Break My Fall (6 page)

Oh boy could he fill those jeans, his butt.

Pulling out a bottle of water, he turned and caught me staring.

Busted.

He smirked, and every ounce of blood in my body rushed to my cheeks.

He flipped the lid and swallowed deeply, his eyes remaining locked on mine.

He tilted his head to side, and frowned.

Oh wow, he looked so cute when he did that.

“You look young. How old are you?”

Why did he ask that?

“What does my age matter?”

I was instantly wary.

Kyle groaned loudly, “Because I don’t particularly want to get arrested for harboring a miner in my house is why it matters.”

His house?

I gaped at him. Kyle owned the house?

I thought he was just renting like the rest of us.

“Im eighteen, which means I’m legally an adult.”

He exhaled and the look of relief as clear as day on his face. He nodded and turned to leave.

“Wait?” I shouted, my feet moved towards him, my hand snagged on his arm.

“You said this was your house?”

He turned and nodded, “Yeah, why?”

Now he was the one to look wary.

His eyes rested on my hand on his arm.

I stepped away quickly, removing my hand.

“You don’t mind?” I stuttered, “I mean, are you okay with me being here? I got a job, so it won’t be for too long I promise.”

I prayed to god he didn’t mind.

Please don’t let him mind.

He scrunched his brow, “You got a job? Doing what?”

He sounded surprised.

“Cleaning, so I can pay you as soon as I get my pay check.”

He had a contemplative look on his face for a moment, before turning serious.

“I’m cool with you staying here, but keep your money.”

What was he saying?

“Kyle I can’t stay here rent free. Why would you even say that?”

He had thrown me.

“You’re just a kid, and it sounds like you need a break,” he shrugged, pulling away the counter he was leaning against, and moving closer to me, “Well I’m giving you one.”

I looked up at his face.

His steel eyes were so penetrating, I felt like he was seeing inside my head.

My body moved closer to him, an action I wasn’t entirely in control of.

He seemed to draw me to him.

“I’m eighteen Kyle, I’m not a child. You make it sound like you’re so much older than me,” I said trying to lighten the mood, which was now tense.

Kyle stroked his thumb against my chin, then jerked away from me, and ran a hand through his hair.

“No Lee, you’re definitely not a child,” he muttered.

What did that mean? I was totally dumbfounded.

“I’m paying you, I can’t stay here otherwise.”

He shrugged with indifference, and walked to the door.

“Fine, twenty bucks a week, take it or leave it,” he said, and then left the kitchen.

I picked up some food in the grocery store after my shift.

The conversation I had with Kyle earlier was still running through my mind.

I was disturbed at why he would offer to let me stay rent-free, just like that.

I could not fathom him.

I said as much to Cam as soon as I home.

“Wait, Kyle said you can stay here for free. No conditions?”

I nodded.

“I don’t understand that dude,” she said.

Well neither did I.

“You must have made quite the impression on him,” she mused.

“I obviously said no Cam,” I said quickly, “I told him I couldn’t stay here if he didn’t accept my money. He told me he charges twenty dollars per week, is that that what you pay?”

Cam’s eyes widened and she practically choked on the cookie she was nibbling.

I flushed, Kyle felt sorry for me.

His pity was worse than Cam’s.

She patted my arm.

“Look Lee, the guy is obviously trying to make up for being such a douche. I say let him. It’s not as if you can afford much more right now. And trust me, Kyle can.”

Whether that was true or not, I didn’t want them thinking of me as a charity case.

“You should have warned me he owned this place Cam,” I said.

“Kyle’s private about things. He doesn’t like people knowing how much he has.”

I sighed deeply.

“You still should have told me.”

KYLE

This was going to be harder than I thought.

I avoided coming home for three days after Cam warned me off.

I thought three days would be more than enough time to forget about her.

It never took me longer than a couple of hours to forget about girls, usually less.

I had a business trip in Kansas, but by ten thirty last night I could not lay in my hotel room another damn minute.

I was not a coward.

I didn’t run from anything, and one pintsized girl wasn’t going to make me start.

No woman, no matter sexy she was, or how good she tasted, was going to chase me out of my own house.

I caught the next flight, and jumped in a cold shower as soon as I got home.

I needed to call a truce and put a stop to this intense thing we had going on.

I heard her moving around when I was getting dressed, so I’d given it a few minutes before I followed her downstairs.

Holy hell the look of her barefoot in my kitchen had made my chest ache.

I don’t even remember half the bullshit that had come out of my mouth.

My focus had been on Lee in that nightdress.

I was actually proud of my self-control for not bending her over the table and taking her there and then.

The look in her eyes assured me she would have let me.

But damn she looked so young.

She said she was eighteen; I had four years on her.

Too old, I was too goddamn old to contemplate it.

