When Linda develops a crush on her best friend's dad, she knows it's a hopeless fantasy. But her world shatters when she catches him kissing her sister. Desperate to escape the pain, she enrolls at Brookstones University, determined to leave behind everyone who betrayed her. Yet, fate has other plans-her heartbreaker is now a professor in her department. Will Linda suppress her forbidden desires, or will she risk it all for a chance at the love she's always wanted? Dive into this captivating story to find out!
Chapter 1 One
My sister's jaw dropped at the sight of my outfit for my birthday. "Seriously, Linda, it's your birthday, not some ridiculous 'show off your butt' parade. This crazy idea of seducing a man old enough to be your dad will never work. Damien will never notice you because you're a child."
"I'm not a child. I'm eighteen!" I fired back. She rolled her eyes, crouched down and began helping me buckle my gladiator sandals.
Annoyed, my finger traced the crystal on my necklace, a gift from my dad to my mom before she passed away.
My birthday was a big event to mark my entrance into adulthood. But for me, it was a cruel reminder of my mother's death. She'd died giving birth to me, and the anniversary always made this day hard. While my friends fantasized about getting tattoos and the thrill of newfound legal freedom, all I wanted was to curl up in bed with a bowl of popcorn and my favorite romance novels.
The only reason I hadn't bailed on the party entirely was because I knew my dad's best friend, Damien, would be there.
Damien was... well, complicated. He was my dad's best friend, a college professor, and my best friend Mimi's father. He was also the man I had been quietly, obsessively in love with for as long as I could remember.
No one knew about my feelings except Erica, and she wasn't exactly supportive.
"First off, I have no plans to seduce anyone. This outfit isn't that bad. And second, Damien is not old."
"He's twenty years older than you. How are you not seeing that?"
I let out a frustrated groan, running my hands through my hair. Erica had no idea what it was like to be in love with someone you couldn't control your feelings for.
"All I want is for him to notice me as a woman, not a little girl."
"Are you out of your mind?" Erica bristled. "You're going to embarrass yourself, and when it blows up in your face, I'll be right there to tell you 'I told you so.'"
I pouted, folding my arms across my chest. "You told me to wait until I was an adult, and now I'm eighteen. What's so wrong with telling him how I feel? I'm not hurting anyone."
She crossed her arms, glaring at me with a sharpness that matched her words. Nature had clearly distributed its gifts unevenly between us. She had boobs, I had hips
"What if he says no? And what about Mimi? She's your best friend. Do you honestly think she'll be okay with you dating her dad? If the roles were reversed, would you want her hooking up with our dad?"
As much as I hated to admit it, Mimi wouldn't exactly be thrilled to have me as her dad's girlfriend.
"Good luck," Erica added with a smirk. "You're going to need it."
I watched her leave and exhaled a defeated sigh. The party was in full swing, with music blaring and people dancing. My dad, ever the eccentric, was dancing around with my classmates, his long, scraggly hair flopping around his face like an old rock star.
Despite the fun atmosphere, I couldn't relax. I scanned the room, searching for Damien. He hadn't arrived yet, and without him, the whole thing felt pointless.
The night dragged on. I kept my eyes glued to the driveway, waiting for that familiar black Range Rover to pull in.
After what felt like forever, Damien arrived. Mimi rushed ahead of him, excitedly holding a bag of gifts. She complained about her dad dragging his feet, but I barely heard her. All I could see was Damien, stepping out of his car with that same calm, commanding presence that made my heart race.
His shirt was unbuttoned at the top, revealing just enough of his muscular chest to make my head spin. He was like something out of a dream, tall, dark, and irresistibly handsome.
He caught my gaze and gave me a brief nod, his face as unreadable as ever.
"Happy birthday, Linda," he said, handing me a neatly wrapped gift. "I'm not great at picking out presents, but I hope this is something you'll like."
Our fingers brushed as I took the gift, and the contact sent a jolt through my body. I quickly opened it to find a beautifully illustrated encyclopedia about forests. I smiled, remembering how he used to humor me when I'd pester him with questions about his environmental research.
"Thank you," I whispered, trying not to let my voice shake. He gave me a small smile but quickly looked away when I adjusted my top.
Before I could say anything else, Mimi dragged me inside, completely oblivious to the moment I'd just shared with her dad.
"So, tonight's the night you finally get laid?" she teased, her eyes sparkling mischievously. "I mean, seriously, how are you still single? With that body? You should've had boys lining up by now."
I shrugged, glancing over at Damien as he made his way toward the art studio.
"I don't need a boy," I said, my voice quiet but firm. "I'm waiting for the right man."
She wrinkled her nose. "You sound like you're straight out of one of those weird romance novels you're always reading."
I laughed it off, but my mind was elsewhere. All I could think about was finding Damien alone. My heart pounded with anticipation.
I slipped away when Mimi got distracted, searching the house for Damien. I found him in the studio, but my blood turned cold when I saw him. He wasn't alone. He was kissing my sister.
My heart dropped into my stomach.
"Erica!" I blurted out, my voice trembling with shock.
Both of them froze, turning to look at me. Erica's face was blank, but Damien's eyes were filled with guilt.
"No," I whispered, shaking my head in disbelief.
"Linda," Erica said, stepping toward me. "It's not what you think-"
I didn't wait for her to finish. I bolted upstairs, tears blurring my vision. I slammed my bedroom door shut and collapsed onto the floor, my heart shattering into pieces.
With shaking hands, I logged onto the college admissions website and accepted my spot at Eldridge University, far away from everything and everyone I'd ever known.
I needed to get out of here. Away from Erica. Away from Damien. Away from the broken pieces of my heart.
Chapter 1 One
12/09/2024
Chapter 2 Two
12/09/2024
Chapter 3 Three
12/09/2024
Chapter 4 Four
12/09/2024
Chapter 5 Five
12/09/2024
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