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

by Kat T. Masen

  Will clears his throat, turning to face Mom with a smile. “I’ll be in Boston for work.”

  Did he just say Boston? Anger stirs within me for his lack of communication. Typical Will with his work, always first in his eyes. He’s just like Dad, and the more I think about it, the more it irritates me. The same goes for London—not once has he mentioned it being a possibility real soon.

  I raise my eyes again to see Ava across from me, a worried expression on her usually jovial face. As if she can read my thoughts, she begins to talk about colleges she’s applied to, which, of course, warrants Dad’s opinion since none of them were close to home.

  “Thank you for the meal, Mr. and Mrs. Edwards,” Austin says, wiping his mouth with the napkin. “It’s getting late, and I should be getting home.”

  My parents wish him luck with school and suggest he visit any time he’s back here in LA.

  “I’ll walk you out,” I tell him, avoiding Will’s gaze.

  Outside the front of our home, I cross my arms to shield my chest from the cold night’s air. The moon is bright tonight, full and round, a beautiful sight amongst the dark sky.

  “It was great to see you, Austin.”

  “Millie.” He lowers his gaze, only to lift it moments later. “You’re playing with fire.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “You know what I’m talking about,” he coerces with both hands in his pockets. “Are you willing to tear apart your family for some guy?”

  “Austin—”

  “I know you better than you think. Once upon a time, your eyes looked into mine the same way they’re looking into his.” I can almost hear the hurt in his voice, but he manages to ignore the stumble. “He’s too old for you. Do you honestly expect him to give up his dream of becoming the next billionaire to play boyfriend to a college girl?”

  And the secret comes out to the one person I didn’t want to hurt. We may have been friends, and I may have been okay with his admission to dating Summer, but deep down inside, I know that Austin has figured out the depth of my feelings toward Will.

  Something I can no longer hide.

  “It’s not that simple,” I mumble.

  “No, it’s not that simple. Somebody is going to get hurt, and the chances are, it’s all you, Millie.”

  “I’m an adult now,” I say defensively. “I can handle this.”

  “You’ve worked hard to get where you are. Don’t let this hinder your dreams of studying law. Guys like him don’t settle down, they play women, and you’ll be no different.”

  I touch the base of my neck, unable to meet his longing stare.

  “I’ll be fine, I promise. Don’t worry about me.”

  “I’ll always worry about you, Millie.”

  Austin wraps his arms around me, a tight embrace bringing back a flood of memories. It would’ve been so much easier to have fallen in love entirely with Austin and continue seeing him. My parents would have approved since they’ve always welcomed him inside our home.

  All the things that couples do together—Christmas, New Year’s Eve—all of which I could’ve spent with him without the worry of being caught since it wouldn’t be a problem.

  But none of this matters, not when my heart belongs to someone else.

  And I can no longer deny my feelings toward Will, however raw, consuming, and irrevocably profound my emotions may be.

  I say goodbye to Austin, promising to catch up online and possibly when he’s in town. Walking back toward the house, I have no idea what to do next, wanting very much to be alone right now to process tonight.

  As I take steps toward the door, my gaze drifts to the window near my dad’s office, and I swear eyes are watching me.

  I manage to escape to my room, telling Mom I’m tired and need some sleep, avoiding Will at all costs while trying to come to terms with my admission. Ava joins me for a while, lying in bed with me and asking question after question. It isn’t long before I kick her out, desperately needing solitude.

  Inside my bed, I toss and turn with the urge to text Will. Every time I begin to type, I erase the message. Nothing I can say right now will calm his anger toward Austin coming here, and I’m terrified of acting differently now that my feelings have shifted.

  By one o’clock, after hours of staring at the ceiling, I jump out of bed to leave my room. Dressed in my tattered Lakers tee and bed socks, I close the door to my room. The house is shadowed in complete darkness, not a single person awake.

