Take the Fall.

When We Fall.

Marquita Valentine.

Chapter 1.

Jase.

I can't stop staring at her. It's like a sickness, or maybe an addiction. Either way, I'm fucked when it comes to not noticing Piper Ross.

She's one of those girls who gives off a don't-touch-me vibe, but for a guy like me, Don't touch means touch as often as possible. Don't look means gazing at her with a hunger I can't satisfy no matter how many women I fuck. They're not her.

And it pisses me the hell off.

Piper smiles when she catches me looking at her. It's a sweet smile, full of innocence. I don't do well with innocence. By the time I'd get done with her, she'd be as filthy as me. Which is why we won't ever happen, no matter how hungry I stay for her. No matter how hot it was when she watched me with another woman while I imagined it was her mouth on my cock, not some coked-out stripper's.

No matter- "Hi, Jase," Piper says, moving closer. There is a confidence in her walk I have never seen before. Her short pink skirt and white sleeveless top make her look exactly like dessert. Like some kind of erotic Neapolitan sundae. My favorite kind of ice cream. Mostly because I'm a greedy bastard who doesn't think I should be confined to one of anything.

Instead of leaving like I should, I move over on the bench to make room for her to sit beside me. Though she won't dare. She never does.

"Hello, Piper. Enjoying the party?"

"Yes. It was fun decorating and keeping it a secret from Rowan. Thank you for letting me use your house," she says.

Piper might be the sweetest thing I've ever seen, but she's also the most timid. She's gotten better. Now when she sees me, we can actually carry on a conversation longer than two words.

It's not because she's stupid, either. She's a college graduate. She helps kids in her free time. The neighborhood she drives to is pretty shitty, and she's volunteering at night now, so I've...well, I've been following her. To make sure she's safe.

"Anytime you want, baby doll."

Piper sits down beside me, her breast accidentally brushing against my arm, and I have to grit my teeth. "Sorry," she mumbles, all that confidence melting away along with her smile. She makes to scoot aside, but I grab her thigh. Her bare thigh.

"Don't apologize, and don't move." I flash her an easygoing smile. One that's in direct conflict with my body. And my brain. My brain's trying to figure out how to get her to straddle me so I can touch both thighs-to feel that hot, silky bare skin underneath both of my palms.

"Okay," she says, her body going rigid.

I jerk my hand away. I have no business touching her. None at all. Obviously, she doesn't want me to touch her, either, or she wouldn't have that look on her face. The one that says You're a disgusting pig.

"Didn't mean to grab you," I say gruffly. Normally I don't apologize to anyone, but Piper's different. She's always been there for Rowan, even after I went to prison, which meant she was there for me, too.

Piper's face flushes. "I-it's okay. I thought I'd offended you or something. You know, with...I stumbled, and my-I hit you. And Rowan mentioned that since you and Giselle broke up that women were practically throwing themselves at you and you weren't happy with that? So...yeah, good party."

I can't help but stare at her in amazement. She was actually concerned about me. Besides my sister, the only other person ever concerned about me is me. "Quit worrying about it. You don't count," I say, trying to put her at ease.

She glances away, her long, dark lashes fluttering wildly, like she's trying to get something out of her eye. "I guess I don't. I'm just your sister's best friend and former roommate. So that makes us family. Or something."

I have nothing to say to that, and I think the less I have to say, the less I'll offend her.

Her tits rise and fall with a deep breath. The shirt she's wearing is so sheer I can see the lacy camisole and bra underneath. The woman's got curves, lots of curves. She's soft, pretty, and feminine. Something I don't come across too often in my world. Everyone I know is hard, their life and circumstances having made them that way.

Hell, I'm that way.

At twenty-six I've spent a good part of my life behind bars. Not exactly what normal people would want for their son.

"How's business going?"

"Busy."

"That's good." She nods, her small hands making fists in her skirt. "They've changed my schedule again at Head's Up."

"No more nights?"

She shakes her head and finally looks at me again. "No more anything after this week."

"Oh?"

"My parents cut me off, so I have to get a job that pays money." She takes another deep breath and I start to worry about her asthma. The girl wheezes when she gets nervous, which is normally her constant state around me. "Rowan and Seth are getting married soon, so I need to find an apartment, too."

I gaze into her pretty eyes, all green and gold with a touch of brown. "Want me to have a talk with them? You don't have to move out."

Her nose wrinkles. "I really don't want to live with them. They're...loud."

I am not going to say shit about that. One, that's my sister, and two, that's my sister.

"Rowan said you have an opening at work and a room I can rent."

My eyes almost fall out of my head. "Excuse me?"

"You have an opening at work," she says slowly.

"Yeah, yeah, we need a bookkeeper, but what's this shit about a room?" I reach into my pocket and pull out a pack of cigarettes, taking one and lighting it up.

"It would only be for a little while," she says, and I swear to God her lashes flutter at me.

"You'll stay here at my place?"

"Oh my gosh, Jase. Thank you!" She beams, misunderstanding me. "I'll tell Rowan you said yes. She said you might not, but I told her that you were the type to help out a woman in need."

