Falling For Declan (Falling Book 8)

by Tracy Lorraine

  “Something like that.” Ashamed, I drop my head into my hands.

  “So what now? Are you…together?”

  “What? No, no, no.”

  “So what?”

  “I think we both know it was a mistake of epic proportions, fuelled by my anger and alcohol. I think we all know Dec and I are not a suitable match.”

  “Or you could be perfect,” Lilly whispers into her mug.

  “You did not just say that.” I stare at her like I must have just misheard.

  “What? I’m just saying that you might not actually hate each other.”

  “No, I’m pretty sure I hate him.”

  “So you accidentally had sex with him?”

  “Well, no.”

  “Exactly, you wanted it. You like him more than you want to admit.”

  “It doesn’t matter anyway, because he hates me—always has.” Suddenly a thought hits me and I want to throw up. “It was probably just a bet or something.” I’ve seen Dec with his friends and the kind of fun they have together. Something like that wouldn’t be too hard to imagine. “I wonder what he wins for bagging the girl he hates and his sister’s best friend?” I laugh but it’s anything but sincere, and Lilly sees right through it.

  “No. I know Dec, and I know that wasn’t what it was.”

  “Well, it’s hardly that he just couldn’t keep his hands off me. He spent years trying to get rid of me.”

  “I don’t think that’s exactly true.”

  My conversation with Lilly didn’t help to sort my head out one bit. She’s always had this fascination that one day there could be something between Dec and me, and we could then be sisters. I’ve told her for years that she’s crazy and we’re more likely to see pigs fly than for me to ever become her sister-in-law.

  * * *

  I’m a nervous fucking wreck by the time I walk back into the shack later that day. I’ve told myself over and over again that last night, and this morning, were mistakes that will not be repeated, but I’m yet to have that conversation with Dec. Not that I think for a minute his opinion will be any different.

  I sheepishly poke my head into the office as soon as I get there, but to my delight, it’s empty. I can’t help but think that I’m only putting off the inevitable. We need to have a conversation about what happened, and as much as I don’t want to have it, I also know not doing it soon will eat at me, start to make me question my decision.

  When Declan does appear, I’m instantly reminded of all the reasons I came here for last night in the first place—his manipulation that ruined my date. He strides towards me like a man on a mission, and if it weren’t for his current company, I might get butterflies at the look he’s giving me. But as it is, I’m staring daggers at Georgia, who’s walking in, bold as brass, behind him like she owns the fucking place.

  Declan gives me a smile that might melt a weaker woman before telling Georgia to order whatever she wants and to meet him in his office.

  What the actual fuck?

  So this is how he’s going to play it now, is it? He’s going to flaunt his fuck buddy in my face, try to show me what I’m missing. Well, fuck him. He may have given me the best orgasms of my life, but his bullshit isn’t worth it.

  I’m seething as I make Georgia a pretentious skinny venti latte with a sugar free caramel shot. What does she think this is, fucking Starbucks? I’m pretty sure I keep my musings to myself but the venomous look I receive as I hand her the bloody coffee makes me wonder if I was successful.

  She saunters off in her too short skirt and disappears behind the office door to do fuck only knows what with him.

  How I’m feeling must be written all over my face because when Emily takes one look at me, she demands I go home and sleep it off. I want to argue, I want to stay and do my job, but I fear my temper is going to get the better of me as images of what could be going on behind that door threaten to drive me crazy.

  Leaving my stuff in the office, I take a long walk home, hoping the fresh air will help clear my thoughts. I’m not only angry that he’s in there with her, but also that I was in there doing the exact same thing last night. Does he think he’s so fucking special he can just click his fingers and we’ll appear? I’m livid when I realise that’s exactly what he did to me last night. One slight interference and there I was. It may not have been my intention to sleep with him, but that’s what bloody happened.

  The house is in glorious silence when I walk in, and it only serves to remind me about my lack of progress on finding my own place to live. I’m just going to have to bite the bullet and either pay more than I want, or move further out of town.

  When I get up to my room, I do what I was desperate to do first thing this morning but didn’t have time for. I grab my notebook, and get it all down.

  I guess I should be grateful that Dec has brought back my words, but at the moment I’m struggling to find anything positive in the whole disaster.

  Declan

  She has every right to be pissed off with me. I can’t even count the things I’ve done to deserve it on two hands, but the second I find out one of the girls sent her home because she looked like she was about to puke makes me feel equally as sick.

  I knew bringing Georgia to the shack was a dick move, but I needed to know if Nicole was affected by everything that had happened. She left this morning without saying anything. If I didn’t know what had happened between us, I’d never guess from how distant she became as we walked back up the beach. She put a wall up so high, I knew nothing I said would get through. I needed to let her have her space, to get her head together…but that requires patience from me, something that isn’t my speciality.

  I’ve tasted her, and fuck me if I’m not desperate for more. Her magical pussy has me under its spell.

  I didn’t need to look at my phone to know I have multiple missed calls and texts from Lilly. I’ve no doubt Nicole was given the third degree about why she was coming home dressed in the same clothes as the night before.

  “Lilly,” I state when I answer her next call.

