Fallen Woman

Chapter 10

Weekends normally sucked without seeing Jase or having much to do. The kids liked going to the park, but there was only so much to do there, and while they could play for hours, I pooped out and waited on the bench until they couldn't stand anymore. Sunday came, and I expected more of the same, but when Derrick knocked on the door, the kids started going back and forth between the two apartments like a band of wild horses. When the door opened for the hundredth time, I expected a whirlwind of children to stampede through and was shocked to see Jase standing in my kitchen.

"Hey!" I exclaimed, completely shocked. "What are you doing here?" I dried my hands on the kitchen towel after putting away the last dish.

"I wanted to talk to you." Here we go. At least he had the decency to come to me and tell me he can't be seen with me anymore instead of just blowing me off. I refused to drop my head in defeat.

"You don't owe me an explanation, Jase." I tried to head him off at the pass. I didn't need to hear whatever he had to say.

"Huh? I came to talk to you about a proposition I have." He closed the door behind him. "Since you won't let me promote you at work, I've come up with another idea."

I raised my eyebrows and tilted my head before inviting him to have a seat on the couch. "I'm listening."

"So my friends really liked you...."

I quirked my brow at him, indicating he needed to get to the point.

"We all have these things we have to go to pretty regularly, and we don't usually go together." He was uncomfortable, stumbling over his words, and I couldn't stop grinning at him. He'd always been a rather eloquent speaker, even in front of hundreds of people at the Literacy Guild, so watching this was amusing. "Anyway, so we were all hanging out yesterday at Drake's house, and he asked if you'd accompany him to some gala he has next weekend." The words rushed from his mouth.

I didn't know what I thought he'd suggest, but hanging out with Drake wasn't it. I shrugged. "I don't mind going with him, but, Jase, I don't have the clothes for these types of functions, so I'd have to wear the same dress." They were all nice guys and all good-looking in their own way-if this helped them out, I could do it once in a while.

He wiped his hand down his face. "They would take care of your clothes, Gia."

I c****d my head, waiting for him to finish what was obviously on the tip of his tongue. I squinted my eyes and leaned in, silently waiting for more information regarding this proposal.

"You'd be compensated for your time. Paid. You'd be paid."

My jaw dropped.

I wasn't sure I'd heard him correctly and knew he couldn't have insinuated what I thought he had. He didn't insinuate anything-he'd flat out asked me to be a call girl, a w***e, a...hell, I didn't know what. "You want me to be a prostitute for your friends? Are you insane?" Seething mad, I opened my mouth to launch into a tirade when he held his hands up to stop me.

"No. No. No. You're totally misunderstanding. These guys don't date-they don't trust women, but going solo all the time sucks. They enjoyed hanging out with you, and when Drake asked if I thought you'd go with him, I told him exactly what I thought you'd say. No dress. No money for a babysitter."

I could tell he didn't want to give me any more details about the discussion he'd had with his buddies, but he knew he had to in order to calm me down.

He let out a slow, audible sigh before he continued. "I didn't give them all the information you shared with me. I only told them you had three little kids and had fallen on hard times."

"So you're pimping me out?" I didn't know whether to laugh or cry, be flattered or insulted. I decided quickly, since it was Jase Lane, I'd laugh and be flattered...right before I declined. He had quickly become a friend, and I didn't have many. I wanted to hang on to him, so I refused to let my feelings be hurt by this, but I couldn't be a high-class hooker, either.

"What? No! I just thought this would be a way for you to get out of the house with adults and make some money in the process."

"A w***e by any other name is still a w***e, Jase." It sucked he was willing to share me with his group, but it confirmed what I already knew. Jase Lane didn't date women like Gianna LeBron. Friends, fine. Companion, never.

"No, you'd be paid for your company. I can see what you're thinking-you're pissed but don't be. Don't be so quick to pass judgment, Gia."

