Brad and Lisa exchanged an excited stare. I found myself grinning with them, and it didn’t falter when Brad kissed her.
Our lawyer gave me quite the peculiar look at that point, but it was hard to explain to anyone who wasn’t Brad or me; even Lisa didn’t totally get our bond. We were peacefully complicated.
“Do you have the paperwork with you?” Brad sat back in his chair.
Lisa’s features turned down. “Oh, Brad, we have to go meet my mom, remember?” She seemed sad to tear him away.
“If you trust me with your Porsche, I’m sure you can trust me to write up the division of assets.” I took a sip of my nearly cold beverage.
He narrowed his gaze, assessing me. I almost missed the spark of mischief in his depths. “Don’t let her take Porschia, Valentine.”
“Such an original name, right?” I snickered, meeting those clear blue-green eyes again.
They glittered like the sun reflecting off the water. “Every man names his car,” he offered.
I pursed my lips, considering him. “What’d you name yours?”
“Red.” He didn’t miss a beat.
My expression fell. “Red?” I quirked a brow.
“She’s fast, fiery and red.” He shrugged, as if it should be a no-brainer.
I looked deadpanned at Brad. There was no inflection in my voice. “I see why you picked him as our lawyer.”
Sometimes men opened their mouths and you just wanted to shove a sock in it before they could speak. This was one of those moments...
“Yes, I picked him because he named his car something obvious, and because I knew you’d go goo-goo drooling over him.”
Lisa and I both smacked him, stating in unison, “Ignore him.”
“Hey! Ow!” Brad threw up his hands in mock surrender.
Lisa and I looked at each other and burst out laughing.
“Great minds think alike, right?” She wagged her brows.
I nodded in agreement. “Darn right.”
Mr. Dreamy spent the next five minutes summing up each page Brad had to fill out and sign. Five minutes later, Lisa and Brad said their good-byes and left.
Suddenly, my nerves returned as I met his intense gape, realizing all of his attention was on me, with no one else to distract him.
—
Cupid
I could kick my own ass right now. Rule number one was and always is: never fall for the client. My second rule went out the window somewhere between him introducing his girlfriend and kissing her, right in front of his wife, who, if I stood right now, would see that she’d given me a hard on without even trying.
What was it about this woman? Shit. Sadly, I could already answer that.
She was selfless. I could see on some level that it hurt her to let go, but she did it anyways, with a smile. Most of the couples I met spewed venom at one another until I asked certain questions certain ways and made them think about why they married in the first place. As the only divorce lawyer in town, a damn good setup if I ever saw one, I could stipulate a waiting period before I would file on their behalf. Typically I walked away with half the fee, minus a few splurges to help the pair along, and another couple left my office happily in love all over again.
But there would be no happily-ever-after for Daisy with Brad. That was evident. That was bad for her and bad for me.
She was a beautiful woman. Her lips were just the right size to suck and nibble after she’d eaten a bit of chocolate. I just knew she’d taste sweeter than any dessert and-
What the hell am I doing?
I cleared my throat, giving myself a mental shake. I passed her a legal pad and pen. “Please list you and your husband’s assets and how you wish to divide them.” The emphasis was entirely for myself. “I’ll fax a copy to his office for final approval before I submit it.”
She shook her head in understanding and wrote out a short list. Selfless was an understatement. I wanted to change what she’d written. She deserved more. I didn’t know her, but I just knew. The protective part of me roared to life, wanting to go to battle for her, but she wasn’t asking me to.
“Are you sure that’s what you want?”
“I know it doesn’t seem like much, but it’s all that’s rightfully mine. Brad funded the down payment for the house, and he made all of the investments from the money his company earned. I didn’t contribute to them.”
“I could secure a portion or request alimony for two years.”
She immediately declined, much to my chagrin. “Brad being Brad, I’m sure he wouldn’t refuse, but I wouldn’t feel right. He worked hard for that money, and with a wedding in the near future and Lisa wanting to attend medical school next year, he’s gonna need it.”
