Can't Help Falling In Love (A Calamity Falls Novel Book 5)
Can’t Help Falling In Love
Erika Kelly
Contents
Titles by Erika Kelly
Acknowledgments
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Epilogue
Whole Lotta Love
Also by Erika Kelly
CAN’T HELP FALLING IN LOVE
Erika Kelly
ISBN-13: 978-0-9992585-0-7
Copyright 2020 EK Publishing, LLC
All rights reserved
This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are used fictitiously or are a product of the author’s imagination and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Cover design and formatting by Serendipity Formatting
Editing by Kristy deBoer
Titles by Erika Kelly
The Calamity Falls series
KEEP ON LOVING YOU
WE BELONG TOGETHER
THE VERY THOUGHT OF YOU
JUST THE WAY YOU ARE
IT WAS ALWAYS YOU
CAN’T HELP FALLING IN LOVE
COME AWAY WITH ME
WHOLE LOTTA LOVE
Rock Star Romance series
YOU REALLY GOT ME
I WANT YOU TO WANT ME
TAKE ME HOME TONIGHT
MORE THAN A FEELING
Wild Love series
MINE FOR NOW
MINE FOR THE WEEK
Sign up for my newsletter to find out when COME AWAY WITH ME and WHOLE LOTTA LOVE go live and get PLANES, TRAINS, AND HEAD OVER HEELS for free! I hope you’ll come hang out with me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Goodreads, and Pinterest or in my private reader group.
Praise for The Calamity Falls series
Keep On Loving You
"I adored this book! It is exactly what I love in a second-chance romance. The characters are so vibrant and real, I was rooting for them with every page." --- USA Today Bestseller Devney Perry
“KEEP ON LOVING YOU is such a fun and sexy second-chance romance that I didn’t want it to end. Their connection is a swoony blend of tender first love and sizzling heat, and Erika Kelly delivers a highly entertaining and sigh-worthy romance that shouldn’t be missed.” – Mary Dube, USA Today
We Belong Together
“I loved every sweet, heart-wrenching, crazy, mixed-up minute of this book. It was an emotional journey from the first chapter to the last. This is Erika Kelly at her best, and this is not-to-be-missed book!” – Sharon Slick Reads, Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews
“Erika Kelly damn near pulled my heart from my chest with Delilah and Will’s story. It’s so well-written that you feel everything. My heart got tugged so hard! I honestly cried at a few moments in the book. I fell all the way in love with “Wooby.” It’s hard not to, really.” – Ree Cee’s Books
The Very Thought Of You
“Wow, THE VERY THOUGHT OF YOU was simply OUTSTANDING! This second chance, friends to lovers romance is enchanting and entertaining.” – Spellbound Stories
“I just finished this story, and I want to start all over again. Or maybe at the start of series. To once again feel the events, the emotions, that brought these amazing characters together. To hear the banter and the arguments, the sorrow, the loss and the happiness that brought a family together and closer.” – Nerdy, Dirty, and Flirty
Just The Way You Are
"An alpha cowboy and a smart, sassy princess collide in JUST THE WAY YOU ARE in Erika Kelly's latest, and it was fabulous! I was cheering for Brodie and Rosalina with every page. If you love stories with heart, steam, and plenty of swoon, don't miss this one!" -- USA Today Bestselling Author J.H. Croix
"With the Calamity Falls series, Kelly doesn't shy away from charming. She captivates with delectable characters that wrap themselves around a heart. From the first hello to the final goodbye, Rosalind and Brodie are a match made out of the unpredictable, but the sweetest kind of heaven. JUST THE WAY YOU ARE is the perfect example of why I am hooked on this series. SWOONWORTHY READ!" -- Hopeless Romantic Book Reviews
It Way Always You
“This book was full of every emotion you could ever feel. Gigi and Cassian proved you can conquer anything with true love.” – Cat’s Guilty Pleasure
“I could not put this book down! Erika Kelly always delivers a great love story and never disappoints! I recommend this book for romance lovers looking to get lost in a great love story.” – Reading in Pajamas
This book is dedicated to Kristy deBoer. Because it wouldn’t be half as good without you.
Acknowledgments
To Superman: you’re my favorite person in the world.
To Sharon: I don’t know what I’d do without your friendship.
To Kristy deBoer: you get my books across the finish line.
To Melissa: I might be green with envy over your design skills but that doesn’t take away from the fact that I am so grateful you’re doing this with me.
To Erica: you’re so chill about the way I totally rely on you for All the Things.
To the romance writing community: I am so grateful to all the bloggers and reviewers who take the time to read and celebrate my books and to the supportive friends in writer groups like the Dreamweavers, the DND Authors, Indie AF, and The Plotstormers.
