Forbidden Neighbor: A Contemporary Romance Boxset (Forbidden Saga Book 2)

by Summer Brooks

  If the damage was done already, then there was no harm in trying my luck in getting to know her more. I still had some time till we got back.

  I wanted to know if she was seeing someone. It was possible that she just hadn't told her older sister about her personal life. I wouldn't be surprised. From what I could gather, she was quite reserved as a person, and that to me was refreshing after all those years with Freya.

  Her phone screen illuminated in her hand, and she glanced at it.

  Perfect timing, I thought.

  "Boyfriend?"

  She shoved her phone into her front jeans pocket.

  "I don't have one. I haven't for a while. I'm surprised Freya didn't tell you. She's always complaining about how I need to find someone. You know, like time is running out for me or something."

  She flicked her gaze away from the road and showed me her narrowed eyes, along with a smile. She was beaming, and I wanted nothing more than to put my arm around her.

  "Alright, so..." She pursed her lips. "I'll see you around."

  I waited until she entered her house and shut the door behind her before I turned to mine.

  "Oh man," I murmured, ruffling my hair.

  My family was sitting in the living room, watching a movie, when I got in.

  All eyes were on me.

  "How'd it go?" Amy said, looking all cozy under her blanket.

  "Yeah, Blake, how did it go?" Dad teased, taking a sip of his whiskey.

  "Enough with the interrogation," I snapped, making way for my bedroom.

  Though I had no control over it, I almost felt guilty knowing that I was still a little turned on by Jaz. I wished I could bring her back home with me. Or rather sneak her in.

  I removed my t-shirt and exhaled, looking into the mirror at the scar on my chest that I'd earned on the job six years ago.

  It was the first thing that Freya had commented on when she first saw my bare chest. She told me that my scars were "badass."

  After dumping my clothes in the laundry basket, I stood under the spray of hot water.

  Her face flashed before my closed eyes.

  Jasmine Ashman.

  The forbidden fruit. The girl I thought I was being crazy to wish for.

  I tried to kill the thoughts that felt inappropriate to me, replacing them with something else.

  Even thinking about Freya and reminiscing over the good times that we'd shared together wouldn't bother me as much as this was.

  I wasn't the kind of man who always played by the rules. In fact, I was far from that.

  Risk-taking was a part of my DNA and a requirement for my line of work.

  But I couldn't let myself take advantage of this girl who I clearly just wanted to fuck. It couldn't be anything more than that, could it?

  I was sure that this attraction had stemmed from the fact that she was Freya's little sister.

  Though, I knew deep down that that wasn't it.

  I wrapped a towel around my waist and sat on my desk with my phone in hand. I scrolled through my contacts, knowing the one I was looking for.

  And just when I found the name "Jasmine Ashman," staring me in the face, I saw a new notification pop by that same name.

  It was her.

  Jasmine: Hey

  I stood, a smile involuntarily forming on my face. I hadn't done this in a long time. Hell, I still didn't know what this was.

  I marched across my room for a couple of minutes before replying back, just so she didn't think that I was literally sitting on top of my phone waiting for her text.

  Me: Hey

  Jasmine: I thought you'd be asleep

  "Not when I have you on my mind, little girl," I mumbled under my breath, just staring at her message.

  Me: I thought you'd be asleep too

  Well, that was lame, wasn't it?

  I wished I could take it back, but there wasn't a way to delete the message and send something new instead.

  Jasmine: Just got done helping Freya pack. I'm back in my room now.

  I walked to my bedroom window and pulled open the curtains. I had a view into Jaz's bedroom from mine, and though I'd often spotted her in her room, it'd never been with the intention of checking her out.

  That wasn't the case today. I was hoping to get a glimpse of the beautiful woman who was off-limits to me.

  5

  Jasmine

  Things had unexpectedly settled down when I got back home. Or at least, I thought they had. There was no yelling, no slamming of doors, and no active arguments, which in my understanding was a win in that house when our family was together.

  Mom and Dad were cleaning up in the living room, getting ready to leave when I shut the door behind me.

  "How'd it go?" I asked them about their conversation with Freya. But what I was really asking was if there was a tornado in the house that I managed to dodge.

  "You know your sister," Dad started. "She can be a bit unreasonable."

  "I have no idea why she's decided to leave early," Mom chimed in.

  I simply shook my head and sighed, making way for her bedroom.

  My heart raced faster than my feet. Blake's perfume was still lingering in my senses and I felt like I was on some kind of a high.

  A high that I needed to get rid of.

  Taking a walk with him felt normal at the time. It was normal, yet different this time, for whatever reason.

  We’d known each other for a long time. It didn't even cross my mind that it would be weird, now that he wasn't dating my sister.

  Now that there wasn't a chance he would become my brother-in-law.

  We were just two... old friends sitting on a bench discussing life.

  Until we weren't.

  The second we started talking about my sister, about how strong-headed she was, I realized that something was amiss. This wasn't how it was supposed to be.

  I needed to be on Freya's side, even if I agreed deep down that she was quite a force of nature and impossible to reason with at times.

