by Laura Sutton
The coffee machine switched off, indicating it was ready, and he poured coffee into the waiting mugs. There was a clatter as she moved the skillet off the burner, and then her arms wrapped around his waist, her cheek pressing against his bare back. Eli closed his eyes and covered her hands with his own, basking in the wash of contentment that Sam’s touch always brought him.
How could he fight this? Did he even want to, anymore? His mother had always told him to trust his gut, to trust fate, but his gut was telling him to protect her the only way he knew how, while fate was throwing them back together.
“Why don’t we take it slow?” she said, and pressed a soft kiss to his shoulder blade.
Eli turned in the circle of her arms and cupped her face with his hands and gave her pink, still swollen lips a lingering kiss.
“Slow?” he asked, pulling away, and she smiled.
“Yeah. Slow, maybe dinner or something, and see if what is between us is as still potent as it was in Costa Rica.” She slipped out of his embrace to flip the sizzling bacon and put slices of bread in the toaster.
“I think last night proved that theory, bimba,” he teased, and she rolled her eyes.
“Just grab two plates from that cabinet above you, please,” she said. He placed the plates next to her and brought their coffee mugs to her small table.
He liked her place. It was smaller than his, but cozy and warm. Hell, she was even all unpacked and decorated after only a couple weeks, while he was still living out of boxes, over a year later. She brought their plates to the table and then rushed back for orange juice and he smiled: she had remembered how much he loved orange juice, even after a year without him.
“So, slow?” he asked, tucking into the eggs.
“Yeah, slow. Let’s get to know each other. We never really had a change, last time, and I’m sure we’re both a little different now than we were a year ago. I know I am, at least.”
And she was a little different, a little more confident and sure of herself and her place in the world. She had blossomed, his girl. He took her hand, kissed her fingers and smiled at her.
“I think that’s a great idea,” he told her, and her smile was brighter than the sun.
“Good.” There was a brief, companionable silence as they ate, and then… “Oh, what about work? Is this…” she motioned between them. “Is this allowed?”
Eli smiled and nodded. “Yeah, I’m not a managing partner, and if I happen to become one before you– or vice versa– then we are just exempt from deciding on the other’s promotions.” He had seen it play out last year when two lawyers in the firm got married. “We may not be on many cases together, but we aren’t breaking any rules.” He smiled at the look of relief on her face.
“Good, because I really like the firm and everyone I’ve gotten to know to know so far.” She paused. “And I’m really committed to defending Debra Cork.”
“Do you think she did it?” Eli couldn’t help but ask. It was kind of an unwritten rule among defense attorneys, to not discuss whether they believed their client was innocent or not. It had no bearing on the defense they provided.
Sam finished her coffee and pushed her empty plate away. “I do not,” she said. “I believe her, when she says she didn’t kill him. Unless she’s a very skilled liar, she told us the truth last night.”
Sam gathered up their empty plates. It was a little after seven and he needed to hustle to be at work on time. He went into the bedroom and pulled on the rest of his clothes, then rejoined Sam in the kitchen.
“You leaving?” she asked, trying to look nonchalant, but she was pressing her lips together and folding her hands tightly, both tells that she was nervous.
“I need to get my car and take a shower at my place and be at the courthouse by nine,” he replied, wrapping his arms around her and dropping a kiss to her forehead.
“I guess,” she grumbled and snuggled into his embrace.
“Hey, do you have plans Saturday?” he asked, because fuck it, ‘in for a penny, in for a pound’ as they say.
“Nope,” she answered. “You got something in mind?”
“How about we go into DC?” he asked. “We could check out this art exhibition I’ve been wanting to see, and then go to dinner?”
“I would love that,” she said, and he kissed her again, one last taste of her lips before work.
“I’ll text you later,” he said. She nodded and closed her door with one last smile at him.
Eli decided to trust fate and hope for the best. Whatever happened, he would handle it, and wouldn’t let any harm come to Sam. Never.
