Forbidden Desire: Craved By My Brother's Best Friend

Temptation

Annika's POV

“Surprise!!!” a sharp voice called out.

The lights came on and revealed the ridiculous scene waiting for us. Rose petals covered almost every surface in Vaughn’s living room, turning the place into some cheap romantic setup. My head was still trying to process everything when my eyes landed on the woman standing there in nothing but tiny lingerie that left almost nothing to the imagination. Of course, this was exactly what I should have expected from Vaughn.

“What the f**k, Vaughn?” I snapped before I could stop myself. My eyes were twitching with irritation. If he knew he was going to have guests, he should have made other arrangements.

He looked thoroughly annoyed, rubbing a hand across his face like we were the biggest problem in his night. Before he could reply, his date finally realised we were standing there. Her expression changed instantly, eyes turning sharp as she glared at us.

“Who are they, Vaughn?” she demanded, her voice rising. “Don’t tell me you had someone else coming over tonight.”

Vaughn let out a heavy groan and rubbed between his brows. “There is a misunderstanding here,” he said, sounding exhausted. He glanced at me, his tone shifting into something more commanding. “Take your friend upstairs. The guest room is down the left corridor at the end of the hall.”

His date’s face twisted with clear irritation, but I didn’t have any energy left to stand there and watch the drama. I grabbed Erica’s cold hand and pulled her up the stairs without another word. It was too late to look for a hotel, and we couldn’t go back to our old places. We were stuck here.

Upstairs, the voices downstairs faded as I pushed open the guest room door and turned on the light. The room was simple, with fresh sheets that smelled like detergent. I led Erica to the bed and we both sank onto it.

I could still hear Vaughn trying to calm his date, using that low coaxing tone he probably pulled out for every woman he brought home. A fresh wave of irritation washed over me. Typical Vaughn, always playing the field like it meant nothing. The man hadn’t changed one bit. Just thinking of the way he caught me earlier got under my skin.

Worse my mind kept drifting back to him

Erica finally spoke, her voice shaky as she sat on the edge of the bed. “I can’t believe this is my life now,” she whispered. “Walking in on Kade like that and then ending up here… with him.” Her emotions were surging up again, triggered by Vaughn’s half-naked date downstairs.

I sat beside her and put an arm around her shoulders, trying to ignore the deep ache in my own chest. “We’ll figure something out in the morning. Right now we just need to get through tonight.”

“He is such an asshole,” she said bitterly. “And we were already trying for a baby.”

I sighed and kept listening, playing the role of the devoted best friend even though I was hurting just as badly. Maybe focusing on her pain was the only way to distract myself from my own. My lips twitched as I held back my own tears. I don’t know how much time passed, but I finally managed to get Erica’s emotions stable enough that she fell asleep curled up against me. At some point, exhaustion pulled me under too and I drifted off beside her.

My brows furrowed as my eyes fluttered open later. The room was still dark. I glanced toward the window and saw that it was still night outside. My throat felt painfully parched and a strong urge for water hit me. I pulled my legs over the side of the bed and got up carefully. My head was pounding. A groan escaped my lips as I pressed a hand to my throbbing temples and walked out of the room.

The corridor was empty, and my footsteps echoed softly as I made my way downstairs. From the stairs I could still see the mess from earlier, rose petals scattered everywhere. My stomach churned at the sight. Vaughn had probably spent the night f*****g his little date. I clicked my tongue, a bitter taste rising in my mouth which I tried to ignore.

The kitchen was dark. I fumbled around until I found the light switch, flipped it on, and headed for the refrigerator. I grabbed a bottle of water and a clean glass from the cabinet. I poured until the glass was halfway full. Frost formed on the cold surface as my fingers curled around it. I didn’t lift it to drink, just stared blankly at the water.

Something dropped into the glass. I froze, feeling a wet tear roll down my cheek. My trembling fingers reached up to touch my eyes. I was really crying. Once the tears started, I couldn’t stop them. I thought I had run out of tears earlier, but my body had just been waiting to fully process everything.

My mind kept replaying the scene like a broken record. Five whole years gone just like that. I felt like a complete fool. I couldn’t understand why. Were there signs I had ignored? So many questions ran through my head with no answers, and my sobs grew louder. My hand started trembling badly.

“Are you crying?” a deep voice suddenly spoke from beside me.

A cold jolt shot through my body. I jolted hard. The glass slipped from my fingers, shattered on the floor, and I stumbled backwards, crashing against something solid and cold.

My head snapped around and I met a pair of sharp jade eyes. “Vaughn,” I gasped. My hands clumsily tried to wipe away the tears. “You’re seeing things. I’m not crying.” It was a complete lie.

“What are you doing here?” I asked.

His brows furrowed like I had asked the stupidest question in the world. He reached a hand toward my cheek but dropped it halfway. “Do I need permission from you to move around my own house?” he asked with that annoying sarcastic tone that always got under my skin.

My face scrunched up and for a moment I forgot I was crying. “I guess you don’t. I hope you had a pretty wild night. The living room is still a complete mess.”

Vaughn’s brows furrowed deeper. “Nothing happened. I sent her away.” His gaze sharpened. “Why do you care? It sounds like you want to be in her place. Did breaking up with Rowan mess up your brain?”

I drew in a sharp breath. “I don’t f*****g care who you f**k,” I snapped, trying to shove him off.

He didn’t budge. If anything, he pushed closer, forcing me back against the counter. His hand braced beside me, trapping me between his body and the edge. His face hovered over mine.

“It doesn’t look like you don't give a f**k, princess,” he scoffed. A slow smirk curled on his lips that sent chills down my spine. “Why are you lying, princess? Do you have some secret fantasy about me?” His voice dropped to a low, raspy tone that made me suddenly very aware of him.

That was when I realised he was shirtless, probably fresh out of the shower. Cold droplets of water landed on my skin. My eyes wandered even though I didn’t want them to, from the sharp line of his nose, down the water trailing over his lips and chin, past his Adam’s apple, over his chest and down to those rock-hard eight-pack abs.

My face burned. I had always known he was hot, but seeing him this close left me uncomfortable in a completely different way. My legs pressed together without thinking. I gulped as I followed another droplet disappearing into the deep V-line of his hips.

“Are you done staring, princess?” he asked. “Is it exactly how you imagined?”

My head snapped up, caught red-handed. Our faces were inches apart now. Our lips brushed as I felt his breath on my skin, carrying a faint mint scent.

He was even more gorgeous up close. My lips parted and my throat felt scorching. A defiant smile curled on my mouth. “What makes you think I fantasise about you?” I scoffed.

“Who knows… " You might be the one who wants to get into my panties so badly,” I purred. His pupils dilated.

“You wish. I don’t deal with spoiled little princesses,” he snickered.

Something twisted painfully in my chest. My fingers curled into a fist. “Are you sure?” I asked, leaving him momentarily puzzled.

Before he could react, I did something I never imagined myself doing. My lips crashed against Vaughn Draven's lips.

He gasped and froze the moment our lips met. I didn’t give him time to pull away. I bit his bottom lip so hard he had no choice but to open his mouth. My tongue swept inside and a low groan escaped him. That was when everything flipped.

His hands caught my hips, holding me firmly in place as his body pressed hard against mine, radiating heat. He took control, ravaging my mouth like he had been waiting for the chance to shut me up.

It felt like I had walked straight into a trap.