Eliza Jane - In Too Deep

“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.  

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.

Her breath hitches and her big blue eyes meet mine, puzzled.

We catch our breath for a few moments, then repeat the move several times. On the third time through, Taylor has this down and we take a break to grab some water.

She sits on the gym floor, tilting her water bottle back, taking a long drink.

“You did well today.”

She looks down, toying with the hem of her shorts. “Thanks.”

“I think you’ll be more than ready for your next field assignment.”

She’s quiet like she’s thinking about what I just said. “You said that not all assignments were like our last one. How many field assignments have you been on?”

“Too many to count.” McAllister has been sending me out, mostly at my insistence, since I was a first year here. “I’ve been to Germany, Amsterdam, London, New York, and countless other places.”

She looks up at me in awe.

“And most times things are low key. In, out, job done. A few other times, though – like with Lars, shit goes awry.”

She gulps.

“But that’s why we train.”

She nods. “I guess that makes sense. Have you ever been hurt?”

“Of course.”

“What happened?” She draws her legs up to her chest and rests her chin on her knees.

“One time in Bangalore I got in a knife fight. I was unarmed, and had been up for two days straight plus jet legged, and um, a little drunk.”

“Drunk?”

“Yeah, stupid, I know, but I was more reckless in my younger years.”

Her eyebrows shoot up.

“Anyways, I survived.” I lift the edge of my T-shirt, pointing out the tiny white scar along my lower stomach.