Page 19 of Muse (The Forbidden Hearts #1)

SOPHIE

W e spend another two hours in the gallery, moving from one piece of art to the next. I’ve never felt so free with someone, never enjoyed someone’s presence so thoroughly, besides Sal. But this is different . He sparks joy in my soul. He makes me feel seen, appreciated, and valued.

We discuss everything from art, to music, to movies… just getting to know each other in the most natural way. His love for cult classic horror movies both surprises me and makes me like him even more, as a movie girl myself. His music taste is a bit questionable, though. But that can be forgiven.

The best part is his laugh. I’ve never seen him truly laugh until tonight, and when he does, the whole room lights up like nothing I’ve ever seen. It’s contagious. And he has a good sense of humor. At this point, I’m convinced I must be dreaming.

The whole thing is surreal, that I’m here, with my teacher, having the best night of my life. I don’t want it to end. As the event begins to wind down, we hear a man calling Theo’s name.

“Theo, wait up!”

We turn and find him striding towards us. Dirty blonde hair, lean, and fashionably dressed. A warm, friendly smile that quickly has me giving one in return.

“Gavin! Great to see you, man.” Theo gets pulled into a hug, but this time, he doesn’t seem to mind. The smile on his face is huge.

“And who is this stunning woman?” Gavin asks, taking my hand and placing a gentle kiss on the back of it. “Finally got yourself a date?”

Theo clears his throat, caught off guard and clearly unsure how to respond.

“This is Sophie. Sophie, meet Gavin.” My stomach erupts with butterflies. He didn’t introduce me as his student, didn’t correct Gavin’s assumption that we are here together.

“Nice to meet you, gorgeous.” He winks, in a cutesy way, and I decide I already love him. “Where the hell have you been, Theo?”

“I’ve actually moved back home.”

“Well, damn. We miss you around here. Don’t be such a stranger.”

Theo chuckles, “I won’t. How’s work?”

“Ah, you know, same old. It’s application vetting time, so that keeps me busy.”

At that, Theo’s eyes shift to me. I see a spark of something alight within them. “Actually, Sophie is an artist. A quite talented one at that. Sophie—Gavin works for the admissions department at SCAD.”

My eyes go wide. “No way! That’s a dream school for me.”

Gavin’s eyes narrow suspiciously. “Wait, how old are you?”

My eyes flit to Theo, before I answer honestly. “I’m eighteen. I graduate in May.”

Theo clears his throat and Gavin lets out a low chuckle, waggling his eyebrows. “A little young for you, Theo.” I can tell it’s in jest though, Gavin doesn’t seem the type to be judgemental, especially considering he doesn’t know the facts .

“She’s my student.” Theo’s eyes roll. I hate him saying that. “Sophie, did you apply for SCAD?”

“I did… it’s a long shot school for me, though.” I cringe, knowing I’m not likely to get a spot. Cue the embarrassment. Plus, my parents will never approve.

“Well, we’ll see about that! Give me your full name and I’ll take a close look at your application. Any friend of Theo’s is a friend of mine.” He winks, and I light up inside. No way. This is officially the best night ever.

I give him my information and we say our goodbyes, Gavin rushing off into the night. And then… here we are. Left standing out front, the crowd around us thinning as we breathe in the fresh air. Silence stretches between us. I’m not ready to say goodnight.

“I’ll walk you to your car, it’s late. Where’d you park?” Such a gentleman.

“Kind of far… you don’t have to. I’ll be okay.”

He scoffs, “Absolutely not. I’m making sure you make it home safely.” I won’t lie, his protective streak does something funny to my insides.

I turn in the right direction and we walk, side by side.

Close enough to touch, but not. The weight of the evening still lingers between us, thick and charged with tension.

The chilly night air wraps around me, brushing against my skin.

I should be cold, but his presence warms me from the inside out.

It feels different with him now, outside of the gallery, outside of school. The lines between us blur, feeling thinner than ever. A single step in the wrong—or right—direction could lead us both astray. I feel it down to my core.

Theo is quiet, hands tucked into the pockets of his dress pants, his sleeves still rolled up from earlier. He looks different like this. Less polished, more undone. Like someone who doesn’t belong in a place as refined as an art gallery, yet earlier he fit in just fine .

“Are you hungry?” He asks suddenly, breaking the silence.

I glance over at him, surprised. “You eat food?”

A small smirk tugs at the corners of his lips. “Occasionally.”

I let the silence fill the space for a moment.

“I guess I figured you survived on black coffee and brooding.”

Theo exhales through his nose, shaking his head. But he still wears that damn smirk on his face. He jerks his head toward the street ahead. “There’s a place around the corner, nothing fancy. But the food is good.”

“I don’t need fancy.” I say, letting him take the lead, a thrill running through me at the realization that I am going out to eat with him.

The small noodle shop is the kind of place that seems to exist outside of time.

Dimly lit, quietly humming with life, but never too busy.

The air is thick with the scent of soy sauce, sizzling garlic, and broth.

The warmth settles into my bones, comforting after the cold air outside.

I glance around as we stand in the entryway, waiting to be seated.

My fingers are still tingling from where they brushed against Theo’s as we both reached to open the door.

He’s chivalrous, I’ll give him that.

We slide into a booth near the back, and peruse the menu.

When the waitress asks for our orders, I defer to Theo, trusting he knows what food here is best. He orders without hesitation.

Two bowls of spicy noodles, a side of dumplings, and hot tea for the both of us.

My stomach rumbles in anticipation. I hadn’t realized it before, but I’m starving.

