Higher (The University of Gatica #3) (4 page)

Jani inched toward the kitchen entrance, ready to nip upstairs and put her clothes back on. There was no way she was staying here for the day. The condo suddenly felt crowded.

Wayne’s head popped up from behind the fridge door. “Nice meeting you Jani. It’s very cool you jump.”

“Thanks.” She moved passed Carter and nearly squealed when his hand touched her derriere as she made her way to the stairs. It surprised her enough to make her jump, almost hitting the low hanging hall light.

Wayne whistled. “How high do you jump?”

Jani debated about pretending she hadn’t heard him, except his loud voice couldn’t be missed. “Six foot three.”

“Is that with a pole?”

“No, just my legs.” It wasn’t the first time she had been asked that question.

Carter glanced appreciatively at her slender, muscular legs. “They work pretty well.”

She wasn’t sure if he was complimenting her on last night or on her jumping ability. “I’m going to, uh, change. I should get going now.” She took a few steps up the stairs and then paused to check if Carter was following her. He wasn’t. He had moved into the kitchen to talk to Wayne. She hurried up the stairs, disappointed he hadn’t come.

She slipped on her skirt and grabbed everything else she had left in his room. There wasn’t much, just her purse. She used the bathroom while upstairs and snagged some mouthwash. She tried fixing her hair with her fingers and when the cowlick that never wanted to listen wouldn’t listen, she wet it and then redid her ponytail. She wanted to go home and shower. Plus, there was that paper to write.

Carter was still downstairs when she came out of the bathroom. She licked her lips wishing she had lip gloss, she’d have even settled for chapstick. Carter and Wayne stood talking in the living room. Jani waited a few minutes not wanting to interrupt them. She finally had to clear her throat when she felt like an invisible person in the room. She hated that feeling. “I need to get going.”

“You do?” Carter’s eyebrows popped up in surprise.

“Yeah. I have a paper due tomorrow I need to finish.”

Carter reached up onto the stereo cabinet and retrieved his keys. He nodded at Wayne, who stood there with a big smirk on his face that Jani would have loved to wipe off. Thank goodness he didn’t say anything.

Jani forced a quick smile. “Bye, Wayne.” She turned and headed for the front door. It wasn’t until she stepped outside that she realized Carter had grabbed his truck keys. She stopped on the small set of stairs leading off the tiny front porch.

Carter bumped into the back of her and instantly wrapped his arms around her to keep her from falling. “You forget something inside?”

She loved the strength behind his lengthy arms. “Not inside.” She slowly moved forward to free herself from him. She leaned against the bumper of his truck. “My car’s parked around the corner.”

He stared at her blankly a moment before saying, “Oh! You don’t need me to drive you home then.”

“I guess I don’t.” Alone with him now, she kind of wished she hadn’t said she had to go while Wayne was there and Carter was acting all macho-manly. She liked him now, just the two of them.

“Bummer.” One side of his mouth sucked inward and he made a slight pouty face as his nose scrunched.

Jani sighed inwardly.
Way too sexy
.

“Do you want me to walk you to your car then?”

She straightened and pushed off the bumper. “Sure!”

He slipped his fingers in between hers as she started to walk toward where she had parked the car for last night’s party. She had purposely parked around Carter’s house so she would have to pass it on her way over. It had worked out perfect because Carter had been outside and called out to her as she had passed him.

“I wonder how Zach’s doing. I meant to text him before.” Carter pulled his phone out of his back pocket and checked it.

“I didn’t hear back from Aileen either.”

Carter glanced sideways at her and they both burst out laughing. “She so scored last night.”

“I was kind of thinking the same thing.” Jani didn’t mean it in a bad way. The thought of Carter thinking she was gossiping about her roommate didn’t sit well in her mind. “I mean, good for her. She’s awesome and so is Tyler. I hope they make something from it.”

“Like a baby?”

She squeezed his hand as tight as she could. He didn’t even flinch. “I meant; for a relationship or something.”

Carter pulled her tight beside him, using their hand holding as the anchor. “I know. I was only messing.”

“Aileen is very sweet. I don’t want some dumb nut trying to take advantage of her. I don’t think Tyler’s that kind of guy.”

Carter didn’t say anything and it made Jani’s radar pop up.

“Do you know something about Tyler?”

He shrugged. “No. The guy hasn’t dated anyone seriously while he’s been here. He had a girl, but it barely lasted. He’s going places, prominent places. I can’t see him deciding to have a serious relationship this year.”

“Hasn’t he got one more year?” Charity thought Tyler had one more year of eligibility.

