Total pages in book: 64
Estimated words: 60497 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 302(@200wpm)___ 242(@250wpm)___ 202(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 60497 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 302(@200wpm)___ 242(@250wpm)___ 202(@300wpm)
He’s the bad boy my family warned me about—and the one man I can’t have.
I just landed the job of my dreams—planning the Miami Thunder football team’s anniversary celebration—and I can’t afford distractions. Especially not tattooed billionaire and reformed troublemaker Lucas Carras. He exudes alpha-hero intensity, but he’s been off limits for as long as I’ve known him.
But the kickoff party is happening at the nightclub he co-owns with my brother… and with my sibling out of town, I’m stuck working with Lucas.
Forced proximity ignites the desire we’ve both been pretending doesn’t exist. From bedrooms to storage rooms, the scorching tension causes us to cross every line we swore we wouldn’t. On paper, we’re complete opposites. In reality, the chemistry is undeniable.
This party is everything I’ve worked for—my moment to prove myself. Until the sabotage starts.
Orders vanish. Vendors back out. Someone is determined to ruin the anniversary… and my reputation along with it.
Suddenly Lucas isn’t just a distraction. He’s my protector, my anchor, and the only man I trust to stand by my side.
But when my brother finds out about us, family drama explodes. And I’m torn between being the good girl who plays by the rules... and falling for trouble.
Perfect for fans of Carly Phillips and high-heat sports romance, Falling for Trouble features a possessive hero, high-stakes suspense, and a guaranteed HEA
*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************
CHAPTER ONE
Rainey
It’s past eight p.m. and I stare at my phone, willing the damn thing to ring, but it remains silent.
Calm down, I tell myself.
Either Golden Palm Events, the company I co-own with my best friend, Kaylee Martin, will win the bid for the Miami Thunder football team’s 50th anniversary celebration or we won’t. But I need the stress of not knowing to end. We were assured an answer tonight, so we wait. Even Ashlynn, our receptionist, has gone home for the day.
“You do realize watching your phone won’t make it ring faster?” Kaylee asks, as she sits at her desk, calmly drinking from her water bottle.
My stomach isn’t just swirling in anticipation, it’s rumbling with hunger, yet I’m too nervous to eat. “Winning this bid could put us on the map,” I remind her. Not to mention give us badly needed positive press so we can finally put the past behind us.
My partner runs a hand through her blonde, highlighted hair and tucks a few strands behind her ear. “We’re doing very well as it is. Do I want this job? More than anything, but it isn’t worth the stress you’re putting on yourself. Besides, did you forget your father owns the team?”
I shake my head because nepotism is the last reason I want this job. “That is exactly why I told him I want us to earn this opportunity on merit, or I don’t want it at all. Besides, it’s not just up to my dad, it’s a group decision. And even if we legitimately get the opportunity to handle the Thunder’s anniversary events, there are those who will scream preferential treatment anyway.” I’ll just have to work extra hard to prove myself.
Something I’ve been doing ever since being publicly accused of acting unprofessionally by a disappointed client who’d destroyed our reputation on social media and in the business circles where we want to work. In truth, the gentleman—and I use that term loosely—had been impossible to please and nothing I did for his event satisfied him.
Kaylee sighs. “People suck. Especially Gregory Atwater. But forget about the past. You must admit we nailed the Thunder presentation.”
In front of my father, the general manager, the coach, and the head of PR, we gave a demonstration of our ideas for the season-long campaign. Even I can admit it was our best presentation to date. “We did an amazing job and no matter what happens, I’m proud of us.”
“Me too,” Kaylee says with a smile. “And don’t worry about anyone claiming nepotism because we’ll do such a great job, they’ll forget your father is Ian Dare.”
Unable to help myself, I snort. “Nobody will ever forget I’m Ian Dare’s daughter.” Don’t get me wrong, I love both of my parents. My mom and I are super close, and I’ve always been a daddy’s girl. Until it came to building my business.
Golden Palm Events is my pride and joy, and Kaylee and I have always been determined to make it in the corporate event planning world on our own and not thanks to my family name. The Dares are huge in football circles and not only because my father owns the team. My uncle Alex used to be the star quarterback for the Tampa Breakers, the Thunder’s biggest rivals. Alex and my dad now work together on concussion protocol, CTE, and preparing young rookies for post-football life. Not to mention most of my family has worked or still works for the Thunder in some capacity. Every one of my relatives has offered to refer our business to their friends.
I politely refused. I’m lucky enough to have a trust fund that gave me the start-up money but everything else came from hard work and dedication, not family connections. Even after the initial social media hit that nearly destroyed us, we’re accomplishing our goal. We already have a stellar list of clients, but there is no denying this party would put us at the top.
“Who else pitched?” Kaylee asks. “Do you know?”
I have inside connections and information thanks to Aunt Olivia and Uncle Dylan, who both work in the front office. I think about the names she gave me. “Angela Gunn pitched ideas, but she’s a force in wedding and social party planning, not corporate events. Maybe she’s looking to expand, but she doesn’t have the résumé or the experience we do.”
Kaylee nods. “I agree. I assume Blaire Reynolds put in a bid?”
I groan as I reply. “She did.” Blaire owns what I can only call our biggest rival company.
No matter the opportunity, Sun Coast Events, Blaire’s business, is always up against us. More often than not, we win based on our talent. I can only hope it’s the same with the Thunder account.
I pace the room while Kaylee texts on her phone and the minutes drag by. Finally, I turn to her. “I’m going to the ladies’ room. I’ll be right—”