Forbidden Love (Forbidden Trilogy) (4 page)

My phone alarm shrills in the distance and I nearly fall out of the bed trying to determine the source of the noise. As I wipe the sleep from my eyes, I become more oriented and realize that it is time for me to get up. I fumble around my pillows and sheets until I find my phone and turn off the alarm. I’m actually able to get ready before Jordan comes to get me up. That is an accomplishment in itself. I pull my waist length red tresses in a messy bun. I didn’t have the patience to dry it completely so, bun it is. When I walk into the kitchen, Jordan is sitting at the counter dressed and talking on her phone. I’m guessing from her now hush tones that she is talking to Trevor. I grab my travel mug already filled with coffee and a banana. Jordan gets up and heads to the door, never ending her call so I take that as my cue that is time to go.

As I walk into the building that houses my marketing class, I wipe my sweaty hands on my jeans. This building brings back so many memories. When I walk through doors, I am incapable of keeping my eyes from shifting to the second floor where Grayson taught. My heart rate speeds up and it isn’t until I cross the threshold of my class here on the first floor that I realize that I had been holding my breath.

I look around the auditorium styled seating and quickly find a seat in the middle row. I hate being the center of attention so I quickly make my way there. We’re all waiting for the professor to arrive. It is now five minutes after the hour and students are beginning to leave — claiming the five-minute rule. The other half of the class, including myself, don’t want to chance it. Another ten minutes go by and you can tell the remaining students are starting to get a bit antsy. They’re checking their watches and watching the door with apt attention.

I have just begun to put my things back in my messenger bag when the voice that has been intruding my thoughts comes from the front of the class.

“Good morning, everyone. I’m Professor Michaels. Professor Grant had a family emergency this morning and could not be here.”
No. No. No. This can’t be happening.
This is my worst nightmare realized. “You chose to stay and it will not go unnoticed. I am going to take attendance so that those of you who stayed can get credit. After that, I will share with you a few additions to add to your syllabus before letting you all leave.”

My heart is racing again. He’s standing in front of the class looking like a wet dream in his denim jeans and button down shirt. His inky black hair has grown out some and looks even more like just-fucked locks.

“Amy Gaines,” he calls. Oh God, he is getting closer to my name. And then it happens. “Siobhan Gallagher,” he says stumbling over his words.

His eyes begin to scan the classroom in his search for me. I timidly raise my hand. “Here,” I murmur. Our eyes meet briefly, but I can’t hold his gaze. My initial lust for him is replaced with anger as I recall all the memories that left me a heart broken mess. He finishes calling attendance and proceeds to give us the additions to the syllabus. After his dismissal, the students rush out like the building is on fire. This stupid boot impedes my quick escape and now he is waiting for me to make my way down the aisle. His face pinches in sympathy when he sees my boot, but he doesn’t mention it.

“Siobhan,” he begins uncertainly. He looks around to ensure that every student has left. “How are you feeling?”

“Oh now you want to pretend to care?” I sneer.

“I do care. Can we talk?” He grabs me by the shoulder to keep me from walking out of the class. His eyebrows knit together in a scowl. A flash of something crosses his beautiful features, but he slips his unreadable mask back up too quickly for me to decipher what.

“Let go of me. We have nothing left to discuss. You laid it all out for me that day back at the apartment and then you proceeded to drive the message home at Bailey’s condo.” He hesitantly removes his hand from my shoulder. He is about to say something else, but then his forehead crinkles in disgust. I follow his eyes and see that Liam is walking towards us. I decide to turn it up a notch.

“Hey babe. What are you doing here?” Other than the slight eyebrow rise at the endearment, Liam doesn’t miss a beat.

“I knew you only had one class today and that you should be out soon. I missed hanging out with you Sunday so I thought you may want to grab breakfast this morning.” You could bounce a quarter off of Grayson’s face it was so hard. The slight twitch of his jaw lets me know he is beyond pissed.
Good.

“Sounds like a plan, let’s go. I’ll text Jordan and tell her where to meet us when she gets out.” I turn to Grayson and turn the knife I’ve already inserted. “Nice seeing you again Professor Michaels. Take care.” I see a flash of something that looks like hurt, but it can’t be. He dumped me.

Liam takes my messenger bag like a doting boyfriend would and we head toward the cafeteria. Liam immediately heads to the grill while I make my way to the waffle-making station. I sent Jordan a text on our way here so I thought it was her texting me when my phone chirps.
Wrong.

Grayson: Are you FUCKING him? You took that cheating bastard back?

Wow, he is even more pissed off than I originally thought.

Me: That is no longer your concern. VANESSA IS!!!

I silence my phone. He has no reason to be upset. He didn’t want me. When I make it to the table that Liam found, I put on my mask of indifference and take a seat.

“So. What was with the baby comment?” Liam is smiling from ear to ear.

I knew that this was coming.
Crap.
“Sorry Liam. Bad joke, I know. I was only teasing, but then I realize it wasn’t a good idea,” I lie. He doesn’t look like he’s buying it. I would say by the shit-eating grin he’s still wearing, he thinks it was a slip up.
Whatever.

“No worries,
baby
.” He emphasizes the word baby. “I know that we’re just friends.” He winks at me and I think we just took a couple of steps backwards. Jordan shows up out of nowhere and I couldn’t be more grateful. She has food in hand so apparently she has been here for a minute. We finish our breakfast and Liam informs us that he is heading to his next class. Jordan and I are done for the day so we head home. I don’t dare bring up Grayson again after the melt down she had the other day. She tells me that Bailey was going to be coming over in an hour so they could develop some type of study plan.

