“What are you doing here?” I asked. I was breathless, not certain any longer if it was my nearly plummeting to my death or his nearness that was making it so hard to draw in air.“Protecting you. What does it look like I’m doing?”

“Why do you do that?” Torrin’s voice echoes in the empty hall. His hand is holding my arm gently, not at all like Derek does. I can’t have this. I can’t. I shouldn’t have ever come here with him. I draw in a shaky breath and pull my arm away. “Do what?” “Walk away every time I ask you something personal?” I stare hard at him. “Why do you do that? He blinks. “Huh?” “Ask so many questions.” His mouth drops open and closes and five long seconds pass before he says, “It’s what people do, Quinn. When they’re getting to know each other.” I shake my head and spin toward the door. “You don’t want to get to know me.”

“What exactly, my love, do you think you’re doing?” Blake looked down at her.“These stairs make me nervous. I just wanted to make sure you got down them okay.” Livia felt silly now. He was obviously fine. Their slow spiraling dance actually made her a little dizzy instead.“And if I trip like the delicate flower that I am?” Blake asked, drawing near.“I was hoping I would break your fall, if you fell…which you won’t.”

“What are you doing, Avery?”I held up my bottle. “Drinking. What are you doing?”His icy blue eyes narrowed. “That’s not what I’m getting at and you know that. What are you doing?”Damn. Hello attitude. I tried to give Cam the bitch look Steph had mastered, screwing my face up until I’m sure I looked like I was having a seizure. I sighed and gave up.”

“You look tired.""Yeah," I agreed, and shrugged. "Near-death experiences do that to me . . .”

“Whatever fantasy I had in my head of what Wolfboy looks like, it's now clear I haven't been fantasising hard enough, not nearly.”