Forbidden Desires

by Jenna Hartley

  “So”—she brushes the windblown hair out of her face before closing her window—“where are we going?”

  A chuckle escapes my lips. “Really? You think I’m that easy?”

  I’m relieved to see a small smile. Happy Julia is so much easier to deal with than grumpy Julia.

  She gives a half shrug. “It was worth a try.”

  “I guess so.”

  “By the way, I meant to ask you about Ollie.” Just like that, her tone is more serious. “Have things improved for you guys? Has he started talking to you again?”

  I shake my head, hating the heaviness in my chest every time I think about my best friend. “Not really. I mean, he has to talk to me, but it’s always work related. Other than that, he usually leaves the room or ignores me.”

  “That sucks. It must be hard for you.”

  She sounds sad, and I take her hand, squeezing it lightly. “It hasn’t been a lot of fun, but it’ll be okay. You know your brother, he can be stubborn.”

  She sighs. “He’s always been as stubborn as a mule. Some things never change.”

  Her fingers begin to play with mine, and I enjoy the comfort it brings me. It makes me feel like we’re in this together.

  “Carter, I’m sorry.”

  I peek over at her for a second, confused by her statement. “What are you talking about?”

  “This whole mess with Ollie. If it wasn’t for me, you guys wouldn’t be having any issues right now.”

  If it wasn’t for this busy traffic, I’d be pulling over right now, so I could really look at her, because I’m having trouble understanding where this is coming from all of a sudden. “I hope you’re joking. What’s going on with Ollie and me has nothing to do with you. I mean, yes, it’s because of what we did, but you didn’t do anything wrong. He just needs to wrap his head around it and get used to the idea of us being together.”

  She moves around in her seat, leaning across the middle console to rest her head on my shoulder.

  The familiarity of having her this close, and being affectionate after I thought I screwed things up, makes my heart beat faster.

  This.

  This is what I’ve missed.

  This is what I would have missed had I not finally understood Mom’s advice about relationships.

  It’s everything.

  “Thank you.” Her voice is quiet next to my ear.

  I turn my head to give her forehead a kiss. “Nothing to thank me for.”

  “I think there is. We’re talking about your best friend here. You guys have been like brothers most of your lives. It makes me sad to know things aren’t right with you at the moment.”

  We both know this situation is anything but ideal, but somehow I’m okay with that. Maybe it’s some rite of passage that comes with these circumstances. “Don’t worry your pretty little head about it. It’ll be all right in the end, I promise. Why don’t you close your eyes for a bit? I’ll wake you up when we’re there.”

  Just then, a big yawn comes from her mouth. “You really don’t mind?”

  I chuckle. “Not at all.”

  Having her this close has already made the trip so much better, even when she starts to softly snore into my ear a few minutes later.

  We get to our destination without any major traffic jams, and I park the car as close to the entrance as possible.

  I turn off the car and try to glance at her. “Wake up, sleepyhead.”

  Instead of waking up, Julia turns away from me and snuggles into her own seat.

  “Typical.” I laugh when she curls into a fetal position. No clue how she manages that with the seat belt on.

  After getting out of the car, I walk over to her side and carefully open the door.

  “Jules, wake up. We’re here.” I gently brush the hair out of her face and lean in to give the tip of her nose a kiss. It doesn’t have the desired effect though, because she swats me away with her hand.

  I study her for a moment. Now that her guard is down, she looks peaceful and a lot less stressed than she has the last few weeks. This looks more like the Julia I grew up with, the fun girl who couldn’t laugh loud enough and loved life.

  I know everyone changes as they grow up, but I never thought that special spark in her life would be dimmed. But I didn’t expect her to go through the hardship she—and Oliver—went through either. It sucked the life out of both of them for a while. Oliver just dealt with it better in the end, or maybe he didn’t. Maybe he wouldn’t have been so overprotective of Julia had their dad been around. We’ll never know.

