Take the Fall

by Marquita Valentine

  “Not sure.”

  “You can’t run it. You don’t know the difference between a spark plug and a piston.”

  He just gives me a look. Yeah, I exaggerated that last accusation a lot. Okay, so I exaggerated completely.

  “Okay, fine,” I huff. “But you don’t know the first thing about running a business.”

  “True,” he says slowly. “But I thought you could teach me.”

  “If you sell the business to me, I wouldn’t have to teach you anything and you could be on your merry way,” I say as sweetly as I can manage without throwing up.

  “Where’s the fun in that, Ro?” He brushes back a strand of hair from my face. “How about this: You have less than two weeks to convince me to sell this place to you.”

  I laugh. “Like you’d last two minutes in Forrestville.”

  “Baby, I last a hell of a lot longer than two minutes.”

  “That’s not how I remember it.” Take that, you pompous jerk.

  He grins wickedly, undeterred by my insult. “Maybe I should refresh your memory.”

  “I’d rather not be traumatized again.” I skirt around him, heading toward my desk. I perch on the edge and begin to swing one leg back and forth to expend some of the nervous energy that’s suddenly appeared.

  A dark brow arches. “Never took you for the type to be scared of what a man can give you.” He leans against the door and crosses his arms over his chest.

  “Oh, I’m not scared of what a man can give me, but I am disturbed by the thought of a boy playing hit it and quit it.”

  “I never played hit it and quit it with you, Rowan.” His chiseled jaw works. “For you to insinuate otherwise doesn’t say much about either of us. Unless that’s how you roll now. Too many boys around here for you, baby?”

  Anger and outrage propel me forward. I shove my finger into his chest. “Get out, you asshole.”

  Seth doesn’t move. He stares at me with a mixture of astonishment and arrogance. Not easy to pull off, but he does it, and it bugs the hell out of me.

  “Didn’t you hear me? Get. Out.” I shove my finger into his chest again, but this time he grabs my wrist, so quickly that it makes my mind whirl. His thumb moves, caressing.

  Memories of our last night together, of him pinning me against a brick wall and touching me tenderly, wash over me. I want him to touch me in other places. I want him. Plain and simple. I want Seth, and I hate myself for wanting him. I hate him for making me want him when it’s obvious he still blames me for everything.

  I close my eyes and breathe, trying to get a freaking grip on my emotions and my body’s response to him.

  “What are you thinking, Rowan?” His voice is raspy and pained, like the words actually hurt as he says them. “Never mind. I know exactly what you’re thinking. You’re thinking about what’s going to happen between us. You’re thinking about all the times I sneaked into your room and fucked you. Or when you’d let me eat that sweet little pussy of yours as long as I wanted.”

  Holy crap. When did he become such a dirty talker? My eyes open and I gaze up at him. My body’s on fire from his words, my nipples are hard, and I probably need to go change my panties.

  “Would you like it if I did?” he rasps. “Would you like it if I sneaked into your room like I used to do?”

  I would love it. What? No. Say it. Tell him to pack his crap and leave. I lick my lips, wishing he would kiss me. Wishing he would bend me over my desk and screw me senseless. “No.”

  “Sweet Rowan, you are such a liar.” He touches my cheek, his dark eyes searching my face. “I’m going to ask one more time—give you one more chance to be truthful.” Or else hangs in the air between us. My knees grow weak.

  “Would you like it if I fucked you?”

  I bite my lip, trying to put off the inevitable, but I know him. Seth will wait as long as it takes. He’s that patient. That drive to outlast whoever or whatever he wants to conquer. That hasn’t changed about him at all.

  “Yes,” I say softly.

  “And you’d let me eat that sweet pussy for as long as I wanted.”

  My whimper betrays me.

  “Rowan,” he says gruffly, his head dipping.

  “What are you doing?” I ask, pulling back a little.

  “What I should have done last night,” he says.

  Then he kisses me. Lightly. Sweetly. Barely opening his mouth when all I want to do is devour him. His hands cup my face, thumbs dusting my jaw as he carefully turns my head to one side. Our lips break apart for only a fraction of a second, but it’s long enough for me to glance at him and see the raw hunger in his eyes.

