With Every Heartbeat

“You’re so lucky to be getting Ten tonight.”

I froze, not sure what to do. What to think.

Zoey jerked at the comment and twisted to look into Cora’s face. “What do you mean?”

“I don’t know.” Cora shrugged. “He’s just...social, you know. Quinn can be cute with his country-bumpkin ways, but Ten’s just a little more world-savvy, and he can...I mean, I bet he can dirty talk in bed like you wouldn’t believe.”

I turned away blindly, unable to believe she was comparing me to Ten...and finding me lacking. I’d always thought she liked me the way I was, that she accepted my...my country bumpkin ways. I didn’t need her to love everything about me, but...I don’t know.

I was still too hurt and reeling to think properly.

I started to stride back down the hall but I realized Ten was standing at the end, watching me. His jaw was hard, and his eyes narrowed. He’d heard everything I’d just heard...because I really needed my humiliation to be complete right now.

“Hey!” he called loudly, his voice arrogant. I thought he was talking to me for a second, until he added, “We’re here. You hens ready to go or what?”

Zoey was the first to careen through the doorway, moving a little too fast. She skidded to a halt when she saw me, her eyes wide and guilty.

I don’t know why she felt guilty. She hadn’t been the one talking smack about her own boyfriend, finding him lacking, and telling her roommate she was lucky because she didn’t have to be my date for the evening.

Cora breezed out of the bedroom behind her. When she saw me, her face lit up...just as it always did. I stared at her, wondering how she could smile at me as if I mattered, as if she didn’t wish I was more outgoing and experienced. It made me wonder if every smile she’d ever given me had been so false.

“Ooh, you look so handsome,” she said, coming up to me and looping her arm through mine before kissing my cheek.

I remained stiff, unable to relax or fake my own smile. But I let her press her mouth to my cheek and I didn’t brush her away. I quietly asked, “Are you ready?”

My gaze moved to Zoey, who immediately bobbed her head, her eyes wide and worried. And for once in her life, Cora didn’t have to “change” her clothes. I made no comment about that, when on any other night, I would’ve feigned a heart attack because she was actually ready on time. I simply took her hand and led her from her apartment.

As Quinn swept Cora away, I shuddered out a breath and glanced at Ten. He stared after them as they passed and then turned to me, only to wiggle his eyebrows. “Thank God I got the sweet, pretty one for the night, huh?”

His words let me know he’d heard everything Cora had just said, comparing him to Quinn.

Setting my hand against my roiling stomach, I glanced past him toward Quinn and Cora. When they were far enough away that they couldn’t hear me, I asked, “He heard, didn’t he?”

Ten’s eyes went hard as his teeth flashed. “Oh yeah.”

I sucked in a breath. Oh God. “Is he okay?”

“What do you think?” Ten lifted an eyebrow, his gaze dry and yet ticked off.

“I think I’m going to be sick,” I admitted.

“You and me both, Blondie.” He took my elbow and led me from the apartment. “Let’s just do this already.”

I hated knowing Quinn was hurting as much as I hated not being able to do anything about it, unless I wanted to publicly call Cora out on it, which totally wasn’t my style. Besides, as vindictive as she’d been lately, she’d probably announce to the world—or more specifically, to Quinn—about my embarrassing crush on him. Since I didn’t want that getting out, I felt trapped and forced to watch him suffer.

Tonight was going to be awful. I just knew it. It was already starting all wrong. Quinn was upset, Cora was clearly in denial, and Ten wasn’t his usual cheerful yet annoying self. I just wished he’d say something crude and totally inappropriate to put me—or more specifically Quinn—at ease.

We ended up taking Cora’s car. Quinn drove, Cora took the front passenger seat, and Ten didn’t even make a crack about sitting in the back alone with me.

In fact, he slumped down on his side of the car, closed his eyes and pretended to sleep.

Cora chattered and talked as if nothing whatsoever was wrong. I watched Quinn, but other than saying nothing—which wasn’t out of character for him in the least—he didn’t act as if anything was bothering him.

“I think tonight’s going to be so much fun.” Cora twisted in her seat to grin at me. “Wouldn’t it be cool if two roommates started dating two roommates? We could be an awesome foursome.”