Chapter Seventeen #2
Mitch laughed. “Fine. He should come out in a moment. Just to warn you, he’s obsessed with the stock market. He’ll literally bore you to death if you ever bring it up.”
Lyla scrunched up her nose. “Ew. Thanks for the tip. Will stay clear of that topic. Anything else I should know?”
“Not really. He’s all right otherwise. I don’t have any beef with him.”
Jackie turned to him, her lips forming into a cheeky grin. “You’re too big of a softie to have beef with anyone.”
“I have plenty of beef with Charlie,” he replied.
Charlie was Mitch’s roommate. From music he deemed too loud through Mitch’s headphones to Mitch apparently chewing too loudly, his list of complaints was never-ending.
It got to the point that Mitch avoided his room as much as he could, only going there to sleep.
Outside of classes, him and Jackie usually studied together in the library or in one of the cafés.
“Well, aside from him,” Jackie said.
Lyla shrugged. “Charlie’s a loser. But you don’t have to share a room with him forever.”
“Yeah, me and some guys from the team are talking about getting an apartment together next year,” Mitch said.
“We’re probably going to look for one as well, won’t we, Jacks?” Lyla asked.
Jackie chewed on the inside of her cheek.
Truth be told, she hadn’t really thought about the next year much, being too focused on keeping all the plates she’d been spinning from smashing into pieces.
It hadn’t been easy lately to find time for both riding and studying.
She used to get good marks at school without putting in much effort, but college was different.
Or maybe it was just chemistry. She really struggled with wrapping her head around it, to the point that in the past two weeks, she’d even wondered if medical school might not be for her.
At this rate, who knew if she would pass the December exams?
“Probably,” she replied. “Anyway, it’s only November. Why are we even talking about next year already?”
More voices spilled out of the changing room and Mitch let go of her fingers, putting his hands around his mouth and bellowing: “Yanetti! Come here for a sec.”
Nick turned to them, waving to Mitch. He brushed his hand over his clean-shaven head as he approached them, and fist-bumped Mitch. “What’s up, Craigton?”
Mitch nodded toward Lyla. “Lyla here wanted to meet you.”
Nick smirked, looking Lyla up and down. “Is that so?”
Lyla stepped toward him, hooking her finger into the hole in the zipper of his swim team sweatshirt. “It is.” She pulled the zipper all the way up. “If you think you can handle me.”
Nick let out a low whistle, his gaze moving to Mitch. “Does she bite?”
“Unsure. She’s mostly all right. Though she’ll probably give you a weird nickname and refuse to stop using it,” Mitch replied.
Nick’s gaze drifted back to Lyla. “So, I shouldn’t be scared?”
“Oh, I’d be scared if I were you. You might have more fun than you’re used to,” Mitch deadpanned, his face all serious.
Jackie tilted her head, watching the exchange.
She bit back a smile. Lately, she’d noticed some small things that indicated Mitch was coming out of his shell.
It wasn’t anything insane, but it seemed that the longer he was away from Portland, the more confident and relaxed he became.
They talked a lot about his father, and she was not looking forward to ever meeting the man.
Nick grinned with all his teeth. “I think I can handle that.” He extended his hand to Lyla. “Nick Yanetti.”
Lyla fluttered her lashes at him, not moving to accept the handshake. “Lyla Sokolnik. I only shake hands with people I have no intention of fucking.”
Both Jackie and Mitch broke into raucous laughter.
Lyla’s confidence and no-bullshit attitude were two of the reasons why Jackie got on so well with her. She always said what she meant.
Nick’s eyelid twitched, his grin widening further. He took Lyla’s hand and pulled her to him. “Right, Craigton. I’m off. Bye!”
They jogged across the lobby, accompanied by Lyla’s laughter. She waved to Jackie as they reached the front door.
“That girl is trouble,” Mitch chuckled, shaking his head. “She’s awesome.”
Jackie elbowed him in the side. “Hey, cowboy, eyes here. You already have a girl who’s trouble.”
Mitch put both his hands on her hips, eyes locking with hers. “Don’t I know that. So much trouble. Mostly when I can’t stop thinking about her.”
Jackie swallowed a laugh and dragged her teeth over her bottom lip. She laced her hands behind his neck. “That sounds uncomfortable.”
Mitch’s lips lingered inches away from the corner of her mouth. “You have no idea.” His warm breath tickled her skin, awakening an electric ball of lightning inside her gut. “What do you think I could do to remedy that?” he rasped, his nose brushing against her cheek.
Jackie curled the fingers of one hand into the fabric of his hood, while pushing the other into his thick waves. “Come to the ranch with me next weekend? Mimi’s away. We’ll have the place to ourselves.”
Her suggestive tone wrapped her words into the cocoon of an unspoken promise.
She didn’t say what she meant, but she knew he’d understood.
It had been coming for a while, and it wasn’t like she didn’t try to further their physical connection.
They never went all the way, pulling up for breath and untangling themselves whenever things got too heated.
Jackie was so ready for it, for him; she only hoped he felt the same way.
Mitch drew in a shaky breath, his chest rising and falling against hers.
She tightened her embrace, moving her head just enough to put her lips on his.
His mouth opened slowly to welcome her tongue, one of his hands pressing harder into her hip and the other traveling to her back.
She pulled on his hair, eliciting a low groan from him, which she swallowed. Her heart rammed against her chest, rubbery knees at risk of giving in.
He tasted like chlorine and the spearmint chewing gum he liked, and she didn’t care that she hated water and swimming.
Because even if she was to fall in the water again and drown, if this was the way she would disappear from the face of the earth, she’d want to do it exactly like that: in his strong arms.
Whistling and heckling broke the spell. They jumped apart, Jackie scoffing at three of Mitch’s teammates.
“Get a room, Craigton!” one of the guys said, all of them laughing.
Mitch didn’t seem flustered at all. He glanced at them with disinterest. “Like you do for dates with your hand, Glancy?”
More laughter boomed across the lobby, when some girls started giggling. Jackie didn’t even attempt to listen to what they were saying among themselves. It didn’t matter. She wasn’t bothered by silly remarks like that.
They waited until the group disappeared outside. Then, Mitch turned back to Jackie. “We should probably head back.”
“So … us, ranch, next weekend?” Jackie asked, a slow smile hooking her lips. “I won’t take no for an answer.”
Mitch laughed, dropping a kiss on the tip of her nose. “You’re impossible. Of course it’s a yes. It’ll always be a yes when you ask—you should know that by now.”