Falling Deeper (Falling Series) Read online

  I’ve never seen a boy so good-looking before. Well, boy wouldn’t be an accurate description. He’s all man with his large, muscled form sitting at his desk in the back row. With bulging biceps stretching his short sleeve T-shirt, wide chest, slim waist, and long legs stretching out from under his desk. I don’t know how he manages to squeeze himself in the seat to begin with when he must be six feet tall, at least. When I passed him in the halls he towered over my five-foot-one-inch self.

  The perfect height for me to lay my head against his heart when he’s wrapping me up in his strong arms.

  With a roll of my eyes I quickly dismiss the thought, as if that would ever happen. I’d have to get the courage to even talk to him first.

  It isn’t just his body and height that give this boy the look of a man. Oh no. Rounding out his manly appearance is a tattoo peeking out of the sleeve on his right arm, five o’clock shadow covering his square jaw, and lush, full lips.

  Lips that I can just imagine would feel like clouds skimming across my skin.

  Not that I would know what that feels like, being that until recently I wasn’t what most would consider desirable. Thank goodness I’ve trimmed down to more manageable curves and a slightly smaller tummy. My mom says it must be from the stress of the divorce, the move, and what has been our crazy life these past couple of years because of my dad’s arrest and jail time. Whatever it is, I’m thankful it happened before I met this guy. He is the hottest guy I have ever seen.

  I can still feel his stare as I walk over to Mr. Perkins’s desk to make sure I am in the right class. It’s as if his hands are actually caressing me he’s staring so hard.

  Looking down to confirm the rest of my schedule, as Mr. Perkins checks his class list, I swear I hear what sounds like a groan coming from the back of the room. I turn to scan the room, wondering if I’m hearing things, when I zero in on him staring right at my chest. He looks up at my face finally and his jaw goes slack.

  What? Do I have something on my face?

  Just as quickly as it happened, he closes his mouth and flashes me a smirk that I have no doubt could melt the hearts and panties of girls everywhere. And probably has.

  And that’s when I notice it. A dimple. In his left cheek.

  Holy shit. I am done for.

  With that one smirk and lone dimple I’m blushing even more, and I can’t help myself. A smile of my own breaks across my face. His gray eyes get darker, almost navy in color, and it’s as if time stops. The look in his eyes hold promises I can only dream of.

  With that I turn from Mr. Perkins, not even registering a word he’s said, and head over to the first seat in the front row. I tuck my backpack under my desk, pull out the syllabi from English and History and pretend that I still don’t notice him staring at the back of my head. It’s causing a funny feeling to settle deep. I can’t shake it. This feeling that my life is about to change.

  CHAPTER THREE

  KAYSON

  Leaving study hall to head to lunch, Damon catches up to me, still chattering on about who knows what.

  I hope to fuck that girl from study hall will be there, too.

  I shake my head of my thoughts. One glance and I’m already acting like a damn pussy. She’s just a girl for Christ’s sake. A girl with a definite banging body, luscious ass, and tits that any guy would drool over. But a girl nonetheless.

  Great, now all I’m thinking of are her tits and ass, causing the hard-on I just got rid of to come roaring back to life. Get a grip, man.

  “Dude, were you even listening to me?” Damon asks, while my head is still wrapped up in the girl who will definitely be taking up my fantasies.

  “Roxanne was banging, bro. Riding my dick like a fucking champ. Mmm.” He groans in appreciation while eyeing the new freshmen chicks walking the opposite way. Catching the eye of one of them, he winks at her, which causes her to blush and bow her head. He’s probably reliving every cowgirl-esque move this Roxanne chick made while envisioning this newbie riding him, too.

  Fucking pervert. I laugh to myself.

  “Hello? You even listening now, dude?” Damon tries again, waving his hand in front of my face.

  “You notice that chick walk into study hall?” I ask, trying to keep the eagerness and curiosity out of my voice. If Damon catches on I will never hear the end of it.

