Forbidden

by Vanessa Devereaux

  His gesture caught her off guard and it seemed he wasn’t going to let go of her any time soon. She’d been sitting on a plane for hours and hoped for his sake her twelve-hour deodorant lived up to its claim.

  “I’m looking forward to seeing her too,” Maggie said.

  Jon pulled away. “Let’s head out to the parking ramp so we can get on our way and miss the heavy traffic. I’m sure all you want to do is sleep.”

  She was feeling sluggish and the airport felt hot and humid, which did nothing to help. Maggie tagged along beside Jon as he pulled her suitcase behind him and headed towards the elevators.

  It was crowded so Maggie had to push against Jon’s body to fit inside. The smell of his cologne invaded her senses again. Whatever the scent, it was sexy and seductive. Its intensity increased as the doors closed and shut them in the confined space. Maggie took a couple of deep breaths.

  Their arms brushed continually as they rode together. He glanced at her and smiled before talking to a man in what sounded to Maggie like perfect Spanish. Well, of course he would be fluent. This had been his home for close to twenty-five years. Maggie had bought a Spanish language book and while she was still no expert, she could just about figure out that the man was asking Jon about car rentals.

  As the doors parted, Jon placed his hand in the small of Maggie’s back and encouraged her out. “The car’s in the fifth row over there,” he said.

  Another set of double doors slid open to the outside ramp, allowing oppressive heat and humidity to surround her as she stepped outside on to the concrete. The parking lot looked just like the ones back home, rows of cars, people pulling their suitcases towards the exit. Right now the excessive heat was the only thing that reminded her she was no longer in Maine.

  “Mom said she’s sorry she couldn’t pick you up, but she had to stay home and pack. She and my step-dad have to take a trip to the mainland for the first week of your stay. Miguel’s dad had a heart attack and he’s having bypass surgery on Wednesday.”

  “She should have told me and I would have delayed my trip. I mean, if I’m putting all of you out by visiting right now.”

  “She knew you’d say that and that’s why she didn’t mention it. And don’t worry, you won’t be on your own. I live in the nearby guest apartment and I’ve been given strict orders to take you wherever you want and show you all the sights.”

  “There’s really no need for that. I mean, I’ll be happy just to sit around reading the books I’ve brought with me. “

  “Mom’s given her orders and you know what that means.”

  Maggie smiled. Julie had been one of Maggie’s instructors at design college and, yes, Julie could be a tough taskmaster when she wanted. Jon indicated they’d arrived at the car, which was a light blue mid-size sedan with a moon roof. He unlocked the trunk and hefted Maggie’s luggage inside. Next he opened the passenger door and she got in.

  “I hope Spanish cars have air conditioning.” She fanned her face with a hand. She knew the weather would be hot in Mallorca but not this oppressive. She’d only been outside for a couple of minutes and already her clothes were sticking to her. Maybe the first thing she’d do when she arrived at Julie’s would be to take a dip in the pool.

  “It’s not usually this hot in September, but we’ve had a couple of weeks like this. And unfortunately the humidity’s been high, too. We need a good storm. And yes, don’t worry, my car does have air conditioning.”

  He started the ignition and a blast of music rocked the car.

  “Sorry about that.” He ejected a CD from the player. “I was listening to it on the drive here.”

  “Please don’t turn it off on my account. I love listening to music, especially while I’m driving.”

  “Okay, but I’ll lower the level so we can chat.”

  He pushed the CD back into the player and music travelled throughout the car. Maroon 5. She loved Maroon 5.

  “You like this, too?” Maggie hoped he didn’t mind but she reached for the volume button and pumped it up a few times when This Love started to play.

  He backed out of the parking stall and made his way out of the ramp. “Yeah, I heard some of these songs playing in one of the clubs one night and thought I’d buy the CD.”

  “I have this one too.” Maggie picked up the case. “I secretly dance to it when no one’s looking. And I kept all my youngest daughter’s CDs. Can you believe I love dancing to Oops, I Did It Again?”

