“Don’t be too sure.” I set my tray down, and Mateo followed suit. His agents split off and stood on either side of the table with their backs to the wall. “This is Mateo, everyone. Mateo, this is my roommate, Mackenzie. And Kaylee and Emma are freshman swimmers, too.”
“Hey.” His shy smile made my heart melt.
Emma’s eyes rounded as we sat. “What’s it like for your dad to be president?”
“Emma!” Kaylee scowled at her. “I’m sure everyone asks him that. Come up with something original.”
I watched Mateo look down at a device in his hand, held under the table, and realized he was doing something to his insulin pump. I averted my eyes to give him some privacy.
“I bet it sucks to be protected by Secret Service all the time,” I mused.
He put the device back in his pocket.
“Right, Teo?”
He looked up. “Totally.”
I, however, didn’t mind them at all. I could let my guard down when the agents guarded Mateo and me.
“The blond one can protect me anytime,” Mackenzie said.
Mateo laughed and held up his finger. “Now that was an original comment.”
I dug into my pasta as he took a bite of pizza.
“Not bad.” He chewed. “Mackenzie.” He cocked his head toward her. “I hear you’re from Australia.”
She nodded.
“What city?”
“Melbourne.”
I watched her beam and realized I’d never bothered to ask her that. I’d been too wrapped up in my selfish PTSD quagmire to get to know my roommate. I vowed to do better.
“So, I saw your posters,” he told her.
“He was in our room?” Her mouth popped open. “You’ve been holding out on me, roomie.” She returned her attention to Mateo. “Why were you there?”
We shared an uncomfortable look, and I licked my lip.
“My agents wanted to check on Jess,” Mateo said. “Her family’s been getting threats.”
I let out a breath. I’d forgotten the cover story for a second.
“Is your family okay?” Emma asked me.
The concern in her eyes sent a stab of guilt through my chest. “Yeah, we’ll be fine.”
“Who’s your favorite football player?” Mateo asked Mackenzie. “I mean, all of ’em are hideous looking, so I hope at least one plays well.”
She shoved his shoulder, which made Johnny step closer. “Pig’s arse! David Zaharakis from Essendon is the bloody best.”
“Good to know.”
Kaylee spoke up. “Hey, why’s your dad so war-hungry? He’s gonna get people killed by declaring war on ISIS.”
Wow. I hadn’t known she cared about politics.
Mateo set down his pizza slice. “I think Congress is the one that declares war.”
“But your dad pushed for it. He’s dead wrong.”
He shrugged. “You’re entitled to your opinion. It’s a free country.” He turned to Mackenzie. “So what makes this Zaharakis guy so great?”
Kaylee’s nose wrinkled as Mateo turned his full attention to Mackenzie. The way her mouth hung open after Mateo failed to take her bait wasn’t flattering, and I held up a napkin to hide my smile. Dane had told me Alejandro was even more strident than Lucia in defending conservative beliefs, but evidently Mateo didn’t follow in their footsteps. I was glad about that. Swimming and school kept me too busy to care much about politics, so if Mateo sought a debate partner, he’d find me lacking.
I’d polished off my pasta and was halfway through my salad when Mateo said, “What do you swim, Emma?”
“Backstroke.” She grinned. “And IM.” Her grin faded. “I’m not as fast as Jessica, of course.”
“Well, who is?” The gleam in his eye put my heart in a tizzy.
“Right?” Emma said. “She had the fastest two hundred IM time in the nation last year.”
Mateo turned to look at me. “Seriously? You didn’t tell me that.”
“Just in high school.” I felt my face flush. “There are faster American swimmers, especially in long course.”
“What’s long course?” he asked.
Kaylee set down her fork with a clang. “You don’t know?”
Mateo looked at me with uncertain eyes.
“How would he know that, boofhead?” Mackenzie scowled at Kaylee. “He’s not a swimmer. His sister’s an ace volleyball player, though. Bet he knows heaps about volleyball.”
“Yeah,” I said, proud my roommate was defending Mateo. “Like shagging balls.” Mateo’s eyes widened as he looked at me again. “Do you know what it means to shag balls, Kaylee?”
