The Trouble With Love: An Age Gap Romance (The Forbidden Love Series Book 1)

by Kat T. Masen

  “You have a bruise on your wrist,” Ava points out. “What the hell are you doing in college, or who the hell are you doing in college?”

  “Ava!” Dad almost yells. “Is it your intent to give me an early stroke?”

  “Sorry, Dad.” Ava snickers.

  My gaze purposely focuses on the plate in front of me. It’s empty and white, and I wish that I could think of anything else. It proves pointless as something forces me to look up into Will’s eyes.

  “I must have banged something, my dresser or desk.”

  “Just like when you were a kid,” Will muses, lowering his gaze. “You were always scratched up when I saw you, but you never seemed to care.”

  “I guess I didn’t feel pain.” My eyes zone in on him. “My pain threshold far outweighs a certain cry baby next to me.”

  “Hey!” Ava sulks. “I resent that. Besides, all I ever remembered is Amelia daring Will to do things with the high chance of hurting himself.”

  “Do I want to know what exactly?” Mom cringes.

  “The point is—” I interrupt. “We’re all alive and well.”

  “Speaking of being alive and well.” Mom directs her stare at Dad. “What time do you expect to be back?”

  “We have back-to-back meetings, so I’m not sure.”

  “We?” I ask, regretting it when my dad looks at me oddly.

  “Me and Will. We have very important things to finalize,” he states firmly.

  I remain quiet as Mom lectures Dad, reminding him of other commitments. A small argument interrupts between them, though nothing out of the ordinary. When it comes to Dad working, Mom usually understands unless he committed to something else.

  “Argh,” Will groans, falling back on his chair while rubbing his chin.

  “What’s wrong?” Mom asks, worried.

  “My housekeeper is sick, and I’ve got a delivery arriving today.”

  “Can your concierge let them in?” Mom suggests. “What’s being delivered?”

  “A new TV,” Will states. “It needs to be installed and takes about an hour. I just need someone to make sure they do it right.”

  “I’m sorry, honey, I’m heading out to meet your mom today. Ava is watching Addison and Alexandra, but perhaps, Amelia, you can do it?”

  “Me?” I almost choke on my coffee. The liquid catches in my throat, making a gurgling sound. “You want me to go to your place and watch a man install a TV?”

  “You’re basically making sure they don’t rob me blind.”

  Behind his stare, there’s something I can’t quite put my finger on. It takes me a moment to come up with a plan to play dumb. “Where do you live?”

  “I’ll text you the address.” He busies himself on the phone as mine beeps.

  Will: How many times can I make you come in an hour?

  Shit! I force myself to keep a straight face, my body the first to react despite everyone watching me. Thank God they can’t hear the loud thump of my heart or the butterflies inside my stomach fluttering like crazy. I have to do something quickly, terrified someone will sniff our trail.

  “Fine, but you owe me. Next time, get one of your secretaries to do it,” I mouth so quickly. “Oh, that’s right, you don’t have one because you couldn’t keep your pants zipped up.”

  “Ouch!” Ava laughs the same time Mom shakes her head.

  I could almost see the proud smile come from Dad.

  “I’m going to shower,” I mention casually, my eyes falling upon Ava. “Since apparently, I look like death.”

  I head out of the dining area, and the second I’m out of sight, I almost run upstairs to my room. Shutting the door behind me, I lean against it, heart racing as I struggle to breathe in the air. Inside my hand, my phone buzzes.

  Will: Well played, Miss Edwards. It’s nice to see you’re always thinking about my dick. Am I going to guess twice? Maybe three times if you don’t touch yourself in the shower.

  Me: Aren’t you quite an overachiever. Let’s see if you can deliver or you’re all talk.

  Will: If you’re going to tease me like that, you better not complain when you’ve gotten no sleep. Sirens? Or perhaps you couldn’t stop thinking about me fucking your sweet pussy inside my bed.

  My face turns red, praying that by the time I leave the house, he’s already gone.

  Me: I strongly suggest you behave, Mr. Romano. You are with my father all day long, are you not? If you want to play dirty, don’t underestimate my ability to make you suffer in your meetings.

