Shivers
Music Appreciation was the last class I’d expected to find myself taking in college, but Gabriella insisted.
“Music appreciation is an easy-A liberal arts credit. It’ll get you out of your comfort zone.”
What my roommate had failed to consider, however, was that while I may have grown up in group homes, I wasn’t good with groups. Plus, I had no musical abilities whatsoever. Sure, I’d figured out how to navigate iTunes now that I finally had an iPhone, but other than that, I was hopeless.
A few anxious minutes passed as the classroom began to fill, and I realized I shouldn’t have listened to Gabriella. Just as I’d grabbed my bag to leave, Professor Nakamura entered, closing the door behind him with a click of finality. Claustrophobia closed in on me. I cursed the professor to the pits of Hades.
As if he’d heard my thoughts, the professor met my gaze. Great. Now I was definitely locked in for the hour. Hopefully the first day would only be an introduction, and I wouldn’t be called out as a musical fraud.
Since I’d already decided this would be my first and only day in music appreciation, I pulled up the course catalog on my phone and scrolled through the class lists looking for a replacement. But then a shiver ran up my spine seconds before the classroom door opened again. It was a weird feeling, as if I’d anticipated the chilly gust of wind that followed a few seconds later. I turned toward the door.
“Oh, my.” The words came out before I could stop them. This latecomer was breathtaking. His striking blue eyes connected with mine for a brief moment, before an unexpected dimple appeared in his left cheek. He was the most gorgeous guy I’d ever seen — with short, choppy brown hair and a light, stubble beard. He was beyond a ten.
I tried to look away but couldn’t take my eyes off him. Heat and shivers continued to radiate along my spine, igniting all my nerves at once. All thoughts of quitting this stupid class evaporated now that he was here.
“Excuse my tardiness,” he said, speaking formally despite his labored breathing. The professor waved off his apology and the guy took a few steps in my direction.
I tried to pat down the frizzy fly-aways of my ponytail, chastising myself for hitting snooze like a thousand times. Out of the corner of my eye, Professor Nakamura motioned to the newcomer to take a seat in the front row. The hottie dithered with his foot mid-stride, but since that wasn’t the way my luck worked, he heeded our teacher.
I let out a sigh, and my shoulders slumped. Tomorrow I’d make a better impression — definitely no snooze.
As he walked past me, the back of my neck prickled. He was looking at me as if I were the answer to some long-awaited question, and man, did he smell good — somehow both woodsy and fresh at the same time. He made his way to the front, and my eyes wandered down his body.
Professor Nakamura began his introduction to the class, but I wasn’t paying attention. I’d become absorbed in watching and daydreaming about the latecomer. Unfortunately, that meant that I hadn’t heard the professor calling my name until his patience had worn thin.
“Emily Morgen? Are you here?” he barked.
Reflexively, I scrambled to my feet for a fraction of a second, until I realized Nakamura was only taking roll. The entire class, including the hottie at the front, turned to look at me, many of them giggling. Heat crept up my neck, and I wanted to disappear.
“Glad you could join us,” Professor Nakamura quipped, and I flashed him a tight smile. As I sank back into my chair, my new favorite person gave me a reassuring wink before he turned around to face the professor. I was pretty sure my face was going to combust.
For the rest of the lecture, my eyes remained glued to the back of Adonis’s head, hoping he’d look at me again. That’s what I’d decided to call him — Adonis. He fit the part. Ever since he’d walked into the room, there was a buzz in my spine, as if my body was calling out to him. Not in a lustful way, although there was that, too, but different.
I knew I was overthinking everything, that perhaps my body wasn’t really pining for this guy, but I was just starving for male attention. So, why was my heart pounding in my chest? While I thought I wasn’t ready to try my luck with love again since my breakup with Jeremy, my body was telling me otherwise.
The hour was almost up, and Nakamura decided to close his lecture by asking the class to indicate if we could play any of the instruments he had on display upfront — a trumpet, violin, guitar, clarinet, and a banjo. As the professor called out each one, Adonis raised his hand for all three of the stringed instruments.
Since his was the only hand that went up for the violin, the professor, literally bouncing on his toes, asked Adonis to come up and play something for the class. The guy’s shoulders slumped, and I hoped for his sake he hadn’t just been sucking up to the teacher. And while he may not have wanted to stand in front of the class and play something, I was secretly excited. Musicians were sexy.
When Adonis rose from his chair and grabbed the violin, I bit my lip in anticipation. He leaned against the professor’s desk, took a deep breath, and plucked each string, making a few minor adjustments to the tuning. Then he tucked the violin under his chin and began to play the most beautiful melody I’d ever heard.
It was as if my insides were vibrating, and I stared at him like an obsessed fangirl, utterly mesmerized. And when he looked up and met my gaze, it sent another thrilling shockwave through me.
