Sin Series

Chapter 5

“What? Do you develop a crush on a Brit already?” I joked, trying to lessen the tension that suddenly thickened around us.

“If I haven’t known you never met Arella before, I might think you two have something.” He didn’t blink, and I swore I could feel my face burned with guilt.

The adrenaline quickly rushed through my system, making my senses heightened. My mouth fell open as I stared at him in disbelief.

I swallowed hard, licking my dry lips. “Where did that bloody idea come from?” My accent thickened. I spoke in an American way since I was here. Mum never adopted Dad’s accent, so I was used to be talking like her.

“And why the hell are you so defensive?”

“I’m not, but you, saying something that is completely ridiculous. Arella is my best friend’s little sister, and think about our age difference, mate.”

“That’s what I’m saying. Your defensiveness is questionable. What is four years age difference? Her dad is six years older than her mom,” he said calmly while my sense was raging in alarm.

I stood up, breathing deeply. “I better go and talk to Brett. It’s late, and I should go home.”

“Just be careful, man. I’m a psychologist for a reason. I notice things that you don’t. And I saw how you looked at her.” Lorcan rubbed his chin, then shrugged.

Yeah, I f*****g forgot there was a shrink around. How wonderful? I ignored him, walked away, and entered the house. Brett was done talking when I bid goodbye to his parents.

“Skip, call me if you need anything.” Brett walked me to my car. I could sense the call was not good news.

“I’m good and settled, mate. Thanks though.” I stopped beside my car and faced him. “Is everything okay?”

“It’s Are.”

“Is she okay?” The words slipped my mouth before I even realized.

Shit!

There was a brief of hesitation traced on his face, then he said, “She signed up in your dating app.”

I could feel my face lit up. Not bad at all. Thank f**k! “You mean our dating app. Doesn’t she know that’s ours?”

“f**k no. She’ll laugh her ass out on me.”

“Then what’s wrong if she signed up?” How did I end up being so shameless to find something about her?

Brett hadn’t mentioned anything about his sister’s personal life even once, so I respected and never asked. Unlike my life, it had never been a secret between us. Well, aside from that part.

“I don’t want her to use that app to go out on a date.”

“I thought you want her to go out on a date and have her life back,” I quoted his words.

“Yeah, but I doubt if there was any guy who’s serious to have a relationship using that app. Mostly they just want to get laid.”

“Mate, you’re too overprotective over her. Did you forget she’s old enough to take care of herself? Let her loosen up a bit, she needs it. She should date someone and forget that arsehole who broke her heart.”

I could see the pain in Brett’s face. It made me wonder what she’d been through in the hands of her arsehole ex-husband.

“She asked for my permission, Skip. Since the first time she went out on a date with that dickhead, I had this feeling that I couldn’t trust him with my sister, but Are was kind of lost. There was something missing in her eyes. The sparks, I didn’t know, but I just wanted to see her happy again. So I allowed her since she was so adamant to date that guy. If I only knew he was.” He paused and rubbed his hands over his face, then blew an exasperating sigh.

“Over these years all he did was hurt my sister in every possible way, and I never thought Are could hide it from me. It almost killed me when I found out, Skip. It was all my fault.” The pain in his eyes when he looked at me just justified that Arella had been through hell. And Brett was blaming himself.

My knuckles cracked as I fisted my hands behind my back.

That bastard!

“Can I help?” I asked without hesitation.

“Will you?”

I let out a small laugh. “Brett, you’re my best friend, and if it concerns you and your family, I’m willing to do anything.” And if it concerns Arella, with all my heart, I’m in.

“Thank you!”

* * *

BRETT’S WORDS echoed repeatedly in my mind while I ran three miles on the treadmill and until I finished the hot water in the shower. I questioned myself for his sincerity and trust. Am I this trustworthy for him to trust his sister with me?

I lied on my bed, staring at the blank chatbox. I scratched my growing stubble annoyingly. All my plans had been thrown into the dustbin.

Hotsome: Hey, you up?

The chatbox instantly bubbled. My lips curved into a smile.

Sinderella: Thought you won’t talk to me until I have my decision.

Hotsome: That was the plan.

Sinderella: What changed then?

Hotsome: You’re not interested, so I thought I could find someone interested in meeting up. This is the purpose of this app, right?

I waited. She didn’t reply, but her profile status showed she was still online.

Hotsome: Can I ask you one thing?

She replied immediately.

Sinderella: OK

Hoтѕoмe: Are you dating anybody? I mean, do you like someone else?

Sinderella: That’s two things, hottie.

Hottie? I chuckled.

Hotsome: Choose one then.

Sinderella: Yes, I like someone.

Fuck!

Chapter 6

His Scents

Arella

MY HEART lurched thinking of Skip Linton. When I was still with my ex, I thought of Linton and never figured out that he was actually a Linton. If my heart lurched for him, it also ached that he didn’t recognize me. Was it because I gained some weight? Was it my hair? It frustrated me because I knew he was that guy.

