I slid into my desk and organized my pens neatly in front of me. Each one was color-coded so that I could take the most efficient notes possible.

After double-checking the pen situation, I pulled out my notebook and went over the notes I’d taken as I read through the casebook the previous night. Facts highlighted in green, legal reasoning in pink, and the court’s holdings in yellow—everything was in order. If Professor Elliot called on me, I’d be ready.

Other students began arriving, slinging their backpacks next to their seats and chatting. I sat at the head of the class so I could see the board easily. Not because I enjoyed watching Professor Elliot’s long fingers turn the pages in his casebook, or the way his dark hair almost fell into his eyes. Not at all.

“Early again, Penny?” Tucker slid into the seat next to me and eyed my array of pens.

I ignored him and stared straight ahead. He’d been my tormentor in chief since our first year of law school. Now that we were in our third and final semester, he seemed to have upped his attempts at harassing me.

“Don’t be like that.” He swiped my brown hair from my shoulder and ran his hand down my back.

If I could sit still and silent for long enough, he’d leave. He always sat at the back of the class, ignoring the lecture and goofing off with his rich friends. I’d worked hard to get into law school, and even harder to maintain my grades while working at my mom’s store. An asshole like Tucker wasn’t going to derail my dreams.

“I always like it when you wear skirts.” He slid his hand onto my knee.

I gripped his wrist and finally turned to glare at him. “Don’t touch me.”

He grinned, his light blue eyes glinting with a malicious sparkle. I knew his good looks dropped panties all over campus, but they’d never had an effect on mine. I loathed him.

“Your prude act is a turn-on. You know that?” He kept moving his hand up my leg even as I tried as hard as I could to push him away.

“Mr. Barnes.” Professor Elliot’s voice cut through the air like a knife. “Have you lost your way?”

Tucker’s head snapped up as Professor Elliot stalked into the classroom. My breath hitched as I took in his stormy countenance—sharp jaw, dark hair, and piercing blue eyes. He was the youngest professor in the law school, only thirty-two years old, and the hottest. Plenty of students swooned over his looks, but his stern demeanor killed any attempts at romanticizing him.

Tucker pulled his hand from my leg. “I was just—”

“I don’t want your excuses.” The professor slammed his books onto the podium at the front of the room. “I want you to take your seat.”

“Yeah.” Tucker scurried away.

I breathed a sigh of relief and shot Professor Elliot a grateful look. He avoided my gaze.

“Vargas!” His harsh bark raised the hairs at the back of my neck.

“Y-yes professor?” A student two rows behind me stood.

“What was the holding in the International Shoe case?”

“Shoe?” Vargas wasn’t prepared.

I cringed.

Professor Elliot narrowed his eyes and gripped the edge of the podium. “Sit down, Mr. Vargas.”

“I, uh, I had car trouble last night and—”

“Sit. Down.” The command in Professor Elliot’s tone was unmistakable.

Despite Vargas crashing and burning, the rest of the class went smoothly. I spent the time making copious notes and peeking at the professor whenever I had a spare moment. He never looked at me, not since the first day of class.

That first day, he’d called my name on the roll, I’d announced that I was present, and then he’d locked eyes with me. I remembered the flush in my cheeks, the heat that rocketed around my body just from the way he looked at me. But after that, he never glanced in my direction, and definitely didn’t call on me.

So, I was able to stare as much as I wanted without fear of getting busted. And I did. I’d memorized the way his chocolate brown hair parted on the right side, the way his smirk turned up the left side of his lip, the way his jaw always seemed covered in stubble, the width of his broad chest, and narrow waist, and the toned curve of his ass. I studied him almost as hard as my schoolwork. Fantasizing about him while I was alone in my room at night? A given.

The hour ticked by as we went through various cases in our advanced civil procedure class. When Professor Elliot dismissed us, I packed up my pens, carefully placing them back in their respective spots inside my backpack. Order was key to me making it through law school, through life, even. My meds kept the obsessive disorder at bay for the most part, but I still found myself sticking to routines and craving order in all aspects of my world. I clicked the last pen four times, exactly, then stowed it.

Professor Elliot closed his book and lingered at the podium. He was usually the first person out the door, so I sat and watched him. Once Tucker walked out, his idiot friends on his heels, the professor followed.

I sighed and gathered my things. The rest of the day was uneventful, and I spent the evening at the library. I had a favorite study carrel where I listened to my iPod and did my reading for the next day.

My roommate Dana stopped by and tapped me on the shoulder at nine o’clock. “I’m heading home. Come on. The library closes in an hour.”

I pulled out my earbuds. “I’m almost done with my reading. I have to finish.”

She twirled a lock of blonde hair around her finger. “Finish at home.”

“I can’t. I started it here, so I have to finish it here.” I bit my lip, knowing how I sounded. My rules kept my world spinning. Fighting them only led to trouble, and I couldn’t afford any distractions with exams coming up.

She sighed. Dana was well accustomed to my particular brand of insanity. “I get it. It’s cool. I’m just beat is all.” She yawned. “I’m about to fall asleep. I already drooled on my case notes. And it’s Valentine’s Day. We should at least, I don’t know, pretend we have someone waiting for us at home with flowers and candy?”

I snort a laugh. “Fat chance. Go on home. Take the car. I’ll walk it.”

“You sure?” She hefted her backpack higher on her shoulder.

“Yeah.” I made the ten-minute walk to our apartment all the time. The campus was well-lit, and our apartment sat at the edge of the university property.

“Okay. I’ll see you at home if I’m not passed out.” She stuffed her hands into her pullover pockets. The weather had grown colder despite the faint promise of a coming spring. “And happy Galentine’s.”

“Same to you. Get some rest.” I tucked one earbud back in. “Exams will be here soon.”

“Thanks for that little reminder.” She grimaced. “Night.” She turned and headed toward the stairs.

“Night.” I settled in and color coded my notes until the library closing announcement rang through the stacks.

After packing my items—the biggest notebooks first, then the medium-sized books, then the small constitutional law notebook last—I hit the stairs and took the back exit out toward University Drive.

A few cars circled campus, their headlights bright in the dark. I shoved my hands in my jacket pockets and put my head down against the bitter wind. Too bad I hadn’t worn tights under my skirt, but it had been warmer when I’d left for class. A cold front had blown through while I was in the warm library.

I passed the humanities building, then ducked behind one of the science buildings to cut through the small patch of woods between University Drive and our apartment. A blue light in the dark reassured me that the panic phone halfway down the path was working.

A gust of wind spurred my steps across the bridge spanning a small stream. I took care to step on the individual planks, and hopped over the final cracked board.

Footsteps on the path behind me floated to my ears. I turned as a girl hurried past, her books clutched to her chest.

I pulled my hood over my head and continued my pace as she disappeared around the curve in the walk. The blue light still glowed up ahead.

More footsteps crunched along the path behind me, and I moved to the left so the person could pass me like the girl had done.

“Penny.”

A chill went through me, and not from the wind. Tucker walked to my elbow. I sped my pace.

“I saw you leave the library. Do you live over here somewhere?”

I wasn’t going to tell him where I lived. Not a chance. “Just go away, Tucker.”

He smiled down at me, and something ugly churned in my stomach. “What? I can’t walk a pretty girl home?”

I kept rushing along the path, hoping my lack of response would deter him.

“You look cold.” He slung his arm around my shoulders.

I halted and shoved him off me. “Stop.”

“I was just trying to be nice.” He shrugged and grinned.

“Just leave me alone.”

“Sure, okay.” He held his hands up.

I turned and hurried away, the gleam of the blue light drawing me.

When he grabbed my backpack and yanked, I was too startled to scream.