Tall, Dark and Deadly Books 1 - 4

by Lisa Renee Jones

  He crossed his arms in front of his body. “You belong here. Your home is in Manhattan.”

  She shook her head and pushed to her feet. “My home is in Washington.”

  He pointed at her, anger making his ears redden. His pale face seemed more chalk-like against their brightness. “You have responsibilities here, and you need to live up to them.”

  The nurse appeared at his side. Lindsey hadn’t even noticed her approach. “Mr. Paxton, it’s not good for you to get so upset. I’m afraid we need to break this up. You need your rest.”

  Not wanting to listen to her father chastise the nurse, she spoke before he could. “Fine, I’ll leave.” Lindsey touched his shoulder, guilt over upsetting him twisting in her stomach. “Get some rest. I’ll check on you tomorrow.”

  By phone, she thought, and turned and walked away before he could say another word. She couldn’t count on her control any longer. Distance. She needed distance from the suffocating pressure she was feeling.

  Chapter Three

  Her elbow hit the coffee mug, and it plunged into her lap.

  Lindsey jumped as the hot liquid splashed her skin and seeped into her dress. “Great! Just great.” She reached for a tissue in the top desk drawer. “Figures,” she mumbled grumpily. “Bad day, bad luck, bad everything.”

  She blotted at the moisture on the silky material for a moment and then dropped her elbows to her desk, letting her face fall into her hands. She needed a minute. It had been a long night of no sleep, her thoughts and emotions raw from her argument with her father. Sighing heavily, she yanked more napkins from the drawer and stood up. Tugging at her dress, she lifted the damp cloth away from her skin.

  “Need some help?” A deep, masculine voice came from nowhere, it seemed. Lindsey jumped yet again, one hand flying to her chest.

  She looked up to find Mark Reeves standing in the doorway. Her eyes went wide at the sight he made. Sexy, powerful, and far too attractive for Lindsey’s comfort, he seemed to fill the room with his presence. A warm awareness danced along her nerve endings. This man got to her without even trying.

  She had forgotten what it was like to have sex—until now. Mark sent vivid, not-so-pure thoughts, racing through her mind. Just being near him seemed to remind every inch of her body what she had been missing the past few years. She wasn’t immune to her carnal needs. They just hadn’t been stimulated.

  Until now.

  He wore a well-tailored blue suit with a powder blue tie. In some cases, a suit made the man. In this case, the man definitely made the suit. Looking like something out of GQ magazine seemed to come natural for him. Only he was flesh and blood and standing in her office. He was like a piece of Godiva chocolate, perfectly wrapped, and she was quite certain, even sweeter unwrapped.

  “I take it I pass inspection?” he said, leaning a shoulder against the doorframe. The amusement in his voice made her eyes dart to his face.

  A tinge of red filled her cheeks. Busted. Damn. Chewing her bottom lip, she tried to muster up a good response. What was it about this man that made her lose good sense? Trying to sound as normal as possible, she grasped for words but faltered. “Sorry, you look so, so …” she paused, wondering why she had forgotten how to use the vocabulary she had spent years of schooling to develop. Where was the cool attorney who could ice an ice princess in the courtroom?

  Mark raised an inquiring brow, a challenge twinkling in his eyes.

  She cleared her throat. “Different,” she finished. “I didn’t mean to …” She paused again. To, what? Dream about seeing you naked? Admire your hot body? What, Lindsey?

  He laughed softly. “I didn’t mind.”

  *

  Any apprehension Mark had felt about coming back through the doors of Paxton was gone the minute he saw Lindsey again.

  She needed him.

  For some insane reason, that really mattered. There was simply something about her that called out to him. He’d seen the torment in her eyes when he’d watched her from the door. Before she had ever known he was there.

  His eyes traveled her body in a slow inspection. Soft white skin peeked out of her black dress in perfect contrast. Even the dark smudges under her eyes couldn’t hide the perfection of her complexion. Her dress was simple, but a woman like Lindsey didn’t need a lot of frills. The soft material fell over her slim waist, accenting her luscious curves.

