Forbidden Heat

by Jordyn White

  “He’s been having an affair with some girl for three months now,” Ashley explains.

  “Wait. What?” I do the math in my head. “He proposed two months ago!”

  “Apparently,” Sam says, her voice tight, “he thought proposing to Chloe would help him ‘get over’ his little hussy.”

  Chloe just cries harder.

  Sam gives me a furious look and silently mouths, “I’m going to kill him.”

  “Oh, Chloe,” I say, “I’m so sorry.”

  “That rat bastard,” she says into her hands.

  I look at Sam helplessly. Chloe’s already mailed out over 300 invitations. She bought a wedding dress. She reserved the venue. Everything.

  I can’t believe Brad did this to her. I mean, I admit, it’s not like I was his biggest fan or anything. But he and Chloe have been together since sophomore year. How could he? And like this?

  We spend the next hour doing our best to comfort Chloe. Jack brings over her favorite ice cream and he and Sam disappear into the kitchen to dish it up. I go in too, to make sure they’re not in there plotting Brad’s death or something.

  They are, in fact, whispering, but not about what I thought.

  “Don’t get me wrong,” Sam whispers fiercely, “I’m pissed he did this to her, but in the end I think she’s better off without him.”

  “Yeah,” Jack says softly, dumping a large scoop of ice cream into a bowl.

  Maybe it’s because I’m nursing a broken heart of my own, but Sam’s comment irks me.

  “Just because you don’t believe in love,” I whisper, “doesn’t mean nobody else does.”

  Sam and Jack both look at me. He’s holding the scoop in midair over the container.

  “Oh give me that.” I grab the scoop and container out of his hands.

  “That’s not what she was saying,” Jack says softly.

  “Oh, wasn’t it?” I furiously dig the scoop into the container.

  “Hey,” Sam whispers, “I’m not against people falling in love, but Brad’s always been a chump, and I really didn’t care for how he’s been running roughshod all over her for the past year, so yeah I’m glad he’s out of her life, okay?”

  If I really think about it, maybe I feel the same way, but I’m in no mood to think about it, so I don’t. “Whatever, Sam.” I dump the ice cream in a bowl and pull over an empty one so I can dish up another serving.

  She huffs and grabs some spoons out of the drawer. “What are you getting all pissy at me for?”

  I’m blinking back tears.

  No.

  Not now.

  I’m not supposed to cry about him during the day. I do enough of that at night.

  Sam sighs. “What?” she says, less angry but still exasperated.

  “Is that what you thought about Shane?” I ask quietly. I’m holding the scoop but no longer dishing up. “That it’s better he’s out of my life?”

  “No! Of course not.”

  I look at her, uncertain. “Would you tell me if you did?”

  “Well...” she hesitates.

  I roll my eyes and she leans forward. “No, okay? Not at first. Do you think I’m going to go in there and tell Chloe what I think when she’s like this? But there’s going to come a time when I’ll probably say it. She’s a great girl and she deserves better. I’m not afraid to tell her that, when she’s ready to hear it.”

  I drop the ice cream scoop in the container. Jack scoots it toward him, grabs a spoon, and takes a huge spoonful right out of the carton, watching me carefully.

  I roll my eyes and scoot the last remaining empty bowl toward him as a hint. He dishes up his own serving obediently.

  “Now,” Sam says softly, “I don’t know Shane. I’ve never interacted with him. I’ve never seen how he treats you or how the two of you are together. So all I have to go on is what you’ve told me. But you know what, you talk differently about Shane than Chloe talks about Brad. From what you’ve said, I think he would’ve been good for you, if things had gone differently. So, no. I’m not happy about what’s happened with the two of you, if that’s what you wanted to know.”

  “You’re not?” I ask weakly.

  “No honey. If you want to know the honest-to-god truth,” she picks up two bowls to take to the living room, “I think it’s a damn shame.”

  She leaves the kitchen and Jack picks up two bowls too, kissing me on the top of my head before leaving me alone.

  I pull my bowl over and grab a spoon.

  Something’s ticking in me.

  Tick, tick, tick.

  It’s something that’s only seemed like an impossible thing thus far. Just like being with Professor Shane Brooks seemed like an impossible thing, back when he really was just my professor. Back when I was tormented with fantasies about him.

  Tick, tick.

  I’m tormented now, too. And it’s not going away.

  In fact, I’m pretty sure it’s never, never going away.

  Tick.

  I jump off my stool and leave my ice cream on the island.

  “I’ll be back later.” I head for my purse and out the door.

  I’ll have to apologize to Chloe later.

  But now that I’ve made my decision, I can’t wait any longer.

  When I knock on the front door of Shane’s house, I’m acutely aware of the fact that in all the months I’ve spent here, I’ve never once stepped through this door. My car has never been parked on the front curb, as it is now.

  I fidget with the hem of my shirt, dropping my hands abruptly when Shane opens the door.

  He stops. “Isabella,” he says my name like a sigh. Like a relief.

  Or maybe my heart is just imagining sweet, sweet hopeful things because then he says firmly, “Dean Jennings said—”

  “Dean Jennings knows I’m here.”

