The Trouble With Love: An Age Gap Romance (The Forbidden Love Series Book 1)

by Kat T. Masen

  But most importantly, someone who I chose to give my virtue to, the greatest gift of all, which can never be taken back.

  I enter my dorm room and stare at my bed we made love on earlier today.

  I have to finally say goodbye. I fought for too long, and for what?

  To end up just as I am now.

  Heartbroken.

  Fourteen

  Will

  Behind the door, inside the hotel room, she falls onto her knees at my command.

  Closing my eyes, I focus on her tongue swirling around the tip of my cock, the flick of her tongue, and the build-up of her saliva around my shaft. Soft moans escape her red-stained lips as she alters between sucking me off and using her hand to get me to blow.

  My entire body clenches as the grit of my teeth bite down on my jaw. Every single muscle is tense, and despite my dire need to come inside her mouth, something isn’t working.

  Clear your goddamn head, Romano.

  It’s been the week from hell, every single thing pushing me beyond my fucking limits. I fought more than I anticipated, embroiled in a legal case for a potential patent violation. Some small-time dickhead in Texas was claiming our new launch had been his original idea. The negative press followed, claiming the ‘big guns’ were trying to silence him.

  Our company did nothing of the sort. I enlisted the help of only the best legal team, proving to him that our idea had been years in the making. The exercise itself was a waste of resources, all to prove a point to some company trying to embroil themselves in a scandal to gain press.

  And then it continued. A deal almost falling through, our shares dropping, to a tech glitch in one of our major apps, forcing it to shut down and causing us to lose a hell of a lot of money.

  All week, the persistent headache turned into a migraine each night. To alleviate some tension, I hit the gym even earlier, starting my days at three in the morning instead of four. Considering I go to bed at midnight and sometimes later, sleep has become close to non-existent.

  Whatever the hell fucked with my mind to land myself in such a negative headspace should’ve disappeared when Alyssa got down on her knees and unzipped my pants. Alyssa, right? Or is it Alison? Fuck, you can’t even remember her name.

  The echo of her hollow sucks pulls me out of my thoughts. Sure, she got me hard, but as I grab her hair, hoping for a spurt of desire to drive me home, I struggle to find the familiar feeling. My smartwatch begins to beep, prompting me that I need to be at an event downstairs in less than twenty minutes.

  It’s time to pull out the big guns.

  “Go deeper. I want to see your eyes water,” I command.

  She slows her movements, hesitating slightly, until she does her best to take me all in with great difficulty given my size, only to watch her throat heave. She does so again, raising her eyes to meet mine, but it proves effortless.

  What the fuck is wrong with you?

  I close my eyes, focusing on the sensations again, desperate for anything until a flash of an image shifts my focus—Amelia asleep in my bed. Little does she know that the bedsheet was only covering half of her body, and the t-shirt of mine she wore had risen to expose the base of her ass.

  Biting down on my lip, I feel my dick harden. My mind begins to play tricks, imagining my tongue against the curve of her ass, smelling the scent of her arousal, and tasting her.

  I latch onto Alyssa’s head, holding her down for one more thrust before my body shudders with pleasure, and I’ve spilled myself out all over her face.

  My heartbeat is rapid, pounding inside my chest while I try to catch my breath, panting for air. Not saying a word, I pull my pants up and quickly check the time.

  “I need to go,” is all I say without a thank you.

  “Shall we meet later tonight?” she suggests in a seductive tone.

  Do I want to fuck her? Probably. If she doesn’t mind sucking me off, she probably wouldn’t mind being fucked from behind either.

  “Sure, come by my suite at midnight.”

  I leave her room and quickly take the elevator up to my room to freshen up. With the tap running, my hands press against the counter as my gaze falls upon my reflection in the mirror.

  I’m just over a year off thirty, an age which should bring wisdom and experience. For years, I busted my ass in college to be exactly where I am. I was never interested in marriage, babies, or even relationships. If I needed to get off, I found a way, just like tonight.

  Except for Luciana, the one who managed to get me to settle, at least, for close to a year. Something I managed to hide from my family.

  I still remember her like it was yesterday, even though it was only a year ago. It was backstage at a Victoria’s Secret fashion show, a last-minute event I was dragged to by a friend. Jonathan is a photographer, and he thought to introduce me to Luciana. Of course, she was gorgeous—tall, sexy, toned body with beautiful natural breasts. Her golden tan made her skin look irresistible. With dark brown hair and bright blue eyes, she caught my attention immediately.

  We dated, and I broke my rule by following the course of the relationship. With both our lives busy with work, Luciana suggested we move in together to allow us to spend more time with each other. Yet, I knew she wanted more than that. She often talked about starting a family, wanting four kids in total. The whole goddamn conversation scared the shit out of me, but she was beautiful, and when it came to using her body, I so quickly fell victim to her powers.

  But time passed, and I never made the next move she had so desperately craved—marriage. Jonathan couldn’t understand why I wouldn’t want to settle down with a supermodel. What else could I want?

  I had no clue either, so I ended the relationship then and there.