  She was gorgeous, plain and simple. But her appeal came from inside out. His eyes moved back to her face. She was blushing. How many women, who had seen the things Lindsey had seen, could still blush? A woman with many facets, he thought, and he would love to unfold each and every one of them.

  “What are you doing here?” She asked the question and then averted her gaze, feigning all-consuming interest in her already mopped-up dress.

  He was making her nervous. “I was invited, remember?” He sauntered towards the middle of the room, watching her, trying to decide how to approach her. She was on edge, ready to attack.

  “You declined,” she said in a clipped tone. Swiping the tissues at her dress one last time, she tossed them into the trash.

  “I’ve changed my mind,” he said as he propped himself on the arm of a chair directly in front of the desk, remaining at eye level with her.

  Lindsey’s eyes jerked up to his face, her eyes narrowing. “Why?”

  He chuckled softly. “You get right to the point, don’t you?”

  She just stared at him with those amazing green eyes. Damn, this woman got to him. He let one brow inch upward. “I thought this is what you wanted?”

  Suspicion clouded her gaze. “It was,” she agreed reluctantly. “But you made your position abundantly clear. You said you wouldn’t come back, period. You don’t strike me as a man who changes his mind without good reason.”

  “I guess that means I have a good reason.”

  She rested one hand on the desk, palm down, peering at him with intent. “Which is?”

  She killed him. In a good way. She practically begged for his help, and now she demanded to know why he offered it. “Does it matter?”

  There was a brief silence as she thought about his question. “Yes, I think it might.”

  He was here for her, plain and simple. She wasn’t ready to hear that anymore than he was willing to say it. “My reasons are my reasons. You have what you wanted. I’m here, aren’t I?”

  He was attracted to Lindsey, but his reasons for being here were so much more immense. The shadows and fear he’d seen, still saw, in her eyes, had haunted him for days. She wouldn’t like that, he was certain.

  Lindsey’s eyes narrowed. “Yes, you are, aren’t you?” Uneasiness laced her tone. “You were adamant you wouldn’t come back to Paxton. Make me understand your change of heart.”

  Mark was careful to keep his expression blank. Lindsey didn’t want to need anyone. But she needed him. He didn’t know why he knew this. He just did. He also knew she wouldn’t take his help if he made it seem as if he thought she was weak.

  Giving her another reason seemed critical. A strategy formed in his mind. “Okay, if you must know, I care about my reputation. After some thought, I’ve decided the link between me and this place could hurt my consulting business, if I don’t step in and get it under control.”

  He gave himself a silent pat on the back for giving her such a damn good excuse.

  She gave him a measuring stare. “So you’re here to protect your reputation?”

  “Right.”

  “So you’ll take the firm back?” She seemed skeptical.

  He gave her another single, cool nod. “Under certain conditions.”

  She sat down behind the massive desk, as if she wanted the barrier between them. “Ah.” She gave him a knowing look. “I figured there was a catch.” Her arms crossed in front of her body as she leaned back in her chair.

  Waiting.

  He arched a brow. “Did you now?”

  He saw a flash of frustration in her eyes. “Mark, please don’t pl
ay games with me. I can’t take games right now.”

  His eyes softened. He loved hearing her say his name. Everything male in him wanted to grab her and pull her into his arms and tell her everything would work out. But that wasn’t what she needed. She needed help getting Paxton back in shape, and she needed help bringing her life back in order. “Here is what I’m willing to offer. I’ll come back.” He let his words linger in the air for several moments before adding, “But for no longer than six months.”

  Lindsey started to object, but he held up a staying hand. When he knew she was listening again, he continued, “I will mentor you to take back over the firm. A lot has changed since you were last here. We’ll rebuild it together, and most importantly, I’ll help you with the Williams case.”

  She sat up, hands on the edge of her chair, anger in her tone. “I don’t want to be mentored for a job I don’t even want,” she blurted quickly, her face filled with exasperation.

