Feels Like Falling Read online

  His tone was robotic, devoid of all warmth. It was hard to believe that the man standing in front of her now was the same man who had held her in his arms last night on that beach and soothed her until she stopped trembling. It also didn’t escape her attention that he had told her to contact his father if she had further questions in regard to Lainey’s wedding, not him. His impersonal demeanor cut her and she chastised herself for letting him in as much as she had, for sharing a piece of herself, albeit small, with someone other than Lainey and Gus. She had taken a risk and it had backfired in her face. And she had no one to blame but herself.

  A couple of theories swirled in her brain as to why and how he could go from that caring guy on the beach to an all-business, unfeeling asshole. Maybe he just wasn’t interested. Or maybe he did have a girlfriend or a wife, though she had found no evidence of one: no female clothes or accessories, no happy couple photos. In her snooping she had spotted a framed picture on the mantle of Luke standing next to three gorgeous men, a striking young woman, who appeared to be no more than twenty-five years old, and an older smiling couple. Two of the men to Luke’s right resembled him. They had to be his brothers, which probably meant that she had stumbled across a family portrait.

  The other explanation as to why he was acting the way he was, the explanation that was becoming more likely with each passing second, was that he had sensed what she was. Somehow he knew she was fucked up, someone with way too much baggage, even too damaged for a quick fuck. She could have easily wallowed in self-pity at that realization, but she chose to be angry instead.

  Peyton snatched the folder from his hand. “Thank you. I look forward to meeting with your father.” She forced a smile, turned and walked out of his house and crossed the grounds to the winery.

  Chapter Ten

  Luke

  He was a glutton for punishment, for the slow torture he himself allowed to occur.

  Luke remained out of view and away from the foot traffic while he watched her. Peyton had just changed into another wedding dress, this one more traditional than the last. She had looked stunning in the previous dress, but this one…this was what a bride should look like on her wedding day.

  “Peyton, we’re almost finished, love. Now, I need a couple shots of you with the groom. Ryan, take Peyton by the waist and kiss her. Peyton, you do your magic,” the photographer said.

  Ryan, the male model, smiled at Peyton and placed his hands on her hips. The sight made Luke want to rush across the banquet hall and punch his pretty little face into pulp. Peyton flashed her fake groom a smile and kissed him.

  Breathe. This is fake. She’s not actually kissing him for real. This is her job. She probably has kissed dozens of guys like this.

  That rationale only infuriated him more. He wanted that smile, those haunted blue-green eyes of hers. And her lips. They should be pressing against his, not Ryan’s.

  He felt a tap on his shoulder. “Mr. McGinnis, you have a delivery around back.”

  Luke glanced at one of the dozen employees he had manning this event. “I’ll be right there.” The man nodded and left him to inflict some more pain on himself.

  “Beautiful. Okay, you two. Ryan, take Peyton’s hands. She has just said I do. You two are now officially married. I want you to look at her like she’s everything to you.” The photographer tinkered with his camera and then crouched down to get his money shot.

  Luke couldn’t take it anymore. He didn’t want anyone looking into Peyton’s eyes, to get lost in them…and the secrets that they held. He abruptly turned and forced himself out of that room. Luke made his way through the kitchen and out the back door where he received all of his deliveries and was pleasantly surprised at what he encountered.

  “I was expecting one of your hired hands, not the owner himself. How the hell were you able to get away and grace us with your presence?” Luke asked, giving his brother a genuine smile.

  “Asshole,” Gabe said. His younger brother shook his hand and then brought him in for a quick hug.

  “Seriously, what are you doing here? I thought you would be back out to sea, especially since you had spent a few days visiting Morgan in the hospital.”

  Gabe’s eyes narrowed as he looked at him for a second too long. “My boats are in good hands with my mates.” Luke got the sense that his brother was studying him for some reason. And he didn’t like it. He evaded his brother’s gaze and stepped into the back of the delivery truck. He emerged seconds later with a cooler full of fresh fish. Gabe followed him in and retrieved a couple of cases of sea scallops. They stacked the coolers and cases just outside the back door of the kitchen. The wait staff would take it from there, preparing the seafood they had ordered from Gabe’s fishery for tomorrow’s wedding. The couple that was due to be married at the winery tomorrow afternoon had gone top shelf for everything. They hadn’t skimped or even attempted to cut corners for their big day, which meant they had ordered the best fish money could buy.