I raised and dropped my brows. She was confounding. “You are one in a million, Mrs. Burke.”
She chuckled; her eyes twinkled. “If only you could get another man to realize that for me.”
That protective instinct roared to life again. My chest constricted as my stomach knotted. Fire blazed through my veins, tightening my fists. Like hell! I didn’t want to see or even think about her with another man.
And there in lied the problem. She was a client that was still married, that was the perfect combo of sweet and sassy with curves I wanted to fuck till Valentine’s Day.
I needed to get out of here. I needed to finish this case as soon as possible. Cupid shot the arrows, but one didn’t hit him.
I rushed through the papers, merely pointing where she needed to sign or initial. “I’ll call you once these have been filed.”
My balls fucking hurt. Every time she’d leaned in to fill something in or sign her name, I caught a tantalizing view of her cleavage. She had a healthy handful of soft, round flesh that balanced with the rest of her and left my mouth a little wetter and my cock even harder, much to my dismay.
When she nervously nibbled her lips on the last page, that was when I snapped. It was an innocent move on her part that turned me into a horned devil. I wanted to kiss, tease and fuck her pouty lips in the most un-polite, un-romantic way. She made me want to break all the rules. She made me want to be a moral-free bad boy.
Her brows creased. She grew solemn as I stuffed the papers in my briefcase. I knew I was being rude, but tension bound my muscles. Panic propelled me to act fast.
I slammed my briefcase shut, holding it in front of my crotch as I stood. “It was a pleasure, Mrs. Burke.” With a curt nod, I burned the soles of my shoes on my way out.
—
Daisy
I stared openmouthed at the empty chair beside me, where he’d sat. Clearly I’d offended him. His disposition changed the moment I said I wished he would convince another man that I was a catch. I guess it was okay for Brad to have a serious girlfriend already, but I wasn’t allowed to insinuate finding another man would be nice. What the fuck? Talk about a double standard.
I sighed. I always fell for the wrong ones. My first boyfriend came out two weeks after we broke up. The next two cheated, the fourth lied about nearly everything, the fifth turned out to be married, - and not in the Brad and me, arrangement way, - and the last one before I married Brad had given me a black eye. Brad gave him one back and threatened to do more if he ever saw him again. I think that was the moment I realized being married to Brad wouldn’t be a bad thing. No one had ever taken care of me, loved me, the way he did.
In a moment of weakness, I’d blurred the lines and convinced us both that perhaps we were destined, especially since his string of women hadn’t worked out.
But I’d never harbored some secret crush on Brad. I just knew, despite his hard body, that I had no problem wearing a bathing suit around him. He never made me feel like I was less than. He never gave me a questioning glance or a scowl when I went for the high fat plate over the salad on occasion. He’s always loved and accepted me as I was, which is all any girl wants…along with smoking hot sex.
And that’s where all the men, including Brad, fell short. Brad was ge
nerous. He tried. But the spark that set the sheets ablaze wasn’t there with any of them.
In short, it sucked. Add to it that my clients were all females or married men or gay and married men, and my chances of finding a man seemed slim to none. The cherry on top was that I was already thirty-two. My mother about had a heart attack when I told her about the divorce and Brad’s much younger girlfriend. She’d been nagging me for grandbabies at least twice a week since I turned thirty.
Mr. Dreamy and me would make beautiful babies. Our hair was nearly the same color, and if they had his eyes, my button nose and his smile-
Wrong man. Not happening. When would I learn?
I checked my phone. With a sigh, I grabbed my purse and stood. By the time I got back to the millionaire nightmare’s mansion I would have been gone nearly two-and-a-half hours. Somehow I knew she wouldn’t be happy, or polite.
—
Chapter Two
October 26th
Cupid
Dammit! How had I missed it? I never missed these things. It was her.
