Falling Hard

by Shelly Bell

  HIGH STAKES

  (A New Adult Novella)

  By Sage Spelling

  Betting on Seduction . . .

  College jock Blake Holland never backs down from a challenge, so when his douchebag teammate bets him that he can’t seduce Catalina Vega by Devil’s Night, his pride gets the better of him—and he finds himself accepting. He thought it would be easy, but the more he gets to know her, the more he falls for the sexy librarian. Easy? Famous last words.

  With an illness she hides from everyone, virgin Catalina Vega doesn’t date. Like ever. It’s safer to hide behind her books. But when it comes to Blake, she’s throwing caution to wind. Seriously, how she could hate him and want to kiss him at the same time?

  As the chemistry between them becomes too hard to resist, they give into temptation, ignoring the secrets hanging over their heads.

  But secrets have a way of coming out…

  Chapter 1

  Cat

  “Ms. Vega!”

  “Huh?” I mumbled. My gaze quickly traveled to the front of the classroom as blood rushed to my ears.

  Professor Kelley’s fingers raked through his elegant blond hair while his bright blue eyes scowled at me. “This is the third time I’ve called your name, Ms. Vega. Is there something more interesting on your desk than my lecture notes?” His normally smoky voice was nearly at a shout.

  Shit. I hadn’t heard him. Oh, no. Not in class. Not again. My stomach knotted, and the metal taste in my month was unbearable. I despised being the center of attention, and I fidgeted in my seat, trying to gather my wits. I swallowed hard. “No, sir.” My voice was barely above a whisper, and I blinked away the stinging of tears that threatened my eyes. I hated being weak and vulnerable, but that was exactly what these episodes did to me.

  “Very well.” He pointed to the seat in front of me. “Then please wake up Mr. Holland.”

  I shook away the murkiness of my mind and noticed the blond silken hair spread on the edge of my desk. Fucker. He was the reason I’d been put on the spot. I wanted to kick his chair as anger raged beneath my skin. Instead, I held my breath and used my fingertips to tap the broad shoulders of the douchebag lightly snoring in the chair in front of me. He stirred, but didn’t wake. The room whispered with laugher. With a sigh, I tapped him again with a little more force. My hand trembled. The muscle beneath my fingers flexed and his body jolted. Bright green eyes widened and pierced into mine. Confusion covered his face, and I pointed forward, rolling my eyes. His intense stare darkened as he looked fiercely at me. He had the nerve to be pissed that I had woken up his sleeping beauty ass. He griped as he lifted his head off my desk.

  The corners of Professor Kelley’s lips turned up into a sneer. “Thank you for joining us, Mr. Holland.” He rolled his eyes. “As I was saying, you will all be paired up with a classmate to complete your final project, which is worth seventy-five percent of your total grade in this class. You will both be graded equally, so if your partner doesn’t do their share of the assignment, your grade will also suffer. My teaching assistant, Angela, has broken down the class into pairs. Please stay seated as she assigns you a partner and topic for the final project. Have a good day and see you next week.”

  My heart was still racing from my most recent episode. The first day back after midterms was already a huge fail. I couldn’t believe that it had happened in class while my name was being called. I was mortified. The doctor had said the medication would stop the epileptic episodes, and it had been working for nearly a year, but now there were these staring spells. The throbbing in my chest amplified. If the medicine wasn’t working properly anymore, I was in major trouble. My mother would finally be able to make good on her threats and take me out of school. I tried to remind myself that it was just one little staring spell. Maybe I was just daydreaming. It was no big deal. Still, the knot in my stomach twisted as nausea washed over me.

  I glanced at this Holland guy, expecting to still see the back of his golden head, but instead, I caught a glance of his perfectly shaped behind in dark blue faded jeans. Damn, he is tall. My neck strained while checking out the length of him. Stretched across his broad shoulders was a black and green jacket with a gray wolf on the back. Of course he was a college jock.

  “Good, you’re both right here.” Angela’s voice came from behind me. Her wide smile could brighten anyone’s mood. “Blake and Catalina, you two will be partners.”

