Page 16 of Twice as Forbidden

And they did.

Then, one reckless night in the empty school parking lot changed everything. We were careless. Desperate. Caught up in something we couldn’t control—or maybe didn’t want to.

And when it was over, my world flipped upside down.

Losing him devastated me. He was the only person who had ever made me feel wanted or shown me real affection. And in the end, my reckless need for danger cost him everything. His job. His reputation. His entire future was wiped out in an instant.

My mother was so ashamed she pulled me from school without a second thought, transferring me somewhere new like that would erase what happened. Bill, of course, had his own version of events where I was to blame.

I wastooprovocative.Tootempting. I had probably seducedhim.

Everything about me was scrutinized and torn apart. The way I dressed. The way I carried myself. That my body had developed faster than it should have. It was allmyfault.

And when Bill’s open palm struck my face, my mother didn’t stop him. She just stood there, watching. In her eyes, I deserved it. Deserved the shame I had brought onto our family.

I can still feel the sting, the way my cheek burned long after the slap, even as I lay curled up in bed, sobbing into my pillow. But worse than the pain was the image seared into my memory—Henry’s face as they escorted him out of the school, his expression a mix of shock and regret.

I force the thought away.

The sound of splashing interrupts my thoughts, prompting me to rise and draw back the blinds. Jackson is in the pool, each stroke as he wades through the water accentuating his sculpted muscles. God, he is beautiful.Go to bed, Georgia.Don’t do it. Don’t even think about it.“Dammit…” I curse myself as I throw caution to the wind. When do I do the right thing anyway?

Grabbing my white bikini out of my suitcase, I change and head downstairs.

The sound of the sliding glass door as I open it grabs his attention, and he spots me as I walk out. “Mind if I join you?” The lights from the pool reflect off his glistening chest. He lifts his arms, brushing his fingers through his wet hair, tempting me more.

“Sure that’s a good idea?”

He’s giving me a chance to make the right decision. Noah’s inside.“Watch out for him.”

“I think it’s a great idea. Unless you want me to—”

“Get in the fuckin’ pool, Peach.”

I can’t hold back my smile as I dive in. When I emerge, Jackson is inches from me. I run my hands through my hair, pushing my breasts out farther, practically asking for trouble.

“You know how this looks. If Noah walks out…”

“Like two people having an innocent swim?” I ask, sucking in my bottom lip.

He swims around me. “Is this innocent, Peach?”

“I’m not sure.”

My heart rate spikes. He’s behind me now, the heat of his body radiating against my skin. Tension builds between my thighs. His warm breath brushes against my earlobe. “What exactly do you think is going to happen that makes this not innocent?”

He’s baiting me. He wants me to admit what I want. His hand loops around my belly, tugging me against him, and I gasp. He’s hard everywhere. His erection presses between my ass cheeks. My body feels like it’s on fire, a surge of lust coursing through me. My nipples tighten. “What do you think—”

The sound of the sliding glass door resonates through the backyard, and Jackson releases me. When I twist around, he’s already on the other side of the pool.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Noah walks up, his eyes shifting from me to his father. “Wow, you two didn’t take long.”

“Noah, knock it off.”

“No, fuck that. Can’t you get your own pussy so you have to go after—”

“I said knock it off,” Jackson snaps.

Noah shifts his anger toward me. “And you—why am I not surprised? Should’ve seen what a fucking slut you were the day I met you.”

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