**WATTPAD HQ EDITOR'S PICK Nov/Dec 2021**
BOOK ONE in the STEAMY FORBIDDEN ROMANCE series
Coralie Watson, a British thirty-year-old living in San Francisco, has a tormented past with men. Physical and mental abuse, abandonment issues, incompatibili...
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🔥STEAMY ALERT—towards the end, a bit of naughtiness going on ;) 🔥
♫ But now I'm thinking, I'll never stop thinking about you Yeah, I'm just wondering when I'll stop wondering about you ♪ (FLETCHER—About You)
The day after Coralie's self-imposed quarantine started—sniffling into her pillow and devouring chocolates she'd stashed into her drawers for late-night consumption—Delilah barged in and dragged her from bed.
"Explain yourself."
She forced Coralie to sit on the carnelian chair in the living room and shoved a glass of what appeared to be rum and coke into her hand. She then lowered to the ground and cupped Coralie's knees, squeezing relief into them.
"I came home early this morning and heard you whining. But from what I gathered with the obnoxious selfies you sent me from Paris, everything was going well. What happened?"
It took a few more knee squeezes and several gulps of the very strong rum and coke for Coralie to loosen up. But once she'd finished detailing the trip—crying so much she'd watered down her drink with her tears—Delilah's hardened exterior faded. She snuck onto the chair behind Coralie, wrapping her legs around her, and combing her fingers through her hair.
"I'm so sorry, babe." She raked her nails against Coralie's scalp, which Coralie loved. "It was an asshole move for sure. But I—"
Coralie spun and gripped her wrist. "Don't you dare say you told me so. Don't. I don't want to hear that yet." She hiccupped as a chill coursed up her arm.
Delilah pried out of her grip and captured her cheeks, forcing their foreheads together. "I wasn't going to say that. Not yet, at least. But I was going to say it's for the best." Her strawberry shampoo scent whipped into Coralie's nostrils, dispelling the rage that burned in her veins, the disappointment that raced up and down her spine. "It wouldn't have ended well, even if he hadn't been such a dick. You knew he'd choose her. He had to. You knew."
"I did." Coralie melted off the chair as if she were liquid spilling to the floor. "But it fucking hurts, anyway." She lounged on the carpet, its plushness massaging her sore muscles, its softness lulling her into a calmer state. "It fucking hurts because I gave in."
Delilah joined her and slid her fingers between Coralie's. "Of course it does, doll. And it always will. But you have to move on, resume your life. Your dreams, your passions... you almost put it all on hold for him. The songs, the gig... it's time to return to reality."
Turning onto her side to gape at her roommate and best friend, Coralie sighed. In truth, she'd already started returning to the real world, if anything to occupy her thoughts, to erase Ryan from them.
She'd spent some of her isolation stalking Michael'ssocial media; because she'd put him on hold and kept him in her back pocket. Despite Ryan's sorcery, despite the curse he'd put on her... she still thought about Michael. She still wondered if there could be something there, with him, even after all she'd put him through.