The rest of the week passed in a blur of jury selection and texts with Sam and even one very hot video call Thursday night. Oh, he hadn’t meant for it to end up that way; he had merely wanted to see her face before she fell asleep, but when she answered the call wearing only panties and a tank top, he couldn’t help talking her out of them, and once that had happened…
Everything with Sam was so much more than what he had experienced in his previous, fleeting relationships. Not just the sex, though that was hands-down the best he’d ever enjoyed. But their conversations were so much more, too; it didn’t matter if they were talking about the weather or the death penalty, no one challenged and excited him like Sam did.
Now it was Friday, and since they had seated a full jury with alternates the day before, that meant he and Richard were available for the firm’s monthly meeting with all of the attorneys. Since it was Sam’s first, she would be formally introduced to everyone.
He was running a little behind for the meeting, because yet another box of discovery from the district attorney’s office had been sent to him, and he had to wait for the courier so he could sign for it personally. By the time he made it to the meeting there wasn’t a seat next to Sam. She was sitting between Alyssa, who had just been promoted to paralegal and was in the meeting to take notes, and Kyle.
Eli took the vacant seat across from Sam, who smiled at him warmly. It was a smile he was more than happy to return, but Kyle interrupted it by leaning in and whispering in her ear, and Eli had to stop himself from flying across the table and extracting Kyle from his seat.
Kyle had slept with more than a few of the single women in the firm, gaining a reputation as a love-’em-and-leave-’em type, and it appeared he had gotten Sam in his sights to be the next in the line of former lovers. Eli watched as Kyle continued to bother Sam throughout the meeting. He slowly worked up from mere whispers to touching her hand, then her hair; at first, Sam was tolerant of it, smiling politely at their co-worker, but soon she was leaning away from him, her smile more forced politeness than genuine warmth.
Eli would have to talk to Richard about Kyle. He had already been removed from the partner track for at least two years for his inappropriate relationship with a client several months earlier, but this behavior was unprofessional to the point of sanctioning. Not to mention that, if Kyle didn’t knock it off, Eli would punch a few of his teeth loose.
Eventually the meeting moved on to welcome Sam to the team and Kyle finally stopped touching her. A few times during the meeting, Eli caught Sam’s gaze and smiled at her, enjoying the way her eyes lit up and her cheeks turned a pretty pink.
The meeting droned on and on, Eli’s brain not focused at all on anything his colleagues were saying. He was instead oriented on Sam; she was wearing a black skirt that hugged every voluptuous curve of her hips and waist. He wanted to see that skirt from the back, because if it was that tight in the front it probably clung to her ass in the most delicious way.
And the royal blue blouse she had paired with it was cut modestly, but it still showed off her ample chest and he knew how perfect her tits were under that material. Fuck, Eli felt himself getting hard just looking at her. Had it only been Wednesday when he last had her? It felt like it had been ages and he was dying to make her come apart again.
He was surprised when everyone began to take their leave of the conference room; the meetin
g had ended and he hadn’t realized, so deep within his thoughts and fantasies he had been.
“I’d be happy to show you around Alexandria some time, Samantha,” that weasel Kyle was saying. Eli remained seated, pretending to be going over notes he did not take during the meeting, so he could hear Sam’s response.
“That’s very kind of you, but I’m so busy, between the Cork case and unpacking my apartment.” His girl had ducked the invitation with a smoothness he could only admire.
“Oh,” said Kyle, crestfallen, but he soon rallied, continuing in a lower-pitched tone he probably thought was sexy. “Well, maybe after you wrap up the Cork case, I could pop by your apartment this weekend and help you unpack.”
Eli rolled his eyes at Kyle’s words that trick with his voice. Eli couldn’t believe so many women had fallen for his schtick.
“Oh, thank you! Again, that’s very kind, but I actually have plans this weekend,” Sam said.
Before Kyle could open his mouth to question her further, Eli cleared his throat.
“Sam, the district attorney sent over another box of discovery this afternoon,” he interrupted. “Will you come to my office so we can start sorting through it?”