  Jon laughed and Maggie noticed he had another one of his father’s traits, a sexy cleft in his chin and drop-dead dimples, too.

  She fanned her face again. Was it just hot in the car or was Jon raising her temperature? If he wasn’t so young, and Julie’s son…

  But he was and she shouldn’t even be thinking about him in that way.

  She used the CD case as a fan. Jon must have noticed because he turned up the air conditioning and rotated the vents in her direction. A blast of cold air hit her face and chest but it wasn’t helping one bit.

  Another tune she loved started to play and Maggie started to sing a few of the words. She caught herself and her face heated. “Sorry, I’m so used to doing that in my own car. I forgot where I am.”

  “You said you like dancing?”

  “I love it but I haven’t been for years. All the places that cater to people my age don’t play this sort of stuff.”

  “There are a couple of clubs in Alcudia that have great music and dancing. Maybe while Mom’s away we can go there. I doubt she’d want to tag along.”

  Maggie laughed, more out of unease than Jon’s humour. Going with Jon to a dance club! That would be interesting.

  He looked at her and smiled, tapping a finger on the steering wheel in time with the beat. She realised she’d been rude by not responding.

  “Sure, that sounds like fun.”

  Despite the air conditioning blowing full blast, she was getting warmer by the minute.

  She glanced over at Jon’s thighs, clad in tight jeans. Next thing she noticed was the nice bulge at the top of them. God, what was wrong with her? She’d known him since he was a little boy. She’d even bathed him and put him to bed the night of his father’s accident. He was almost like her offspring and here she was lusting after him. Borderline incestuous. She readjusted the vent, hoping the cool air would calm both her body and passion.

  “How far is it to Alcudia?”

  “About an hour and a half depending on traffic.”

  Shit, she would be this close to him for ninety minutes?

  “If you see any interesting sites or towns you’d like to visit just make a note of it and we can drive back out to them. Maybe spend the day there, too.”

  “I hope I won’t be keeping you from your job. Your mom told me you have your doctor’s licence now.”

  “I do, but once Mom mentioned she’d be away for the week, I told my supervisor at the clinic where I work that I might take some time off so I can show you around. They have five other doctors and one’s on call so it’ll be fine.”

  Maggie nodded and rested her head on the seatback.

  “Inca is pretty neat, very historical so you might like to see that. And the Caves of Drach. Mom loves going there, so maybe we should hold off doing that trip until she comes home.”

  His voice was deep, sexy, very soothing to her as they headed away from the airport and got on to the open road. Mallorca was just how she’d imagined it would be—palm trees, fields, almond and olive groves. Just plain beautiful. Her friend had been lucky marrying a Spanish man and moving here all those years ago. Still, she’d deserved it after her tragic loss.

  “Big change from Maine?” Jon’s voice jarred her. “Sorry, did I wake you? If you want to sleep I’ll just keep my mouth shut.”

  “No, it’s fine. And yes, very different from Maine. You ever been there?”

  He shook his head while changing CDs. “No, if I go to the US it’s usually to New York to visit Dad’s family and stop by his grave.”


  Maggie nodded. Poor Jon had been just five years old when he’d lost his dad. Henry Gunderson, also a doctor, had been called into the ER because of the record number of accidents caused by the icy roads.

  Maggie had been Julie’s student and had stopped by the house to pick up some design books she was borrowing just as he was leaving that evening. Two hours later the hospital had called to tell Julie that Henry had been admitted to the ER. She’d left Maggie to give Jon his bath and put him to bed. She’d been in the middle of reading him Jack and the Beanstalk when Julie had called to say that Henry had died from the injuries he’d sustained.

  Maggie glanced at the adult Jon. She still couldn’t believe that little boy had grown into such a sexy hunk of a man. God help her, she had to stop thinking about him like that. He was her friend’s son, period.

  Maggie moved the air conditioning vent towards her face. Was it getting hotter the farther they drove inland or was she having the first of the dreaded hot flashes? No, Jon was making that perspiration trickle between her breasts. She’d be glad to get to Julie’s house so she could take a nice cold shower.

