Free Jaded (WTF? Series Book 1) by Andrea Smith Page A

summer.”
    “Why?” I ask.
    “Well, school’s out in a couple of weeks, and he can use some help this summer with Scout. He’s gonna be working out of town off and on with some government project in Oklahoma. Something to do with oil drilling, I guess. Anyway, says he’ll pay you for helping out, and I know you’ve been talking about getting a car when you turn eighteen this fall.”
    I shrug. “What’d you tell him?”
    “Told him I’d ask you. I mean it’s fine with us if that’s what you want to do,” she says, knotting the thread as she finishes the mending.
    “I’ll think about it,” I reply, knowing that it’s probably the only means I’ll have of earning any money this summer, but still, I have to think about Todd. We’ve been going steady all school year and the thought of being away from him for nearly three months is something to consider.
    Part of me wonders if Gram hasn’t offered me up to Jesse. I know she worries that Todd and I will take things too far, though I’m not sure how that can happen what with the way she and Grandpa watch us like a hawk.
    “He’ll need to know soon,” she calls after me as I head out of the kitchen to my bedroom.
     
    My mind drifts back to the day Jesse said good-bye to me.
    The day he came here to pick up Scout.
    Scout was tickled to death to see him after being away all summer. She had asked about Mama and Jesse shook his head and said, “No word.”
    He sent her out to the car after she hugged and kissed us all good-bye. Jesse assured my grandparents they were always welcome, and that he’d bring Scout to visit when he could. Gram and Grandpa were pleased about that.
    “And you,” he said, crouching down to be eye level with me, my heart was hoping that the next words out of his mouth would be, “We want you to come with us if you have a mind to.”
    But those weren’t his words.
    “You behave your grandparents, and keep up with your good grades. You’re a smart girl, September. I know you’ll have a bright future. Now I’ll keep in touch to make sure you’re behaving, hear?”
    I nodded, hoping that I could hold back the tears that threatened to spill. Jesse acted as if he didn’t notice. “I have something for you,” he said, reaching into the pocket of his jeans.
    He handed me a small box. Inside was a heart-shaped locket on a gold chain. The locket was the kind that can hold a tiny picture. There wasn’t a picture in this one.
    “I reckon you’ll be breaking hearts soon enough. That locket is for you to put a picture of your true love inside, that way you’ll always have him close to your heart.”
    He hugged me, and I thanked him feeling like I’d never see him again. I waited until he and Scout where just a spec on the horizon before I went upstairs to my room and let the flood gates open.
     
    ♀ ♂ ♀ ♂ ♀ ♂ ♀ ♂ ♀
     
    Todd and I are parked off on a dirt road the following day. He brings me home from school, but Gram notices if I’m not home by a reasonable time once school is out. Today, we both skipped last period study hall. We do that occasionally. I forged a note from Gram saying I had a dentist appointment.
    We have the seats pushed as far back as they go in his old beater, a 1985 Mustang. My top is off, and he’s already felt me up good and sucked on my tits, left a couple of sucker bites there the way he likes to. I don’t know what that’s supposed to do for me, but whatever it is, I think it’s seriously over-rated.
    His hand dips down below the waistband of my jeans, his fingers traveling to no man’s land.
    “Todd,” I say, moving my lips from his, “Don’t.”
    “Why not?”
    “Because it doesn’t feel good, that’s why.”
    “But I just want to finger-fuck you, babe. There’s no danger in that now is there?”
    He presses his lips back to mine and his fingers reach my slit. He spreads my lips apart, and immediately tries to shove his middle finger up inside of me.
    Hard.
    “Shit,” I