A Forbidden Affair - The Spark

Days passed, and Lena noticed Jayden was avoiding her. The only glimpses she caught of him were from afar, usually when he was talking to others.

It was strange.

She had wanted him to leave her alone, just not like this.

Not completely like she didn’t exist.

Today was the day they meet up at the book club, and she found herself oddly excited. At least there, they might finally talk. And clear things up between them.

She didn’t even understand why she felt this way.

Standing in front of her wardrobe, she let her fingers trail across her clothes before finally pulling out a form-fitting emerald silk dress. The rich color glowed softly under the light, complementing her skin perfectly.

She layered a tailored black blazer over it, giving the look a touch of sophistication. To balance the elegance with confidence, she slipped into pointed-toe stiletto boots that clicked sharply against the floor.

Gold hoop earrings followed, along with a delicate pendant necklace resting just above her collarbone.

She paused in front of the mirror, taking herself in.

A small smile curved her lips as she blew herself a kiss.

Sexy and commanding.

Exactly what she was going for.

When she arrived, she parked her car and adjusted a loose strand of her hair before checking her reflection in the mirror.

She shook her head playfully and stepped out.

“Hey everyone,” she said casually, a soft smile on her face.

They greeted her warmly.

But her eyes were already searching.

Looking for him.

Jayden wasn’t there.

Her chest sank slightly, disappointment creeping in before she could stop it.

She told herself it didn’t matter.

After the meeting ended, it was time to leave.

As usual, she offered Sarah a ride home since they lived close to each other.

The car was quiet for a while.

“Are you good?” Sarah finally asked, turning to look at her.

Lena forced a smile. “Yeah, I am. Why do you ask?”

“You’ve been kind of quiet lately,” Sarah said, studying her.

Lena hesitated.

Then

“Can I ask you something?”

Sarah nodded. “Of course.”

“Do you know why Jayden didn’t come today?”

“No idea. Wait a minute, how am I supposed to know? Maybe he was busy.”

“You think?” Lena murmured, glancing sideways before sighing.

Sarah’s expression shifted, a teasing smile creeping in.

“What is this about?”

Lena frowned slightly. “Nothing.”

“You like him.”

“Sarah!” Lena snapped, her voice sounding sharp.

Sarah burst into laughter.

When Lena got home, she didn’t even give herself time to overthink.

Instead, she made a decision.

She was going to talk to him.

Tonight.

She prepared his favorite meal; he might say no to me, but not to this beautiful dish.

Standing in front of his apartment door, she took a deep breath before ringing the bell.

No answer.

She knocked.

Still nothing.

Just as she was about to turn away, the door opened.

Jayden stood there.

Wearing nothing but a pair of shorts.

Her breath caught.

His toned abs were on full display, droplets of sweat still clinging faintly to his skin. His hair was slightly damp, like he had just gotten back from the gym.

And the look on his face

Pure shock.

“Lena…”

“Uh… I…” she stuttered, suddenly aware of her surroundings; her heartbeat could be heard from a mile away, the way he was looking at her.

She exhaled deeply.

“I’m sorry.”

His brows furrowed slightly. “For?”

She lifted her chin.

“For accusing you of stalking me.”

A pause.

“Okay,” he said simply, already moving to close the door.

Her eyes widened, and she quickly placed her hand against it.

"Wait."

He looked at her, confused.

“I made…” she gestured awkwardly.

His gaze dropped to what she was holding.

“You made my favorite?” he asked, surprise flickering across his face.

“Don’t sound too cocky,” she said with a small smile. “I just made food.”

He hesitated for a moment before taking it from her.

Then stepped aside.

“You can come in.”

She shifted slightly. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

“That depends. Do you want to?”

She nodded and stepped inside.

The moment she entered, his scent surrounded her clean, masculine, and familiar in a way that made her chest tighten.

She glanced around.

The apartment was neat. Organized. Mature.

It surprised her.

A few years ago, she wouldn’t have believed Jayden would ever leave his father’s house, let alone live somewhere like this.

He motioned for her to sit.

“I just got back from the gym. I need to shower. Give me a few minutes.”

“Okay,” she said quietly.

As soon as he disappeared, her eyes wandered.

Taking everything in.

Then her gaze landed on a frame near his drawer.

She tried to ignore it.

But curiosity won.

She stepped closer and picked it up.

Her breath hitched.

It was a picture of them.

From years ago.

A memory frozen in time—

laughter, happiness… and him leaning in to peck her while taking a selfie.

She had thought he got rid of everything that reminded him of her.

But he didn’t.

Her fingers traced the frame softly as she pulled it close to her chest.

And then

The bathroom door opened.

She froze.

Jayden stepped out, a towel hanging loosely around his waist, water droplets sliding down his skin.

Her eyes widened, and she quickly looked away, heat rushing to her face.

He walked over, gently taking the frame from her hands.

For a moment, he just stared at it.

Then he reached out, lifting her chin so she could look at him.

“Lena…” His voice softened. “I’m sorry for how you felt back then. Please… can you forgive me? Let’s start over.”

Her eyes widened.

“Jayden…” she whispered.

“I promise I won’t hurt you. And no one else will either; let's go back to how we were but this time in the right way."

His gaze held hers.

“Just give me a chance.”

Her thoughts tangled, words refusing to come out.

And before she could stop him

He kissed her.

Gently.

It had been so long.

And yet, it felt familiar.

Comforting.

“I’ve missed this,” he murmured, resting his forehead against hers.

She blinked, then pushed him slightly.

"Jayden, I don’t want this.”

He gasped dramatically, placing a hand on his chest.

“Wow. Never thought I’d live to see the day I get rejected.”

She laughed despite herself. “You’re so dramatic.”

He grinned.

“What must I do to win the heart of this beautiful lady beside me?”

“I don’t think."

“Dinner,” he cut in immediately. “That’s a good one.”

“I didn’t even say anything!”

“You did,” he replied confidently.

She rolled her eyes, a smile tugging at her lips.

“There’s no winning with you, right?”

He winked.

And she felt it within her.

The spark between them became alive.

Was this a beginning for her?