  “Still too hot for you?”

  Had he noticed her sweating? Blushing maybe?

  “No, I’ve just been in these clothes for too long. I can’t wait to take them off.”

  Had that sounded like she thought?

  She lifted her T-shirt away from her skin and waved it around, hoping to cool down. Damn, her bra was showing. Jon glanced over, not at her face but at her chest, and Maggie realised she’d made yet another dumb mistake. She hoped he didn’t think she’d flashed him on purpose.

  “Mom tells me you have your own interior design business.”

  “Yes, for a decade now.”

  “She says you’re very talented.”

  “Well, if I am, I have her to thank. She taught me everything I know.”

  “And one of your daughters just had a baby, is that right?”

  “Yes, a little girl, she’s gorgeous… I guess all grandmothers think that.”

  “You look far too young to be one.”

  Now she definitely was blushing. Her cheeks felt hot, her forehead hotter.

  “I think of grannies as little old ladies with white hair, thick pantyhose and drab sweaters,” he said.

  “I hope I never look like that.”

  “I doubt you will. You’re too…”

  “Too what?”

  “I was going to say hot but I don’t want you telling my mom I was hitting on you on the drive home.”

  This really was getting uncomfortable. Could he be feeling a physical attraction towards her, too?

  Dangerous territory ahead.

  She wiped her brow. Maybe it was the heat or the fact that she’d gone too long without having a night of mind-blowing sex. God, she hoped the shower at Julie’s wasn’t like the European plumbing she’d read about. Scalding hot water one minute, cold the next. All she’d need was an ice cold setting to cool her down and bring her to her senses.

  “We’re heading through Inca right now.”

  Maggie was glad to focus her thoughts on something else as she looked out of the window at the town they were passing through.

  “Looks interesting.”

  “It’s one of the best places to buy leather goods if you’re interested. Just let me know and I can drive you back here. We can spend the day wandering around seeing the sights and then do some shopping.”

  Maybe I can just rent a car. He might find that rude after his kind offer. If she kept her distance, constantly reminded herself he was Julie’s offspring, she’d be able to keep everything in perspective. Yeah, there’d be no problem whatsoever.

  Chapter Two

  Jon sensed she’d been doing her best to stay awake, but an hour into their journey Maggie had finally given in and dozed off.

  His mother should have warned him that her friend was so attractive. But then again why would she? To his mom she was just another female. Most of his mother’s friends were in their sixties and, he had to say it, past their sell-by dates. Maggie wasn’t even coming close to hers.

  She moved her head and mumbled under her breath but he didn’t catch what she said. Maggie had travelled on two planes, across countless time zones, yet her makeup looked perfect, her hair, and that body…

  When he’d pumped up the air conditioning her nipples had poked at her white T-shirt. At first he’d thought she’d gone braless but when she’d flapped her T-shirt he’d noticed she was wearing a cute lace one. He took another quick look at her chest. Her nipples were still evident and, shit, they were inviting. How he’d like to get his hands and mouth on them…

  A car horn sounded. Jon realised he had weaved to the other side of the road. He adjusted the steering wheel and got his mind back on to driving and not Maggie’s scrumptious tits.

  It was almost impossible. Okay, just a quick glance would be fine. Jon wondered what type of swimwear she’d brought along on the trip. All-in-one or bikini? He couldn’t wait to find out, and was happy his mom and step-dad had their own swimming pool. Hopefully Maggie would use it and lounge around often during her visit. The guest apartment window faced it and he’d be able to spy on her without being detected.

  She stirred, turning slightly towards him and sending the merest hint of her perfume his way.

  Holy shit, even that smelled sexy, with a subtle floral undertone and just a hint of something spicy, maybe even erotic.

  He glanced at her again. Her nipples were still pushing through the T-shirt. Her arms were covered in goosebumps. Maybe he should turn down the air conditioning but it would get too hot and spoil his view.

