18

The hair on the back of Bradley Wellington’s neck stood to attention as an arc of lightening shot down his spine. He stiffened at the same time shocked gasps and a cacophony of low murmurs erupted like a wildfire in the huge gymnasium. He turned his attention away from Jessica Hartman, one of the cheerleaders he’d known while he was the quarterback of Bayside’s football team, and scanned the room, searching for the source of all the commotion, although something in his gut told him what, or rather who was now at the center of everyone’s attention.

He’d always gotten a familiar tingling down his spine when she was

near—only when she was near.

He stepped closer toward the entrance of the gym at the same time his eyes landed on her. He willed her to look at him and as if she’d heard his thoughts, she turned her gaze toward him. A heavy knot tightened in

his belly as soon as her beautiful cat like hazel eyes met his.

He&