Forbidden Heat

**Chapter 1: Sparks in the Shadows**

The summer heat clung to the small town of Ashwood like a lover who wouldn’t let go, sticky and relentless. Eighteen-year-old Riley Parker leaned against the rusted chain-link fence behind the old diner, her cropped tank top barely containing the sweat glistening on her skin. She flicked a cigarette butt into the gravel, her sharp green eyes scanning the empty lot. She wasn’t waiting for just anyone—she was waiting for *him*. Ethan Cross, the bad boy with a smirk that could melt steel and a reputation for trouble that matched her own.

“You’re late, Cross,” Riley called out as Ethan sauntered into view, his leather jacket slung over one shoulder despite the sweltering heat. His dark hair was mussed, and his jeans hung low enough to hint at the V of muscle disappearing beneath the waistband. He grinned, all teeth and danger.

“Miss me that much, Parker? Couldn’t wait to get me alone?” His voice was a low drawl, dripping with suggestion as he closed the distance between them.

Riley rolled her eyes, but the heat pooling in her core betrayed her. “Dream on. I just don’t like being kept waiting. You gonna make it worth my time or what?” She crossed her arms, pushing her chest out just enough to catch his gaze. She wasn’t some shy little thing; she knew exactly how to play this game.

Ethan’s smirk widened as he stepped closer, the scent of motor oil and something distinctly *him* hitting her senses. “Oh, I’ll make it worth your while, babe. Question is, can you keep up?” He reached out, brushing a strand of her auburn hair behind her ear, his thumb grazing her jaw. The touch sent a jolt straight through her, and she hated how much she liked it.

“Keep up?” Riley scoffed, stepping into his space until their bodies were inches apart. “I’ll have you begging before the night’s over. Bet you can’t handle a girl who knows what she wants.” Her voice was a challenge, sharp and unyielding, as her fingers trailed down his chest, teasing the edge of his shirt.

Ethan’s eyes darkened, his breath hitching just enough to let her know she’d struck a nerve. “Big talk, Parker. Let’s see if that mouth of yours is good for more than just sass.” He grabbed her hips, pulling her flush against him, and she could feel the hard press of him through his jeans. It made her pulse race, but she wasn’t about to let him take the lead.

“Careful, Cross. I bite,” she warned, her lips curling into a wicked smile as she tilted her head up, their mouths so close she could taste the heat of his breath. Her hands slid under his shirt, nails scraping lightly over his skin, and she reveled in the way his muscles tensed under her touch.

“Good,” he growled, his grip tightening on her ass, pulling her even closer. “I like it rough.”

Riley’s laugh was low and dangerous as she pushed him back against the fence, her body pinning his. “Then shut up and show me what you’ve got.” Her words were a dare, and as their lips crashed together in a hungry, desperate kiss, she knew this was only the beginning. The night was young, and the heat between them was about to ignite into something explosive.