  It was close to four pm. He’d made a date with one of the nurses at the clinic who’d mentioned a movie she wanted to see. Jon had told her he’d be by at six to pick her up. He still had plenty of time for that, but now he’d met Maggie that was the last thing he wanted to do. For the next two weeks he would stay as close to the house as possible. He pulled up Nina’s number on his cell phone and dialled, hoping he wouldn’t wake Maggie.

  “Hi, Nina, it’s Jon.”

  “How are you doing?”

  “Fine. Look, about tonight, someone, I mean something else has come up.”

  Maggie murmured again.

  “Okay, maybe some other time.”

  “Sure.” Jon pressed the end button, glancing at Maggie to make sure he hadn’t woken her.

  He wondered how many lovers Maggie had been with. His mom had told him she’d been divorced about fifteen years ago and had never remarried. Had she remained sexually active? Suddenly he liked the idea of having sex with an older woman. After all, she’d probably have lots more experience. Teaching a woman how to please him was one of his least favourite things to do between the sheets. He probably wouldn’t need to do that with Maggie.

  Shit, he’d never slept with anyone older than himself. And what was Maggie, fifteen years his senior? Hell of a way to start experiencing the older woman. He wiped his brow. Fuck, now he was starting to sweat too. What was he thinking? Having sex with his mom’s best friend? Wasn’t there a law against that?

  He pulled into the driveway of his mom’s house and turned off the ignition. Maggie still didn’t stir and he felt guilty about waking her but knew he couldn’t leave her sitting in a hot car.

  “Maggie, we’re here.”

  Still no response. He tapped her arm. Her skin was soft and warm, welcoming. He ran his finger down and back up her arm. God, that felt so good, touching her like that.

  A tap on the car’s window made him jump. Mom. Had she seen him running his hand up her friend’s arm? It reminded him of the time when he was about fifteen and she’d caught him masturbating.

  Had he been caught by her again? Had she seen him touching Maggie? Fuck, he hoped not.

  * * * *

  Maggie slowly opened her eyes. She’d woken up a few minutes earlier when Jon had touched her arm but had pretended to be still asleep. The deception had been fo
r two reasons. She guessed they’d both be embarrassed if she woke up, with neither of them knowing what to say when Jon realised he’d been caught red-handed.

  And she’d enjoyed his touch. So she’d let him think she was still asleep, hoping he’d continue.

  Now Julie was peering in the window. Had she seen anything?

  “I hadn’t realised I’d dozed off,” Maggie said.

  “I’m surprised you stayed awake as long as you did.”

  Julie ran around to the passenger side of the car and opened the door so Maggie could get out. The heat and humidity hit her.

  Julie flung her arms around Maggie’s shoulders, almost lifting her in the air. “It’s so good to see you. How long has it been?”

  “Six years, I think.”

  Julie let go. “And you naughty thing, how come you never put on any weight? You look so great.”

  “I do but I did some dieting, knowing I was venturing into beach country.”

  “Well, we’ll have to fatten you up. I’m so glad you could finally visit Mallorca and see where I’ve been living all these years.”

  “Me too.”

  “Jon, get Maggie’s bags and take them up to the guest room while I take her inside. It’s far too hot for us all to be standing out here.”

  Maggie and Julie wrapped their arms around one another’s waists as they headed into the house.

  It was a wonderful setting, high up on a hill, overlooking what Maggie guessed to be the bay of Alcudia. Inside was a large blue tiled foyer with overhead fans spinning in unison.

  Julie indicated for Maggie to go ahead of her. “Why don’t we go into the living room?”

  It was huge, had an open, airy feel to it and led to a kitchen with brick walls and tiled terracotta floors. Large windows lined the other side of the room, looking down on a terrace and the swimming pool.

  Miguel sat on a wicker lounger reading a book. He stood as soon as he saw Maggie and Julie. “Maggie, welcome to Mallorca, to Alcudia, and to our home.” He hugged Maggie and kissed each side of her face before offering her a seat.

  “You have a lovely home. I might not want to leave.”