Off-Limits Desire

Scarlett’s POV

I am standing outside, my phone pressed against my ear and my eyes scanning both sides of the road, when suddenly, he bumps into me, hard and fast.

The phone flies from my hand and lands on the ground in a clatter. The first thing I feel is anger, surging through every fragment of my being. I raise my eyes from my broken phone, my lips about to say the vilest words I can think of.

But when my eyes come in contact with a piercing sea of blue, staring down at me with concern etched into his features, I suddenly forget what I was going to say.

He narrows his gaze at me and leans in closer slowly. I take in his scent of cedarwood and earth, raw and masculine. My body jerks away, and my feet follow. Before I reach the ground, strong arms catch me, holding on to my shoulders.

“Breathe,” he murmurs, his eyes still on mine. “I’ve got you.”

I’ve got you. Those words sound so familiar. And the way he says it. It nudges softly at my brain, as if trying to bring to the fore something I’ve forgotten.

“I’m fine,” I blurt harshly. It burns where he touches me, like sparks of electricity running down my spine. He lets go when I find my feet again, my eyes returning to my phone.

“Why do you sound angry?”

"Angry?" I scoff disbelievingly. "I just got that phone last month, and now, it is on the ground, broken, because you decided not to look where you are headed."

He seems taken aback, his head tilting as he regards me. "Hey kid, weren't you taught not to be rude to strangers?"

"What?" My mouth hangs open. "Kid? I will let you know that I am a college student, okay? And on the dean's honor list as well.”

His lips raise in a smirk. “Kid.”

"Stop it!" I glare at him, but the amusement on his face only stretches wider. "Call me that one more time and I'll…."

“Scarlett, did you find….”

My brother stops at the steps of the diner, staring at the scene playing before him. And then, suddenly, he bursts out laughing.

“What did you do, Scar?”

My eyes widen in disbelief. Is my brother going to take his side over mine?

“Nothing, Spencer! I did nothing! This stranger bumped into me, broke my phone, and then turned around to blame me for it," I huff, folding my arms in front of me. "And he called me a kid, too."

“You are a kid,” the stranger says, amusement etched on his features. “The last time I saw you, you were barely twelve.”

And then he narrows his eyes. “How old are you now?”

I look at my brother and then back at the stranger standing in front of me. And then, suddenly, I made the connection. My cheeks go red at once, and embarrassment washes through me.

“Oh my God!”

Spencer laughs, the sound ringing in the air as he comes closer to us. “You could have been nicer to her, Ares,” he says, nudging him playfully on his shoulders. “You used to be close.”

Mumbling something incoherent, I rush back into the diner and head to our table, humiliation burning me.

***

Dinner with my brother, Spencer, Olivia, his girlfriend, and Ares gets awkward by the minute. At least to me. Both friends get on with conversations they haven't had in a while, their voices mingling in the air and reverberating around the space.

But all through it, Ares' eyes never leave mine.

“I think we can have the toast now,” Spencer says, wrapping a hand around Olivia’s shoulders. I can see how proud he is of her through the shine in his eyes.

Olivia has been working so hard for a promotion in her company for the past year, and Spencer has been working up about it as well. But now that it is here, they can both relax and celebrate.

"Not yet," Ares murmurs. “Can we wait…”

Just then, the door swings open in the distance, and a whiff of vanilla scent teases my nostrils. Her pretty eyes scan the room before landing on us. I notice the tense look on Ares' face as she waltzes over.

"Hello, everyone," she says in a false high-pitched voice that makes me almost cringe. And without waiting for a response, she glues herself next to Ares, her beautiful blonde hair whipping in his face. I wait for the apology that should follow. The dinner was supposed to start two hours ago.

But nothing else pours from her lips.

"Hi," Olivia chirps, always the peacemaker. "I don't think we've met before."

“Bianca,” she says sweetly, stretching her hand for a shake. “Ares’ fiancée.”

Oh. Right.

Her gaze travels down to me. “And you are?”

“Scarlett,” Ares mutters, his tenor striking a strange cord in me. “Spencer’s younger sister. She just got in from college.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Scarlett,” she says, leaning into her seat. And then, she whips out her phone, burying her nose into it.

Ares nudges her gently. “Olivia…”

“Hmm?”

“We were waiting for you all evening.”

She looks up. "Give me a minute, please. This is really important."

And then, she returns to her phone, giggling about something. Olivia's face drops, as if her night has just been ruined, and Spencer looks like he has just been thrown into an awkward situation.

My chair scrapes the ground noisily as I push it backwards, getting on my feet. Three pairs of eyes turn to stare at me.

“I have to use the bathroom,” I mutter, walking away from the group.

I take my time in there, washing my hands and staring at my reflection, wondering how on earth I didn't recognize Ares, the man I had a crush on for more than half my life.

Sighing, I turn around to head out when suddenly, the door opens and Ares strides in. I freeze as the door clicks shut behind him. His eyes wash through my features under the dim lights.

“You shouldn’t be here,” I whisper, my pulse strangely racing.

He takes a slow step closer. “Funny. I was about to say the same thing.”