Free Wreckless by Bria Quinlan Page B

darkness. “Your hair—it's somehow one of the rules, isn't it?”
    I hated to tell him he was right, but somehow along the line, my braid had become like hiding the red flag—if no one saw it, no one would see me. And if no one could see me…
    “Maybe.” I wasn't sure if I was answering him or me. Was it one of the rules?
    Maybe .

Chapter Seven

    “So Bridget, how are we going to do this?”
    I was a little nervous about what “this” was, but every time I tried to figure Jake out, I got him wrong.
    “Do what?”
    “The getting you back in your clothes part of the evening.” Who would have thought a guy could drawl about one thing and completely sound like he meant the opposite?
    I was beginning to realize that when my daddy had said guys had only one thing on their minds, Jake Moore was exactly who he had been talking about.
    “Same way I got out of them. You can go get yours, then turn around, and wait for me at the truck.”
    He looked at me, one of those looks people give you when what they really want to do is say, Are you sure?
    I wasn't.
    I didn't know if he was questioning the plan or my motives, but after a second he nodded and swam toward the shore. When his feet reached the ground he started out of the creek, first those shoulders broke the dark surface, then his back tapering down to his rear.
    In junior high, Bobby Nichols had gotten suspended for mooning the girls’ P.E. class. After we were all duly nauseated, the only person who’d gotten laughed at was Bobby Nichols.
    But watching Jake wade out of the water... If I'd known boys’ rear-ends looked like that, I might have been more likely to check out the Wrangler tags walking around school.
    “Are you peeking, Bridget?” My eye traveled to where Jake looked at me over his shoulder. I dove straight under the water, needing to cool my cheeks as much as to get away from that very knowing look.
    When I hit the air again, I had my back to the truck and wouldn't have turned around for any amount of money.
    “Don't panic,” Jake’s voice carried over the water.
    So, of course, I began to panic. I mean, those words don't exactly inspire calm. No one ever says, Don't panic, but I just saw the most beautiful butterfly resting on a flower.
    “What?”
    “I can't find a sock. I need to turn the truck lights on for a second.”
    Before I could reply, the smooth plane of the pond lit up, my head the only bump in its smooth, dark surface.
    It felt like the lights were on forever and I began to wonder if I'd walked into some sick, sad practical joke.
    First, we'll tell her parents she cheated on a test.
    Then, we'll let her catch her boyfriend and best friend together.
    And, for the grand finale, we'll get her alone in a secluded creek naked with no way home. We'll wait until she's out there by herself and then, BAM! Lights! Camera! Embarrassment!
    Please sign this waiver and initial these four lines to end up on MTV's next Your Life Stinks reality show.
    Just as my heart was starting to race beyond measure, the lights switched off.
    “Sorry.” Jake’s voice drifted to me from the darkness. “Give me a sec.”
    My eyes fell shut with a feeling of relief so tangible I wondered if that was what was warming my whole body. I gave myself one more lap across the creek and back, enjoying the water in a way I doubted I ever would again.
    “Okay. I'm dressed.” Jake stood at the edge of the water looking out at me. “Here’s what I'm wondering: do I get to peek, too?”
    I should have known. Embarrassment was bad enough. But turning the tables and using my curiosity wasn't fair. Especially considering that person had probably already peeked at enough girls to start a competitive cheer squad.
    “I don't think so.”
    “Now, darlin’, that's not really fair, is it?”
    I couldn’t care less if it was. I cared about not being naked in front of a guy…especially a guy who was probably an eighteen-point-five on a scale of one to ten. Me, I was