Prologue
Six Years Ago, Las Vegas
Coco Cavanaugh had never minded being unexceptional.
It came in handy during times like this, when she was surrounded by her sister’s friends in a loud, frenzied club in Las Vegas. She could pretend to be having the time of her life, and none of these bright, shiny people would notice.
If she thought it wouldn’t ruin her sister’s night, she’d be back in their suite, heels kicked off, stripped of her too-tight dress, and butt-naked. She could almost feel the hot water saturating her scalp, as it washed away the make-up, perspiration, and bad choices.
Except, she was pretty sure she wouldn’t make it to the shower. She’d walk in the door, collapse on the bed, heels dangling off her blistered feet, and bawl her eyes out. Wake up in the morning with mascara streaks on the white pillowcase.
Nope, we’re not doing that. It’s Gigi’s night. It had taken her older sister a long time to come back from a devastating high school heartbreak, but two years ago she’d grabbed hold of an opportunity that turned her into an international pop star. She was finally healed and kicking ass. Coco wouldn’t do anything to bring her down.
At that exact moment, her sister, fresh from her sold-out concert, hiked herself up on a chair and lifted her lemon drop martini. “To Colette,”—Gigi used her real name as if to emphasize how mature Coco had become—“happy graduation and, more importantly, happy birthday. Finally, you’re old enough to drink, old enough to—"
“Gamble,” one of the women shouted over the insanely loud club music.
“Become a pilot,” someone else shouted.
All of them whipped around to find a group of men sauntering over. Where everyone else in the club dressed in suits and cocktail dresses, these guys wore T-shirts and jeans. With their overgrown hair, tan skin, and laidback attitudes, they could easily have been surfers.
Her sister’s entourage broke out laughing, an invitation for the guys to join them.
Gigi, still on the chair, shouted, “She’s already got a boyfriend, so there’ll be none of that.”
The words splashed cold water on her heart, giving her a shock, but her sister didn’t need to know that. She’d catch Gigi up tomorrow. For now, Coco held her drink high and said a cheery, “Thanks, guys!” She sipped her martini, fighting back the roar of anxiety that threatened to pull her under.
I don’t have a boyfriend.
I don’t have a job.
She didn’t have anything.
A moment later, Pitbull’s “Timber” came on, and the whole group jumped up and dashed onto the dance floor, waving their arms and shaking their booties, leaving Coco blissfully alone. Thank God. She could finally relax her straining facial muscles.
When her sister motioned her over, Coco pulled off her stiletto and winced, using her aching feet as an excuse to stay put. Gigi blew her a kiss and lost herself in the wild crowd.
Coco could probably go now. No one would notice if she slipped out. She’d just text her sister, let her know.
A prick of awareness had her looking over to find one of the guys still sitting at the table. Watching her, he cocked his head. You all right?
She nodded. Sure. With his honey-blond chin-length hair and muscular build, he was undeniably hot, but Coco hadn’t even been single twenty-four hours. Too soon. It really was time to leave. The flashing lights and pounding bass held her brain in a vise.
She finished off her drink, just for the snap of lemon and rush of sugar in her mouth, and then punched in the code to open her phone. She couldn’t stop the leap of hope that she’d find something from her boyfriend—
Ex-boyfriend.
Face it. He ghosted you.
She could stop waiting for him. He wasn’t going to magically appear, apologize for blowing off their appointment with the realtor, and tell her he was ready to build the future they’d planned.
Nope, she was on her own.
Fear knocked the air out of her lungs.
What am I going to do now? She’d banked everything on him.
A heavy body dropped onto the couch. Long, athletic legs spread out, as the surfer dude slouched beside her. “House music sucks.”
Not expecting him to say that, she actually smiled. “Then, what’re you doing here?”
“Jimmy…” He leaned in so their shoulders touched and pointed to a red-haired guy on the dance floor. “He’s never been to Vegas. We promised him a survey tour.”
“Gotcha. So…” She ticked off one finger. “Casinos.”
“He already lost two grand.”
“Yikes. That’s not good.” She touched the tip of the second finger. “David Copperfield or Celine Dion?”
“Worse. Everything was sold out. The only tickets we could get were for the fuckin’ Lollipops, which is proof just how much I love that guy, since I’m willing to lose a piece of my soul for him.”
Her grin grew wider. Her sister was the lead singer of that band, but she didn’t see a reason to tell him. She didn’t want to embarrass him as much as she didn’t want to draw out the conversation.
“Now, that’s a smile.” He leaned forward, drawing his legs in. Elbows on his knees, he cut her a look. “And I’ll bet that one doesn’t hurt.”
Heat rushed up her neck and fanned across her cheeks. “Please tell me it’s not that obvious?”