"No. I'm not selling my soul." I crossed my arms in defiance and glared at him from the opposite end of the couch. Somehow, in this short conversation, I'd moved as far away from him as possible while remaining seated.

"Do you really think I'd put you in a situation like that? Damn. Believe it or not, I care about you and want to find a legitimate way to help you out of your circumstances...that's safe. I know my friends, and I trust them. None of them would ever lay an inappropriate finger on you. They know how much I care about you and should fear my retribution if they ever tried."

The instant he'd said that last line, I knew he hadn't meant to, but it also shed light on why he was propositioning me-unfortunately, not enough for me to decipher precisely what his motivation was.

He pulled at his hair with both hands before dropping them back to his lap. "I just want to see you living like you deserve to live, and that's not here." He looked around at the stark apartment I shared with my three children. It stung, but I knew what he meant. I wanted better for them too, but at this point, I'd be thrilled if they were all healthy.

I should've asked how much money we'd be talking about or gotten more details of what would be expected of me, but I trusted Jase, and if he said this was on the up and up, then it was. "Okay."

"Okay? Just like that? You went from stark raving mad to concession? What'd I miss?"

I was smitten with him. I didn't want to be. He had no clue my feelings for him were growing, and I'd do just about anything to see him happy. I couldn't turn down a friend who was working within the confines of the restrictions I placed on him to help me out. And the truth was, spending time with his friends was a way to gain my own.

Financially, I was in deeper than I'd ever been. If it weren't for Miss Pearl, my children wouldn't be eating. I still wasn't caught up on the utilities, all the kids needed clothes and shoes, and the medical bills were never-ending. Even if I wanted to be offended-and even if I didn't trust Jase-it was the best option I had. It was the only option I had. "Nope. I trust you wouldn't put me in a position that would hurt me. So I'll go out with Drake."

I watched those gorgeous gray eyes stare intently at me for several moments before he reached into his jeans and handed me a cell phone and charger. He didn't break eye contact as he held his hand out.

"What's this?" I asked, confused.

"A way for all of us to get in touch with you so I don't have to be your go-between."

"You mean be my pimp? Don't I need to give you a cut?" I tried to joke with him, but he wasn't amused. "You're serious about this extending beyond Drake?"

He chewed on the side of his lip and nodded. "Yeah. I don't think you understand. Taking a date to these functions gives women the wrong idea, but going stag makes you available meat at the market."

As a woman, I'd never thought about what men went through being single, especially those who're attractive and wealthy-I'm sure it could be frustrating to never know if someone loved you or your wallet. So I took the phone.

"Everyone's numbers are already programmed in, and so's mine. They have your number as well."

I couldn't help but laugh at him. "You're awfully sure of yourself, aren't you, Jase?"

He felt like an ass; it was written all over his face. "Just trying to help, Gia. Truly."

"You know not all women are looking for a paycheck, right? There are lots of good women out there who want a loyal companion. You guys are missing out by excluding the gender as a whole." I fiddled with the phone in my lap and watched his eyes grow warm, the color changing from concrete to gunmetal gray.

He reached across the couch and touched my knee. "I know there are still good women out there."

I stopped myself from reaching out to grab his wrist. Hold his hand. Touch him in some way. I wanted to harness the heat in his eyes and transfer it to my soul-to connect with him further than this. But just as I drummed up the courage to reach for him, he patted my leg and stood up.

"I'll have Drake give you a call and let the guys know you're in." He turned toward the door, and I followed to let him out. Abruptly, he faced me. His sudden stop made me slam into him before I caught myself on his chest.

His heart pounded beneath my hand, and for just a second, I stared at it rather than meet his gaze, but as my green eyes met the storm brewing in his, I jerked my hand to my side. I don't know what he'd planned to say, but the silence hung heavily in the air. Jase leaned down, and I closed my eyes in anticipation, only to feel his lips on the top of my forehead.

"Have a good night, Gia."

I opened my eyes to his back as he retreated through my door and the twins flew by him, hollering his name. "Night, Jase."