Page 65 of When Forever Falls Apart

“I know it’s worth the wait,” I breathe.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” he murmurs, desire flickering through his expression.

I slide closer, moving carefully, so our faces hover mere inches apart. It’s easy to see Elliot is battling with himself to play by the rules, but I’m done with the damn rules. The persistent ache demanding his attention fuels my boldness.

“Friends can have benefits, too, you know,” I tease gently.

His gaze remains tethered to my lips, the simple act of restraint turning me on even more.

“Are you saying you want to hook up… no strings attached?”

“No strings attached,” I assure him, the thrill of the moment leaving me breathless.

“None at all? Not even a small piece of thread?” He searches my eyes, wrestling with the unspoken tension between us.

I shake my head, and all I can think about is him sliding inside of me and bringing my entire body to a blissful finish.

“Elliot, fuck me,” I beg.

I’ve broken all the rules and found myself promising a night of harmless fun, when the truth is, my heart’s invested, too.

That’s one of the biggest strings, and it’s firmly attached.

CHAPTER 18Elliot

I’ve broken every damn rule.

And the worst part is, it’s with my sister’s best friend.

She’s completely off-limits.

Forbidden.If there needs to be a label slapped on it.

The wholeshit where you eatscenario, as Eva so eloquently put it.

The day has been a mindfuck of emotions, so the moment I get back to the boat, I practically tear off my shorts and shirt, desperate to lose myself in a shower and wash away the chaotic thoughts swirling in my mind. The several bourbons I consumed earlier failed me. I even switched to rum, but that didn’t work either.

The bottom line—she’s not over her ex.

The cold water cascading down my body should have been a jarring wake-up call to pull myself together and remember that my focus needs to be on getting back to Paris.

Paris ishome.

But instead, it only intensifies the lingering memory of Madelina’s kisses. Her soft, supple lips and the way her tongue rolled so effortlessly with mine.

The taste, so pure, is etched in my mind and refuses to dissipate.

I force my eyes shut, biting down to stop the pleasure spreading through me until I’m hard beneath the icy water.

“Fuck!” I groan, eager to stroke my cock to rid myself of this torturous pain.

Just as my hand begins to slide downward, I pull back abruptly, snapping my eyes open to ground myself in reality. I can’t let Madelina invade my thoughts anymore.

It was just a damn kiss.

I turn off the faucet and exit the shower, hastily throwing on my boxers, determined to forget all about her.

We arejust friends, and that’s exactly how it must remain.