  I tiptoe toward the kitchen, open the refrigerator, and grab a bottle of water to quench my thirst. But as I continue to stand here, I toy with temptation, reminding myself exactly where the cameras are positioned.

  I need to see him and clear the air between us before it tears us apart.

  When I walk through the back hall, I head toward the other wing of the house with the guest bedroom, carefully avoiding where all the cameras are pointing. When it comes to security systems, my dad spared no expense. Over the years, Ava and I have learned a few tricks despite its so-called sophisticated technology.

  Standing outside the bedroom door, a tightness overcomes my chest. What if he tells me he can’t do this? That this was just a fling? That I’m too young and not worth the trouble? Can I handle hearing those exact words right now?

  I take a deep breath. It’s now or never.

  Slowly, I turn the handle and gently close the door behind me. With the drapes open, I see his shadow against the large bed frame. He’s resting on his back with his arm beneath his head, his sculpted chest visible under the pale moonlight. My walls begin to crumble at the sight of him. I can’t hold back anymore, desperate to touch him and tell him how I feel.

  Moving toward the bed, I stand beside it with hesitation. The second his hand reaches out for me, I climb under the sheets and snuggle into the side of his body, allowing his skin to envelope me with warmth. I purposely lay my head on his chest, listening to the sound of his beating heart. It’s playing the most beautiful tune, and I wish for it to be only ever heard by me.

  “Amelia,” he breathes into my hair. “You shouldn’t be here.”

  “I don’t care,” I tell him, tired of fighting how I feel. “I want you.”

  “I want you, too, but if we get caught, it will be over for us.”

  “They won’t find out, I promise.”

  I climb on top of him as his hands softly graze my thighs. My lips find his instantly, a gentle kiss that deepens as my body aches so desperately for him. We come up for a breath, only to fall back into feverish kisses. Our soft moans, barely audible for fear of being heard, get lost in the intensity of our actions.

  I remove my tee, exposing my breasts. Beneath me, Will’s body tenses, his hands cupping my breast while he pushes his groin against me. The thought of being caught becomes this unknowing thrill, forcing me to strip him bare, including myself, so we’re both naked.

  Without warning him, I slide myself on to feel him clench beneath me. We grind softly, doing our best to keep quiet. Every inch of my body cries out to be touched. All senses heightened more than ever before. I slow down, running my hand along his jaw.

  “It’s only you,” I murmur, slowing my movements. “Austin means nothing to me.”

  “I know.”

  “Do you know?”

  He places his hands on my cheek, caressing it softly. “Amelia, my feelings for you are… I can’t explain it. I’ve never felt this way over anyone, and it scares me. You’re nineteen.”

  “I know. I’m young.”

  “You have your whole life ahead of you.”

  I feel vulnerable, but even at this moment, he strokes my cheek gently as my heart races, aware that he’s still inside me.

  “But I don’t want to stop,” he says with finality.

  Even though our eyes barely meet in the darkness, there’s something that passes between us, something so strong that neither of us can no longer deny. His lips kiss mine softly, and that connection between us deep
ens as we both make love, finishing in harmony.

  With our breaths short, I pull myself off and continue to lay on top of him.

  I don’t know how long I should stay here in his arms under the roof of my parents’ home.

  But one thing I knew for sure is that Ava is right.

  I am falling in love with him.

  Twenty-Five

  Will

  Everything changed after that night in LA.

  The admission we both made was raw, in the moment, but nevertheless, the truth. We were fighting the same battle against our emotions and finally gave up—the force too strong.

  We’d become addicted to one thing—each other.

  With this came the challenge of holding together our relationship while trying to hide it from those close to us. Being in LA in the presence of Lex and Charlie was too hard.

  We tried our best to remain amicable without the stolen glances, but it all became too much when Charlie insisted we spend time together as a family.

  I’ve always respected Charlie, thought of her like my own mother, which makes the deceit harder to control. I’ve allowed myself to take their daughter under their roof, but resisting Amelia is futile. She has this hold over me, one that consumes me whole.