  Trying again, I gently rub her arm, and she finally stirs. “Open your eyes, sweet girl. I promise you don’t want to miss this.”

  A low groan escapes her lips, and it takes her another minute to finally look at me through her thick, dark lashes.

  The corners of her mouth lift into a small smile when her eyes meet mine. “Hey.”

  “Hey yourself.”

  She sits up and gazes around. I see the exact moment when she realizes where we are. Her eyes widen and her mouth falls open. She squeals as she unbuckles her seatbelt in a hurry to push her face all the way into the windshield. “We’re going to Disneyland?”

  I nod when she looks at me. “Surprise.”

  Julia’s always loved visiting the theme park, dragging her parents—and Ollie and me—here as often as she could, even when we were older.

  Her eyes glaze over when she leaps out of the car and into my arms. Since I didn’t expect it, she tips me off-balance, and we both fall onto the warm asphalt.

  “This is already the best date ever.” Her lips come down onto mine, and after a few moments, our kiss ends way too soon for my liking. “Thank you.”

  “No, thank you.” My grin is probably as wide as hers as our excitement blends together. “I thought there wouldn’t be any making out today?”

  “Carter, you brought me to freaking Disneyland for our date. You deserve a big bonus for your efforts alone.” Her smile is one of the largest I’ve ever seen, emptying my mind of all concerns and worries.

  “It definitely has its advantages when you know your date as well as I know you.” I wink at her.

  Her eyes sparkle when she gives me one more kiss before getting up. “Can we go now?”

  She bounces on her feet, making me laugh. “Of course. Let’s go.”

  Chapter 27

  Julia

  My face hurts from smiling all day long, and I can’t remember the last time I was this happy. Carter’s officially the biggest trooper in history, going on whatever ride I pointed at, no matter if it was a thrill ride and I screamed his ear off, a slow ride where I felt like a kid again, or a water ride where we got soaked in three seconds flat.

  I didn’t realize how much I missed this place until we walked through the entrance. The familiarity was so overwhelming, I was sniffling for a few minutes. It was like my parents were there in spirit with me, the memories of them following me around and making this even more special.

  I remember scoffing when my mom said that one day my own husband would take me to Disneyland, maybe with a few kids in tow. When I asked her what if my husband didn’t like Disneyland, she looked at me and laughed. “Jules, you’ll end up with a man just like your dad who’ll do anything for the one he loves. You won’t accept anything less, and the man you love won’t give you any less.”

  Carter and I are brand new at this dating thing, but I still think they’d be happy for me . . . for us. Because Disneyland is the first place he’s taken me to.

  When Carter told me we’d have dinner at Goofy’s kitchen where Mickey helps out as a chef, I jumped on him once more, not caring about the crowd around us.

  No one has ever done anything this thoughtful for me.

  No one.

  Ever.

  When the fireworks around us slowly come to an end, I let out a heavy sigh, sad when the video projections on the buildings start to disappear along with the music.

  “Hey.” Carter’s
voice is quiet compared to all the noise around us. “Come here.” He wipes his thumbs across my cheeks and studies me. “I hope those are happy tears.”

  I swallow the lump in my throat. “I didn’t even realize I was crying. Definitely happy tears though.”

  Under other circumstances, or more so with any other person, I’d be embarrassed about bawling like a little baby, but not with Carter. This isn’t the first time I’ve noticed how much it helps we’ve known each other for so long. It puts me at ease like nothing else and has allowed me to be me, no holding back.

  Dropping my head on his shoulder, I kiss his throat. “Seriously . . . this was the perfect ending to a perfect day. Thank you so much.”

  “You’re so welcome.” He pulls me closer into his chest, and I welcome the warmth of his body.

  “I’m sad it’s already over. I know we’ve been here all day, but it feels like there’s still so much to explore.” I’m in my own bubble, barely noticing the commotion around us, everyone trying to get past us to make their way to the exit.

