Falling For Daniel Read online

  Falling for Daniel

  A Falling Series Novella

  Tracy Lorraine

  Copyright © 2017 by Tracy Lorraine

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Edited by Andie M Long

  Formatted by Dandelion Cover Designs

  Cover design by Dandelion Cover Designs

  Nicole and Kenna

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Epilogue

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Also by Tracy Lorraine

  Falling for Molly: Part One Preview

  Falling for Molly: Part One Preview

  Chapter One

  Beth

  * * *

  I saw him the moment I walked into the room. I didn’t want to come to this party. Celebrating was the last thing I felt like doing after everything that had happened over the last few weeks. But here I was staring at what could be my next mistake. Well, next mistake if I allowed myself to go there. I was so done with men.

  Unfortunately, my eyes don’t get the message and are locked on to where he is crouched down in front of two little girls in their party dresses. I feel Liv unhook her arm from mine and move away, but I don’t look over to see where she goes. It’s like my eyes are glued to him.

  I should have learnt my lesson. My choice in men has left me seriously burned, yet here I am, completely lost once again around the sexy, older man in front of me.

  It’s obvious he’s talking to his daughters. At this very moment there is probably a woman shooting me death stares for ogling her husband but even that isn’t enough to stop me.

  I’m just about to drag my eyes away when he looks at me. He holds my eye contact for a second or two before leisurely running his eyes down the length of my body, as he slowly stands to his full height. And to think, I felt he looked powerful and sexy when he was crouched down. His solid body is wrapped in a perfectly cut black suit that fits him like a second skin. It must be tailored. I run my eyes down from his perfectly styled chocolate brown hair, take in his facial features and continue my way down his thick neck to the crisp white shirt he has under his suit. My eyes continue their journey despite my brain telling me to stop and move away. This man screams trouble and that is the last thing I need right now.

  Thankfully, Ryan walks over to him with a drink. It distracts him and allows me to go to where I can hear Abbi and Liv calling me. It felt like I was stood staring at that sexy stranger for ages but when neither Abbi or Liv comment I realise it probably wasn’t as long as I thought.

  I join in with their conversation but I can’t focus. My mind is still fantasising about those dark eyes and strong shoulders.

  “Beth, get those thoughts out of your head right now. Your taste in men has already caused enough drama,” my brother, Caleb, whispers in my ear before handing me a drink. Okay, so maybe it was obvious to some people but then my baby brother was in full on protective mode after everything that had happened.

  “What?” I ask trying my best to look confused by his comment. He just raises an eyebrow at me to let me know he knows exactly what I’m doing.

  The second I accept the glass of red wine from his hands I swallow a huge mouthful as I try to give myself a good talking to, because he is right. I do not need another man, especially one like that. The one I recently ran away from has caused enough pain and heartache to last me a lifetime. Never would be too soon to feel anything like that again. I can’t lie; maybe a good rebound man is just what the doctor ordered to help me forget about the dick I left behind. But I don’t think falling into bed with another guy who has the potential to break me is the best idea for a rebound.

  I glance around the room in an attempt to find someone possibly more suitable for the job. Not that I have any intention of hooking up at this party, or anytime soon for that matter. I just need a reminder of what I should and definitely should not be looking for. As I look around I see no sign of Mr. Dark and Delicious, nor a very pissed off wife shooting daggers at me from her eyes. I let out a huge breath in relief as I take another big swig of my wine.

  I’m placing my empty glass down on the kitchen worktop so I can open another bottle of red when my breath catches at a familiar feeling. A rush of breath caresses the skin of my back that my dress reveals.

  “Tell me you came here alone tonight,” a deep voice whispers in my ear. I go to turn towards him but two large hands clamp around my waist keeping me in place. “Don’t move,” he demands.

  I open my mouth to respond but no sound comes out. I’m too focused on the burning sensation his hands are causing and the goose bumps that are still across my back where his breath tickles my skin. I feel alive. A kind of alive that I don’t think I’ve ever felt before. This guy has said only a handful of words to me and hardly touched me, yet my body feels like it’s singing. My mouth is dry, my nipples peaked and my knickers are growing damper with every second that passes. Has this guy got some special super power or something?

  After a couple more seconds I manage to swallow before answering him. “I…uh…I came with my…” I feel his breath again across my neck and it makes me pause.

  “With your…?” he prompts.

  “Brother,” I whisper so quietly that I don’t think he will have heard me.

  “Good, because you’re going to bring in the New Year screaming my name.”

  I choke on my own spit when his words settle into my brain. What the fuck? Who does this guy think he is, or more to the point who, or what, exactly does he think I am?

  When I’ve come back to my senses enough to turn around he’s gone. I feel my face heat as I think about his words and scan the room. I feel like something huge just happened, well my body seems to, yet everyone is drinking and celebrating as normal around me.

