When We Fall (Take the Fall, #2)(24)

I cup the side of her face, kissing her bee-stung lips. “How fantastical?”

“I don’t want to say right now. I’ll tell you one day, when I’m ready.”

Resisting the urge to seduce it out of her, I say, “When you’re ready, I’ll be here.”

She stares at me for a moment, her dark gaze assessing. All at once, deep-seated insecurities force their way to the surface. What could she possibly see in someone like me? I’ll never be like the men her family associates with. I’ll never have a traditional job at a bank or insurance agency. What Fortune 500 company in Charlotte would hire a man with a criminal record and tattoos on his knuckles?

Her cool fingers tiptoe up the length of my dick, but I grab her wrist and bring it to my mouth. Kissing the sensitive skin, I breathe her in—my shampoo and body wash smell good on her.

“Jase.” She sighs my name and just like that I’m ready for another round with her, but I can’t bring myself to do it. Yes, she turns me on, but for me—in my headspace right now—I will only use her to forget about my insecurities.

My goal will not be to bring her to orgasm; my goal will be to manipulate her with my body. To show her that while I might not have money or power in the world she’s used to, I do know how to give a woman what she needs. I know how to make her crave every part of me until she’s begging for more and stalking my ass because I am that good in the sack.

But that’s not Piper.

And that’s not what I want for her…or for us.

“Gotta get dressed, beautiful. I have an appointment with Officer Butthurt.”

She giggles at the nickname. “Is that Smithson or Walters?”

“Jeffries.”

“Oh, is he new?”

“Shouldn’t you know?” Giving her a hard kiss, I force myself out of her bed and begin to dress in the clothes I’d brought in here earlier.

She rises up on her elbows, her more-than-a-handful tits bouncing with the movement. Her pink nipples are rosy and slightly reddened from my attentions. There is a hickey above her left areola. Silky dark hair covers one shoulder, the curling tips teasing the uppermost swells of her breasts.

So not helping my determination to be good.

“No. Mother and Father say that the police station is no place for a lady.” She winces. “That sounds terribly snobby, doesn’t it?”

Yeah, it does, but then again, I wouldn’t want my daughter there, either. I pull my shirt over my head. “They’re keeping you safe from guys like me.” I wink at her.

“Doubtful.” She sighs. “And you shouldn’t say things like that.”

Her comment stops me short. “It’s the truth. I am a criminal, Piper. I went to jail for attempted murder.”

Her gaze drops from mine. “You don’t have to remind me of what I already know,” she murmurs.

Moving to the bed, I place a finger under her chin and lift it. She has to be reminded—I know her too well. I am not anyone’s hero.

“Actually, I do because when we go public…shit will go down. I’m dating the daughter of a cop, kitten, and not just any cop, but the same one who arrested me and later got promoted to chief of police. Ever think what that will do to my reputation?”

Her brow furrows. “No.”

“I have. You only think in terms of you and how your family will react, but around here, cops aren’t the saviors the other side of the tracks make them out to be.”

Piper’s mouth turns mutinous. “There are good cops, just like there are good people who live in this neighborhood.”

“Take off your rose-colored glasses, sweetheart. People around here, all we see are cops coming to arrest us, not to protect us.”

“I won’t apologize for wanting to see the good in people.”

Annoyed with our turn of conversation, I slashed my hand in the air. “Then don’t. Take it from me, the less you apologize, the better off you are in life.”

Hurt shines in her eyes. “I’ll keep that in mind.” She picks up a decorative pillow that somehow managed to make it through our multiple mutual-satisfaction sessions and hugs it to her chest, effectively obscuring my view.

“I have to go. After my weekly check-in, I have clients booked back to back today. Emmett and I really need you to get to work for us—we’re bleeding money.”

“I’ll be by later.”

“You can’t sleep in, princess.” As soon as that stupid nickname leaves my mouth, I want to take it back, but I can’t. I will have better luck trying to push toothpaste back inside the tube.

Motherf*cker.

“That’s me—a lazy princess waiting for her knight in shining armor to rescue her,” she says with a false cheerfulness.

“I didn’t mean—”

“Don’t apologize. Life’s better that way.”

“Don’t use my words against me,” I snap as I shove my feet into my boots and lace the first one up.

“Don’t call me names that you promised not to call me anymore,” she says firmly.

“Didn’t realize you were so sensitive, Ms. Ross.”

She smashes her lips together and hugs the pillow tighter to her before saying, “Go to your appointment.”

I finish lacing the other boot and stand. “It’s not an appointment. It’s a f*cking required meeting to make sure I’m being a very good boy, or I go back to prison.” Frustration building, I rub the back of my neck with my hand. “Damn it, I did not want this morning to end like this.”