My blond teammate shook her head as Emma giggled.
“Teo?” I looked back at him. “Will you educate us?”
He placed his hands in his lap. “Put the balls back in the basket at the end of practice.”
“Bloody Yanks,” Mackenzie muttered. “That’s not what it means at all.”
Mateo and I grinned at each other. I realized nobody had answered his question.
“By the way, long course is a fifty-meter pool—the distance they swim at the Olympics. In college, we swim short course, or twenty-five yards. Lots of flip-turns.”
He nodded.
I watched Johnny step forward to intercept two male students who approached.
“Yo, Mateo!” A guy in a blue jacket poked around Johnny so Mateo could see him wave.
Johnny pushed them away from the table.
“We just want to say hi,” the short guy huffed. “We’re with the College Republicans.”
“Really?” Kaylee made a face. “They exist?”
Karen spoke to Johnny. He looked back at us with a frown, but moved aside so we could see the students. “Stay back here,” he ordered.
“Hey.” Blue Jacket waved at Mateo. “We’re with the Highbanks University Republicans. It’d be so rad if you joined us. Will you come to our meetings?”
“Um…” His nervous eyes darted toward me, as if I could help him with this.
“H-U-G-O-P dot com,” the short guy said. “Check us out.”
Mateo still didn’t answer.
“Sorry, gentleman,” Karen said. “Mr. Ramirez can’t attend meetings due to security protocol.”
Blue Jacket’s head drooped.
But Short Guy perked up as he stared at Mateo. “Dude, your dad rocks.”
“Uh, thanks?” Mateo looked at me again, and I grinned.
“Takin’ it to ISIS, man!” Blue Jacket thumped his chest twice, and I read the saying on his shirt: Turning ISIS into WASWAS. He then jabbed two fingers in a peace sign like he was channeling his inner rapper.
Celebrating war while showing the peace sign? I scratched my head. Dane would have a lot to say to this guy.
“Good to meet you guys,” Mateo said before Johnny shooed them away. He took a bite of pizza as I drained my lemonade.
Emma leaned in. “Do you have to deal with that all the time?”
“Not really.” Mateo shrugged. “The students in my classes don’t really notice my agents anymore. And the media’s stayed away for the most part.”
“Yeaahhh.” Karen came up to the table and winced. “Not so much.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“The backup team’s on their way, and campus police is outside,” Karen said.
I sat up straighter as silence blanketed our table.
“They’re keeping all the reporters from crashing the dining hall.”
Mateo watched my reaction as he asked, “Reporters?”
“Seems you two are all the rage on social media,” Johnny said.
Kaylee thrust her phone in my face. “Oh my God! There’s a picture of you.” She stole her phone back and read, “Love at first bite.” She rolled her eyes. “Mateo Ramirez joins Jessica Monroe at campus dining hall.”
“Is this Dane and Lucia part dos?” Emma piped in, also reading from her phone. “Ducia fans, make way for Jessteo.”
Mateo groaned as he looked at me. “Sorry, I didn’t mean—”
“It’s okay.” I patted his arm. “Not your fault.”
Mackenzie said, “At least Jessteo’s better than Massica.”
With her accent, the word sounded like massacre. I laughed as Mateo shook his head.
“Must be a slow news day,” Karen said. “Listen, our vehicle’s still at the pool. Want to wait for me to grab it or take a police escort to your dorm?”
I asked, “Why don’t I just walk back to the dorm alone?”
“They’re gonna hound you,” Mateo said.
I considered that, and agreed with him. “Then why can’t we walk?”
Johnny frowned. “Too many reporters—they could follow us. Wouldn’t be safe. Don’t you remember protocol, Miss Monroe?”
I should’ve recalled all of the security rigmarole since it had only been two years. But I’d get a refresher course if I kept hanging out with Mateo. I thought about him holding me and being there every practice, and I knew he was worth it.
“Are you finished?” he asked, gesturing to my tray.
“Yeah, but you still have some pizza left.”
