Pulling back in surprise from the venom of her statement, he started to shake his head, only to snort and ask, “Why would I want to clean that shit off? Took me years to build up that much pussy.”
“Oh...you...” Her rage was so toxic I think it bubbled over into me, because I suddenly felt the urge to—
Snatching Reese’s cup off her desk, Caroline upended the entire drink on Ten’s head.
“My mocha!”
“Shit, woman! That’s hot.”
My mouth fell open as chaos erupted: Caroline fuming, Ten trying to shake off the wet steam oozing down his face and appalling T-shirt, and Reese bemoaning her lost drink. Then Caroline shoulder-checked Ten hard before she stalked off down the steps and out of the room.
Quinn glanced at me questioningly, then he did a double take when he seemed to realize Reese was going to sit by him today instead of me. I swear a smidgeon of hurt entered his eyes, but Ten stole our attention when he started cussing.
“What the fuck was that about?”
I didn’t feel like telling him Caroline had figured out he was her secret admirer, but Reese had no problem clearing her throat and saying, “Maybe next time don’t talk about your sex life in front of her, okay, moron? Maybe then I can actually drink my morning dose of sugar and caffeine instead of watching it wasted all over your stupid, idiot head.”
Ten spread his arms and gaped at her. “I’m covered in second-degree burns over here and you’re worried about your fucking drink?”
“Well...yeah.” Reese rolled her eyes. “And you’re fine. They’re probably not even first-degree burns, you big baby.”
Ten sniffed and turned around to march off. “Unbelievable.”
Reese sniffed too. “I’m not going to be worth anything without my fix.” She stood up and wished Quinn and me a good day before she too took off.
Leaving me alone with Quinn Hamilton.
My breath hitched in my chest as I glanced uneasily up at him.
But he just smiled his usual, warm smile as if he hadn’t been inches from kissing me two nights ago, as if he hadn’t broken my heart when he’d turned to Cora after singing to me, as if I was just a friend who meant nothing more than biology study sessions and the occasional conversation. Then he took Reese’s abandoned chair and sat next to me.
“I haven’t seen you since Saturday to ask if you had any fun on the date,” he said, pulling out his notebook and flipping it open.
My lips parted as I stared at him.
When I didn’t answer him soon enough, he looked up. “Cora says we both got pretty drunk.” He leaned in closer and lowered his voice. “Are you like me? I can’t remember…anything.”
My mouth worked, but when no words came, I closed it. He didn’t remember? Any of it?
I wasn’t sure if I should feel relieved or crushed.
I began to shake my head, slowly at first and then with a little more speed. “No,” I croaked. “No, I don’t remember anything, either.”
He blew out a relieved-sounding breath. “Cora says I sang a song to her on the karaoke.” Rolling his eyes, he gave a rueful laugh. “That must’ve been awful.”
No, it really hadn’t been. He’d had a good voice, a voice I could’ve listened to forever.
Then a thought struck me. Had Cora not told him I’d sung that song with him?
My bottom lip quivered, but I bit the inside of my cheek and refused to cry.
The professor started class, but apparently Quinn was in a chatty mood. He began to write on his notepad before he bumped his leg into mine to get my attention.
“I have a favor to ask.”
I looked up at him, and he smiled at me big, his dimple melting my resistance. No way could I deny him anything. “What’s that?” I wrote back.
“Would you be willing to skip classes tomorrow and go with me to help pick out a ring...for Cora?”
I stared at his words. Then I reread them.
A buzzing filled my ears and lead weighed down my stomach. But no matter how many times I read his words, they said exactly the same thing every time.
I must’ve stared too long, because Quinn nudged my knee again.
I veered my gaze up to his face. The question in his eyes snapped me back to the present. I blinked, then blinked a little more before I mouthed the word, “Wow.”
It wasn’t necessarily a good wow, but he smiled anyway as if pleased by my reaction. His eyes lit up, his mouth swooped into that sexy curve I loved, and his entire face just...glowed.
He was happy, so freaking happy while I was afraid I might vomit. I closed my mouth and forced each breath through my nose. Then I nodded because I was totally unable to write the word yes.