  Holland turned when Angela called him ‘Blake,’ and his stare sliced into mine. This douche is my partner? My heart pounded in my chest. He had such a dominating gaze. Something about the way he looked at me made me feel exposed. I wanted to beg her for a new partner, but I couldn’t manage any argument under his piercing stare. His captivating green eyes were only the beginning of his devastatingly beautiful face. A strong jaw and dimpled chin were barely visible behind a five o’clock shadow. Angela continued explaining the project, and I attempted to listen, but her words were muffled in my ears. He licked his full lips, and my heart pounded in my chest. She handed us both handouts, and I absently took them as she walked away. When I glanced in his direction again, he was gone, and I was still standing like a statue.

  My phone started buzzing in my hand with a call from my mom. I tapped ‘ignore’ on the phone screen. I didn’t feel like answering. She was just going to question me about my medication, my eating, and sleeping habits. After my staring spell a few minutes ago, I wasn’t in the right state of mind to lie. Bundling into my jacket and fluffy scarf, I hurried out of the classroom, then slammed into something hard. Ouch! Large hands encircled my waist and pulled me away from the warmth against my face. My heart hammered as I tilted my head up the six-foot-something frame and found Blake’s intense green eyes staring back at me. His deepened gaze halted me.

  “Sorry,” I managed to mumble. His hands were still around my waist, and I backed away slowly. The strong grip loosened and fell away.

  “Watch where you’re going.” The corners of his lips turned upward, and he brushed his jacket with his hands as though he was wiping my germs off of him.

  With a quick glance at Chase Manchester, chuckling to Blake’s right, I pinned Holland with my glare. The blood raged beneath my skin. “Whatever. Look, we need to meet to go over our assignment.”

  “I don’t have time. I’m sure you can manage on your own.”

  I couldn’t believe the nerve of this prick. But judging by the company he kept, like jerk-boy Chase, I shouldn’t be surprised. Chase’s idea of hitting on a girl was slapping her on the ass, which he’d done to me at the library. I wanted to smack the smug grin off Blake’s face just like I’d smacked Chase after he’d slapped my ass. Instead, I lifted my chin and pointed my finger in his face. “Listen, jock-boy, I won’t be doing this project on my own. You will do your share of the assignment.” My body trembled as I stormed away. If this guy thought I was one of those girls to jump when a hot guy said so, he had another thing coming.

  Chapter 2

  Blake

  Chase’s laughter echoed in my ears, but I still couldn’t take my eyes off of the little cutie’s ass as she stalked off. She was feisty and sexy as hell. Her dark ponytail swung behind her, and I imagined tugging on it while she was on her knees in front of me. When I’d first woken up in class and stared into those soulful brown eyes, I swore my heart had skipped a beat. She’d bitten down on her lower lip, and I’d groaned. My cock had instantly gone hard. My physical reaction toward her wasn’t what surprised me, because she was totally fuckable, but her fiery attitude was what really turned me on.

  “I didn’t think the sexy librarian could get that angry,” Chase said.

  I watched until she disappeared in the crowded hallway before I finally glanced over at him and shrugged. “Maybe, but women can’t stay mad at me . . . for long.”

  “You picked the wrong one to mess with.” He ran his hand over his black buzz cut, and his dark eyes gleamed with amusement. A smirk lingered on his lips, and my gut told me
he was up to something.

  “Women can’t say no to me when I turn on the charm.” Even as I flashed him my most charming smile, I knew there was something very different about the sexy girl who’d had her finger in my face.

  “She’s not the type to drop her panties just because you’re the captain.” I was pretty sure he was right, but I’d never tell him. Chase was a member of the basketball team, which made him family, but I always got the vibe that he was jealous of my athletic accomplishments. I didn’t have time for Chase’s mind games today. I turned away, hoping he’d back off, but instead, he followed as I headed toward the exit. The first game of the basketball season was two weeks away, and we were going to be late for the afternoon practice session. “And she does have a mean left hook.” Chase continued to press on the subject as he fell into step with me.

  “She hit you?” I bit back a laugh.

