She slowed and gave me a look. “No, Katy. How are you?”
“Fine,” I repeated, drawing out the word. Was it a trick question? Was I getting the answer wrong?
“You know what that word really means, don’t you? Fucked-up, Insecure, Neurotic, and Emotional. I wouldn’t label you as any of those things.”
My eyes were so wide, they hurt. Lulu, the one who kept us all in line, just dropped the f-bomb in front of me. Will wonders never cease. I laughed in spite of the shock. “I really am okay.”
“I worry about you.”
“Why?” I already had an entire quad squad constantly worried about me, a professor who’d made it her job to take care of me—which wasn’t necessary, but I appreciated more than she knew—and a Council all up in my business. I didn’t need Lulu smothering me too.
“You’ve had to endure more in your short years than most of us have in our entire life. It isn’t right.”
“Tell that to the Council,” I grumbled. “They’re the ones who declared me the prophecy.”
“And you had to go up against Alec alone.”
“I wasn’t alone. I had the guys with me.”
She shot me a sideways look. “Are you saying they were fighting right alongside you? That the five of you beat him together?” She gave me another look when I took a breath to answer. The air solidified in my lungs before slowly hissing out. “From my understanding, you had to save them while defending yourself from Alec’s attacks. You saved everyone trapped in the ruins. Byyourself.”
I know what happened. I didn’t need this walk down nightmare lane. “What’s your point? I beat Alec.”
“That’s exactly my point. You beat Alec. By yourself.”
Why did I feel like we’d just gone full circle?
“I know you don’t want a partner, but maybe give him a chance before you dismiss him completely. Having a powerful quad at your side couldn’t hurt.”
And yet, it’d been nothing but painful since first hearing about him. “Okay, tell me about him.”
Lulu nodded in excitement. The little plastic flags on her hat rattled as they smacked together. “He’s rather dashing. Unruly blond hair that’s a bit to long for my taste, but his blue eyes just make you swoon. He’s quite fit too. If only I were younger. And the way he talks? It’s like candy for your ears.”
I laughed at the description. I didn’t know if I’d ever heard of a guy being described as dashing before. “Can’t wait to meet him.”
“Why wait?” Lulu grabbed my arm, and in an instant, we popped into a void where my insides tried to switch places with my outsides. I still hadn’t quite gotten used to teleporting and only did it when I had one of the guys with me to rescue me if my call went rogue.
We reappeared in the main office. I spotted the back of a head full of shaggy blond hair that brushed inhumanly large shoulders. As soon as we popped into the room, he turned.
Holy mother of all things beautiful.
This was the UK sensation? He looked more like one of those models you’d see on an obscure yet exotic perfume ad. A chiseled, sharp jaw. High cheekbones. His wavy hair accented deep, deep blue eyes that seemed to pierce right through my everything.
And damn…he had to be seven foot twelve. And must bench semis. His arms were huge, all muscle, and strained the material of the white dress shirt. I couldn’t stop myself from dropping my gaze to the way the gray slacks cupped an impressive bulge between his legs. Wow. Did it just get really hot in here?
I jerked my attention away from his crotch as Lulu spoke. “Spencer Dalton, may I present Katy Reed.” She pushed me in front of her.
I hadn’t recovered from the surprise teleport and heated reaction to this guy’s…presence, so when he took my hand and brushed soft lips across my knuckles, I didn’t know whether to sway or punch him in the mouth for thinking he had the right to brush anything of his across anything of mine. “It’s so good to meet the one who disposed of Alec von Leer.”
“Uh, thanks.” I took my hand back and smiled politely. He made it sound like I simply took out the garbage. Then again, that was pretty much what I’d done.
When he took a step toward me, I responded by taking a step back. Something about him lifted my neck hairs. A cool tingle washed across my skin. It made me uncomfortable. I took another step back, wanting distance between us and not understanding why. He paused and studied me. “I didn’t mean to frighten you.”
I stopped myself from laughing. He had no idea what I’d been through. It would take a lot more than an awkward moment to scare me. “I’m good.”
“It’s customary where I come from to greet a lady properly.” He turned his attention to Lulu. “You didn’t seem to mind my greeting.”
She giggled. She actually giggled. I’d never heard her giggle before. Considering the reason why, that this dashing dude with his ear-candy accent kissed her hand, I shuddered. “Now that I’ve been presented and all, I’ll see you around.” The sooner I got out of the office, the sooner I’d find the guys before orientation. When I’d told them about me getting a partner, none of them were happy. After meeting S…uh, Steve? No, that wasn’t it. It was S-P something. Spock? Ugh, I hated how bad I was at names. After meeting what’s-his-name, I knew for a fact the guys were going to lose their shit over me having him for a partner, doing partner-y things.
I almost made it to the door before the headmaster, Dean Carter, spoke up from inside his office. “Ms. Reed, a moment?”
Dammit. I was so close to escaping. Reluctantly, I dragged my ass into the large office on the opposite side of the room, purposely avoiding the new guy’s intense stare, and slowed as I walked
