“You gotta hit this.” She holds out a silver flask.
“What’s in it?” I can’t believe everyone is blatantly drinking in front of Colt. But then again, I remember that he’s underage too and has a bottle of beer dangling from his hand. I sniff the flask. “It smells like puke.”
She grabs it and wipes the opening with the hem of her shirt. “Oh, that’s just because Sara puked and then took a swig.”
“I’ll pass.”
She shrugs. “Suit yourself.”
Colt laughs softly under his breath, watching MJ stalk away. “Everything turn out okay with your…female issues?” he asks once she’s gone.
“Oh, that. Yeah, it…turned out to be nothing. I guess I’m just overly cautious.”
He nods, smiling. “Nothing wrong with that. I appreciate a lady who takes care of things.” His eyes linger on me, giving me the urge to push my knees together. But I stand my ground. “Seriously, though,” he continues, looking more concerned than necessary. “I’m glad to hear everything’s okay.”
I laugh out loud, despite my best efforts at being polite. “Oh no.” I wag my finger at him. “You need not worry yourself over such matters.”
“Touché.” He tips his beer to me, then drains the rest of the bottle.
“You looked like you came over here with a purpose. Are we still on for defense lessons in the morning?” As much as I complain about him, I’d be crushed if Colt didn’t want to train me anymore. It’s a sick reaction that I don’t even want to examine.
“Of course.”
He turns to face me and I can’t help but allow myself to sneak a peek. His lean, toned abs and chest are quite simply edible. I can literally see each hard muscle on his body they are so well defined and his hair is a tousled mess. He looks like he could have rolled out of bed with that hair – and probably did. And I find myself wondering which girl he was with this time.
“I wanted to talk to you.” He smirks at my visual inspection, clearly loving the attention.
Crap. I pull my eyes back up to his and frown. I can’t regard him as coolly as I want when my eyes are glued to his bare chest. I turn away and look out across the barn. “About what?” I manage to sound uninterested and aloof. I mentally high-five myself.
“You,” he says with complete confidence.
I laugh. “I’m too smart to be seduced by you, Colt.”
“We’ll see.”
My stomach twists in a knot and I blush feverishly. Is he remembering that kiss like I am?
He chuckles, then steps into within my line of sight once again. “Do I make you nervous?”
I scoff. “No.” My body screams yes!
He chuckles again, clearly not believing me. I know the pulse jumping in my neck and my pink flushed cheeks are a dead giveaway. Stupid hormones.
I get the feeling we’re being watched and spot a few girls from across the barn eyeing me. They assess me with casual annoyance. When they whisper to one another, I can imagine they are wondering what he sees in me. I’m just as clueless. Everything about Colt draws attention, from his looks to his confidence, even the way he moves. Everything about me doesn’t.
I curl my hands into fists and turn to him, standing mere inches from his face. “I know it’s hard to believe –with your over inflated ego and all – but not every girl likes you, okay?”
He laughs again. “We’ll see.”
I roll my eyes. “Bye Colt.” I turn and walk away.
I make my way over to Logan and MJ, my heart still pounding in anger at Colt. My reactions to him are strange. I know I shouldn’t let him get to me like that, but I’m finding it increasingly difficult to be around him.
We watch the guys who are fighting tonight huddle in the corner. I turn to Logan. “You don’t participate?”
“Fuck that.” He rolls his eyes. “I don’t subscribe to their testosterone fueled display of masculinity. It’s like, boys, why don’t we just get out a ruler and see who’s the bigger man.”
I flush at his rant. “Oh-kay then.”
I sit down next to Logan and MJ on stacked hay bales that line the center of the barn, giving the fighters a wide berth. We watch the guys in the corner as the others take seats all around us. Colt stands over with the fighters. My stomach plummets.
“Colt’s fighting tonight?” I ask.
“He’s the main event.” MJ says.
Oh.
I watch Colt as he prepares for his fight, and allow myself a more thorough inspection of his body. Everyone’s eyeing the fighters, taking bets, talking about height differences, weight, so it’s only natural that I should inspect the goods too. In the moonlight streaming in through the slats in the barn, I admire his broad shoulders and sculpted pecs leading down to six-pack abs and lean hips. To put it mildly, he won the genetic lottery.