“He won’t stay. He’s going to get drafted this year. He’ll be one of the top picks. Women will be flocking that pretty boy like moths to a flame.”

Carter had a good point. Aileen was a freshman. No senior would wait around another three or four years, especially someone playing in the NFL. She hoped Aileen had considered that. For some reason, she couldn’t see Aileen as the flirty, I’m-not-looking-for-a-relationship-type.

They crossed the condo road to the other side and turned the corner. Her car was parked in the visitor parking.

“So I can’t talk you into staying?” Carter leaned against the driver’s door so she couldn’t unlock or open it.

“I’d like to, but I should head back. Aileen’s going to wonder where I am.”

“I doubt she’s worried about you.”

She laughed. “You’re probably right, but still I should get going.”

“What about hanging out later tonight then? I could come by your place. Maybe go for a drive, or something?”

Yes!
“I have to work on my paper. I could text you when I finish it if you want.”

“Sure. I’ll come by. Even if it’s late. Tomorrow night, too. You free tomorrow evening as well?”

She stared at him, unsure if he was kidding.

Carter’s arms wrapped around her waist and he tugged her gently to him. “I finally get a chance to spend time with you and I don’t want to miss any of it. I was an idiot to listen to Linda. Now I’m trying to make up for it.” He bent down and brushed his lips against hers. “Whatdya say?”

Her eyes had closed when his mouth met hers.
Score another one for Mr. Hotness
. “I’ll text you after. If it’s too late, we could hang out tomorrow night.”

He groaned and dropped his knees slightly. “You’re killin’ me, girl!” He did move over so she could open the car.

Inside she reached for her seatbelt and Carter kissed her again. His cologne tormented her nostrils and she opened her mouth to feel his tongue. She pictured them in her little car, trying to fool around. Probably a bit too cozy for comfort.

When he finally moved back and straightened, Jani had to try and catch her breath.

Carter tapped the roof of her car. “Get going and start working on your homework right away. I’m coming over later.” He winked at her and turned to go, whistling as he walked away.

Jani stared at his muscular ass, enjoying the full view and happy to gawk without being rude. Or was it; happy to goggle without getting caught? She ran her tongue over her rough-kissed lips. He was a temptation she did not want to resist.

“You have to tell me what’s going on with you and Tyler.” Jani sat down beside Aileen on the couch, a bowl of Cheerios in her hand. She took a spoonful and spoke as she chewed, “You can’t stop smiling.”

Aileen tucked her feet under her and sat cross-legged facing Jani. She grinned and stole a Cheerio out of Jani’s bowl. “I’m not smiling.” Her lips pressed into a flat line, only to start curling at the corners a moment later. “I’m not sure what’s going on.” She jumped off the couch. “I want cereal too.” She disappeared into the kitchen and returned a moment later with a bowl. She dropped down to the same position she had been sitting in a moment earlier. “This is so good. I’m starving.”

Jani nudged her knee against her roommate. “Why’re you so hungry? Did you work up an appetite?”

“Maybe.” Aileen stuffed a huge bite in her mouth so she wouldn’t have to say more.

They ate a few minutes in comfortable silence. She had driven back from Carter’s just before lunch. Afternoon had turned into a lazy napping afternoon and now cereal had become their dinner meal. Jani had to get working on her paper, but chatting with Aileen seemed more important. Aileen hadn’t come out of her room till about an hour ago. “So, what did you and Tyler do yesterday? Before the party?”

Aileen blushed slightly. “We hung out. Had some food, talked. He taught me how to drive Lizzy.”

Jani raised her eyebrows. She’d never heard a boy’s bit referred to as a female name. “Lizzy? Dare I ask you why Tyler calls—”

“No!” Aileen looked mortified. “Lizzy is his car. It’s standard. Not automatic. Whatever you call it. He taught me how to drive her.”

“Ahh! That makes sense then.” She took another bite. “I thought Tyler babied his car. He must really like you to let you drive it, let alone learn how to drive stick in it.” She shot Aileen a sly glance, her eyelids half closed. She turned her head slightly to watch her from the corner of her eye, trying to appear dramatic and funny at the same time. “How did he feel with your hands all over his stick? Did it rev his engine?”

Aileen threw a Cheerio at Jani. It landed perfectly on Jani’s forehead and stuck there. They burst out laughing.

When they managed to calm down, Jani went and set her empty bowl on the floor beside the couch. “So you hung out with him for the afternoon, messed around before the party…” She paused when Aileen pursed her lips but didn’t disagree. Jani didn’t need any more detail than that confession. “Then to the party for all of two minutes. Did Tyler come here last night? What happened to Zach?”

