Page 3 of Unpermitted Love

Perhaps I should have listened to her and left a few things. As my older sister, whose 15 years my senior, I’ve always listened and looked up to Tasha. I usually take her advice on board, but I love having my books with me. It just gives me a weird sense of security. Right now, though, they’re heavy as hell.

I step out of the elevator and try to drag the large boxes with one hand and balance the smaller boxes with the other. But I’m struggling and the smaller boxes fall off the larger boxes. I bend down to pick them up and hear an oddly familiar voice.

“Hi. Let me help you with that.” The voice is soothing, deep and warm. The man’s large hands reach down towards my boxes.

“Thank you so…” I freeze as I look up at the gorgeously handsome man in front of me. Looking into his face, I now instantly recognize him. He is the one person I have been told countless times not to have anything to do with. It was Hal Torres. And I could tell he recognizes me too; he looked as surprised as I do.

“Hal?”

“Annalise. Wha … what are you doing here?”

“I could ask you the same thing!”

“I live here. At the penthouse.”

Well, this is just great. How am I supposed to avoid him now that he's living next door? Is fate playing some sort of trick on me?

Before I can say anything else, he’s picking up my boxes as if they’re completely empty and carrying them over to my apartment.

I follow quickly behind, with the smaller bags, then open the door and step inside. He carries the boxes inside and places them on the floor.

“Nice place!” he says, glancing through the apartment. He steps back outside into the corridor.

“Uhh. Thanks a lot. Okay, by then.” I say quickly, trying to usher him out of the apartment.

“Okay. Well, do you need any help?”

“Oh don't worry, I’ve got it covered. Thank you.” There’s a long and awkward pause. Hal looks at me, and cocks his head to one side, questioningly.

“Ok … well, see you later then,” he says, smiling as I close the door slowly in his face.

Once the door is firmly closed, I place my head on it. I shouldn’t have been such a jerk. I'm not the kind of person to just consign someone to hell because other people don't like them, but the things Tasha has told me are hard to ignore. Yet something tells me he isn’t that bad. He was the perfect gentleman just now, helping me with my things. Besides, Tasha never answers the questions I ask her. She just tells me that he is a horrible person and I should avoid him at all costs.

I’ll have to apologize to him for being rude, and also try to find out why Tasha hates him so much. Maybe I can get them to start talking again. I just need to hear things from his side.

Resolved, I make a mental note to check on him later, apologize for my rudeness, and possibly get a conversation started about the stuff between him and Tasha.

Chapter Three

Hal

What in the world is Annalise doing here?! I wonder as I stand in front of my large office window. The sight of her has jarred me and I can’t shake it off. It’s been two days since she moved in and closed the door on me.

What was that about? I thought I was the perfect gentleman?

We’ve barely held a conversation long enough for me to ask what she was doing here. Perhaps she’s moved here due to a new job or something? Dad once mentioned that she wanted to do a PhD.

Was that why she was here? Or was it a pretext for Tasha to spy on me and the business?

No, it couldn't be. I didn't know Annalise very well but she didn't seem like that sort of person. Although she had never been rude to me, like the rest of her sisters during family gatherings, she hadn't been particularly friendly either. Maybe we could finally get a chance to get to know each other, and step away from the lies and rumors peddled in our respective family circles.

I turn back to my desk, eager to complete the mountain of work before me, but I just couldn't concentrate. Seeing her had brought back so many memories. The first time I saw her, she was just a teenager then and I was in my twenties. She must be in her mid-twenties by now. I remember thinking back then that she was beautiful but now I couldn't even find the words to describe her beauty. She was breathtaking.

"Hal ... Hal!"

I raise my head to see Jay standing in the doorway with a confused smile on his face.

"Are you okay? Why do you look like you've seen a ghost or something?"

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