  Having a brother who owned his own fishery was definitely a plus. The arrangement was perfect, simultaneously helping and promoting their businesses. Brennan had also seen the benefits of ensuring that all the seafood he served in his restaurant came exclusively from Gabe’s fishery and had quickly jumped on that bandwagon. The Lucrezia name was now woven into all their businesses and it didn’t take long for people to know and appreciate the connection. Lucrezia was equated with quality, which meant everything to Luke and his brothers. And it had paid off. Last year, the combined income of the McGinnis family businesses had landed them in Forbes magazine. It was still difficult to believe that their money problems were over, that they would never have to worry about which bills to pay and which could be put aside until the following month.

  Gabe shut the door to the back of the truck and secured the lock. “You know, I got this feeling today that you needed to see my ugly mug.”

  Gabe was a man of few words. Even as a boy he was more on the quiet side, especially when compared to his fraternal twin brother, Brennan, the smart ass with the quick tongue. Although Gabe and Brennan looked a lot alike, they were completely different when it came to personality. Gabe lived more like a recluse, spending weeks at a time out to sea with just his mates and the open ocean. When he did return from a stint, he found solace in his bayside cottage where he lived alone. Luke and the rest of his siblings visited him often. It was understood by all of them that if you went to Gabe’s home, be prepared to leave your worries at the front door and learn to relax. Because that was what Gabe wanted when you came to see him. He enjoyed grilling up a meal, preferably protein straight from the sea, and supplying his guests with spirits that forced you to unwind. He would then whip out his guitar and strum some tunes that made you smile and remind you of things you didn’t mind recalling.

  But Luke suspected that this hospitality didn’t extend outside the family. Luke couldn’t be certain, but he wouldn’t be surprised to learn that Gabe didn’t socialize or date much…if at all. He had never seen Gabe with a woman or hear him speak of one. On the rare occasions that they had gone out to a bar for a beer together, he had witnessed Gabe looking at women, even flirting with them after they had thrown themselves at him, but that was about it. It made Luke wonder if his brother had ever been with a woman.

  And that was one of the biggest differences between Brennan and Gabe. Where Gabe gravitated toward a more solitary lifestyle, Brennan was pretty much a manwhore. Women flocked to him whenever they went out and he showed them his appreciation every chance he got. He would charm women with a simple smile and by morning kiss them goodbye and send them on their way. But as much as Brennan seemed to enjoy his single, no-strings-attached lifestyle, something nagged at Luke whenever they were together. Being with all those women, fucking and forgetting them just as quick, it was as if he was overcompensating. As if it was his way of coping.

  That was what Luke and his twin brothers had in common. They had all found a way to cope with what had happened when they were y
ounger. What was impossible to nail down was which coping mechanism was the right one? Was Gabe’s way of coping best? Was it better to live alone and not risk your heart? Or was Brennan’s whoring a better option? Was he wrong to want to drown his memories and insecurities in multiple pussies? Who was Luke to judge? Look at how he coped. He had resorted to prostitutes in his early years and then graduated to fulfilling his desires by becoming a co-owner of a sex club.

  “Well, I appreciate you coming. And I definitely have a new appreciation for what Dad does around here,” Luke said, intentionally disregarding Gabe’s comment.

  “Mom and Dad decided to stay in Philly a little longer?”

  “Yeah, they didn’t want to leave Morgan and Aunt Day. They should be back sometime this week, though.” They walked into the kitchen and washed their hands in the sink. As they dried off Luke said, “Can you stay for a bit? Thought you might like to see the expansion and maybe sample a few wines we’ll be launching next season.”

  “I think I can swing that. Lead the way.”

  Luke and Gabe left the kitchen and entered the banquet hall in order to get to the wine tasting room. Luke quickened his pace but he heard Gabe ask, “What’s all this?”

