Chapter 2

Ezra's POV

Ezra half smiled his acknowledgement to the flight attendant that was trying to catch his eye as he exited off the plane and made his way into the airport, reaching down into his pocket to retrieve his cellphone. He had three missed calls from Stephanie, his girlfriend. He'll call her back later, but for now, he was tried, jet-lagged, and in a very bad mood. He didn't feel like engaging in a conversation, or be bothered with. He just wanted to be left alone until his temper cooled down. Once inside, he headed towards baggage claim to get his one piece of luggage. He was already toting his backpack on his back as he made his way over to a deserted spot to sit down, throwing his backpack in the chair next to him, and then he dropped down into the empty chair as he stretched out his long legs in front of him. He rubbed fiercely at his temples, cursing to hell the ongoing headache that pained him. He had no aspirin to ease the throbbing ache inside of his head. He cursed again, this time much louder. He hated planes, hated flying and traveling all over the globe, and he hated that his car was held up in the body shop back in LA. He wished he had rented instead. He leaned back further in his chair and closed his eyes, breathing slowly to control his headache as he ignored the ringing of his phone.

He really didn't want to be there in Rosewood. He would rather spend his summer back in LA with his friends and Stephanie. He didn't care about bonding with his father, meeting his new wife and step-daughter, or participating in any other family activities. Yeah, he was happy that he father had re-married, but he didn't care. Just like he didn't care about his mother's constant show of male suitors. He was an adult. He was 24-years-old, and he wished that his parents would treat him like it. He didn't need to constantly be around them, or to have them dictate his life in any way, shape, or form. He had a steady paying job, owned his own apartment pad and paid all of his bills, and did his own thing. Don't get him wrong, he loved his mother and father, but he just wanted to be left alone. He stretched his arms up in the air, before placing them behind his head as he yawned, and then he re-opened his eyes and stared blankly up into the ceiling. Being there was a joke, but his dad had really wanted to see and spend some time with him. He had said that Ezra traveled a lot with his mother and went to college on the west coast, and he just wanted to spend some quality time with him because he hardly got the chance. Him and his father had an all right relationship, even if they bumped heads a lot, but other times they got along great.

Ezra continued to cancel out all the noise around him, before massaging his temples. He truly didn't hate his father's new family. In fact, he didn't know enough about them. He just knew what his father had told him about them. He did however wondered how his father's wife looked, especially her 16-year-old daughter. He also wondered what they both were like, what they knew about him, were they okay with him staying with them for the summer, whether or not his new step-mother would like him, or her daughter for that matter. He didn't care either way. He just hoped like hell her 16-year-daughter wasn't annoying as hell. He could get easily pissed. He had promised his father that he would try to be as open to his new family as he possibly could but he couldn't be fake. He wasn't any good at pretending. He wasn't going to judge them too harshly as long as they didn't judge him in the same way. He felt his cell ringing again, but he chose to ignore it again. He knew that he was Stephanie. He didn't want to fight with her again. He was sick of always arguing with her about things. He didn't want to talk to her at the moment. And he sure as hell didn't want to discuss the subject of her moving into his apartment with him. Their relationship would be better off with them continuing to live apart.

He happened to look up over towards the front of the airport, his breath hitching as he observed the girl who entered. She was very attractive, a real beauty. He couldn't take his eyes from her as she walked around the airport, obviously searching for someone. For some apparent reason he wanted her to venture over to him so that he could look at her closely. She looked scared, nervous, and excited all at one. He hadn't even known if that could be considered a combination. She was short and slender. She had the most luxurious dark brown he had ever seen. It was a shade darker than his. It was very thick and glossy. He could tell that she took really good care of it. She had the most beautiful pale complexion he had ever seen. It looked smoothed and unblemished. He had an instant wish to touch her, to feel her face. He swallowed thickly, forgetting to breathe as he continued to gaze at the pretty girl wandering around. His bright blue eyes traveled down her body, hearing himself groan and feeling his cock tingling. Her breasts were on the smaller side, but he had never cared for girls with larger breasts. Her body wasn't really curvaceous, but it was still very shapely in its on way. What color were her eyes? Were they brown? Or blue or green? Were her lips really full? He had no way of knowing unless she came closer to him. Something about the girl tugged at him, at his senses. His nostrils flared as he grew hard. He groaned again. He had never had a reaction to a girl like this. It was new. It literally scared him.

And then she noticed him and began walking over towards him, her eyes connecting with his as she concentrated hard on his face. She didn't smile. She just looked unsure of herself. Did she know him? Had she seen him staring at her since she walked through the door? Was she coming to tell him off? All these questions he wanted to know. He couldn't remove his eyes from hers. It was like she had him captive in his own body. She looked about 18-years-old. Did he know her? He was sure they he didn't. He had only just gotten to Rosewood. As she got closer and closer towards him, he could make out her face more clearly. She had the most amazing big brown eyes he had ever seen. They were framed with beautiful black long lashes. Her nose was cute and little, her mouth wide and full, a natural peachy color, and her chin and fine jaw line were perfect in every way. He had never seen such pure perfection on any woman he had ever dated or came across. He felt his cock jump again. He watched as she hugged herself, not knowing what to do with her hands. He didn't know her, but he could tell that she was very self-conscious. He honestly couldn't think why. She was gorgeous. He bet she had many boyfriends, feeling a sense of jealousy bubbling up inside of him. He couldn't understand why. He didn't know the girl, and plus he had a girlfriend. She finally stopped in front of him, clearing her throat. He raised his eyes up to hers, trying hard to concentrate her on mouth and not her body. He pulled himself together, finally focusing on what the girl was saying as she repeated herself for a second time.