  It wasn't my place to sit with her ex-boyfriend and laugh at her flaws. To me, that felt a lot like betrayal. That was when I needed to get the hell away from that bench and back into my home.

  The sparks that were flying between Blake and I were unexpected, too. Though, at some level, I was always attracted to him.

  It was hard not to be.

  He was the hot firefighter next door who was built of steel and had a smile as charming as a prince's. It was like God himself had carved him into perfection with His two hands.

  My sister was crazy to let him go, and I was crazy to want him.

  I popped my head inside Freya's open bedroom door. She was sitting behind her desk, typing away on her laptop.

  She didn't turn around and I couldn't get myself to face her. Not after how I'd just felt moments ago.

  I swallowed, ran to my room, and closed the door.

  "Fuck, fuck, fuck," I mumbled to myself, running my fingers through my hair and marching across my room. I stood in front of my bedroom window, thinking about whether or not I wanted to spy on Blake.

  I decided against it, though I'd spotted him several times through that window before.

  His earlier bedroom used to be downstairs in his house, and it wasn't until his parents moved in with him that he gave them the bigger room and moved upstairs.

  Freya had pleaded me to let her have my room just for that reason, and I'd ignored her request.

  "You live right next to your boyfriend," I told her once. "How close to him do you want to be?"

  Their issues amplified shortly after, and before long, they broke up.

  Now, a part of me wished that I had given in, agreed to change rooms with her.

  At least, I wouldn't be standing here contemplating if I should look out my window right now.

  Images from the moment when he asked me if it was a message from my boyfriend were starting to drive me crazy.

  I wasn't a girl with a whole lot of game. I didn't know men as w
ell as my sister did, or even my best friend, Eva.

  But I did have eyes and common sense. It was quite obvious that Blake wanted me to tell him that I didn't have a boyfriend. That probably meant he was interested... in me.

  I exhaled, slid my phone out of my pocket and read Eva's message that I'd received earlier.

  Eva Dunning, too, was a force of nature, just like Freya. I was used to the two of them getting all the attention, while I silently tagged along.

  We would often joke about the fact that I was the odd one out and that they were meant to be sisters, instead of Freya and I.

  Eva was one of my first friends, ever. I met her in play school and we'd been inseparable ever since. I knew for certain that she would freak out if I told her about what was going on inside of me.

  The battle between right and wrong.

  The argument between the devil and the angel over my two shoulders.

  Goddammit.

  I replied to her silly text about wanting to go to Chicago for the weekend. Eva was hoping that I would be up for going to the big city for a fun weekend involving lots of drinking, now that Freya was moving downtown.

  Of course, I would visit my sister at some point, but taking a random trip to Chicago and getting sloshed wasn't at the top of my list of things to do immediately.

  I told her I couldn't go, and hoped that she would just leave me alone for now.

  I fell on my bed with the phone still glued to my palm.

  Staring at the beige ceiling, I felt the urge to find out what Blake was doing and thinking.

  He was a big boy. He had a real job, real problems, and he always looked like he was carrying the weight of the world over his shoulders.

  Surely, he wouldn't be sitting in his bedroom thinking about me like I was thinking about him, right?

  I curled my lips into my mouth, closing them tight while laying on my stomach.

  I wanted to forget just for one second that my hands were tied, that I had boundaries.

  One text couldn't hurt anyone. I'd texted him countless times before and this was... just another text.

  I sent Hey and then locked my phone immediately, burying my face into my arms and wondering if I'd ever felt this guilty before.

  Repeatedly, too. What was the point in running away from laughing at my sister's foolhardiness, and then making the exact same mistakes I had seen her make over and over again?

  Strangely, I was relieved when there was no response. He wasn't interested in me and I could put my worries and wild imagination to rest.

  I changed out of my clothes and wore one of my oldest sets of pajamas, ones that would always bring me that comfort that only a well-worn garment can bring. I was needing some grounding right about now. I took a deep breath and laid back on my bed, ready to chill out and start over tomorrow, with a clean slate, hopefully.

  Then my phone buzzed and I jumped at it like a tigress.

  Blake: Hey

  Me: I thought you'd be asleep

  Blake: I thought you'd be asleep too

  That was absolutely ridiculous because it wasn't even eleven and I never went to bed before midnight. I was sure that he didn't either so I mentally slapped myself in the head for typing that earlier.

  Me: Just got done helping Freya pack. I'm back in my room now.

  Another pang of guilt. Why did I have to lie?

  Maybe it was because I just couldn't deal with the fact that I was unable to face my sister.

  The lie almost felt compulsive, like I was trying to sound like everything was normal by casually bringing up Freya.

  I looked at my window again. It was staring at me. I could see that Blake had pulled open the curtains because his bedroom light was bright and beaming.

  I knew that there wasn't a chance he was looking, but I still wanted to know if he was.

  I lifted my eyes when I snapped it open, and there he was. His attention was on his phone but he soon noticed me noticing him.

  I let out a long exhale and turned around.

