"Not really." Actually, I have noticed. Hell, the guy who worked on my place kept harping on all the houses with craftsman-style bones on my street. He was practically giddy over it.

"Maybe you should try to get out more."

I shrug and head to our shared office. "Yeah, maybe."

"Where's your girl?"

"She'll be here in a few. Had to go to the pharmacy to pick up a prescription."

"Thought I was blocking you," Emmett quips.

"Shut up."

Emmett blows me a kiss. "Love you, too."

An hour later, Piper blows through the front door. Quite a few heads turn to look at her as she flashes a smile and heads to the office. I can't blame them-her conservative, lavender twinset and gray pencil skirt with those purple heels she's wearing is a total turn-on. Yeah, I know colors and clothes, and I'm not ashamed of it, either. As an artist it's my job to know colors. As for the other, women appreciate it when a man knows what they're wearing.

I watch as Piper walks down the hallway, her curvy hips swaying, tempting me to follow her and find out what she's wearing underneath her skirt.

It's not that I'm not appreciative of more revealing clothes on a woman; it's the way Piper wears her clothes. They fit her like they were tailor-made for her body, which in her case might be entirely true. She certainly could afford it before she moved out of her parents' house.

"Like a beautifully wrapped gift," my client says, and I glance at him.

"Excuse me?"

"That woman you were eye-fucking." He smiles and winks at his boyfriend sitting across from him in my booth. "You know what I'm talking about, huh?"

The boyfriend rolls his eyes, then shakes his head. "Francis is referring to how exquisitely she's dressed. She's like a classic car that they don't make anymore."

I nod. "That comparison I totally get."

"Hope you take her out for more than just a Sunday drive," my client says with a chuckle.

I go back to inking his bicep. I'm correcting a piece that was done by some crap artist in upstate Virginia. "I take her out as often as she wants, but she likes to stay home with me."

"Parents don't approve?"

I smirk a little. "Parents would lose their ever-loving minds."

The boyfriend sighs. "Forbidden love."

"Something like that," I agree, then get back to work. Piper's parents would do more than lose their ever-loving minds. I'm pretty sure that her dad will find a reason to arrest me when he does find out about us.

But I'm not going to let that stop me from being with her.

Piper

The women's shelter is quiet tonight. It's also full, which means I won't have to check anyone in tonight.

I hear a door open and close. My heart pounds in my chest.

Standing up, I walk to the doorway of my office and peer out. "Hello?"

No one answers me. Why would they? And, I remind myself that the night watchman, a woman, is patrolling the house.

As I turn around, there's a light knock on my door and I almost jump out of my skin. "God bless America," I scream.

"My sister used to say that a lot. I don't think she meant for God to bless anything."

A woman cautiously steps into my office, but I barely recognize her. The swelling has gone down on her face, so her eye can open, but it's shot through with blood and her lip is still split. Her cheeks are puffy, while the bruises around her neck have faded slightly.

"Evangeline?" I whisper.

She nods. "I hope you don't mind that I stopped by." Evangeline holds herself so still, too still. "I can come back another time."

"No. I'm glad-happy to see you again," I say, then start gesturing at the chair. "Want to have a seat? I can make you some tea or coffee. Whatever you want."

Evangeline inches forward and scoots to the left, leaning against the wall. "I only want to talk."

"Sure." I have no idea what the procedure is for this and I begin to panic. What if I say the wrong thing? What if I trigger a flashback or...what if I'm breaking the rules by having her in my office in the first place? "About w-what?"

Her good eye narrows at me. "How long do I have to stay here?"

"Y-you want to go?" I take a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves. "I d-don't think that's a good idea."

"Ginger keeps saying that, but I thought I had a choice."

I nod emphatically. "You do. You really do."

She glances away, her arm coming up to her face. "I haven't looked in a mirror. I'm too scared of what I might see. That's really stupid, huh?"

"No. They're your feelings and they're important, not stupid."

Evangeline shakes her head and looks at me, tears running down her cheeks. "I'm pretty sure it's stupid. He almost killed me and I fought him back with every bit of strength I had inside, but all I can think about now is if I'm still pretty or not," she says tearfully, and my heart feels like it's going to break for her.

Unsure if I should comfort her emotionally or physically, I take a step toward her, then stop. "It's okay to feel bad, but it's not your fault. You're allowed to be mad, sad, angry...to miss him, to hate him, to love him...no matter what anyone else thinks."

Evangeline wipes the tears away. "Everyone thinks he's such a great guy, you know. No one believed me when I tried to tell them. I think if he finds out where I am, he'll kill me this time."