I’d spent the rest of that day and all of the next in a daydream like fog. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw that bright pink shirt grazing the swells of her breasts; I saw her ass tightly wrapped like a big, beautiful present in her jeans. Every time I took a sip of a drink, I pictured her plump lips closing over the lid of her coffee, her brown eyes sparkling as they met mine, teasing the breath out of me. The softness of her curves was a lure to me. My hands tingled nonstop, craving her sure-to-be-silky flesh beneath them, beneath me.
I’d jerked off more times in the last forty hours than Cupid had arrows. She was a mystery. My reaction to her left me dumbfounded. There wasn’t any one thing that stood out. She was gorgeous, but many women are. From what I saw, she had a great personality, a beautiful smile…fuck. There was just something.
I spent less than two hours with the woman and somehow she ruined me for other women in that time. I didn’t want to strip and ruthlessly fuck random women, yet I found the hidden caveman within surfacing. I wanted to dominate her curves.
Shit. Pull it together, man!
Light poured in through the uncovered window of my Oceanside condo. A glance at the clock showed it was nine, a respectable time to call someone for business, even if it was a Saturday.
With a sigh, I picked up my phone. There was no way around this. I needed her initials on that page.
“Hello?” Her voice instantly roused my cock, her morning husk like a vise around the head.
“Hi, Mrs. Burke. It’s, uh, Mr. Valentine, your divorce lawyer. It seems in my hurry that I missed a page with you. Is there any way you could meet me sometime today or tomorrow so I can get these filed Monday morning?” I sounded much calmer than I felt. I felt like I was back in middle school asking my first girlfriend on a date.
I cringed when she hesitated. Damn the part of me that delighted in seeing her again.
“Um, I think I can manage it today. Same time as before?” I could tell I’d caught her off guard.
“That would be great. Thanks, and sorry about this. I assure you I’m usually quite competent.”
I heard the smile in her voice as she relaxed. “It happens to the best of us. I’ll see you this afternoon.”
“Uh, yeah, see you then.” What the hell? When did I lose my smoothness? Women didn’t trip me up. I didn’t stumble or stutter with them. I also didn’t run off like a chump when I didn’t like something they said.
My groin tightened at the thought of seeing her again. Idly I wondered what her curves would be dressed in today.
Shit. This was bad.
—
Daisy
To say I was surprised by Mr. Dreamy’s call this morning was an understatement. Much to my chagrin, and despite my bitterness, he’d occupied the majority of my thoughts the last couple days. I knew he wasn’t good for me. Double standards were always a bad sign. But I couldn’t shake him. Those eyes. That body. That smile. Constant reminders of his negatives did nothing to dissuade my heart…or my lust-filled imagination.
A heat wave had come through overnight. We were looking at a high in the upper eighties today, but most retailers I worked with blasted the air conditioning. Thank God. I’d broken out my black, fine linen dress shorts with a cute rolled up cuff that actually flattered my thighs, making them appear a little smaller rather than bigger. The material fell to just above mid-thigh. A cream tank with a matching thin, cream, off-the-shoulder sweater looked amazing beneath my chunky yellow-gold jewelry. My hair was piled high in a neat bun. I’d dug out a pair of nude summer wedges with a deep ocean blue, piped edge. I forewent my usual luggage sized purse for a bright, glossy green clutch.
Clothes were my business card. I’d attracted and attained a few low-budget customers in the area simply with what I wore. Too bad it didn’t work with men. No matter what I wore I didn’t seem to attract them, at least here in town. Admittedly, when I traveled into the closest big city they flocked me. But I didn’t want long-distance, and my business was here.
I adjusted my necklace as I approached the door to the coffeehouse. As expected, the air conditioning smacked my flesh, eliciting a shiver as I stepped inside. Goose pimples feathered my skin as anticipation coiled in the pit of my stomach. I glanced around, catching sight of him at a corner table near the side window. Damn my heart for beating faster, thumping after him like a lovesick puppy.
