"Do you like me?" I asked. "Do you really like me?"
Imogen nodded. Water gathered at the edges of her eyes. "Yeah," she whispered, in a voice pained enough to crack my heart.
"Then let's...go out, after this," I said. "We'll go on a date. We can figure this out together, and we can take one step at a time. Okay?"
Imogen nodded again. I took her hands in mine. 
Heartwood: Forbidden is the tale of the young, headstrong Ophelia stepping into a world of magic and witches. At first it seems like her greatest challenge will be finding her Familiar or drawing her Implement from a great tree, but then she runs into Imogen, daughter and heir to the Magnolia family, and learns very quickly that romance and magic probably shouldn't be allowed to mix. If Ophelia plays the game well, she might be able to get the girl and still end up on top. But Ophelia has never been good at following the rules... 
Heartwood: Forbidden is created by EOK Gifford-Smith, an EGlobal Creative Publishing signed author.

Heartwood: Forbidden

Imogen was still apologizing by lunchtime. We had made pasta in my kitchen after waking up late, and were adjusting some of the furniture to better make room for Olezhka to be comfortable in.


"I don't know what came over me," she said. "I'm not normally a cuddly sleeper--I shouldn't have even been there to begin with. I'm so sorry, it won't happen again. That was such a terrible position to put you in."


Her constant contrition was beginning to grate on my nerves. "It's fine." I said, for not the first time. "You shouldn't worry about it so much."


"I just wouldn't want you to think--It's not what I..." Imogen trailed off.


I felt a twinge of impatience and frustration as the chair I was moving got caught on the rug. I tugged harder, but only succeeded in wrinkling the carpet's corner back onto itself.


"I get it." I said through gritted teeth. "You don't like me like that. You've made that quite clear."


Chapter 24: Whereto Next