“No, Todd, don’t take it away from him now. The wedding is a year away, and Dillon has scheduled a week of vacation in August. Once he’s had time to relax and unwind, he will be his glorious self again.”
Todd removed his glasses. “He is an excellent attorney, Taylor. But, you have also pulled his ass out of the fire on occasion. I know he is your friend and you two have a history outside of the firm, but don’t make excuses for him. Anderson pushed for his promotion; I was against it.”
Taylor dropped her head. She was one of only two black attorneys employed by the firm. The firm only employed ten minority attorneys of the fifty-five attorneys in all. Mario Infante made the first Hispanic and tenth minority.
“Todd, I won’t say I’m surprised. Anderson will promote every associate under me before I make Partner. But, I’m not bitter because I know I am good, and when other firms hear how good I am, he will be sorry he lost me to a competitor.”
“Taylor, I’ve stated such to him. I have gone to bat to get you where you belong. Last year, I wanted you promoted to Partner, but Anderson would not budge. Why you continue to stay and work under these conditions is beyond me, but I do appreciate your dedication and hard work you exhibit towards our clients.”
“I stay because you appreciate me. My commitment is due to my love for my work. Todd, I’m not making any promises, but I am open for other opportunities. If one comes along, I’m gone. I may be dedicated, but I refuse to be over forty and an associate. I will not be receptive of a paralegal, who returned to school to get a law degree, be promoted over me.”
“That would never happen, Taylor.”
She snorted a laugh. “Don’t count anything out. I did not mentor at this firm. I was hired in as a lateral just as Dillon, and he made Partner early.”
“Your accusations are warranted, Taylor. Anderson is the Controlling Partner of the firm. I can’t overrule him. I have tried as far as you are concerned. I didn’t want you to find out about Dillon’s promotion this way, but he was coercing me, and I had to tell him.”
She shook her head leaning in across his desk to look him dead in the eye. “I’m not mad at Dillon or you. I’m putting it on record that my options are open, and I feel no loyalty towards Anderson Cartwright.”
The older man rubbed his forehead. “I have it noted.”
“Good. I also know not to bother opening the email regarding the new partnerships announcements since Dillon has made it, and Mr. Infante came in with the status. There was only a place for two new partners for the coming year, and they are now filled.”
“Overall you are being a good sport about this, Taylor. I promise; the next partner to leave the firm; you have the spot, even if I have to die to get it for you.”
“Don’t make me any promises, Todd.” She straightened her body and leveled down the creases of her dress. “And, I am not being a good sport at all. Dillon is my friend. I’m thrilled for his success. Mr. Infante, on the other hand, just doesn’t know what he is getting himself into, and I’m not going to be the one to shed any bad light about this firm to him. He will find out for himself how his nationality, and not his exceptional skills as an attorney, got him this job. Just like me, he is here to fill a quota.”
Todd’s glare bore into her. “Taylor, those are pretty strong words. I respect your anger, but we are not breaking any laws, so tread very carefully.”
“I understand the laws of Ohio. And this firm can do whatever they want at their discretion.” She sauntered to the door, tossing her hair over her shoulder. “I feel sorry for Mr. Infante. He is a brilliant attorney with exceptional skills. It’s unbelievable he is stuck on the Gallop case with me because the firm needs to show two minorities can handle a non-complex case.”
“Taylor!”
“Let me finish. Gallop will settle for no more than a million dollars. The case is beneath Mr. Infante’s experience, and mine. It will wrap in less than a month. I know I am being blunt when I say this, but Mr. Infante should lead Electric Tech and not Dillon if Anderson is trying to impress someone.”
“I didn’t hire Mr. Infante and don’t make any trouble for him please.”
“I’m not trying to make trouble for Mr. Infante; I’m protecting Dillon. I agree Dillon is a good attorney, but not to guide Electric Tech. The money demanded by the plaintiff’s in that case can go as high as four or five hundred million dollars. Dillon doesn’t have the experience to take that into a courtroom and win it, Todd. But, Mario Infante does and has the credentials to prove he can win big cases in court.”