  “What chick?” he asks with a puzzled look on his face. “Oh, you must mean the new girl. Ember. I heard some of the guys on the football team talking about her earlier in the halls.”

  “Ember,” I whisper to myself, tasting her name on my lips. Clearing my throat when I realize I must look like a pussy-whipped douche canoe, I reply to Damon. “Yeah, man, must be her. Saw her walk into study hall, that’s all.” I try to play it off and act cool.

  Is it hot in here?

  “Yeah, bro, that chick is hot as hell. Shy as shit, but still hot,” he says, looking over at me as I keep my face straight ahead and neutral while we finish navigating the halls to lunch.

  “You didn’t notice her once today in the halls?” he asks, looking at me with a puzzled expression when I turn to face him as we get to the cafeteria.

  “No, I haven’t, why?”

  “Oh, I don’t know, probably because you only almost rammed into her this morning after first period. That’s why. But I get it, blondes are usually your thing, so you were probably overlooking her.”

  Blondes may have been my preference before, but now I have a sudden thing for tiny brunettes with curves to kill.

  “Yeah, well, I’ve noticed her now,” I say, while pushing through the doors of the cafeteria. I stop dead in my tracks, causing Damon to bump into me. Standing at the table with Sam and Tracey, with her back to me, is Ember and that luscious ass.

  I am so fucked.

  EMBER

  I scan the lunchroom looking for Sam. She said to look for her when I got to the cafeteria so we could sit together. I spot her on my second glance of the room, sitting over at a table with another really pretty girl.

  Am I the only average-looking girl around here? Sheesh.

  She spots me and starts to wave frantically, causing a few heads to turn my way. Nervously, I start to walk over to join them.

  I met Sam in my first period English class this morning and we hit it off right away. She’s a junior like me and seems wonderful. She’s feisty, funny, sweet, and not to mention one of the prettiest girls I think I’ve ever seen. She has dark auburn hair that is almost as long as mine, the prettiest blue-teal eyes, and is small like me, but a couple inches taller and a little less curvy.

  From the second I walked into Mrs. Kerry’s English class, a stammering, trembling mess, she made it her mission to become my friend. She introduced herself first to save me from the gossiping blonde bimbos in the corner and then dragged me to the seat next to hers. She was welcoming and chattered nonstop about her summer vacation, taking the focus off of me, which I appreciated. In between the lectures from Mrs. Kerry, of course.

  As the bell rang to mark the end of first period, Sam asked for my class schedule and offered to walk me to my next class, since she had math next door. At that time we noticed we had a couple more classes together throughout the week. It was a relief to know I’d have her by my side while I got used to the new school and new people. Once we made it to our classes Sam declared that we’d be friends, and I couldn’t argue with her. She made the start of my first day bearable and she seems pretty kick-ass. So friends we shall be.

  As I make my way over to the table Sam stands and gives me a huge hug, surprising me. She really is amazing.

  “Hey, girl! You’ll have to tell us how the rest of your morning has gone. And if anyone gave you any shit tell me who so I can go kick some ass!” I laugh nervously at her because I have a funny feeling that she’s completely serious. If the look on her face is any indication I would say she is.

  “Nope, all good. Just the usual History class and study hall before this, which included the usual jocks, nerds,
and dumb blondes.” Sam and the other girl laugh, easing my anxiety a little more.

  “Oh crap, sorry. Look at me already forgetting you’re new here. Let me introduce you to my other bestie,” she says as she turns to the girl sitting with her. “Besides you, of course,” she adds with a wink.

  “This cute and quiet little thing here is Tracey.” She waves and smiles at me, and as I wave back Sam interjects again. “But don’t let her cute and timid appearance fool you; she is just as crazy as me.” She laughs at herself, causing us all to laugh again.

  I think I’ll fit in just fine.

  I take a seat next to Sam and take out my packed lunch as she and Tracey begin drilling me with some questions, like where I’m from, why I moved, and if I noticed any of the hotties yet. I keep my responses light since I’m not too proud of what caused Momma and me to move. So I stick to the basics: I’m from Vermont, and we moved because my parents got divorced. I avoid answering their last question, but end up flushing crimson when I think of that guy from study hall.