He waved me over with a smile that was more polite than genuine. He stood to greet me. Flat front Tommy Hilfiger khaki pants and a green polo of the same label showed off just how fit he was. They skimmed his buff figure, highlighting every muscle.
Involuntarily, my tongue slicked my lips, wetting my Big Apple Red lipstick, as I sauntered over. I found myself sucking in my stomach, as if it would make a significant difference in my size, as I watched his gaze slide over me. He was trying to be inconspicuous, but it was my job to pay attention to details.
“Hi again.” He extended a hand. Unlike most men, his hands weren’t callused. They weren’t soft, but didn’t abrade my own as I closed my hand around his.
“Hi.” Why was I suddenly breathless? I suppose it would have been the jolt of electricity that seemed to race up my arm and strike my heart.
“Um, please take a seat.” He appeared to shake himself before he rounded me and pulled out my chair. “This will only take a minute,” he said as I sat down, dropping my purse on the table. He gently shoved the chair in behind me. “Would you like a drink? My treat. It’s the least I can do for troubling you.”
He was…different today. He seemed nervous almost. Maybe he was concerned I would give him a bad review? Online reviews could make or break a business these days. It’s why I worked so hard to please even the most difficult of clients.
I decided to let him off the hook. If buying me a drink would make him feel better, I should just give in. “A medium cappuccino with three sugars would be great, thanks.”
He nodded once, his shoulders visibly relaxing as he set off on his mission.
He returned two minutes later with two to-go cups. Steam blasted through the small opening on the edge of the plastic lids.
I smiled as he handed me mine. “Thanks.”
He sat down and made a point to meet my gaze before he uttered, “You’re welcome, Mrs. Burke.”
He was very different today. If I was foolish, it’d be easy to believe he was enamored with me, especially with the way his sea glass hued eyes drank me in every chance he got.
I felt my cheeks heat. I quickly lifted my beverage to my lips, hoping to hide my new color. I blew lightly on the lid. It whistled quietly in reply.
“I guess we should get down to business.” He set his drink aside and flipped through the stack of papers before him. When he found the one he was looking for, he flipped it towards me and set a pen atop it. “I just need your initials on the line beside Mr. Burke’s.”
I placed my cup beside my clutch. Holding the paper with my l
eft hand, I signed with my right.
He expelled a breath as I slid it back towards him. He gave me an easy smile as he realigned the stack with the page in place. “I know I made a hasty retreat last time-”
I snickered, unsure what came over me as I blurted, “Looked more like you were fleeing the scene of a crime you’d just committed.”
He flushed, his lips mashing into a straight line. “Not my proudest moment.”
I found myself relaxing. His actions had taunted me these last couple days. “Be honest, was it what I said?”
His lips pursed. Damn. They look like plush satin begging to be kissed.
I bit my bottom lip, straining for control I typically had.
He cleared his throat. “Um, not directly, no.”
I narrowed my gaze, feeling my brows crease. He was lying. It felt like an anvil smacked my chest.
He sighed. “Yes, it was, but not for the reasons you think I’m sure.”
“Try me.”
“Um…” He scrubbed the back of his neck. “I’d rather not get into it. Just know it’s nothing personal against you.”
I considered him. His stare never wavered. He was being sincere. His expression showed his discomfort. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed hard.
I blew my unease away. We all had our hang ups; I guess dreamboat hotties were no exception. “Okay.” I took a sip of my drink. My eyes widened as the flavor danced across my tongue. He’d mixed the sugar perfectly. “You get an ‘A’ for stirring well.” I smiled.
His features relaxed into a toe-curling grin. “Are you saying I have a back-up career as a professional coffee stir-man?”
“I don’t believe that position exists, but one taste of your work and I’m sure many elitists would create it for you.”
His eyes twinkled, like a star was shining its light at just the right angle to illuminate the best parts of him. My lips rose at the edges, matching his…until his gradually disappeared behind a cloud of upset. “I’m sorry about the other day, Mrs. Burke.”
Red Hot Valentine: Falling for Cupid Page 2
