The Trouble With Love: An Age Gap Romance (The Forbidden Love 1)

The more I try to play around with staff relocation and look at the costs of having someone else run London, it becomes evident that I’m the best person for the job. But the realization drives resentment throughout me. I dreamed of building this empire only for me to be the one to have sacrifice the one thing I want.

Amelia Edwards.

I fucking miss her like crazy. It almost feels like we’re worlds apart, across an entire ocean. There’s no way in hell that I can live in another country when I need her in my bed, with me, and only me. My jealousy is already an issue in our relationship. Any time she mentions another man’s name or appears in photos with so-called ‘friends,’ my temper gets the better of me. I hate myself for it, but the thought of another man touching her sends me to the brink of insanity.

Just before my flight back to the States, Amelia calls me while I’m queuing to board the plane. Thank God for business class. The line for economy class with screaming children is chaos. The more I observe their behavior, the more I realize how unappealing it is to have kids.

“Hey, I’m just boarding.”

“You’ll be back tomorrow, right?”

“Yes, why? You miss me or something?”

Standing at a complete stop, amongst strangers, I desperately want to tell her I miss her. That it’s been the longest two and half weeks of my life, and I need to be inside her more than ever.

I hear a sigh over the speaker, but her tone is soft and not the usual burst of energy she’s known for. “Can we talk tomorrow when you’re back?”

“Of course.” I wince, remembering the forecast meeting scheduled for tomorrow. “Actually, it might have to wait until tomorrow night. I have a meeting all day tomorrow.”

“We’ll talk then.”

She hangs up the phone without saying another word, not even a goodbye. I send her a quick text before having to shut my phone off.

Me: Is everything okay?

Amelia: It will be.

Me: I love you.

Amelia: I love you, too, Will.

I couldn’t shake off the feeling that something else is troubling her, but there’s nothing I can do right now until I get back on home soil.

“Gentlemen, let’s wrap this meeting up,” I suggest, irritable from the jetlag. “We’ve gone through what we need to go through. We’re just going around in circles now.”

“What about Edwards? Won’t he want to make a decision?”

“Considering this is my company, I’ll consider Lex’s opinion but will ultimately make my own decision.”

I stand up, stretching my arms before exiting the room and going back to my office. Ending that meeting early means I have three extra hours to spend as I please. Upon my walk back to my office, my personal assistant, Heather, motions for me to look at the guest area. My eyes are drawn to the long, lean, tanned legs crossed on the white leather lounge to the black straps wrapped around her ankles.

There’s a familiarity to the legs until I draw up her body and meet the eyes of a gorgeous woman. The same woman I had bedded for close to a year.

“Luciana?” I say, stunned to see her. “What are you doing here?”

Standing up, her eyes implore me while her lips curve up into a smile. She walks toward me wearing a soft V-neck dress, tight and hugging her curves in all the right places. I purse my lips, remembering how sexy of a woman she is.

“I’m in town and wanted to drop by to say hello.” Luciana extends her arms, prompting an embrace which I feel pressured to do. With her arms wrapped around my neck, I hold

her tight for just a moment, then pull back, uncomfortable with how intimate a simple hug feels.

“Is now a bad time?”

“Of course not, please come into my office.”

We enter the office, and I motion for her to take a seat as Heather offers her a beverage. She kindly accepts a glass of water before switching her attention back onto me.

“How have you been?” I ask, resting back in my chair. “Are you still modeling for Victoria’s Secret?”