Designer Genes - The Boyfriend Cut

by Brooks, Harley

  Now I stood in Jordan's bedroom months later, wearing a bikini I knew drove him wild, feeling his warm skin press the length of mine, arms wrapping me tenderly, protectively, holding all these emotions inside me, plus a few new ones I'd discovered when we're this close. My dream had come true, despite everything I did to fight it happening.

  Jordan Mason, Candidate 2255—my assigned destiny, the one, if given the chance again without interference, I'd still choose. My prince charming came to rescue me after all. I just didn't know he'd be clad in surf shorts with hypnotic hazel eyes playing hide-and-seek between damp locks of bronze colored hair. His only armor…strong brawny arms meant to fit perfectly around my body.

  So why couldn't I pin my faith to him? Because the same day an innocent kiss rocked my world, a boy begged me not to break his heart.

  A light knock on the door broke the spell between us. "Dinner in thirty minutes, Miss Davis."

  "Thank you, Burton."

  Without realizing, I'd stepped from Jordan's embrace, my arms crossed and shielding my naked chest. The swimsuit top I wore moments ago stretched into a forbidden satin line between our feet. I hooked my thumb toward the bathroom. "I need to shower." Jordan remained fixed in place, an odd expression clouding his face. "You should go. I'll see you at dinner."

  Jordan left the room in a huff and an awkward feeling lingered. A few hours ago I rode a wave of elation, but at this moment, I stood on shaky ground. I fingered the pink princess-cut diamond, running my thumb along the diamond-crusted edge. This ring had to have cost a fortune. A high price to pay for someone who suddenly wondered if she just made a monstrous mistake.

  Meg lifted my plate, nudging my shoulder. "You okay, girl? You hardly touched your food."

  Eva Mason reached out and took my hand, beaming. "She's probably just worn out from all the excitement, aren't you dear?"

  "She didn't sleep much last night," Jesse mumbled, stabbing the last remnants of his chicken with enough force to chip the china plate.

  "How do you know that?" Jordan demanded.

  "You know I'm right here," I clipped, easing my hand out of Eva's and touching Jordan's arm. "Jesse found me this morning right before you did. I confessed how afraid I was of skydiving and couldn't sleep."

  Jordan tipped my chin with his finger and kissed me gently. "But everything turned out okay, didn't it? You survived."

  "And engaged!" Eva exclaimed. "I had no idea my son was such a romantic."

  "It was pretty amazing," I replied. "I don't think I believe it's all real just yet."

  "Well, it is," Jesse snarled, picking up his plate. "Your 'match' is official. Congratulations. The Program will be happy to know their golden couple is tying the knot. A year from now, you can give them the 'golden egg,' too. Tell us, Jordan. How many copies can they make of a kid before—"

  Jordan jumped out of his chair, toppling it backwards.

  "Enough!" Jordan's father's voice threatened to crack the ceiling. "Jesse, you're out of line. Apologize to your brother and Marli."

  "For what? Telling the truth?"

  "No, for taking a cherished memory from Marli and turning it into something ugly. Son, you crossed a line. From here on out, keep your personal opinions and feelings to yourself. Understood?"

  "Yes, Sir." Jesse put his plate back on the table and leveled his eyes to mine. "Mars, Dad's right. Jordan worked hard to make his proposal special. He wanted it perfect for you and anguished about it for weeks. I shouldn't have spoiled your moment."

  "It's all right, Jess," I said, turning away when a tear leaked from the corner of my eye.

  "No, it's not. I swore I'd never hurt you, but I just did." His finger traced a swirl on the linen tablecloth. "Bro…I'm an ass." Jesse lifted his head, his face reddened and eyes wet. "God, I'm sorry. Really. How can I make it up to you?"

  Jordan picked the chair off the floor and walked around the table. Standing in front of his brother, his expression remained hard, unreadable. "I'm not sure you can, but agreeing to be my best man would be a start. You've been beside me through all the important things in my life, but this one's the biggest. Don't let me down."

  Jesse grabbed Jordan by the neck, wrapping his arms tight around his shoulders. Jordan's arms circled back. When they parted, both rubbed their eyes.

  "It would be an honor for me to watch you marry the girl of our dreams."

