Feels Like Falling (Dangerous Love Book 5)

by Elle Keating

  Peyton looked in the mirror and cringed. Something had to be done with her hair. Still stiff from all the hairspray, her golden locks resembled a rat’s nest. She fished a baseball cap out of her carry-on, covered up the mess and then threw on her puffy white jacket. She grabbed her carry-on and turned to leave, only to stop and drop her bag at her feet.

  Standing in the middle of the chaos was Luke. And he was wearing a suit and looking hotter than she had ever seen him. Not that he hadn’t looked gorgeous when she had first met him in a simple gray t-shirt, all sweaty from chopping wood. Or when she had spied on him as he worked out bare-chested on his treadmill. Or when he had been balls deep inside her, a groan ripping from his throat…all because of her. Those had been some sexy, panty-melting moments. But right now as he stared at her from across the room, their eyes locked on each other, despite the fact that there were beautiful women traipsing about, this moment right here, this one claimed the top spot.

  But the heady feeling faded the second she saw Kimberly Lipton, the new it girl in the modeling world, make her play for Luke. Dressed in a slinky red dress and six-inch heels, she sidled up next to Luke and whispered something in his ear. Peyton imagined what was dripping from Kimberly’s frequently used lips. She slept with everything under the sun and made zero attempt to combat the rumors. But no matter how hard Kimberly tried, she couldn’t gain Luke’s attention. Rather, Peyton watched him physically remove Kimberly’s hand, which was currently creeping up his muscular bicep. Kimberly miraculously took the hint and stomped off, making Peyton’s heart leap for joy.

  Her heart.

  The one that had been blown to pieces yesterday morning when he told her to leave, after being inside her not once, but three times. And then later, after her encounter with her mother, she had bared her soul to him, telling him things that she had never told any man, Gus and police excluded. And what did he do after she told him one secret after another? He called her extraordinary and strong. She had believed him when he said that she was not a monster for what she had done to Reggie. Despite everything, she knew he had been telling the truth, she had seen it in his eyes. But he didn’t tell her not to leave, that he had made a mistake, that he wanted her as much as she wanted him. No, he listened like a concerned friend would, not someone who wanted to be with her.

  I’m not the man for you.

  She hated those six biting words. How those words made her physically ache everywhere. Then why was he here? In Italy? Was he going to kiss her again and then turn around and say how much of a mistake it was? Tell her he was fucked up? Or was he planning to whisk her off to his hotel room, fuck her six ways to Sunday, say thank you, and kick her ass to the curb? She gathered her anger and the bag at her feet and walked over to Luke.

  Stay angry. Stay strong.

  “What are you doing here, Luke?” Her clipped tone didn’t seem to faze him. In fact, that small smile he had been flashing at her from across the room grew, along with the heat in his eyes.

  “You were beautiful out there,” he said, gesturing to the runway behind him and ignoring her question.

  Peyton slung her carry-on over her shoulder. “How did you know where to find me?”

  Luke chuckled. “You were right about Lainey. She is truly a romantic.”

  “Lainey? What does my sister have to do with anything?” Out of the corner of her eye she saw two models who she didn’t know all that well talking with each other and then staring at them.

  “I stopped by to see her on the way to the airport and asked her where your show was being held and what hotel you were staying at.”

  “And she told you?” How could her sister do this to her? Lainey barely knew Luke. And she had no idea that they had slept together, unless…

  “Yes. But only after I told her that I may have made the biggest mistake of my life by letting you believe that I’m not the man for you.”

  She couldn’t breathe. Did she hear him correctly?

  “Hey, Peyton!”

  Those two models she had seen whispering like two junior high girls came running up to her. She forced her lips into a smile and asked, “Hi…I’m sorry, what are your names?”

  “I’m Bambi and this is Fawn.”

  Bambi and Fawn. Seriously?

  “So is the rumor true?” Bambi asked.

  A sickening feeling gathered in Peyton’s belly. “What rumor?”