Sam gazed at him like he was her savior. “Of course, Eli. If you will excuse me, Kyle? Alyssa, lunch next Monday?”
“Lunch sounds great!” Alyssa said with a smile.
Sam breezed past Kyle and left. Eli gathered up his papers and caught up to her within a few steps. He fit his hand to the small of her back, rubbing little circles with his thumb as they walked, and he didn’t miss the way her breathing sped up just a bit at his touch.
He held open his office door for her and once they were both inside, he closed and locked it. It was the end of the day, people would be leaving; there was no risk of being found together in a compromising position, and he could no longer keep his hands to himself. He needed to touch her, to stroke and caress her, make her come, calling out his name.
“So what’s in this–” Eli didn’t let her finish the sentence, instead pushing her up against the wall, his mouth on hers. Sam was stunned, but not for long, and quickly kissed him back, her hands in his hair, gripping his shoulders, sliding over his chest.
“I missed you,” he whispered against her lips.
“We talked for hours, last night,” she protested.
“Yes, but I haven’t actually kissed you in over twenty-four hours,” he replied and she smiled. “And then that… Kyle… touching you, whispering in your ear, and I wanted to climb across the table and wrap my hands around his throat.” He laid a line of kisses down her neck, wet, biting, sucking kisses that made her pant in desire.
“Ugh, he–” she broke off to moan when he sucked on her pulse point. “He is annoying and not very likeable,” she finished as he kissed his way down the V neckline of her blouse.
“I want him to know you were mine, bimba,” he growled into the soft flesh of her cleavage.
“Yes, yes,” she whispered, threading her fingers through his hair.
“Yes what, Samantha?” he demanded, his voice gruff with need. Her face was flushed, her head thrown back against the wall, wanton and aroused. Her eyes slid open and met his.
“I’m yours, Eli,” she whispered, and he kissed her again, his lips bruising hers, his tongue insistent upon entrance to her mouth. He had never felt the all-encompassing need to have a woman, to touch and consume her, like he felt with Sam.
Eli glided his hand down over her hip and then up under her skirt. Her skin was buttery-soft, plush and resilient. He would never get tired of feeling her, never. His hand moved between her luscious thighs and found that her panties were already damp.
“Oh, you are so responsive, bimba,” he breathed, rubbing his fingers over her through the thin barrier of fabric. “I love that. I love how wet you get for me.” He slid his fingers into her panties, then, and felt her with no barrier. Her labia were swollen, hot, and he easily slid one finger inside her. She groaned at the welcome invasion.
“Now, now, Sam. Not too loud,” he chided her, feeling playful,, and she nodded, her eyes screwed shut in pleasure. Slowly he slipped another finger inside her, fucking her with them, not fast or hard enough to make her come, but just enough that her hips were jerking and grinding against his hand.
“That’s it, bimba, yes, let me make you feel good,” he said into her ear, and bit down on the lobe. Her quickened breathing told him that she was getting closer. One hand was fisted in his hair and the other grabbed onto his shoulder to give her leverage as she rode his fingers. Finally he sped up, fucking her harder with his fingers and letting the heel of his hand press against her clit. She began pressing down into his hand on every upward thrust, chasing her orgasm.
“Yes, baby, that’s it, ride my fingers. I want to feel you come.”
She moaned again, so loudly that if anyone happened to be walking by, there would be no question what the two of them were doing in his office. Eli decided it would be best not to tease her any longer and used his thumb to rub her clit, once, twice, and then she was falling apart. Eli had to kiss her to muffle her moans, and it was the most erotic thing he had ever done to a woman. Getting someone as professional as Sam to fall apart in such a wanton way was intoxicating. He would have to be careful and not become addicted to making her come at work.
Slowly he withdrew his fingers from inside her body and held her close.
“Wow,” she said, a little bashfully, her head buried in his neck.