  Will: Always the daredevil. See you at 2.

  Throwing my phone onto my bed with a smile, I grab my things and head straight to the shower.

  I enter the code as the door unlocks. The second I step inside, I smell him everywhere. The scent—intoxicating—causes my concentration to shift. I place my phone down on the hallway table, closing the door behind me. Gravitating toward the window, I stare into the Hudson River, lost in thought when I hear a noise behind me. I don’t turn around, but my breathing hitches in anticipation. The footsteps move closer to me until a warm breath lingers against my neck, forcing me to close my eyes.

  His lips press against my skin as I reach back to pull him into me, desperate to have him closer. The gentle kiss sends my skin into a frenzied static, tiny goosebumps forming all over.

  Turning around, my body is flush with his as he lifts me, cupping his hands beneath my dress and kissing me deeply. Our tongues battle, wanting more, arousing every inch of my body. I can feel his tongue swirling in my mouth, imagining the exact thing being done between my legs. A desperate moan escapes me, no care to what’s right or wrong because I need him to own me. Now.

  I think he’s going to take me toward the bed, but instead, he lays me on the couch and watches me with a hungry stare.

  “And you so easily came back?”

  “To see if you truly are a one-night-stand-type-of-guy and your reputation precedes you.”

  His eyes battle, almost as if I’ve struck a nerve. Will pulls back, momentarily, his face turning away. Then, as if something clicks, his stare swiftly moves back onto me, thirstier than before.

  “We shouldn’t be doing this,” he reminds me.

  “So you’ve said, yet here you are. In fact, you insisted I come here to do what exactly?” I search the room knowingly. “I’m yet to see your new TV or the hot men you promised me?”

  A slight growl escapes his throat, his lips pressed flat while adopting a sullen look.

  “Don’t push me, Amelia.”

  Without a second thought, he lunges onto me, kissing me deeply as his hands explore my entire body. In a matter of seconds, he has unbuttoned the front of my dress, desperate to expose my breasts. Tugging my bra down, his mouth finds its way to my nipples, sucking hard without an apology for his ferocity.

  I arch my back, welcoming his desperation but equally desperate to feel him inside me. My hands wander to his belt, fiddling with his buckle until he assists me, and his cock springs free from his boxers. I swallow at the sight—perfect and hard—eager to taste him, yet I know he just wants to bury himself inside me.

  I lay on the sofa, my chest rising and falling as he enters me slowly, my mouth opening with an uncontrolled pant. Closing my eyes, I writhe in pleasure with every thrust, the quick and fast pounds to the sound of his groans. My eyes spring open, drawn to his tortured face as he begs me to come with him.

  My hands clutch onto the sofa arm behind me as I warn him loudly that I’m ready. His movement picks up, the build of pleasure overwhelming me until his fingers wander to my nipples, tugging them hard and causing a sudden flush of warmth to spread throughout me. The air in the room is stifling hot and barely attainable while I try to breathe in, basking in a state of euphoric satisfaction.

  Resting my hand on his cheek, willing him to calm down from his pleasurable victory, he kisses it but then pulls it away swiftly.

  “Shit, I have to go.”

  In a frenzied panic, he jumps off me, pulling
his pants back up and escaping quickly to what I assume is the bathroom. As I sit here, fixing my attire, he returns to the room.

  “I need to be downtown to meet your Dad in fifteen minutes,” he states, distracted by patting down his pockets. “You can let yourself out.”

  And with a quick kiss on the forehead, he’s out of sight, though not out of mind.

  I beg to hold back my questions, knowing once I start the thought process in my head, it will be a vicious cycle with no end.

  But I’m weak and vulnerable, having just fucked a man who kissed me goodbye on the forehead, then walked out the door.

  What now? I need to go back to campus, study for classes, and immerse myself back into college life. Are we in a relationship, or is this it? A two-day stand?

  What if he sleeps with other women? Or he wants to pursue a friends-with-benefit type of relationship. Is that something I can see myself getting involved in?

