Iris - The Intended Series - Book 1(Reverse Harem, N.A, Brothers)

Chapter Four

CHAPTER FOUR

The drive to the hospital was awkward and filled with tension. Once we were both enclosed in his car, the scent of him enveloped the small space and made me feel lightheaded. It was either that or a concussion. But my mind was definitely spinning. The sense of familiarity grew the more and more time I spent with him. I kept sneaking looks at him out of the corner of my eye. Well, until he caught me at least. How could a stranger feel so familiar?

I felt bereft when he left to find a parking spot while I checked in. His nearness felt right while his absence felt cold. I seriously needed to get a grip. He was my Guidance Counselor! Yeah, we may have had a few flirty moments - my heart raced at the memory of being sat in the nurse's office and then at his desk- his presence was drugging but it was completely illegal in more than just the metaphoric sense. Even if there were no laws to be broken, he was quite obviously in his mid twenties, extremely attractive and a genuinely nice guy. What the hell would he see in an awkward seventeen year old with a disability?!

After checking in at the nurses station, I took a seat in the waiting room. Which was thankfully quite sparse when compared to how full the parking lot was. There was just me, a man wearing a construction hat with a nail through his hand - ew gross- and a little boy around five years old, swaddled in his mother's arms obviously sleeping through a fever if his rosy cheeks were anything to go by. I knew the moment Mr Harringting had arrived and not just because the boys moms cheeks flared to match her sons when she saw him. But because an electric current seemed to flow through the air and then the length of my body, making the hair on my neck stand on end. He brought an energy with him and it was impossible to deny.

"Thanks for bringing me." I whispered, all of a sudden shy by his presence as he sat down beside me.

"It's no problem," He leaned in placing his hand on my thigh, stealing my breath away "Someone had to take care of you."

My eyes connected with his and that energy crackled between us as his thumb drew lazy circles against the thinness of my cargo pants making me hum inside.

"Scarlett Stevens?!" a nurse called my name, effectively breaking the spell. Mr Harington paused and looked down at his hand confused, like he had no idea how it had even got there in the first place. Straightening his back, he blinked the lust out of his eyes before helping me to my feet. It took a moment to steady me as my legs had become gelatinous from our shared moment. A knowing smirk lit up his face. He seemed to like my reaction to him.

After the doc had finally determined that I didn't have a concussion and stitched up my head, it was nearly lunchtime so we decided to grab some food from the hospital cafeteria before heading back to school.

Taking my order of a baked potato with tuna, Mr Harrington insisted that I rested while he got in line and queued for our lunch. I was glad I had agreed to join him. I was hungry and lunch would have been over by the time that we had gotten back to school. Plus I also got to spend more time with him. I wasn't ready for our morning to be over.

"Scarlett, is that you?"

Butterflies filled my stomach at the sound of Caleb's familiar voice. Looking up from my phone as I waited for Mr Harrington to return with our lunches, my eyes collided with his sparkling emeralds.

"Hey Caleb." I tried for cool and easy but my voice came out weak and breathless.

"Ouch, no need to guess why you're here today." He winced pointing at my stitched up forehead and bruised face. "What happened?" Great, now I was going to have to lie to two people now. I hated lying anyway but lying to Caleb and Mr Harrington just felt wrong. Like it was against my genetic code.