Page 6 of Twilight of Embers
His gorgeous mouth curved. “That’s a good one. It was renovated about five years ago.”
I nodded, unsure of what else to say.
Knox wasn’t put off. “What are you majoring in? Do you know?”
“Pre-med.”
He let out a low whistle. “A brainiac.”
Heat crept up my neck. “I just like science.”
That wasn’t completely true. I loved the subject, sure, but it was more. It was as though I thought if I learned medicine now, I could go back in time and save my mom and dad. I knew it was silly, but I needed to learn it. To understand how to heal the body. And if I couldn’t save them, at least I could save others.
Knox’s footsteps faltered. “What’s wrong?”
“Huh?” I jolted out of my spiraling thoughts.
“You went somewhere. Didn’t seem like an especially happy place.”
So, Knox wasn’t just a pretty face. He was astute and paid attention.
“I’m fine. Just taking it all in.”
Annoyance passed across his face. He opened his mouth to ask another question, but I cut him off.
“I see the check-in tables. Thanks for showing me the way and saving me from first-day concussions. See you around, Knox.”
I booked it for the check-in line before he could say another word. But more importantly, before he could ask another question. Because with those probing eyes and enticing voice, Knox could get me to divulge all my secrets.
3
KNOX
I stared after the girl as she wound through the crowd of students to find her appropriate line. Hayden. My mouth formed the moniker without giving it voice. I couldn’t get myself to move my gaze away from that gorgeous blonde hair. But it was her violet eyes that were a sucker punch to the solar plexus. I’d never seen anything like them.
A protectiveness surged somewhere deep. A push to go after her, to stay close.
I took a deep breath. There were still hints of her in the air. She was fresh jasmine on a dewy morning. But there was more. She smelled like—
“Gallagher,” a deep voice said as a hand clapped my shoulder. “What’re you doing hanging around the frosh?”
I glanced over at my teammate. “Hey, Frank. Just heading to get my books.”
But my gaze pulled back to Hayden. I didn’t like her in that line alone. And I really didn’t fucking like that the kid two spots behind her in line was checking out her ass. My back teeth ground together. I didn’t blame him. Hayden’s ass was stellar, but I still had the urge to rip his eyeballs from his head.
“Earth to Knox,” Frank singsonged.
I jerked my gaze back to him. “Sorry, what?”
“Are you okay, dude? You having a stroke or something?”
A chuckle sounded to my right. “He’s panting after a freshman already.”
I turned annoyed eyes to my other teammate. “Fuck off, Jason.”
But I couldn’t help looking back at Hayden. She’d made it further up the line, but there were even more people around her now. It made me twitchy. She was so tiny, vulnerable. She needed someone watching her back.
Frank’s gaze followed mine. “Damn. Not your usual type, but I see the appeal. Small, but she’s got some curves on her.”