“His nose is broken. His hand’s also sprained. Guess it’s not so good. Tyler said his eyes were pretty swollen when they left. Dr. Bennet – do you remember him?” When Jani nodded, Aileen continued, “LOL, who wouldn’t remember that hot doctor? Anyway, Tyler said that Dr. Bennet fixed his nose and X-rayed his wrist. The football coach, I think his name is Coach Philip’s, was there when they got out of X-rays. Guess he’s pretty ticked.”

“That sucks. Big time. Who’s going to play quarterback while Zach heals?” Jani tried to remember who the backup quarterback was. She thought Zach had started out as this year’s back up.”

“Tyler said it’s all crazy. He thinks Coach Philip’s wants him to play quarterback.”

“Really?” Jani shrugged. “It doesn’t surprise me, to be honest. I think Tyler could play anywhere and be a star.”

“It’s a lot of pressure. Tyler said he never thought this year would be this nuts. I feel sorry for him.”

“Tyler said?” Jani couldn’t resist teasing. “Does that mean Tyler came back here last night?”

Aileen seemed ready to argue but shrugged instead and then grinned. “Yeah, he did. When you didn’t come home, I wanted to send a search party out for you. I called Tyler to borrow his car.”

“You didn’t!” Jani hadn’t even thought to call or tell Aileen she hadn’t planned to come back home. She should have. Her freshman roommate had probably been worried sick. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.” Aileen rolled her eyes. “I was kidding. From the way you were googly-eying that swimmer, I figured you wouldn’t be coming home if you could help it.”

Sly girl.
Aileen was no dummy. “I guess I was kind of obvious.”

“Only to me.” Aileen winked and then hesitated before admitting, “Tyler came back after he dropped Zach off at their place, but he had to leave early this morning. He had to go back, grab Zach and see Coach Philips. Then he had to watch films or something and go over plays. Footbally stuff.”

“Their schedule is pretty nuts. I have no idea how those guys manage school work during the season.”

Aileen sighed. “I don’t think I’ll be seeing him for a while now.”

Especially if he’s got to learn the quarterback plays and step up his game. You won’t be seeing him till outdoor track. If he even competes.
“That sucks.”

Aileen dropped back against the couch. “I really like him, too. I keep trying not to, but he’s so nice.”

“His incredible body isn’t too hard on the eyes either.” Jani leaned back also and stared dreamily up at the ceiling. “Like Carter’s. He’s got these incredible abs. Like abs on top of abs. All these ripples of wonderful muscle.” She sighed. “Not that it’s all about physical attributes, but man, it sure helps.”

“Tyler plans on doing indoor season. It’s only November. That means I’ll have to wait until the beginning of January to see him regularly.”

Jani hated to burst her bubble. “Most of the football players that run track don’t show up till the end of January or beginning of February. There are meetings and stuff with football. If they make a big bowl game, they usually play over Christmas, or the first weekend in January. It’s a long season. Coach Philips pushes them hard. The guys who barely play are the ones that show up first. I’ve never seen Tyler come before March.” She hated the disappointed look on Aileen’s face. “Maybe he’ll come earlier because of you. Just so he can hang out and see you.”

“I wouldn’t want him to do that. I mean, I would love to see him every day. It would mess with my training, but my eyes wouldn’t mind. I’d probably have to try and ignore he was there so I could focus on my workouts.” She gave a half smile. “But I don’t want him coming for me. That’s stupid.”

Jani stared at her roommate. The girl definitely had her head in track. Jani wouldn’t mind having to see Carter work out every day. She would gladly watch and sacrifice a PB if it meant she could see him. “But you would like it if he competed indoors, right?”

“Heck yes! I just don’t want him doing it for me. Tyler’s not the type of guy who would do that anyway.”

“True. I agree with you there.” Jani checked her watch and huffed. “Crap. I have to finish a report that’s due tomorrow.” She stood. “Correct that. I have to start a report that’s due tomorrow.”

Aileen shook her head. “Nothing like cramming it all in last minute.”

“I know. I’m terrible for leaving everything to the last possible moment.” She shrugged. “But sometimes boy talk is way more important.”

“Not if it means a lousy grade and having to go to study hall with Coach Maves. She’s like an army sergeant.”

“Nooo!! I’m not going back there – ever!”

“Freshman year, first semester only, right? Then just keep my grades at three-point-oh, or higher and I’m out too, right?”

