“Pens?" Chase echoed.Bridget rolled her eyes. "Pens are by far more stimulating than most people.""I'm kind of wondering what you're going with those pens," Chase saidMadison scrunched up her nose. "Get your mind out of the gutter.""My mind is always in the gutter around you.”

“My bag hit the floor, spilling overpriced books and pens across the shiny floor. My pens! My glorious pens rolled everywhere.”

“Racing up the wide staircase, I barreled through the double doors and smacked right into a brick wall.Stumbling backward, my arms flailed like a cracked-out crossing guard. My over-packed messenger bag slipped, pulling me to one side. My hairflew it front of my face, a sheet of auburn that obscured everything as I teetered dangerously.Oh dear God, I was going down. There was no stopping it. Visions of broken necks danced in my head. This was going to suck so—Something strong and hard went around my waist, stopping my free fall. My bag hit the floor, spilling overpriced books and pens across the shinyfloor. My pens! My glorious pens rolled everywhere. A second later I was pressed against the wall.The wall was strangely warm.The wall chuckled.“Whoa,” a deep voice said. “You okay, sweetheart?”

“Guess what, Avery?""What?" I wondered if he could see how fast my heart was beating beneath my shirt."Remember how you just said you were having a good time?" Cam lowered his head so that our mouths were scant inches apart. "It's about to get better.""Is it?"He shifted his head and his nose grazed mine. "Oh, yeah.""Are you not going to kiss me again?"His lips tipped up. "That's exactly what I'm going to do.”

“He's not the relationship kind or so I hear.""And do you want a relationship?" I asked her."No." She laughed, dabbing her fry. "But I have a feeling with someone like him, you get one taste and you will always want more.""Sort of like crack?" Jacob suggested."Or Cheetos," Brit supplied.”

“And this must be Avery?""Oh, God, no," Cam said. "This is Candy, Mom."His mother's eyes widened and a bit of color infused her cheeks. "Uh, I'm...""I'm Avery," I said, shooting Cam a look. "You had it right."She spun around, smacking Cam across the arm. Hard, too. "Cameron! Oh my God. I thought..." She smacked him again and he laughed. "You're terrible.”

“Chad had prowled over to her, and she felt good caged in between those powerful arms, but when he kissed her flushed forehead and then the tip of her nose, she lost a little of herself forever.”