Their Forbidden Desire

“Earth to Geo!” My best friend Patty was waving a dress in front of me. “No absolutely not, that is not a dress.” It was the last day of term and Patty had talked me into going out tonight to celebrate. “Come on Geo, you have killer legs. Let them come out to play tonight.” She winked at me. I walked over to my closest to find a dress that might actually cover my bottom. To my dismay it was empty. I groaned. The minx had hidden my stuff. “Patricia Fenella McAndrews. If you don’t give me something suitable to wear I swear I will go out like this.” I was currently sporty some denim shorts and a black halter neck top. Definitely not the ensemble that would be appropriate for the nightclub we were meeting everyone at. I saw her debate whether I would actually do it. While I hated dressing up, I hated being the centre of attention more so there was no way I would go out like this through choice, but it might be more comfortable than the slip of a dress she was brandishing at me. Clearly my poor fashion sense must have done me a favour as she caved. “Okay Miss prim and proper. You win. Wear this instead.” She pulled out a slightly longer black halter neck dress. It wasn’t that much better but I signed in resignation. I didn’t need to stay for long so as long as I didn’t drink too much I could pull this of. Patty did her usual miracle with my hair and makeup. Dusky lines rimmed my bright blue eyes and my dark hair shone in its elaborate braid. “You are wasted at law school Patty.” I told her as I admired my transformation. “Like I have any choice. If I want my trust fund I need to finish law school.” She replied glumly. Patty and I had been friends for years. We met my first day at the posh girls school she attended after I won my scholarship. Her family had a prestigious law firm in London, Patty and her brother had no choice but to follow in the family footsteps, but while Max and Seb didn’t mind, Patty hated it. Her father had given her an ultimatum to get her trust fund. Finish law school or get married to the son of one of their friends. Dunbar was a creep so we decided it was better to suck out law school. We also needed to keep on her dads good side. As I was top of the class this year I won the opportunity to spend a month at Harvard before their tent ended for the summer. I’d managed to blade Patty a place too but we needed her dad to find her apartment so I had somewhere to stay. My darling daddy abandoned my mum when I was a little girl. Leaving a note and divorce papers one day, he left to be with another woman half his age. I had got over it along time ago, trying to be the best at everything so if I ever met him again he could regret leaving us and be proud of what Mum achieved without him. Not that much of the credit went to her. While she had provided me with all the love a mother could give I had to apply for the scholarship for school and then again for university all in my own. My mum had tried to fill the void of my dad with an endless string of useless boyfriends, all of which broke her heart and I was left to pick up the pieces. While Patty teased me about being Miss Prim and Proper, she knew my mother’s history and understood why I didn’t date. Ever. I almost broke this rule last summer when I was staying with Patty’s family and started to crush on the younger of her older brothers. Max has just graduated and his family through him a bbq to celebrate at the end of the summer before he started work. Having crushes on him most of the summer I was delighted when he sneaked a kiss in the garden. Once he asked for my number I thought maybe it was time to break my rules, Max was smart, handsome and well connected. Everything you could dream about. Until I walked in on him kissing Marissa, my arch enemy from school. She had been in Max’s year at law school but scapes through, probably because her rich parents paid for it. “Oh how sweet, she actually thinks you could like her. Arrange a date or something we can break Little Miss Perfect’s heart.” I felt so stupid, but at the same time relieved. This is why guys can’t be trusted. I didn’t even read the message Max sent. I simply deleted it and forgot all about him. Marissa was welcome to him. I was interrupted from my thoughts by my phone ringing. It was mum. She was in Italy with her latest boyfriend. I had stopped asking about them, I didn’t even think I would remember this one’s name. “Georgia, darling. I hope I haven’t woke you, I keep forgetting about the time difference.” I hid my scoff, it was like an hour. “I needed to tell you my exciting news. Mummy is getting married.” What the f***. This was a new one. “Wow Mum, that’s great I guess?” I didn’t know what to say. “Oh Georgia, you will be such a beautiful bridesmaid. I’m thinking a beach wedding this summer. There is so much to plan. We must do lunch when I get home.” “That would be lovely Mum. Em. I need to go see you soon.” Patty was watching me with a confused expression,having only heard half the conversation. “It appears my Mum is engaged.” I watched as she raised her eyebrow. She had watched from the sidelines as my mum ran from one disastrous relationship to another. “Maybe it will work out this time?” Ever the optimist. “We know with her track record that is unlikely. Now she is dreaming of a beach wedding, let’s hope they stay together until we are safely away.” Suddenly the thought that not only could Patty’s dad prevent us getting to America but my Mum could. As I started to spiral into all the ways this could go wrong, Patty got out the shots, looks like we were celebrating. By the time Patty dragged me to the club, we were fashionably late and there was a massive queue. She quickly typed a message on her phone. “Max is at the front of the queue, let’s find him.” Having not seen Max since that infamous kiss I wasn’t less than reluctant. Just my luck Marissa was hanging on his arm. She greeted Patty warmly, saving her glare for me. Max acknowledged the bouncer and motioned to the two us to follow. Inside we headed straight for the bar. Patty ordered four shots of sambucca. As we drained our shots I rolled my eye at Patty and angled my head towards a booth away from her brother and his b***h of a girlfriend. Marissa had always tried to befriend Patty, to get closer to her brothers. It had annoyed her immensely that we were best friends. This club was new, the first British one of a popular America chain. Hence the American accents we could hear tonight. Marissa came over with a bottle of wine in hand, two glasses. Handing one to Paddy, she filled the other. Paddy waited until it was full before taking it from her and passing me the other. “Cheers Marissa, you nilly. You forgot a glass for yourself.” As Marissa stomped of in a I c*****d glasses with Paddy. “You are so bad, she is going to be so mad.” “Ah, let her, she is desperate for Max to propose, she won’t do anything silly.” After a few more drinks Passy for my up on the dance floor. It wasn’t long before her tall blonde frame had caught the attention of some guy. After clearly ditching me to dance with him I pointed towards the bar. That was the signal she could find me there. I had barely ordered a drink before she was snogging him shamelessly in the middle of the dance floor. I didn’t notice Max appear at my side. Suddenly another shot appeared before me. “Cheers gorgeous.” He waited for me to lift my glass. I had barley shot it down when Marsala appeared at his side. “Max baby, don’t associate with riff raff. What will people think.” She smirked at me. I bit back the retort that formed in my head. I didn’t want to piss Max off, I might need him in the future, also bar that one incident last summer he had always been really nice to me. “Thanks for the drink Max, I think I’ll find Paddy.” As I jumped down from my stool I landed awkwardly on my high heels, that I wasn’t used to wearing. I lost my balance and was about to fall to the floor when I collided with someone’s chest and I found myself in someone’s strong arms.