“Nothing ruins your appetite like paparazzi.” He looked at Johnny. “How about the police option? It’ll get us there fastest.”
As Johnny spoke into his comm-link, the thrill of evading the media pulsed through my bloodstream. The back entrances, Secret Service whispers, and goading questions of my mother’s presidential run came back to me. My heartbeat kicked up as Mateo touched my arm.
“You ready?”
I nodded.
We were about to stand when Mackenzie grasped my wrist. “This means you’re no longer with Blake, right?”
I flinched and ripped my arm away from her. Where the fuck did that question come from? Blood rushed in my ears, and I fought for air.
“You okay?”
Mackenzie’s voice sounded far off.
“Did I say something wrong?” she added.
A flash of blue eyes feasting on me. “Get wet for me, baby.” My skin tingled, and my hands shook.
“Jessica.” Mateo’s voice, low and calm, was in my ear. “Can I hold your hand?”
I blinked, then nodded. His warm fingers entwined with mine.
“Do you think you’re having a flashback?” he whispered.
I stilled and closed my eyes. “I-I don’t know. Maybe.”
“What do you hear?”
The pounding reverberated in my chest. “My heart.”
“Good. Are you breathing?”
No. My shoulders had almost reached my ears, and I lowered them as I exhaled.
“What do you smell?”
My nosed wrinkled. “Gross food.”
He chuckled. “Sí, I think you called it ‘substandard.’ What else do you smell?”
“Something woodsy. Maybe your cologne?”
His hand tensed. “Do you like it?”
I breathed in his scent and nodded. Very much. When I opened my eyes, he was smiling at me. I squeezed his hand and tried to smile back. Then I looked at my teammates, who gawked at me. Scanning the dining hall revealed that most of my fellow Cougars were also staring, looking ready to pounce. A few tables away, every student sitting there had their cell phone cameras trained on Mateo sitting so close to me. But he didn’t pull away.
“How ’bout we blow this joint?”
I nodded. “Yes.”
Mackenzie asked, “Are you okay?”
“Yeah. Sorry. I’m good.” I tried to look normal.
She didn’t exactly seem convinced, but she didn’t ask me anything else.
Somebody had bussed our trays, so I let go of Mateo’s hand and reached for my backpack.
“Want me to carry that for you?” he asked.
I noted his backpack strap on his shoulder. “But you have one, already.”
“Got two shoulders.” He pointed to illustrate.
Johnny frowned at Mateo as he extended his arm. “I’ll take that for you, Miss Monroe.”
“Right.” Mateo grimaced.
What is going on? “Guys, I got it. I think I can carry my own backpack. Jeez.” I forced a smile at my teammates. “See ya in the morning.”
“Bye,” Emma said.
Karen led the way. Mateo’s hand drifted toward me, then he stole it back. He fidgeted with his backpack as he looked toward the exit.
Johnny cleared his throat, indicating we needed to get a move on.
I realized why Mateo was suddenly aloof: he didn’t want to breach my privacy any more than he already had. He didn’t want it to seem like we were a couple if I wasn’t ready for it. Screw it. What difference would it make if there were a few hundred more photos of us together? When I reached for his hand, he gave it to me quickly. We walked out together, our heads held high.
He whispered, “Sorry ’bout that. My backpack’s bulletproof, so Johnny makes me wear it over both shoulders.”
Whoa.
Flashing cameras and shouted questions assaulted us as we jogged to a waiting police SUV.
“Mateo! Are you and Jessica together?”
“What do Dane and Lucia think of your relationship?”
“Will you have a double wedding with Dane and Lucia?”
That one got us laughing as we reached the vehicle. Johnny sat next to the campus police officer in the front seat while Mateo, Karen, and I hustled into the back.
The officer pulled away. As the reporters’ chatter faded in the distance, he glanced at Johnny. “What took so long? We were ready to go five minutes ago.”
My face burned as I looked at my lap. I freaked out, and Mateo had to talk me down.
When Mateo squeezed my hand, I realized he was still holding it. “Thanks for driving us,” he told the officer.
“My pleasure, Mr. Ramirez. I’m Officer Whitworth, if you need anything.”
