Stalker’s Valentine (Tangled in Temptation)

Prologue

prologue

. . .

Scarlett Trejo

The newly renovated warehouse that had been remodeled into a brewery and grill in our small mountain town of Moonlit Pines palpitated with energy. Gold sparkled all around me—from women wearing it in their sequined clothes and guys wearing shiny golden top hats on their heads to the twinkle lights strewn all over.

Everyone around me looked so happy, ready to say goodbye to the year and waiting to ring in the new one. No matter how much I tried, I couldn’t seem to match their energy. I felt off.

While I made my way back to my sisters and their dates, I couldn’t help but feel like someone was watching me. I glanced over my shoulder, and my skin broke out into goose bumps despite not making eye contact with anyone.

This is what you get for watching scary movies , I chastised myself.

“Ladies and gents! Make sure to grab your champagne flutes and stand next to the one you want to kiss. It’s almost that time!” the DJ called out, and everyone wooed and cheered while the wait staff walked around carrying trays filled with delicate flutes without dropping them.

When I reached my oldest sister, Coral, she grinned. “Having fun?”

“A blast,” I sardonically answered. We both knew this was not my scene. I was more of a homebody than a party girl.

“Oh, come on! Look at this place! This is so much better than staying at home in that small rental of yours!” I blinked and forced myself to smile. She had no idea just how much I enjoyed my alone time. I was a homebody through and through.

“Can you believe Onyx and his dumb frat brothers pulled this off?” she asked, and we both scoped out the place. Her comment earned a genuine smile. My older brother and his friends had gone into business together, creating a pretty cool space in our small mountain community.

“It's pretty great,” I admitted. “Where is Olive?” I asked.

“With Tripp.” Coral rolled her eyes, and I pressed my lips together. “They’re coming back.” I turned just in time to see my younger sister and her new guy friend head towards us. She looked happy, but I had a feeling by the way the guy’s eyes wandered that he wasn’t going to last. They never did.

“Where’s Jack?” I asked, but before she could say anything, the deep familiar voice of my sister’s longtime boyfriend sounded behind me.

“I’m right here.” I grinned at the sight of the guy who was like a brother to me, “This is for you.” He handed me a flute then went to Coral and handed her one as well before kissing her. “Let’s go to the front!” he suggested, and they headed towards the crowd. Tripp and Olive followed them; both my sisters waved at me to join them.

I hated third wheeling, but I seriously despised fifth wheeling!

My youngest sister, Raven, was supposed to come with me, but she got sick and insisted I go anyhow. I should have stayed home. I started to make my way towards them, but everyone else started to walk, too, and I lost sight of them.

“Great,” I muttered.

“Let’s do this! Let’s say goodbye to the old year and hello to the new one!” the DJ called, and everyone around me cheered. The energy was alive and pulsing around me. I crossed my arms, careful not to spill my champagne.

“Ten! Nine! Eight!” People were jam-packed in the brewery. It made me happy for my brother and his business partners.

I glanced around and tried to shake the feeling of someone’s eyes on me again. But in a sea of people, I couldn’t make anyone out specifically. I shook my head, about to laugh at myself. Who would be watching me? Here of all places! Please! I was being paranoid. Everyone was too busy enjoying the night and the anticipation of the moment. As if at the stroke of midnight somehow, someway, everything and anything would be possible. I wish it were that easy!

“Seven! Six! Five!” everyone counted down. I swallowed, suddenly feeling something else. Something even more foreign than being watched.

I feel lonely.

My eyes skirted about and caught couples standing next to one another. Glancing down at each other with bright smiles, ready to kiss. To keep spending time together.

“Four! Three! Two! One!” everyone shouted with glee and palpable excitement.

“Happy New Year!” I joined in, shouting and celebrating with a smile pasted on my face.

I looked around and tried to carry my head high as everyone around me kissed and hugged. A guy stopped in front of me and wagged his brows up and down, but I shook my head and walked past him. No thank you! Just because everyone was kissing someone, that didn’t mean I had to.

Especially not a complete stranger!

I swallowed the knot in my throat. Maybe kissing a stranger wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world? I wondered before finding my sisters and their guys. I hugged my sisters and then pointed towards the bar without needing to shout over the loud music that had started to play. Coral and Olive smiled and pointed to the dance floor, letting me know they were about to go bump and grind. Which was fine by me. I needed a drink.

I didn’t usually drink, but there was something about tonight that had been really off. One strong, stiff drink before I would Uber home. I had done my due diligence. I hung out, rang in the new year, and supported my brother’s new business venture. They wouldn’t mind. I looked over my shoulder and caught a glimpse of them dancing with their guys. If anything, I was pretty sure they would appreciate not having to worry about entertaining me.

Usually, I was okay with the fact I was a twenty-five-year-old never-been-kissed virgin who appreciated her own company. I’d never needed anyone in a romantic setting. I’d been on a total of three dates my entire life, and I swear after the last one, I didn’t see the point in trying to connect with anyone romantically, so I’d quit.

But as much as I hated admitting it, I felt lonely, and I didn’t like it.

Right before I reached the bar, I must have not been paying attention because I bumped into a tuxedo-wrapped man. My hand landed just above his stomach due to our height difference. I glanced up, and my eyes widened. Right in front of me stood one of the most beautiful male specimens I had ever had the privilege to cast my brown eyes on.