My heart stutters. "That's why you should stay here for as long as you can." Her file indicated that her ex-husband, a decorated officer in the Army who had recently gotten out, doesn't know she's in this town and the police haven't found him yet. Evangeline walked to Charlotte from some tiny town in South Carolina. That's why the police had found her wandering on the beltway.

Evangeline considers my words, then crosses her arms over her chest. "Sorry to have bothered you. I'll go back to my room."

I swallow. "You can stay here as long as you like-in my office, that is."

"Thanks, but I'm tired."

I watch as she shuffles away, her shoulders hunched over and her arms coming around her middle. She's barely holding on, I realize, but there's really nothing I can do but listen, offer our services, and pray that the cops catch her husband.

Chapter 11.

Jase

It's nearly midnight when Piper's BMW pulls into the driveway. Because I've been watching for her all evening, it takes me all of three seconds to run outside and grab my girl up in a hug.

"Hey, baby. I missed you. Barely got to talk to you at work." I run my nose along her neck, breathing in the sweet scent of her perfume and honeysuckle-scented shampoo.

Her arms go around my neck, squeezing me tight. "I missed you, too."

"How was the center?" I was so swamped by the time Piper arrived at the Tattoo Shop that I didn't get the chance to ask. Then her first text to me after she got to her second job was that she would be working extra.

She sighs, her warm breath puffing against my throat. "It's work. I love it, but everything is so real. It's not the training videos or classes I took."

"Real life rarely is."

"I know, but I feel so useless. The only thing I have to offer is to listen."

"Sometimes that's all people need."

Changing the subject, she asks, "How was work after I left?"

"Slammed until closing. Emmett and I made a corporate decision to hire two new people. They can rent their station from us and help pay for community supplies."

"That's a very smart thing to do."

"You sound impressed that we came up with it."

"I am impressed." She leans back in the circle of my arms. "It's super-hard to run a business. I watched Rowan run Gardner's Auto Repair for years. I don't know how she did it."

"She's a beast," I say. A car goes by, music blaring from the speakers. "Fuck, it's late. Too late for those assholes to be that loud. Man, I'm old."

Piper yawns. "Let's go to bed."

"I'll tuck you in tight."

"You're not going to sleep with me?"

"I want to, but we didn't plan ahead, and my ego is terrified that you'll fall asleep in the middle of it all."

Piper laughs. "I'm pretty sure I won't fall asleep the first time we have sex. The second time, however, after ten at night, you're at your own risk."

With a grin kicking up the corners of my mouth, I head inside, bringing her with me. "You are fun-ny, Ms. Ross."

"I try," she quips before another yawn makes her mouth open wide. "How about tomorrow after I have dinner with my parents? Oh, wait, you have that party."

Fuck. I'd forgotten about the party and that chick I'd invited to it. "I'm canceling it." I'll send out a mass text before I hit the sack tonight.

"Are you sure you won't miss Georgia and her friends making your party so much better with their appearance?" Piper asks.

"Who is this Georgia person and her friends?" I reply, knowing full well who she's referring to. Damn, that was such an asshole move on my part.

She slays me with a seductive smile. "Then you're all mine tomorrow night, Mr. Simmons."

"If that's what you want, then that's what I want, too." Doesn't matter that I want her like a man dying of thirst wants a drop of water. Doesn't matter that I'm starving for her. When it comes to making love to the woman of my dreams, I'll allow her to take the lead.

- The next morning, after tossing and turning in my bed all night, I make an omelet for Piper and me. Her doctor said to make sure she's eating healthy food, so I'm following those directions to a T. Plus, I haven't had a cigarette since we went to the doctor's office. Not even a last-one-before-I-quit-for-real smoke.

Just as I finish pouring two glasses of orange juice, Piper joins me in the kitchen, her hair swept up on both sides while the rest falls in soft curls over her shoulders. She's wearing a pale blue dress that comes to her knees along with nude-colored shoes with low heels. As always, her purse matches her shoes. Only this time, she's also carrying a large bag filled with...clothes?

"What's that for?" I take a bite of my toast and chase it down with some OJ.

Piper sets the bag down and kisses my cheek. Suddenly, I get these images of our mornings always being like this, but I shake them away. Yeah, I want what she's offering, but I'm not sure she really understands what she's giving.

"I'm taking them to Aristotle's Closet."

"You like shopping there?" I ask.

"Oh, I'm not shopping; they're buying my clothes to sell in their shop. I have way too many clothes. It's time to downsize."

I never thought she had too many clothes. "I kinda look forward to seeing what you're wearing each day for work."

"Thank you." She sits down at the table and begins to eat, making a moaning sound after the first bite of her omelet. "Heavenly. You have a gift in the kitchen."

I laugh at her compliment.

Her brows crash together. "What's so funny?"

"That's the first time anyone has ever complimented my cooking skills."