  “That you’re quitting modeling? That tonight was your last show…like ever?”

  Peyton didn’t know how the rumor had gotten out and had reached the two dimwits in front of her, but it didn’t really matter. She was in no mood to confront Frederick, her attorney, or her agent back in New York, who were the only people she had told that she was leaving the modeling world. All she wanted to do was walk away and put this chapter of her life behind her.

  “Yes, actually it is true. Tonight was my last hoorah. Feel free to post that all over social media if you wish.”

  Bambi’s smoky eyes widened and Fawn licked her lips. She actually licked her lips, as if she was salivating over the thought of posting such juicy gossip. “Oh, we’ll miss you, Peyton.”

  Sure, they would.

  “So who’s your sexy friend?” Bambi asked, eyeing Luke. From the expression on Bambi’s gaunt face, she looked like she wanted to lick and suck on him like a lollipop. The little bitch!

  “Do you want to get out of here?” Luke asked. His eyes darkened and his sexy smirk grew as he extended a hand to her.

  Peyton looked down at his open palm. She shouldn’t take it, thread her fingers through his and melt at his touch. What if he hurt her again?

  But the sight of Bambi’s jaw dropping, at her apparent shock that Luke had completely ignored her made her heart skip. Peyton was this close to sticking her tongue out at her. She thrust her hand into Luke’s and allowed him to lead her away.

  But Bambi and Fawn were just the tip of the iceberg. When Luke and Peyton finally made it outside the venue, the paparazzi were already circling, waiting to attack. Luke secured his grasp around her hand and did his best to hustle her through the crowd and cameras. Normally she would stop and answer a few questions, but she didn’t have the patience for it tonight. Trailing behind the man she hadn’t stopped thinking about since the day she had met him, the same man who screwed her over in the worst way imaginable, her mind was a pile of mush. She couldn’t think straight. One second she wanted to tear her hand out of his tight grip and tell him to fuck off. The next, she fought the urge to drag him to the nearest hotel and fuck his brains out. Fortunately, they had made it to his rental car before she had to make a decision.

  Once inside the car he locked the doors, faced her and asked, “Are you staying at The Excelsior like Lainey said?”

  Peyton still couldn’t believe that her incredibly shy, reserved sister had what appeared to be a heart-to-heart with a man she wasn’t even dating at the moment. Lainey had picked a hell of a time to come out of her shell. But there was no way she could be mad at her sister. She most likely thought she was helping and doing what she could to ensure a happily ever after.

  “My flight had been delayed so I didn’t have time to check into my hotel. I actually came straight to the show from the airport.”

  He eyed her closely, not paying any mind to the paparazzi circling his car and snapping pictures…and calling her name over and over again as if on a loop.

  “So at this moment, you’re homeless?”

  “Yes, I guess I am.”

  Banging ensued on her passenger side window, causing her to look away from his heated gaze and glare at the brazen photographer. But two fingers at her chin made her forget all about the obnoxious photographer and he forced her to look at him. “Did you have your heart set on staying in Naples tonight?” His fingers fell away. “Or would you prefer somewhere not so glamorous, somewhere off the beaten path?”

  The delicate flesh he had just touched felt like it was going to go up in flames. How was that possible? Why di
d he have that effect on her?

  More pounding erupted, but this time it was not an isolated fist hitting glass. Multiple people were making their presence known. She wasn’t going to miss being in the spotlight, that was for damn sure. “Off the beaten path sounds good.”

  “Good. Now let’s get the hell of here.” Five successive beeps of his horn and several expletives from Luke later, the paparazzi cleared a tight path and allowed them to escape.

  Once they were away from the cameras and it was just the two of them, true panic set in. This couldn’t end well.

  “You told Lainey that you made a mistake…” Her voice trailed off.

  Gather your anger. Remember what he did to you.

  “What’s changed, Luke? The last time we were…together…you made it clear that you were not the man for me. What could have possibly changed in less than forty-eight hours?”