  Work needs attention, and thankfully, Lex doesn’t question my desire to fly back to New York. He knows the importance of closing some deals we’ve been trying to finalize, so I fly back the next night, eager for some normality.

  Amelia follows two days later, using some excuse of trying to catch up on studying before New Year’s with the hope to gain some additional class credits. Our reasons, while somewhat valid, are all in an effort to be alone.

  The days when we returned, we spend most of the time in my apartment in bed because I can’t get enough. I should’ve been working, and while I tried to pull my laptop out on several occasions, her body proves too much of a distraction.

  “Do you realize we have been in bed for two days?” Amelia lazily mumbles in the pillow. “Why is there no search party for me?”

  “Because you made up some pretty sweet lies,” I remind her with a smirk, trying to type an email to some moron in London. “And besides, it’s not like I’m holding you captive.”

  She snorts before shuffling her face to the side. “I quote, ‘I’m holding you captive,’ end quote. I believe those exact words left your lips yesterday morning when I arrived here.”

  Distracted once again, I slam my laptop shut and run my fingers along the curves of her spine. Her skin is smooth, flawless even. Just a simple touch, and I find myself hard, again.

  “Are you complaining about the multiple orgasms you’ve received over the last day?”

  With a wide grin, she turns around, her tits exposed, making me groan at the beautiful sight. They’re fucking perfect.

  “Now, why would I complain about that? If anything, I’d encourage you to continue to make me come as you please.”

  I climb on top of her, kissing her deeply before entering her without warning. Her back arches, her chest at my complete disposal as I tug on her nipples and suck them softly. She winces slightly, only because I ravaged them last night while fucking her in the shower.

  Her moans become an addiction, a beautiful sound I’m desperate to hear each time my hands touch her skin. It doesn’t take us long before we both end on a complete high.

  “That was…” she stammers, out of breath.

  “Breathtaking?” I laugh, kissing the side of her neck.

  “Amongst many things.”

  “So, listen, I have to go into the office to get some work done,” I tell her, looking at the time. “You’re welcome to stay here, naked.”

  “Nice offer. I’m going to head back to my parents’ place. I need some new clothes to change into. A few friends want to catch up tonight for dinner.”

  I still my movements. “Which friends?”

  “Girlfriends, you jealous freak. Well, tiny lie. Andy and girlfriends.”

  “I never said I was jealous.”

  “Uh-huh…” She nods with a knowing smirk. “By the way, we haven’t spoken about tomorrow night. I mean, that’s if you want to do something, or is the Boston thing true?”

  Tomorrow night is New Year’s Eve. I don’t want to break it to her that Boston is, in fact, true. I’ll need to leave early to make it back here before midnight.

  “There’s something I want to do with you,” I tell her teasingly.

  “Is it dirty?”

  “It depends on where you’re standing?”

  “Huh?”

  I kiss her lips, tasting her once again. “Come back here tonight, please?”

  “It’ll be late,” she informs me.

  “That’s okay. You know I barely sleep.”

  Hopping out of bed, I find appropriate pants and a business shirt to wear. Once I’m dressed, I lean in to kiss her one more time before heading to the office.

  As I sit at my desk, my fingers tap against the glass tabletop while I try to concentrate.

  My mind begins to drift, and I find myself opening Insta and scrolling through Amelia’s photos. With the smiles and laughter, a typical young woman is living her life. Am I selfish for holding her back? I remember all the years I spent in college, the careless behavior, and the wicked parties. For me, not being in a relationship meant I could study and party. There was no one to occupy my time or fight for attention. This gave me the ability to dream big and complete my Master’s in Business.

  This is her time to experience all that.

  Our lives are at completely different stages, yet somehow, it almost feels like our worlds are the same, and that alone terrifies me. Whichever way I look at us, someone will have to make the ultimate sacrifice.

