Page 96 of Wings of Destiny

I yanked him forward, nearly causing him to fall, which would’ve knocked us both down. “Nothing, nothing at all,” I forced a nervous laugh. “Let’s go. I’m hungry as hell.”

My phone buzzed in my pocket. It was a text from Ashlin.

Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do! ;)

“Who is it?” Seth asked.

“Uh, no one. Just Ashlin, reminding me…about that paper for Jensin’s class. I need to get it done by next week,” I shot her a text back, telling her to shove it. “And speaking of, that means you need to get it done too.”

Seth pulled his arm from around my shoulders, leaving me slightly chilled, even with my hoodie. His thumbs looped in his jeans. “Actually, Jensin let me off the hook for that assignment. I emailed him before I got here, and he responded almost immediately.”

“Huh. That’s awfully convenient. He was in the library not too long ago returning a bunch of books and giving me a hard time.”

“Snow, you’re one of his prized students. He’s going to be harder on you.” He shrugged.

“And you should be too. You’re a hell of a lot smarter than I am.”

“You say this, Rin, but your brain’s pretty solid too. Even with how thick your skull is.”

“Like yours is any better, you ass,” I quipped.

“True. Now what’s the paper on?” He cleared his throat.

I smacked his chest. “Did you really not pay any attention? Like at all?”

Seth shrugged, not a care in the world. “Honestly, not really.”

I sighed, shaking my head. “It’s about someone called Lady Leonora. She was some type of ruler or something, I think. We started covering it almost a month ago. And given everything, I’m behind. Really behind.”

Seth deflated. “Do you want to head back to my place to get started on it?”

I quirked my eyebrow. “Uh, hell no. My ass is starving, and I owe you dinner.”

Seth perked back up. “I’m not letting you pay for dinner. I out eat you. As a guy, that’s not cool.”

“And as your best friend, that changes the whole men-pay-for-dinner spiel, Seth,” I swore I saw the light of his eyes dwindle slightly. “You can get the next one. Deal?”

He grinned down at me. “We’ll see about that,” the devilish glint returned. “I’ll race you to the car for it. First one there, pays.” He bolted, speeding off towards his car at the edge of the parking lot.

“You cheater!” I yelled, giggling as I raced after him. I caught up with Seth, to see—to my disappointment—he already reached the car and won, a triumphant grin slapped across his goofy face. As I took another step forward, my shoe caught on the pavement and I went barreling toward the ground.

Seth caught me, his arms reaching under me before I hit the ground. I peered up at him, the light from the sunset casting beautiful shadows across the planes of his face, accentuating his jawline, and the ever-present five o’clock shadow that ran the full length of it. The blue dusk in his eyes twinkled, softening as they stared into my ordinary grey-blue ones. “You okay?” he asked, a hint of huskiness in his voice.

My mouth was dry, unable to form actual words, so I nodded. Seth helped me to my feet and propped open the passenger door so I could slide in.

When did he become so…beautiful?

Okay. I might need my head checked or something.

I gathered myself, shaking off the way he’d looked at me and added as much umph into my voice as I could and whooped as Seth started the engine. “Ready to rock-and-roll?”

Chapter thirty-three

Erin

“I told you. I eat twice, if not three times, what you do, Rin. You should know this by now.” Seth leaned back in the booth, his arm hanging over the edge. Triumph laced his voice, the corner of his mouth tilted upward.

“I eat like a horse though. It’s not my fault you can take down three,” I flicked a speck of chicken parm off my fork, landing it on his nose. “Ha! Got ya!”

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