Pete, wearing his trademark cape once again, steps forward shushing the crowd. “Ladies and fuckwads, gather round.” He stands before us grinning. “We’ll have four rounds tonight, announced by the lovely Bria.”
Hoots and hollers from the guys erupt as Bria steps forward holding a cardboard sign that says Round 1 written in black marker. She’s in a denim skirt so short, I think I just caught a glimpse of her butt cheek, a skin-tight white tank and a straw cowgirl hat. She struts around in front of us, making sure everyone has seen both the sign, and everything she has to offer.
“Tonight’s match-ups will feature Dane versus…” Pete leans to the stocky guy next to him. “Paul.”
Our little crowd cheers for Dane, and the people from the karate school cheer on Paul.
Pete introduces the rest of the fighters, pairing up first and second years from Wilbrook against guys from the karate school.
Finally he ushers Colt forward. When I see his opponent, doubt rumbles through me. Colt will be fighting the biggest guy here. Jose. He looks to be in his early twenties, solid muscle and a mean glare on his face. My stomach twists with nerves. I’ve never sat and watched people fight for fun before. And suddenly I’m worried for Colt. I might have been nicer to him earlier if I knew he was fighting tonight.
Pete gives everyone a few more minutes. Money exchanges hands, bets are placed and alcohol continues to be distributed. I stay away from the puke-smelling flask, but do allow myself a few sips as various bottles are passed to try and ease my nerves.
Pete goes over the rules. The fight is over when someone taps out or passes out. My stomach clenches.
When the first match starts, people are on their feet, cheering and screaming. Dane and Paul circle each other at first, neither ready to make the first move. But then Paul lunges at him, knocking him to the ground where they wrestle, fists flying. This is nothing like our fights in our self-defense class. Blood and sweat drip from their bodies onto the straw floor.
Dane ends up tapping out when Paul bends his arm back at the shoulder.
Whoa, that was intense.
Drake, another first year fights next and also loses his match. But no one seems all that surprised that the first years lost. They’re not nearly as experienced as the guys from the karate school.
The next match up, with the second-year I don’t know named Matt is over quickly, and he’s the winner after a knock out, which is tough to watch.
There’s a fifteen minute break in the action before Colt’s fight – the main event. The twins in my grade who fought, Dane and Drake are bloody and bruised as they make their way over to sit near us, taking deep pulls from each bottle that’s passed.
Colt stands alone in the corner, his face is serious and his jaw set firm. His opponent paces on the other side of the barn. Jose is bigger, both in height and weight, but some still think Colt is unbeatable. Bets are being placed all around me, and I find myself more interested than I should be, on the edge of my seat waiting for the fight to start. I remember the way Colt efficiently handled Lars, choking him into unconsciousness and fight off a shiver that runs down my spine.
Bria struts in front of us with the Round 4 sign, wagging her hips and capturing the attention of every male in the place. She’s eating this up.
Pete thanks her and she finally ends her little show. People start chanting Colt’s name and he steps forward. Colt. Colt. Colt. I don’t join them, but I repeat it in my head.
Jose is grinning, standing solidly in the center of the ring. His size is intimidating and I’m suddenly worried for Colt. But I know he’s strong and fast. Still, I hold my breath in anticipation
Jose wastes no time, charging straight for Colt. He grabs Colt around the waist and hauls him back several steps. Colt twists his leg around Jose’s, forcing them to the ground. They roll together, tangled limbs, straw clinging to their sweaty skin as they struggle to free themselves.
Back on their feet, Jose lands a quick punch to Colt’s jaw. Colt steps back, wiping the blood from his lip with the back of his hand, a slight grin on his lips. It’s like the punch didn’t hurt, it only pissed him off.
Colt fakes left, then pops Jose in the nose. He’s got crazy quick reflexes. He hits Jose again with a right hook that sends him staggering back several steps.
His next punch sends Jose to his knees, but Colt doesn’t let up. He clocks him again, sending a spray of red blood flying from his mouth. Jose falls flat to the ground and stays there.
