Page 19 of The Wrong Quarterback

It took me a second to realize that I was just standing there, gaping like a freak. How long had it been since I’d stopped speaking?

I could literally feel Professor Hendrick shooting daggers into the side of my head…I just couldn’t find it in myself to care.

The professor cleared her throat. “Um thank you…Mr. Davis. And please do use his services if you need help in the class. Mr. Davis got a perfect grade when he took this course, the first to ever do so.”

She’d probably added that last part because of how dumb I’d sounded. My gaze drifted hopefully to the new focus of my existence. Was she impressed?

I just couldn’t tell…her eyes were still glued to her desk, avoiding my stare like it was something toxic.

There was a blush to her cheeks, though. I was pretty sure she was aware of me.

And now my dick was even harder.

Professor Hendrick cleared her throat loud enough that I snapped back to attention just in time to hear her say, “The Roman Empire was built on ambition, and ambition, as you’ll learn, can be both a strength and a downfall.”

Ambition. Yeah, I knew something about that. I’d found a newambitionin life.

Her.

And like the Romans…I wasn’t sure yet if she was going to be my downfall.

CASEY

I walked into the lecture hall, clutching my bag tighter than necessary as the usual low buzz of conversation filled the room. Hopefully I’d just had my first and only freakout of the day, and I could start out the school year strong. Scanning the rows, I looked for an empty seat. Ugh. The only ones available were in the very middle of the back of the auditorium. I made my way down the row, apologizing as I went. I’d have to make a note to get here earlier next time.

I’d just gotten to the seat when my eyes caught on something—or rather, someone—and my heart may have stopped.

It was him. The guy from the banner.

Parker Davis, in the flesh, sitting at a long desk next to the professor’s lecturn. The room seemed to shift, all noise and motion slowing down to a crawl as my pulse thundered in my ears. That banner hadn’t been photoshopped. Not at all. If anything, it hadn’t been realistic enough.

He was even more stunning up close. I didn’t know that humans actually existed that looked like that. For a second I was worried, like maybe I was having one of those final moments, where your brain conjures up crazy images right before you pass away. Because he was too perfect to be real.

I knocked my chair over.

It clattered to the ground with a sound that seemed to cut through the room like a gunshot. Heads turned, eyes darted, and my face felt like I’d somehow gotten sunburned.

Shit.

I quickly bent down to grab the chair and set it upright with trembling hands. Obviously seats needed to be bolted to the floor when I was around.

Great start.

I snuck a peek at Parker Davis, hoping that maybe it hadn’t been as loud as I’d thought and he wouldn't have noticed.

But he was looking. And not just looking. His blue eyes were locked onto me, burning straight through to my insides. Was the room spinning? Or was that just me…and the fact that I didn’t know how to breathe anymore?

Another bolt of heat shot through me, and my fingers went numb for a second.

I frantically dragged my ass into the seat, wincing when I banged my elbow on the little desk attached to it that was somehow supposed to hold my laptop. Could I look up yet? There was no way he was staring anymore…right?

I peeked at the front of the room.

Nope. He was still watching me, his expression unreadable but intent. I frantically glanced around. Because I was just imagining this. He had to be looking at someone else. But although there were plenty of students drooling over him, none of them seemed to be having the visceral reaction that you hadto have when you caught the attention of a god like Parker Davis. Sweating, pulse exploding…underwear suddenly damp…

I tried to nonchalantly wipe my mouth. Did I have whipped cream from my drink on my lips? I hadn’t been able to eat anything this morning, so it couldn’t be food…but maybe my lipgloss had smeared?

Okay…it didn’t feel like I had anything wrong on my face.

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