  I rise on my toes, slanting my mouth over his, nipping at his lip and silently insisting to be let in. His lips part, and I sweep my tongue inside, curling it around his. Tasting. Remembering.

  My body vibrates.

  A moan escapes me.

  My body shivers again, only I realize it’s not my body at all. It’s his. He’s the one who’s shaking. He’s as vulnerable as I am right now.

  “Damn, I missed you.”

  I feel his lips along my jaw, his tongue as it traces the shell of my ear, and I tremble when his hot breath hits my skin.

  No. I can’t go through this, not even this simple kiss. Okay, this devastating kiss.

  “That makes one of us,” I say and he freezes.

  “What did you say?”

  My heart feels as though he’s just poured acid over it, and tears spring to my eyes. I turn away, unwilling to let him see me so weak. It’s bad enough I allowed myself to kiss him.

  “You heard me.”

  “Sorry, I don’t speak heartless bitch,” he says.

  Pissed as hell, I whirl around to face him. I tip my chin up and glare at his sexy face. At five ten, I’m tall, but at six four, he’s taller. But I won’t let that intimidate me. I work with men who are bigger and more dangerous than the one standing in front of me.

  One corner of his mouth kicks up. “That’s the Rowan I know.”

  “You don’t know me at all, Seth. I’m not the girl I once was.”

  His gaze rakes over me. “That’s a damn shame.”

  “Why, because I won’t jump at your bidding or let you sneak into my room?” I make a big deal of rolling my eyes. “How romantic.”

  “Jump at my bidding?” He lets out a harsh laugh. “When have you ever done that? Besides, if I wanted a woman who jumped at my bidding and let me fuck her without all the mouthing off, I sure as hell wouldn’t—” Abruptly he smashes his lips together.

  Wouldn’t what? I want to scream.

  “Tomorrow, I want access to whatever accounting program you’re using, the current price services list, and how many charity cases you’re propping up, and I want it by eight a.m. I have less than two weeks to get this done before I have to return to base. So, don’t waste my time, Ro,” he finally says.

  “Waste your time? I’m the one running a business while you play with guns all day.” A black eyebrow cocks. Mentally shaking myself, I get a grip on my volatile emotions. “Sorry, you didn’t deserve that comment. I was way off base.”

  “Thanks,” he says quietly. “Anyway, tomorrow?”

  “Why wait until tomorrow? I have everything you need right here.” The faster I can get this over with, the faster he can get out of my life. But in a small corner of my heart, hope blooms at the thought of him actually staying. Of working in this office with him so close. Just because I can’t stand him doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate the man candy.

  His lips part and he swallows. “Yeah, but I have to call my commanding officer and talk to him first.”

  “Whatever,” I say with a shrug.

  “See you at home, Little Miss Sunshine,” he replies with a smirk. Then he strides out of my office.

  “Damn it.” I breathe at the reminder of my flippant promise. He’s actually staying. I have to be nice to him now.

  Chapter 4

  Rowan

  I avoid havi
ng to deal with Seth’s hot ass that night by going over to Piper’s house. Call me a coward, but I can’t risk another kiss or more with him. While I have a reputation for being a wild child, things are different with Seth. He’s more than just a guy I could potentially hook up with—more than just a guy I could spend a few dates with and then be on my way.

  With Seth, my heart would be involved, and I can’t risk that. I know he’ll eventually leave. He’s stationed hours away from here in the eastern part of the state, and who knows if he’ll be transferred to another base—maybe on the other side of the world?

  Piper greets me at the door, her long, straight hair pulled into a tight bun. She’s wearing a conservative dress with dark tights and clogs. Even nuns don’t dress as conservatively as Piper—at least not any of the ones around here.

  I venture a guess as to where she spent the afternoon. “Country club?”

  She nods miserably as I walk inside. “My parents want me to get a job there and run the preschool.”

  “That sounds perfectly mah-velous, darling,” I say with an exaggerated posh accent.