  Luciana was devasted, which led me to believe I had maybe acted too harshly. We tried to reconcile, but we only found ourselves in the same position—she wanted more, and I just wanted to fuck someone beautiful without the strings of commitment attached.

  It ended even worse the second time, and I made the vow not to fall into that trap again.

  But now what? Is there more to this thing called life? If I’m honest, I am satisfied with the way things are. Correction was until Amelia made her grand entrance and disturbed my peace.

  Then her boyfriend rocks up at campus, only reminding me of how ridiculous this all is. I’m pretty sure that’s why a week has passed, and she’s gone radio silent, apart from the quick DM she sent me which I never responded to. The whole thing is a waste of time on my part, and for what? She’s too young. End of story.

  Yeah, so what if she comes to mind while I’m getting sucked off by another woman.

  Momentary lapse, that’s all.

  I splash cold water on my face and dry off. Grabbing my phone off the counter, I slide it into my pocket and head downstairs to the main conference room.

  This event, hosted by a leading tech giant, is designed for networking. I flew into Houston only this morning, hoping to get out of here by tomorrow.

  “Will,” my name is called.

  Standing beside me is Lex, dressed in his suit with a drink in hand. My eyes search the bar, but almost as if Lex can sense my desperation, he calls the waiter over and requests him to bring me a drink.

  “Thanks, Lex. I need a drink if I’m going to speak to Marshall. The guy is a beast when he corners you.”

  Lex chuckles softly. “Don’t I know it. But you’re going to want him on your side. His late father left his entire fortune to him, even leaving out the new wife.”

  “What wife number was that again?”

  “I believe that was number four. This one just reached twenty-seven. The older Marshall senior became, the younger he found his wives.”

  “I hear they’re looking to sell off part of their Asian division. What do you make of that?”

  “I think it will make for an excellent investment if you play your cards right.”

  I purse my lips, welcoming the bourbon served to me on a silver plat
ter. We aren’t left alone for much longer. Whenever Lex is around, people swarm to him. Hours are spent talking, meetings are arranged, introductions are made to business partners nonstop until the event is almost over.

  “Are you flying back home tomorrow?” I ask, exiting the room and welcoming the distance from everyone.

  “I have three meetings tomorrow downtown, then fly back late tomorrow night,” he informs me while waving to someone. “Charlotte is inundated with work, handling a very messy divorce of an A-lister celebrity, which leaves Ava in charge, and well, that girl is trouble.”

  I laugh at the thought. “She was never trouble, at least, that’s what I remember.”

  “I never realized how responsible Amelia is until Ava was left in charge.”

  I slow down my movements at the mention of her name, unsure what to say until Lex continues to speak. “Charlotte’s been worried because apparently, Amelia broke up with her boyfriend. Good riddance, I say. My daughter is smart. She doesn’t need some boyfriend to distract her when she should be focusing on studying.”

  I replay the words in my head before asking the question, not wanting to say anything wrong, given that Lex is an intuitive man.

  “Right, the high school boyfriend. They never last, anyway. I’m sure she’ll move on.”

  “I should hope so,” Lex responds with a stern tone. “Charlotte tells me she needs to grieve the relationship, but when I spoke to her, she was fine. She’ll throw herself into studying because that’s what she always does. Like mother, like daughter.”

  “Definitely not the girl I remember…” I mention fondly.

  Lex turns his head to face me, a blank expression on his face. “You’re right. Amelia is nothing like the girl you would remember. She no longer does crazy things, always thinking logically except for that stupid stunt of sneaking into some club. I blame her wild roommate for being a bad influence. And quite frankly, I sleep better at night knowing that she’s left her wild ways behind.”

  I lower my head, hiding the smirk playing on my lips. If only Lex knew about Amelia’s drunken night out or that she slept in my bed, completely passing out from Cosmos. His princess isn’t that innocent, and suddenly, I relish the fact that she doesn’t have her loser high school boyfriend holding her down.

  The elevator pings open, both of us entering. As we are staying on different floors, I say goodbye to Lex and exit toward my room. Tapping my card, the door opens, and I step inside, quick to remove my jacket.

  Shortly, a knock on the door alerts me to a visitor. I walk back over and open the door to find Alyssa standing in front of me dressed in a sexy red dress. Fuck, I forgot all about her.

  Running my hands through my hair, I watch as she licks her lips, a move which doesn’t stir a single movement in my still flaccid dick.

  “Listen, I’m not feeling too well.”

  “Oh…” she mouths. “How not well?”

  “Bad shrimp, I guess. It’s best that we take a rain check.”

  Rain check to never.

  “Are you sure?” she sounds disappointed. “If you need someone—”

  “I don’t want you to catch anything, so best you leave.”

  I close the door without a goodbye. Moving toward the balcony, I slide the door open and welcome the fresh night air. Removing my phone from of my pocket, I log into my Insta account and straight to my DMs, rereading her message where she thanked me.

  Me: You’re welcome. Your dear old daddy tells me you’ve been wallowing in self-pity. I never pegged you to be so lame.

  I knew instantly this would rile a reaction from her, and a few seconds later, the message shows as read.