  My phone buzzes. Lex’s name appears on the screen, demanding attention.

  “Lex,” I greet.

  “McGuire tells me he’s still waiting on you to send across the proposal?”

  “Yes.” I clear my throat, stretching my neck to ease the tension. “I’m on it.”

  “Well, get on it faster. You don’t want him to look elsewhere. I thought you were sending this last night?” Lex stresses with an agitated tone. “Is there something you’re not telling me?”

  “I’m trying to play catch-up, that’s all, Lex.” I strain, biting my tongue not to give anything away. “He’ll have it in an hour.”

  Lex doesn’t say another word, hanging up the phone. Fuck. I’ve riled the beast. I’ve witnessed Lex on the warpath, and it’s not pleasant.

  I tell my new secretary, Heather, to hold all my calls and bring me some coffee so I can power through this. Exactly an hour later, I’m beyond done, sending across the email to McGuire with a follow-up phone call. By the time it ends, night has fallen, and I want nothing more than to forget this day existed.

  As I enter my apartment, not a single sound can be heard, the outside noise disappearing the moment I step inside. Suddenly, this apartment feels incredibly lonely. I can almost hear the echo of Amelia’s laughter, only to realize she’s not here.

  There’s nothing to do besides continue to work. I sit on the couch with my laptop, answering an email from some fucker trying to sell me something I’m not interested in. There are a few emails from Lex, some of which I answer because I can, but even he’s getting on my nerves with his ridiculous demands.

  I check the time, noting it’s after midnight. There’s no text message from Amelia. I think about sending her a text but talk myself out of it. The worry turns into jealousy once again, and I find myself stalking her stories like a fucking maniac. There are many images of food and them sitting in a restaurant with the only male being Andy.

  Feeling somewhat relieved, I grab a drink from the liquor cabinet and pour myself a glass, welcoming the taste of the smoky whisky to ease the tension I’ve been feeling all day.

  Another hour passes before the door opens, and Amelia stumbles through, dressed in a navy blue tight-fitting dress and oversized white
winter jacket. Her camel-colored boots touch her knee, exposing her thighs more than I’d prefer.

  There’s a cheeky smile on her face, and the glassy eyes tell me she’s been drinking. It only validates my concerns, but I keep my opinion to myself, not wanting to get into an argument now.

  She sits on my lap, wrapping her arms around my neck. I close my eyes briefly, inhaling the smell of her perfume and burying my head in her neck, allowing her hair to fall gracefully against my face.

  “I missed you,” I murmur.

  I lean back on the sofa to get a better look at her, still in my work clothes, as she begins to unbutton my dress shirt. I graze my hand along her thigh, knowing that every touch makes it harder to pull away. She runs her hands along my chest before placing soft kisses along my collarbone.

  “I love you,” she utters, followed by a small hiccup. “I love you, William Rockford Romano.”

  My body freezes as she says the words. But slowly, her tiny snores fall between us. I shut my eyes tight, just for a moment, begging myself to ignore the three words attempting to break down all my walls.

  Three words that change everything between us.

  I carry her to the bedroom, laying her on the bed, removing her coat and shoes with incredible difficulty. She’s dead asleep, so I place the blanket over her and head to the shower to get changed for bed.

  With only three hours of sleep, the morning light hasn’t even risen as I’m sitting on the edge of the bed dressed in my suit with the car service waiting downstairs.

  “Amelia,” I say softly. “I have to go.”

  She begins to stir, her eyes opening a few seconds later. “Go? Go where? What time is it?”

  “Shh, sleep. It’s early.”

  “But…what time is it?”

  “Early,” I state, letting out a sigh. “I need to fly to Boston today, but I’ll be back tonight.”

  “Boston? But it’s New Year’s Eve.”

  “Yes.” I kiss her lips, pulling away and ignoring the pang inside my chest for leaving her. “I’ll see you tonight.”