The place erupts in cheers. Jose rolls over but doesn’t get up. Colt helps Jose to his feet as the crowd begins chanting his name again. Pete tries to lift Colt’s fist over his head, declaring him the winner, but Colt shrugs out of his grasp, and heads for the door. He seems pissed despite his victory.
Now that the fights are over, people scatter. Logan seems quite taken with one of the karate guy’s younger brothers, and MJ says there’s a girl who wants to get a piercing like the one she had. “You’ll be cool, right?”
I can make my way back to the school alone. It’s a massive stone building lit up on a hill, no way I couldn’t find it. The opening in the fence might be more difficult to locate, but I wasn’t going to worry about that just yet.
“Yeah, go.” I smile. “Have fun.”
“Ciao,” she calls, and happily saunters off to a dark corner to swap body-piercing stories.
I step out in the night air, it’s warm and lit brightly by a nearly full moon. I’m in no hurry to head back yet. My head is still swimming with mixed emotions.
I cross the grassy field, weaving around behind the barn to another smaller barn. I stop suddenly, realizing I’m not alone.
He’s sitting on the ground, leaned up against the side of the building, his head hung between his knees.
His head jerks up. It’s Colt.
“Oh sorry, I didn’t know anyone was out here.” I feel like I’ve interrupted something private, but I’m not sure what.
“The schools that way.” He tips his chin in the direction of the school, not bothering to make eye contact.
“Thanks for the tip,” I say sarcastically, turning to leave.
“Taylor? Hey, wait up.” He stands and comes closer.
I spin to face him, wondering what derogatory comment he’s got in store for me now.
He holds up his hands in surrender. “I was dick earlier. I’m sorry.”
I raise my eyebrows. How much did I have to drink? I must be imagining Colt’s apology.
He takes a step closer. “Forgive me?”
I nod, involuntarily.
We watch each other for few seconds in silence. The night air rustles the loose strands of hair against my neck. In the moonlight, I can see his lip is busted. “You’re bleeding.”
“No shit. I was just in a fight.” He wipes away a smear of red, which looks darker in the moonlight.
“I know, I saw it.”
“You watched?”
I nod. Of course I watched. I don’t point out that the entire school was there.
He takes a healthy swig of the amber-colored liquor, wincing as he wipes his mouth. “Fuck. That burns.”
“Sorry if I don’t have a lot of sympathy for you right now. You chose to get in that ring tonight.”
“Yeah,” he scoffs. “And what do you think they’d say if I didn’t?”
I study him for a second. I’d never considered that. He’s the martial arts instructor. Of course he had to fight at these stupid events – whether he wanted to or not. “Let me see.” I close the distance between us, and reach up, tilting his chin to get a better look. “That looks painful.”
“Nothing a little alcohol won’t fix. I’ve had much worse, trust me.” His tongue finds the cut and he winces just a bit.
I remember the soft way he took care of me when I was hurt. “Oh, quit with the tough guy act.” I take his hand. It’s big and rough with calluses and I can’t help but notice the contrast with mine. “Come with me. You need peroxide.”
He drops my hand and disappointment surges through me. “Hang on.” He goes back to where he was sitting and picks up his discarded T-shirt. He throws the shirt on over his head, disheveling his hair so it’s sticking up in all directions.
I stifle a laugh.
“What?”
I shake my head, wiping the smile from my face. How is it possible for his hair to be so messy, yet look so good?
“Want some?” He offers me the bottle.
I take it, and take a deep swig, long past thinking of him as a teacher.
Chapter 24
We take our time walking back to the school, drinking and stumbling and making small talk. She’s funny when she’s been drinking, and just as sassy as ever. This girl is keeping me on my toes. I can’t tell what she thinks of me. Her eyes say one thing, but her mouth says another.
When Taylor falters, stumbling in the grass, I allow myself to reach out and touch her, as I’ve been desperate to do since our kiss. I hold her upright, her back pressing against my chest. “You okay?” I breathe against her hair.
“Sorry,” she says, catching her breath. “My legs aren’t working so well right now.”
“It’s cool.” I release her, and turn her toward me. I fight the urge to pull her closer. “We can hang out here for a little while if you want.” She nods and we sit down in the grass, tilting our heads back to look up at the stars. There are a million of them tonight and the nearly full moon gives us enough light to see by.