  “No . . . ah, some guy at the library.” He stumbled on his words, which was the first sign he was lying.

  I decided not to call him on his bullshit, but I was sure if she’d hit anyone it would’ve been Chase. “I doubt that would happen to me.”

  “I hear a bet coming on,” Chase goaded. That was another one of his annoying habits—placing bets on any and everything in an attempt to best me.

  “Bet?”

  “You think you can charm Catalina Vega into your bed?”

  “Hell, yes.” I knew I sounded cocky, but I was just stating a fact. Most girls couldn’t say no to me.

  “Wanna place a friendly wager on that?”

  “What are your terms?”

  “Now we’re talking. You’ll have to hit it . . . before Devil’s Night, or you’ll have to tell the whole campus on Halloween that you lost a bet to me.”

  “That’s two weeks away,” I said.

  “The great Blake Holland should be able to do it in one night. I’m giving you two weeks.”

  Something about making the bet with one of the biggest douchebags on the team didn’t seem smart, but this was about my pride, and showing Chase that he couldn’t beat me at anything.

  Chapter 3

  Cat

  The long and icy walk to the library did nothing to cool my temper after my confrontation with Blake Holland. My blood was still boiling when I hung up my jacket and scarf. I couldn’t get that superior look on his face out of my mind. He affected me in a way no one had before. When our eyes had met, and he’d looked at me with that deepened gaze, he’d unlocked something inside me. I’d been vulnerable to his stare, but his arrogance had infuriated me and had leveled my head from whatever pull he had on me. I couldn’t believe he’d dusted his jacket off after I’d bumped into him. Really?

  I pushed into the library and took in its high, arched ceilings, dark wooden floors, antique chandlers, and elegant murals. It was all just the beginning of its charm. There were rows and rows of bookshelves that covered three floors that were filled with books that extended the full length of the library. The warmth of the fireplace worked to warm my frozen limbs as I went straight to the books that needed to be returned to the shelves. This place never lost its effect on me.

  “Hey, sexy librarian, what’s got you all fired up?” Kevin snatched the book I was about to return out of my hand.

  I glared at him. “Quit it. I have work to do.” I snatched the book back.

  “Remember, frowning gives you wrinkles.” Kevin flashed me his most cheerful smile while placing his index finger on his dimpled cheek. He had the most flawless complexion, partly because he applied every moisturizer known to man before bed every night. His silken black hair was neatly arranged to look messy and his bright blue eyes seriously sparkled when he smiled. I hated him for being so damn perfect all the time.

  I sighed. “Sorry, bad day.” My shoulders slumped, and I tossed the book back on the cart.

  “What’s got your panties in a bunch?” His easygoing personality always helped make everything better. I’d met him working in the library at the beginning of our freshman year. Over the past two years, he’d become family, like the brother I never had.

  “This Blake Holland guy.”

  “You talked to Blake Holland? The Blake Holland?” He placed his hand over his heart dramatically and swayed. “Tell me everything.” He clapped his hands together and squealed.

  “Why are you acting like I met royalty or something?”

  “Really? Sometimes I think you live under a rock or something.” He glared at me with his baby blues. “Blake Holland is not only one fine piece of sexy man, he is the captain of the school’s basketball team, and his family is one of the damn founders of this school. Hello, Holland Library? Honestly, honey, you need to get your nose out of the books and look at the beauty around you. Starting with Blake Holland!”

  Shit. I knew his name sounded familiar, but I had been so taken back by his ill treatment, I hadn’t remembered where I’d heard it before. Kevin was right. Despite being a complete jerk, Blake was gorgeous and totally out of my league. Heat covered my skin when I remembered the way he’d treated me. “Still. That doesn’t give him the right to act like a complete asshole.”

  “What did he do?”

  “He was an asshole!” My voice came out louder than I’d intended.

  Kevin giggled and covered my mouth. “Shh, girl, this is a library.” He grabbed my hand and dragged me to the nearest table and chairs. After we sat, I broke into the complete story of my exchange with Blake, starting in the classroom when he glared at me, to when he’d wiped my germs off when we collided, and finally how he’d refused to help with our assignment. I left out the part about how his eyes made me feel weak.

