Genesis Girl (Blank Slate #1) - Jennifer Bardsley Page 0,23

calls through the metal. “Can you forgive me?” When I don’t respond, he tries again. “I’ll give you my full attention today. I promise!” His voice is muffled by the lead-lined door.

I wait a full fifteen seconds. Then I slide the deadbolt, pull open the door, and find Seth holding yet another bouquet of white roses.

“No tech?” I take the flowers. “No Veritas Rex? No blogging? No texting? Just me?”

Seth nods. “Cross my heart. I promise.” His dark eyes implore me to believe him. Nobody has ever looked at me with such longing. Something inside me zings back in response.

“Blanca,” Seth says when I don’t move an inch. “I know we just met, and … I mean … I thought this would only be a hookup or whatever. But the more I get to know you, the more I really like you. You understand what this place means.” At this, Seth waves his arms around, indicating all McNeal Manor. “I haven’t talked about my mom—or my dad—in forever.”

I tilt my chin down and gaze up at him, like Ms. Corina taught me.

“Do you feel anything for me?” Seth asks. “Do you want to spend more time together, get to know one another?”

And I don’t. A Vestal could never want a Virus. That’s ridiculous.

I wasn’t raised to allow lust to affect my decision-making either. It doesn’t matter that Seth is swoon-worthy or that my breath catches when he’s near me. It doesn’t matter that something inside me wants to fix him. Get Seth help for his tech-addiction and show him a better way to live. Like he was my own personal reform project. He’s an ass!

I have to focus. I have to finish this. I have to forget whatever stupid thing I might do or feel if I’m not careful.

I need him to stay for dinner. To complete my mission.

So I say “Yes!” and leap into Seth’s arms, encircling my legs around his waist.

Seth barely closes the door behind him before he can’t manage anything else but me.

“What do you want to do today?” Seth asks me, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear. He looks out of place here on my bed, lying on top of the velvet coverlet. Like a giant smudge on something pure and holy. But I let him trace his hands down my back, and it feels good. It almost feels like they belong there.

“What do you want to do?” I ask, so he’ll think he’s making the decision.

“Besides this? Hmm … Maybe I want to teach you to ride my motorcycle. You seemed like you had a good time the other night.”

“I did,” I admit.

“So what do you say? Do you want to spend the day out in the sunshine?”

The sunshine? I’ve never done that before. Talk about reckless. I can only imagine what Headmaster Russell would do if he found out. But Cal wouldn’t mind. “Whatever it takes,” he said.

Then for some reason I bury my face into Seth’s neck. It feels good knowing that his arm is around me. It’s peaceful, like I’m safe and protected. I’m so confused. I almost wish I could be with Seth without trying to control him. But then I’d be powerless and ineffective. So I lead with an old standby.

Get someone to agree with you by starting with a “Yes-Yes.”

It’s one of Barbelo’s best techniques. Ask your target two questions you know they will say “yes” to, and then follow with what you really want.

“You want to teach me to ride?” I ask.

“Yes.” Seth kisses my neck.

“You want to spend all day with me?”

“Yes,” he says. “Of course.”

“Okay. Let’s do it. I’ll learn here on the estate and then you can stay for dinner.”

“What? Dinner? There’s no way I’m—”

“I thought you wanted to spend all day with me!”

“Yes, but I—”

“I can’t keep ditching your dad. If you want to see me, then you have to deal with him too. It won’t work otherwise.”

“But couldn’t we—”

“No,” I say. “We couldn’t. That would be pushing it.”

Seth rolls over on his back and blows out air. “Fine. It’s a deal.” Then he regards me slyly. “Make sure to wear leather.”

I’ve never been out on the grounds in daylight before. It’s hard to see in so much sunlight. I feel like my eyes are on fire. How do people deal with this? I guess I should have worn sunglasses.

Being outside also makes me feel super exposed. I know there’s a ten-foot wall around the perimeter of the estate, I know