“Ohmygod!” I gasped. His hand immediately rose and covered mine. For a split second, it felt like a shock of electricity flowed through me, then heat. But not any kind of heat. This was smooth and comforting. Like a delicious shot of something from a top shelf.

“I’m so sorry,” I started to apologize, but the man just looked at me. There was no reaction. With his hand covering mine, I was too captivated by his looks to step away. He wasn’t classically handsome. No, he was too rough around the edges and rugged for that. His beautiful light blue, almost gray eyes felt like they saw through me. I couldn’t tell if he liked what he saw or not. He had an angular nose that had a bump that hinted at it being broken once or twice. If that wasn’t enough, he had a full but nicely trimmed beard that made him look tough. Like a complete and utterly perfect bad boy. Though, there was no boy about him. Nope. He was all man.

“It’s fine,” his voice timbered in an almost surly tone.

“Right,” I whispered, pulling my hand off his chest. I ignored the disappointment I felt when he let me. My eyes dropped to the ground, and something came over me.

Take a chance , a voice whispered in my head. It’s a new year, new you.

“Could I buy you a drink?” I asked, my gaze still on the ground, “I mean, if you would—” My eyes rose and brows bunched as the words died on my tongue.

Just as quickly as the handsome man had appeared, he vanished into the crowd, and it left me feeling like I’d somehow lost something I never knew I’d wanted.

Merritt Hart

I’d been watching her all night.

There was something about her that made it impossible for me to tear my gaze away. The soft sway of her hips, the way she looked around the room. Those dark mysterious eyes that felt as if they didn’t miss a thing. Her lips were painted a shade of red that made me want to kiss her and have the color stain my own.

From afar she looked petite, but up close? Standing right in front of her, I realized she was so much smaller than me. The top of my cutie’s head probably didn’t even reach my shoulders with how short she was. My cutie. I shook the thought away. I couldn’t think about her that way. I had no right.

Usually, if a woman caught my attention, I was able to ignore it. I was grown enough and old enough to know better. I was a Hart after all. Our family was cursed. The men in our family had no chance at love. Not true love. Not something that would last. I’d seen it with my own eyes. Not only my dad but my uncle. The stories my grandfather used to tell would have scared any of us from ever wanting more than a warm body for the night.

Yet, something came over me.

Maybe it was the drinks I’d had since my younger brother, Austin, dragged me to the grand opening of the brewery and grill he and his buddies had just opened. Being the oldest of four, I felt like it was my duty to be at the grand opening since our other two brothers, Shepard and Boyd, were out of town. Being out on New Year’s Eve at a jam-packed party was not my scene.

I’d felt every of my forty years from the moment I’d walked into the loud and crowded party. It was the last place I wanted to be. So, I’d sat my ass down in the VIP area and indulged in a couple of drinks. I wasn’t drunk, or even buzzed for that matter, when she caught my eye. But fuck, if one look hadn’t made me feel just that!

I’d watched her look around. Dark soulful eyes soaking in everything. I’d forced myself to stay where I sat all night, but I didn’t stop looking at her. I couldn’t. I felt like there was an undeniable pull. It was stupid. She was clearly way too young for me. At least ten years younger. That’s wishful thinking, old man , a voice in my head quipped. She was probably more like fifteen years younger. My hands stayed clenched around the almost empty beer bottle I nursed.

There was something about her. Something my gut couldn’t ignore.

I’d prayed she was there with someone to talk me out of needing to approach her. The thought made my insides burn with unfurled fury. Unfortunately, or luckily, I wasn’t sure, she seemed to be out with what I assumed were her sisters or cousins and without a man. The three women had to be related somehow. But my dark-haired little cutie pie was the only one who made me burn to get closer.

And I did.

After the countdown, I approached. Then accidentally bumped into her. I had been so damn sure that the moment I saw her up close, whatever spell I was under would break. Jesus, I was a cocky son of a bitch.

I’d underestimated the attraction, and now I only had myself to blame for the aftermath.

The moment her hand touched my chest and our eyes connected, just like that, the world around us disappeared. I felt hyperaware of every little thing about her. From the dark beauty mark over her lip to the sound of her breathing and every blink she of her eyes. She spoke, but my mind had frazzled out with only one word shouting on repeat inside my head. MINE! MINE! MINE!

My heart felt like it was about to jump right of my chest and into her waiting hands. Before I knew what the fuck I was doing, I walked away. I had to. But when I turned to look for her, I couldn’t find her.

She’d disappeared into a sea of people and dancing bodies.

Panic washed through me. My eyes strained. Now that it was after midnight, the lights had been turned off, leaving nothing put the laser lights the DJ was using, the music blaring and thumping away. My eyes strained to find her. To see her pretty face again. The fear I’d never see her again had my knees close to buckling. What the hell have I done?

I walked back to the bar and leaned against the counter. Running my hands through my beard, I knew I was about to do something stupid. I knew better, but I didn’t care.

I might have lost her in the crowd, but I would find her again, damn it.

I have to!

I hadn’t spent forty years living and breathing with what I knew now was only halfway, to lose my reason for living. Curse or not, she was mine, and I was going to find her again. My cutie pie was mine. Even if I didn’t know her name yet.