  “Dad booked a photo shoot for some fashion magazine.” Luke desperately wanted to keep moving and not linger…or be tempted to stop and stare at Peyton, who was still looking painfully beautiful in that damn dress, but Gabe had come to a halt and was now taking in the scene before him.

  “Okay, let’s take a break. Peyton, Ryan, go get changed and be back out in fifteen.” Ryan nodded at the photographer and then gave Peyton a toothy grin before making his exit. That little motherfucker.

  “Who is that?” Gabe asked.

  “Who?” Luke asked, playing dumb.

  “The woman you haven’t taken your eyes off since we entered this room.”

  “She’s part of the shoot. Let’s go,” Luke said briskly.

  “What’s her name?” Gabe asked, not budging.

  “Peyton Matthews. Why?”

  Gabe smiled and then it faded a little before he said, “Because she seems to be the reason I’m here.”

  Luke wanted to tell his brother that he was full of shit, that he was out of line. But Gabe was right. He was always right about these things. Gabe and Brennan might be twins, but Gabe could always read Luke and know when something was bothering him, feel his pain in a way no one else could. Luke had seen this ability - or disability - firsthand the day Luke had attempted suicide when he was eight years old.

  Aunt Day had been the one to find him, dangling from a rope that he had secured from one of the sturdier branches of the old oak tree in his backyard, and cut him down. Instead of snapping his neck like he had planned, he had miscalculated and strangled himself. He had been just seconds away from passing out when Aunt Day rescued him. She had been frantically removing the rope from his neck when Gabe ran to his side and fell to his knees. The pain in Gabe’s eyes was unimaginable. It was like his brother had been suffering right along with him. Gabe had grown even quieter after that day, like something in him had died. They had never spoken about it since. Neither Gabe nor Brennan had asked him why he would try to end his life because they both knew. They had been there. They had seen what Warren did to him. On several occasions they had been forced to watch, to make them understand that if they told anyone the same would happen to them. But they hadn’t stood by quietly. Brennan and Gabe had flung their six-year-old bodies at that grunting son of a bitch, kicking and biting, doing anything they could to make it stop. But Warren had pulled out a knife and threatened to kill Luke if they kept that up.

  “I think I’m going to say hello,” Gabe said, gesturing in Peyton’s direction.

  What in the actual fuck was his antisocial brother thinking?

  Before he could demand that Gabe stay put his brother started to walk toward Peyton, only to be intercepted by sex-infused Tasha. “And who are you?” she asked, looking him over. Although Gabe was dressed in work boots, worn jeans and a dirty t-shirt, she looked pleased as shit.

  “I’m Gabe McGinnis, Luke’s brother. And you are?”

  Tasha chuckled and shook her head. She appeared surprised that he had no idea who she was. “I’m Tasha. Are you staying for dinner tonight, Gabe?”

  “I haven’t decided. Why? Would you like me to stay?” he asked.

  “Hmm. I could have a lot of fun with you,” Tasha said. Her shameless comment made Gabe smile, hinting that he was at the very least amused.

  “Peyton, come here and meet my new friend.” Peyton was talking to the photographer’s assistant when she was waved over. Luke wanted to melt into the cracks of the hardwood floor and disappear. He knew he had been cold to her this morning, which resulted in pissing her the hell off. But it had to be done.

  “Peyton, this is Gabe, Luke’s brother.”

  Peyton looked at Luke for a moment before placing her attention on Gabe. She smiled and shook his hand. “Nice to meet you.”

  “Nice to meet you as well,” Gabe said.

  “My God! Aren’t we lucky? Two hot brothers,” Tasha said.

  “I believe there are four in all, actually. Am I correct, Gabe?” Peyton asked.

  Gabe’s eyes widened. Luke could see the wheels in his brother’s mind turning.

  “Yes, I have three brothers. Luke is the oldest. My brother Jake is next and then there is my twin brother, Brennan.”

  “You have a twin? How interesting…and how incredibly sexy. Gabe, I do hope you can stay for dinner,” Tasha said. She flashed him a tempting smile and sauntered off toward the dressing area.

