With Every Heartbeat

“I think he wants us to sit with him,” Reese whispered in a conspiratorial manner.

“I don’t want to sit with him,” Caroline huffed, scowling as she jerked to her feet. Hooking her thumb over her shoulder, she motioned to the guy still gaping at us after Ten had yanked his attention out of his book. “He called this poor loser a loser. That’s just wrong.”

She didn’t seem to realize she’d just done the same thing as she angrily spun away and was the first to march up the aisle so she could sit at the desk next to Ten, where he was already slumped back in his chair with his feet kicked up onto the back of the empty seat in front of him.

The three of us still remaining on the ground floor shared an amused glance.

Then Quinn swept out a gallant arm. “Ladies first.”

Reese grinned at him and patted his arm. “Such a gentleman.” Then she found her shoes under the desk, slipped them on, and started up the steps toward Ten and Caroline.

Which left just Quinn and me.

Realizing we were alone, and he wasn’t going to move until I did, I sprang to my feet. “Oh! Uh, thank you.”

He fell into step just behind me. “I didn’t realize you were talking this class.” When he leaned in so I could hear him, I immediately smelled his spicy scent. “We’ll have to share our schedule to see if we have anything else in common. I know Cora’s taking Early American History with me next hour.”

I glanced back as I reached the last row. “I have biology next hour.”

He brightened. “I love biology. It’s one of my favorite subjects.”

I hated biology. And I think he read that answer clearly from the expression on my face because he only grinned wider. “I took it last year from Professor Gilcrest. I still have all my notes if you want them to help you study.”

I stopped in my tracks and spun around. “Oh my God, really? That’s amazing. I have biology with Gilcrest.” I began to bounce on my toes, which made him chuckle and in turn made me realize how dorkily giddy I was behaving. “I mean...thank you.” I cleared my throat and smoothed back my hair. “I’d appreciate that.” Beyond mortified, I spun away and hurried the last few feet to the seat next to Reese.

Quinn took the seat on the other side of me. “Not a problem. I can bring them when I pick up Cora tonight for our date.”

The mention of my roommate cooled my temperament even more. My face heated with shame. I hadn’t thought of Cora once during the past few seconds as I’d walked up the steps with her boyfriend.

I was such an awful, awful friend.

“Thank you,” I repeated, not even daring to look his way, though it was impossible to miss him next to me. His mere presence took up so much room, his aura invaded my personal space.

“Selfie time,” Reese announced, leaning in toward me so she could aim her camera phone at the both of us. “Quinn, get in here so I can send this to Mason and let him know who I’m sharing a class with.”

Quinn obediently came in closer until his face was nearly brushing mine. Reese was squished in closer to me on the other side, but she still didn’t feel nearly as close as he did. It only took her half a second to click off a picture. It felt like hours, though, that the warmth from his face radiated into the side of my ear.

Then Reese’s phone flashed and she jerked away with a bubbly, “Thanks.”

Quinn shifted away while Reese commanded Caroline and Ten to do the same pose with her as she’d made Quinn and me get into. Caroline paled but agreed, while Ten flipped her off before crossing his arms over his chest and tipping his head back as he closed his eyes.

“Where’s Noel?” Quinn asked his roommate.

“Wrong Gamble.” Ten cracked open one eye to spare Caroline an accusative glance. “Guess we didn’t have to take this class after all.”

“Aww. Were the three of you big, tough football players supposed to share mean, intimidating art class together?” Reese cooed. “That’s so sweet.”

Ten shot her a glare. “Zip it, shorty.”

“Shorty?” Reese gasped and set her hand over her heart. “I’ll have you know I’m two inches taller than Eva.”

“Wow, I’m so impressed. I think I just pissed myself from excitement.”

“What an ass,” Reese shot back as her phone dinged. She glanced at the screen before sniffing. “Hmph. Mason said he was sorry I have to share a class with you.”

Sitting up, Ten leaned across Caroline’s desk to point at Reese. “Well, you can tell Lowe to kiss my—”