“Anderson believes Dillon has the passion and drive to defend Electric Tech and win. He will be assisting Dillon and does have a good track record for winning also.”
She gave a discomforting laugh. “You saw firsthand how well Dillon is handling pressure lately; triple that stress with Anderson breathing down his neck. Anyhow, why do I care? I’m not at risk of losing anything. But watching Dillon become the fall-guy for Anderson Cartwright is something I am not willing to do.”
“Taylor, we aren’t doing that. Dillon will rise to the occasion and come out with a victory. He just needs to refocus—you also said that.”
“I said he needs to refocus on his work—not be thrown blindfolded to the wolves.”
Todd’s eyes showed age as he pleaded with her. “I’m retiring soon. Please let me finish out my days and then go to battle with Anderson and whoever takes my place.”
“I’m not going to cause a stir in the dirty waters, Todd. I will do my job regardless of my overlooked promotions. Well, I don’t want to keep Mr. Infante waiting any longer. The sooner he is introduced to the crap he will be doing, the sooner he can contact his former firm and request to come back.”
Todd slouched in his chair watching her sashay from his office. Opening a desk drawer, he removed a bottle of aspirin tapping two from the bottle and swallowing them dry. His stomach would soon erupt and remind him that aspirin is not the drug of choice when suffering from peptic ulcers. But, he needed something strong and fast to cure the headache pounding behind his eyes and alcohol was off limits.
*****
Taylor finally made it to Mario’s office after 5:00 o’clock. With Dillon in meetings with Anderson all afternoon and afterwards the celebration dinner for the new partner, she was elated not to be included on the guest list. Even if she had been, she would have declined the offer.
She knocked on Mario’s door that was slightly ajar. “Hello? May I enter?”
Mario Infante was standing at the window observing the view when he turned around at the sound of her voice. “Please come in and have a seat, Ms. James.”
Taylor had not met a man whose smile brightened his whole face or had dazzling features that sent chills down the base of her legs until now. His long black lashes and thick eyebrows did not clash with the light color of his skin. He possessed a succulent full mouth and lips she deemed kissable. Regaining stability in her legs, she entered and closed the door behind her. The light scent of his cologne lingered in the air of the warm empty office. It alone made her knees tremble as she moved across the floor to hurry and sit in a chair.
Safely seated she said, “I’m sorry I’m getting to you so late in the day. I wanted to check on you earlier, but work got in my way and then you were out making acquaintances with other attorneys. Are you getting settled?” She asked with her voice cracking. She hurried to clear her throat of the jumpiness.
“Ah, I am getting accustomed to my surroundings. Thank you for checking on me.” He tugged the pleat in his trouser upward before sitting down in his chair never taking his eyes off her.
She wished he would stop looking at her that way. His dark eyes pierced her soul and caressed her in spots that made her seep uncontrollably. A man hadn’t had that effect on her in eons.
She crossed her legs. She knew he would get the full view of their length from where he sat. “So, is there anything I can help you with? I’m free to work this evening if you want to get start
ed on the Gallop case.”
He nodded holding his gaze on her and rubbing his hands together as if to warm them. “We could do that or we could get to know each other a little. I will start with myself. I am from San Juan, Puerto Rico. My family settled in Miami when I was a child. Although I have lived in Miami for the majority of my life, Spanish was the only language spoken in my home; therefore, my accent is very noticeable to other people. If I’m speaking too fast, don’t be afraid to ask me to slow down.”
Taylor squared her shoulders to show interest. “Please, go on.”
He smiled opening his mouth enough to reveal perfect teeth. “All right, I am a Harvard grad, and after doing a long stint at my last firm, I’m here where I plan to stay until another opportunity unseats me.”