  “That doesn’t sound like the Blake I’ve heard about. Rumor has it he’s a sweet-talking panty-dropper.”

  “I guess he’s not interested in dropping my panties, because he acted like a complete jerk.”

  Kevin crossed his arms over his thin but muscular chest and leaned back in the chair. “I don’t think so. You’re smokin’, girl. You just don’t know it.” Kevin always said I was in denial about my sex appeal. My argument? He wouldn’t know, since he didn’t like girls.

  “What are you going to do about the project?”

  “I’m going to type up a project plan and give him his share to do. I’ll be damned if I’m going to do his part of the assignment.”

  “You go, girl.” Kevin snapped his fingers, and we both chuckled. He followed me to the cart of books, and we worked on putting them all away.

  Kevin chatted about his new guy while I attempted to listen, but my mind wandered back to Blake. My experience with men was very limited, but even with my inexperience, I knew something was completely off with the look in his eyes, compared to the way he treated me. I just couldn’t put my finger on it.

  My black Fitbit silently buzzed on my arm to remind me to take my medication. It had been a present from my mom. That, and the Tiffany & Co. heart tag bracelet she’d had a jeweler add a medical ID charm to. She claimed if it was stylish, no one would notice I was wearing it, but still, I tried to keep it hidden underneath my shirtsleeve.

  “Go.” Kevin took the last stack of books from my hands. He had memorized my schedule and knew every possible thing there was to know about epilepsy. The crazy thing was that since my mom had met him last year, she now called him to check on me, because she thought I lied about my health.

  “Talk to my mom lately, kiss-up?”

  “Yup, a few minutes ago because you didn’t answer her call. Now, go take your medicine before I call her back.”

  “You know, you’re not that scary,” I mumbled, marching away from him, knowing that wasn’t entirely true. I was terrified of making him witness another one of my seizure attacks. The fear in his eyes after I’d woken up the last time still haunted me.

  Chapter 4

  Blake

  Eggs ‘n’ Oinks was jumping after five, and I almost didn’t get a seat, but Maggie always saved me a table by the window. Rumor had it, she had a c
rush on my dad. I didn’t care, as long as I got a table. My stomach growled. I was always famished after training, and I could probably eat everything on the menu.

  “What can I get ya, Blake, honey?”

  I was about to order, but the chime of the door stole my attention. There she was, sexy librarian girl. Her long ponytail swayed behind her as she made her way to the carry-out counter. She rushed past with her head down as though she didn’t want anyone to notice her. But I noticed those lean thighs, long legs, and that perfect ass that swished as she marched by in a hurry.

  “You like that one, huh?” Maggie chuckled.

  “Huh?”

  Maggie smiled at me kindly. “Cat. She is a pretty one. Keeps to herself mostly, though.”

  “Cat?”

  “Yes, Cat. Cat is her nickname.”

  “Just met her yesterday. We’re partners on an assignment.” I knew I should look at Maggie while I was talking to her, but I couldn’t take my eyes off the delicate way Cat moved. Like a dancer—not a stripper, but a classical dancer. Though, honestly, I would love a little strip tease and lap dance from that sweet ass.

  “Sweet girl. Sharp as a blade, too. Now what can I get ya?”

  I glanced down at the menu, but I wasn’t hungry anymore. I shrugged. “The E ‘n’ O Special.” My attention returned to Cat. She was taking bags off the counter and heading toward me.

  “And to drink?” Maggie’s voice echoed in my ear.

  “Large pop,” I mumbled, standing to meet Cat at the door as Maggie went on about how us “kids” called soda, pop. When Cat’s gaze met mine, she stopped in her tracks. Her eyes darkened, and she glared at me as she continued to march toward the door.

  “Wait! I wanted to talk to you.”

  She looked around as if to see if there was anyone else near her. When there wasn’t, her glare sliced right through me. She rolled her eyes and walked straight out the diner doors, and I couldn’t help the laugh that escaped me.