  “What the fuck were you thinking?” I know she means business because she doesn’t throw fucks around lightly.

  “I wasn’t, clearly.” There’s no way I’m admitting, even to my sister, that once Nicole was inside my office last night there was no way she was leaving until I’d had my taste. She’d wound me up to the point of no return with her sexy body, smart mouth and fiery temper.

  “How could you do that to her? At what point did you think it was a good idea?”

  “None of that really matters, now. It’s happened, it’s done. Can’t rewrite the past, sis.”

  “Ugh, you’re unbelievable. Sometimes I understand why Nicole hates you so much.”

  “Ouch.”

  “Well, it’s true. You can be a right selfish arsehole sometimes, you know that?”

  “I’m aware. Can we change the subject now?”

  “If you must, but I want you to know that I’m really mad at you.”

  “Noted. Georgia’s got the house sorted.”

  “Damn it.”

  “What?”

  “How do you go from making me hate you to doing something that makes me love you again?”

  “It’s just one of my many skills.”

  “Right…anyway, what’s the plan?”

  Lilly and I scheme up a way to surprise Nicole. She doesn’t know it but I’m also hoping to use it as a way to get Nicole to reconsider hating me and maybe have a repeat of last night. I mean, she’s going to want to thank me, right? I had to endure Georgia’s endless flirting and attempting to get in my pants to secure it for her; surely that’s worth an orgasm or two.

  Feeling a little guilty that she was sent home by the others because of everything that happened between us, I shoot her a text.

  “You ok?”

  It’s only seconds before I see it’s been read and the little bouncing dots appear.

  “Fantastic.”

  “Anything I
can do?”

  “Leave me alone.”

  I don’t respond to that message because it’s the least I can do.

  * * *

  I try to keep my distance over the next few days, hoping it’ll either allow her time to cool off, or—more preferably—time to realise she can’t live without another round or two with me.

  When I’m at work, I hide out in the office. Knowing she’s doing her best to avoid me means it’s easy to keep my distance. I spend most of my time either down on the beach or finalising her surprise with Lilly. Hopefully it’ll go some way to getting her to forgive me, or at least talking to me once again.

  Chapter Nine

  Nicole

  I wasn’t expecting it, but it seems my message to Dec worked. I’ve hardly seen him and I hate to admit it but it’s driving me insane. He’s all I can think about. It’s only been a few days but I actually miss his arrogant attitude and snarky comments.

  After opening up the shack this morning, I head out late afternoon with the intention of grabbing Bailey and going for a long walk along the beach to enjoy the warmth of the evening sun.

  When I get in, I find Lilly slathering the twins in sun lotion in the hallway.

  “We were just coming to meet you from work. We would have been on time if someone hadn’t filled their nappy,” she says, giving Nathan an amused glare.

  “I was going to take Bailey out. Let me get changed quick and we’ll go.”

  My walk on the beach is soon overturned when Lilly announces the sand will be too dry for the pushchair. I try telling her I’ve just been there and the tide was going out, but she’s having none of it. Instead, we pound the streets.

  It’s not long before both Natalie and Nathan are asleep, but we keep walking with the sun warming our backs. I’ve no idea if Lilly has a route in mind but I’m happy to just walk alongside her as we chat about nothing much. It doesn’t escape my notice that she never brings up her brother. I’m grateful, but as much as I don’t want to talk about the dick, I’m also desperate to offload everything I’m feeling. My notebook only goes so far to clear my head.

  I’ve just about plucked up the courage to say something about him when she suddenly comes to a stop. It’s a street I’ve been up many times before. It’s where the cottage I fell in love with online sits. It’s a picturesque Devonshire street full of cute different coloured homes, all with just a hint of a sea view in the distance. I was hoping that by coming to see it in real life it would be less perfect. Unfortunately that wasn’t the case, and I fell even more for its charm. If only I wasn’t so bloody stubborn and tight fisted when it came to money, then I may have looked again at my finances and figured out a way to pay the extortionate amount each month to live in it.

  “Fancy having a look inside?” Lilly asks as she nods towards the pastel blue front door.”

  “No, it’ll only be more perfect.”

  “Come on. Just a quick look.”

  “We can’t just walk in, Lills.”

  “Come on.” She starts walking towards the cottage and I have little choice but to follow. She shocks the hell out of me when she walks up to the front door, pulls a key out of her pocket and unlocks it.

  “Where did you get that?”

  “You ask a lot of questions.”

  “Wouldn’t you if I just pulled the keys to a random house out of my pocket?”

  She shrugs me off before tucking the twins into a shaded corner out the front of the house and gesturing for me to go in ahead of her.

  I tell myself as I step into the tiny hallway that I’m going to hate it. It’s going to be small and smell of damp. Sadly, that’s not the case. As I walk into the living/dining area with the view of the ocean out the front and a tiny but perfectly formed courtyard garden behind the French doors at the back, I totally fall in love with the place.

  “Damn it, Lilly. Now I just want it more.”

  “Well that’s good, because it’s yours.”

  I spin around and stare at her. “What did you just say?”

  “It’s yours, and for the price you wanted.”

