Page 31 of Darlin'

"Oh, hush up, Paxton." I roll my eyes. "The point is, I've had many jobs, okay?"

Jesse chuckles. "Fine. The pageant queen thing, I believe that—but gymnastics?" He purses his lips, giving me a cheekily observant once-over. His lips curl up into a cunning smile. "Nah...don't buy it. You look stiff as a board."

"A board?" I scoff. "I amnota board. Quite the opposite, actually. You'd be surprised by just how bendy I can be. I've gotten tens across the board in the talent competition multiple years in a row."

"Oh yeah?" Jesse blinks, licking his bottom lip. "Is that so?" He shifts his body in my direction. "Okay, show me then."

"Show you what?"

"How bendy you can be," he says, popping a chip in his mouth. "Well? I'm waiting. Do a little handstand for me, huh? Maybe the splits? If you know how to, that is."

The fact I'm wearing a towel dawns on me.

What a little?—

"You wish." I scowl. "I think you've seen enough of me for one night."

"I saw nothing." He gives me a coy grin. "You, on the other hand, I think you saw plenty."

My cheeks burn up instantly as a blurry, inappropriate image of his...thingpops into my head.

Erase. Delete. Empty.

"No...I didn't see?—"

"Oh shit." Jesse chuckles. "You did look, didn't you?" He clicks his tongue. "If you want something from me,Savannah..." He tosses me a wily wink. "All you gotta do is ask."

"I—" Swallowing away a glob of pure humiliation, I attempt to keep my tone level despite the fact I could actually die right now. RIP me. "I didn't look."

"Mhmm," he hums in a knowing tone. "Sure. Whatever you say, princess."

"I didn't!" I insist. "I would never..."

"You lie a lot," Jesse notes, cutting me off. "Thought you Southern types are against that sort of thing."

My jaw drops. "I don't lie."

He snorts. "Really? Then why'd you tell your mom it was Beau that was knocking on the door and not me?"

"You were eavesdropping on my private conversation?" I ask, masking the sudden disappointment I find myself drowning in. I've been twisting the facts a lot lately, haven't I? "That's plain rude."

"Eavesdropping?" he asks, quirking up a brow. "You were practically shouting." He cocks his head. "Maybe learn to use your inside voice."

"Or maybe you should learn how to mind your own business," I retort in a quiet murmur, perching on the arm of the couch.

"Mindmyown business?" He lets out an incredulous chuckle. "That's rich coming fromyou."

"I—"

Shoot.

He's not wrong, is he? I've been rather demanding these past several days. And, whether I like to admit it or not, Jesse's been fairly forthcoming in disclosing details about Beau and the club. I hardly know enough to stringa sentence together, but he's told me bits and pieces, enough for a couple of clear words to form.

"You're right." I sigh, flicking my nails. This might be a bad idea, but honestly, I'm getting tired of lying. With a breath of resolve, I offer him an olive branch. "I...um?—"

"Hey," Jesse says in a gentler voice. "I'm just busting your balls, okay? No need to start crying and shit."

"I'm not crying," I murmur. "I'm just..." Jesse watches me with a puzzled expression as I tumble over the exposed roots my fibs have grown. "My momma thinks I'm staying at Beau's right now, okay? She thinks I've already met up with him and stuff."

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