Read Online Falling for Fate by Caisey Quinn - Free Book Online Page A

love it when you talk dirty to me, baby.” Keaton grinned before taking another drink. “But seriously, the woman obviously has some issues if she’d just give it up to a stranger on the beach then vanish. Or maybe you just sucked at it and she’s traumatized for life.”
    Dean stood from the barstool and threw a few bills down on the bar. “Fuck you, man. I’m going home.”
    “Aw, come on. Don’t go. I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings, princess.”
    Dean was tired. He was tired of the constant booze and bullshit and empty-headed bimbos that had filled his beach house all summer. He just wanted to find that damn woman so she could explain why she’d left. He wanted to know her name. He wanted to know if he’d let her down somehow. Keaton didn’t know it, but he’d scratched the surface of something Dean was concerned about. It was her first time—he wanted it to have been good for her. He thought it had been, until she vanished.
    More than anything, he wanted a chance at finishing what he felt like they’d started. While he’d been battling the sand, his mind had been mapping out the many ways he planned to take her when he didn’t have to struggle against the elements. The shower, the bed, the bathtub. But she disappeared into thin air, leaving him grasping at the memory and trying to make peace with the fact that his plans might never come to fruition.
    “You didn’t hurt my feelings, bitch. I don’t have feelings,” he told his friend. “I’m going to walk around a bit, see if anyone’s seen a woman matching her description.”
    “Uh huh. For a guy with no feelings, you sure are awfully fixated on this woman.” Keaton eyed him strangely while polishing off his beer. “Good luck to you.”

T he second half of orientation was mostly about setting up email accounts and filling out life and health insurance preferences. Filling out her direct deposit information was almost as satisfying as the chicken pita wrap her new boss had bought her for lunch.
    Gwen had to go back to her office after orientation ended, but she told Fate that she’d walk her to the correct train so she made it back to her place safely.
    “I hate to ask, but why the East Village?”
    Fate grimaced. “It was pretty much all I could afford.”
    “Ah. Makes sense. So do you have a lease agreement or…”
    “It’s a hotel—just something short term until I can save enough for a security deposit and first and last months’ rent.”
    There was an awkward silence while they walked out of the building. Fate ached to fill it but had no idea what else to say. Her situation was far from ideal and not necessarily something she wanted to share with a brand-new coworker.
    They’d both barely made it through the revolving glass doors when Fate saw him leaning against the building. Her heart sank into her stomach. Her feet acted on sheer self-preservation and instinct and began to retreat.
    Then the man called out her name.
    “You know him?” Gwen looked back and forth from the man to her.
    Fate nodded. “I used to. Or I used to think I did, anyway.”
    She froze where she stood and waited. Once Trevor Harris was in reaching distance, he pulled off his sunglasses and glared down at her.
    “Jesus Christ, Fate. I’ve been worried sick about you. Why haven’t you answered your phone?”
    Fate closed her eyes and counted to ten. Had he been worried? She couldn’t tell if the concern was genuine because it was diluted by his repugnant tone.
    “Trevor. This is Gwen. We’ll be working together. Please do not act like an epic jackass right now.”
    Trevor’s eyes darted to her new friend and then returned to hers. “Okay. We need to talk. Tell me where you’re staying.”
    Fate’s hands clenched at her sides. “There is nothing left to say and it’s none of your business where I’m staying. Please feel free to move on with your life. I have.”
    Trevor snorted and her body flushed hot with frustration. It was like being torn