With Every Heartbeat

In answer, Reese clung to Quinn’s arm tighter and even rested her cheek against his shoulder in a possessive move. “Because you never dove in front of a speeding bullet and were shot to save my cousin’s life, that’s why.”



“Oh my God!” Ten cried, throwing up his hands in disbelief. “It was a flesh wound.”



“Most beautiful, amazing, gallant flesh wound ever.” Reese found a puckered nick of flesh on Quinn’s arm before she kissed it. “This is why my Eva’s still alive.”



My mouth fell open when I realized what she meant. “Wait. You were really shot?”



At my voice, he jerked his attention abruptly to me. His lips parted as surprise washed over his features. Cheeks flushing darker, he darted his gaze away until it set on Caroline next, which seemed to surprise him even more. “Oh,” he rushed out the word, glancing between the two of us. “Hi.” When his gaze settled on me, the heat that always consumed me in his presence flared even hotter.



Since he didn’t seem eager to talk about his experience, Reese was more than willing to fill me in on what had happened. “Yes, he was shot. He was so brave and heroic about it too.”



Ten snickered. “Aren’t brave and heroic the same thing?”



“Shut up,” Reese said pleasantly, without taking her gaze off me. “Eva, my cousin, told me all about it. This sick, sadistic, evil witch of a woman pulled a gun on her—”



“The same woman who—” Ten tried to cut in to add, but Reese punched him in the arm, silencing him.



Keeping eye contact with me the entire time, she continued her story, “...and pulled the trigger. She probably would’ve hit Eva right in the heart and killed her.”



“Pfft,” Ten muttered, rolling his eyes. “As if she could aim that good.” This time, everyone ignored him.



“But Quinn was there, and instead of ducking for cover, he tackled Eva and took her to the ground right when the witch pulled the trigger.”



She went back to patting Quinn’s scar lovingly before Ten muttered, “Jesus, why don’t you back up off the poor guy already? Are you not seeing the look on his face? I swear I’m about to get hives for him.”



Reese looked up at Quinn’s face and suddenly seemed to realize how uncomfortable she was making him. She jerked back. “Oh my God. I’m so sorry, Quinn. I keep forgetting how shy you are.”



My heart thumped hard in my chest, but that word...shy. It resonated through me, making my ears buzz.



But Quinn Hamilton was shy?



I have no idea why I hadn’t realize that before. All the signs had been right there in front of my face. I’d just been so focused on what I thought he’d be like from all the letters Cora had sent me. I’d never once imagined he’d be shy. I saw it as clear as day now, though, as I watched the way his face flushed and his gaze darted my way before he ducked his chin and mumbled, “It’s okay.”



That’s when another enlightening fact hit me. I had a major crush on my best friend’s boyfriend. For some reason—probably complete denial—I hadn’t understood before why my body reacted every time he was around...or even whenever his name was mentioned. But learning he was just as introverted as I was...it was suddenly so clear why I’d felt such a connection with him.



How mortifying. Feeling my own face heat up, I lowered my attention to the books on my desk just as an arm swept them away.



“Wha...?” I looked up to realize Ten had grabbed everything that had been on my desktop as well as Caroline’s and Reese’s and was now holding them hostage under his arm.



“So now that we’ve established Hamilton’s perfect, and gorgeous, and heroic, and all that awesome shit, can we please find our real seats?”



“This is my real seat,” Caroline argued, scowling up at him. “Now give me by book back.”



Ten snorted. “I don’t think so, sweetheart. We are not sitting in loser lane.” When the guy who’d been sitting next to Caroline lifted his face from the book he was reading, Ten tossed him a chin bob. “No offence.”



“Yeah, I think he’s still offended,” Caroline reported dryly.



“Then maybe he shouldn’t be such a loser sitting in loser lane,” Ten tossed back before he took the stairs two at a time only to shoo off a pair of guys to get five desks in a row at the very back of the room.



When we all turned to watch him set our books back on the desks up there but didn’t move to join him, he sent us a brief frown and waved us up. “Well, come on already.”