With Every Heartbeat

But his friend wasn’t as easy to bring to heel as he’d been. Keeping his stare on the phone owner who was struggling to break loose, he sneered. “The fuck if it’s over. Little prick here needs to learn some manners.”

“Fuck you,” Little Prick answered. Then he spit in his captor’s face.

I swallowed, knowing exactly what was going to happen next. And yep, Quinn’s friend turned a hot, angry red. “Oh, you’re dead.” Then he wound back his arm, his hand already balled into a fist. I winced, bracing for the punch, even though it wasn’t aimed at me. I knew how much they hurt.

But Quinn intercepted this one, catching it in his palm.

“What the hell?” his friend started as Quinn let go of the fist to wrap a single arm around his waist and lift him off the floor.

Oh, wow. He was strong. His rowdy friend was by no means little, but Quinn didn’t even break a sweat as he carried the cursing guy under his arm toward an exit in the back of the room. As soon they disappeared out the door, everyone started gossiping. The spitting phone owner began talking big about how he would’ve won the fight, while I just stood there, petrified.

I wanted out of this place so bad. And the only person whom I knew could help me find Cora had just walked out the door.

Deciding that staying here a minute longer was more intimidating than Quinn Hamilton, I raced after him. When I found myself in a quiet, dark backyard, I paused, but I heard familiar muttering so I didn’t retreat into the house.

“Why the fuck did you stop me, Ham? That little dipshit deserved to get the piss kicked out of him.”

I might’ve only heard him say a few words inside the frat house, but I immediately recognized Quinn’s voice as he answered. “Coach said you’d get kicked off the team if you got into another fight.”

“Fuck Coach. No, you know what. Fuck you. You should’ve kicked his ass for me. Yeah. Coach probably would’ve eaten that shit up. He’d love to see you get a little more aggressive. He probably would’ve pissed himself if he’d seen you shoving Belcher against that wall.” With a laugh, he slugged Quinn in the shoulder. “That was pretty badass. Impressed the fuck out of me. I didn’t know you had that shit in you.”

I shook my head, amazed by the guy who’d gone from cussing Quinn to complimenting him in one long, run-on sentence. Quinn seemed similarly amused. His back was to me, so I couldn’t see his face, but he gave a small laugh and shook his head. “Um...thank you?” he said as if not certain whether he was being praised or insulted.

He had a nice laugh. Nice smile, too. Very nice backside. Not that I was looking...much.

Under his pretty face and intimidatingly hulking physique, however, I wondered exactly what kind of person my best friend had attached herself to. He’d been so quick to shove that other guy into a wall. I prayed Cora hadn’t found a violent man. That was one thing I wouldn’t be able to handle.

Then again, he’d been just as quick to settle down, and he’d even stopped his friend from taking the argument to the next level. Actually, he’d seemed more protective than hostile. Made me wonder what kind of picture had been on that phone.

“Can we help you with something, sweetheart?”

I jumped at the question, realizing Quinn’s friend had spotted me spying on them. My mouth went dry. It was now or never time.

With a small clearing of my throat, I nodded. “I...I’m sorry. I was just...I was looking for Cora.”

Hearing her name, Quinn turned.

And looked directly at me.

His blue-eyed gaze froze me. I felt like the guy he’d shoved against the wall: held captive in his grip and unable to break free. Then he blinked a pair of overly long dark lashes. Every organ inside me seemed to ignite into flames. My skin prickled and my flight-or-fight instinct kicked in, making me think my reaction to him was fear. But I’d never felt a tightening deep in my stomach when I’d been scared before. This was...I don’t even know.

My body didn’t seem to know what the heck was wrong with me, either, so it rebelled against the overwhelming foreign sensation, making my breath quicken and my fingers and toes tingle.

“I...” Smoothing some hair behind my ear, I gaped back at Quinn Hamilton. “I’m sorry for interrupting. I know you don’t know me. But I’ve seen pictures of you, so I knew who you were, and I thought you could help me. But, I...” I tried to apologize again as I backed toward the doorway, except the words stuck in my throat. “I’m...”

“Zoey,” Quinn said softly, as if finishing my sentence for me. And, oh my word. Hearing my name come from his mouth set off all kinds of tingling and tummy tightening inside me.