  “Don’t, Rowan. I can’t take the sarcasm,” she says softly.

  I hug her tightly. “I’m sorry.” I know it can’t be easy for Piper. The pressure her parents, especially her mom, put on her is tremendous. Plus, her dad hates that she works in Charlotte with inner-city kids at an early learning center. Well, he doesn’t hate the fact that she does it; he hates the location. It’s not safe, but Piper drives there every morning, fighting traffic along the way. She doesn’t think she’s any better than the people who live in that neighborhood. I swear I don’t know how she got such a soft heart. It’s not natural in her family.

  Maybe she’s adopted.

  “Thanks for letting me crash here.” I let go of her and we walk up the stairs, passing a housekeeper on the way. I smile and say hi. Piper says hi, too.

  “New person?” I ask, once the woman’s out of earshot.

  “Yes,” Piper says. “Momma didn’t like how the last one ate lunch in the kitchen.”

  “Where are you supposed to eat?”

  “At home.”

  “Oh.” My eyes widen a little, and I shake my head. “I’ll try not to bother you too much. I have inventory to do.”

  “Shouldn’t you do that at work?” she asks, genuinely curious.

  “New computer program.” I gently pat the computer bag that’s hanging by my side. “Makes life easier.”

  Piper regards me thoughtfully, her head tilting to one side. “Are you sure it’s not because Seth is there?”

  I can either lie to her or tell the truth. “Maybe,” I hedge.

  “Rowan,” she says with a sigh.

  I roll my eyes and set the laptop on her desk. Piper has an entire suite of rooms to herself. While her dad makes good money as the chief of police in Jessamine, all this is bankrolled by her mother. Mrs. Ross is an heiress to an international insurance underwriting company, which makes Piper an heiress. Which means she’s expected to marry someone in the same league.

  “I need a break. He’s sleeping at my house and now he shows up at work. I can’t get away long enough to think straight.”

  “Why would you need to think straight?”

  My cheeks heat.

  Piper’s brows go up. “Spill.”

  “He kissed me and I kissed him back.”

  She grins. “I knew it.”

  “You knew he kissed me?”

  “Well, no, but I knew something had to be going on between the two of you. You can’t fight something like that. Y’all have a history.”

  “History being the key word. We don’t have a present or a future,” I remind her. I fall back on her bed, closing my eyes when the mattress seems to suck me into it. “I want your bed.”

  Piper lies down beside me, although she does it with a lot more grace. “You can have it. I’d switch places with you in a New York minute.”

  “Sorry, doll, no deal. Your mother and I would kill each other.”

  Piper laughs. “She’s not that bad.”

  I eye her and she wrinkles her nose.

  “Okay, so she can be, but violence should always be a last resort.”

  “Says the daughter of a cop.”

  “What if Seth wants to have a future with you?” Piper asks. “What if he’s here to make things up to you?”

  I’m sorry. I was full of hate and anger. I’m sorry. I won’t let his words sway me. Only his actions have a chance of changing my mind. “I’ll let you know.”

  “Don’t wait too long, Rowan. He might actually be worth falling for again.”

  I tap her nose. “When did you become so knowledgeable about men?”

  She sticks her tongue out at me, something she’d never do in front of her family. I’m pretty sure it’s because showing emotions aren’t allowed. “I don’t have to screw the football team to figure out that the boy on the sideline is who I should be with.”

  “You slut!” I tease. “You’ve been screwing the football team. The underage football team.” I cover my mouth in mock horror. “Think of the children.”

  She smacks me with a pillow. “You suck.”

  “You love me.”

  She snorts. “Only on the days that end in y.”

  “Really, thanks for letting me stay with you. I don’t know what to do right now.” I hate admitting this to anyone, but I know Piper won’t use my doubts against me.

  “You can stay for as long as you want. I like the company. I also took the opportunity to buy six grocery bags of junk food and bought all the angsty eighties movies I could find at Target.”

  Closing my eyes, I send up a silent prayer of thanks for friends like Piper. “I call dibs on Duckie.”