  “I’d say she must have seen someone that caught her eye with a blush like that.” Tracey snickers, causing my blush to deepen. I really need to work on that.

  Sam looks like she is about to add to Tracey’s comment when something catches her eye over my shoulder. “Oh great, here they are now. Mr. Popularity and Mr. King of the School.”

  I turn to see who she’s talking about when my eyes collide with him. I turn away quickly and try to hide my reaction, but Sam’s knowing look tells me she’s figured out who caught my eye today.

  What are the odds?

  “Which one?” Tracey asks.

  “Huh?” I try to play dumb, but even after ten minutes with these girls they already seem to know what I’m about.

  “Damon Miles or Kayson Williams? They are probably the two most popular seniors in this school. Which one has you turning as red as a tomato?” They both look at me expectantly, waiting on my answer.

  “Well, I’m not sure. Both of them were in my study hall right before this. But the slightly taller one in the black T-shirt—”

  “Knew it! Kayson ‘the King’ Williams always gets the girls going.” Sam laughs.

  Of course the hottest guy ever has to have the hottest name ever. I must have said that out loud because all of a sudden the both of them burst out laughing. I can’t help but join in.

  The three of us are still laughing when a deep voice breaks through, quieting us all for a moment. “Ladies, ladies, ladies. What has you three all smiles today?” The one I presume is Damon asks. A wide smile covers his handsome face as he scans us sitting at the table.

  His eyes lock onto Tracey as he singles her out, causing her to blush. “Hey, Ace,” he simply states before he swings his gaze over to me.

  “Hey there, I’m Damon, and you must be the infamous Ember I’ve heard about.” He introduces himself while he grabs my hand to place a kiss to my knuckles. His hazel eyes stand out against his dark caramel colored skin, curled black lashes, and buzzed black hair. His broad, tall frame towering over me in my seat.

  I was right, this is Damon, but what does he mean he’s heard about me?

  As he lowers my hand from his lips, Kayson slaps him upside the head and knocks him out of the way.

  “Sorry about him. I’m Kayson.”

  Oh goodness.

  “H-hi. I’m Ember.” My eyes slide closed when I notice my stammering, higher-pitched tone.

  Gosh, why must I sound like an idiot? I know I must be redder than a dang fire truck. Delightful.

  He smirks at my stammering, and I just about die. That dimple is on full display right in front of me.

  Yep. Life changing.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  -OCTOBER-

  EMBER

  As Sam, Tracey, and I start unpacking our lunches and talking about our plans for the weekend, Kayson and Damon walk over and plop down at the two empty spots at the table. The two of them going on about how one of their friends pulled a school prank and got himself suspended.

  That will happen when you somehow get the groundskeeper’s golf cart parked on the roof of the school. A school that is two stories tall. I roll my eyes at them.

  Ever since the first day of school when we all met in the cafeteria, the five of us sit together for lunch. The guys don’t seem to mind that we’re a year younger or care about the attention we garner because of that. They waltz into the cafeteria like they walk around the rest of the school. Like they own it.

  I’d be lying if I said I didn’t get a small thrill at knowing they chose us over the snobby senior girls they could so easily spend their time with. The attention from those girls and their glares I could do without though.

  Damon dubbed us ‘the crew’ and in such a short time we have become quite the group. Sam, Tracey, and I hang out almost every day after school and then most weekends. We somehow always end up meeting with Kayson and Damon at some point, too. Which also adds to the attention the three of us girls get because we are usually with one, if not two, of the hottest guys in school.

  Momma was happy when I brought Sam and Tracey by the house that first day after school. She said school was for making friends and memories and that I was halfway there as she hugged me tightly. She was even happier when the girls let it slip that I caught the attention of Kayson. I blushed fiercely, shook my head, and rolled my eyes at the three of them giggling to themselves at my expense.