"Are you Ezra," The girl asked in the most beautiful voice he had ever heard as her eyes ran all over his face.

"Yes, why?" Ezra asked harshly, a little too harsh as he worked to cover up the instant attraction he felt for this unknown girl. "I'm pretty sure I've never seen you in my entire life. How do you know my name?"

He was growing suspicious now, his eyes narrowing hard as he stared the girl down as he pulled himself out of the chair to tower over her. The girl gasped at his closeness, before taking a step back. Her eyes dropped from his eyes to roam over his body, and then she looked back up into his face. She had the most expressive eyes he had ever seen. And she smelt nice. He couldn't believe how much he wanted her, to take her to bed. To have sex with her again and again until she was sore. He suddenly wondered what she would look like naked. He'd bet she'll have the perkiest breasts he had ever seen. He groaned for a third time, clearing his head. She gave him a curious look at the sound.

"I'm Aria Montgomery, Ella's daughter," Aria introduced herself, still giving him a curious look as her eyes held his. "Your father Scott couldn't be here to make your plane because he had an important meeting this morning, so I volunteered to come pick you up. I hope you don't mind".

"I don't," Ezra said in clipped voice as he shrugged his shoulders and put his arms through the straps of his backpack, before reaching down to take hold of his luggage, wishing that he could take back the sharpness of his words as he gauged the hurt look in her eyes. The girl was like an open book. He cursed inwardly. He was such an asshole. The girl didn't deserve this kind of treatment from him. He was just tired and suffering from a massive headache. "Look, I'm sorry. You don't deserve me talking to you like this".

She nodded without saying anything, looking anywhere but at his face as she bit the inside of her lip. God, she really was a stunning girl, he thought. He wanted her to look back into his eyes again. He needed to see those expressive eyes of hers.

"Where's your car," He said a little softer, offering her a smile for the first time. Her big eyes fell down to his lips again, before staring back into his eyes.

"Out front," Aria said breathless as she turned around and made her over to the front doors of the airport and out one of the doors as he followed behind her.

Aria didn't say anything else to him on the drive back to her house. He just kept peeking over at her, hoping that she'll start another conversation with him. He had been an idiot. He realized that now. He hadn't meant to take his frustration out on her. She was innocent. He didn't know what to say to her. Should he apologize to her again? He didn't know. Would she even accept it? She had hardly accepted his first one. Should he start-up a conversation, if so what could he talk about? He could talk about his self to let her get a chance to know him, or he could ask questions about her. He did want to know about her, especially why she felt so insecure in her own skin. She was lovely girl, too lovely. What bastard had told her otherwise? He wondered if she had ever been kissed, held. He had another urge to touch her, but he kept his hands to himself. He couldn't put his hands on her for any reason, especially an intimate one. She was his step-sister, which meant she was off-limits. She was also very young. And he also had a girlfriend back in LA. He wouldn't cross the line with her, he couldn't. His father would never forgive him for it. Not to mention her mother. He could only be her step-brother, a friend. Why did she have to be so god damn beautiful, so unattainable? He ran a rough hand through his soft hair and shook his head, before sensing her eyes on him. What did she think of him? Did she think that he was a jerk? He wouldn't blame her at all if she did. He had earned it.

After a while, he met her eyes. He couldn't stand not looking at her, into her eyes. They just stared at one another. It was intense. Off putting. And then she quickly looked away, studying the road in front of her again. He frowned, missing her eyes on him. He watched as she nervously licked her lips, gripping the steering wheel tight, before flinging a strand of loose hair back from her face. He wondered if it felt silky as it looked. He bet it did. He let out a frustrated breath, before tearing his eyes away. He didn't want her to feel uncomfortable around him. He kept reminding himself that he was her step-brother only. He couldn't be attracted to her. It was wrong. He felt her eyes on him again, but he didn't meet them. He was afraid at what they might show. He didn't want to scare her. For some odd reason, it felt like her eyes were caressing his face, learning and storing it. Did she find him attractive too? Most girls usually did. He knew that he was very good-looking, thanks to his mother father's genes. But he just didn't want her to be attracted to the way he looked. He wanted her to also like his personality. He had lost his virginity at a very young age. Schooled by some of the best older women around the globe on the ways of sex and life, he thought bitterly. He knew that he was a good lover. He knew how to pleasure any woman.

