The Recruit by Fiona Palmer Read Free Book Online Page B

Ryan, great to see you again.’ Anna shook his hand.
    Jaz rolled her eyes at Anna’s choice of words. Not to seem like a rude person, she stood also, but it wasn’t a greeting that came out of her mouth. ‘Are you like stalking me or something?’ She squinted her eyes and probed his brown ones for answers.
    ‘Pure coincidence, I swear.’ He raised his hands in surrender. ‘I saw a flyer and thought I’d check it out. It’s not like I had anything else to do. What are you guys doing here?’
    ‘Um, this is our school,’ said Anna.
    Ryan’s eyebrows shot up. ‘School?’ He glanced at Jaz, his eyebrows bent as he revaluated her. ‘How old are you two?’
    Jaz almost laughed at the surprise on Ryan’s face. ‘We’ll be eighteen soon, last year of school. Why, how old are you?’
    ‘Old enough to know your mothers wouldn’t like me hanging around, or the teachers,’ he said as he glanced around the gym.
    ‘What are you, like twenty-eight?’ probed Anna.
    ‘Really, do I look that old?’ Ryan shook his head and a smile tugged at the corner of his lips. ‘I’m twenty-three.’
    Anna breathed out heavily, like she’d been praying he really wasn’t on the closer side of ‘old man’.
    ‘Well that’s alright. We don’t mind. Here, have Jaz’s seat next to me. She’s gotta go anyway.’
    Smooth one, Anna. Jaz was about to move when Talia went past, her brown locks flowing over her shoulders. Talia spotted them, pulled a face at the school’s outcasts before seeing Ryan, and just about stumbled. Her head may as well been plastered on backwards for all the ogling she was doing. Jaz watched her run back to where Minka was sitting. She could see their curious glances, wondering what a guy like Ryan was doing with them.
    ‘Well I better head off. Gotta go Zorro,’ she joked.
    ‘Okay, Jaz,’ said Anna scooping her up in a hug. ‘Good luck, mate. I’ll be cheering for ya.’
    ‘Cheers,’ said Jaz sarcastically.
    She felt strong fingers curl around her arm; she turned to face Ryan whose eyes were searching hers. ‘Are you fencing today?’
    ‘Ah, yeah. Are we not at a fencing tournament? Is that alright with you? Didn’t realise I had to check things with my stalker.’ She glanced at his hand. Ryan released it immediately but she could still feel the pressure of his fingers tingling on her skin. Instantly she remembered the way he’d looked at her at the nightclub, causing her to shiver.
    ‘Sorry, just a lot of surprises today. Good luck though.’
    Jaz stepped out and watched Ryan take her place beside Anna. His khaki cargo pants rode up his legs a fraction, revealing a pair of commando boots similar to hers — well, his were way flashier. But his rating just went up a few notches on her chart. He smelt different today, obviously wearing cologne of some type. It was strong, not in the overpowering way, but sharp and alluring.
    ‘Thanks, see ya after.’ Jaz meant the last bit for Anna but Ryan nodded his head. She walked away still confused. Was Ryan innocent or was he really a stalker? Jaz couldn’t figure him out. She wished her gut would tell her something but it was too wound up with nervous energy. She’d have to think that through later. Right now, she wanted to impress Taylor.
    Jaz changed in the toilets, as the other team was in her change room. When she joined her team, Coach Belmore was just starting his speech, and because of her interruption decided to start from the beginning again. Jaz had the feeling he’d been practising his speech in front of a mirror for weeks. Teaching them how to fence, Coach was brilliant — motivational speaker he wasn’t. Jaz totally blanked out during his speech as she was too busy watching Taylor tighten his breeches before putting his glove on.
    ‘Don’t forget how to deceive, extending late in the lunge, changing line and drawing a parry and changing line again. Okay, let’s get out there and show them Team Aramis means business. Alright,