"She did? You did?" I grin at the last bit. "Yeah, I help out needy women all the time."

Suddenly, I'm enveloped in expensive perfume, soft curves, and slender arms. "Thank you, Jase. I didn't know how else I was going to pay for graduate school and living expenses."

Stunned, I just sit there, not touching her as she continues to hug me. I should be enjoying this, but I'm pretty fucking sure I not only gave her permission to live with me but work with me as well.

"I'm really good at math and crunching numbers," she says as she pulls away and stands. "Rowan says your books are a mess, but by the time I'm through, you'll be set."

It feels as though a truck has hit me: a truck with a pair of nice tits and long legs. "Hold up. So you're going to work for Emmett and me as our bookkeeper?" I need to tell her no.

"I'll be your girl Friday-you know, the woman who can do it all at work for her boss? I'll work at the front desk, too-well, when I'm not in class," she says in a rush, looking so pleased with herself that I can't tell her no.

Really, it's sick that I can't tell her no.

"We can create a schedule," she adds.

I've told countless women no. Why should she be any different?

"I'll be at your beck and call. Whatever you want."

And that's not what I need to hear from this girl. Not in the slightest.

Piper takes my hand before I can let her down gently. She traces the tattoos on a couple of my fingers. "Maybe I'll be brave enough to get one someday."

I sit there silently, letting her explore. Abruptly, she lets go of me. "If you don't think this is a good idea, then I'll find something else."

For some reason I don't picture Piper with another job or place to live. I picture someone like Mark Williams with his preppy-ass bow ties putting his hands on her. Guys who live in The Oaks and drive fancy-ass sports cars they have no business owning. Guys like that always get girls like Piper.

Oh, hell no.

But it's a really bad idea.

Yeah, but what's the worst that could happen?

You could seduce her and she could sue your ass.

Again, what's the worse that could happen?

Piper twists her hands together as she waits for me to answer.

You could fall for her and she'll leave you, once she discovers exactly how bad you really are.

I'm not bad....I'm filthy and have nothing to offer her. But, I'll keep that to myself. But in the meantime, I'll lie and tell Piper that we don't- "You can move in tonight, if you want. We can talk about a work schedule tomorrow." As soon as the words leave my mouth, I cringe inside. What in the hell have I done?

Piper

I can feel my eyes round. "Tonight?" Holy crud. I didn't expect to move in so soon. Honestly, I didn't expect for Jase to say yes at all.

He rubs the back of his neck and my eyes can't help but stray to the tattoos that are inked on his fingers. "Actually, I need more time to get the house in shape. Give me a couple of weeks, and let me talk it over with Emmett about you working there."

"That seems fair. Besides, I have to pack my things." I practically bounce up and down with glee. For the first time in my life, I was bold when it came to Jase Simmons and he didn't tell me no. "Anyway, I need to get back to the party and finish cleaning up in time for work tonight."

The thought of never working with the kids at Head's Up saddens me, but I stayed there as long as I could.

"You're going to miss working there, aren't you?" he asks, blowing out a ring of smoke. I step to one side to avoid it-I don't want to risk a full-blown asthma attack. With a frown, he looks at me, then the cigarette, and then grinds it into the heel of his shoe. He sets it on the bench beside him.

My heart flips at his thoughtfulness.

"I really am." My parents stopped paying my bills a few months back and have stopped all monthly deposits into my account as well. I'm almost out of money, and I don't think it's right to live rent free at Rowan and Seth's house. Yes, I contribute to the grocery, water, and electric bills, but I don't think they're giving me the correct amounts.

"Neighborhood's not the best, though," he says, standing.

Up this close, I'm very aware of how large he is, how powerful and self-confident. Somehow he got taller in prison, even though it's not the most nurturing of places. He's more muscular, leaner, more handsome...all around, Jase is more intimidating than he's ever been. Yet, he follows me to Head's Up when I work nights.

There's no mistaking his bike...or him.

If he's doing it because he still views me as his little sister's best friend, or because he views me as something more than that, I don't know.

"I don't know...in the past few months, it felt like I had my very own guardian angel watching me," I say lightly.

His face gives away nothing. "Good."

"I applied to another place, though-two streets up on Queen Anne Avenue."

His neutral expression immediately gets hard. "Why the fuck would you do that?"

"It's a paying job." It's also a job that gives me the right kind of experience for when I'm done with graduate school.

"You still gonna work there, even if you work for Emmett and me?"

I nod, pleased as anything that we're still carrying on a two-way conversation. Usually, by now, I've said something stupid or some girl is shoving her tongue down his throat.

"I'll let you know tomorrow night." He holds out his hand. "Give me your phone, kitten."

"I don't have it with me." I run my hands over the sides of my skirt. "No pockets."

He pulls his out. "What's your number?" After I give it to him, he says, "Just texted you. Make sure you save it."

"Okay."

He looks at me, his eyes so deep a blue that they are the exact color of the ocean at dusk. No man should have eyes so pretty.

I look at him. Yeah, I'm all kinds of sophisticated and cool. Why can't I think of anything good to say?