“Two-point-five.” Jani turned to head into her room. “I’ll probably be back in there if I don’t finish this report. I’m barely holding my two-point-five.”

“Get working, girl!

She popped her head around the corner and give Aileen a crossed-eyed funny face. “Want to write the report for me? It’s on anything that has to do with the sociology of sport. Three thousand-word essay that…” She grabbed a sheet from her desk just on the other side of the door. “Essay that presents examples of sporting case studies within a sociological analysis. Students are expected to consider sport and wider elements of society as inter-related rather than mutually exclusive.” She slapped the paper on her forehead. “This is going to take all night. I need to pick a topic, find case studies on it and then show how they affected sport and everything else.”

“It sounds kinda cool.”

Jani jabbed a finger at Aileen and pretended to look angry. “Of course you would think so. Miss Science-head likes anything challenging.”

“When did you get this? Friday?”

Jani shook her head. “No, beginning of the year. It’s worth thirty percent of our final grade. I figured it’d be easy because I’m into sport and I like being social. Shouldn’t be too hard.”

“And you do have the gift of gab. Three thousand words is nothing for you!” Aileen laughed. “How about more writing and less stalling?”

Jani saluted. “Aye, aye, captain!” She spun around and cleared her track clothes and training stuff off her desk, dropping it all on the floor. She sat down, opened her laptop and then pushed her chair to the door, popping her head around it one more time. “Not to be rude, but I’m going to close the door so I can focus on this project. Apple TV is way too distracting.”

Aileen stood up. “I’ll go and read in my room. I have a lab in biology; I should pre-read what we’re going to do so I’m prepared.” She reached for the remote to shut the TV off.

Jani held out her hand. “Maybe leave it on so I can hear the music in the background.”

“It’s up to you.” Aileen tossed Jani the remote. “Just make sure you’re not funky dancing instead of working.”

“No funky chickens!” She swirled her chair back to her desk and opened the document on the computer she had started doing some brainstorming on. She had decided to do her report on children’s sporting clubs. How they were organized and the effects of the big city versus rural. She had found two case studies to cite. She figured it would be cool to show what sports produced which kind of athletes at different levels. Like low cost versus expensive sports. Inner city versus suburbs or high classed. She knew she could ace the essay.

Googling the reports and studies she had noted, she printed up the one report and checked through her backpack. The professor had brought in Journals of Sport and Medicine that they were allowed to borrow. She was sure she had taken one home with an article in it about something related to her report. She couldn’t remember. She had brought the darn thing home like three months ago!

A light rap against the front door made her jump. Aileen had gone to her room and probably had her headphones on as she read. The back room seemed to have double insulation and blocked all noises from the front of the house. Unfortunately, Jani’s room didn’t have that. She leaned over to check outside her window and see if anyone was outside by the front door. Her breath caught.

Carter.

Standing casually with his hands stuffed into his jean pockets and a black coat protecting him from the chilly wind. Winter was sending nippy wind warnings that it was on its way. He didn’t seem to notice. His hair looked slightly wet.
He’s probably just finished at the pool.
She slid her chair back to the desk and checked her face in the mirror. She had showered and changed into jeans and a long sleeve black top. Nothing fancy, but not sloppy.
Decent
. It would have to do.

She hurried when a louder knock sounded again on the door. She swung it open. “Hey, stranger!” She smiled, pretending to look surprised. She couldn’t believe he had come by!

“Hi!” He waited for her to invite him in, not an ounce of uncertainty on his face – like he knew she would.

She pushed the door open further. “Come on in.”

He ducked out of habit as he stepped through. A whiff of his cologne teased her nostrils as the cool air blew past her. “Have you had dinner?”

“Not really.” She stepped closer to try and smell his fresh showered scent again. He had some wicked kind of body wash. It smelled incredible.

“Want to go out?” He flashed her his perfect James Dean smile. “My treat.”

She thought about the unfinished, unsaved report barely started on her laptop. If she said yes, she knew her essay was never going to be finished. Dinner with Carter meant some kind of dessert after. That sounded way more interesting than three thousand words. “Sure.” She smiled. “Let me just save this paper I’m working on.”

“Oh yeah, you mentioned that before. Did you get it done?”

“Pretty much,” she lied. “The professor loves athletes. I bet I can get away with handing it in a day late.”

“Sweet.” He caught her waist as she moved past him toward her room. He pressed his lips against hers and pulled back just when she moved to get closer to him. “I promise I’ll make it worth your while finishing it tomorrow.”

Her body heated at the vision that popped into her head. She had no intention of arguing with him.