  Amelia: Lame? And what makes you think I’ve been wallowing in self-pity?

  Me: Because Miss Chatterbox is quiet.

  Amelia: Maybe it’s because I have nothing to say. I said thank you for rescuing me, and all I got was read. Not even an infuriating thumbs up.

  Me: Some people have work to do, just so you know.

  Amelia: Sure… work or fucking your assistant. I guess, either way, you’re doing the job, right?

  Me: Someone is a little hung up with my sex life, one would think.

  Amelia: You wish. I’ve got better things to worry about than where your dick has been.

  Me: So crass coming from a refined young lady my mother makes you out to be. It’s best you go back to the wallowing.

  Amelia: You know what, Mr. Smartass. I’m going to prove you wrong.

  Me: Uh-huh… I’m waiting.

  Amelia: Meet me in front of your apartment building next Saturday at 9 a.m.

  Me: It sounds so exciting. I have work to do.

  Amelia: Either meet me or don’t. But if you do, be prepared because you will be proven wrong, and I am going to gloat at my accomplishment.

  Me: I’ll be there, just to watch you fail.

  Amelia: Sweet dreams, playboy.

  With a smile on my face, I reread her last line. I have no idea what she has planned, and knowing her, it’ll probably be something she thinks is fun but uneventful and mind-numbing.

  Yet, a part of me can’t hold back the sheer pleasure in teasing her. An easy target, that’s all. And perhaps I want to prove Lex wrong and test my capabilities of how far I can push the limits with his so-called responsible daughter.

  Someone has to do it, and frankly, I can’t think of any better person than me.

  Fifteen

  Will

  “I’m not getting into that.”

  A pink Mustang convertible is parked in front of my apartment building. If you ignore the hideous shade, the car itself appears to be in mint condition. Who in God’s name would do such a thing to a car?

  Amelia is sitting in the driver’s side, wearing a baseball cap, navy hoody, and not to mention a satisfied smile on her face.

  “It’s just a car. Get in.”

  “It’s pink,” I point out, my hand resting on the door. “Like really pink.”

  “You shouldn’t discriminate based on color,” she informs me. “It’s very unbecoming of you.”

  “How about we take my car?” I plead.

  “Man the fuck up and get in.”

  I open the door with much reluctance and take a seat, not hiding my dissatisfaction of sitting inside a girl’s car. On closer inspection, the interior is pristine with white leather trim and all accessories in original condition. Whoever this belonged to must love old-time cars, though it seems a bit too feminine for Amelia’s tastes.

  “Is this yours?”

  Amelia snorts. “Are you kidding me? I’d never own a pink car like this. It’s like Barbie threw up all over it. It’s my roommate, Liesel’s.”

  She slams her foot on the gas, roaring out from the curb drawing attention to those walking on the sidewalk. I slide in my seat, embarrassed to be seen in such a car.

  The wind begins to pick up as we drive out of the city and toward New Jersey. Above us, clouds cluster with gray skies warning us of an impending storm. Turning my head, I scan the back to see if the car has a roof, and thankfully, it does.

  “Can you tell me where we’re going?” I yell through the wind.

  Amelia’s lips curve upward into a smile, the same smile I remember from when she was a kid, and I asked her why we were climbing a tree in her backyard. Assuming she wanted to climb simply for fun, only to jump into the pool moments later, swallowing a gallon of water in the process.

  Amelia doesn’t answer my question, purposely ignoring me as she keeps her eyes on the road. I opt to enjoy the road trip, admiring the view though unsettled at being a passenger. Her driving is somewhat erratic. Others may deem her a maniac. If I want to get home in one piece, I somehow need to convince her that I’m driving back.

  Our surroundings change with the view of Randall Airport just ahead. Above us, the sky is blue now, the clouds drifting away toward the ocean. The car begins to slow down as she pulls into the parking lot. When the car stops, I look around, noticing a hangar beside
us.

  “We’re here,” she announces while turning off the engine. “Are you ready?”

  “What exactly should I be ready for?”

  “I think it’s best we get out of the car to have this conversation.”

  I unbuckle my seat belt, exiting the car while eyeing her dubiously. She motions for me to follow her, and as we turn the corner, it all comes into view.

  There are several people dressed in parachute jumpsuits, many with harnesses. An ultra- lightweight plane sits on the tarmac with gliders all around. It takes a moment for me to realize exactly why we’re here.

  “To clarify, you brought us here because we’re going to tandem hang glide?”

  Amelia nods her head with a playful smirk without a care in the world that we’ll be flying thousands of feet above the ground.

  “I know what you’re thinking,” she says, crossing her arms while we both watch some people above us detach their glider from another plane. “It’s twenty-five hundred feet.”

  “Uh, that’s one thing, not to mention the fact that we could die.”

  Amelia turns to face me, her eyes boring into me just as they had done when she was a kid, and I questioned her elaborate ideas.

  “Don’t give me that look,” I remind her with annoyance.

  “And exactly what look am I giving you?”

  “The same look you’ve always given me before we’re about to do something incredibly dangerous.”

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about, but from memory, you said I was boring. Or was it lame? Unadventurous?”