“Love your shirt,” Elyse told me. Thankfully she’d leaned in to shout in my ear so I could hear her over the pounding bass.
I was glad I’d stuck with sequins despite Dane’s arched eyebrows when I’d met him for dinner. His only advice: “Don’t drink too much.”
“Yours, too!” I yelled back.
Elyse’s crimson cap-sleeve top complimented her long vampire-black hair and dark-framed glasses. We both wore jeans. Her high heels brought her almost to my height.
“Want a beer?” she asked.
I nodded. I despised the taste of beer, but tonight was a chance to whip my taste buds into shape. When she left, I felt self-conscious, standing by the wall alone. A cute blond guy had captured Mackenzie’s attention, and I hadn’t met anyone else yet. I tried to fade into the woodwork, which was hard to do as a six-footer.
“Hey, beautiful.”
I turned toward the deep voice, and my breath caught in my throat. He towered over me, his gaze pinning me to the wall. He’d gelled his short brown hair into a peak over the middle of his forehead.
“Um, hi,” I said.
His smile revealed perfect, white teeth. “About time you got here. The girls’ team needs a fast breaststroker.” His eyes flicked down to my chest.
My heart revved—he knew who I was. “You’re a swimmer, too?”
“Of course. This is my house.” He opened his arms, and I noticed a crack in the plaster behind the beat-up, striped sofa. “Instant swimmer, just add water.”
I grinned. “What do you swim?”
“I’m a sprinter.”
I should’ve figured that. Sprint freestylers tended to be tall. And cocky.
Elyse sidled up to me and thrust a can of beer into my grasp. “I see you’ve met Blake.” Her voice dripped with disgust, but he didn’t stop smiling.
“How was your summer, Lyse?”
“Fine.” She gave him a tight smile.
I took a swig of beer and couldn’t hide my shudder.
Blake’s chuckle was low and deep, resonating in my toes. “Not a fan of the brewsky?”
“It’s great,” I lied.
Elyse latched onto my elbow. “I want you to meet Hailey.”
Blake shook his head as he smirked. “Catch you later, Jess.”
I allowed Elyse to lead me away, but I knew I wanted to talk to him again. My spine tingled, and when I looked back, his eyes still tracked me. Woo! Eye candy sugar rush.
“Elyse!” a girl shouted, then grabbed her for a hug.
A little while later I was chatting with a couple of juniors on my new team when a commotion at the front door drew my attention. A red-haired woman in a business suit entered, and the second I noticed her earpiece, I gasped. Why was Secret Service at a college party? Had someone threatened my family? When I saw a spike of black hair behind her, I had my answer. Mateo was here!
A blond agent swept into the room, and as he neared me, I tapped his shoulder. He whirled to face me. When I noticed the alarm in his eyes, I jumped back. “Johnny, it’s me!”
His eyes flashed with recognition. “Ms. Monroe. You’ve, ah…” He looked me over. “Grown up.”
“It’s so good to see you!” I’d spent over three months with him before the election, and I bounded into his arms for a hug. I felt him stiffen before he chuckled and patted my back. He let me go and scanned the scene around me. Elyse and the two juniors gawked at us.
“How’re you liking Highbanks, Ms. Monroe?”
I’d missed his warm, blue eyes. “It’s awesome.” From the corner of my eye, I caught movement. Mateo now stood nearby, with the redhead behind him. He frowned at Johnny and me.
I gulped. “Hey, Teo.”
His frown morphed into a smile, and I noticed a dimple on his right cheek. “That’s what Dane calls me.”
“Is that okay? I mean, I wouldn’t want to use a name you hate.”
He nodded. He’d shot up in height since I’d seen him.
“Mr. Ramirez, please join Agent Kennedy so you’re not out in the open.” Johnny pointed to a corner where the redhead now stood after clearing the area of partygoers.
Mateo’s dark eyes studied me. “Will you…come with me?”
“Sure.” I followed them. As I passed by Elyse, I waved at Mackenzie next to her. They both looked impressed.
We stood near the wall with the agents a few feet away, barricading us from the prying eyes of the party. When a new song started, a girl screamed and started to dance. Just like that, we were no longer the center of attention, and I let out a breath.
I turned back to focus on Mateo. He had the beginnings of a goatee—and it suited him. “Why’re you here?” I asked.