  I know I’m inexperienced, but is it so wrong of me to question where we stand? I let out a long-winded sigh until I realize that being in this apartment will cause more harm now than good.

  The damage is done.

  Just how much, I’m yet to find out.

  Twenty

  Amelia

  I try my best to bury my head in studying.

  Attending Yale has been my dream for as long as I can remember. I know others would’ve killed to get into an Ivy League college. Yet, here am I, staring blankly at the wall again and stuck in this vicious cycle I like to call hell.

  In front of me, the glare of my laptop is the only light inside my room. The darkness from outside has crept in, and the sound of the rain tapping against the window is warning us of this cold, wintery night. It’s been quite the season, and having grown up in California, I desperately miss the sunshine and palm trees.

  Though the wild winter storm is perhaps a reflection of my current mood—cold, uninviting, and unpredictable with its temperament. It’s what happens when a week passes with not a single call, text, or even a cheeky slide into my DMs.

  My mom and sisters left last Saturday. With the girls back at school on Monday and Mom needing to be back at work, it was sad to say goodbye but part of this whole being an adult thing. Despite the distance, I manage to gain some insight as to Will’s whereabouts. Mom has casually mentioned that Dad stayed back in the city to close a deal involving Will’s company. According to Mom, things haven’t gone as planned, and Dad was really stressed. Will, on the other hand, has been working nonstop alongside Dad. It explains the absent contact, but it doesn’t erase the anger that festers as each day passes. I mean, is it that hard to send a text?

  Once again, I find myself unable to make the first move out of fear of looking desperate.

  By the following weekend, with barely any sleep and my brain wired from late-night cramming, I decide to plan a weekend of absolutely nothing but sleep.

  That is, until Liesel jumps on my bed, ruining my peaceful Friday night.

  “Get out of bed. We’re going out.”

  “Out?” I stare at the window, all fogged up. “But it’s cold, and I’m tired.”

  Liesel rips the sheets off, exposing my skin, making me shiver. “Okay, spill it. Who is it making you all broody and desperate?”

  I sit up, folding my arms beneath my breasts. “I’m not broody and desperate!”

  “Oh, really? You’re always checking your phone, and you’ve been stomping around with a chip on your shoulder. Tell me who he or she is?”

  “She?”

  “It’s college.” Liesel shrugs her shoulders. “Anything is possible.”

  “It’s not a she,” I mumble, lowering my gaze. “And besides, have I really been that moody?”

  “Well, you haven’t been a ray of sunshine.”

  “It’s nothing. Like nothing.”

  “Uh-huh,” Liesel drags. “Well, nothing is obviously not calling you back. So, I have a plan.”

  “The last time you had a plan, I got drunk, and well…”

  “In the nothing’s bed?”

  “Yes, but it’s not what you think.”

  “I think you fucked him. He hasn’t called back, and you’re getting all clingy.”

  “Clingy?” I shout, followed but an incredulous laugh. “I haven’t called him nor given him any reason to think I’m clingy, and I’m not.”

  “So then, back to my plan. There’s a party a few blocks over. I say we hit it, look hot, and post stories to make our men jealous.”

  I roll my eyes at the ridiculous plan. “Firstly, I don’t have a man. I’m manless. As single as you can get. Secondly, you have a man, so why do you want to make him jealous?”

  Liesel motions for me to scoot over as she lays beside me, staring at the ceiling. “Because he hasn’t called me back since I accidentally blurted ‘I love you’ in the middle of sex.”

  “Oh,” I mouth with a scowl. “But did you mean I love you because the sex was great? Or I love you, love you?”

  “Because it’s great… hello, it’s only been like two months. You can’t love someone that quickly.”

  “I guess not…” I trail off. “But look, I’m tired, so a pass from me. You go, though. I’ll cheer you on in my sleep.”

  “Fine, then,” she complains in a huff, hopping out of my bed and leaving my room.

  My momentary silence is interrupted by the sound of my phone buzzing beside me. I lazily pick it up, noticing Mom’s caller ID.

  “Hey, Mom.”

