Текст книги "Take the Fall"

Автор книги: Marquita Valentine

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Hard and fast she rides me while I stroke her clit, while I make her moan…while I make her sigh my name.

“Oh, Seth.”

“Sweetest fucking sound, baby,” I groan.

Another stroke of my thumb and rock of her hips, and we’re both there. I pour myself into her with hot spurts that leave me gasping.

I’m home. I’m finally where I belong.

Collapsing against me, Rowan rolls her hips one last time, and kisses me so damn sweetly that I want to fucking cry.

Chapter 5

Rowan

What have I done?

Unable to look at Seth, I climb off his lap and start to search the room for my clothes.

“Talk to me,” he says, still sitting in the office chair.

I glance at him, at his hard body, at his abs and his powerful thighs. At everything that is so familiar, yet so different about him.

“This was a mistake,” I finally say.

Seth gets up, disposing of the condom and pulling on his jeans. Of course his aren’t missing the buttons. “Only if you believe the bullshit.”

“What happened between us was real, not bullshit.”

“Yeah, what happened between us was real, especially the stuff that happened before I went to jail,” he reminds me.

“Easy for you to say. You didn’t get thrown away like nothing,” I point out.

Mouth thinning, he turns away, giving me a glimpse of his back and the tattoo on it.

“When did you get inked?” I blurt out, staring at the quote in the middle of his upper back.

Engraved upon my heart, forgotten she never will be. Oh, my bonnie Rowan tree.

“First year in the Corps.”

I swallow as I pull on my panties. “And that quote?”

“My version of a line from the poem ‘The Rowan Tree.’ ” He doesn’t bother to hide it. In fact, he doesn’t even turn around, just gazes at me over his shoulder. “See that scar, right beside the word heart? Bullet wound. Any closer and it would have fucked up my spinal cord.”

A small noise leaves my throat. I take a deep breath and finish dressing. Tears cloud my eyes. I’m sore and wet and completely undone as his arms wrap around me.

“I know you’re confused, and I probably shouldn’t have pushed you like this, but I’m not going to regret it,” he says. One of his hands starts stroking my hair, like I’m a little girl in need of comforting.

“I don’t know what you want from me,” I finally say.

He leans back, his dark eyes searching my face. There’s so much tenderness there that I have to look away. “Baby, I want what you can give me.”

“What if I can’t give you anything?”

“You’ll give me everything,” he whispers. “Because you know I’m what you need.”

“Seth,” I begin, but he forestalls me with a slow, hot kiss. My mouth opens under his, and passion starts to swirl inside of me.

“God, if we had more time, I’d bend you over that desk,” he says against my lips.

“More time?”

“I have to leave,” he says.

“Leave?” Ice fills my veins. I shove him away. “Of course you do. Go on, then. Leave. It’s what you do best.” I can’t believe him. It feels as though acid’s been poured all over my raw heart. Once again.

He captures my wrists. “Rowan. I’m coming back. I have to meet with my commanding officer tomorrow and fill out some paperwork for my leave. I’ll be back Monday morning. I’ll drive straight to you.”

Hope begins to bloom in my chest, but I ruthlessly yank it out. “I don’t care. Stay, go…whatever. You’re not the only guy I can fuck around here.”

The look in his eyes makes me want to snatch my words back. “I am the only guy you can fuck anywhere. You’re mine, damn it, and that’s final. I’m coming back. And, fair warning, when I get back, I’m going to take you to bed and make love to you.”

I flinch at his choice of words.

“That’s right, I said make love.” He lowers his forehead to mine. “You got me?”

“No,” I protest, but it’s weak and halfhearted.

He kisses the corner of my eye. “Don’t cry, sweetheart. I promise to come back.”

“I’m not crying.” Tears start falling uncontrollably down my cheeks. “I don’t cry.”

“Shit. This is all my fault.” He pulls me to him once more, holding me tight. “I’ll be back. I fucking promise, Rowan.”

I shake my head, crying into his solid chest. “No one ever stays,” I whisper, giving voice to my closest-held secret.

“Fucking promise, baby,” he repeats in his gravelly voice, but I’m too emotionally wrung out to argue anymore.

