Falling for My Mother's Fiancé

Forbidden feelings

Selene POV

The hot water streamed over my shoulders as I rinsed shampoo off my hair.

For the first time since I got back from the market, my mind had finally gone quiet.

At least, I thought it had.

A knock came from my bedroom.

I reached for the body wash.

"Mum?" I called over the running water.

Another knock.

"I'll be out in a minute!"

No answer.

Smiling to myself, I squeezed some soap into my palm.

"You can leave the food on my desk!" I shouted, hoping she heard me. "I'll eat when I'm done!"

Still nothing.

I figured she'd heard me anyway.

Mum never waited around for a reply.

A few minutes later, I turned off the shower and wrapped a towel securely around myself before stepping out, rubbing another towel through my damp hair.

"I told you to just leave it on the—"

The words died in my throat.

Edward stood in the middle of my room with a tray of food in his hands.

Our eyes met.

For one long second, neither of us moved.

"Uhm..."

That was all I managed.

Edward looked just as surprised.

"I..." He cleared his throat. "Your mom asked me to bring your dinner."

His voice sounded oddly strained.

Then I realized why.

His eyes weren't looking at my face anymore.

They had drifted lower, from my bare shoulders to the water still glistening against my skin, then the towel wrapped around me.

His gaze dropped another inch before he caught himself.

He swallowed hard and looked away. "I… I… I'm sorry about..." He stammered.

Crossing the room, he quickly placed the tray on my bed as though giving himself something else to focus on.

"I mean… I knocked," he explained without looking at me. "I thought you said to come in."

I blinked, trying hard to steady myself. "Oh." Heat flooded my face. “I... I did."

Edward rubbed the back of his neck.

"I should've realized you meant your mom."

"No." I shook my head quickly. "That's my fault, I should’ve asked who it was."

Silence settled between us.

He still wasn't looking directly at me.

"I'll just..." He gestured awkwardly toward the door. "I didn't mean to interrupt."

"No." I laughed nervously. "Really... it's okay."

He finally looked at me again.

"I'm really sorry."

"Edward."

He paused.

"I told you..." I forced a smile. "It's not like you haven't already seen—"

My entire body froze.

Oh.

My.

God.

My mouth fell open.

Edward's eyes widened.

I clamped both hands over my mouth.

"I didn't mean—" The words hung on my throat. "I mean... that's not..."

Why was I making this worse?

"I wasn't..."

My face burned so badly of embarrassment. ‘Get a grip of yourself, Selene Hart!’ My inner voice screamed.

"It was a slip of the tongue." I managed to say out loud.

Edward looked like he wasn't sure whether to laugh or pretend the sentence had never existed.

"I know what you meant."

"No, you don't."

"I do."

"No, you really don't."

His lips twitched.

"I promise."

"Oh my God."

I wanted the floor to open and swallow me whole.

Right then, something buzzed loudly close to my ear.

I frowned.

What…

A cockroach.

It landed squarely on my bare shoulder.

I screamed. “Get it off me!!!!”

Without thinking, I launched myself forward. Straight at Edward.

Before either of us understood what was happening, Edward caught me effortlessly with both hands wrapped around my waist, almost touching my butt. I didn't think much of it at that point as I was so eager to save myself from that ugly creature, and besides, my hands were wrapped around his neck too. Literally, he lifted me completely off the floor.

The cockroach fluttered away, but neither of us noticed. How could we?

I was too busy realizing I was in his arms.

Again.

His heartbeat thudded steadily beneath my ear.

Mine was doing something far less healthy.

Edward stared at me.

I stared back.

The room suddenly felt impossibly quiet.

His eyes slowly drifted to my lips.

Almost unwillingly.

Then lower as the towel had shifted slightly when I jumped, slightly exposing the areola surrounding my pointy buds.

His breathing suddenly changed and I noticed something rising beneath my waist. Oh merciful God!

Instead of climbing down...

My fingers tightened around his neck, almost like I wanted to stay there a while longer. What was wrong with me?

I didn't even realize I was doing it.

It wasn't planned.

It wasn't logical.

I just… Didn't want him to let go.

His gaze returned to mine.

Something passed between us.

Something neither of us should have been feeling.

"Selene..." The way he whispered my name sent another wave of warmth rushing through me.

For one terrifying second...

I thought he was going to kiss me.

And the worst part—

I wasn't sure I would've stopped him.

Edward shut his eyes briefly.

Then, almost as if waking himself up, he gently lowered me onto the floor.

The moment my feet touched the ground, he released me. "I'm sorry." His voice sounded rough, like he was carrying decades of guilt.

I immediately tightened the knot of my towel. "It's okay."

"No." He shook his head once. "It isn't."

Neither of us said anything.

He took another step backward.

"I should go."

I nodded because I couldn't trust myself to say anything.

Edward reached for the doorknob, then paused for a while like he didn't want to leave.

“Is there anything…” I tried to speak but then he opened the door and walked out without another word.

I stood exactly where he'd left me.

Completely still.

What… Just happened right now?

I slowly sat on the edge of my bed, trying to process the chaos.

The food he'd brought was still warm with steam curling lazily from the bowl.

I wasn't even hungry anymore, I was twice confused than I've ever been.

I buried my face in my hands. "What is wrong with me?"

First, the staircase.

Then the market.

Then kissing Louis.

Now...

This.

Why did my heart keep reacting every single time Edward was near?

It wasn't normal.

It couldn't be.

I forced myself to get dressed before sitting back down on the bed and picked up my fork, trying to push my focus on the food instead.

I barely took one bite when my thoughts drifted back to Edward.

The way he'd looked away instead of taking advantage of the moment.

The way he'd apologized.

The way he'd put distance between us the moment he realized where his thoughts were going.

I set my fork down. "No." I said to myself, shaking my head firmly.

There was only one explanation my mind kept trying to reach which I’ve refused to accept.

"I can't be..." The words caught in my throat.

Falling for him?

"No."

I pushed the plate away.

Absolutely not.

Edward wasn't just any man.

He was my mother's fiancé.

Louis's father and my future stepfather.

Nothing good could ever come out from feelings like these.

If I let this continue...

Someone would get hurt.

Maybe everyone.

I couldn't let that happen.

I just had to survive the rest of Christmas, go back to Chicago, throw myself into work and pretend none of this had ever happened.

Because if I really was falling for him… that would be me making the biggest mistake of my life.