  Carter pushes me gently away from him and turns me around so I face him. “It doesn’t have to end yet if you don’t want it to.”

  My thoughts freeze for a moment as I look at him. “What do you mean?”

  “Well, I was kind of hoping for this reaction and reserved us a hotel room. That way we can come back tomorrow for another day.”

  There is so much I want to say, but the words are stuck in my throat as I gaze at him, unable to believe his offer.

  When I keep mum, his eyes flicker away from me. “Only if you want to, of course. We can just hop in the car and head back home if you prefer that. No problem at all.”

  “Are you serious right now?” The words come out in a rush and a lot louder than I intended, and Carter laughs. I throw my arms around his neck and pull him as close as I can. His heart beats quickly against my own as I try to squeeze his much bigger body as best as I can.

  A burst of giggles stirs in my belly, mingling with a thousand butterflies. “I’d absolutely love to stay another day. Are you sure you want to go through all of this craziness again tomorrow?”

  He breathes out an easy laugh, tickling the sensitive skin under my ear, before pulling me back and holding me at arm’s length. “Are you kidding me? Today was awesome.”

  Since I didn’t think this was Carter’s definition of a fun day, I raise my eyebrows in question.

  He pokes me in the ribs, and I giggle again. “Really. You had fun, so I had fun. It’s as simple as that.” He holds his arm out for me, and I wrap my own arm around him, snuggling into his body. “Let’s get the car and drive to the hotel to check in.”

  “Wait a second.” I halt mid-step, making him stop too. “Is that why you asked me to bring another set of clothes with me, in case I got dirty?”

  His chuckle is low, his eyes sparkling mischievously. “Maybe?”

  “Well played. I’ll give you that. Even though I wouldn’t have cared about wearing the same clothes again if it meant we could stay another day in the happiest place on earth.”

  “I know, silly. Now let’s go.” He pulls me back into the walking crowd as my heart is ready to burst into a million pieces out of pure joy.

  Disney's Grand Californian Hotel is just around the corner, and the concierge at the check-in desk informs us they even have their own entrance to the adventure park.

  I’m in heaven.

  Even more when we get to the suite, which doesn’t just have top-notch amenities, but is also decorated with all sorts of Disney details. It’s stinking cute, and I can’t help myself from taking pictures of everything.

  I’m still taking it all in when Carter gives me a kiss on the cheek. “I’m going to take a shower.”

  The spray turns on a moment later in the bathroom while I gaze out the window into the night and the few lights that are still on in the park. Even after spending all day out there, feeling like a child once more—carefree, loved, and simply happy—I still have a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that Carter brought me here.

  To the place he knows means so much to me.

  The same place I begged both him and my brother to go to every year, even when it wasn’t “cool” anymore.

  You won’t accept anything less, and the man you love won’t give you any less. How I wish my mom was here to laugh and cry with.

  Noise coming from the bathroom pulls me out of my thoughts, leaving only one thing on my mind.

  Carter.

  The man who went out of his way to make this date as special as it could possibly be, earning about a million extra points in my book with his thoughtfulness.

  My gaze flies to the bathroom door that’s not closed completely. I imagine Carter in the spacious shower, the hot water cascading down his beautiful body . . . If it wasn’t for my own stupid rule, I’d—

  I made the dang rule, so I might as well break it.

  My clothes are off in two point five seconds, and I sneak into the bathroom as quietly as I can.

  Carter’s sculpted back faces me, and I’m a little giddy he hasn’t seen me yet. That bubble quickly bursts as the glass door lets out the longest squeak in history when I close it behind me.

  His head snaps around so fast, I’m worried he might have hurt it before my name falls from his lips.

  I grimace and wave at him. “Hi there.”

  A laugh breaks from his chest as I shake my head at my awkwardness.

  At least, he finds it amusing.

  When his gaze finds mine again, it’s so heated, I feel it in every single cell of my body.