When Taylor lies back in the tall grass, she’s partially obscured from my view, which I don’t like, but I lie back next to her. “Would you think less of me if I tell you something right now?” I say, teasing.
“I couldn’t possibly think any less of you then I already do, so go for it.”
I laugh softly even though her assessment of me stings a little. “My lip hurts like a bitch.”
She laughs out loud. “Lemme see.” She lifts up on her elbow and leans over me.
Her face is serious as she looks down at me. She watches my eyes intently, but I focus on her mouth. She brings her hand to my face like she wants to reach out and touch my split lip, but stops herself and drops her hand. I don’t know why she’s so scared to feel anything with me. I can tell by the way she’s looking at me that she’s interested, but I can also tell she’ll never let herself act on it. But I guess if I’m admitting the truth, she scares the shit out of me. I find myself hesitating where I’m normally sure and questioning what to when I’m around her.
But she’s still leaning over me, studying me. So I haven’t completely scared her off. Yet. I lift my hand to her face, trailing my fingers along her jaw. She flinches at my touch, but doesn’t back away. Maybe she’s not as shy as I’ve thought. Our eyes stay locked on each other’s as the seconds tick past. Her face hovers just inches above mine. I want to kiss her again. Bad.
A lock of her hair falls over my cheek, but neither of us moves. She smells enticing and I can’t help but lean closer. She tucks a strand of loose hair behind her ear.
Unable to stop myself, I move my hand to her full mouth to touch those pretty pink lips I’ve been thinking about since last weekend. I trace a fingertip along her mouth, wanting to do so much more.
She sucks in a breath, and pulls away.
Fuck. Too much.
“Sorry,” I whisper hoarsely.
“We should get back,” she says, her voice just as breathless as mine.
I nod. “Yeah.” I need to get out of here. Now. Before I go all caveman and drag her back to my room to satisfy every primal urge she arouses in me.
I walk her inside, all the way upstairs to the girl’s dorm in silence. She grips the banister, and navigates the stairs carefully. She may have had more to drink than I realized. I hang back behind her on the stairs, my hand at the small of her back, ready to catch her if she stumbles.
When we reach the door to the dorm, she steps inside, then stops, realizing I’m no longer following her. If I go into that dorm, she’d stand no chance. I want to taste her lips, to press her soft body against mine, and knowing that I can’t, I stand stiffly by the door.
Chapter 25
Colt’s stopped on the threshold of my dorm, holding himself back intentionally from crossing through the door. I turn to face him. He takes a deep breath, then stretches up, placing his hands on the top of the door frame.
His shirt inches up to expose a patch of skin along with the waistband of his boxer briefs. It is so not fair that the image will be seared into my memory like it’s Christmas morning and he’s a present to be unwrapped.
I need to play it cool. I desperately need to keep my libido in check. Colt is not good for me. I must remember that.
I allow my eyes to briefly travel down his stretched out frame, until I force them to return to his face. He doesn’t let on if he knows I was ogling him like a piece of meat, but his gaze is fixed on me too. He releases a breath slowly, like he’s frustrated about something.
“So you wanna come in?” That is so the alcohol talking.
He peers around me, looking inside, leaning his body closer to mine, though his hands are still gripping the top of the door frame. It’s clear by the silent, darkened dorm that we’re completely alone. My heart thumps unevenly. Even though we’ve already spent time alone on assignment at the hotel, for some reason, this feels different. Like instead of being thrust together, we’re choosing it.
He drops his hands by his sides, then stuffs them in his pockets like he’s unsure what to do with them. “I better not,” he says after a moment of silence.
“I could find some peroxide for your lip.”
He laughs, a deep throaty sound that I can’t help but notice has a bit of an edge to it. He shoves his hands deeper into his pockets, his forearms flexing as he tenses. “I shouldn’t be in here…underage girls…after dark…none of it’s good for me.”
Despite what my brain is telling me, my body has its own agenda. The way my pulse spikes anytime he’s near and my eyes only see his perfection. It’s sorta infuriating. I vowed I’d never put myself in a position to be used by a guy again, and I intend to keep that promise. But in this moment, instead of modesty, self-preservation or general disgust over his man-whoring, my entire body is humming. Damn it.