I purchase the new textbook that Grayson stated we would need and download it to my iPad. I prefer digital books for a lighter load and to just carry my laptop around with me. After looking at the syllabus for all four of my classes and developing my own study plan, I decide to take a nap. When I wake up it’s evening time. I didn’t mean to sleep that long.

I walk to the kitchen to make a sandwich since I missed lunch. Jordan’s door is halfway open so I can see that she is on the phone. She is probably talking to Trevor again. I walk back to my room and set my phone on its iHome docking station. I’m in the mood for music. Stateless’ “Bloodstream”
fills the room and my mind falls on Grayson. The doorbell rings followed by heavy knocking. I can hear Jordan padding to the door so I resume my trance. Then I hear an angry Jordan and I go on alert.

“You can’t be here you bastard. I’m calling the fucking police.” Oh she is spitting mad. Her steps are louder now as two sets of footsteps head toward my door.

“Do what you must, sweetheart, but I’m not leaving without talking to her.”
Damn.

The door swings open and there he is. His eyes are pleading for me to hear him out. “You didn’t answer my texts or my calls. We need to talk.”

“She doesn’t have shit to say to you, asswipe,” Jordan spits.

“Jordan, it’s okay. I’ll handle this. Let us have a minute.” She rolls her eyes in frustration and stomps away. I know leaving was hard for her to do, but she is giving me the privacy I asked for. I cross my arms over my chest and Grayson’s eyes immediately keen in on my now lifted breasts. It is only now that I realize that I’m only in a camisole and panties.

I shrug my shoulders. Well, it’s not like he hasn’t seen me naked. “What do you want, Grayson?”

“Are you back with Liam? Are you fucking him?” His hands are balled into fists at his side.

“That’s none of your business. Next question.” He actually growls at my response before taking a deep breath.

“Okay. Let me try again. I want to start by apologizing that I didn’t come see you in the hospital. I feel like it was all my fault.”

“So you’re here out of guilt? Let me save you the trouble. It’s not your fault. It was the rain.” I don’t tell him that I was crying my eyes out. “And you did come. You just let Vanessa talk you out of seeing me. There was no need to tarnish your reputation for me.”

He closes the distance between us. He reaches for me, but then lets his hands fall to his side when he sees my opposing stance. “Oh baby, is that what you thought? You couldn’t be further from the truth.” He has the nerves to reach for me again, but I back away. Meanwhile “Bloodstream” continues to play like a soundtrack for our reunion.

“Oh no. You don’t get to call me that. You left me remember?” He flinches at my accusation.

“I’m sorry that you had to hear that, but if you were listening, you’d know that I had to leave.” He starts pacing back and forth. “I left to protect you. Not me. I—,”

“Bullshit. I didn’t ask you to protect me.” He rushes back over to me and pulls me into his arms, but I struggle to get free.

“I promise you, I didn’t want to leave. I just couldn’t risk your academic future by calling Vanessa’s bluff.”

I finally break free and we just stare at each other. Then the strangest thing happens. Grayson drops to his knees in surrender. His hands grasp my hips as he rests his head on my stomach. I can feel his labored breaths. The grip he has on my hips tightens to the point his arms are trembling. I’m frozen to this spot. He is barely holding it together and I’m caught off guard. I’ve never seen this side of him. He seems so broken. He keeps his head buried in my stomach as he begins to talk. “Tell me how to make this right, baby. I need to make us right again,” he pleads.

“You dumped me, Grayson. And then you fucked Vanessa and rubbed my face in it at Bailey’s house-warming.” I try to separate myself from him, but he is still holding on tight.

“I got scared and pushed you away. I was scared because I fell in love with you. I am irrevocably in love with you.”

“So let me get this straight. You fall in love with me, so you go and stick your dick in someone else? That’s real comforting.”

“I panicked, but I swear it would never happen again. I just wasn’t ready. The last time I let love in, it nearly destroyed me.” He looks up at me and a lone tear slides down his cheek. I know immediately that I have just lost my will to stay angry with him. Technically we were just fuck buddies so I didn’t have a claim to him. And he did end it with me before sleeping with Vanessa. This rationalization still doesn’t ease the pain. I look at him once again and I can tell that he is genuinely hurting, just like I am. I pull him up and we never lose eye contact. He bends his head down and silently asks to kiss me. He stops just millimeters away from my mouth. His breath caresses my lips and in this moment I want nothing more than his mouth on mine. “May I?” He’s giving me a chance to deny him, but I no longer have the will.

I answer his request by wiping the tear away with my thumb and bringing his lips to mine. The kiss starts slow and passionate. His hand skims along my hip as he deepens the kiss. He nips my bottom lip before licking away the pain. I can feel his erection growing along my stomach. He lifts me up and I instinctively wrap my legs around his waist. He growls as I grind myself against his cock. Things are getting hot and heavy fast until my door swings open.

“I don’t believe this shit. You’re just going to let this motherfucker back in your good graces? God I never should have left you two alone. I knew once I no longer heard the arguing that you were forgiving him,” Jordan screams. “I can’t believe you Shiv,” she whispers this time before walking out of the room shaking her head.