Forbidden: a Contemporary Romance Anthology

by J. L. Beck

  Hours later, when her physical reaction had diminished, guilt reared its ugly head once more. When she was with him, all she could think about was how perfect they were together. When they were apart, she remembered the thousand reasons it wasn’t meant to be. Couldn’t be.

  Liv had to face it—she was lying to him—or at the very least, holding back the truth. He would be pissed at her when he found out who she was related to, but part of her still couldn’t believe he didn’t remember her.

  Okay, so she had been the epitome of studious, boring, younger sister, hiding behind long blonde bangs and over-sized glasses. But still, her ego had taken a bit of a beating. She’d worked hard to put that image behind her and still be the old ‘Sissy’, too. But she also hadn’t seen him for over six years, since both her brother, Gabe, and Owen had joined the army.

  And her brother would go ape-shit when he found out. If he found out, Liv corrected herself. Sitting inside her office, looking at the computer screen without seeing it, all she could think about was Owen. The way he felt inside her, the way he made her laugh and made her feel beautiful. It was perfect. Except, it was fake. None of it was real, was it? Especially not the way her heart pitter-pattered every time she thought of him. How her body hummed every time she saw him.

  When she’d seen Owen’s resume sitting on her desk, days after their encounter, she thought it was kismet. She knew from a brief conversation with Gabe weeks before that Owen was looking for work in her field. Liv had thought very little of it at the time, but then, as she considered how she needed to plug the hole in personnel, she knew he'd be perfect.

  Rubbing her eyebrow, she sighed, long and deep. Of course, none of this would have escalated had she declined the wedding invitation. She absolutely should have done so immediately.

  But she hated the fact that Daniel was marrying the woman he’d left her for just a year ago. Louisa had been the floozy; the bit on the side. Liv had apparently been the marrying kind, but she’d been dumped, anyway. And now Louisa was a few months pregnant and they were having the white wedding Liv herself had always dreamed of.

  It made her want to puke.

  So when she’d received the invite, she knew she wanted her presence to be memorable. They all expected her to turn it down so she’d be the poor ex-girlfriend who still wasn’t over the asshole. In her eyes, there was no choice but to go—she simply didn’t know how to do it... until Owen had erupted into her life once more. Her plus-one would rub it back in their faces and get the obvious response.

  Liv would look amazing and everyone would be jealous that someone like Owen would be on her arm. The perfect revenge. Was it worth it? She’d broken a promise to her brother not to date his friends and look where it had gotten her with Daniel. And now, she hadn’t been straight with Owen about who she really was. A work colleague of Gabe’s had been bad enough, but his best buddy?

  Not good. This could only end in disaster.

  A loud beep sounded through her office, startling her out of her miserable thoughts and making her realize she was still at work, and therefore needed to be doing something other than mooning. She picked up a contract she needed to review, but couldn’t focus on the written words. Her telephone intercom buzzed again and she hit the flashing button immediately.

  “Yes?”

  “I have your brother in reception. Have you time to see him? Can I send him up?”

  Dread filled her. He was here? At her place of work? Whatever had happened? Gabe had probably met her at work maybe twice before. And both of those times were for a pre-arranged lunch. What if he’d found out about Owen?

  “I’ll meet him down in reception. Thanks, Mary.” Scrambling up off her seat and grabbing her purse, Liv had to stop herself from sprinting down the stairs when the elevator didn’t arrive at her repeated jabbing of the button.

  Why did Owen have to be in the office today? Because he works here too, you idiot. Yes, she was an idiot. With a fucking cherry on top.

  “Please don’t run into Owen,” She whispered on the way down to the ground floor, almost falling out of the opening elevator doors in her haste to get to her brother before it was too late.

  Seeing Gabe standing near the exit and looking out, she darted a quick look around the large reception area and breathed for the first time in what felt like five minutes. Liv smiled to cover her nerves, although she was pretty sure her dry lips were stuck to her even drier teeth. He turned as she approached him and smiled back.

  “Hey Sissy, how you doing?” Liv cringed at the childhood nickname her brother still insisted on using.

  “Good. Everything okay?” Did she sound overly eager? Liv made an effort to physically relax. And then all she could think about was the conversation earlier when Owen had offered to keep her relaxed. Her skin blushed scarlet.

  Shit.

  “Sure. I wanted to see my little sister. I was in town this morning on an appointment.” His eyes were sharp and he scanned her face. Deliberately blanking the panic and hoping the excess color wasn’t obvious, she stepped up to him, and gave him a quick reassuring hug, as Owen exited from the elevators. s

  Shit, shit, shit.

  He was with a group of people and that might give her a chance to escape. Not wasting any time, she pulled Gabe’s baseball cap down covering his blond hair and leaving his face in shadow.

  "What's going on?" Gabe asked, frowning. "Are you okay?"

  "I'm fine. Everything's good. Your hat was crooked, that's all." Liv wondered whether he would buy the obvious lie. Not telling the truth was becoming a very bad habit of hers.

  Liv couldn’t help but glance up at Owen again to see if she’d been had. The other men were obscuring her view a little, but he’d seen her. His eyes felt like lasers and she knew her deception was close to being found out. Surely he couldn’t see who she was with all the way across a dark reception, could he? Her mind scrambled. Looking for something to say.