I was going to have to make sure she stayed away from me.

She was a fucking temptation, and the girl made me weak.

I didn’t do weakness.

My phone buzzed on my desk, alerting me to an incoming call from Rachel.

“Hey.” I said flatly.

“I need three hundred.”

Christ that girl went through money like it was going out of fashion.

“I’ll have it transferred into your account by lunchtime.”

I hoped that that was all she wanted.

I needed a Rachel free day.

“No need, I’m in the lobby. You can give it to me now.”

Fuck my life.

“I’m on my way.”

I hung up and walked over to the bar in the corner of my office.

Times like these were the reason Jack and I were such good pals.

I poured myself a large glass of whiskey and chugged it back, before pouring another.

If I needed a reminder of how devious women really were, then I need look no further than the redhead waiting on me.

It would serve me well to remember that.

Women were only after one thing, and it sure as hell wasn’t love.

LEE

I loved pizza. It was amazing.

I tucked into my third slice of margarita, as I listened to Derek and Cam chattering.

Derek looked at me like I was crazy when I told him it was my first time having pizza. Cam had changed the subject knowingly.

They actually were quite comical together.

I guessed Derek had more to do with it than Cam. He was a funny person.

“So how’s the job going Lee?”

I smiled at his question, “It’s going great, I really like it.”

Derek nodded, and took another sip of his beer.

“Where’d you say it was again?”

I swallowed the piece of cheesy crust before answering, “The Henderson Hotel, just off 11th street, do you know the place?”

Derek eyes bulged and Cam nudged him in the ribs.

“What?” I asked warily.

“Nothing, nothing,” Derek said, a little too eagerly for my liking, “I’m just surprised you’re working there. I heard the owner has some issues with hiring young people.”

He directed the last bit towards Cam, who was shooting dagger-eyed glares at him.

“Okay, what’s going on guys?” I asked.

They were freaking me out.

First Linda, now Cam and Derek…

Was there something weird about the owner?

“Nothing at all babe,” Cam said smiling, “Derek here just doesn’t know when to keep his mouth shut. Do you Derek?”

He smiled bashfully at Cam.

“Keep his mouth shut about what?”

Neither one answered me.

I got the feeling I was missing something.

Chapter Four

KYLE

“Do you want to do something today? I heard there’s a good band playing in The Avenue?”

I shook my head as I zipped up my pants.

I had a killer headache, and that skin crawling morning after itch to get her out of my house.

“I can’t Candice. I have plans.”

She pouted, and sat up on my bed, twisting her black hair around her fingers.

I picked her dress up off the floor and tossed it to her.

“I’m Gemma,” she snapped.

“Good for you.”

How the fuck was I supposed to remember her name?

I’d been wasted last night, and she had been more interested in sucking my dick than having a conversation, which was fine by me.

She was willing and I needed the release.

That might make me an asshole, but it was either fuck her or burst into the room next to mine, and take my frustrations out on the tiny brunette who put them there.

“Yeah, I’m going need you to take off Gemma. I’ve a lot on today.”

I pulled my shirt on and bent down to tie my shoelaces.

I noticed her lace thong under my bed and cringed.

“What the fuck Kyle?” she growled, jumping off the bed and moving towards me.

She stood in front of me butt naked with her hands on her hips.

In the cool light of day, she wasn’t as hot as I had thought last night at the bar.

Jesus Christ, why did every woman think it was sexy to see hipbones and ribs?

It was about as sexy as fucking a skeleton.

“I thought last night meant more than sex?”

Where did she get that from?

It never meant more than sex.

I walked over to the door.

“It was great sex,” I lied.

Truth be told I couldn’t remember fucking her, but she smiled, appeased so I continued, “That’s all it was. I’ll let you get dressed.”

I closed out the door before she could reply.

I was a fucking douche to sleep with her. I knew the clingy ones by now.

How had I missed the signs?

Cam, Lee and Derek were all in the kitchen when I walked in.

I went straight over to the drawer where I kept the painkillers.

“Good morning sunshine,” Derek said with a stupid smug grin on his face.

“What’s good about it?” I replied, as I popped two Advil from the packet and poured a glass of water

“Rough night last night was it?” Cam asked.

I nodded, forcing the pills down, “You could say that.”

I slumped against the counter, as Cam and Derek continued whatever they were talking about before I came in.

“Sleep well?” I asked Lee, who was sitting quietly at the table.

She shifted her gaze to me.

“No not really,” she mumbled, blushing.

I moved towards her. I couldn’t help myself.

“Oh yeah, why’s that?” I asked.

I eased into the chair across from hers.

Looking at her closer, I could see the dark shadows under her eyes.

“I didn’t get much sleep.”

I felt a strange swell of concern for her, “Why not? Are you okay?”

Was Lee not sleeping well every night?