  His eyes had been fixed on the road as he weaved in and out of traffic when he suddenly pulled over and put the car in park. His hands remained on the steering wheel when he looked over and said, “Everything, Peyton. Everything…I’ve changed.”

  His fingers flexed around the steering wheel, and then in a flash were cradling her face. The sudden movement, the feeling of his hands on her as he looked deep into her eyes, made her sharp intake of breath sound more like a gasp. “I know I have no right to ask this of you, not after what I did…but…two days, Peyton. I’m asking you to give me two days to prove that I am the man for you.” The pads of his thumbs swirled circles along her cheekbones, practically putting her in a trance. “Please give me a chance,” he said, his eyes desperate.

  Speak, Peyton. Tell him no. Tell him that ship has sailed. That your heart can’t survive two Luke-filled days, not when you know how that two-day stint will end. He’ll hurt you again.

  But what if she was wrong? There had to be a reason she had felt the need to tell Luke about her mother and Reggie. Even after Luke had broken her heart, she had trusted him with her most painful secrets. Her head and fragile heart were at odds with each other and it was driving her insane.

  “Please,” he whispered again. This time his voice wavered, causing her head to step aside so her heart could take the lead.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Peyton

  Although she had been to Italy before for work, Peyton had never ventured outside the major cities. So when Luke pulled into the town of Positano a little over an hour later, she finally realized what she had been missing all these years. Despite the late hour people were milling about on the streets, going to pubs and stopping in the shops, probably to put a serious dent in their holiday shopping since Christmas was just days away.

  “I’ve never been here before. It’s so quaint, so beautiful and decorated for Christmas,” she said, taking in the tasteful white lights strung here and there.

  “Positano is stunning. But that’s not where we’re staying tonight. Still one too many tourists for my taste. I had another place in mind.”

  “But we are tourists,” she said with a raised brow.

  “Yes, but I promised to take you somewhere off the beaten path, where you won’t be ambushed by photographers or hounded for your autograph every waking minute. So to Nocella we shall go.”

  “Nocella?”

  “A small village just a few minutes from here, and home to some of the best restaurants and B&Bs.”

  “You sound like you’ve been there before.” Peyton stared out the window as Luke’s car made its ascent up a winding road.

  “I visit Italy at least once a year, more if I can swing it and break away from the winery.”

  There was so much she didn’t know about Luke McGinnis, yet she felt like they were connected for some reason. Although the thought of spending two days with Luke scared her shitless, she decided she was going to take the risk and get to know him and find out things like why he traveled to Italy frequently and stayed in small villages instead of lively hotspots that catered to singles. She was also going to learn why he felt like he was the man for her, despite what he had said to her earlier…on two separate occasions.

  “Are you hungry?” he asked.

  Her belly didn’t rumble but the pangs she was experiencing told her that she was absolutely starving. She had barely eaten within the last twenty-four hours. Being dumped by Luke and battling the typical nerves she experienced before a show, she had found herself unable to eat a full meal. Her attempt to ingest a piece of toast on the plane had literally made her nauseous.

  “Would you like to grab some dinner? I know it’s late, but…”

  “Sounds great,” Peyton said, cutting Luke off.

  Luke smiled and pulled the car over. Within seconds he was opening her car door and extending his hand. It was an innocent gesture. Her head told her that he was just being a gentleman and helping her out of his car, like he would do for his mother or sister. But still she hesitated. Sensing her apprehension he frowned, and his hand fell to his side, making her feel like a bitch. If he only knew how much she wanted to feel her hand in his, but she needed to take things slow. She couldn’t be foolish again and jump right back in. She had no idea where they stood so it was best she took precautions to secure her heart. And that meant no unnecessary touching.

  “I know I’ve hurt you. And you have every right to be guarded…for now. So from this moment forward, I promise that I will not attempt to touch you in any way.” A smirk replaced his frown. “I will not lay a finger on you. Unless you want me to, that is.”