  Three more glasses of wine and an hour later and I almost feel like I’m back on level ground again. My knees feel a little sturdier than they did an hour ago and the butterflies that have been fluttering around my stomach are starting to decrease. I’ve kept my back to the room and have really tried to focus on what Caleb, Abbi and Liv have been chatting about but it’s been a real struggle. I missed them when we left for America ten years ago, Ryan especially. We all grew up on the same street in Liverpool; the five of us were pretty close. I never thought I’d move back to England. If you’d have asked me a couple of months ago I would have said never, but here I am. I’d made myself a great life over there. Well, I thought I had. Then one visit to the mall brought it all crashing down around me.

  When I look up I notice that everyone has gone and I’m now stood in the corner of the living room alone. Great one, loser! I look up in panic and immediately lock eyes with Mr. Dark and Delicious. His powerful strides eat up the space between us and in only a second he is right there in front of me. I have to tip my head slightly to keep eye contact with him, even in these ridiculously high shoes. I know that I should look away, make my excuses and leave...but I can’t. My eyes are fixed onto his. His smell enters my senses and I swear if I could only smell him for the rest of my life I’d be happy. He smells incredible: like man, and power, and sex. Fucking hell, this isn’t good.

  “We’re going now,” he says, as he presses me back into the wall and places one of his thighs between my legs. I embarrass myself when I think about how badly I want to grind against it. Shit, I’m not one of those girl
s. I don’t jump on men whenever the mood takes me. This man though, fuck. He’s got me thinking all sorts of weird shit. “You can say no, but I know you won’t. I can read your body and it is screaming ‘yes’.”

  My breath catches as he says this and my eyes dart back up to his. It’s not until they do that I realise my gaze had drifted down to his lips when he was speaking.

  “Your pupils dilate as you look at me, your cheeks and neck flush red,” he continues, as he lifts his hand and runs his fingertips across my cheek and down my neck. “Your breasts are swollen and your nipples peaked, begging for my touch.” His fingers travel lower and I flinch when he finds my nipple. I notice a small smile twitch at the corner of his lip when he finds it as he expected. I knew getting a dress that couldn’t have a bra underneath was a bad idea, this wasn’t quite the reason I had in mind though. “Your heart is racing and your breathing is getting heavier. He pauses, as he runs his eyes down my body. “And I know you’re wet for me, Red.”

  My chin drops open at his final statement. No man has ever spoken to me like that before and I have no idea whether to be offended or embarrassed that I’m now even more turned on by this delicious stranger.

  I feel my heart start to race the longer he looks at me. His face is deadly serious, as if he’s currently negotiating a business deal. Other than the fact he’s standing way too close, no one would have any idea that he was propositioning me. He’s serious, focused and confident. I’d put money on the fact he does this kind of thing regularly.

  “I…” I begin to speak. I know I should be saying no, this is such a bad idea. I’m not the kind of girl that goes off for a hot night of steamy sex with a stranger. I’m the girl that likes to cuddle in front of the TV and then go to bed to make love. Maybe that’s where I went wrong though. Maybe, if I was more like this then I wouldn’t have made my past mistakes.

  The longer I stand there trying to tell myself that this is wrong, that it’s a bad idea, the more my body is screaming at me to just do as he says. Then when he reaches down to grab my hand every rational thought evaporates from my head. He pulls me so I’m flush against his chest, my softness to his hardness. He looks like he’s seriously cut under that suit and I so badly want to know if I’m right.

  His dark eyes bore into my grey ones almost as if he’s daring me to back out. I may not be used to doing this kind of thing but I’m not one to shy away from a challenge. So I put what I hope is a somewhat sexy smirk on my face and lean slightly farther into him.

  He nods his head once before stepping away, pulling me with him. I don’t get a chance to stop and grab anything. Thankfully, my purse is hanging over my shoulder. Before I know what’s happening, he’s pulling me into a cab that’s idling at the curb. Did I have a sign on me that I wasn’t aware of that said easy or something, for this stranger to be so confident I’d go with him he had a cab waiting?

  I turn to look at him and seeing the smirk on his face it’s clear that he can read my thoughts.

  He tells the driver his address and the sound of his deep, demanding voice does weird things to my insides.

  The cab lurches forward as he sits back and places his hand on my thigh. The heat from his hand burns my skin all the way to his house.

  No words have been spoken the entire journey and I’ve just about managed to talk myself out of it by the time we turn onto a street—I’m presuming near the centre of Oxford somewhere—with some seriously expensive houses on. Each one is sat back from the road hidden behind a variety of trees and bushes. Some houses can barely be seen at all. They are the kind of houses that everyone dreams about living in but in reality they never even get to step foot inside one. They are the kind of houses that people like my boss back in Chicago lived in. Rich, arrogant, pompous assholes.

