Once upon a time, there was a charming climber and a stubborn photographer who swore she'd never fall—until she did.
Stella
I don't do roots. Or relationships. Or anything that involves the word “forever.”
But Luke Farley? He’s the kind of man who makes one night feel like a promise. With that stupidly perfect smile, a body built for sin, and hands that know exactly what they’re doing—he’s dangerously easy to want.
It was supposed to be casual.
A few non-dates, a little flirting, and zero expectations.
Now I’m staring down feelings I swore I’d never catch… and falling for a man who climbs like he was born to take risks.
And worst of all? I don’t want to run.
Luke
Stella Young walked into my life like a dare I couldn’t resist—smart mouth, with a camera around her neck and zero intention of sticking around. She warned me not to catch feelings.
Too late.
She’s the one I want—complicated, messy, and magnetic as hell.
She says she’s not built for love.
I think she’s just scared of falling.
Good thing I’m here to catch her.
Click of Fate is a swoony, one-night-stand romance about climbing risks, letting go of fear, and finding the kind of love worth falling for.
Excerpt
Copyright © 2025, Lauren Helms
On my tiptoes, I make my way through his room and into the living room. His door is a rolling door, so unfortunately, I can’t shut it behind me; I don’t know how much noise it makes. I spot my undies and slip them on as I hunt for my bra. I can’t find it, but I’m not opposed to leaving it.
After a few more seconds, I finally spot the bra and slip it on as Luke’s voice, still thick with sleep, breaks the silence.
“Wow. You’re good at this. Almost too good.”
I freeze, then let out a breath and roll my eyes.
So much for a clean getaway.
Turning, I find him leaning against the doorframe, watching me with an easy smirk.
“You make a habit of this?” he asks.
Unoffended, I smirk right back at him. “Not really, just have a thing against sticking around.”
This earns me a raised eyebrow. “That so?”
“Yep, and I also have a thing against relationships,” I tell him as I snag my jeans off the floor and hoist them on. I wait for the usual reaction—the awkward pause, the immediate ego that insists he can be the one to change that—but it never comes.
Instead, he just nods, shrugs his shoulders, and says, “Fair enough.”
Really?
Wasn’t expecting that.
He stands in the doorway and reaches his hands above his head in a deep stretch. Gym shorts hang from his body and do hardly anything to hide his semi-hard cock. His chest is bare, and I have to remind myself not to drool.
Running a hand through his hair, he pads through the living room toward the kitchen area. “At least let me make you coffee before you escape.”
Pulling my shirt over my head, I grin. “I don’t usually stick around for coffee.”
He shrugs, popping a K-cup into his machine. “Then take it to go.”
I hesitate. Why is he being so easy about this? Is this a red flag? I’m normally so removed from the relationship itself, I’ve not had to look for red flags.
The coffee starts to drip into the mug before it hits a steady stream. The pleasant and teasing aroma hits my senses, and damn, I suddenly need some caffeinated goodness in my life.
“Fine. I’ll have it to go.”
The man just grins like he won something as he pulls out another coffee pod from the holder.
I walk to the stool at the wooden island and take a seat.
He pulls his mug away from the machine. “I’d offer you this one, but you said you want it to go.” He sits it down in front of me, as if to tempt me. Staring at it, I realize I don’t have anywhere to be until around lunch.
Snatching up the mug, I blow over the steam, breathing in the fresh brew. Watching me, he asks, “So, the aversion to relationships thing. Just a personality quirk, or is there a story there?”
I lean over the counter, pretending I don’t feel the weight of this question.
“Let’s just say my job isn’t relationship-friendly.” Seems straightforward enough.
He hums, sipping his own coffee now. “Photojournalist, right? Travel a lot?”
“Yep. Can’t exactly date when you don’t stay in one place long enough to finish a carton of milk.” That’s almost the truth. It’s not just the job. It’s everything else, but I’m not about to get into all of that with him.
Luke just nods, like he gets it. He doesn’t push for more of an explanation. I can tell he isn’t judging me. Maybe he really does understand.
“Fair.” He takes another sip. “Gotta say, though. You don’t seem as detached as you think.”
My eyebrows rise unintentionally. “Oh?”
“You stayed the night,” he says.
And my reply to that sexy fucking smirk?
I just huff out a laugh—he has a point.
Start the Series Today!
Once upon a time, there was a grumpy CEO who met a wedding planner who never stopped smiling…
But I digress.
I'm on the hunt for my own epic love story, one T-Swift herself could write a song about. Which means unavailable and seemingly uninterested CEOs are off limits. Even if the man oozes sex appeal and his grumpiness turns me to mush.
A little flirting never hurt anyone.
Theo
Cassie Winters shines so bright I need a pair of Ray-bans to look directly at her. Problem is, once I've set my eyes on her, I can't seem to look away. The woman is a walking, talking promotion for all things love and happiness.
Hand me an antacid.
Counting, on one hand, the amount of times I've failed in my life, leaves me knowing I won't ever do "love" again. I'm set in my ways and not even this sexy little spitfire could sweet talk me out of my decision to never get married. Yet it only took one drink to derail that plan.
But, things aren't always as they seem and when real life gets in the way of this fairy tale, we're both forced to take a hard look at what we truly want.
Are we both ready to wed or is this a wildfire that's about to burn out?
Once upon a time, there was a charming restaurant owner and an unsuspecting matchmaker who refused to mix business with pleasure…
Layla
I've always been in the business of love. Happily Ever After, Inc. has thrived under my leadership and the hard set of rules that I set for myself. But when a never quite forgotten blast from my past walks into my life, I'm suddenly questioning everything and everyone around me.
Cole Reed is everything I want in a man - handsome, successful, and charming.
There's just one minor hiccup... Cole is Happily Ever After's latest client, and he's got his sights on me.
Cole
I'm used to getting what I want and I've never left a date unhappy. So when my grandmother insists I need to work with a matchmaker... her lifelong best friend at that... I'm skeptical. Especially when my path crosses with the girl that always seemed to get away.
She's sexy, smart, and determined - everything I've always admired about her. And this time, I refuse to let her get away.
There's just one minor problem... Layla James is my so-called matchmaker's granddaughter - and the owner of the matchmaking company that's just taken me on.
It feels like a weird twist of date that's put the two of us back in each other's life, but Layla doesn't quite see it that way.
Can I convince her to break a few rules and take a chance on our own happily ever after?
About Lauren Helms
Lauren Helms writes romance that’s nerdy, flirty, and just a little bit dirty. Her stories are set in big cities with small-town vibes, where every couple gets their happily ever after—and probably a few swoony gaming references along the way. Her love for love stories started with a book blog and leveled up fast—thanks to her background in video game strategy publishing and a passion for stories that make your heart race. That magic combo sparked her beloved Gamer Boy series, and she's been writing HEAs ever since.
She’s also the founder of Indie Pen PR, where she helps fellow romance authors bring their book boyfriends to life and make some serious buzz in the process. When she’s not plotting meet-cutes or helping other authors promote theirs, Lauren’s all about iced coffee, perfectly color-coded planners, and binge-worthy TV.
She lives in Indianapolis with her husband and their three aspiring nerds-in-training—where love, laughter, and chaos are always part of the storyline.
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