Tempted Trapped and Too Late to Run

"Why didn't you come home for my birthday? And who's this guy? Are you dating someone at school now?"

Scarlette was totally blindsided, the questions hitting her all at once. She just stood there, stunned.

"How long have you been waiting out here? You're soaked! What if you get sick? Where's the driver?"

Nicholas sniffled, wiping his nose. "I ran here by myself. Ah-choo..."

Scarlette shot an apologetic look at her classmate. "Sorry, can we talk about this tomorrow? Do you mind if I borrow your umbrella? I'm really sorry."

The boy glanced over at Nicholas, feeling a little uneasy. There was something way too possessive about the way the kid clung to Scarlette. And honestly, he got this weird, hostile vibe from him. But Nicholas was her brother, after all. He liked Scarlette, so naturally he wanted to be nice to her little brother too.

"Sure. See you tomorrow," he said.

Scarlette slipped off her jacket and wrapped it around Nicholas, then took his hand.

"How could you just run over here by yourself? Didn't the driver come with you? Never mind, let's get you upstairs to change. You'll have to wear my clothes for now."

Her class was the honors class, so even at this hour, most people were still in the classroom working through practice tests.

She brought Nicholas into her dorm, grabbed some of her clothes, and started helping him change.

But Nicholas clung tightly to his wet shirt, refusing to let go.

couldn't help

fine. Change by

and quickly swapped his wet clothes

was so much taller than him—tall, slim, fair-skinned, and just so pretty. That was all Nicholas could think: Scarlette was the most

clothes smelled faintly sweet, and it made him strangely embarrassed. For the first time,

head down, the tips of his ears bright red. She gently cupped his face and pressed her forehead to

burning up. Are you getting

blank. In that moment, he didn't dare think about anything

in with

the umbrella to

whe

back to the

world with that steady patter. To Nicholas it felt like

gate, the Greenard family driver

looked so relieved

"Thank goodness. Miss, your

you a

here ran off without telling anyone. We were

car door, and got

sat down, she started scolding