He watched her for a moment—studying her expression, as if he actually cared.
And it just cracked the dam she’d worked so hard to build. All of it—the fear, the hurt, the humiliation—started slowly trickling in.
Oh, hell, no. I’m not breaking down in front of this guy.
She needed to go to her room and have a good, long cry. She needed to wallow. Just for a few hours, and then she’d be good as new. She’d make new plans.
A muscle in his jaw ticked. “Anyone gonna miss you if we take off?”
She glanced to the dance floor, so crowded she couldn’t even see her sister. “I don’t think so. I was about to head back to my room anyhow.” With a jolt, she realized how that sounded. “By myself. That wasn’t an invitation.”
“Yeah, no worries. I’m not looking to get laid.” He stood up and reached for her hand. “Come on.”
As they chugged to the top of the incline, gravity nailed Coco to her seat and the cool night air washed over her skin. She thrilled in anticipation of the imminent fall.
She’d never been on a roller coaster at night, and certainly not in a city lit up in flashing neon lights. The wheels clacked, and she clutched the padded bar. “Oh, my God. I hate roller coasters. You have no idea.”
Becks—that’s what his friends had called him when he’d let them know they were taking off—covered her hand and gave it a squeeze. “I got you.”
At the pinnacle, they paused, giving her a moment to take in the brilliant lights of Las Vegas, and then…it was on. The car plummeted, the dramatic descent whooshing the hair off her face.
Her stomach lurched, and her body smashed against the restraining bar. She laughed so hard tears streamed down her cheeks.
The moment the ride evened out, it twisted, flinging her sideways and speeding along the track. The passengers behind them shrieked. Between the G-forces and her crazy laughter, Coco had to look like something in a fun house mirror.
When they rotated upside down, the blood rushed to her face.
Finally, the ride slowed, and they passed through a dark tunnel. Easing her grip, she released a breath she hadn’t even known she’d been holding. The car jerked to a stop, the safety bar released, and Becks stepped out onto the platform, reaching back for her hand.
She clasped it and got out. “That was insane.” She took a step, but her knee buckled.
He tugged her up against his hot, hard body, holding her gaze for a long, intense moment. One arm around her waist, the other lifted so he could smooth a lock of hair behind her ear. “Look at you, all wild and sexy.”
“I feel wild.” Did she feel sexy? Normally, no. But under his hot gaze, looking at her like he wanted to know what she tasted like…everywhere? Hell, yeah. “Thank you. That got me out of my head.”
He nodded, releasing her slowly, as if he didn’t want to let go. Reaching for her hand, he led her off the platform, his scent lingering—clean cotton and spicy shaving cream. Desire hummed, making her feel more alive than she had in ages.
Once out on the sidewalk, he said, “You want to go back to your hotel or do something else?”
She chanced a look into his icy blue eyes. It wasn’t just his startling good looks that affected her; it was his kindness and concern. But what was the point in pursuing this attraction to a stranger? She had a future to figure out.
Then, again, she hadn’t thought about her ex in a whole hour. “What else have you got in mind?”
As the spacious pod of the High Roller Observation Wheel ascended, Coco gaped at the view. Beyond the cluster of massive hotels and the glitter and sparkle of the Strip sat the vast blackness of the valley floor. “It’s crazy to think they built all of this in the middle of a desert.”
Though they were alone, Becks stood right beside her. Each time their arms brushed, it sent a flurry of sensation through her. She hadn’t felt this butterflies-in-the-stomach, oh-my-God-he’s-talking-to-me crush stuff since high school.
And she loved it.
“That’s the club.” He tipped his chin.
“Where?”
He came around behind her, boxing her in against the window. Extending his arm, he pointed. “That hotel right there.” His wa
rm breath at her ear sent a shiver down her spine. “The one with the weirdly shaped O spanning across the windows.”
The moment felt dangerous. She could imagine turning in his arms, looping her hands around his neck, and pressing her body up against his. She could picture his hands grabbing her ass and lifting her against the window.
And she really, really wanted to feel his fingers push aside her panties and—
“You okay?” He perched his chin on her shoulder.
“Yes. Fine.” But she didn’t move—not a single twitch of a muscle or shuffle of a foot—because she wanted him to stay right where he was. She didn’t want to lose these delicious sensations flowing through her. “You think they’re still there?”
“Oh, yeah. My friends’ll close it down.”
“So will mine.” Licking her bottom lip, she turned to look into his eyes. The connection sent a blast of excitement through her. “Why don’t you want to be with them?” Was that her voice? All low and raspy, with the promise of a great blow job?
She should probably knock it off. She didn’t want to give him the wrong impression. She wouldn’t be going back to his room.