  Shane blinks.

  “Can I come in?”

  He hesitates. I think he’s going to say no, but then he steps back and opens the door wider.

  I meant to just come in.

  I really did.

  But when I come through the door and in Shane’s direction I just keep right on going until I’ve wrapped my arms around him so tight and I’m tucking my cheek down against his shoulder.

  “I’m so sorry Shane. I’m so sorry for everything’s that’s happened and how horrible, horrible I know it’s been for you to have to lie to everyone and I never,”—a sob breaks out, though I try so hard to stop it—“meant for this...” My voice breaks again. Goddammit. This is not what I meant to come here and do.

  “Hey, hey,” he says softly.

  He takes me by the arms and tries to pull me away, but I cling to him. It feels so good to hold him again. I can’t seem to let go.

  He gives up and wraps his arms around me. I close my eyes, sinking into it and holding him tighter.

  “Honey, don’t cry. It’s not your fault.”

  “I know I’m supposed to leave for Harvard in a few weeks but please, please don’t make me go.”

  “What did you just say?”

  This time he does hold me by the arms and firmly pulls me away. I let him. He’s giving me an alarmed look. I drink in his eyes, the little specks of blue around the edges of green, every detail. Oh how I’ve missed him.

  “I want to stay here,” I say. “With you.”

  “But...” He looks at me with disbelief. “Harvard. I can’t ask you to give up Harvard.”

  “You’re not asking. I’m offering. I love you, Shane Brooks.”

  He blinks and his hands come up to my face.

  “You do?”

  “I do. I do. I love you so much. And I need you. Please let me stay.”

  “You’re...” he falters, furrowing his brows at me, “...willing to give all that up for... me?”

  That’s when I realize that even though he’s no longer my professor and I’m no longer his student, the uneven balance of power we’ve been trying to avoid all along is here anyway. I will do anything for him
. I will give up anything. For him.

  Now he knows it.

  So, yes, he has all the power over me, but I don’t care. So long as Shane’s by my side.

  “I love you too, Isabella.” My heart swells briefly upon hearing those words come out of his mouth. “But...” And my heart clenches.

  No.

  “I can’t let you do that.”

  “But Shane...”

  He pulls away and holds up one finger. “Just,” he says firmly. “Wait here a moment.”

  Stunned and numb, I watch him walk away and disappear down the hall that leads to his office.

  I wrap my arms around myself and start to tremble. I think I need to sit, but even though I’ve sat on Shane’s couch a million times—and done more than that on it—I don’t know if he wants me on his couch.

  He comes back with a piece of paper in his hand. I numbly watch him approach.

  Maybe I can’t talk my way out of this one.

  Maybe this is really how it ends.

  He holds out the paper and I watch myself take it.

  It’s a letter.

  From... Boston University?

  Dear Mr. Brooks,

  Thank you for your interest in Boston University. We’re pleased to offer you an adjunct teaching position in the Department of Philosophy, concurrent with your admission to the Doctoral program in...

  I drop my hand, still holding the letter, and stare at him.

  “Would that be alright?” he asks.

  I raise the letter and look at it again. I re-read the opening lines. I look at the date in the heading: it’s dated four days ago. “When did you get this?” I ask stupidly.

  “The mail came about twenty minutes ago. They have a good philosophy department and one of the professors is intrigued by my thesis. He helped me get on the waiting list for this fall, otherwise I would’ve had to... you know, wait a year. There in Boston. If you’d let me.”

  I just stare at him, tears brimming in my eyes, holding the letter in my hand. When did he do this?

  “It’s a good program, but that’s not why I want to go.”

  He cups my face in his hands as the tears stream down my cheeks. He brushes them away with his thumb. “After that night at the cabin,” he says softly, “I thought, what if we don’t have to be apart? What if we got to be together after all?”

  “But this is your dream job. Here.”

  “Ah, Isabella,” he says, rubbing his nose against mine, “you’re my dream girl. I can get a degree anywhere. But there’s only one you.” I grip the back of his shirt. “I want this,” he says firmly, “so you wouldn’t have to worry about that. I want it and I’m okay with it. If it means we could be together, I’m more than okay with it. So please, can I come with you?”

  “God, yes!”

  I wrap my arms around his neck, still holding the letter, and kiss him firmly. Again and again until he laughs and picks me up. I wrap my legs around his waist and he spins me around, but I was already dizzy with the knowledge that I get to keep Shane Brooks in the end.

  Chapter 26

  Two days before our lease is up, the apartment is more or less a mess. Boxes are everywhere.

  Sam and Ashley will be the first ones to go. Sam got the job she wanted in Portland and starts in a few days. Ashley’s staying on to get her master’s, of course, but couldn’t afford this place on her own. She got her own little apartment not far from here.

  She and Sam shared the cost of a moving truck. We’ll move Ashley to her new place first, then load up the truck with Sam’s stuff and she’ll take it up to Portland. Jack’s going with her to help with the move, but he’ll be back by Monday.

  Sam just got back with the van, which is parked out front, but we won’t start loading up until Jack and some guys we know are here to help with the furniture. Shane’s on his way too.