  “What?” I continue staring at her like I’d just imagined the last few seconds.

  “Welcome to your new home, Nic Nac.”

  “You did this?”

  “Yeah, but I had a little help.” The second she says it I know he’s here, and it’s not because she glances over my shoulder. It’s because my body senses that he’s standing behind me, staring at me.

  Letting out a long, slow breath, I cautiously turn around and, exactly as expected, Dec’s standing there, holding out a bottle of champagne and two glasses. I can’t decide where to look first as I take in his familiar features, his piercing blue eyes, messy hair and stubbled jaw line.

  “I…What…You…Shit.” I’ve no idea what I’m trying to say. I’m too shocked by all of this for my brain to fire properly.

  Lilly puts a slight halt to my confusion when she comes over, throws her arms around my shoulders and whispers in my ear that I’m going to be really happy here. I nod at her and watch as she says goodbye to Dec and disappears out the front door.

  I stare at the back of the door for long minutes as my brain refuses to take all this in.

  I’m eventually dragged back to reality when I hear a voice behind me. “Nicole.”

  I turn and find him just a step away from me. The emotions I’d been battling to keep locked down come barrelling back.

  “What the fuck, Dec? Is this just another way for you to try to get into my knickers? To piss me off so I’ll do whatever it is you want because, I can assure you, I won’t fall for that again.”

  “No, this is nothing like that. I sort of hoped you’d be happy, not get pissed off by it. I helped Lilly out in the hope of making up for everything…for ruining your date and then for taking advantage of the situation.”

  “You didn’t take advantage, Dec,” I say reassuringly, because he looks genuinely regretful. “I allowed that to happen, I was as much a willing participant as you were.” My comment makes his eyes darken and a small smirk appear on his lips. I regret saying it instantly.

  “Is that right?” He takes another step towards me. His body heat makes my temperature soar.

  “Back to this,” I say, gesturing around the room.

  “Lilly told me you’d fallen in love with it and asked if I could call in a favour to get the price dropped, as I know one of the estate agents it was listed with. She managed to convince the owner to drop the price and I put your name down on it.”

  Utter disbelief is the only thing I can describe in those few minutes. “You did this for me?” Maybe Lilly’s right; maybe he doesn’t totally hate me after all.

  “Yes. I did this so you could have somewhere to live that isn’t my sister’s spare room. So you could properly restart your life.”

  “Wow.” Running my hands through my hair, I spin around again slowly as I allow everything to settle into my brain.

  Declan called in a favour to get me this house for a price I’m happy to pay. Why would he…

  “Who’s the estate agent?”

  “Here, let’s celebrate,” he says, handing me a glassful of bubbles.

  I ignore his outstretched hand and stare at him until he’s forced to answer. It’s not long before he lets out a giant sigh. “Georgia.”

  “Are you fucking shitting me? She had a hand in this? What exactly was the favour she owed you? If this house is some kind of fucked up sexual bargaining tool, there’s no way I fucking want it.” The second I see the look of pleasure on his face, I know I’ve fucked up. It takes him a few seconds to form his next words and the whole time I wish I could take everything back.

  “Jealous, are we?”

  “Of her? Never.”

  “Of what she’s had?”

  “No, she can keep you. You two deserve each other.”

  I go to walk away but his fingers circle my wrist and I’m pulled back until I’m pressed up against his chest.


  He stares down at me, his hot breath tickling my face and causing goosebumps to run down my neck. “It’s been over with her for a while.”

  “Don’t lie to me. You’ve been fucking her in your office.”

  “No, I haven’t.”

  “You’ve had her in there twice in the past week—that I know of. What the fuck else was going on? And don’t forget I’ve already found her underwear there, so you can’t tell me it hasn’t happened.”

  Dec takes a step back like I’ve just slapped him. Fuck knows why he’s offended by my accusation. It’s obviously true. “This was going on,” he spits as he points at the floor. “I was trying to negotiate a deal on this place. For you.”

  “Oh.”

  “Yes, fucking oh! You want to try getting your facts right before you start accusing, Ginge.”

  “Well what was I meant to think when your fuck buddy turns up looking like…well, like she does?”

  “You’re right. It shouldn’t matter what you think. What I do has nothing to do with you. Who I fuck has nothing to do with you.”

  “So you were fucking her.”

  “No, Nicole, I wasn’t. The only person I’ve fucked since you showed your face is you.” His nose is almost touching mine when he finishes talking, his face a little red with anger.

  “Well…good.” Before I know I’ve done it, my lips are pressed hard against his and I’m crushed against his solid body.

  My back crashes against the wall before I feel myself being walked backwards as he continues to kiss me. Seconds later, I feel a stair against my ankle. I try to lift my leg so we can move up but I misjudge it and we both go down.

  His hands encircle my waist and he pushes the fabric up my body, exposing my bra before our lips part so he can pull it from my arms. He immediately finds my breasts as I reach for his t-shirt. If I’m getting naked, he bloody well is, too.

  In seconds I have his t-shirt off and I’m making light work of his fly. We’re still half way up the stairs but I couldn’t give a fuck because his hands are on me. All reason and sensible thoughts are long gone.