  My hands trembled and my heart fluttered.

  Soon, I found myself curled under my comforter and as away from that window as I could be.

  But the image of his smile was stuck with me.

  He was smiling while staring into his phone.

  Yeah, he was definitely into me.

  Blake Henderson was into me. I could barely believe it when I said it to myself.

  The craziest part? I was into him, too.

  6

  Blake

  I thought I would lose my mind when I got a glimpse of her.

  Her hair was still loose, just the way I liked it.

  Her innocence, the way she would look away if I said something bold, everything about Jaz was pulling me toward her.

  And now that I was out of my cage, a free man, I couldn't get myself to hold back.

  I needed to let her know that I wanted her.

  But I was afraid of whether or not she felt the same.

  My guess was that she did, or else she wouldn't have texted me in the first place.

  Me: Thanks for giving me a glimpse.

  Jasmine: You're... welcome?

  Me: Since we're both still awake, do you think you'd want to go for another walk?

  Jasmine: I can't.

  Me: Why not? Too late? Don't worry, I'll make sure you don't get kidnapped.

  Jasmine: Very funny.

  Me: I'm serious. I'd like to see you again.

  Jasmine: Why?

  Me: Because I think you're fun to hang out with.

  That wasn't a lie. She was fun to hang out with, but that wasn't the reason why I wanted to see her. It was because I couldn't fucking keep it in my pants.

  And it was as if she'd read my mind.

  Jasmine: Is that all?

  Me: What do you mean?

  Great, now I was conveniently playing dumb. I could do better. I knew I could.

  Jasmine: Nothing. Listen, I'm going to get some sleep. Tomorrow is a long day.

  Me: I would like to see you because... I don't know, I just do. Is that too bad?

  Jasmine: No.

  Me: Would you like to see me again? Right now?

  Jasmine: Maybe.

  Jasmine: Yes.

  I grinned silently, wondering how far I could take this interaction. I didn't want to scare her off, but I was dying to be myself. To show her that I would tear her clothes off right now if I could.

  Me: Describe what you're wearing.

  Jasmine: Stop.

  I tapped on her name and called her, my heartbeat increasing to the point where only her voice could soothe it. Or maybe, make it worse.

  She didn't say anything when she answered at the first ring.

  "Jaz?" I said, my voice low and heavy.

  "Hey," she replied in a mousy tone. She was scared, conflicted. I was too, but I was also desperate for her.

  "Describe to me what you're wearing." I repeated. "Under your night shirt."

  Her breaths were heavy and loud. I wanted to know where her hands were, if she was touching herself or if she wanted to.

  "Blake," she whispered. "Don't. We can't."

  "Jasmine, tell me what you're wearing underneath your clothes. What color are your panties?"

  "Pink."

  "What color is your bra?"

  "I'm not wearing one."

  "When was the last time you touched yourself?"

  She hesitantly whispered my name again.

  "Answer me."

  "A few days ago."

  "What did you do?"

  I felt myself hardening for her, stroking myself slightly while waiting for her to respond.

  "I want you to touch yourself," I said, when she didn't reply. "You don't have to say anything. Just do what I tell you to, okay?"

  Silence.

  "Slide your hand into your panties and rub your clit for me... gently."

  I waited for her to get there, her breathing alone driving me wild.

  "Take them off. Y
our panties. Run your other hand over yourself. Squeeze your nipples."

  She moaned.

  "God, I'm so hard right now," I blurted out. "Imagine me there with you."

  This was a gamble. A big one. I hoped that she wouldn't hang up on me, but I couldn't just pretend that I didn't want to taste her pussy right now.

  "Slide a finger inside," I said, stroking myself harder, picturing how it would feel to slide my own finger into her tight little cunt.

  "Ahh," I heard.

  "I love hearing you moan like that. I wish I was there with you, Jaz."

  I left out the part where I wanted to say that I could cum, just by thinking about her fucking herself. All I had was my imagination, and the high I felt while making her do the things that I wanted to do to her.

  My first thought when I woke up the next morning was Jasmine Ashman. I wondered if it was the whiskey during dinner that had resulted in everything that happened last night. Though, the mere fact that she was still on my mind was proof that something was up. Something more just than a momentary, alcohol-inspired thing.

  I was interested in her and wanted to find a way to pursue it, to see where it would take us.

  It was still early when I stepped outside the house to get some fresh air.

  My hair was a mess, and so was I.

  Little did I know that I would find the entire Ashman clan outside. Freya was leaving, and it was hard for me to believe it, even though I was seeing it with my own two eyes.

  In a way, it was strange to realize that I was no longer in the relationship that had sucked away so many years of my life.

  I knew that I didn't have any kind of longing for Freya anymore but I was reminiscing over the past every now and then. That, too, made me wonder if my interest in Jaz was a short-term thing -- a rebound.

  Of course, my heart (and a certain other body part) told me it wasn't, but my head wasn't agreeing with me.

  She stiffened as soon as she saw me smiling and waving from a distance. I even saw her wiping her tears away after embracing her sister.