“Bravo!” the professor bellowed, clapping his hands. “Schoenberg?”
The guy nodded.
“A challenging piece. I’m going to enjoy having someone with your talent in my class.”
Just like the professor had been, all of us girls were glued to our seats. They, too, seemed captivated by every movement this guy made, unlike our male counterparts, who didn’t seem to care. After class was dismissed, I was in no hurry to leave, so I hung around on the pretense of being super interested in some imaginary items in my backpack.
I heard the guy remind the professor that his name was Andromedous. How had I missed that during roll call? This ancient, god-like name suited him rather well, much like my nickname Adonis had. The sound of his strong masculine voice drew me in further, and I picked up on a slight accent. French, maybe?
Considering the excessive amount of estrogen that was still in the room vying for his attention, I couldn’t help the smug satisfaction I felt knowing it was my eyes Andromedous found every time he looked up. And it wasn’t just a glance — it was an intense stare, making my stomach clench.
It was beyond time to leave. And if I stayed any longer, it would be obvious I’d waited for him. Without an excuse, I would end up looking like a groupie, or worse, a creeper. However, I wouldn’t be alone if that was the case. Two other girls were lingering as well.
I collected my notebook and bag begrudgingly, catching Andromedous’s attention. He broke away from the professor. A quiver rippled through my stomach as I straightened my Gryffindor t-shirt, regretting my choice of outfit for the hundredth time that hour. He moved in my direction, the weird humming in my spine intensifying as he neared. I adjusted my backpack, but it didn’t help.
“Hello, my name is Andromedous Laroche,” he said with an outstretched hand. His full lips looked so soft and inviting I wanted to bite them, which made me reply without thinking.
“I know.”
His eyes lit up as he laughed. Great. I just admitted I was paying special attention to him. But how could I not? He was perfection. It took a minute for me to realize his hand was still outstretched.
“Oh, I’m sorry.” Heat radiated off my face as I shook it. “I’m Emily Morgen.”
“I know,” he teased.
“Touché!” Apparently, he’d been paying attention, too.
“Do you play any instruments?” he asked, his eyes gently appraising my face.
I stammered out the truth. “No.” My cheeks burned again. “But I like to listen to music and watch people play.”
“Were you happy with what you saw?” He gestured to the violin and his dimple — no, now that I was close enough to touch him, I could see it was actually a very fortunate scar — deepened as a smile danced across his lips.
Between his face, his flirting, and the buzzing in my body, I was going to implode. And while I couldn’t tell if he was being literal with his question or just teasing me, his words had me choking on my tongue trying to think of a response.
Luckily, the door opened, and students funneled in for the beginning of the next lecture, providing me with an excuse not to answer. I made my way outside and Andromedous kept pace with me as I headed toward the coffee stand. Thankfully, the weather forecaster had been wrong this morning. It wasn’t raining yet. Usually, I loved the Seattle rain, but considering I was already rocking a ponytail, I would take any break I could get.
“Where is your next class?” he asked.
“I’m free for the next hour and a half, but then I have photography in that building over there.” I pointed to the structure on our left as we took our place in line. “How about you?”
Andromedous stood beside me, staring at the drink menu. “I am free, too.”
“Is that so?” I wasn’t sure if I believed him. He could just be planning on skipping a class. “You’re free, too?” I bit my lip and looked up at him from under my lashes, challenging him to fess up.
“That is correct; I am all yours.” His sinfully beautiful mouth twitched with amusement.
My stomach fluttered and I still wasn’t sure. But it didn’t matter. All I cared about was that he wanted to stay with me.
“Since I have you all to myself and you are taking photography, I wonder if I could ask your opinion on cameras?”
“Really?” I asked, before ordering my grande salted caramel hot chocolate. “You’re into photography, too?”
“Actually, no.” He laughed. “But I would say anything to make you stay awhile longer.”
I concealed my huge smile behind my hand.
“It is true. Why would I not want to spend time with a beautiful girl like yourself?”
Wow was all I could think as he turned his attention to the barista, and ordered a cinnamon dulce crème, then got out his wallet. “How much do I owe you for both drinks?”
“No, please.” I placed my hand on his forearm to stop him, retrieving my wallet from my bag. “You don’t have to do that, I can pay for my own. I get a discount for working in the administration office.”
Andromedous shook his head, placing his hand on my lower back precisely where it thrummed. I stiffened, worried he could feel it, too, but he gave no indication that he had, and my lungs loosened just a bit.
“Emily, what kind of gentleman would I be if I let a lady pay for her own drink?”
I should have argued my point, but being an Austen fan, and because my heart was melting, I thanked him.
“Will you sit with me?” He motioned to a nearby bench.
I nodded and he waited for me to get comfortable before he took a seat beside me.