Eli chuckled. “‘Wow’ is right.” He tipped her chin up so he could look into her face and dropped a soft kiss to her lips. “You are so fucking sexy, bimba.” She shook her head in denial and he grabbed her chin, making her look him in the eye. “If I say you’re sexy, you’re sexy, Samantha,” he said, his tone serious, and her eyes widened.
“Okay,” she breathed, and he smiled.
“There’s a good girl. Some things you shouldn’t argue with me about, and this is one of them.”
Sam laughed. “You do know I’m a lawyer, right?” she teased.
“Yup, and a damn good one, and any time you wanna argue case law I’m there for it, but the way you turn me on is not up for debate. Understand?” When she nodded in agreement, he switched the subject. “We still on for tomorrow?”
“Yeah, I’m looking forward to it. what time should I expect you?” He stepped from her grasp and pulled out his phone. He had texted his Uncle Nico about bringing her to the restaurant so she could meet the only family he still spoke to.
“Well, we need to be at the restaurant around seven, so how about two? That will give us plenty of time to check out the art exhibition and even walk around the National Mall a little before dinner.”
“I’ll be ready at two, then.” She smiled and then looked at the box messengered over by the district attorney’s office. “Do you want me to take that? I could start going through it tonight and that way, if there is anything concerning, we could talk about it this weekend.”
“That’s a good idea. Are you headed home now? I could help you take it to your car.” He moved to his desk to gather up his things and grab the box.
“Yes, I just need to swing by my office for my computer and bag.”
“Well, then, lead the way, bimba.” He grinned and followed her out of the office. He was excited about tomorrow and, for the first time since he had left her crying at the airport, excited for his future with her.
Chapter Nineteen
Samantha
Sam changed for the fifth time in the last hour.
“I don’t understand why you’re so nervous. It sounds like he is just as into you as he was in Costa Rica… if not more,” Roxy’s voice announced through the speaker of Sam’s cell phone where she had tossed it on the bed to trade a blue dress for a green one. Sam could not decide what to wear. She didn’t want to dress up too much and seem over-dressed for the date, but she also didn’t want to under-dress and have Eli think she didn’t care or wasn�
�t excited to be going out with him.
“Because, Roxy, it’s a real, actual date. Not something we’ve done before,” Sam said, slipping out of the green dress to stand in front of her closet clad in just her bra and panties kicking herself for not going shopping this morning.
“Bullshit, you two went on TONS of dates in Costa Rica,” Roxy said, and Sam could hear the eye-roll in her voice.
“Roxy, you know those didn’t count,” Sam groaned and reached for a black floral chiffon wrap dress. It had been an impulse buy– too casual for work, but too fancy for grocery shopping or going to the mall. She pulled it off the hanger and slipped it on, securing the tie around her waist. The big white flowers with blue accents and green leaves seemed to set off her eyes, and she was fairly confident her eyes were one of Eli’s things about her. She turned and scrutinized her profile in the mirror. The dress did flatter her shape– as much as a dress could– but amazingly, Eli seemed to enjoy her body as-is, which was fortunate, because it was the one she was stuck with. That dress though… she had bought it because it was feminine and made her feel pretty in it.
“Those DO count. Did you pick a dress?” her friend asked and Sam picked up her phone and took it with her into the bathroom to apply her makeup.
“I did,” she answered her friend, setting the phone on the counter and applying some soft eyeshadow and mascara to bring out her eyes. A simple pink lip gloss finished off the look.
“Is it short? Is it tight? You want to drive him crazy, Sam.”
Sam shook her head at her friend’s words and headed back into her bedroom to slip on some comfortable black ballet flats. She would wear heels, but she knew they would be doing a lot of walking and she needed to be comfortable for that.
“It is not short or tight, but I think I look good in it.” Sam checked the time on her phone– 1:45pm. He would be there soon. She pulled her hair up into a messy bun and slipped her favorite pearl studs into her ears. They had been a gift from her grandmother when she graduated high school. She had passed away not long after, and Sam always felt like they brought her luck.