Seth

I hated leaving Rowan, but I hated lying to her even more. I don’t have to go to base to do anything, but I do have to prove to her that I am a man of my word—that I’m determined to stay and be in her life again. Physically leaving town and then coming back is the only way I know how to accomplish this.

My plan, though she’d probably be pissed as hell if she were to ever find out, is something I came up with on the fly. I drive to the outskirts of Raleigh, grab a bite to eat, and then get a hotel room for the next two nights.

My body’s full…sated from dinner and mind-blowing sex with Rowan. In an office chair. I hadn’t planned on that happening, but I’m sure as hell glad I keep a condom handy.

Habit, I suppose. I haven’t been with another woman in six months—not since I realized what I needed to do.

But I meant what I said to her. When I get back, I’m taking her to bed. I’m going to make love to her like I always wanted. When we were younger, our time together was always short, always frantic and full of worry. We didn’t want to get caught, yet we didn’t want to stop.

That’s not a worry either of us has now.

Grabbing my phone, I send Rowan a text. I don’t expect her to answer. She didn’t give me her number. I got it from Piper.

Me: I’m here. Miss me yet?

Shock and surprise nearly make me drop the phone onto my face when her reply is immediate. Hell, forget immediate. Try at all.

Rowan: Who is this?

Me: The guy who did you good this afternoon.

Rowan: Which one?

I laugh at her joke, and I take her response as an invitation to continue.

Me: Guess I’ll have to do a better job if you can’t remember…

Rowan: I’m pretty sure you’ll get lost between here and Jacksonville before you get the chance.

A direct hit, and no less than I deserve.

Me: You’re my compass, Rowan. I’ll always follow you back home.

Rowan: Your compass is broken.

Me: Nah. She just needs a little TLC.

I wait for her response, but after an hour I give up and watch a marathon of Full House. Pushing her too much will either tear us apart or bring us together again. Rowan’s natural response to anything is to fight—to do battle and challenge the status quo. It’s something I love about the girl. I don’t want a woman who’s meek and submissive. Give me the fire so I can get burned.

Suddenly, my phone buzzes. I grab it and stare at the screen.

Rowan: She needs a lot of TLC. ’Night.

“Oorah,” I shout. When I get back, I’m going to give Rowan all the attention and loving she needs.

Chapter 6

Rowan

It’s Sunday, visiting day at Western Prison, and I sit in a large, sunny room full of families and metal picnic benches. My brother is one of many inmates wearing orange and a permanent scowl. It’s hard to picture how Jase used to be: how much he joked around and was the life of every party we had. People naturally flocked to him. He had this presence about him.

But now…it’s like someone’s dimmed the light in the room, and I can’t see him like I used to. It makes my heart hurt, and I can only hope that one day, once all of this is behind him, he’ll be the old Jase again.

Though the chance of that happening seems to grow less and less as each passing hour, day, month, and year sucks more of his soul out of him.

“Seth is back,” I say to Jase as I hand him the package of Oreos I brought. “He came back to bury Miss Myrtle.”

He stretches his legs out in front of him and swings his head my way before opening the cookies. “I know.” His eyes close as he chews the first one, savoring the taste. “God, that’s good.”

“How do you know?”

“Got a letter from him last week¸” he says around a mouthful of cookie.

My mouth drops open. “He wrote you?” So it’s not just me he wants to apologize to apparently.

Jase shrugs. “I think his conscience got to him.”

“How long have the two of you been corresponding?” I demand.

“About a year,” he says. “Guy’s been through a lot.”

I slam my hand on the table, but Jase doesn’t even act like he notices. “You didn’t think it was important to tell me?” A year? Why hadn’t he done the same for me? Why did it take his grandmother’s death to make him apologize?

Jase levels me with a look, his dark blue eyes mocking. “Do you tell me about every piece of mail you get?”

“No,” I sputter. “Why would I?” I blow out a breath. “I can’t believe you’re defending him!”

Tipping his face to the sun, Jase closes his eyes. “Look, Ro, like I’ve said a hundred times to you before, you can hold a grudge against a man who went to jail for us when he could have put everything on me, or you can forgive him. It’s been seven years, sis. Let it go.”

