmm?" He purses his lips as I frown, narrowing my eyes. "Or was it Marlow?"
"I—"
What is happening right now?!
He expels a devious chuckle when I don't respond. "Didn't we talk about this, Savannah?" he asks, lifting a brow. "About the dangers of lying?"
"I'm not lying," I lie like the liar I am. "I'm?—"
"Shh. Just stop." He places his index finger gently against my lips, the sleeve of his hoodie sliding down his wrist. "I know you didn't go out last night, Savannah."
How is he so certain? How does he know? I nearly go cross-eyed, my gaze dipping down to his scolding finger as he taps my lips with every syllable and says, "No more lying."
That's when I see it. A faded little mark on his wrist. Evidence of his own deceit.
"Fine," I admit, curling my hand around his forearm. "You got me. I lied." I tilt my head. "How'd you know?"
"I've got eyes and ears everywhere, Savannah." Jesse shrugs nonchalantly, thinking he's won this round. Silly boy. "But it's cute you think you can hide things from me."
"Eyes and ears, huh? Interesting," I hum, batting my lashes as I run my hand down his arm and latch my grip around his wrist. "There's just one thing I don't get..."
He smirks. "And what's that?"
With mild force, I flip his arm around and aggressively pull up his sleeve.
"Does that look like it says Lights Out to you?
" I ask, pointing to the stamp on his wrist. Jesse's face pales as I lift a knowing brow.
"Looks fresh. Real fresh. Like..." I cross my arms. Sly little fox. "Like it's from last night."
"I—" Jesse swallows as the front doors creak open and Amber bolts inside, out of breath.
"Hey! Sorry!" She winces, holding out her hand. "Umm...I completely forgot the reason I was here. My keys?" She lets out a nervous giggle. "Can I have 'em?" She looks over at me. "Thank God for owner's tags, right?"
"They're right here," Jesse mumbles, rubbing the nape of his neck as he tosses Amber a set of house keys .
"Thanks again," Amber says. I purse my lips, observing their platonic interaction. Oh my...what a turd! "Okay...see ya!"
"Toodles," I sing, waving as she leaves the house.
Jesse refuses to glance in my direction as I march toward him.
"Jesse, Jesse, Jesse." I click my tongue.
"Stop me when I veer off course but let me tell you what I think happened last night, okay?
" Jesse glares at me as I stalk toward him.
"I think you went to the nightclub, didn't you?
" His jaw clenches, and I smile. "And while you were, I reckon you stumbled upon a set of keys, didn't ya?
" His gaze hardens. "And then this morning, that sweet little thing stopped on over to pick 'em up, didn't she? "
Jesse stays silently stoic, but I know I've hit the nail on the head. "Oh, Jesse...you know what I think is cute?" I stop in front of him, mere inches away, as I whisper, "I think it's cute that you went all the way to Lights Out just to check up on your annoying and unwanted little roommate."
"Are you done?" Jesse asks in a strained tone.
I nod proudly, basking in the victory. "Good.
Now listen—" He steps forward, grabbing my chin between his fingers as he tilts my head.
"When I text you, Savannah, and I ask you where you are and what you're doing, you answer me, understand?
We've got enemies in every corner. I don't need your blood on my hands. "
"You texted me?" I breathe out, scenes from the dirty book Pippa lent me flooding my mind as Jesse's touch sizzles against my skin. "My...my phone died. You should've...you should've texted Marlow."
"I did," Jesse states through gritted teeth. "No reply, so you can see how that might've been a cause for concern." He drops his hand, eyes hooded. "I'm just glad I bumped into Pippa's sister at Lights, who mentioned you were all at Marlow's ...playing fucking board games ."
I cringe, cursing Marlow for being such a shit disturber. "I'm?—"
"The next word out that pretty little mouth better be sorry ," Jesse states.
My jaw drops. It was . Not anymore . "Well, ain't that the pot calling the kettle black? I'll say if you say it."
"Me?" Jesse asks, scoffing. "In your dreams, princess."
"Well, that's where you'll find my apology as well, then," I snap back, turning away from him and storming to my bedroom. "God, you're insufferable!"
" I'm insufferable? Me?" Jesse calls out, chasing me through the house. "Fuck's sake, you've definitely got a screw loose somewhere in there. How hard is it to say I'm sorry, huh? Two words, Savannah. A child can do it."
"If I have a screw loose, then you're missing the whole dang toolbox ," I yell, looking over my shoulder. "Why are you following me? Go stalk someone else. Maybe Amber's still close by."
"Oh, is that jealousy I'm sensing, princess?" Jesse jeers, chuckling as I enter my room, and he slithers inside. "I thought you said you wouldn't care if I had a chick over? What happened?"
"Jealous? You think I was jealous ?" I spit out a hearty, incredulous laugh. "Hilarious. Seriously comical. " I glare at him. "You should have your Standup Special."
"There you go lying again," Jesse says, chuckling with a crazy look in his eyes as he stalks toward me.
"Do you know how easy you are to read, Savannah?
" His fuming gaze floats across my burning cheeks.
"You think you're this mysterious woman, don't you?
This mystical little thing, don't you?" He scoffs, shaking his head.
"I can see you, princess. I can see every emotion before you even fucking feel it. You can't hide shit from me."
"Like you're any better?" I ask, blood coursing through my veins at supersonic speed.
"I know all your masks, Jesse. I know them like the back of my hand, okay?
You think you hide it so well, don't you?
You think you've got everyone fooled? All the jokes?
All the brush-offs? You think I can't tell what you're really feeling? "
"Can you now?" Jesse asks, chest rising and falling as he towers over me, my calves hitting the edge of the bed.
"And what am I feeling right now, princess?
" He takes a step forward, his hips brushing against mine.
His heavy breath swirls in the air with my erratic panting.
"Tell me. Right now. What am I feeling?"
"You're mad," I breathe, heart thumping, fingers tingling, urges rising as I struggle to restrain myself. "You're...you're furious."
"Wrong answer," Jesse rasps, snaking his hand around the back of my head. His fingers rake through my hair, tugging slightly as he leans down, growling in my ear, "Try again."
"You..." A gnawing ache throbs inside my core as I place a hand on his frantically beating heart. "You're..."
"Say it, princess," he demands, pressing his lithe, tempting body against mine.
His teeth graze my earlobe, and I quietly whimper as a rogue wave of desire threatens to flood my senses.
His chest rumbles as he chuckles. "Come on, babe.
Tell me what I'm feeling right now. Tell me what I want. Fucking say it ."
This can't happen. This isn't happening.
"No," I manage to mumble out, squeezing my eyes shut, hoping to banish these budding primal emotions that have the potential to destroy everything. "I can't..."
"Can't?" Jesse's hot breath blows against my cheek. "Or won't?" He loosens his grip on my hair, swallowing as he meets my flustered gaze. "There's a big difference."
"We can't do this," I whisper, fear trembling in my tone despite the fact every ounce of my being wants to be fearless. "We can't?—"
"Do what?" Jesse rasps, taking a small step away from me. He drags his thumb against my wanting lips as he asks, "What do you think it is I want to do with you, Savannah?"
"Something you shouldn't," I mumble against his electrifying touch.
"I always do things I shouldn't do." He smirks, powering down as he slowly backs away.
I collapse on the bed, staring at him with a dumbfounded expression.
"If you know me as well as you think you do.
.." Jesse flicks his tongue seductively across his thumb.
Oh my. "You should know that." He grins at my flushed face, satisfied with his handy work.
"Keep the leather, babe. I'm starting to like it. "
Crap.
I'm going to kill Marlow.