  He’s hung out over here several times since we got back together and loves my Firework Girls almost as much as I do. They like him too. Even Jack approves.

  Ashley, Sam, and I are standing around the kitchen island, chatting about nothing much. We’ve taken to pretending the Firework Girls aren’t coming to an end, at least, not as we’ve always known it.

  “I wonder what Chloe’s surprise is,” Sam says.

  “She should be here by now,” I say.

  We hear the front door open and Chloe calls out to us.

  We go into the living room to see a big grin on her face. It’s good to see her smiling again.

  “So what’s the surprise?” I ask, noticing she’s empty handed.

  She grabs the hem of her shirt and lifts it up so we can see her stomach and... her new belly button piercing.

  “Whoa!” Sam says as we all go in for a closer look.

  It’s a stud, bigger than the one in her nose but with a stone the exact same light blue color.

  “So pretty!” I say and everyone else nods.

  “I’ve been wanting one forever but Brad was always talking about the risks of infection with belly button rings, and blah, blah, blah.” She grins broadly again. “Screw him.”

  I smile. I think Chloe’s going to be just fine.

  Chloe and I are packing up the last of our things tomorrow. She got a respectable job with a mid-sized shipping company in Swan Pointe so will be moving there. Jack wanted her to coordinate things so he could help her with her move too. She thanked him but ultimately said no. She seems determined to do things on her own, “Without the help of a man,” she said. “No offense, Jack.”

  Through the living room window, we see Jack’s truck working its way toward our apartment.

  “Has Jack found anything yet?” Ashley asks.

  “I don’t know if he’s even looked,” Sam says. “I think he’s hoping he can just stay in the dorms forever.”

  “Well if anyone could pull that off, Jack could,” I say.

  We watch Jack silently for a moment. Something about seeing him pull up to the apartment, with all of us here for the last time... Well, it’s sure making it hard for me to deny we’re about to be separated.

  “This isn’t the end you know,” Ashley says. “We’ll see each other in a few months.”

  Rather than let Chloe spend the night of what would have been her wedding alone, we’ve planned to reunite in Swan Pointe for the weekend and make it fun instead.

  But looking around at my girls, I know it’s not going to be the same.

  “Friends forever,” Chloe says.

  “Forever,” I agree.

  Ashley is fighting tears so she can only nod, but she’s smiling.

  “Well,” Sam says grinning, “until I forget all about you losers, anyway.”

  “Har, har,” Chloe says.

  “Alright, alright,” Sam smiles. “Forever.”

  Shane and I are sitting at the bar in the airport, waiting for our flight. All our things are in moving crates on their way to Cambridge, but we’re headed down to Dana Point first so he can meet my parents. From there we’ll hit Chicago so I can meet his parents before we continue on to Massachusetts.

  We order a couple glasses of champagne to celebrate. We’ve been celebrating a lot lately.

  The bartender leaves to get our drinks and Shane smiles at me. “It’s been quite the year.”

  I nod. “Yes. There’s only one thing I regret.”

  “What’s that?”

  “We never got to have sex in your office.”

  He raises an eyebrow and says, “Um... we totally did and I can’t believe you don’t remember that.”

  “Not that office.” The heat rises to my cheeks at the memory of it. “I mean your office at school.”

  He laughs. “You wanted to have sex in my office at school?”

  “Oh yeah. It would’ve been totally hot.”

  “Hmm.” He gets that scrumptious look on his face. “Maybe we’ll have to figure something out if they give me an office at BU.”

  “Why Professor Brooks! I’m scandalized.”

  H
e grins and kisses the back of my hand. “That’s what you get for joining forces with a heathen.”

  “Somehow I think I’m the one who was a bad influence on you, and not the other way around.”

  “I think I’ve done all sorts of bad things to you,” he says wickedly. “But we’re not going to tell your mother that.”

  “No, no. She thinks you’re a good little Catholic boy.”

  “What?” he says, looking mortified.

  I laugh. “Just kidding.”

  He gives me a look as the bartender brings our drinks. We each grab one. I go to clink my glass against Shane’s but he pulls back slightly, stopping me.

  He looks me in the eye. “To us,” he says firmly.

  I smile broadly. “To us.”

  We clink our glasses and drink. To us.

  The End

  More from the Firework Girls...

  Want to find out if Chloe recovers from the dastardly deeds of her former fiancé? See what happens when Chloe and Grayson’s paths collide in MIDNIGHT HEAT.

  Ever wonder why Ashley never dates? It isn’t because of her devotion to the piano, that’s for sure. Find out who broke her heart, and if she’ll let him put it back together again, in the deeply emotional, second chance romance, ETERNAL HEAT.

  And who isn’t dying to see how Sam and Jack finally get together? Experience the hilarious, heart-warming, heartbreaking ride of these two wild doves in fan favorite, NUCLEAR HEAT. (Not to mention their fun, sexy follow-up short story, HANDLE THE HEAT.)

  Finally, don’t miss the fun when Jack’s cousin Sophie and Chloe’s brother Bobby meet in HOLIDAY HEAT. Light on the “holiday” heavy on the “heat”, this emotional story features the entire Firework Girls gang.

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