Twisted(33)
Screw it. Why should she hide herself when people weren’t paying attention to her anyway? She was just the girl who got to live with Gray the hottie.
“I went to see Krystal Sword once and he made out with a girl right on stage. Touched her boob and everything. I got so hot I did it with my boyfriend Craig the first time that night.”
Jazz’s eyes widened. “You’re not a virgin?”
“Nope, haven’t been for months. Are you?”
Jazz nodded. Despite what her mom and her caseworker had believed, she’d stayed out past curfew to go to clubs and hear live music most of the time, not run wild with boys. Guys had been involved a couple of times, and she’d definitely made it past second base and halfway to third, but no one had gone near what her mom used to call her “inner sanctum” yet. “Yeah.”
“You should do it with Gray.”
“What?” Jazz clapped her hand over her mouth to keep her laughter from spilling out. “He’s got…girlfriends.”
She couldn’t say he had one in particular, but even so, the idea was ludicrous. In spite of that weirdness with Brent at Thanksgiving a few weeks ago, she’d never believe for a second that Gray had feelings for her beyond friendship. He saw himself as her older brother, she was almost sure.
Thank God he never read her other notebook. The sexy one, where she did things with Gray in her songs that she’d never ever tell anyone.
“So?” Stacey nudged her arm. “You could be one of them too. Nothing wrong with hooking up with a guy. Then another guy. And another one.”
“Didn’t you just say you had a boyfriend?”
“Had. Now I’m checking out my options.” Stacey did a hip flex that made Jazz giggle again. “Hey, my friend Beth is having a party next Friday night. I’m positive Gray’s going. You should come too.”
“What about Toby?”
“He’ll be there too. Throw out a couple arrows. See which one hits.” Stacey grinned and grabbed her arm. “Come on, say you’ll come. It’ll be so much fun.”
“Okay, sure. But my curfew’s at ten. I gotta be home before then.”
“Absolutely,” Stacey said before bouncing up into a sitting position. “Let’s go raid your closet and find you something hot to wear.”
Jazz took a deep breath. She didn’t have to do anything crazy. It was just a party. Maybe she’d make some new friends, dance a lot, drink a little. But she wasn’t having sex with anyone.
Especially not Gray.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Now
Jazz faced her closet, hands on hips. “Fuck.”
How was she supposed to fit that many days’ worth of clothes into one suitcase? Essentials only. Pfft. They were going to a spa. That required fabulous outfits to go with her hair and makeup makeovers. Plus, she needed her gear. She couldn’t be ready for serious work without her stuff. This was technically a writing/bonding session, so she wouldn’t need her regular kit. She had a portable drum kit that she could use in a pinch, as well as her keyboard, but she’d have to bring both guitars since she couldn’t decide between Gray’s old Stratocaster or her newer Fender. She couldn’t write music without a guitar in her lap. Probably a holdover from her days spent in the Duffys’ basement with Gray.
Everything circled back to him eventually.
Before she could check the impulse, she called the one person who could understand her dilemma. The minute she heard Harper’s voice, she swore. “Oh fuck. I forgot you had to get Deak ready to go. Sorry, I’ll catch you later.”
“Hold it,” Harper commanded. “We can talk for a minute. He’s a grown man. He can get himself ready for his trip. It’s not like he’s going to war.” She gave an uncertain little laugh. “It’s only a week.”
“Ten days.”
“Hello, I’m trying to be chill. Don’t ruin it.”
Laughing, Jazz tugged her hot pink mini dress off the hanger and tossed it in the direction of her bed. “Shutting up now. Except I can’t, because I need your advice. Should I bring—”
“About freaking time. I’ve been waiting for you to go after Gray once and for all.”
“My navy halter—wait, what?”
“You heard me. If you’re asking me if you should go for it with Gray, the answer is hell yes. When is going to be a better time than right now?”
Jazz sank onto her bed. “Any time would be better, considering we’ve been banned from going near each other.”
“Say what?”
Jazz ran through Lila’s diatribe at the meeting and sighed. “I’d decided to do it finally last night, but he didn’t show up. Then we kissed and he ran off to bang some girl, except he didn’t, I don’t think, and oh God, pass the Excedrin. It’s so much frigging drama. I hate drama.” She flung herself backward on the bed and stared at the glow-in-the-dark star decals she’d affixed to her ceiling. “Maybe this thing with Lila is the best thing that could happen. Maybe I’m not supposed to throw myself at him.”