Page 45 of Twice as Forbidden

Maybe he’s crossed lines too. Maybe this isn’t as black and white as I thought. But I’d be delusional to believe this could everbesomething. That was made clear from the start. No emotions. No expectations. I knew the rules, and I accepted them without hesitation.

Back then, I was rational. Levelheaded.

Now, I feel like I’m spiraling, grasping at something I was never meant to hold.

My phone rings, and I hold my breath as I glance at the screen. Relief floods through me, my shoulders easing as I exhale. “Hey, Lettie.”

“Hey, stranger. You forget about me or what?”

“Never.” I roll onto my back. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah. Nothing to worry about on my end…”

I can tell in her voice something’s wrong. “Lettie, spit it out. I know you. Did something—”

“You need to talk to Mom.”

I roll my eyes, drawing in a deep sigh. “I have nothing to say to her.”

“I know, but things could be different if you just talked to her. I know you’re upset. But she’s your mom. She loves you and just wants to make things right.”

“It’s too late for that.”

“It will be if you don’t speak with her.”

“What? Why? Why would it be too late?” A knock sounds on my door, and my eyes dart to it. A beat later, Jackson stands in my doorway. “Hey, I’ve gotta call you back.”

“Call Mom!” she yells as I hit end.

“Hey,” he says, walking into my room.

“Hey,” I reply, sitting up.

He sits on the bed, resting his hand on my thigh. “I know you’re mad. You should be. I was out of line today.”

“Well, I’m glad we got that out of the way—”

“Georgia, cut me some slack. You caught me at a very bad time. A lot of shit is happening, and you were in the wrong place at the wrong time. I said shitty things out of anger over something that doesn’t have anything to do with you.”

“But it comes from somewhere. I get it. The age difference. You see me as a child—”

“I don’t.”

“Then why would you—”

He moves his hands to cup my face. “Georgia,” he murmurs, his gaze locked on mine. “You’re more mature than half the women I know. You’re talented and sharp, and you carry yourself with a sophistication that makes it easy to forget your age. If I didn’t know any better, I’d swear you were twenty years older.” His thumbs brush over my skin, and something flickers in his eyes—something conflicted, restrained.

“I don’t see you as a child. Not in the slightest. And yeah, I think about our age gap—fuck,more than I should. That’s exactly why I have to keep my distance.Becauseof who you are.Becauseyou make it so damn hard to stay away.”

“Because of Noah.”

He nods, and even though this is not news to me, my heart cracks. “This will break him if he finds out.”

The crack spreads. “So, what are you saying?”

“I don’t know. That we should end things for the sake of not hurting Noah. That we should selfishly continue to indulge in this insane passion. I don’t know. I don’t have the answers. I do know I fucking want you. I need you. But at what cost?”

He wipes at the tear that runs down my cheek and leans in, gently pressing his lips to mine. The move is strange. Kissing isn’t our thing. I assumed it was because it’s such an intimate act and allows us to stay on the right side of our emotions. But his lips pressing against mine feels right. My palms skate up his chest to wrap around his neck. He pulls me to him until I’m in his lap. I hold him closer, adding more pressure. He breaches the seam of my lips, his tongue gliding along mine. We’ve had explosive sex. The orgasms are so intense I’ve lost feeling in my legs. But this kiss—it carries the most weight, the deepest pull. “Say you forgive me,” he murmurs against my lips. I squeeze tighter, adjusting my legs to straddle him, my hips grinding over his erection. “Fuck, Peach.” His hands cup my ass, and he tugs me forward, creating more friction.

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