  "You're such a loser," Jordan laughed.

  "Yeah, this time, I am."

  Eva clapped her hands. "See! Everything's just as it should be." She turned my direction, catching me swiping under my eyes with a napkin. "Marli, I'm thinking April. Somewhere on the Cape. The temperature's not too warm then and the flowers will be in full bloom. I'll see if I can rent the grand ballroom at—"

  "No!" I shouted over her, silencing the room.

  Jordan rushed to me, confused. His voice lowered to where only I heard. "Marli, what's the matter?"

  "I don't want to get married at eighteen. Can't we at least wait until after my birthday? Don't I get a say in this?"

  John Banks removed a slice of cherry pie from the tray Meg placed on the table. "Of course you have a say, Marli. It's your wedding, right Eva?" he said with an edge demanding obedience.

  Eva shot back an equally powerful glower to her husband. "I know the decision is Marli and Jordan's, dear. I merely offered a suggestion."

  "How about July?" Jordan interjected, deflecting the intensity growing. "We'll still have a couple of months for a honeymoon before school starts." He smoothed my hair back, pulling a handkerchief from his pocket and blotting my cheeks. "Hey, I don't care where or when. I just want to marry you, okay?"

  "Okay," I sniffed, threading my hands through his hair and holding his forehead to mine. "I love you," I whispered.

  "In spite of my crazy family?"

  "Yes and because of them." I stretched my hand to Eva. "Would you help me plan my wedding? My mother isn't around and I need you."

  I meant to finish the sentence with "your help" but somehow, the truth snuck into my words. I needed Eva Mason, in fact, Jordan's entire family. When I called Rick, he accused me of the same things Jesse had. Even Jordan's gallant gesture of asking for his blessing didn't soften his snarky reaction. I hated that my "congratulations" came wrapped in an argument.

  "As long as you promise to tell me if I become overbearing. I have tendency to want to control things."

  "You? Controlling? There's no 'tendency' there, Mom. It's a fact," Jordan laughed.

  The room erupted in jovial sound, dissipating the tension. Meg passed out pie slices and Jordan spooned vanilla ice cream into my mouth while I sat on his lap, listening to the chatter.

  John wandered over and placed a kiss on my cheek. "Welcome to the family, Marli. I'm so glad I picked you." His reminder, more than any other, dulled the shine from my happy moment.

  Jordan and Jesse headed for the media room, arguing over which action movie to watch. I begged out of joining them, telling Jordan I was too exhausted and wanted to go to sleep. He settled for a kiss goodnight at the bedroom door. When I stepped inside, I flipped the lock.

  My heavy eyes had barely fluttered shut when my receptor chimed on the night table.

  "Hello?" I answered through a sleepy haze.

  "Pumpkin? It's your old man. Got a second?"

  I leaned against the headboard, rubbing the slumber from my eyes.

  "Yeah. What's up?"

  "I didn't handle things very well, did I?"

  Painful tears circled my eyes. "You hurt me, Daddy."

  A couple of large sighs sounded on the other end. "I'm sorry I let you down. Hell, it's not like I didn't see this coming. Watching the two of you in California—the tender way he treated you through everything, and then showing up on the porch that morning when you were in Italy, I knew the poor sap was hopelessly in love with you and not going away. To be honest, I couldn't ask for anyone better to take care of my little girl."

  "You should be telling this to Jor
dan."

  "I did. I called him a few minutes ago to apologize. He said you'd gone to bed, but I had to talk to you."

  A wide yawn made a squeaky sound in my jaw. "Sorry. Today kind of wiped me out."

  "Sounded pretty spectacular." A silent moment passed. "So, when's the big day?"

  "July."

  "Good. I get custody of you for Christmas."

  "And Jordan."

  "Yes and Jordan. Guess I'm going to have to get used to the package deal. Are we okay? I really am sorry and happy for you. I love you, Pumpkin."

  "Yeah, we're good, and I love you, too." We were about to disconnect when I remembered my earlier thought. "Dad? I need to find Mom."