  Even more so when he takes my hand to pull me closer. “What are you doing, Jules? Are you naughty?”

  I tilt my head to the side and stare up at him, a hum vibrating in my throat. “What if I am?”

  His smirk might be the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen. “I wish I could say I’d be all noble and leave you to your shower before we make a mistake, but you’re too much of a temptation, and I want you too much. Only if you’re sure though. If you’re not, say the word, and I’m out of here.”

  “Never.” I don’t give him a chance to say another word when I drop to my knees and take matters into my own hands so to speak. And mouth. Soon, I’m relishing in Carter’s groans and his fingers in my hair until he gets impatient and pulls me back up.

  Holding my chin securely in his hand, he looks down at me, his pupils so dark, the blue is barely noticeable. “You’re a little vixen, you know that? Putting your mouth on me like this. What am I going to do with you?”

  I open my mouth to reply, when he closes the distance between us and captures my lower lip with his teeth before sucking it deeply into his mouth, eliciting a low moan from me. All conscious thoughts fly from my brain when Carter devours my mouth with an intensity that makes me feel like I’m floating.

  When his hard length pokes at my belly, I wrap one leg around his hip, silently urging him to give us both what we long for so badly. As he grabs me under my butt, I wrap my other leg tightly around his body too, barely having enough time to take a breath before he drives into me.

  He’s relentless as we both chase our high, the intensity between us passionate and a little scary.

  When my legs go weak, I have the distant thought that it might not be from this encounter that’s so incredibly sexy, I want to savor this memory for the rest of my life. The way he looks at me, the strong eye contact he holds, the yearning on his face so intense it’s almost overwhelming. Touching me in a way that’s more powerful than anything I’ve ever experienced before.

  “Now, Jules.” His words barely make it past his gritted teeth as the orgasm rips through me with such a force, I almost expect us both to land on the floor in one big mushy pile.

  Instead, Carter holds on to me, gently pushing me against the cold wall before leaning his forehead on mine as we both listen to our harsh breathing slow down.

  “Best shower ever.” Carter’s voice sounds hoarse, his exhales
tickling my chin.

  The only thing I manage to do is hum in agreement, utterly spent.

  “Let’s get cleaned up.”

  Puckering my lips, I barely reach his nose to give it a small kiss. “I’m not sure I can move.”

  Carter chuckles, slowly easing out of me while I untangle my legs from him, stretching out my legs until my toes reach the tile.

  His hands are around my waist, still supporting me while I wait for the feeling to come back into my legs. “You okay?”

  “I will be in a minute I think.”

  Where’s that built-in shower bench when you need it?

  Once I’m certain I can stand on my own, we take turns washing our hair and bodies, Carter never missing a chance to run his fingers down my body or patting my butt. When we’re done, we wrap up in fluffy robes and lie on the king-sized bed.

  I stare at the ceiling and groan. “I don’t want to move again.”

  “Not even for room service?” Carter’s face appears in my vision, a sly smile on his face as he leans down for a kiss.

  “Well . . . if you ask me like that, I’m sure I could move a little.” I giggle, something I’ve done more today than in the last few years combined.

  He brushes a wet strand of hair out of my face and wiggles his eyebrows. “So . . . does that mean there are no rules for tonight?” He smirks at me and wiggles his eyebrows.

  I’m trying hard to look contemplative but fail miserably and chuckle instead. “I guess you can say that. You’re very hard to resist on a normal day, but then you take me to my favorite place in the whole world? I’d say that deserved a rule-breaking of the highest form.”

  He studies me for a moment. “I hope you know I’d never expect anything from you in return. I’d never want you to do something out of some form of obligation.”

  I sit up at his words and shake my head. “Oh goodness, no. You know I would never do anything because I think it’s expected of me.”

  “Just wanted to make sure we’re on the same page. I wouldn’t want to pressure you like that.” The corners of his mouth lift in a smirk. “Now come back down here.” He pulls on my arm, and I lie back beside him.