I flatten my mouth. “They finally let you watch Frozen, didn’t they?”

“Don’t try to change the subject,” he says as his eyes open. “Why the interest in O’Connor all of a sudden?”

“Because I’m living with the ass until Miss Myrtle’s estate has been taken care of, and I’m teaching him about running the business until he makes up his mind on whether or not to sell it. To me, hopefully.”

Also, I screwed him in one of the empty offices at work. Go me.

Jase gives me a look. “Are you that dense?”

“No.” I make a noise. “About what?”

“Honey, you’re sitting on the key to your future.”

I make a face and punch my brother in the shoulder. “You are disgusting.”

He laughs. “I’m truthful. Men are led around by their dicks, so lead him around by his. You did it easily enough when y’all were kids.”

“It’s not that easy anymore,” I grumble.

“O’Connor grew up on ya, huh?”

He’d more than grew up on me. He’d turned into a man who didn’t put up with my smart mouth and saw right through my bravado. Though he said he loved it. Honestly, he’s the one leading me around, because I’m confused by him and my feelings. But those texts he sent last night…I’d gotten all mushy when he called me his compass.

“Yeah, I hear the military will do that to a person.” I tap my fingers against the metal picnic table in annoyance. “I doubt that sleeping with Seth will get him to see anything my way.”

“It couldn’t hurt, though.”

Actually, it hurt a lot. I had no idea if Seth would come back from base. I only had his promises and his texts. “Clearly, you have issues.”

“I haven’t gotten any in seven years, Rowan,” he says bluntly. “I’m a bit preoccupied with the subject.”

“You haven’t had sex in seven years?” I practically screech. I blush when everyone turns to look at us. “Sorry.”

“I’m not.” He laughs darkly. “Prison sex isn’t an exclusive club I want a membership in, and I told Giselle to stay away.”

And I’m sure she did. God, I hate that girl. “Thanks for oversharing.”

His lips suddenly curve into a smile that I’d kill to see every day. “So…I have news.”

“Stinky Pete isn’t so stinky anymore?”

Jase rolls his eyes at my Toy Story reference. But, this is how we communicate. Once, we had an entire conversation by quoting Spaceballs. “They’re letting me out next week. Friday to be precise.”

I cover my mouth with my hand. “The parole board met? You didn’t tell me! Why didn’t you tell me, Jase?” Grabbing him up in a hug, I squeeze tight. His arms wrap around me, briefly, before letting me go. Tears of joy flood my eyes and I let them fall freely. “This is the most amazing news ever.”

“I didn’t want to get your hopes up.” Jase lets out a thick sigh. “I didn’t want to get my hopes up.”

Giddy, I clap. “I’m going to throw you the biggest homecoming party this town has seen.”

A huge grin covers his face. “You can do whatever the hell you want as long as you invite my buddies and Giselle.” Rolling his head from side to side, he closes his eyes for a moment—as if he’s imagining the party. “God, I don’t know what I want to do first, fu—, er, see Giselle, take a shower, or drink a beer? Hell, maybe I’ll do all three at the same time.”

I make a face. “Seriously?”

Jase gives me an apologetic look. “Sorry, Ro.”

“It’s not that. I mean, of course, ew…but, uh, Giselle’s not the easiest to get up with.” Unless you drive a nice car and have lots of money and a penis, but I’m not going to say that. Jase knows her; he has to know how she is.

“Yeah. That girl is always busy.” Jase sits up, rubbing the back of his neck. He won’t meet my eyes. “Would you do me a favor and make sure you invite Piper? She’s been real good to me, and I’d like to thank her in person.”

I level him with a look. “You want Piper Ross, aka my best friend, to come to one of our parties? The same girl who you said walked around like she was afraid of her own shadow?”

“Piper wrote me when other people didn’t give a damn. Bribe her if you have to,” he almost shouts, then lowers his voice. I think it’s completely insane he wants Piper and Giselle at his coming-home party, or that he wants anything to do with Giselle at all.

Then again, she’s a sure thing and she’s someone Jase has a history with, so I guess I can’t be all that judgmental. After all, I sexed up my ex at work.

“I need Piper there, Ro. Promise me you’ll do whatever it takes to make it happen,” he pleads.