Taylor raised her eyebrow, impressed. “Well, that is impressive, Mr. Infante. You’ve gift-wrapped yourself in a pretty package but omitted a few details. But those will get filled in eventually.”
“Enlighten me. What details did I omit that you would like to know?” His grin was mischievous and sultry for a man.
Unconsciously she brushed her hair away from her shoulder, lifting it off the back of her neck. The air was off in his office, and the room was uncomfortably warm and stuffy. The heat from her hair had settled on the back of her neck. She wanted to take off her suit jacket but that would be too impulsive of a move. She would suffer with the sweating rather than appear to be coming onto him.
Finally, she answered, “Well, how did you end up in Cleveland? And do you have family here?”
He stood up and removed his suit jacket, obviously aware of the elevated temperature in the office. “Opportunities and change of scenery are my reasons for being in Cleveland. And, I don’t have any family living here. I think of the many friends I have made over the years as my family.”
Taylor’s heart thumped in her ears. The man was built like a Greek God, and too damn good-looking to be real. The crisp white shirt tucked inside the waist of his trousers made her salivate. His athletically built body hosted broad shoulders, a narrow waistline, and squeezable buttocks from what she could see when he briefly turned around to drape his jacket over the back of his chair.
The cuffs of the tailored shirt were linked together with gold cufflinks, matching the tie clip attached to the silk pinstriped black tie. His pitch-black hair was neatly cut, shiny, and straight. She fought the urge to touch her lip to make sure she was not drooling. She tore her eyes away when he suddenly caught her staring.
“Are you okay, Ms. James? I realize the office is a tad warm. I’ve called maintenance to check on the air conditioning.”
She blinked giving a feeble attempt at a smile. “Yes, it is warm in here but I’m okay.”
“Remove your jacket and get comfortable. I don’t mind,” he said leaning back in his chair. Her removing the jacket would not only be for her benefit but him, as well. He wanted to get a better look at the stunning woman sitting across from him.
Taylor wiggled from the jacket and spread it across her lap. Her ample breasts were firm and shapely and filled the top part of the dress nicely. The pearl necklace she wore stopped at the scooped neckline of the dress that didn’t give any cleavage.
“Much better,” she said wiggling her shoulders. “Do you have any questions for me?”
His probing stare returned. “Yes, I do but my questions may be deemed inappropriate and I probably should not ask.”
“You can ask me anything within reason.”
“Okay. I will ask then. Is there a Mr. James in the picture?”
Taylor searched his fingers and did not see a wedding ring, which meant nothing since men removed them when convenient. She moistened her lips. “Yes there is.”
His grin lopped to one side meaning she’d made a score. “He is my father,” she said releasing a playful smile. “I am not married or currently in a relationship. I have a busy life with no room for socializing at the moment. Are you married with children?”
He shook his head. “I have never been married and I have no children, either.”
“We have one thing in common,” she said dangling her leg over her knee. His deep-throaty laugh broke the pause in the conversation. “Why are you laughing?”
“You didn’t just want to know if there was a wife lurking in my house but if there were kids. Are you against a single man having children?”
The overheated office rapidly grew to swelter as the palms of her hands dampened. “I honestly did not mean for my response to be discriminating. There is nothing wrong with a single man with children as long as he is taking care of business. Personally, I would not want to deal with the drama of the other woman, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with being a single father.”
He rocked back and forth in the chair. “Nice recovery, Ms. James….”
“Taylor. I don’t stand on formality with my colleagues.”
“Taylor, it is hot as an inferno in this office and a beautiful day outside. Would you like to continue our conversation over dinner? I suddenly have a taste for something roasted over an open fire.”
Her mouth curled into a grin. “I will accept your invitation but under one condition.”
“What condition would that be?”
“I get to choose the restaurant and pay for dinner,” she said standing up draping her jacket over her arm.
“I can’t do that. A true gentleman never lets a lady pay for a date.”
She tilted her chin upward. “Well, seeing this is not a date but a business dinner. I will pay and write it off as an expense, so make sure you have plenty of work-related questions to ask me.”
