The Trouble With Us: A Second Chance Love Triangle (The Forbidden Love 2)

The alarm's obnoxious tone blasts through the bedroom.

My body jolts upright, eyes barely able to open as a yawn escapes me. I roll toward the nightstand, hit snooze, and fall back into the pillow. It’s so warm and soft, making it all the more inviting. I close my eyes, telling myself only a few more minutes until the sound echoes through the room again.

“Turn it off,” Austin groans beside me.

I reach for my phone, and turn off the alarm rather than snoozing again. I really need to find a more calming way to wake up in the morning. This brutal noise does nothing but stress me out every morning.

“I should get up,” I tell him, stretching my arms over my head. “I have work today.”

Austin wraps his arms around my waist, dragging me back down to snuggle beside him. His skin is warm, making it even harder for me to get out of bed.

“I’m sure you can spare a few minutes.”

He presses his body against me. It didn’t help that I was a night person and him a morning person. Our bodies were out of sync, which makes it difficult when you try to have sex and the other person is tired and irritable.

“You have no clue how to take a few minutes.” I chuckle, swatting his arm, “And last night was more than enough. I seriously need to go.”

“Fine,” he grunts playfully. “Go to work. Just remember your poor old fiancé will be suffering blue balls all day.”

“You know, as someone studying medicine, you should know that there is no such thing.”

Austin raises his brows with a smug look on his face. “I thought you had somewhere to be?”

I climb out of bed, heading straight for Austin’s wardrobe where my pencil skirt and ivory blouse are hanging.

“I do, so I’ll leave you to help

yourself,” I tease.

My snooze left me little time to enjoy the shower. I quickly get changed, keeping my make-up minimal and tying my hair back into a ponytail. For my twenty-third birthday last year, Mom bought me a pair of patent Louboutins. She swears by them, said they are a staple part of a corporate wardrobe. They are comfortable, even for me, and thankfully they do go with everything.

I place them on and head into the kitchen as Austin follows not too long afterward.

“I’ve got some day on me,” Austin whistles while pouring cereal into his bowl. “A lecture then heading over to the hospital. Are we still catching up tonight?”

“I’ve got no plans. I was going to stay in the city tonight then head back home to study. I’ve got a paper due on Tuesday, so lucky me.”

“Dinner and a movie?”

“It’s Friday,” I remind him with a playful smirk. “How about drinks and dancing?”

Austin shakes his head with a knowing grin. “What happened the last time we did that?”

I take a bite of my toast, unable to control the laughter, which causes me to choke on a piece. Quickly, I wash it down with some coffee.

“We ended up buying cowboy hats and entered our own hot dog eating competition.”

“And then what happened?”

“I threw up in the street.” I shudder at the memory. “But this time is different.”

Austin chuckles. “Why? You suddenly made your stomach turn to steel?”

“No, we stop at two shots. Enough to loosen up, but still able to dance and have fun.”

Austin’s roommate, Jonah, walks in, shirtless and dressed in a pair of boxers with love hearts all over them. I quickly check the time, choosing to hold back my comments on his attire and kiss Austin goodbye.

Outside the window, the sun begins to set over the city. My eyes blur from the constant stare at the computer screen. The day seemed to flash before my eyes, only feeling like I’d just stepped into the office.