Page 18 of Darlin'

"Put it back the way it was, Savannah," he demands, lip twitching as his icy hazel eyes damn near harden my nipples. "Now."

I bat my lashes. "Put what back?"

He sucks in a labored breath, glaring at me. "My furniture."

"Your furniture?" I open the door, stepping through the frame as I crane my neck down the hall. “Hmm… I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Oh, really? Let me jog your memory." Jesse coils his hand around my wrist and drags me down the hallway. He points to my handy work. "This little project ring a bell?"

"Oh...this..." I cross my arms, pouting as I nod impressively at the rearranged furniture. "I think it looks nice, doesn't it? Really opens up the space." I glance over at him, humming innocently, "Makes everything a little brighter, don’t ya think?”

"Fix it," he grunts. "Right now."

"I alreadydidfix it," I say, weaving through the carefully curated furniture pieces. "See how easily I can float through the room? There'smuchbetter juju in here now." I toss him a sly smile. "You're welcome."

"Juju?" he asks, pinching the bridge of his nose. "What the fuck are you talking about?"

"I Feng Shui'd the place." I motion around the livingroom. "Can't you feel the difference? Isn't it more inviting..." I tilt my head, smirking. "Relaxing even."

He blinks at me. "Feng Shui?"

"Mhmm," I hum. "Feng Shui. You know, the practice of rearranging spaces to ensure harmony and balance between people and their environments." I release a forced sigh, perching on the edge of the armchair. "You did say I needed to relax, and since I'm not allowed to leave this house, I thought it'd be important formymental health to ensure my surroundings brought nothin' but good vibes."

"Good...vibes?"

"Mhmm," I hum, crossing my arms over my light grey satin jammies. "Good vibes."

"I—" Jesse stammers, casting me an incredulous look. He flaps his arms. "Listen , I've had a long ass day. I don't have the energy to explain to you just how ridiculous you sound right now, okay?" He runs a frustrated hand through his disheveled hair. "I expect everything put back in its place before I wake up."

"No," I state flippantly. "If you want to change it back,youdo it." I nod to the entertainment cabinet. "You have no idea how difficult it was to untangle all those cords. I amnotdoing it again."

"Jesus fucking Christ," he mutters, closing his eyes. His posture relaxes into a docile stance. He knows he ain't gonna win this round. "She's crazy. She's literally crazy."

"Well, I am aBertha, aren't I?" I ask in a bitter tone. "Quite on brand, don't you think?"

"Oh, you've captured her essenceperfectly," Jessegrumbles as he storms off to the kitchen. I grin, hopping off the armchair as I follow him. He opens the fridge and pulls out a beer, cracking it open. Jesse narrows his eyes as I smile at him. "What?"

"Nothin'," I sing, gaze darting to his cabinets. "Nothin' at all."

"What did you—" He spins around, opening the top cabinets. I cover my mouth, stifling a laugh as he grunts out every curse word known to man. "You color-coded my cereal?! What in the actual fuck, Savannah?"

"Cute, huh?" I hum, biting my lip. "Don't you just love it?"

"Fuck's sake," he groans, sinking down on a chair around the dining room table. "I can't do this shit for five more days." He peers up at me. "You might as well shoot me right now." He opens his arms. "Right there. Right in the heart."

"And you sayI'mdramatic?" I scoff, eyeing the bags of groceries on the counter. "What's in the bags?"

"Nothing for you," he huffs, chugging his beer as I waltz toward the brown paper bags and peek inside. "Savannah?—"

"Aw," I gush, feeling a smidgen of guilt for messing with him. "You bought me my rabbit food."

"I'm returning it. You can starve to death for all I care," Jesse says, checking his phone as I rinse an apple in the sink. "Seriously?" He groans as he tosses his head back and looks heavenward. "Anything else? I'm ready, man. Bring it on."

I chomp on the honey crisp. “What happened?"

He whips his head at me. "You, that's what."

"That Beau again?" I circle the table and sit across from Jesse. "He asking about me?"

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