He stood up taking his suit coat from the chair and slung it over his shoulder. “I like how you think, Taylor. Despues de usted bella dama,” he recited in Spanish allowing her walk ahead of him.
Exiting his office, they walked together through the corridor that led to the external elevators. Dillon descended the internal stairwell and saw them. His face flushed with heat when he noticed where Mario’s hand rested on Taylor’s body as he ushered her through the door. He was bold to touch Taylor in such a commanding way. His hand did not belong on the small of her back, and he had just met her.
Anderson exited the men’s room adjacent to where Dillon was standing. Wiping his hands on a paper towel, he asked. “Dillon, were you able to reach with your fiancée to meet us for dinner and celebrate?”
Dillon rolled his eyes as the heavy door slammed shut. Sighing, he tried to muster a smile. “Yes, Anderson, I did reach her. She will meet us at the restaurant.”
Anderson put his arm around Dillon’s shoulder. “Let’s go. We’ll have a few drinks before the ladies arrive switching us to tea for the remainder of the night.”
“Good. I could definitely use a couple of stiff drinks about now.”
Chapter 2
Four Weeks Later
The high heels of Taylor’s shoes clicked as she ran across the wet pavement of the parking lot dodging heavy raindrops. She and Mario had been together almost every night after work since he’d started four weeks ago. Tonight she was cooking dinner for the two of them.
Taking a shopping cart from the rack, she hurried inside the grocery store to get the ingredients for Chicken Alfredo. She hurried through the store throwing items in the cart. It was after 6:00pm when she left work, and she’d invited him over at 9:00pm for a late dinner.
She lingered in the imported wine section mulling what to get. Her choice of drink was Jack Daniels and Coke, and he drank imported tequilas. Neither of those went with her menu. She picked a bottle of chardonnay and put it in the cart. Reaching for a second, she shrugged her shoulders. I should get more than one the night could be long.
At the bakery, she reached for a fresh loaf of homemade garlic bread and changed her mind.
Hmm, garlic on a date….nah. She put it back and got a rustic loaf of Italian bread instead.
Heading to the checkout, she passed an aisle that caught her att
ention. Looking around no one was behind her as she looked at the different styles and options for condoms. Leave it to the grocery store to put condoms in the same aisle as baby and feminine products. A subconscious reminder as what an impulsive night of passion could cause.
She and Mario had not had sex or even approached the subject but with two bottles of wine, anything was possible. A ‘be prepared’ philosophy crossed her mind. She was not ready to be anyone’s mother.
Taking a box of standard size instead of being presumptuous and grabbing the magnums, she tossed them in the cart and headed for the self-check register. The registers manned by cashiers had shorter lines but the condoms, though it showed responsibility; it embarrassed her somewhat.
Taylor paid for the grocery, piled the bags in the back of her Lexus, and headed home to cook. A smile crossed her face as she daydreamed about Mario. He was brilliant, and she loved watching his mind work legal strategies. Besides that, he was easy to get along with. She and Dillon would sometimes butt heads when it came to decisions causing a third-party to come in and settle the dispute. With Mario, he would point the several reasons why a particular strategy would or would not work and, together they would reach a solution.
Then there were the other benefits of working with him. He smelled so damn good. His favorite cologne was Burberry Touch, and it made her want to touch him often. She would find herself touching his arms or shoulder or brushing against him. She didn’t know if that was the marketing idea behind the cologne, but it definitely worked.
She cracked the window to cool her libido and turned up the radio. Her favorite song Adore by Prince was playing and getting her in the mood for a wonderful night with Mario Infante.
*****
Mario stood in the walk-in closet deciding on what to wear. Dining at Taylor’s house would not require him to wear a suit but to be casual. He chose a pair of black dress trousers and a wide pinstriped black and white polo shirt.
OBSESSED WITH TAYLOR JAMES Page 2