  After tossing and turning for what felt like hours, I climbed out of bed to walk off the restlessness. A full moon pressed against a black velvet backdrop and its radiance cast the kitchen in a lustrous grayish white, giving the room a sterile appearance. The white marble counters glowed, the dark cherry cabinets ebony black in the muted shadows. Even Meg's favorite teakettle on the stovetop lacked the depth of its blood red brilliance.

  I pulled out a stool and settled at the work island with a cup of instant herbal tea. My toes curled over the brass foot bar on the stool, the cold metal sending a chill up my bare legs. I stared at the glowing orb, distorted through the faceted glass, imagining myself on the edge of a deep lunar crater, ready to leap. When I lifted my mug, the pale amber ring left behind looked odd, glaringly out of place on the countertop, just like the ring on my left hand.

  July. Eight months from now, I'd be Mrs. Jordan Mason. Marli Davis would become past-tense and the idea played havoc with my heart. Since the notorious day my candidacy became official, life had been a roller coaster ride and this last turn brought me to an abrupt halt.

  I fingered the sparkling stone garnishing my finger. By accepting Jordan's proposal, I surrendered much more than my heart and soon, my body. I became submissive to whatever fate The Program decided.

  I turned when the door creaked, expecting Jordan. Not Jesse.

  "Are you stalking me?"

  "I couldn't sleep."

  He tore open another tea packet, filled a mug with steaming water, and perched on the stool next to me. He blotted the tea stain with a paper napkin, cleaning up another one of my messes.

  "Sorry about dinner," he muttered before a noisy slurp.

  "Don't beat yourself up. You're forgiven."

  "Am I?"

  Jesse took my hand, slowly rolling my engagement ring between his fingers. His eyes were hooded, his expression hard as stone, and his whispered breaths heavy on my skin.

  "He must have spent his entire trust fund on this rock. Such a beautiful 'trap.'" I tried to pull my hand away, but Jesse's grip tightened.

  "Let go, Jess."

  "Of your hand or you?"

  I chewed my lip, not realizing I'd curled my fingers around his hand.

  "Is that a 'yes give me freedom, Jess'….or 'hang on tighter because I've really screwed up?' I can do both, you know."

  "Stop with the games."

  His hand skimmed my cheek. "Who's playing games, Mars? Me? You?" He eased his hand down my neck and drew a lazy line across my collarbone with his index finger. "Or Jordan?"

  I slapped his hand away and he chuckled quietly, angering me.

  "Jordan doesn't play games."

  "You're right. He manipulates."

  Tears fill my eyes, but I forbade them to fall. "Why are you being cruel?"

  "I'm being honest, something no one else is being right now." He pushed his mug away and leaned closer, dropping his voice to barely above a whisper. "Jordan loves you, I get that. I do too, which we all hate, but the fact is, I can give you what Jordan can't. Freedom."

  "I'm going to marry Jordan."

  "And then what? Have mind-blowing sex and pump out perfect babies for the fucking Program?" he hissed.

  "Keep your voice down."

  "Why? Are you worried there'll be another brotherly brawl and you'll really get hurt this time?"

  Careful to remain out of Jesse's reach, I moved off the stool. "You're being a jerk. I'm going back to bed." I barely got two steps towards the door before Jesse attacked my Achilles Heel.

  "You'll never go to veterinary school, regardless of what Jordan promises. They won't let you." He moved beside me when I didn't answer, his voice quiet. "Marli, you have no idea what pressure The Program will inflict on you, especially to get pregnant."

  "Jordan promised no kids until I'm ready."

  Jesse stroked the side of my arm. "I hate to be the one to pop your fantasy bubble, but that's not a promise he'll be allowed to keep."

  The heartbeat I once felt vanished and fear settled in the empty chamber. Surely Jordan wouldn't let me down. He knew the importance I placed on fulfilling my dreams. I swallowed the lump bouncing in my throat.

  "Why do you say that?"

  Jess held my chin, forcing my eyes to lock on his. "Because my father wants a human successfully cloned before he leaves office and he wants that clone from his grandchild."

  His lips hovered over mine and my breath stilled, but my body trembled. "Don't—"

  The kiss felt sweet, tender…terrifying.

  "Marry me, Marli. Not Jordan."

  I pushed away when he leaned in for a second kiss. "Goodnight, Jess."

