Fierce(5)

I snatch the book from his hand and shut it. “I just like to be prepared.”

“For what? The apocalypse? It’s just college.”

I sigh. “Whatever.”

“Or are you just afraid you might have to deal with stuff you’re not prepared for?” He inches a little closer. When his leg briefly touches mine, I squeeze my thighs together and shudder. He’s too close for comfort. I’ve never had a guy come this near.

“You’re scared, aren’t you, Leafy?” he says. His low voice is soft, and I can feel his breath near my ear. Shocks course through my body, and it’s unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. I feel completely naked.

“Can I borrow this?” he suddenly says, and grabs one of my pens from my neatly lined stash. I look at him in astonishment, and he stiffens for a second. “I promise I’ll give it back,” he says with a cutesy voice, and then he flashes me a smile. “Thanks.”

He scoots back in place and glares at me from a distance. I don’t need to see his eyes to know that he’s watching me; I can feel his eyes piercing my side.

I close my eyes for a second to regain my composure. Since I sat down in class I haven’t caught anything of what the teacher is saying. I don’t even remember the man starting his class. All I know is that Hunter is toying with me, and I don’t know why. Am I funny or something?

“Autumn?”

My head shoots up from dreamland and I look around. The teacher and almost every student in class is looking at me.

“Autumn Blakewood?”

“Yes?” I stammer, ducking between my own shoulders, because I feel scrutinized.

“I asked a question.”

“Sorry, I didn’t hear it.”

A few muffled laughs are audible throughout the auditorium, and I can feel the heat rush to my cheeks. Shit, I’m totally making a fool out of myself.

“Can you name the primary source for Shakespeare’s famous plays?” the teacher says.

“I … uh …” Crap, I don’t know the answer. I haven’t been listening at all.

“Holinshed’s Chronicles,” Hunter whispers as he leans forward.

“The Holinshed’s Chronicles!” I shout.

The teacher squints and waits a second. “All right.”

Then he continues his lesson, and I let out a huge breath, falling back into my chair. God, I can’t believe Hunter helped me. Him, out of all people.

Turning my head, I see Hunter smiling cheekily at me. I’m dumbstruck with his sudden helpful answer.

“What?” he says, as I gape at him.

“Nothing. I just didn’t expect that.”

“There’s a lot more you can’t expect from people.”

I chortle and shake my head. “Well, thanks anyway.”

“Yeah, I pretty much saved your ass there.”

My eyebrows draw closer together. “Hey, don’t get cocky.”

Hunter wriggles his eyebrows, and it makes me laugh. “Comes with the jacket.”

His eyes drift off to the teacher, and he starts penning down notes. I’m surprised by the mere fact that he even seems remotely interested in learning something today.

As I start some pre-work on today’s assignment, I notice his face turning my way every couple of seconds. I glance sideways and see him studying my notes.

“Hey!” I exclaim.

He’s seriously peeking at my notes? First he helps me find the right answer to the teacher’s question, and now he’s cheating? I don’t get this at all.

“Shhh,” he whispers, shushing me.

“You’re cheating.”

“Who cares?”

“I do,” I say, slamming my notebook shut.

He frowns and gazes at me. “Aren’t you uptight.”

I smile pretentiously. “Comes with the skirt.”

He laughs. It’s a deep sound, a manly laugh, one that makes my heart flip over in my chest. Then he licks his lips in a way that makes my toes curl. Watching his tongue come out and flick along those thick lips makes me zoom in on them. It’s the first time I notice how sexy those lips look. It’s also the first time I feel like I want to lick them, too.

“Good one,” he says and winks, making my heart stop.

The teacher clears his throat, and I notice he’s doing it because he wants us to shut up. I crawl back into my shell, drawing back, and hide my reddened cheeks by leaning on my hands. I focus on my textbook just to avoid seeing the class stare at me. Just to avoid seeing his narrow eyes watching me.

As the class comes to an end, Hunter says “See ya, Leafy,” and he throws me my pen.

“It’s Autumn.”

He shrugs and gets up. My gaze follows him as he walks out of the classroom, and then I spot Evie standing behind the huge windowpane. Her eyes are widened, and it looks as though her face is glued to the glass. Just as Hunter leaves the room her eyes zoom in and follow him, as if she’s tracking him.