“Don’t I always?”

A slow grin kicks up his lip at the corner. “Thank you. And could you pick me up next Friday? Around three in the afternoon?”

“Yep,” I say cheerfully. My cheeks begin to hurt from smiling so big, but I don’t care. “I’ll even drive your car and then let you drive home.”

He nods, grinning. “Awesome.”

“One more thing,” he adds and my stomach flips. The last time that phrase was uttered, Seth kicked me out of his life.

I raise my eyebrows, not trusting myself to speak.

“Invite O’Connor, too.”

–

Seth shows up at the shop bright and early at seven thirty Monday morning. He looks all clear eyed, despite the drive from Jacksonville this morning that probably had him leaving around four a.m. Honestly, I’m surprised he kept true to his word and came back.

Actually, I’m more than surprised—I’m relieved. I fully expected him to say screw it, and not return until he had paperwork from Shaw to sign.

He hands me a cup of coffee. “I picked this up on the way here. Hope you still like it the same way.”

Another peace offering? I’ll take it, but nothing else. I don’t trust myself around Seth. I don’t trust him. But I do give him a friendly smile. Sometimes it’s better to play nice than to start WWIII. “I do like it the same way. Thank you. We’re shorthanded today, so you’re going to cover for Linda at the front desk.”

He looks at me in confusion. “The front desk?”

“I’m sorry. Did you expect to lounge around and watch everyone work while you collected a paycheck?” I don’t know why I come at him like that. He’s not even collecting a paycheck.

Boyd laughs, and a few of the guys join in.

Oh, crap. First rule of working with men: Don’t make them feel less than a man in front of other men.

A muscle in his jaw ticks. “The front desk is great. I’ll get right on it.” He strides away, his hands clenching into fists.

I blink after him. He was well within his rights to mouth back at me or—worse—fire me, but he didn’t. He showed me respect when I didn’t deserve it.

“Hey, Seth,” I call out, trailing behind him. “Let me show you what to do. Linda’s job is super important, so—”

“You’ll put the new guy up front?” With a wry smile, he moves around the counter, hooking his thumbs into the pocket of his jeans. His shirt slides up a little, giving me a glimpse of hard abs and his happily-ever-after trail that I’d followed many times before.

He clears his throat, and I yank my gaze away, even as heat creeps up my neck. “Everyone will love the new eye candy.” I know I do. Not him…the view. “We have a lot of female customers, and Boyd just isn’t as pretty as he used to be.”

“Hey,” Boyd shouts. “I resent that remark.”

Seth merely grunts.

“Look, whatever you plan on doing is out of my hands, but if you want to keep Gardner’s, then the people here need to get to know you again. They’ll need to associate a name with a face,” I point out.

“And I really do need your help,” I add softly.

“Show me what to do, Little Boss,” he says all businesslike and I frown. Where is his big plan to drag me off to bed? Or my plan to sex him up so I can get my way?

Oh, right, I’d insulted him as soon as I saw him. In front of everyone.

Stupid, stupid, Rowan.

I move to join him behind the counter and set my coffee cup down. I brush his hand away from the mouse, my skin tingling at the contact. He sucks in a breath.

“This is where you find the menu for jobs.” I scroll down and begin to type a message to him as I simultaneously explain how to record a transaction.

I’ll be home tonight. Will you?

He glances at me and I smile, letting my hands fall away from the keyboard. “Why don’t you give it a try?”

“All right.”

Yes, he types.

I narrow my eyes at him. He gives me a look. “That’s good, but you forgot this part here.”

Take me to bed and make love to me, I reply.

I look up at him, wanting to apologize but I can’t. I can’t force the words out of my mouth.

“Damn it, Rowan.” His hands shake as he replies.

Our workday ends at noon. I’m driving.

I nod. “That’s it.” Quickly, I erase our exchange. “Linda has a cheat sheet in the drawer to your right.”

“Thanks,” he says just as the first customer walks in.

“LB, you’re needed in bay two. I think Frank got his pinkie stuck in a rotor again.

“You got this, right?” I ask Seth, walking to the back.

“Yep.”

“Okay.”