  He looked at her, completely unscathed by her declaration. He had expected as much. “Look Lindsey, if you choose to leave after the six months, that’s your choice. This way you’ll know what you need to know to pass along the gauntlet. And don’t forget, you’ll have Williams behind you by then.”

  “No,” she said. No compromise in her tone.

  He hated having to put it on the line to her, but she left him no choice. Deep down, he knew he was helping her far more than she would understand until much later. “I’m not coming back to stay, and I’m not coming back without you being here. You really don’t have a lot of options.”

  “I can’t do it,” she stated with a hint of desperation in her voice. “My job is waiting for me in Washington.”

  His voice was firm and unmoving. “You have to, Lindsey.”

  She balled her hands up at her sides as she pushed to her feet, and glared at him, desperation in her voice. “Why are you doing this?”

  It was hard pushing her, knowing she hated him at this very moment. But he knew it was for the best. “You asked for my help. I’m offering it.”

  “Help?” she demanded. “You call this help?” She glared. “I have a job to get back to. I asked you to take back your old responsibilities, minus me. This,” she waved around the room, “is yours, not mine. Take it back.”

  He kept his expression blank. She spoke like the firm was a material item to simply give or take. It was so much more complex. “I can’t do that,” he said softly.

  Her hands flattened on the desk, her voice a low, angry promise. “I’m not staying. You can have this damn place. There is no use mentoring me because I’m not staying. Mentor someone else.” Her voice softened. “Please.”

  Their eyes locked. There was a long, tense silence. “You and I both know Edward wouldn’t allow me to take the firm without you.”

  “I’ll convince him.”

  “I’ve got a news flash for you, Lindsey. I’m walking away from consulting work to do this. My being here is no small request. I am not the enemy.” He paused, and then added, “I’m a friend.”

  Her lips pursed. “Yeah, right. Friend?” She crossed her arms in front of her body, and turned her face away from him. “I don’t think so.”

  Mark pushed to his feet and covered the distance between them as she backed up against the credenza. He stopped directly in front of her, intentionally not giving her room to escape. She looked up at him, surprise in her eyes. She didn’t move. He didn’t move. They were so close that their legs almost touched.

  He could smell the soft scent of her perfume. He could taste the torment eating at her. And he could feel the connection between them … and damn, it was hard to push her, when he just wanted to comfort. But he had no choice. “Do we have a deal, Lindsey?” he asked in a quiet, steady voice.

  She closed her eyes. “What choice do I have?”

  He grabbed her chin gently in his fingers, making her eyes dart open. “You have a choice. I can walk out of the door and never see you again.” He paused to give her a minute to digest his words. Part of him wanted her to tell him to do just that. He was in uncharted territory. The very fact that he was here, unable to fight the urge to help her, was enough to make him want to cut and run. Another part of him knew he couldn’t leave without seeing this through. “It’s your choice Lindsey. Do I stay, or do I go?”

  She swallowed. “Can I have some time to consider?”

  He couldn’t help but smile. “What do you think?”

  She sighed. “I figured as much.” She diverted her eyes for a second and then looked back up. “Stay.”

  He smiled and released her chin. “So be it, then.” He looked at his watch. “Unfortunately, I have to go see a client.” He sighed and returned his gaze to her face. His hand went to her cheek, his fingers caressing her perfect skin. He heard her intake of breath with satisfaction. She was not unaffected by his touch.

  Fighting the urge to see just how far he could push, he forced himself to take a step backwards. He turned and started walking towards the door. He turned to face her before leaving. “Line up a partners meeting for Wednesday at five-thirty.” He wanted a plan to get close to her, to force her to start dealing with the past and the future. “I’d like to meet with you at five today to review how we will split things up.”

  Taking orders from him was eating her up. He bit back a smile as she nodded and gave him a terse acceptance. “One last thing,” he added. “I want you to first chair the Williams case.” She started to protest, but he raised a staying hand. “It’s non-negotiable, Lindsey.”