She pulled up in the driveway and they both got out as she led the way inside the house. She offered him something to drink but he declined, and then she gave him a short tour around the first floor of the house, before leading him upstairs. The house was very impressive. He soon concluded that his bedroom was close to hers and that they'll be sharing a connecting bathroom. He didn't know if he could actually handle having her be so close to him. He didn't trust himself. He looked around the room, trying to familiarize himself with it as she stood avoiding his eyes as she fidgeted, before deciding to leave him to unpack his things. He watched her go as she left through the bathroom to head into her own room. Why didn't he stop her? He really didn't want her to go. He both of his hands ran through his hair, and then he started to unpack his stuff. He started with this clothes first, folding them up before placing them into the dressers, then he hung up some clothes in the closet, and then he unpacked all of his books and music and placed them on the bookshelf beside his bed. He looked up expectedly in the amiss of unpacking as Aria showed back up his room dressed in her work uniform. She told him that she was heading to work, that he was welcome to anything in the house, and then she smiled softly at him and left. She had the most amazing smile he had ever seen. He never wanted to have sex with a girl so much, his dick straining in the front of his pants as he pushed one hand against it to calm the ache as he bit his lip and closed his eyes. He couldn't have her in that way. He had to stop thinking of her physically. She was his step-sister. He couldn't think of her as anything other than that. He finally got control of himself, easing himself down on the bed as he pulled out his cellphone to call Stephanie.

He woke up about 11p.m. He had to piss rather badly, so he dragged himself out of his bed and made his way blindly over towards the bathroom as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. And then he froze in his tracks, looking on as a very naked Aria stepped out of the shower. He lost all sense and just gaped at her, his blue eyes darkening with lust. The air felt thick. He couldn't breathe. She saw him and squealed. She couldn't take her eyes from him as he just stood there running his eyes over her nude body. She just stood there frozen as him. His need to piss just evaporated. Her body was just as perfect without clothes. Her breasts were indeed small and perky, her stomach was flat and smooth, and then he eyes fell on the place between her thighs. He groaned inwardly. She was unshaved. The hair there was very fine. Her skin was such a rich milky white. He stopped himself from approaching her. It took everything in his power not to step closer to her. He pulled his eyes away from her body to look back into her face and saw that her eyes were full of shock as she licked her lips unconsciously. He stared closely into her eyes, seeing behind the shock was fear and shame. He finally had the decency to hand her a towel and she took it, her hands trembling and every part of her body flushed as she wrapped the towel around herself.

"I'm sorry," Ezra apologized coarsely as he moved towards the double sink vanity to splash cold water on his face. "I didn't know that you were in here, and if I did, then I would have never entered. I don't want to impose on your privacy".

"It's fine," Aria said hoarsely, before giving a short laugh as she moved closer towards him, pushing her hair behind her ears, and then she hugged herself as she leaned her hip against the other counter. "I could have locked the door".

"No, it's really not," Ezra said angrily as he gazed into her eyes in the mirror, before re-adjusting his tone. "And yeah, you could have"

He was stupid. It wasn't her fault, but he needed to blame someone for his reaction. She was silent for a while, wrapping her arms tightly around herself as she watched him through the mirror as he started to brush his teeth rather brutally. She cocked her head to the side as she continued to stare at him, her face full of wonder and uncertainty. He was becoming unnerved at her still having her eyes on him.

"Ezra, how old are you?" Aria asked somewhat hesitantly as she tore her eyes from him and distracted herself by brushing her own teeth.

"Too old for you," Ezra answered shortly, his eyes looking up at the same time as hers to see them flash with hurt. He had to stop hurting her. She just needed to keep her distance from him. "But, if you most know, I am 24-years-old".

"Do you hate me?" Aria asked him with hurt, before rinsing out her mouth, and then she put her toothbrush back into the medicine cabinet. "I was under the impression that you were okay with your dad marrying my mom".

"I don't even know you, Aria," Ezra said with a slight bit of annoyance in his voice, which was the truth. He didn't know enough about her to hate her. "And I'm fine with my father marrying your mom. She makes him happy, so I can't complain".

"Okay," Aria said in a hushed voice as she ran shaky fingers through her wet hair, before washing her hands.

"Do me a favor, Aria," Ezra began in a hard voice as he walked over towards the bedroom door with his back facing her, his hand going around the knob.

"What?" Aria asked in no more than a whisper, breathing unsteadily as her eyes burned into his back

"Don't get too close to me. I don't want to hurt you," Ezra said seriously, still not turning to look into her face. "You seem like a pretty nice kid. And don't want you to look at me in any other way except as a step-brother. I could hurt you and make you hate me".

And then he left out of the bathroom, closing the door behind him as he left her to stare after him in dejection and confusion. It was better this way. He couldn't ruin her. He couldn't across the line. He just didn't know how the decision would be out of his hands. It would be a line they both could never come back from.

Wow, Ezra is an ass lol. Don't forget to review and let me know what you thought about this chapter. Chapter 3 will be up next Sunday! These chapters are pre-written so far. I'm currently working on Chapter 7. I don't want to update too soon, because I'm still in school right now and won't be able to update as much as I'll like.