Scarlet
Go on a date with me!
The world stopped spinning.
“What?” I said, but it came out like a breathless laugh. A defense. A shield.
Damien stepped closer, the distance between us vanishing like smoke. His body radiated heat, but it wasn’t just the nearness that rattled me—it was the look on his face. He wasn’t smirking. He wasn’t teasing.
He was dead serious.
“One night,” he said, his voice low. “Just one. No yelling, no pretending we hate each other. No games. Just… us.”
I stared at him, stunned.
“I don’t pretend to hate, I do hate you, Damien. You think this is funny?” I snapped, taking a step back to breathe, to control the urge to run away
He didn’t move.
“I know,” he said. “And no, I don’t think this is a joke. I think this is the only way I get to be around you without