“Hey, Rowan,” he calls out.

Turning, I lock my eyes on him. “Yes?”

“We have some paperwork to fill out at the lawyer’s office, so be ready to go at noon. That work for you?”

My heart races. Although I know what he said isn’t the least bit scandalous, my face turns as red as the racing stripe on my car. “I’ll be ready.”

Boyd gives me a strange look. “That’s one hell of a way to ask a woman to put out.”

I almost choke on my saliva. “Excuse me?”

“Rowan, I’ve known you and Seth since y’all were fourteen. Nothing gets past me,” he says.

“Can you pretend you don’t know?”

“For an extra vacation day.”

“Deal.”

Seth

I should have kissed her instead of bringing the stupid coffee. Clicking through the menu, I ring up another customer and swipe their credit card.

I glance at the clock. It’s a quarter till twelve.

“Thanks for your business,” I say and close out my screen. I take the liberty of shutting down my computer and locking the front door. As far as I’m concerned, everyone’s getting the afternoon off.

I head to the garage, where Rowan’s been hanging out for the past three hours and forty minutes. Yeah, so I’ve been keeping track. Sue me.

I hear laughter and music playing. The closer I get to her, the harder my body becomes. I know what’s coming as soon as we get home. I know I’m going to have my hands on her gorgeous body. This time, I’m going to make it last and give her multiple orgasms.

I push open the door to enter the garage and find Rowan’s outstanding ass in the air as she bends over an engine. There’s grease on her arms and legs, and her hair’s pulled up into a messy bun.

“Damn,” I breathe.

She scoots to one side, and I just stand there, taking her in. Watching her in her element. Her bottom lip is pulled in and there’s a furrow to her brow. Beads of sweat dot her nose, but damn if she doesn’t look happy. She’s in her zone, working a wrench up and down. Her arms are toned, and watching her slender muscles as they move, I’m turned on even more.

You know that movie scene, the one where the girl’s bent over the guy’s car, looking fine as hell while knowing exactly what she’s talking about? Yeah, that’s Rowan. Except blonde and real and mine.

Honestly, when she’s like this, it’s hard to pinpoint what I find sexier—her confidence or the shape of her body.

“You ready?” I call out.

Rowan jerks up, her eyes widening in surprise. Her cheeks flush.

“I’ll take that,” Boyd offers, nodding toward the engine.

“Hope you don’t mind, but I already shut things down for the day,” I report.

Nodding, she washes her hands and arms. She peels off her work coveralls, and I have to take a step back. Damn, that’s hot. “Tell everyone they get the afternoon off, and call—”

“I’ll take care of it,” Boyd says. He pins me with a glare. “You two go take care of the paperwork, but if the lawyer tries to screw my girl over, I’ll cut off his balls, fry them up, and make him eat them.”

“Duly noted.” I’m not scared of Boyd’s threat. I’m not a kid anymore, but I am glad that she’s had someone like him looking after her.

“Later, Boyd,” Rowan calls out as she walks over to me. She gives me a shy smile and hands over a set of keys. “We can go out this way. My car’s parked in the back.”

Together we walk, almost touching. The tension between us is thick like a curtain that I’m ready to rip away.

“It’s a damn good thing you live so close,” I say, opening her door.

She slides inside and looks up at me, her blue eyes vibrant. “Why?”

“Because I’m tempted to fuck you in this car. But I promised a bed.”

I shut the door before she can reply and jog to my side. My hands itch to touch her, but I keep them to myself and concentrate on getting us home.

Starting up the Camaro, I pull out of the parking lot at breakneck speed, racing to get home. I whip the muscle car into the drive a little harder than necessary, but I can’t wait. I can taste her.

Her hand touches my leg and I hit the gas a little too hard, barely avoiding a collision with the porch on the side of the house.

“I’ll give you a couple of minutes to go in first and take care of whatever you need to, then I expect you to be in my bed.”

She gives me a shaky nod and lets go of me. I watch her walk inside, her hips swaying invitingly. I don’t start counting down until she actually goes inside.

Fair is fair, after all.

A couple of minutes seem like hours, but when enough time has passed, I jump out of her car and head inside, softly closing and then locking the door behind me.