The Crush

For as long as she can remember, the narrator has secretly wanted Jace, her brother Nathan's best friend. He is six years older and has always treated her like the sister he never had.

A decade on, all three are in their twenties. Their parents have died, and Jace has moved in with her and Nathan to help the siblings cover their bills. Under one roof, he is as bossy and protective as ever, but he no longer looks at her the way a brother would.

The attraction runs both ways, and it is hard on both of them. It shows first in small things, like her leg resting against his on movie night while he makes no real move to pull away. She assumes he will never cross that line, and Nathan would be furious if he found out. Eventually the slow burn breaks open anyway.

This is a standalone second-chance romance about forbidden love, told in the first person by the younger woman. The pull between them is physical, but a deeper bond has grown too. Keeping it hidden from Nathan sounds easy, until it stops being easy, and broken trust follows.