Despite my nerves, our conversation flowed smoothly as I asked him about his major and where he was from — the usual stuff. I was surprised when he said he was from Seattle, too. His accent clearly said otherwise. However, when he elaborated to say he was sharing an apartment with his brother downtown, I figured he had just misunderstood my question to mean where he currently lived.
“I’m hearing an accent. Where were you born?”
His cheek pulled up. “France. A tiny village called Vernet-Les-Bains.”
I knew it. “I bet it’s beautiful.”
His smile grew broader. “Gorgeous. It is located in the southern region of France, near Spain.”
“So, you speak French?”
“Oui.”
I scoffed playfully. “Everyone knows how to say that. Say something else, so I know you’re not lying.”
Just then, the breeze caught the material of his shirt, making it hug the contours of his well-defined chest. I tried really hard not to ogle him, but I couldn’t help myself.
“Je vois que tu admires ma poitrine.”
“What did you say?”
He rubbed a hand across his chest, and my cheeks ignited.
“Nothing important. But do you believe me now?”
I nodded; he’d clearly caught me staring. Despite my embarrassment, I pushed on with the conversation by asking what other classes he was taking.
“Just the one for right now because I am working full time.”
Oh! He wasn’t lying earlier when he said he was free this hour. “Where do you work?”
“I do research in and around Seattle. But we can talk about that later. I want to hear about you.” He gave me a smile.
My stomach fluttered, but I didn’t want to talk about me. I would have rather heard about whatever research he did. Unfortunately, he didn’t give me a chance to ask.
“How long have you been interested in photography?”
“Well, I do love it. But, I’m not sure if it’s what I want to do as a career or not yet. I’m still trying to find out who I am and whatnot. When I was the photographer for the yearbook last year in high school, I fell in love with it.” I shrugged. “We’ll see if it works out.”
Andromedous leaned forward and my stomach dropped as he placed a finger under my chin. His eyes roamed over my features and I had to look away.
“I would think someone as beautiful as you would be better found in front of the camera rather than behind it.” He shook his head. “Sorry. That sounded less intense in my head.”
I pulled away and dipped my head coyly. “No, no. It was a good line. I just wish it was true.”
“What?” He looked taken aback. “It is true.”
“I bet you say that to all the girls.” In that sexy formal accent of yours.
“First of all,” he held up one finger. “There are no other girls. And second…” He looked me straight in my eyes, taking my hand in his.
My breathing hitched, but I kept my hand perfectly still, hoping he’d hold it forever.
“I was taught not to lie.”
My body ignited as his words burned through my insides. Damn. That was hot. Probably untrue, but hot. I wasn’t naive enough to believe that there were people who never lied. Still, there was something about him that made me question my doubts. “You say that, but…”
“I will prove it.” He squeezed my hand before letting go. “With time.”
I had no reason to believe him, yet I did, and I liked the sound of more time with him.
“Emily, you mentioned you were from Seattle. Have you lived anywhere else?”
“I was born in Clallam Bay.” I rewound a stray hair into my ponytail. “But my parents died when I was young, and the majority of my growing up years were in foster and group homes in and around Seattle. Now I live in Alki Beach.”
“I am sorry to hear about your parents.”
I shook my head, ignoring the pain in my chest. “It was a long time ago. And now that I’m eighteen, I’m out of the system and sharing an apartment with my best friend, Gabriella.”
“How long have you and Gabriella been best friends?”
I fiddled with my watch. There was so much behind that story, but I was sure he didn’t want to hear the long version. Instead, I gave him the general gist. “She was basically my only friend in high school.” I chewed my lip. It was hard to make friends when you didn’t have a permanent home. “She still is.”
“Well, now you have two friends.”
I smiled at him, but hoped he’d become more than just a friend.
The time with Andromedous flew by far too fast, and I realized I only had ten minutes before class started. Usually, I would be panicking at this point — I hated to be late — but I found that I didn’t care because I didn’t want to leave him.
“I will walk you to your class.” He half-smiled, tilting his chin toward my watch.
“Thank you,” I replied, trying to keep the disappointment out of my voice.
Andromedous stood and extended his hand with a resigned look on his face. Hopefully, this meant he didn’t want to leave me, either.
Reluctant to leave but eager to feel his touch again, I placed my hand securely in his grip and stood, putting me close enough to smell his woodsy cologne. I closed my eyes, relishing in his scent for a second before I turned around and grabbed my bags.
We threw away our cups just as the first raindrops began to fall. I waited as Andromedous opened his umbrella and held it over the both of us. Even though using an umbrella in Washington made him stand out as not being native, I found it utterly charming. Most people here just wore rain jackets and called it good. I wasn’t complaining, though, because it gave me the chance to squeeze myself up against him.
Our pace was slow, but I didn’t care. I watched Andromedous as we walked; he moved so gracefully, casually guiding us around puddles. He held the umbrella in one hand, while emphasizing what he was saying with the other. It was endearing.