  Luke looked at Peyton and locked eyes with her. A sly smile tugged at her lips, causing his unease to skyrocket. She was up to something. Peyton shifted her focus to Gabe and said, “I’m glad I got a chance to meet you. I wanted to apologize for ruining your plans last night.”

  Fuck!

  Gabe didn’t respond, because how the hell could he? Peyton’s smile grew, especially when she looked back at Luke. “Luke was on his way to meet you in the city for a drink when he found me and saw that I needed a ride home.”

  Gabe played along and said, “No big deal. I’m glad you made it home safely.” Peyton glanced from Luke to Gabe. She didn’t look convinced. In fact, she appeared smug and satisfied with Gabe’s attempt to cover up Luke’s lie.

  “Well, maybe I’ll see you at dinner. It was nice meeting you, Gabe.” Peyton smiled at him and then gave Luke a look that said, “Yeah, take that, you fucking bullshitter.”

  “Come on,” Luke said. He didn’t wait for a response and walked across the banquet hall and entered the wine tasting room. Luke grabbed two glasses from a cabinet and poured Gabe and himself a glass from one of the bottles he had on display. Gabe took a hearty sip of the Cabernet and then placed the glass on one of the barrels lining the wall.

  “Care to explain what Peyton was talking about?”

  Luke downed his wine, which was something he never did, and said, “No.”

  “I see.” Gabe picked up his glass and started to walk around the room. “She reminds me of someone.” Gabe glanced at him briefly before he went back to pacing the floor. “There’s something familiar about her.”

  How could he have picked that up?

  Luke opted for smart ass over deep and introspective and said, “Her face is plastered on every magazine cover.”

  “No, that’s not it. I could elaborate, but I don’t think you want that right now.” Gabe stopped his pacing and looked him right in the eye and said, “But I will tell you this. I don’t know who she is, what is in her past or why you found it necessary to use me as your excuse to get your ass into the city last night—but mark my words, that woman is either going to break you or be your means of finding the peace you want…and deserve.”

  Luke didn’t respond. He stared at his brother, at someone who had just summed up all his thoughts and fears in one sentence. Luckily, Gabe broke the uncomfortable silence and said
, “I better get going. I think I’ll swing by Brennan’s before I head home. I brought in two extra cases of scallops yesterday. I was going to see if he needed them.”

  Luke appreciated his brother’s attempt at normalcy. But there was no way he was going to be able to forget what Gabe had said, the brutal truth that he had forced Luke to see. Not wanting to let Gabe’s visit end on an awkward note he asked, “You sure you want to leave? Tasha will be so disappointed.”

  Luke and Gabe left the wine tasting room and entered the banquet hall just in time to see Tasha cuddling up to one of the male models.

  With a raised brow and a smile Gabe said, “I don’t think Tasha will grieve for very long.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Peyton

  “Such a shame that Gabe couldn’t stay. I was really looking forward to fucking his brains out tonight.” Tasha removed her cloth napkin from her lap and placed it on her empty dinner plate. Peyton was surprised that Tasha had indulged and eaten everything that was put in front of her. But how could she not? The food Luke’s staff had served them was outstanding. The lamb chops had practically melted in her mouth and that sauce that had been drizzled on top…what the hell was in that? She wanted to dip everything she ate from now on in that gooey goodness.

  “Well, I’m sure you’ll survive. You and Martin were looking quite cozy earlier. Why don’t you two share a limo on the way to the airport and let out all that pent-up frustration?”

  Tasha retrieved her wine glass and took a sip. She seemed to actually consider the suggestion. “Perhaps,” Tasha said, standing from the dinner table. Peyton joined her and they walked over to the bar. Peyton ordered another glass of wine, though it was only her second of the night. After what had happened last night, she wasn’t really in the mood to drink. But the glass of wine she had with dinner had been delicious and she wanted a little more. “Or maybe I should take out my frustration on that,” Tasha said, nodding to her right. “Or were you planning on ending your drought with the sexy winery owner?”