Page 69 of Forbidden Fruit
It’s sweet. This man is too much, too perfect in moments like this, and it makes my chest tighten. I’ve been treading dangerously close to a line, and I know it. Yet here I am, sitting in a car with my sister’s fiancé, clutching flowers that mean adoration and loyalty. How ironic.
I bite my lip, forcing myself to stay composed, but my thoughts betray me. He’s making this too easy. One more step, one more touch, one more bouquet, and I might do something as stupid as falling in love with him. That would be crazy, though, right? Completely unhinged.
Right?
I glance at him again, and the smile he gives me is enough to make me believe that unicorns exist.
Falling in love with my sister’s fiancé would definitely be crazy, but the idea doesn’t feel as impossible as it should.
The longer we drive, the harder my pulse pounds in my ears, drowning out reason and logic until all that’s left is the restless beat of nerves. Meeting his mother feels too intimate, like crossing a line that can’t be uncrossed.
Sure, we’ve already done things that would earn us a special corner in hell, but somehow, this feels worse.
When the car finally slows, I look up, and my breath catches. The estate before us isn’t just a house. White columns, manicured hedges, a driveway wide enough forthree cars to pass without touching. Every window gleams like it’s never known dust.
The driver eases the car to a stop near the entrance, and before I can gather my thoughts, Calvin is already stepping out. He exchanges a quiet word with Jarad, something about waiting for his call when we’re ready to leave, then turns to my door.
When he opens it, the afternoon light spills in. He extends his hand to me like it’s the most natural thing in the world. And even though I know I shouldn’t, I take it.
“You ready?” he asks.
I nod, though the nerves twist tighter in my gut. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”
“Mom,” Calvin calls out as we step inside.
“In the kitchen,” a warm, sweet voice responds. I feel my stomach flip as we move toward the kitchen. My grip on Calvin’s hand tightens without me even realizing it. Suddenly, he stops, turning to face me with a concerned look.
“Are you okay?” he asks, brow furrowed.
“What do you mean?”
“You’ve got a death grip on my hand. Come on, breathe. Relax.” he steps closer to me, his presence instantly grounding me.
I exhale shakily, trying to unclench my fists. “I just… what if she doesn’t like me?”
“She’ll love you.”
He says it so matter-of-factly, like there’s no room for doubt. But it doesn’t calm the nerves running wild in me. He’s probably brought lots of women home before, confident, polished women who belong in his world. I’m not that. In fact, I’m not supposed to be here.
“Breathe.”
The command snaps me out of my spiral, and that’s when I realize I haven’t taken a breath.
“Blair,” he says again, firmer this time. His hand comes up, wrapping lightly around my throat, not to restrain, but to guide. He squeezes just enough to ground me. “Breathe.”
The air rushes out of me, and when I finally inhale again, it feels like the first real breath I’ve taken all day.
“There you are.” His thumb brushes my jaw. “That’s my girl. Now, look at me.”
I do.
“Everything’s going to be fine. I’ve got you. And if it’s not… if at any point it doesn’t feel right, we leave. Understood?”
I nod, believing him. He would walk out without a second thought if I needed him to.
“Color?” he asks, voice quieter now.
For a heartbeat, I consider saying yellow. The thought of meeting his mother terrifies me. What if she looks at me and knows instantly that I’m not the woman she was supposed to meet? What if she doesn’t accept me? But then I think of him, his hand steady on mine, his calm certainty, and I know.
