Take the Fall (Take the Fall, #1)(15)

“And you’d let me eat that sweet * 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 f*ck 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 having 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.