For a second, I just stood there at the kitchen door, clutching my bag like it was some kind of holy protection charm. His eyes didn't move, didn't blink, just stayed fixed on me in a way that made every cell in my body aware of its existence.
"Hey," I said finally, because apparently my brain had left my mouth unsupervised. "You look… awake."
Smooth, Sharon. Real smooth.
He chuckled, that low sound that vibrated in the air more than it should. "And you look like you've seen a ghost."
"I wish," I muttered under my breath, pretending to adjust my bag strap.
From the corner of my eye, I saw Maxie leaning against the doorframe, grinning like the cat who'd just found the cream. "So, we're all friends again, right?" she said in that too-sweet tone that always meant she was about to cause trouble.
I shot her a glare. "You promised he'd behave."
She threw her hands up. "He is behaving! He hasn't even touched you yet."
"Maxie!"
Marcus raised a brow, amusement flickering across his face. "Yet, huh?"
"Don't even start," I warned.
But of course, that only made him smile wider, and damn if it didn't look good on him. I hated that it did. His shirt clung to him just right, his jawline could probably slice bread, and those blue eyes, God, those eyes...looked like they could talk anyone into sinning.
He stepped closer, close enough that I caught a faint whiff of his cologne, something dark, expensive, and absolutely illegal in how good it smelled.
"Relax," he said softly. "I just came to drive you both. No hard feelings, right?"
Right. Because normal people almost kiss you one night and show up the next morning acting like they're angels on vacation.
I cleared my throat and forced a smile. "Of course. Totally normal. Just another day of almost making out with your best friend's brother."
Maxie gasped dramatically. "See? You admit it! You wanted that kiss!"
"Maxie!" I hissed, cheeks flaming.
Marcus's smirk deepened, and I swear he was enjoying every second of my humiliation.
Before I could say anything else, he turned and started walking outside. "You two coming, or do I need to drag you both?"
Maxie skipped after him, giggling. "If you drag her, at least do it gently!"
I groaned. "I hate you both."
"Love you too, babe!" she called back.
I lingered at the doorway for a second, trying to collect what was left of my dignity. But when Marcus glanced over his shoulder and gave me that cocky, lopsided grin, my heart decided to sprint without warning.
This was going to be a long day.
If someone had told me that my day would end up with me squeezed beside Maxie's irritatingly handsome twin brother in his stupid shiny car, I'd have laughed in their face and gone back to bed.
But here I was makeup-less, atleast I am grateful I went with Maxie's outfit idea...I was trying not to think about how his cologne smelled like sin and heartbreak mixed together.
The day had started in full Maxie was loud, bossy, and dramatic.
I had already made up my mind to apologize for slapping him last night. I didn't want to start our break with bad blood, especially since Maxie wouldn't shut up about it.
When I joined them outside, Marcus was leaning against his car like he was posing for a perfume commercial. Black shades, tight shirt, a smirk that screamed trouble, yep, classic Marcus.
Maxie was already in the passenger seat, laughing at something on her phone.
I froze for a second, unsure whether to take the back seat or sit beside him, when Maxie smirked at me and said, "Oh no, Sharon. This seat's for my bag. You're sitting beside him."
I glared. "You did that on purpose."
She winked. "Obviously."
Reluctantly, I opened the door and slid in beside Marcus. The smell of his cologne instantly attacked my senses a mix of dark spice, expensive arrogance, and something annoyingly sexy.
He turned his head slightly, his lips curving. "Hey."
I nodded stiffly. "Hey."
The silence stretched for a while. I didn't know if I should apologize or pretend last night never happened.
Before I could decide, Maxie groaned from the back. "Oh my God, this silence is killing me. Can you two crushers who pretend you don't like each other just say something, please? The car's about to combust from the tension."
I could feel my cheeks heat up. I gave a small smile and lowered my head. Marcus chuckled softly, the sound deep and irritatingly attractive.
He reached up and removed his shades, his blue eyes catching the sunlight. "So, about last night," he said, voice low. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."
I looked at him, a bit surprised. "It's fine," I said quickly. "I shouldn't have slapped you that hard."
He smiled... not the cocky kind, but the gentle one that made my chest feel weirdly tight. "Guess we're even then?"
I nodded. "Yeah, we're cool."
But the moment my eyes drifted to his lips, soft, pink, and annoyingly pouty my thoughts betrayed me. Those were the same lips I'd smacked the night before. Now they looked way too tempting for comfort.
I glanced away quickly, pretending to fix my dress, but Maxie caught on immediately.
"Sharon," she said in that mock-serious tone. "Are you daydreaming in a car, staring at my ugly brother?"
"Of course, you know he ain't ugly," I replied automatically and then froze.
Crap. Did I just say that out loud?
Maxie's eyes widened in slow-motion disbelief, and Marcus's grin spread like wildfire.
"Ohhh," Maxie drawled, turning in her seat. "Look who's defending my brother. Miss 'I-Don't-Like-Men' is suddenly blushing like a schoolgirl."
"Maxie, please," I whispered, trying to cover my face.
But she wasn't done. Oh no, not Maxie.
She leaned over, resting her elbow on the seat, and said loudly enough for half the street to hear,
"Marcus, just kiss her already so she stops acting like a horny saint!"
I choked on my own breath while Marcus burst into laughter so hard he had to hit the steering wheel.
"Maxie!" I screamed, mortified.
She was already giggling uncontrollably. "What? I'm just helping! You two have been eye-flirting for ten minutes now."
Marcus turned to me with that mischievous grin that made me want to both punch and kiss him.
"Relax," he said, still chuckling. "I'll save the kiss for later."
My jaw dropped. "What..."
But before I could even form a comeback, he started the car, the engine purring like a satisfied cat.
The air between us thickened with laughter and embarrassment, and my heart was pounding against my ribs like a trapped drum.
Maxie turned the volume of the car stereo up, singing off-key just to tease us, and I couldn't help but laugh too half in frustration, half in disbelief.
Still, as the car rolled down the road, I caught Marcus sneaking another glance at me through the corner of his eyes and I knew this ride was only the beginning of more trouble than I was ready for....
More trouble