The connection was still there—those eyes, the feelings when our eyes met—I could still feel it, and I knew he felt it too.

Hotsome: So, should we stop this?

I stared longer at my laptop screen, berating at my possible answers. Linton didn’t want me anymore. This man showed interested for almost two weeks now, so what was stopping me?

Sinderella: But he doesn’t like me.

Hotsome: What made you say that, love?

Love? I shook my head, pushing the thought of Linton away.

Sinderella: Well, for a starter, he didn’t show his intention. It’s maybe because I’m fat. Secondly, he didn’t ask me out, and lastly, I don’t think he would ever like me more than a friend. If he even considers me as a friend.

Hotsome: So, this guy is a friend, huh?

Sinderella: Well, he’s a

I hesitated. Why? It wasn’t like he knew me, right? I continued typing.

Sinderella: Well, he’s a friend of my brother. So you probably know about the Bro code. I’m literally an off-limits.

Hotsome: That makes sense.

Sinderella: So, if you were that guy, what would you do? I mean if you like me.

Hotsome: If I like her that much, and if we’re on the same page, I’ll risk my relationship with my friend and she should think of the possibilities and consequences when things went south before she enters into that relationship. But my relationship with her brother won’t be the same again.

Sinderella: He doesn’t like me anyway. It answered my doubt. Thanks so much.

Hotsome: I’m glad I can help.

Sinderella: Are you still interested?

Hotsome: Interested?

Sinderella: Yes, in meeting me?

I crossed my fingers.

Hotsome: Of course, but let me be the one to ask you. Would you like to grab a cup of coffee, or grab a drink with me?

There was something in me lightened up upon reading his reply.

Sinderella: I’d love too, when?

Hoтѕoмe: How about Saturday?

Oh, hell. I had a game with the guys.

Sinderella: Um, I promised my brother and his friend for a pool game.

He replied immediately.

Hotsome: The same guy?

I grimaced. My hands were sweating as I typed my reply. I had to be honest with him as much as possible.

Sinderella: Why won’t you join us instead?

I clicked send.

Seconds later, still no reply. Was he hesitating?

Hotsome: I might be out of place with your brother and his friend around. Don’t you think it’s a little bit awkward to meet your brother on our first date?

Sinderella: You’re right, I’m sorry. I told you I’m not good at this. How about Sunday? I know a good coffee shop downtown.

Hotsome: Sounds like a plan.

Oh, my God! I was really going out on a date with hotsome, and I didn’t even ask his name. How stupid of me!

* * *

AFTER I got my BS in Chemistry, I’d been a trainee for two years at the Scentsory Laboratory for Perfumes. A sub-branch from France. We concocted remarkable fragrances those now sold by the huge brands in perfume industries.

I always loved natural scents, especially from flowers and fruits. My family was not impressed with my choice of major. Brett once told me it would be difficult for me to find a job, but it didn’t stop me from pursuing what I loved, and I wanted them to be proud of me.

Now, we had a seven-figure deal with the famous international brand— Everly Cosmetics and Fragrances. And I just found out from Brett that Skip’s family owned that company.

I stared at the lines of vials on the racks in front of me. My mind went back to Skip Linton. If he was going to choose a scent, what would that be?

We’d tried many formulations for months. Some were strong, others were mild, and nothing met our expectations. It exhausted us. We needed to impress our client and until now we were not near closer to making an extraordinaire scent. We had to come up with two scents this week—one for men and another for women.

Jasmine and honey? How about orange blossom, rosewood, and pine? Lime for headnote, rosewood, then vanilla for ground? I was also thinking of cherry, apple, lavender, hyacinth, citrus, and raspberry. Musk, mint, cedar, and sandalwood were usually for men. I groaned in frustration.

The alarm on my phone startled me, indicating my work was done for today, and I had not come up with a better formula.

I sent a text to Kat if she wanted to have a late-night dinner tonight after her duty. I drove to the supermarket near our apartment when I received her reply. I parked my car, blocking a black rental car since I was not going to stay long.

Hurriedly, I pushed the cart to the veggies section and picked some baby carrots, cherry tomatoes, lettuce, zucchini, lemon, cucumber, and some fresh herbs. Then I moved to the dry section to grab some organic pasta, quinoa, and semolina. I started to watch what food I shoved into my mouth before I turned into a freaking hyena. Nobody wanted to date a fat woman, right? After grabbing some fresh milk and tetra packs of orange juice, I paid to the register.

A tall familiar figure leaning on my car made me stop pushing my cart. Before I could avert my gaze, he saw me coming. His simple blue sweater stretched on his perfect body and his firm and huge biceps flexed as he crossed his arms over his chest, attentively watching me as I approached in wobbled knees. His hair was still on the same man bun as the last time I saw him. The aviator glasses he wore looked too good on him. He reminded me of the young Tom Cruise in the movie Top Gun.