  “Let me buy you a coffee,” she said at last to Gabe.

  “Thought you’d never ask,” he said, allowing her to take his arm and, pulling him toward the exit and into the warm summer’s day.

  “Apparently there’s a new barista down at Charlie’s that’s amazing. It gets so busy in the mornings. And I need more caffeine today.” Did she ever. They were outside and striding away from the building before she started to relax. She hoped—no, prayed—that Owen hadn’t seen Gabe’s face and he didn’t follow them.

  Liv felt like she’d had a last second reprieve from a death sentence. Smiling genuinely, she shifted to tuck her hand into the crook of his arm. Relief had her smiling, widely.

  A couple more days and the wedding would be over and she could think about a way to tell Owen her secret without making him hate her. Sadness crept up from an unexpected place, drifting around the vicinity she called her heart. A few more days and there would be no more excuses for her and Owen to stay together, anyway.

  Discomfort swept low across her belly, making her feel queasy, and showing her the hole she had dug for herself.

  7

  Owen was grinning as he rode the elevator down. He’d stopped by the main offices this morning to meet with Mr. Hanover, and the conversation went great. There was a lot of potential for work both now and once he got his contractor’s license and went independent. Liv truly had hooked him up.

  Her name brought a goofy smile to his face, and the thought of her drove the blood from his head and into his lower extremities.

  That would have to wait. He was heading back to the worksite to finish up his day and then he could relive the memories. Or maybe see if she wanted to spend more time getting to know each other before her vengeance-wedding.

  As he stepped into the lobby, he saw her at the far end, near the main entrance. He lifted his hand to wave, but she was already turning away. She tugged the man she was without the door, not giving Owen another glance.

  Jealousy spiked through him. He didn’t have the right to react like that. A few quic
k flings with the woman didn’t meant anything.

  But it did. There was a connection between him and Liv. He’d felt it that night at the club, when she broke away to talk to him. As if they’d known each other for years.

  That was ridiculous. He needed to head back to the site, ignore what he’d just seen, and not jump to any conclusions about either her company or his feelings.

  When he walked outside, he intended to cut a straight line to his truck. His feet had other ideas, and he found himself moving to catch up with Liv and her company.

  No. Wrong. He forced himself to head to his truck, get in, and drive to the construction site.

  He dove back into work, but couldn’t find his focus. He only caught about a quarter of what anyone said. If putting Liv out of his head wasn’t an option, he only knew one other thing to try—spending more time with her.

  Logic argued that didn’t make any sense. He didn’t have the right to be jealous about her hanging with another guy, given his outside-of-work relationship with Liv didn’t extend beyond fucking.

  Since that was the case, he needed to change that relationship. Spend some time getting to know her. Actually getting to know her this time, rather than letting her gorgeous figure and sweet scent distract him.

  It wasn’t as though he could approach her in the office. She was the boss, and neither one of them needed those kinds of rumors flying. He’d love to take her out to dinner. Spoil her.

  But in a town this small, the odds of someone seeing them, and talking, were too high.

  They needed someplace private, and he had an idea. He dialed Liv’s assistant, and whispered a small prayer that this worked.

  The phone rang as Liv walked into her small house. Dumping her bag, and kicking off her shoes, she pulled out her phone from her pants pocket.

  Owen was calling. Her chest tightened, and she couldn’t help the shy smile that teased her mouth.

  “Hey,” her voice was soft, and she walked over to her sofa and perched herself on the arm. “What’s up?”

  “I’m in front of your house.”

  Liv blinked, confused.

  “How do you know where I live?” A mild panic started in the pit of her stomach. There were so many half-truths floating around that she didn’t know whether she was coming or going.

  “I might have sweet talked your assistant into giving me your address to drop off a very important document from one of our suppliers.”

  Relief flooded through her, and she chuckled. “Okay. I suppose you need to come in and drop that document off to me now, right?”

  “Of course. Am I invited?”

  “Sure” As soon as Liv hung up, she darted a look around her house. Was there anything incriminating here that would tell him her secret? Photos.

  She practically sprinted over to the mantelpiece and threw three photos of her family into a drawer, shutting it with a slam. “Sorry, mom. I’ll get you back out later.”

  Owen’s knock sounded a moment later and she took a few seconds to herself to relax before walking over to the door and throwing it open.

  Owen stood with a bunch of flowers, a bag of take-out, and a bottle of something red. Liv smiled, stepping back from the door and letting him enter.

  “I hope you haven’t eaten yet.” He stood looking around, and she closed the door behind him. “I’m starving and I don’t like eating alone.”

  “Nope. It’s great timing. I was thinking about throwing something in the microwave.”

  “I see I’ve found myself an experienced chef, then.”

  Liv laughed. “Yeah, as long as it can be heated up or I have explicit—but very easy—instructions, I’m fantastic.”

  Owen dropped his goodies on the small dining room table and turned to face her. “I thought we could chat.” It looked like he wanted to say more, but nothing followed.