I know everything MJ and Logan have said about Colt’s reputation is true. I’d heard of at least two girls who’d celebrated their eighteenth birthdays in his bed. And some of it I’ve now seen with my own eyes. It should gross me out, but I can’t make myself feel the way I should about him.
I’m tempted to blurt out that my birthday is only three months away, but I hold my tongue. Oh God. What’s wrong with me? “I don’t bite,” I say, teasing him right back.
He leans in closer, his voice low. “No?” He looks me over and leans in even closer. “What if I do?”
My stomach drops. His dark eyes on me are too much, and for once I’m at a total and complete loss for words. It’s a strange new sensation to realize that I’m off limits to him, just as much as he is to me, though only a year and a handful of months separate us.
“Thanks for walking me back.” I refuse to play this game his way and throw myself at him like he expects. I turn and head into the darkened dorm, feeling his eyes on my back as I go. There’s no reason why I can’t make him suffer. It’d certainly be a confidence boost to have him salivating over me, only to turn him down. Game on, Mr. Palmer, game on.
***
When I head to Independent Study, I spot an envelope that’s been left for me at the desk. The typed letter inside tells me my next assignment. I scan the contents and quickly decide McAllister has lost his mind. I don’t know if this assignment is punishment for how I performed on the last one, but either way, I’m annoyed.
I reach for my cell and call McAllister in his office.
He picks up on the first ring.
“Before I agree to this assignment, I need to know more. I need to know it’s not going to end up like the last one – or worse.”
“Hello Taylor. There will be no field work this time, if that’s what you’re asking. The Alliance case involves re-programming the system that guides many of the big tanker ships out on the water today. I want you to see if it’s possible to interfere with the signal and send the ship on a different course.”
“And why would you want to do that? What’s the point?” I promised myself I’d only do these assignments if I felt like I was actually helping put bad guys away.
“As you remember, I’ve given you a full scholarship and kept your secret. You are a student of mine, and therefore, I am testing your skills, exploring what you’re capable of – finding out the ways I’ll be able to use you. And since we both know your first field assignment was a failed one, you’re lucky I’m giving you a second chance at all.”
I swallow down what I really want to say. “And why are we playing with ships?”
“Taylor, do I need to remind you that I’m in charge here, and I don’t answer to my students?”
We’re both quiet for a second, but I can still hear him breathing.
Then he continues. “We’re testing the security. Seeing if it’s hackable. Consider it research for my own personal interest.”
I’m quiet while I consider what he means.
“Either do the assignment, or leave. Your choice.”
He hangs up the phone. I read over the letter in the envelope again. It has the name of a ship. I type it into a search engine, and see it’s a commercial oil tanker sailing in the Atlantic. I run a few searches, trying to find out what might be interesting to McAllister about this ship. I’m stumped. But not finding anything suspicious, I don’t think it’s enough to give up my scholarship, go home and face my parents and Wes.
I lay my head down on the desk in front of me.
“Did I wear you out earlier?”
I look up to see Colt strolling in and raise an eyebrow at his innuendo-filled remark. His defense lesson that morning had been…intense, like most of my encounters with him, but he didn’t need to know that. “No. I’m just trying to figure out what to do about this next assignment McAllister’s given me.”
He slides down next to me. “Mind if I join you?”
“Suit yourself.”
He begins tapping on the keys at the computer next to me. “Do you want to talk about it?”
“With you?” I look at him like he’s crazy. I didn’t take him for being a good listener.
“Yes with me. I’m not diseased.”
“Not that you know of.” I smile. “Yet.”
He laughs a deep throaty laugh, shaking his head at me. “Trust me, I’m disease-free.”
I don’t know what to make of this boy. All at once, he’s charming, polite, stubborn and bad, oh so bad. The effect is sexy as hell. It’s exhausting trying to keep up with the emotions he inflicts in me.
Just as I regain my focus and continue working to research the systems used on board the Alliance ship, a soft knock at the open door catches my attention.
There’s a girl – a second year named Britt leaning against the door frame, her eyes on Colt. “Hey there,” her voice is low, breathless.
