Suddenly Forbidden (Gray Springs University, #1)

by Ella Fields

“I’m not scared. You and me … like the moon and the stars, we’re permanent.”

His departing words felt like knives, piercing the flesh of my breastbone and plunging beneath, causing my heart to bleed instantly.

I don’t know if I could ever exist without you. Well, he clearly could. I squeezed my eyes shut

He was mine, he wanted me, and because of how obvious he was about it, I didn’t let the jealousy or mean things some people said about me get under my skin.

“Gotten stronger every fucking day, month, and year. To the point where you’ve become a permanent part of me, and I don’t know if I could ever exist without you.”

“You’re everything good in this world. You glow so brightly, I never stood a chance.”

Why her and not me?

honey, if he doesn’t hold out until you guys can meet up again, then maybe he’s not the one for you.”

One look at her sorrow-filled, beautiful face had me wanting to throw her to the grass and tear her stupid, luscious dark hair out while screaming, “Give me my boyfriend back!”

“Boyfriend stealing ninja.”

He’s hurt you. Badly. He’s made it clear he’s not coming back to fix that. You’ve let it hurt, and now it’s time to stop hurting even if that means doing things that scare you.”

“I’m going to kiss you. Just throwing it out there so you have enough time to wrap your brain around it.”

“He’s an idiot.” “So is she,” I said with complete sincerity. Then he kissed me.

She was my first in every way, in a way that messed up something fundamental inside me when I realized we weren’t going to be each other’s last.

We were the breeze that ruffled the dandelions. The sun that scorched our skin red until we searched for reprieve under our favorite willow tree. And underneath the stretch of dark skies, we were each other’s stars.

I loved Alexis, but this wasn’t fair. It wasn’t the kind of love she deserved. Not when I’d loved someone else since before I even knew what the word meant.

That was the thing about first love. People often said a first love stayed with you long after you met your second, third, or even fourth love. What they failed

Having someone look at you like that and touch you like you were made for them.

I don’t want another life. I want this one. With you.”

“I can’t stop. I can’t do this anymore. It’s you and me. It was always meant to be you and me, and I’m done trying to fight it.”

“You smell and taste like my heart,” he whispered to the underside of my chin, pressing lazy kisses. “And you feel like fucking heaven.”

There really were no winners when it came to games of the heart. Unless you count your miseries as victories.

It was kind of disturbing how you never knew just how selfish you could be until you came face to face with everything you’d ever wanted.

Maybe you didn’t always need to try to capture beauty. Sometimes, you simply needed to experience it, let it seep into you and fill your soul with color instead.

“Because without the stars, the moon is left alone to battle the dark.”