  And then he turned and left her there, staring after him, and no doubt cursing his very existence.

  *

  In silence, they sat side by side at the conference table in Mark’s office. He seemed to have slipped back into his old environment with comfort.

  Lindsey watched as he tugged at the top button of his shirt and loosened his tie as if he couldn’t stand it a second longer. Inwardly, she moaned, pulling her bottom lip into her teeth. The man was simply gorgeous. And smart. It was a damnable combination that seemed to wreck havoc on her desire to hate him.

  Studying him, she noted the tightness of his jaw, now covered with light stubble. His hair looked as if he had been running his hands through it, perhaps from frustration. Somehow that only served to enhance his appeal. It also made her wonder what he’d found on his first day back to Paxton.

  “So,” she said stretching out the word. “Have you had time to make any assessments today?”

  He leaned back in his chair, letting out a heavy sigh. The look on his face said he didn’t want to tell her what was on his mind. He hesitated, and then, “The books are a wreck, and I still don’t know what Edward thought he was proving by choosing some of these cases.”

  She shook her head and swallowed. “What exactly is the problem?” She was almost afraid to hear the answer.

  A muscle in his jaw jumped. “Over the last few years, Edward started taking on cases for people who had zero financial means. It has gotten worse, not better, since I have been gone.”

  Her eyes went to the space above his shoulder as she thought out loud. “I noticed the oddity of the cases.” Then, refocusing on Mark, “I was hoping you could offer some insight. Daddy was always about money.”

  “He took on a new philosophy this past year. Work for free is what it basically boils down to.” The pure frustration in his voice was enough to set her on edge. He started rolling up his sleeves. Like he needed to get ready for some serious work. “Let’s set the subject of the books aside for now. Tonight we need to focus on the Williams case. He happens to be one of the few clients who actually can pay his bills.”

  A puzzled expression filled her face. “Yes, he does, which is odd considering the rest of the caseload.”

  He agreed. “Right. A professor at NYU who comes from a wealthy family.”

  “I can’t figure out how he fits in with the other cases.” She frowned. “If I understood the logic of the case choices, I might feel a
little better.”

  Mark seemed to want to say something—she could see it in his eyes⎯but then he withdrew, as if he had talked himself out of whatever it was. She frowned, wondering what he was thinking and not saying.

  “I reviewed the file today and nothing has been done,” he said. “We don’t have a choice but to file for a continuance.”

  Even a quick glimpse at the file had told her as much.

  “I already have the papers being drafted.”

  He didn’t acknowledge her words. Instead, he gave her a level stare and cleared his throat. “I’ve changed my mind. I want you to second chair.”

  “Wow,” she said putting on the brakes. “Why the sudden change of heart?” She felt the pinch of indignation. “You think I can’t handle it now?”

  Surprise filled his face. “I thought you would be happy.”

  She waved off his words. “That’s not the point.” She jabbed her pen against the pad of paper in front of her as her agitation grew. “There’s something you’re not saying, and I don’t like it. Not one bit. Are you afraid I’ll collapse during trial or something ridiculous like that?” She didn’t give him time to respond. “I won’t, you know.”

  He shook his head in disbelief. “I do not think you will collapse in trial. Damn, woman, what does it take to please you?”

  Lindsey grimaced, not liking the idea of being considered incompetent one bit. No, she didn’t want to go back to court, but she wanted to fail even less. “Look, after you dropped your little bomb on me, and then ran out the door unwilling to face me, I might add, I spent all afternoon getting myself prepared to face this damn case. So don’t go turning back the clock now.”

  He laughed in disbelief. “First of all, I did not run off. I had a meeting.”

  She smirked and crossed her arms in front of her body. “Uh-huh.”

  “To be clear,” he said, his voice now more intense, his eyes direct as they held hers, “I trust your abilities in and out of the courtroom.” He let the words linger a moment. “Probably more than you trust yourself.”

  “You have a terrible way of showing it.”