He blinked at me for a moment, and I felt the urge to brush away the black hair hanging over one of his dark eyes. Finally he shrugged. “Probably stupid to come, drag Secret Service here. I’m not an athlete or anything.”
“Did you know I was here?”
He nodded. “Dane told Lucy, and Lucy told me. I just thought I’d say hi, but she didn’t want me to come—said it was too dangerous.” He shrugged again. “Obviously, I didn’t listen.”
Mateo glanced at the beer in my hand, my second of the night and just as nasty as the first.
“Oh, you want one?”
He shook his head. “Somebody will take a photo of me drinking and use it to embarrass my dad.”
“That’s awful.” I couldn’t imagine dealing with such scrutiny. And now that I thought about it, standing next to a Ramirez put me in the spotlight, too. I didn’t want to get into trouble with my coach, so I set the can aside.
“Everyone here’s a swimmer?” he asked.
“Most of them, I guess. I heard there were some rowers, but I haven’t met any.”
“When do you start practice?”
“Not sure. We have a team meeting and physicals tomorrow, but we’ll be in the water for sure by the time school starts.”
“Four days.” He shook his head. “What are you majoring in?”
I smirked. “You sure ask a lot of questions.”
His eyes widened. “Lo siento. Sorry, I, uh…”
“No problema.” He was so cute! “I’m majoring in art.”
“Really?” His head cocked to one side like he was surprised. “What medium?”
“I’m not sure. They told me it’ll be tough to swim and major in art, but I have to try. Maybe painting? Or three-D? What about you? What do you want to major in?”
“Music performance.”
“Wow.” He was artistic, too?
“Hey, Jess?”
I turned to see Blake peering around Johnny. “Wanna call the dogs off?” He tilted his head toward Johnny, who didn’t look pleased. “I got you a real drink.” He held aloft a glass of clear liquid on ice. “You want it?”
Smoking-hot boy was offering me a drink? Of course I didn’t want to turn him down. “Sure.” Johnny’s mouth set into a firm line as he let Blake through.
I took a sip through the small straw and tasted sweetness and lime…and a lot of alcohol. “Vodka tonic’s my favorite.”
Blake’s face lit up. “I like a girl who knows her booze.” He knocked back a swig of his own drink.
I realized Mateo was frowning again. “Uh, Teo, this is…Blake, right?”
“Blake Morrell.” He shook Mateo’s hand. “The president’s son at my house. Epic. Why are you slumming with us commoners?”
Mateo started to speak, but Blake interrupted him. “How rude of me. What can I get you to drink, man?”
“I’m good,” Mateo said.
Blake squinted. “You don’t drink?”
“I…” Mateo looked at me for help.
“He doesn’t want to get caught drinking underage.” I looked around as I lowered my vodka. I didn’t want to get caught, either.
“How old are you?” Blake demanded.
Mateo raised his chin. “Eighteen.”
That was my age too, and I smiled.
&n
bsp; Blake laughed. “Really? You look fifteen.” He shook his head, and Mateo’s eyes narrowed. “But it’s a stupid law. If you’re eighteen, you’re old enough to die fighting for your country. You should be able to drink.”
I agreed.
Blake draped his arm across my shoulders, and I smelled his musky aftershave. “This one gets it.” He gestured to me. “Swimmers are strong. They can handle anything. Right, Jess? Five four-hundred IMs, descend one to four, number five all-out. Piece of cake.”
I watched Mateo inch back, uncertainty flitting across his face.
“Swimming isn’t everything,” I said feebly as I took another sip. Blake’s body heat was getting to me, and I felt sweat beading at my temples.
“I better go,” Mateo said.
Shit! I didn’t want him to leave. I wiggled out of Blake’s hold. “You don’t have to.”
“It’s okay.” He gave me a sad smile. “Lucy was right. I don’t belong here. I’ll see you around.”
“Teo—”
But he’d already signaled his agents, who led him to the door.
“Glad the kid knows his limits.” Blake took my hand. “C’mon. I want to show you something.”
I felt dizzy—how much vodka was in my drink? I allowed myself to be tugged along up the stairs, careful to climb each one without falling. At the top Blake pulled me into a room and shut the door. Ah. A blessed decrease in music volume up here.
I swayed a bit as I took in the navy duvet on the bed—a neater space than I expected for a college boy. “Wow, I’m tired.”
“Yeah, move-in day can take it out of you.”
That must’ve been it.
