Page 1 of Just One: Box Set

Chapter One

H arley sat perched in the second-to-last row of the classroom, pretending to listen while the professor droned on. She didn’t even know why she had to sit through this torture—she was going to be a lawyer, for fuck’s sake, and this was art history.

And she was no artist.

The sad doodles in her notebook were proof enough. But it was a requirement, and one of the last classes standing between her and graduation. Unfortunately, it was also the first one she was likely to struggle with.

She tapped her pen against the cracked plastic armrest of the equally uncomfortable chair. First day in hell—pretty impressive, considering she was already a senior.

Her gaze drifted over her classmates, searching for anything remotely entertaining. She hated taking this class, especially without her best friend Jackie to keep her sane. Grabbing her phone, she typed out a message.

Harley: This class blows. Tell me again why I didn’t just sign up for something else?

Jackie: Because you didn’t want to take Latin. Look around. Surely there’s some eye candy in there.

Harley snorted, popping her gum.

Harley: Yeah. No.

She grinned at the idea of taking Latin—like that would ever happen. She’d fail in a week. Shoving her phone aside, she tried to focus on the professor’s lecture about sixteenth-century art. Her head already hurt.

Harley scribbled half-hearted notes, not sure they’d make sense later, and blew another bubble. All she needed now was to find someone to con into doing her assignments. She’d never cheated before, but hey, there was a first time for everything.

She checked the time and groaned. Forty-five more minutes of this crap. Lifting her phone again, she scrolled through social media instead.

Only her closest friends knew she came from a wealthy family—and she worked hard to keep it that way.

Guys already hit on her for her looks; she didn’t need them going after her for her money too.

Not that it mattered. She didn’t date. She had one goal—law school and getting out from under her father’s thumb.

Who was she kidding? Her brothers were just as controlling. After her mom died, they’d treated her like she might shatter at any moment. Dating in high school? Forget it. Her brothers scared off anyone who so much as looked at her.

She could’ve gone wild once she got to college, but she hadn’t. She wanted a life of her own. Boys got in the way.

Besides, she didn’t want anyone finding out just how inexperienced she was. Her cheeks warmed at the thought. Maybe—before graduation, she’d finally take the plunge with the right guy.

A light tap on her shoulder pulled her from her thoughts. She turned—and holy hell.

The most gorgeous blue eyes she’d ever seen were glaring at her.

“Yeah?” She smiled, popping her gum with a snap as she took in the full sight of him.

How had she not noticed him before? He was… stunning. Broad shoulders, muscular arms straining against his T-shirt—definitely athletic. And those arms? Yeah, her lady bits noticed.

“Can you please stop blowing bubbles?” His brows furrowed, his voice was low and annoyed.

“Excuse me?”

“I said, can you please stop popping your damn gum? It’s annoying. I expected more class from someone as pretty as you.”

He smirked, leaning back.

Harley blinked at him, stunned. Who the hell did this guy think he was?

Narrowing her eyes, she spun fully in her chair to glare at him. The smug look on his face made her want to wipe it off with a slap.

Instead, being the smartass she was, she blurted the first thing that came to mind.

“Maybe I should blow you instead.”