Jock Reign (Jock Hard 5)

Eliza.

Eliza the roommate is coming down the steps from the second story, clutching a stack of books in her arms and wearing a backpack.

Lovely!

She’s charming and a good sport, and I could fancy a chat.

I stand, hoping to catch her eye. Raise my arm and give a wave as if attempting to get someone to spot me in a crowd.

She isn’t on her mobile, but she also doesn’t see me.

Bollocks.

Not until I give a shout across the room does she catch my eye.

“Eliza!” No easy way to go about it than full-on bark.

Her head snaps up to see who in their right mind has the audacity to call her name this loudly in the library.

“Eliza. Psst.” I wave again, delighted. “I’m over here.”

Fine, I sound like an arse, but whatever—she’s coming over just as I wanted her to.

Except…

Her pretty eyes are narrowed in a somewhat unfriendly way as she stalks toward me, mouth in a line; I’ve begun packing up my things to leave as she approaches, irritation etched across her face.

“Lower your voice, Jack,” she hisses. “Don’t they teach you Brits not to shout in libraries?”

She’s funny, so I laugh. “Ha. They do.” We’d get a rap on the knuckles at boarding school for breaking such rules, but no one comes to lecture me about my bad manners here.

My knuckles are safe for another day!

I have everything in a stack but take my seat again, fancying a chat.

With her.

“You couldn’t have been any louder if you had a megaphone,” she finally says, relaxing. Relenting and joining me at the table. Eliza sets her books on the tabletop and shoulders off her book bag.

“How’re you?”

Eliza sighs. “I’m fine. Tired. How about you?”

“Bored.” I smile, knowing that isn’t the answer she was expecting. Her eyebrows go up. Most people give a polite reply, like Fine or Good or Doing well, thanks for asking.

“Bored with what? School?”

I shrug. “I dunno, the day is dreary. Reminds me of home, I guess, and sometimes when it rains back home, I go catch a film at the cinema. Was thinking of doing just that.”

“You want to go see a movie? Which one?”

“There’s a new Marvel film—I’m sure you’ve heard. Have you seen it?”

“Actually no, I haven’t. I’ve been dying to, but…”

She wants to see it. I can tell.

I stand and grab my shite, and I grab her book bag off the floor, too.

“Brilliant. Let’s play hooky and go catch the seven o’clock.”

It’s 6:35, so we can still make it in time for the previews—my favorite. I love them almost as much as the feature film and try not to miss them.

“You want me to go to a movie with you?” She’s already following me toward the door.

“Sure, why not? I see no reason not to. Neither one of us are studying anymore, and it’s threatening rain—the perfect time to go see a film. My treat.”

I can see the wheels turning in Eliza’s brain as she mulls it over, probably weighing the options and debating worst-case scenarios about going to the movies with a strange bloke. There’s also no doubt in my mind she has hesitations where her roommate is concerned, though she needn’t fear any attachment on my part to Kaylee.

The feelings I have for Kaylee are strictly platonic, and as far as I’m concerned, Kaylee is one of my mates, just as Eliza is.

She bites down on her lower lip. “I suppose it couldn’t hurt since no one is really home, and it is raining.”

“See what I mean? It’s brilliant!” I push through the heavy doors and we step into the misty evening. The streetlights on campus have all began to glow, rain slowly coming down like sparkly diamonds.

No umbrella, no problem.

“Are we taking our books?”

“We are if we’re going to make it on time.” I open up my app to book us a car, pleased to see one is less than a minute away. One of the benefits of living in a college town, I suppose, is the speed at which Ubers arrive.

No less than ten minutes later we are standing in line at the ticket counter to get seats; a few minutes later we have snacks. I absolutely cannot do a movie without popcorn and chocolate—cannot.

Coke, too.

Eliza seems to share my same level of commitment to cinematic adventures, ordering herself nachos and chocolate then asking if I’m willing to share the popcorn.

I upgrade us to a large to be on the safe side.

“What seats do we have again?” Eliza cranes her neck to catch a glimpse of the tickets in my hand as she balances her books, book bag, chocolate, and nachos.

I love a woman who can multitask.

I also love these newly renovated American cinemas with reclining, overstuffed seats—not to mention, they’re assigned, so we get to choose our spots, able to see how many others will be within close range.