“But now the real party starts.” He grinned as he crossed over to his dresser. After closing the drawer, he held up a small cigarette. “Time to get high, baby.”
Oh shit. That was a joint? I swallowed.
He sat on the bed and patted the spot next to him.
“What about drug tests? I don’t want to get in trouble.”
He shrugged. “They never test the freshman athletes. You’ll be fine.” When I remained perched by the door, his eyebrows drew together. “C’mon, Jess. I was eighth in the country in the fifty last year. You really think I would do something to jeopardize my career? Studies show weed helps your lung capacity. You’ll see. It actually helps your swimming.”
The bed did look inviting. I floated over to him and set my drink on the floor.
“I rolled this myself.” He lit the joint and handed it to me. “This is your first time, right?”
I chewed on my lip and gave a small nod. He probably thought I was lame and naïve. I’d turned down weed in the past because I’d heard it would hurt my swimming, but now he was saying the opposite. “Smoking can’t be good for you.”
“Then why do they give it to cancer patients? This comes straight from the hemp plant, with lots of medicinal properties.” He nudged my shoulder. “We’re teammates now. I wouldn’t do anything to slow you down. I just want you to feel how awesome this is; have a little fun.”
The sweet, earthy scent invaded my nostrils. It was hard to think straight. Should I?
“Just relax. Getting high is so much better than getting drunk. No hangover, no calories. Breathe in and hold it.”
I tried to hide the tremble in my hand as I inhaled the scalding smoke. Of course I started coughing, which made Blake laugh.
“You’ll get used to it.” He filched the joint from my fingers and took a hit.
We passed it back and forth several times—I lost count—and in a flash I found myself looking at the ceiling. When had I fallen back on the bed? The walls undulated around me as the air took on a hazy quality. Blake entered my line of vision, hovering over me.
“How’re you feeling?” he asked.
I was too tired to speak. As my eyes closed, I thought I saw a smile spread over his face…
Acknowledgments
Gratitude and blessings to:
Nicki Elson, critique partner. This series wouldn’t be possible without you.
Jessica Royer Ocken, editor excelente. This is our seventh project together. Here’s to many more. *clinks glasses*
Coreen Montagna, bomdiggity book designer.
Mitsy Princell, PA. Your enthusiasm is unparalleled. Thank you for all the encouragement!
Yelania Velasco and Nelly Guajardo, Spanish consultants. Gracias for your astute knowledge. (Any remaining errors are mine.) Special thanks to Nelly for her medical expertise as well.
My volleyball teammates at Kenyon College, particularly my bff: Gwynn Evans Harrison. Here’s to Ahnold and the pursuit of pumpitude!
Supportive authors Darcia Helle, Lisette Brodey, Carol Oates, Debra Anastasia, Beck Anderson, Cherie Colyer, Joy Eileen, Alex Cavanaugh.
Encouraging readers Teresa, Jacki, Grace, Roche, Leisha, Kevin, Michael, Lorne, Janine, Cécile, Ina.
My friends and family.
About the Author
Get psyched for romance with psychologist/author (psycho author) Jennifer Lane! By day she’s a therapist, and by night she’s a writer. She can’t decide which is more fun.
Jen adores creating sporty heroines and hot heroes in her college sport romances. Volleyball wonder Lucia Ramirez found her love match in Blocked despite the glaring political spotlight aimed on her family. In Aced, the second book in the Blocked series, it’s her brother Alejandro’s turn to get lucky in love. Aced launches in December 2015.
A swimmer and volleyball player in college, Jen writes swimming-based romances as well: Streamline, a military mystery, and the free New Adult novella Swim Recruit.
Stories of redemption interest Jen the most, especially the healing power of love. She is also the author of The Conduct Series, a romantic-suspense trilogy that includes With Good Behavior, Bad Behavior, and On Best Behavior.
Ultimately, whether writing or reading, Jen loves stories that make her laugh and cry. In her spare time she enjoys exercising, attending book club, and visiting her sisters in Chicago and Hilton Head.
Visit Jen at:
JenniferLaneBooks.blogspot.com
Facebook.com/JenLaneBooks
Twitter.com/JenLaneBooks
Pinterest.com/JenLaneBooks
Instagram.com/JenLaneBooks
Table of Contents
Cover
Title Page
Copyright Information
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Excerpt from upcoming sequel
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Aced (Blocked Book 2) Page 28