  Nerves ate at Liv. Would he mention the man he saw her with at the office earlier? She wrung her hands together and knew she looked uncomfortable.

  Unable to stand the silence, she walked to the table and looked inside the food bag. “Chinese food. One of my favorites.” She went over to the open kitchen and pulled out a couple of plates. Then filled up a vase with water. “If you’ve bought me kung-pao chicken, I might have to marry you.”

  Liv blinked. Did she really say that? She waited a beat or two, then turned to face him. He was right where she’d left him, but his face was relaxed, as was his stance. Liv managed to put one foot in front of the other and move toward the table again. First putting the plates down, then arranging the flowers in the vase.

  “It looks like I’m going to get lucky then, doesn’t it?” His tone was easy and casual, but the tension was palpable between them.

  “Sit. Let’s eat before our feast gets cold.” The electricity flowing between them—and whatever else was right alongside it—might make her choke on her food.

  The food was great, and they made it through without awkward questions and even more awkward silences.

  They were sitting on the sofa, glasses of wine half full, when the hard bit begun.

  “Tell me about your family,” Owen said.

  She darted a look at him and wondered whether he had an angle. Did he know?

  She swallowed; she couldn’t carry on like this. After the wedding, she’d tell him everything. Her nerves couldn’t take much more and she abhorred lying to him. At last she answered the question, being as vague as possible.

  “My parents are still alive, and I have a sister and an older brother.” She stopped short of telling him she was a twin. That would have been an easy giveaway.

  Owen nodded, swirling the liquid in his glass. “Are you close?”

  “To a degree.” She said quickly. It was a half-truth. Her family were as thick as thieves. But she needed to change the subject. “What about you?”

  His knee was touching hers, and he was sitting way too close for it to be casual. Excitement built in her lower stomach and she wondered whether he would stay the night. Was it wrong that she wanted it more than anything?

  “Nothing for me. Both parents are dead and I have no siblings. I have close friends but nowhere I truly feel settled.” It sounded like such a harsh thing, she momentarily forgot how loved up she was and looked directly at Owen’s face. He was being open with her and all she could do was lie. He glanced at her, his face emotionless.

  She closed her eyes briefly. I am such a bitch. I need to tell him.

  He carried on and she watched him through her lashes. “The Corps was my family for a while, but people move on. Things change.”

  “Are you looking to settle down?” The question almost fell out of her mouth, but she didn’t regret her need to find out a little more.

  “Yes.” The truth again.

  “Has there been anyone special?” Liv was digging but she couldn’t help it.

  There was still no way she could read him, so she gave up. At last he spoke. “Once. I thought she was the one. We made plans.” He momentarily looked off into the distance, somewhere else entirely, before holding her gaze once more. "It didn't work out. She wasn't as committed to me as I was to her."

  Liv stayed quiet for long moments. "I'm sorry."

  "Yeah, well, living a lie wasn't good for me. Living with the negative shit takes a toll, unfortunately."

  And with that simple admission the world collapsed around her. She was living the ultimate lie and dragging Owen into her personal drama. He didn't deserve it. Oxygen got harder to pull into her lungs and her Chinese food threatened to appear again.

  “There’s so much I want to ask you, but I don’t know how.” His statement was out of the blue, but rang true to her ears. She wondered if he wanted to ask her about seeing Gabe at the office. This was it. She had to tell him, to share the big secret she’d been keeping from him.

  Reaching over and taking his hand in hers. She put her own glass down, then took his and placed it next to hers on the floor. For long seconds they sat, watching each
other. Owen’s blue eyes glistened under the fading lights of the evening, and she longed to reach over and tell him that everything was going to be okay.

  Was it, though? Liv didn’t know anymore. Her tangled web of, what started off as innocent, lies had gained momentum. She was in deep. And what made it worse was Owen was becoming more important to her than her job, than the wedding, than keeping her brother from finding out. Owen was under her skin. She wouldn't allow herself to keep doing this.

  “I need to tell you something,” Liv said, not able to hold back anymore. Not wanting to. “I haven’t been completely honest—”

  His phone chimed, interrupting. “Shit.” He was pulling himself off the sofa, dropping her hand and walking toward the front door before she knew what was happening. “I have to go. I said I’d meet my buddy to play some basketball tonight. I completely forgot.” He spun on his heel right before he reached the door, and strode back towards her, still sitting in exactly the same place. He grabbed her hands and pulled her to her feet so her breasts nudged his chest. Her head came to about his shoulder and she looked up to his face. “Gabe would like you. I need to introduce you two, soon.”

  Doom hit her straight between the eyes and she was pretty sure any words that came out of her mouth now would implicate her further or make Owen wonder about her sanity. She stayed quiet, simply keeping it to a quick nod of her head.

  Owen bent his head and took her mouth in a demanding kiss. She responded on auto-pilot and then he was pulling away and making his exit.

  “Tonight was fun. We need to talk more.” They were his last words as he winked, sending her a killer smile. He shut her front door gently behind him as he left her alone with her thoughts and her guilt.

  “Fuck.”

  Yeah, that about summed it all up.

  8

  Owen wanted to kick himself for forgetting he was supposed to meet Gabe tonight. He almost called and cancelled.