  I didn't say "no" and Jesse caught my mistake by returning the sentiment through a wide, triumphant smile.

  I checked the hallway, relieved to find it empty. I needed to escape somewhere to think. Dawn's lavender rays sprinkled the living room in ghostly shadows. I tiptoed to the entry and paused, my nervous heart clamoring for release. The blinking green light on the security panel assured me no silent alarms would sound when I opened the door. There was no escaping the magic floor, recording my bright pink footsteps as I bolted for the stairwell, avoiding the elevator. The chime announcing its arrival would also herald my departure.

  Exiting through the back entrance and into the private gardens, I ran the winding path around gurgling fountains and fragrant flower gardens to the iron gates holding back the noise of the city. I waited until the security camera swept to the other side of the vestibule, then sprang forward, entered my pass code and slipped out. Once around the corner of the building, I hailed a taxi shuttle.

  "Where to Miss?"

  "The marina, but drop me a block away." He glanced in the rearview mirror, a curious expression on his face. I didn't want him to think I jogged the waterfront alone. "I'm meeting my running group." He dropped his gaze and whistled to the song playing out of the crackling speakers.

  Remembering all the security codes in Jordan's life proved no easy task. When the dock supervisor walked away to make rounds, I fumbled three times before finding the right number sequence allowing my access. Another stupid keypad stumped me for a second before I gained entrance to the gangplank leading to Her Majesty. The high pitched whine when the gate opened repeated across the marina and I panicked I'd be discovered. I stooped below the rails until I could steal around to the stern of the boat and drop into the galley.

  Gulps of cool water slithered down my throat from the bottle I stole out of the refrigerator. I deposited the empty bottle into the recycling tube and eased a hip onto a barstool. Yesterday still seemed surreal. Nevertheless, the large diamond on my left hand reminded me it did happen. Jordan and I were officially engaged.

  Marli, what have you done?

  This morning when I woke, dread swamped me. All the confusing feelings I thought had settled, resurfaced. After Jesse cornered me in the kitchen earlier with his formal proposal of marriage—of a life outside of The Program, confusing thoughts swirled in my brain.

  Could he be right about Jordan giving me an empty guarantee to keep The Program at bay and not force me into an unwanted pregnancy? Would he bend to his father's pressure? Damn, did I make the wrong choice by accepting Jordan's proposal?

  Marriage to Jesse wouldn't be awful. We shared something, onl
y somewhere along the way, Jesse's feelings turned to love where mine never grew beyond lust. Over time, surely my feelings would deepen…wouldn't they?

  Regardless of whether I came to love Jesse or not, I'd always love Jordan. Suddenly, I realized life with Jesse would be anything but free. Our relationship would be forever haunted by my feelings for Jordan. He held the key to my caged heart.

  I jerked at the sound of screeching metal from further up the marina. Someone walked—no ran down the boardwalk. I peeked out a small porthole. Jesse! Damn! He found me.

  I hustled down the dark hallway, banging my shoulder against the door jamb when I turned into Kate's old cabin. I locked the door and childishly hid in the corner, hoping he'd go away. A couple of light taps sounded on the door.

  "Mars? It's Jess. Please open up."

  He cautiously pushed the door open when I unlocked it, gathering me in his arms. My nose pressed his warm neck and the scent of his cologne, the same as Jordan's, filled my senses. Overwhelming guilt rushed me, acknowledging the crossroads I faced.

  We returned to the galley where Jesse managed to scrounge up some instant coffee that didn't taste half bad. The morning air held a slight chill and he draped his jacket over my bare shoulders when an involuntary shiver rolled over my arms. He pulled his receptor out of his pocket and I grabbed his arm.

  "No, please. Not yet."

  "You know Jordan probably has the FBI looking for you."

  A sudden thought popped in my head. "Why are you here and not Jordan?" The touch of anger surprised me. Jordan should be my hero, not Jesse.

  "Jordan saw you in your jogging suit on the security camera and figured you'd gone for a run. Nice pink floor by the way. He was in the shower when a call came regarding a possible stowaway on the yacht. When Jordan asked Meg if you'd returned yet, I put two-and-two together and figured you were the stowaway."