  “Hey, honey, just a quick hello. I’m in the city for one night.”

  I sit up, pulling the blanket over my chest. “You’re in the city? As in Manhattan?”

  “Yes, a very last-minute thing in which your father so graciously begged me to come. Luckily, Adriana took the girls for the night.”

  A small laugh escapes my lips, reminiscing about my parents arguing over trivial matters because Dad would mention something last minute. It was comical watching Dad begging Mom because he doesn’t want to attend certain events alone.

  “Typical Dad. New outfit?”

  “Of course, Ava chose it at Saks online, and I picked it up this afternoon. I was going to call you earlier but only arrived around lunch and on a red-eye tomorrow.”

  “You sure live an exciting life. Flying in and out for a night. Meanwhile, I’m here doing absolutely nothing.”

  “If it’s any consolation, the weather is awful. I’d rather be in bed than out tonight. Luckily, I have Will and his date to keep me company if your father wanders off as usual.”

  I swallow the lump inside my throat. “Oh, that’s nice he has a date. Will, the playboy, strikes again.”

  “Lucky you aren’t on speaker.” Mom chuckles softly as the noise around her heightens.

  “Lucky,” I grit as anger seeps through me.

  “So, you’re taking it easy tonight?”

  “Actually, no.” I hop out of bed and straight to my closet. I yank each dress aside, looking for my gray turtleneck knitted mini dress which hugs my curves. “Liesel invited me to a party. Just a bunch of guys we know. I wasn’t going to go, but why the hell not? I’m nineteen and shouldn’t be in bed on a Friday night, right?”

  “Sounds like fun. The number of college parties your Uncle Rocky dragged me to… I lost count. I’ll say they were fun and took my mind off things when I needed some social interaction.”

  “I think it’s time I date.” I rush, locating the dress while grabbing my knee-high boots to go with it. “I realize I’ve never dated before. There was Austin, and well, that’s it. I’m too young to get serious, right?”

  “Everyone is different, but dating isn’t a bad thing,” Mom says without judgment. “Just have fun and stay safe.”

  I hear her muffle the speaker until she says something I can’t decipher. “Your father has suddenly decided to stop paying attention to an email he’s typing on his phone.”

  “Not surprised,” I retort, wondering if Will is listening at all to this conve
rsation. Then again, why would he? He has some other pussy in the limo with him. “Tell my dear old daddy that I love him and not to worry. I don’t plan to make him a grandpa anytime soon.”

  “If I repeat that, he’ll shoot the messenger, being me,” Mom confesses, followed by a small giggle. I suspect she’s had wine or champagne, either one making her tipsy at this moment. “We’re just about there, honey. Have fun tonight and let me know which college guy I can expect to call my son-in-law soon.” There’s more muffling until Mom yells out, “Would you just relax?”

  “Thanks, Mom. Have fun, too.”

  I hang up the call, grabbing my gray knit dress and a black one too, barging into Liesel’s room. She’s standing in front of the mirror, dressed in a black-laced bodysuit and high-waisted jeans. Liesel’s figure is amazing, and this outfit is a showstopper.

  “The gray or black?”

  Liesel’s eyes perk up. “Oh yes, girl! The gray. What made you change your mind?”

  “I realized I need to live life. I’m young, right? This is the prime of my life.”

  ‘Uh-huh… and Mr. Nothing is doing what tonight?”

  “Out on a date with some woman,” I confess with a slight growl.

  “Oh, well, then.” Liesel sits me down, pulling my hair out of its messy bun. “We need to make you look irresistible. Mr. Nothing is going to wish he called you back.”

  The music is blaring through the house, shoulders bumped together with barely any space for us to walk through. Liesel grabs my hand as we zig-zag through the crowd toward the kitchen, where apparently, the keg and other assorted drinks are served.

  I couldn’t have painted the picture any better, your typical college party, which I had seen numerous times in movies on the brink of cops breaking it up at the moment. What’s the worst that could happen? It’s not like we will all go to jail.

  I wave hello to a few classmates, ignoring a bunch of men eyeing me from where they congregated near the billiard table.