I turned to see a horrified Ten standing before us, a single thick textbook tucked under his arm. He spun and scowled at Caroline, his gaze accusing. “Where’s your brother?”
She blinked and moved deeper into her seat away from him. “Um...I don’t know. His own first class of the day, I would assume.” Her eyes narrowed and lips pinched tight. “He didn’t hold my hand and walk me to class.”
“But he should be here.” He pointed down to the exact spot where he was standing. “I saw his class schedule sitting out on the table in the kitchen at your place. He had this class, so I enrolled.”
Caroline flushed. “Well, that must’ve been my schedule you saw because I know for a fact Noel isn’t taking this class.”
As Ten closed his eyes and lightly pounded a fist to his forehead, I darted my gaze between them. When Ten had told me he’d have to change his game plan around Caroline, I guess he hadn’t been kidding. He definitely wasn’t being as sweet or nice to her as he’d been before she’d tried to kiss him.
“Motherfucker,” he groaned. “No Gamble, and I’m stuck in a class with not one, or even two, but three untouchables. This is going to suck...ass.”
“I’m sorry, what?” Reese lifted a curious eyebrow. “Do I even want to ask what an untouchable is?”
“You know...” He twirled out his finger to encompass Reese, Caroline and me. “You’re Lowe’s woman. Can’t flirt with you. You’re Noel’s little sister.” He scowled at Caroline. “Can’t fucking go there. And you...” He flicked his attention to me, “...belong to Hamilton.” Then he made a sweeping gesture over all three of us. “Ergo I can’t touch any of you. Untouchables. And to make it worse, you all will probably be watching me with your judgey little eyes so I’ll have to behave and can’t hit on any other woman in this class either.”
As Reese snorted, I gaped at him. I couldn’t believe he was being so candid about his pursuits for other women...right in front of Caroline, when he knew she liked him. And what in God’s name had he meant about me being—
“I don’t care if you hit on anyone,” Reese told him.
“Flirt away.” Caroline gestured airily, as if she didn’t care either.
“I belong to...Hamilton?” I repeated incredulously.
“Undisputedly.” Ten sent me a short nod, ignoring the other two girls for the time being. “Apparently, if you move in with the woman he dates, he automatically assumes responsibility for you. I have henceforth been...warned off.”
“You...” I shook my head. Wait. “What?”
“I know.” He lifted his hands as if he totally agreed with my confusion. “I made one remark about your ass and he ordered me to back off and leave you alone.”
“You did what?” If I wasn’t sitting, I probably would’ve tried to cover my tush with my hands. I settled for crossing my arms over my chest to hide the girls from him, even though the button-up pink and white plaid blouse I was wearing didn’t show a hint of cleavage.
“Fine.” He rolled his eyes and blew out a disgusted breath. “I checked out your legs too. But God, I’m a guy, okay? I look at women. Why is that such a bad thing?”
“Probably because you’re really lewd about it,” Reese offered helpfully. “I mean, do I make you feel like a piece of bacon for sale when I check you out? No. There is a tasteful way to look.”
Turning all his attention to her, Ten hiked his foot onto the chair next to the desk where she was sitting and rested his elbows on his thigh while he wiggled his eyebrows at her. “So you check me out, huh, Buttercup?”
“Yes,” she answered dryly and patted his cheek. “And I’ve found you completely lacking compared to my Mason. Sorry.”
On the other side of me, Caroline cracked up laughing. Ten jerked his foot off the chair, scowling as he straightened. Then he sniffed at Reese. “Pfft. As if I want to be as pretty as Lowe, anyway.”
“Well, good.” Reese set a hand over her heart, looking relieved. “Because you don’t even rank in his league.”
Ten gaped at her. “Jesus, thank God I’m not a self-conscious pansy ass, otherwise that would’ve stung.”
“Oh, don’t worry,” Reese assured him brightly. “I wouldn’t have said anything if I didn’t know what a huge, overinflated ego you have.”
Ten opened his mouth but didn’t seem to know what to say, not that Reese was paying him any more attention anyway. Her face brightened, and she leapt out of her chair. “Now there’s a guy in my Mason’s league. Quinn!”
Hearing that name made me stop breathing. I zipped my attention to where Reese was bounding past us, and sucked in a breath when I saw him in the opening of the lecture hall.
Oh, good Lord. I was going to share my first class with Quinn Hamilton?