Page 1 of Forbidden Puck
Chapter 1
Too Much
Ella Couture
I rifled through my wardrobe for clothes while my boyfriend, Matthew, watched from the bed. Through the open window and 50 stories down, we could hear the distant honking and humming of stop-and-go New York City traffic.
Matthew chuckled. “I can't believe you're seriously packing a bag three weeks early.”
“I can't help it. I'm so excited,” I sang. “Key West! Arealvacation. Do you have any idea how long it's been since I've had a vacation? Or, heck, since I've taken a day off?”
Matthew didn't answer. I peeked over my shoulder and saw he was multi-tasking with his phone, thumbs busily tapping and swiping away at the glowing screen. I'd come to accept his constant phone use as a hazard of trying to date a lawyer—the poor guy never could get away from the office. I could relate! But at least I don't have an office I need to be at, because I'm self-employed.
I think we'd make a good husband and wife duo, the lawyer and the interior decorator, both successful in our respective fields and enjoying a luxurious life together. If anything, this trip to Key West was just a taste of our lavish years to come.
With Matthew distracted with his phone for the moment, I nervously bit my lip and quickly stuffed some racy lingerie into my suitcase. I'd bought it just for our trip together.
Matthew never even looked up. I'd gotten away with it.
Whee!It's the small thrills in life that always get your heart going.
Most of all, I wanted it to be a surprise. I didn't want Matthew to suspect that I was finally, well,ready.I could picture it so well—watching the sunset on the beach, a romantic candle-lit dinner, the two of us going back to our hotel, our hands clasped, butterflies in my stomach as I knew the magic moment was about to happen … the look on his face, of true love and puredesire,when he took off my little black dress and saw my white lingerie for the first time.
The poor guy had already waited almost four months. Which was a lotlonger than most other guys I've dated. There's a funny thing about being a virgin: every guy you date thinks it's insanely hot at first. That's only because he assumes thathe'llbe the guy with the magic touch that makes panties smolder, and after a date or two, you'll be begging and screaming for his cock. But the first time his hand starts to wander up your legs, and you clasp your thighs shut and tell him no, the realization smacks him like a brick wall: he'll have to work for this.
And that is the precise moment when they stand up, mumble a few niceties, and run for the door.
I'm not even waiting for marriage or anything like that. I never even meantto be a virgin. It just sort of happened, or I guessdidn'thappen, and here I am—still lugging around a v-card at age 22. But since I've waited this long? I feel like there's no point in rushing to lose it. The first time might as well be special, right …?
All I'm looking for is a guy who can prove that he's willing to work for it. And most importantly, be honest with me—because honesty is the most important thing in the world to me. But those two things are way too much to ask in this day and age, apparently.
Until I met Matthew.
Matthew.A 32 year old lawyer with his life together. Matthew is a big kid at heart, and if you looked at the two of us together, you'd never know he was a decade older than me. Truth be told, I'm surprised his firm never lectures him about his messily-tousled hair, or his suits that look like they could use an ironing …
But the point is, Matthew is taking me to Key West for a week. Just the two of us. Which was a big step in our four-month relationship. He's not yet ready to make us Facebook official, but hey, he wants to take me to Key West. Which is a pretty big deal, in my opinion. Some people are just weird about social media, right? So what if he doesn't want all his friends and family on FB to know we're an item. That's not something I should be concerned about … right?
But if I won't sleep with Matthew—what was I waiting for anymore? Did I evenknowanymore? What if I missed out on a real quality guy?
I finished packing my bag, zipped it up and let out an accomplished and musical sigh. Matthew was still texting when I jumped on the bed next to him and curled up to him.
“Hey, who are you texting?” I flirted, wrapping my arm around his burgeoning tummy. With all the time spent in the office and eating fast-food, he was nurturing a cute little potbelly.
“Oh, uh, just some work e-mails.” Matthew hurriedly shut his screen off so I wouldn't see it.
…Hm.Something about that maneuver I didn't like.
“Must be some awfully sensitive work e-mails,” I teased.
“Well yeah, attorney-client privilege is pretty important—”
I wedged my fingers into his armpits and dug, giving him a good tickle. “You're not screwing around on me now, are you, Matthew?”
He fought me off and swore under his breath. “Fuck, Ella! How many times do I have to tell you? I'm super ticklish and I hate it when you do that.”
I backed off. “Sorry, dude. We just haven't talked at all since you showed up. You've been on that thing all night.”
He laid his phone at his side. “Well. Here I am. So, what do you wanna talk about.”
