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“Oh my god, turn it off,” Allison hissed. Why did her every moment in Colin’s presence result in chaos? Her fingers fumbled with the touchpad while Colin’s flapped around her. His cheeks were the color of her favorite red pen.
When Allison finally closed the window, the sudden, blissful silence summoned a sigh from her lips. The relief of it left her giddy, and she fell into a fit of helpless laughter. What else could she do after loudly streaming porn in the middle of a class?
A second later, everyone else joined in.
Her sides aching, Allison hugged herself. Colin’s chair was still pressed up against hers, and she whispered, “We’re a menace,” as she dropped her forehead to his shoulder. The potent blend of adrenaline and glee swimming in her veins filled her head like alcohol, not leaving her room to weigh the consequences.
“Or maybe we’re magic.”
His breath flit through her hair, no more solid than the brush of a dandelion tuft. The catch in his voice plucked at something raw and open in Allison, a part of herself she hadn’t let anyone near since their breakup. Her arms tightened around her waist.
When he turned to face their professor, she wished she didn’t notice how carefully he moved, like he didn’t want to shake Allison away.
“We must have dismantled the pop-up blocker. I’msosorry,” he said to Wendy.
She grinned. “I think Chaucer would have appreciated it.”
Sitting up, Allison reclaimed some distance from Colin. “Or asked you to increase the volume,” she joked.
That elicited another chorus of chuckles.
In its wake, Wendy dismissed the class. She was still smiling when she joined her TAs at their table. “That was an adventure. You two are quite the team.”
Allison and Colin shared a glance that lingered a little too long, but neither of them replied.
“Again,” Allison repeated instead. “We’re so sorry. We were both trying to pull up information onThe Mabinogion,and a little too much button mashing ensued.”
“It’s fine. A little levity is always a good addition to a lesson.” Wendy displayed her copy of the book.“Have either of you read it?” she asked.
Allison waited until Colin shook his head to do the same.
Their professor blew out a breath. Her pinched brow caused Allison’s muscles to bunch. More bad news? Were no grad students allowed on her trip? Or had she already chosen more advanced ones?
“It’s a truly fascinating piece of literature, and the manuscript is quite something to see. I wish I had more funding.” Wendy pressed a palm to the table, her bracelets clacking as they slid down her arm. “As much as I would love to—”
“You can’t take us,” Colin concluded.
She shook her head. “I can’t take both of you,” she clarified. “Which pains me a great deal.”
Her words were like a set of cymbals crashing between Allison’s ears. “Who… will go with you?”
“My advisee. I try to co-write at least one paper with each grad student I advise, and this trip is the perfect opportunity.”
Allison crushed her fingers around her knees. A publication with someone as renowned as Wendy Frances was the chance of a lifetime.
This was the Rising Star Award all over again. Only there was so much more for Allison to lose this time. The advisee position, the trip, and the paper it would produce could all help Allison secure one of the precariously few tenure-track jobs in medieval literature that might be available when she finished her degree.
She needed this.
Shedeservedit.
And no one, especially not Colin Benjamin, was going to take it from her.
Whatever affection Allison had accidentally cultivated for him these past few weeks fell away like autumn leaves from a dead tree. She pinned him with her gaze, ready to fight for this mentorship, no matter what it took. She suspected, by the time this was over, any speck of goodwill left between them would be obliterated.
Wendy rapped her knuckles against the table. “I recommend giving it a read when you have some time. And again, please try not to let these things overwhelm you. The beauty of Claymore is that opportunities abound. No matter whom I pick, you’ll each get plenty more.”
Allison studied Colin as he watched their teacher leave the room. His mouth was pulled tight, the muscles in his jaw working against taut skin. “Wow.”