“Thank you, sir.”
I looked at him from the corner of my eye and smirked.
He knocked my hand into my thigh and whispered, “What?”
I whispered back, “You gonna salute him, too?”
His eyes narrowed. “At least I don’t have parsley in my teeth.”
I gasped and fumbled for my phone in my pocket. When I bared my teeth for the camera and found no sign of green, I glared at him.
“You totally fell for it,” he cackled.
We arrived at Canfield Hall, and I bounded out of the car. Fortunately the media hadn’t figured out where I lived yet, but they probably would soon. Mateo jogged up next to me, with Karen on his heels. Johnny stayed back at the police car, conferring with the officer.
When I unlocked the door to my room, I looked at Mateo. “Okay, um…”
“Have a good night.” He backed up a step but held my gaze.
His eyes seemed soulful, like he felt ten different emotions at once. Did he see me as damaged? Did he pity me? Did hanging out with me make him happy? Did he want to kiss me?
“Want to come in?”
“Yeah.”
We left Karen in the hallway and set our backpacks down. I touched the thick fabric of his and hoped he wouldn’t ever need its protection from a bullet. My fist clenched as my chest tightened.
“Will Mackenzie be home soon?” he asked.
“Maybe.” I cleared lotion, deodorant, and makeup from the dresser and shoved them into a drawer. Keeping my back to Mateo, I swallowed, then sighed. “Sorry I had a meltdown back there.”
He came up behind me. “You did great. But why on Earth did your roommate bring up his name?”
“I had the same question.” I shook my head as I turned to face him. “I haven’t told her what he did to me, though, so it’s my fault.”
He inched closer. “It’d be tough to tell anyone, I bet.”
I was so relieved I hadn’t had to tell him. Maybe Mackenzie would figure it out on her own, too. He sure seemed to know how to help me through my worst moments.
“Did Dane…” I blew out
a breath. “Did he tell you what to say to me if I started panicking?”
He nodded.
“Thank you.”
“De nada.”
“It wasn’t nothing. It meant a lot.” I twisted my hands together. “One stupid question from Mackenzie and I go psycho.” A guttural sound escaped my throat. “I wish it was over with. I wish I didn’t have to think about what happened.”
“Me, too.” After a beat, he added, “Dane told me you’re not reporting it?”
I chewed my lip. “Do you think…that’s bad?”
“I think it’s your decision.”
“You didn’t answer my question.”
Mateo sighed. “Do I want to see the douchebag fry for what he did? Of course I do. But mostly I want you to get your life back. If reporting helps you move on, maybe you should.”
“I’m not sure it would help me move on.” My throat constricted.
It was quiet between us. Mateo came closer and curled my fingers in his. Those dark eyes watched me as his thumb caressed my knuckles. “Well, I hope you get your act together, at least by the time we have our double wedding.”
Just like that, I giggled. I wrapped my arms around his waist and pressed into him, so grateful for his presence in my life. It took a moment before his arms enveloped my back. But when he tucked me closer, I melted into him. I rested my cheek on his collarbone and drank in his soothing scent.
I wasn’t sure how long we hugged, but at some point I decided he probably needed to get back to his life instead of focusing so much on mine.
“I should let you go.” I stepped back. He gazed at me like he was checking my mental stability. “You need to rent your tux, and I haven’t even started looking for a wedding dress.”
His eyes flashed surprise a second before he unleashed a huge grin. “Maybe if Dane’s not ready for a double wedding, he could be our flower girl instead?”
“Ha, ha, ha!” I shuddered at the image of Dane tossing flowers out of a basket as he crutched down the aisle.
His grin faded as he studied me. “So you’ll be okay, then?”
I nodded. “Good luck at band rehearsal on Saturday.”
His eyes smoldered, and he brushed his fingers down my cheek. I leaned into his gentle touch. We held there for a minute before he grabbed his backpack.
Once he left, I turned around and pressed my back against the door. My heart rate shot up, but it wasn’t from fear. It was excitement. It was being near Mateo.
Spiked (Blocked Book 3) Page 20