When we reached my classroom, Andromedous began asking me questions about my photography. It turned out that despite his earlier joke, he seemed genuinely interested in my hobby, even requesting to see some of the images I had taken over the past year.
I only ever brought the pictures I needed for class to school. That meant most of the photos I’d taken were back at my apartment, but that was okay. It gave me a perfect excuse to invite him over if I ever summoned up the courage.
Andromedous shook out his umbrella and closed it before turning to face me. For a few seconds, he stared at me with a strange look on his face, seeming to debate something in his head. I raised my eyebrows and smiled encouragingly.
Looking away, he fiddled with the snap on his umbrella as he spoke. “I hope you have realized by now that I am quite taken by you.”
Quite taken by me? His matter-of-fact comment was very old fashioned, catching me completely off guard. My heart pounded against my chest and all I could manage in response was a strangled, “Oh?”
He raised one perfect eyebrow. “Have I not made that obvious?”
I laughed, my breathing somewhat fractured, elated that it wasn’t all one-sided.
One of Andromedous’s cheeks quirked up at my response in an uneven smile that made my knees grow so weak I had to lean against the wall.
He took my hand and brought it to his soft lips. When Andromedous met my eyes again, his expression became serious, and he gently kissed each of my knuckles.
Curiously, I stared at him. My mind was unsure how I felt about such an intimate gesture, but the heat spreading throughout my body told me I liked it, and I tried not to squeal. This guy wasn’t like anyone I’d ever known.
Dropping the umbrella at his feet, he took my hand in both of his. “If you would allow me to, Miss Morgen, I would love to call on you some time: outside of school.”
Again, I wasn’t sure if I had heard him right. Did he really call me “Miss Morgen” and ask if he could “call on me sometime?” Who even speaks that way anymore? Mr. Darcy? That was formal — even for him.
“Of course, Mr. Laroche,” I teased. “Will you be arranging the chaperone?”
Andromedous’s brow furrowed as he faltered. “I could ask my brother…”
I squeezed his hands. “I was joking. We don’t need a chaperone.” His forehead smoothed, and I repressed a smile. “When would you like to call on me?”
“How about later this evening?”
Squashing down my excitement, I rummaged through my backpack, searching for my phone. Pulling it out, I opened my contacts. Finally! “What’s your number? I’ll text you my details.”
“Actually, my phone broke, and I am waiting for a replacement. Will you please write it down?”
Diving back into my backpack, I pushed the contents back and forth until I found a blank piece of paper and a black Sharpie. I was desperate to give him my information, and wasn’t thinking when I spun him around and used his back as a hard surface (and it was hard). Savoring the feel of my hands on the contours of his shoulders, I slowly and deliberately wrote down my digits.
“Will you be picking me up?”
“Of course, as any gentleman should.”
“Perfect,” I said, smiling at his reply. “I’ll write down my address as well.”
Finished, I removed the paper from his back, and was mortified to see the ink had bled through, leaving my address and phone number mostly legible on his shirt.
My hand clamped over my mouth, stifling the intake of breath. Crap! How could I have been so stupid? Everyone knows Sharpies bleed. I was such an idiot. Gnawing on my bottom lip, I debated whether or not I should tell him. But not telling him would make me a bad person, right? I mean, I ruined his shirt. There was no way he wouldn’t notice. But just as I opened my mouth to say something, Andromedous turned around, catching me wide-eyed and open-mouthed.
“Everything okay?”
I snapped my lips closed. “Mmm-hmm.”
He looked down at the paper, smiling. “96B Hamilton Drive, right?” he asked in confirmation.
Too mortified to speak, I nodded, but didn’t say anything. I couldn’t believe I wasn’t going to tell him. What kind of monster was I?
“I will see you tonight, then.”
“Uh huh.” All I could do was stare as he kissed my hand once more. I watched him go, parts of my contact information conspicuously written across his shirt, and sputtered out a giggle — of course that would happen to me. I covered my mouth, trying to stifle the laughter that was bubbling up in my chest as I pictured what his face would look like when he’d discovered what I’d done. Hopefully, he would see the humor in it and still want to see me tonight.
As the adrenaline of the moment began to wear off, my spine settled. I hunched over and rested my hands on my thighs.
“I will bring the food! Brie and grape baguettes, okay?”
Quickly, I tried to right myself as Andromedous called out to me, walking backward with a huge smile on his face. At least I didn’t feel as guilty looking at him from this angle. I gave him a weak nod. If he only knew.
With as much dignity as I could muster, I yelled back, “Delicious! I get off work at five.”
“Expect me at 6:30.”
I gave him one last wave as he got into his black Jeep.
As long as that wasn’t his favorite shirt, he’d probably still show up, right?
