Page 52 of Darlin'

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.Realfresh. 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 whatIthink 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 whatIthink is cute?" I stop in front of him, mere inches away, as I whisper, "I think it's cute that you wentallthe way to Lights Out just to check up on yourannoyingandunwantedlittle 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, soyou 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 atMarlow's...playing fuckingboard games."

I cringe, cursing Marlow for being such a shit disturber. "I'm?—"

"The next word out that pretty little mouth better besorry," Jesse states.

My jaw drops. Itwas. Notanymore. "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 findmyapology as well, then," I snap back, turning away from him and storming to my bedroom. "God, you're insufferable!"

"I'minsufferable? Me?" Jesse calls out, chasing me through the house. "Fuck's sake, you'vedefinitelygot a screw loose somewhere in there. How hard is it to say I'm sorry, huh? Two words, Savannah. A child can do it."

"IfIhave a screw loose, thenyou'remissingthe whole dang toolbox," I yell, looking over my shoulder. "Why are you following me? Go stalk someone else. MaybeAmber'sstill 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 wasjealous?" 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 youknow howeasyyou 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 fuckingfeelit. You can't hide shit from me."

"Like you're any better?" I ask, blood coursing through my veins at supersonic speed. "I knowallyour 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 goteveryonefooled? All the jokes? All the brush-offs? You think I can't tell what you'rereallyfeeling?"

"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. "Comeon, babe. Tell me what I'm feeling right now. Tell me what I want.Fucking say it."

This can't happen. Thisisn'thappening.

"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 beingwantsto be fearless. "We can't?—"

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