  Just as I’m thinking that, the cab comes to a stop. I almost laugh out loud. I guess it was obvious really that Mr. Dark and Delicious lives in one of these flash pads, of course he fucking does!

  * * *

  Daniel

  * * *

  I had no intention of pulling any of my sister’s friends tonight. But I also had no intention of spending New Year alone. I’d decided to attend her party for a couple of hours before heading to the club to find myself a New Year’s partner.

  Well, those were my intentions.

  Until she walked in.

  The fiery red of her dress caught my eye the second she stepped in the room. I was talking to my nieces but everything around me faded the second I looked up at her.

  Her dark hair was curled and resting on her shoulders. Her dress was red lace. It exposed her neck and shoulders but was long-sleeved. It had a full skirt and stopped a few inches above her knees. Her legs—fuck me—her legs were incredible and finished off nicely with a pair of sky-high, glittery-black heels. She called to me like nothing I’d experienced before. I’ve been with my fair share of women but there was something about this one. It was almost like I knew her, but I knew I’d never met her before.

  I can’t lie. I know I’m an arsehole when it comes to woman. Everyone tells me enough. ‘Stop playing’, ‘find one to settle down with’, ‘have kids’, and all that bullshit. I like my life as it is. Where’s the rule book that says that just because you’re speeding your way towards forty that you should have a little woman and a couple of kids at home?

  I work hard and play even harder. I love my life. I do what I want; who I want and no one can tell me otherwise. Why would I want to change that?

  I had no idea who she was. All I knew was that she wasn’t part of our family so as far as my cock was concerned she was fair game. I didn’t see her come with a guy—I knew I needed to check though. Although if she had a boyfriend and he’d let her out of his sight looking like that then he deserved for me to happen to her because she should be treated properly, not abandoned at a party by herself. Though if I had my way then I wouldn’t be treating her properly either.

  I knew she wanted me. It was clear in her eyes and body language when she first looked at me. Some women are good at hiding their thoughts; she was not one of them. My cock twitched. I could practically see her thoughts running through her head, none of which I objected to in the slightest. It looked like I wouldn’t need a trip to the club after all.

  I kept out of the way. I wanted my distance to peak her curiosity and hopefully her desire. And fuck me, it worked like a charm. She was putty in my hands when I did appear. The sight of the goose bumps displayed on the naked skin of her back called to me. I desperately wanted to run my tongue down her spine, feel her moans of pleasure as they rippled through her. Thankfully the chatter of the party and the squeals of children stopped me from doing just that.

  As the taxi pulls to a stop outside my house, I watch her in amusement as she stares out of the window with her mouth open.

  “You…you live here?”

  I don’t respond. I hand the driver some money and get out. I’m pretty sure it was a rhetorical question anyway. I stalk around to her side of the car and open the door for her. She’s still sat there looking a little shell-shocked.

  I reach in, grab her hand and pull her to me. I put my hand around her back and step us both backwards so I can close the car door. The taxi immediately pulls away but I don’t release her. Instead I pull her tighter. Her soft curves line up with me perfectly.

  I lean down and run my cheek against hers before whispering, “It’s too late to back out now,” in her ear.

  She lets out a low, shaky breath before responding. “I don’t back down from a challenge, D.”

  I lean back and look at her as she finishes her sentence by calling me the first initial of my name. Maybe she does know who I am.

  I wait for a second to see if she is going to say anything else. She doesn’t but she does look down at my lips. It’s all the encouragement I need. I lower my head and place my lips to hers. I’m more restrained than I’d like to be—for now anyway.

  For some unknown fucking reason I decide to
try to be a bit of a gentleman. Fuck knows why, it’s a first for me that’s for sure. I usually have no further use for the women I pick up beyond a quick fuck, but she’s different. I don’t know what it is but something is telling me to be different with this one.

  Chapter Two

  Beth

  * * *

  “Do you want a drink, Red?”

  I’m sure drinking more, on top of what I’ve already had, isn’t a good idea but I need something to settle my nerves. I don’t think I really thought this through.

  I’m stood in the middle of this dark and delicious stranger’s house. Okay, so calling it a house is not really doing it much justice. It’s huge, and modern, and everything most people want but can only dream of affording. The outside was rendered white with black window frames and doors. The only bit of colour was from the few flowers in the giant pot by the door. Inside isn’t much different. It’s mostly black and white, a pretty stereotypical bachelor pad really. There’s a sprinkle of colourful touches here and there, which tells me a woman has had some input at some point. My mind flashes back to those two little girls at the party. Are they his, like I first believed? Surely not.

  I realise that I never answered his question, but when I look up he’s standing in front of me with a glass of red wine in his hand, looking amused.

  “Go somewhere nice?”

  “Uh…”

  “Here, this will help,” he says, passing the glass over to me. I take his advice and take a very unladylike gulp.

  “This is expensive,” I say appreciatively, once I’ve swallowed and savoured the taste.