Colt’s eyebrows dart up, looking from Britt, back to me. I make myself busy, and begin tapping at the keys again, trying to hide my annoyance.
“Hey,” Colt returns.
“Wanna come play?” Britt asks in a sultry, low voice.
Oh. My. God.
It’s one thing to know this crap happens, but to watch it unfold, right under my nose is more than I can handle. A few times since my trip with Colt, I’ve made the mistake of allowing myself to remember how soft he was with me when I was hurt, the way he fed me, that kiss that left my entire body hot, and wanting more. But I know I’d be fooling myself if I thought that meant there was something between us.
Colt looks again between Britt and me, but I keep my eyes on my computer screen. “Sorry, I’m hanging out with Taylor right now,” he says.
Wait. What?
That’s not at all how I expected this little play date to go. I dare a glance at Britt. Her face is pinched tight like someone just slapped her.
Colt continues, oblivious to the anger rolling off her in waves, being directed straight at me. “You’ve met Taylor, right?”
Britt gives me a fake smile. “Hi.”
I keep my face relaxed. “Hey.”
“Well if you get bored later, you know where to find me,” Britt says, then turns to leave, clearly hurt at his unexpected rejection.
I sneak a glance at Colt. “You didn’t have to do that.”
He smiles innocently. “I know.”
I raise my eyebrows. “Then why didn’t you go with her?”
“I don’t know. I’d rather be here, I guess.” He runs one finger over his lips like he’s deep in thought.
“Why?” I question.
He lets out a throaty laugh, tipping his head back. “You’re not like other girls. You’re fascinating to me.”
“What, like a science experiment?”
“No.” He laughs. “I mean you call me out all the time, and tell it like it is. It’s actually kind of refreshing.”
“Gotcha.” I turn back to my assignment. Why am I suddenly annoyed Colt likes me for my personality? “Well you’re welcome to stay, but just so you know, you don’t have to feel bad about going off with Britt, or whoever comes calling next.”
“Deal,” Colt says, flashing me his brilliant smile while his eyes dance with mischief.
Oh man, I am in so much trouble.
Chapter 26
I’m hoping not to embarrass myself in training this morning with Taylor, but when she strolls into the classroom wearing a tank top and tiny black shorts, all bets are off.
Today I’m showing her some moves standing up, so it should help that she won’t be straddling me. My mind drifts at the thought…
“Colt?” Taylor’s voice draws me back.
I clear my throat, blinking the thought away. “Ready?”
She nods eagerly.
“Come here. I’m going to teach you how to get out of a choke hold.” As she walks over, I get a whiff of her sweet vanilla scent. It puts all my senses on high alert.
I secure her in a choke hold with her back against the wall and shudder remembering the way Lars gripped her neck. I step in close to her, shielding her with my body. “Try to free yourself.”
She grips my arms and pulls against them. But my hands don’t budge from her neck.
“Okay, you’ve made your point.” She blows a strand of hair from her face. “So how do I get out?”
I smile. “If the person is much stronger than you, you’re not going to be able to break the hold. And you’ll only have a few brief seconds before you pass out. So here’s what you do. Put your hands together like you’re praying.”
She does, pressing her palms together in front of her.
“Good. Now bring your hands up in between my arms.”
She wedges her hands between us.
“Now grab my head.”
She lifts an eyebrow, giving me a strange look, but after a second, rests her hands on either side of my face. We’re locked together, my hands still firmly around her neck, and now her hands hold my head in place.
“Stab your thumbs straight into my eyes.”
She places her thumbs over my eyes.
“You’ll drive them in, pushing me away and freeing yourself from the wall.”
She pushes against me, thrusting my head back from her.
“Excellent. Finish with a knee to the groin and then run.”
She swiftly brings her knee up between my thighs. Holy shit! I dodge the blow in time and catch her knee, gripping it between my hands.
“Let’s be careful with that.”
She smiles wickedly.
Is she teasing me? Her bare knee is soft and smooth, her skin is incredible. I carefully lower her leg to the ground. “Behave.”
She smirks.
I glide my hand slowly up the length of her leg before fully standing, only dropping it when my fingers reach the hem of her shorts.
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