  A woman could get lost in that sexy little smile of his and make her forget things, like how she had been royally screwed over. She pushed that disturbing thought aside and tried to focus on the here and now. “Thank you,” she said, helping herself out of the car.

  Thank you? Thank you for not touching me and respecting my wishes? Thank you for not setting my skin on fire with just a stroke of your fingertips and clouding my judgement even more than it already is?

  Flustered, she trailed behind him as he led her into a restaurant. The smells she encountered assaulted her senses in the best possible way. Rosemary, garlic, and a handful of other scents saturated the air, causing her belly to growl.

  A pretty young hostess approached and greeted them in Italian. Peyton had no idea what she said and was pleased when Luke took control and spoke to the woman in her native language. The way his words just rolled off his tongue so easily, how deep and incredibly sexy his voice sounded as he most likely asked the woman for a table for two, caused that wall she had built around her heart to crumble a little. The woman smiled at Luke and said a few more words, which prompted Luke to respond. Peyton couldn’t dismiss the way the woman looked at Luke, how she blushed, how she batted her eyelashes.

  Although Luke had removed his tie and unbuttoned the first few buttons of his shirt, he still looked painfully handsome. His hair, though trimmed neatly, displayed his typical I-just-woke-up style. As if reading her thoughts, he raked his hand through his beautiful chocolate brown locks. The hostess’s face turned a deeper shade of red, pissing Peyton off. The sight of this woman eyefucking Luke made her want to break her own rule, grab him by the hand and show this woman that he was taken. Luckily, the eyefucker walked them to their table, giving Peyton the time to catch her breath and refocus.

  “Are you okay?” he asked, handing her a menu. That smirk had lessened but now a mischievous little glint could be seen in those sparkling blue eyes of his.

  That bastard! He knew she was pissed off with the hostess. With the little pride that she had left, Peyton lied and tried to take over the conversation. “Yes, just hungry is all. I haven’t eaten in hours.” Peyton stared down at the menu, but it was pointless. “So, I didn’t know you could speak Italian.”

  “May I?” he asked, glancing at the menu in her hands.

  Knowing it was foolish to pretend that she knew what she was reading, she nodded and allowed Luke to rattle off the menu items in English. Everything he had described sounded amaz
ing and though it was a difficult choice, she had settled on an antipasti spread to start them off and then later a T-bone steak with fresh vegetables. He also went with steak, but a different cut and ordered an appetizer he described as sex on a plate. She couldn’t imagine what food would warrant such distinct and sensual praise, but she was eager to find out. A waiter, not a beautiful flirtatious waitress, appeared at their table, thank fucking God, and took their order.

  When they were alone once again Luke said, “My mother is Italian. She grew up less than thirty minutes from here.” The waiter arrived with the wine Luke had ordered and poured them both a glass before placing the bottle on the table as he left. “Both Italian and English were spoken in our home growing up.”

  Peyton tried not to think of the language she had been exposed to when she was a little girl, the filthy words her mother and her disgusting boyfriends liked to use in her presence. She may not know a gorgeous language like Italian, but she was well-versed in English expletives and a variety of degrading terms and phrases toward women in general. Dirty cunt, whore, bitch. She had been called them all and then some. At first, the names her mother and her men called her had hurt her, but she eventually grew an impenetrable skin, one that Reggie had taken the liberty of touching when the moment hit him. She shuddered at the thought. Peyton grabbed her wine and took a long, hearty sip. “It’s a beautiful language,” she said. Peyton took another big sip and prayed for the alcohol to calm her nerves and take her mind off Reggie.

  “I was surprised at how quickly my brothers and I picked it up, since we had never been to school before coming to live with the McGinnis family.”

  “But you said you were eight years old, your brothers six, when you were adopted.” Peyton set her wine on the table.

  He took a sip of wine and placed his glass next to hers. “Let’s just say that my biological mother didn’t place significant value on education.” Luke sat back in his chair and studied her, as if wondering what conclusions she was coming to.