2— Caught red handed.

Elmer Reese

“Interesting.”

His jacket slipped from my hands. My heart hammered against my ribs.

“It's not what you think.”

“Really?” Neville asked, with a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. He walked towards me with a slow, practiced grace that annoyed me.

And he looked too calm.

“You didn't see anything,” I said, my heart thumping.

The ground should split open right now and swallow me!

“You were sniffing my jacket, sweetheart,” he said, his eyes dropping to the jacket.

“I—I was checking the collar,” I stuttered.

Why am I stuttering?

“By rubbing it against your face with your eyes closed?” Neville said. He huffed out a small laugh. He was amused. “Interesting, very interesting.”

“Shut up,” I snapped. At this rate, it felt like my heart was about to plummet. “You didn't see anything,” I said in a firm, harsh tone as I tried to brush past him.

But Neville pulled me back and slammed me against the wall. He towered over me, blocking my way.

Our fronts brushed.

“I didn't see anything? My strict race engineer is sniffing my jacket… It's funny and fascinating.” He smirked.

I shouldn't have done this here.

“It's not what you think,” I said, trying to push him away.

Neville slammed me back against the wall, earning a gasp from me. He pressed his body against mine harder, so that my crotch pressed against his thigh.

“Tell me, Elmer. Why were you sniffing my jacket?” he murmured, his voice low and smooth.

His gaze lowered to mine, his face inches away from mine.

“I wasn't—I wasn't sniffing. I just came to tell you what you did on the circuit was reckless, and I found it on the floor,” I denied, trying hard to keep my voice steady.

Neville cocked a brow. His blue eyes shone with something I couldn't decipher.

Mockery or perhaps amusement.

“Let me go, Neville,” I said, trying to act tough.

I wouldn't let him have the upper hand. I could deny the accusation firmly.

“Relax,” Neville chuckled. “I'm just trying to understand the situation here.”

“There's nothing to understand,” I said, slowly pushing at him, but he wouldn't budge.

Sometimes I hated that he had a height advantage over me. Most of the time, I loved it.

But right now, with my face flushed with embarrassment and nowhere to escape, I hated it.

I hated his handsome face.

I hated his strength.

And I hated that I found him attractive.

Neville's grin widened. I looked away.

“Apparently, the last time I checked, people didn't sniff their enemies' jackets.”

Enemies.

Yeah, that's what we were.

I let the word sink in.

And with an unexplained burst of strength—or perhaps Neville decided to shift his weight off me—I pushed him away.

My pulse was pounding.

My face grew redder with every second.

This couldn't get out.

Most importantly, my brother couldn't hear about it.

I pushed past him, grabbed the jacket, and threw it at him. “Take your jacket and stop putting your things around like some homeless bum,” I said, trying to regain control of the situation.

My body shook with too many emotions.

Fear that Neville would mock me with this newfound information.

Tell my brother or use it against me.

“You're shaking,” Neville pointed out as he stepped closer. I stepped back.

“I'm just cold,” I shrugged. I wasn't cold… I was caught doing something that wasn't supposed to be known to anyone.

No one must know I'm obsessed with Neville Evans.

No one must know I've done lewd things—with his used towel.

Neville scoffed. “It is hot in here.”

“Maybe I'm sick.”

“Should I call the ambulance?”

“I hope you get hit by one.”

He laughed.

My stomach fluttered at the sound.

Neville had always found it funny when I cursed at him.

“God… that mouth.”

I heard him mutter under his breath. I almost didn't catch it, so I thought I must have heard him wrong.

“What did you say?” I questioned.

“Nothing.”

I glared at him.

“If there's nothing else to say, I would leave now,” I said, turning towards the door, but this bastard was fast. He stepped in my way.

I moved left.

He moved left.

I frowned.

Then I moved to the right, and he did the same thing.

“Neville!”

“Yes?” he answered with a smile on his face.

“Let me pass.”

He stepped aside. “Your wish is my command, sweetheart.”

My stomach churned.

“Don't call me that.”

“Then don't give me reasons to.”

I shot him a glare before shoving past him.

I needed to get away from here now, but I only made it three steps when Neville called.

“Elmer.”

“Elmer.”

I stopped, turning around. “What?”

“How long?”

My heart skipped, but I acted clueless.

“For what?”

“How long have you been looking at me like that?” he asked, his expression calm. “Because, sweetheart, you may think I'm reckless, but I've got eyes. I've seen you look at me.”

My breath hitched.

He had noticed.

Of course he had noticed.

All those times I'd convinced myself no one would ever know, he had been watching. Standing right there, asking questions I had prayed he would never ask.

“You're imagining things.”

“Am I?”

“Yes.”

A low chuckle escaped him. “Then look me in the eyes and tell me you weren't sniffing my jacket.”

I opened my mouth but closed it again.

An annoying smirk spread across his lips. “Thought so.”