  Even now, a month later, I have no clue what they are talking about when it comes to Kayson. We’re only friends. Nothing more. I know we spend a lot of time together, and he gives me rides to and from school most days, but that’s really it. We’re usually surrounded by other people or our friends, we’re never alone for more than a short time, and he’s never made a move.

  And if he felt more for me, surely he is the type of guy to make a move, right? He doesn’t hold back in any other aspect of his life, so why would he with me? Especially when I know I don’t hide my feelings for him as well as I think I do.

  I’m brought out of my thoughts as I notice Sam and Tracey roll their eyes when Damon waggles his eyebrows at them.

  That guy is just too much. I laugh to myself.

  He’s always trying to charm the pants off of any number of girls, whether they are classmates or randoms we encounter when we’re all out together. Too bad for him—Sam and Tracey seem to be immune to his antics. He tries really hard though, and when it doesn’t work on them, he just finds another unsuspecting girl.

  Despite his piggish behavior, he is one of the funniest guys I’ve ever met and he always keeps us laughing. Well most of us, Tracey sometimes gets this look I can’t quite figure out yet. But it looks a lot like longing. Especially when Damon makes us suffer through meeting his latest groupies he sometimes brings around.

  “You going to the game tonight?” Kayson asks, bringing my gaze from Damon to him, and I see him smiling across the lunch table at me.

  Like that’s even a question. I’ve been to every game since the first one. Not only is football my favorite sport, but Kayson also plays, so that’s a no brainer.

  “Of course I’ll be there. I’m always there, aren’t I?” I reply softly. Although we’ve been talking almost daily and became friends this past month, he still makes me nervous. I’m working on it, but with his steel gray eyes, slight smirk, and lone dimple on that handsome face, I can’t help but stammer and get anxious.

  “Just checking,” he replies with a wink.

  And there goes my damn heart again. I know I must be blushing too, with the way his smirk turns knowing.

  Jerk.

  “Well as much as we’d love to stay and finish lunch with you ladies, Kase and I have a football meeting we need to get to.” Damon interrupts our chatter as he stands, winks at us girls, then claps Kayson on the shoulder.

  “Oh shit, that’s right.” Kayson stands and shakes his head. “I totally forgot about that.”

  “Yeah, and I wonder why,” Damon th
rows out with a smirk in place. Causing Sam and Tracey to snicker like they know something I don’t, and causing Kayson to glare over at him while he shoves him away from the table.

  “Shut your damn mouth and go.”

  I don’t miss Kayson’s irritated tone, but shrug it off as they make their way to the meeting.

  Before he makes it halfway across the cafeteria, Kayson turns around and looks right at me. The room goes silent as he shouts across the room, “I meant to tell you to wait by the bleachers after the game tonight.”

  Another smirk.

  “I’ll see you tonight, Em.”

  All eyes are now on us as he turns back to walk out behind Damon. I duck my head to hide yet another blush, caused both by him and the attention he put on me.

  But mainly because of him.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  KAYSON

  What a fucking game! Our rivals put up a damn good fight, but they were no match for the Tide. A 24 to 17 victory has never felt so good.

  My hand is even more jacked than before though. After injuring it at practice the other day, when I was buried at the bottom of a pile of defensive linemen, trying to block that hit tonight wasn’t smart on my part. But it helped get me that first down, so it was worth it.

  Adrenaline is still pumping through my veins, dulling the pain in my throbbing hand. I shake it out and think about the pills I have sitting in my locker. They’re supposed to be for emergencies. I think this qualifies.

  Navigating off the field and through the crowd, I look for Ember where I asked her to wait by the bleachers. But what I see has my adrenaline taking on a whole other level—Decker Edwards talking with my girl. My girl who doesn’t know she’s mine yet, even though everyone else knows I’m making my play.

  That fucker graduated last year, what he’s still doing at high school football games on a Friday night I will never know. Actually, I can take a guess or two. Probably looking for his next easy lay or trying to score some sales. Everyone knows he’s the local dealer around town.