Off-Limits

The One Rule

Ethan’s Pov

Having Lena Carter standing in the middle of my quiet living room was like keeping a box of lit fireworks inside a paper bag. For five years, I had built a giant wall inside my mind to stay away from her. I had forced myself to treat her like just another person, like a younger sister I didn't have, or just Marcus’s little kid sister who was always around. But now, she was living in my apartment, using my soft white towels, sleeping right down the hall, and making every single room feel ten times warmer than it used to be.

I leaned against the kitchen counter, holding two glass mugs filled with steaming hot tea. I stared into the dark liquid, my mind racing as fast as my heartbeat. I had loved Lena for longer than I cared to admit. It started years ago, when she was just the sweet girl with big dreams who laughed at her brother's silly jokes. But over time, that soft feeling inside me had turned into something deep and permanent. I had never told a soul. Marcus was my captain, my best friend, and the brother I never had. He trusted me with his life, and he trusted me with his home.

The rule was simple, and I had repeated it to myself every single night: *Lena is completely off limits.*

"Ethan? Is that tea for me?"

Her gentle voice broke through my messy thoughts like a bright light. I turned around slowly, trying my best to look calm and relaxed.

Lena was standing in the doorway of the kitchen. She had taken off her work clothes and put on an oversized grey hoodie and soft sweatpants. Her hair was pulled back in a messy bun, with soft strands falling down around her delicate face. She looked tiny in my big apartment, completely cozy and comfortable. My heart squeezed so hard inside my chest that it was actually hard to breathe.

In that single second, looking at her in the dim light of my kitchen, I realized how impossible this was going to be. Keeping my distance when she was miles away was easy. But right now, seeing her like this, completely real and inches away from me, made my carefully built rules crumble into dust.

"Yeah," I said, my voice coming out raspy and low. I cleared my throat and walked over to hand her a mug. "Chamomile. Thought it might help you sleep after the crazy day you had."

"Thank you," she said, her small fingers brushing against mine as she took the warm glass.

That small, simple touch felt like an electric spark snapping against my skin. I pulled my hand back quickly, wrapping my fingers tightly around my own mug so she wouldn't see my hands shaking.

"You can sit down, you know," I said, pointing toward the wide kitchen island. "I don't bite."

Lena smiled, a soft, cute smile that made her dark eyes twinkle under the kitchen lights. She climbed up onto one of the tall bar stools and set her mug on the marble counter. I sat down across from her, keeping the counter like a safe wall between us.

"I still can't believe both our houses flooded today," Lena said, shaking her head with a little laugh. "It feels like some kind of weird movie. First my job starts, then my apartment floods, then Marcus’s house gushes water like a waterfall. I thought I was going to have to sleep in my car."

"I would never let you sleep in your car, Lena," I said, looking straight into her eyes before I could stop myself. I meant every single word.

Lena looked up, surprised by the serious tone in my voice. She bit her bottom lip, her cheeks turning a light shade of pink. The kitchen went completely quiet, except for the soft hum of the refrigerator. The silence felt thick, heavy with things we weren't saying out loud.

"Ethan?" she asked softly.

"Yeah?"

She traced the rim of her tea mug with her finger, looking down for a second before meeting my eyes again. "Can I ask you something? And you have to promise not to get mad or give me a fake answer."

My muscles tightened up immediately. "Sure. Ask me anything."

"Why have you always kept your distance from me?"

The question hit me like a solid wall. I froze, holding my breath as I looked at her curious face.

"What do you mean?" I managed to say, trying to play dumb.

"You know what I mean," Lena said, leaning forward just a tiny bit across the counter. Her eyes were searching my face, looking for clues. "Whenever Marcus and the guys would hang out, you were always nice to me, but you always stayed far away. You never talked to me for long. You always left the room when it was just the two of us. I used to think you just hated me, or that you thought I was annoying."

"I never hated you, Lena," I said immediately, the words rushing out of my mouth before I could filter them. "Never. Don't ever think that."

"Then why?" she persisted, her voice gentle but firm. "Why did you always act like there was an invisible wall between us?"

My heart was hammering against my ribs like a trapped bird. I wanted so badly to tell her the truth. I wanted to tell her that I kept my distance because looking at her made my head spin. I wanted to tell her that I stayed away because if I got too close, I wouldn't be able to stop myself from holding her hand, kissing her, and telling her that she was the only girl I ever thought about.

I thought about Marcus. I thought about the trust he placed in me when he let his sister come stay in my home. If I told her the truth now, it would blow up everything. It would ruin my friendship with Marcus, break the team apart, and scare Lena away before she even knew what was happening.

"Because you're Marcus's sister," I said finally, picking my words very carefully. "Marcus is my best friend. He’s like a brother to me. I just... I wanted to make sure I always respected your family and gave you space."

Lena looked at me, her dark eyes wide and deep. She didn't look completely convinced, but she didn't push it any further.

"Well," she murmured, lowering her eyes to her cup, "you don't have to keep your distance anymore, Ethan. We're living together now."

She took a slow sip of her tea, completely unaware of what those words did to me. A fierce wave of desire and protective warmth rushed through my entire body. Being around her was going to be sweet torture, but as I sat across from her in the quiet night, I knew one thing for sure: keeping my secret was going to be the hardest fight of my life.