Page 37 of Falling for the Forbidden
“Wait…please don’t tell me you’re fucking Ben. Oh my God, you are. You’re fucking Ben. Ben, your stepbrother. Ben!”
“A little louder, please? The bartender in the staff room didn’t quite hear you.”
“Shit, fuck. I’m sorry. But fuck, Lauren. You’re shagging your stepbrother? Do you have any idea how hot that is? Forbidden. But still, hot as fuck!”
I bite my tongue to stop myself agreeing.
Question after question falls from my best friend’s mouth as she tries to piece together how I ended up sat here a broken mess.
“So is it over?”
“What? No. Well, I don’t think so. I hope not.” Panic at the thought alone crawls up my throat and I know that I’m in way too deep with this. No matter what happens next, this thing with Ben is going to shatter me.
“Maybe you’ll get another nocturnal visit. He might sneak into your room, into your bed—”
“Stop, please,” I beg, not needing the images in my head.
* * *
The house isin darkness when the taxi pulls up later that evening. It’s way too late to be out on a school night, and I’m equally too pissed. It seems to be becoming a habit that I really need to get myself out of.
After shoving some money at the driver, I stagger my way towards the house. Leaning against the front door, I fumble with the key when it suddenly opens. As I fall forwards, I prepare for the pain that’s surely going to follow, but instead of the solid stone floor, I hit a warm, hard, and very familiar body.
“Ben?” I ask, trying to get my eyes to focus so that I can see him.
“Where the fuck have you been?”
“Out,” I snap, not liking the tone of his voice. It’s too similar to Dad’s—always demanding answers.
“Whoa, okay. I’m sorry,” he soothes when I start fighting to get out of his arms. “It wasn’t meant to come out like that. I was just worried when you weren’t here and I couldn’t get a hold of you.”
“Sorry,” I whisper, mortified that for even a moment I put him and my dad in the same box. “I just needed to get out of this house.”
“Trust me, I understand that more than you could know.”
He guides me towards the kitchen and, once he’s happy I’m safe on the chair he’s placed me on, he sets about getting me a glass of water and some tablets.
“I’m fine,” I say when he hands them over.
“Now you are. In a few hours when you have to get ready for work, it’s going to be another story.”
Groaning, I swallow down the tablets.
Once he’s cleared up any evidence we were here, Ben sweeps me up into his arms and carries me up the stairs.
“I can walk, you know.”
“Sure you can, baby. I just love having you in my arms.” I’ve no idea if the first part is meant to be sarcastic or not, but I let it go, enjoying the feeling of being pressed up against his hard body.
I don’t realise I fall asleep in his arms, but the next thing I know I’m perched on the edge of my bed while Ben pulls my shirt over my head. Once my clothes are off, he stands and pulls his own t-shirt off before covering me with it. His scent surrounds me.
“Mmm, it smells like you,” I mumble as he laughs at my drunken state.
“Strange, that. Do I need to get a bucket?” His words pass me by as I watch him take care of me. He’s so kind and gentle with me that tears sting my eyes.
“I think I’m falling in love with you.” It’s not until his face pales in front of me that I realise I said it out loud. “Shit,” I whisper.
“No, Lauren. It’s just the excitement, the thrill of being caught.” He might be saying the words, but there’s no strength behind them, and as I drift off, I wonder who he’s trying to convince. Him or me?