  “You’ve always liked the good ones,” Piper remarks.

  “While you want to walk on the wild side,” I point out. That’s the oddity of us. She wants a man who’s the opposite of the men she already knows, while I want one with a steady job and a rap sheet that isn’t a mile long. But that’s not what’s expected of either of us.

  My eyes open to catch her gazing wistfully at the ceiling. “Only if I had a badass escort to keep me safe,” she sighs.

  Despite knowing exactly who Piper’s talking about, I just nod sympathetically. Odd how we both want what we can’t have.

  Seth

  Disappointment assails me as soon as I learn that Rowan isn’t at work. She didn’t come home last night, and I’m more than a little worried about it. But she’s a grown woman who has looked after herself for a long time. And I lost the right to worry after her a long time ago.

  Still, the entire situation doesn’t sit right with me.

  “Does she usually take off on Saturdays? You know, to get her nails done or something?” I ask, deliberately testing Gardner’s head mechanic’s loyalty to Rowan.

  Boyd crosses his arms over his chest. His bald head gleams under the light. Between being built like a brick shit house and the multiple neck tattoos he sports, Boyd is as intimidating as fuck. Always has been, always will be.

  “Saturdays are optional around here, and she’ll be back in a few. Had to run an errand.”

  He’s loyal to her. A good thing, unless he’s fucking her or wants to fuck her. I rub the side of my jaw. “The two of you dating?”

  Boyd gives me an Are you serious? look. “Only if I want my old lady to kick my ass. Shit. If I didn’t know you, Seth O’Connor, I’d kick your ass for even thinking that shit about Little Boss.”

  Little Boss, huh? “Had to ask.”

  He nods. “I hear ya.”

  “Do you have the keys to her office? I’m supposed to go through—”

  Boyd walks away, keys jingling as he pulls them out of his pocket. I follow him. “She told me to expect you and to tell you that everything you need is on the desk.” He unlocks the door and opens it, stepping to the side. “Holler if you need anything. I’m supervising some gearheads in bay two.”

  I move
to sit behind Rowan’s desk, taking in how neat and organized everything is. There’s a touch of her everywhere, from pictures on the desk to the Hot Guys Who Crank Our Engines calendar hanging on the wall.

  I wiggle the mouse and the computer screen blinks to life. There’s a note on the monitor with instructions as to where to go first. I crack my neck on each side, relieving the pressure, and then get started.

  —

  Sometime later, the sound of shoes shuffling in the hallway catches my attention, and I look up from the computer. My stomach growls, and I realize that I haven’t eaten. Glancing at the time, I confirm I’ve missed lunch.

  The shuffling grows louder as it gets closer. Curious as to who it could be, I lean back in my chair and wait.

  Rowan’s pretty face suddenly fills my vision. “You’re still here?” She doesn’t sound too pleased.

  “Several years’ worth of bookkeeping isn’t easy reading.”

  She makes a noise and hangs up her coat on a hook by the office door. “Find anything underhanded?”

  “The only thing I found was that you’ve made the company money. Great job,” I say.

  Clearly not expecting that, Rowan blinks at me. “ ‘Great job’?”

  “No, not great. Excellent job,” I amend. “I admire what you’ve done with the Jailbirds to Jobs program, too.”

  She beams at me, and my gut clenches. “It’s a great program. I had help from your grandmother when I first got the idea. It’s really hard for convicts to get jobs. So they come here to work, heavily supervised and with their parole officer’s permission. Then, near the end of their probation period, they have to start applying for other jobs. Gardner’s provides personal and work references for them. We even have a few other businesses joining in or interested in collaborating with us. Some people are a bit leery, but I can’t blame them.”

  “You thought of all that by yourself?”

  “Even dumb blondes like me get good ideas every now and then,” she snaps.

  “I didn’t say you were dumb,” I point out, though I had most certainly implied it.

  She flips her hair over her shoulder. “Thank you.” Batting her lashes, she blows me a kiss. Coming from another woman, that move would have been a calculated flirt. Coming from Rowan, it’s a sign that she’s going to cut me if I keep it up.