“So, do you make a habit of bringing women here for late-night dinners, or am I special?” I smile, mostly joking, but there’s a true question hidden in there somewhere. I want to know how he feels about this. About me. But I’m too scared to ask him outright .

He exhales sharply, shaking his head. But his expression softens at my words.

“I don’t do this.”

I freeze. “Don’t do what?”

His gaze lifts to meet mine. “This.” He pauses. “You.”

The words hang heavily in the air between us. But before I can respond, the food arrives. Steam curls, rising from the ramen bowls. The smell is delicious and savory, overpowering my senses. We grab our chopsticks and dive in, the food exactly what I needed after a long night.

We talk, and it comes so easily. No awkwardness.

The conversation just flows between us. He tells me of his travels and I speak of the places I’d love to one day see.

We discuss his love for literature, and I’m enrapt as he speaks, the words so infused with his passion.

It’s so effortless, being here with him.

I tell him about my art, and how my parents have never understood it. Never appreciated it or encouraged me to follow my dreams. How they see it as a distraction, not a future.

Theo listens intently, his gaze never leaving mine. His fingers tighten around his chopsticks as I detail the things both my mother and father have said to me. Finally, he speaks.

“People think they know what’s best for you… and when you don’t fit their mold, they try to break you, to fit you into it.”

Something in his voice… he is speaking from experience. But I don’t want to be nosy, so I don’t ask.

“Do you believe people can change?” I ask suddenly, my voice barely louder than a whisper.

Theo glances at me, his profile lit softly by the table lamplight. He doesn’t answer right away.

“Yeah,” he says. “But not for someone else. Only when it hurts too much to stay the same.”

I nod slowly, wrapping my arms around myself.

“I used to think if I loved someone enough, I could make them love me back. ”

That makes his eyes flick to mine. “You don’t believe that anymore?”

“I’m trying not to,” I say. “But it’s hard to unlearn something that’s stitched into your skin.”

For a beat, he doesn’t say anything. Then he leans forward slightly, resting his elbows on the table between us. His voice is quiet.

“For what it’s worth… you don’t have to earn love, Sophie. Those who deserve you, will give it unconditionally.”

My throat tightens. He means it. I can feel it in my bones. But that doesn’t make it easy to believe.

Still, I say, “Thanks,” because it’s all I can give him right now.

And maybe, for now, it’s enough.

We eat slowly, savoring every bite. Savoring every moment, here, together. I don’t want this night to end. I want to wrap myself up in his words, in his presence, and stay here forever. The smile on his face, so genuine, tells me he feels the same.

He pays the bill, refusing my card when I try to cover my half. There’s that gentleman side of him again. As we exit the restaurant, he stops abruptly. A curious expression on his face.

“Follow me.”

I quirk an eyebrow, but he’s moving before I can question him.

We head in the opposite direction of my car, and I race to keep up.

He walks with purpose, his stride never once faltering.

When we come upon a tall brick building, and circle the back of it, I begin to question his sanity.

He stops before a fire escape and I finally get the chance to ask him what the hell we are doing.

“Are we about to break in? Are you secretly a criminal?” I laugh, but also, I really don’t know what the hell his plans are here.

“Do you trust me?” He smirks, like he already knows the answer.

I hesitate, but only for a moment. “Yes. ”

I do.

He nods, then begins his ascent with me close on his heels.

When we reach the top, and he leads me to the opposite roof’s edge, I gasp in awe.

The view from here is the most incredible thing I’ve ever seen.

Atlanta is a beautiful city, but from up here, it’s magnificent.

The skyline is alight with skyscrapers, the stars in the sky winking at us, here together under the night sky.

It’s breathtaking, and the quiet, chilly air wraps around us as we take it all in.

I lower to the ground, the low edge of the roof allowing me to still see the view.

Beautiful dress be damned. He joins me, sitting close enough that our legs just touch.

My leg warms at the point of connection.

When I shiver, he moves closer, wrapping an arm around my shoulders and rubbing my bare arm.

“Are you cold? I’m sorry, I wish I had my jacket… We can go, if you’re ready.”

“No,” It comes out quickly, my voice betraying my eagerness to stay. I’m not ready to leave, to go back to the real world. This has to be a dream, and I’m not ready for it to end. “I’m okay.”

He laughs lightly, squeezing me a bit closer to him. I relax into his side, soaking up his warmth, his touch. When I finally turn to look at him, he’s staring at me, not the view. His dark eyes intense, his expression unreadable. And he’s right there, so close, our lips just a breath away.

“Sophie…” he says, his expression turning to one of angst, of pain.

A thrill jolts through me, and I throw caution to the wind. Circumstances be damned.

“Tell me to stop.” My voice comes out breathy and low as I move my face closer to his.

His throat bobs, his jaw tensing.

Tell me this is a mistake.

But he doesn’t.

His other hand moves to my face, caressing my cheek. I can see the war in his eyes, the hesitation even now. For just a moment.

And then he presses his lips to mine.

At first, it’s slow and gentle—testing. My heart races and my body aches to get closer to him. I let out a breathy moan, wanting more, and that’s all it takes.

His hand weaves into my hair, cradling the back of my head and tilting it back, giving him better access to my mouth.

He presses my lips to his with more force, taking more from me.

Taking all I have and want to give. The kiss intensifies tenfold, his tongue darting out, teasing me.

His hand slips from my shoulder to my waist as he turns his body towards mine.

Sparks fly, electricity zinging between us. My mind swirls with emotion as I have the best kiss of my life. One I never want to end. My hands are greedy, scaling up and down his arms, his back, touching him. In a way I never thought possible.

When we finally break for air, foreheads pressed against each other, both of us breathing heavily… I know there is no going back.