I got in my brother’s face, and roared, “You’re lucky you’re my brother because I’d knock your ass out. I believe her when she said she wasn’t fucking him. She explained it to us.”
“You’re blinded by her beauty,” he refuted.
“It’s more than that,” I stated. It was a hell of a lot more than that. I wanted to marry her, something I’d never wanted before.
“You better be sure,” my brother warned. I knew he was looking out for the firm and me.
It was then that they left me alone to think about her. There was no doubt in my mind about what I was going to do because I couldn’t give up the need to have her.
Twenty minutes later, Kristen was back in my office.
“What now?” I growled at her.
“Don’t be a dick. I came in here to tell you what I just overheard.”
“What?” I instantly knew it was about Sophia, and some heads were going to roll.
“I walked into the kitchen and two of the guys were talking about Sophia and how they’d nail her. Then another one claimed to have done it already.”
“Who said that shit?”
“Lee, Everett, and Rudy.”
“Do you know of any other shit she’s been dealing with?”
“I heard them say that she’s after you. That’s why Malcolm was pissed this morning.”
I jumped up from my chair. “I need to speak with Jackson and then Sophia.”
The moment I got to Jackson’s office he could tell I was irate. I told him what Kristen said and that we needed to take action.
“Of course, Caleb. We can’t have our firm looking like a sexist environment and ruin its reputation,” Jackson replied to my outburst. He calmly stood up, fixed his suit jacket, and added, “Let’s get to the bottom of this. Have Sophia meet us in the conference room for a discussion in five minutes. I want this nipped in the bud.”
“Perfect,” I said then walked out of the room to get the ball rolling. Kristen called her into the conference room while we sat and waited for her. The moment she came in we both stood up and Jackson articulated for her to take a seat in between us.
He started the discussion because I was still just looking at her. “Sophia, Caleb and I are wondering how things are coming along for you? It’s only been a few days, but we’ve noticed that you have been singled out by some of the employees since you are our first female lawyer in this office. Are you having any problems?”
She blushed as she looked up at me, then spoke directly to me. “Nothing but guys being guys. They have been having their fun, seeing which one of them I would take home. I had some of this kind of flirting back home, but I ignored it, for the most part.” It was clear she was trying to brush off the insults and rumors, but it was something that I couldn’t deal with. I would not be having any of that in this office, especially when it came to her.
“That’s intolerable. You tell me who has been bothering you, and I’ll make sure they are so busy for the next year they won’t have time to call their mommas,” I exclaimed angrily.
I knew Jackson was trying not to laugh, but hell, he was after jailbait. My Sophia was a woman, a beautiful, sexy, and brilliant woman. “I’ll handle this, Sophia. Let me know if you are not being welcomed by anyone, and I’ll deal with it,” I added, still seething with rage.
She was immediately trying to diffuse the situation and my temper. “Please, Mr. James, you don’t need to worry. I don’t want to ruffle any feathers. I would rather you not bother.” Looking into her eyes, I wanted to kiss her lips and take away the stress I saw in her chocolate orbs.
“It’s Caleb, and I won’t worry, I’ll plan. I’m going to listen and walk in on one of their conversations and straighten this out. I am a partner here, and my word is only superseded by Jackson’s. So, I won’t let these jackasses act like teenage boys.” I placed my hand on her slender, smooth hand that was outstretched on the table.
The change in her expression communicated to me what I needed to know; she was nervous around me and interested. Jackson needed to go find something else to do. There were plenty of cases and his little woman to take care of.
“I have to go, Sophia. You let me or Caleb know if you need anything, and welcome again. Caleb, I’ll see you this afternoon.” I nodded to him and turned back to her to squeeze her hand tighter, her eyes meeting mine in surprise and delight.
Once he closed the door, I caressed her hand, rubbed it slowly. “Mr. James,” she whispered in admonishment, but I disregarded it. I reluctantly took my hand off hers and said, “It’s Caleb. How many times am I going to have to remind you?”
“I’m sorry, sir,” she murmured, dipping her head in shame.
My hand rose, gripped her chin softly and lifted it up so her eyes met mine. “Don’t be sorry, Sophia. I’m the one who should be sorry,” I admitted before I lifted both her hands to stand up with me. Moving my arm quickly around her waist, I tugged her to me and dropped my mouth just above hers. “For this,” I murmured before taking her sweet, full lips with mine. She mewled in my mouth as I slipped my tongue into hers. My hands slid up and down her back with a mind of their own. Actually, they were in cahoots with my dick who wanted to expand on the kissing. I gripped her ass and pressed her into my cock, letting her feel my thick ridge that needed to be inside her—soon.
It took a moment for reality to hit her before she pushed herself angrily away from me. “What is wrong with you? You should be ashamed of yourself, kissing me like that,” she screeched.
“Like what? What about the kiss didn’t you like? Did I do something wrong?”
“Something wrong? You’re married!” she cried out in frustration. She walked away from me and started pacing before she yelled at herself. “I can’t believe I made out with a married man. Damn it!”
I started to chuckle, and she turned to look at me with pure outrage and disgust on her face. I didn’t like that look, but I had a way to fix it. I knew she wanted me and she just proved it. Her fate was set in stone and nothing but our death would change it. Walking up to her with my agenda written on my face, she started shaking her head.
“Don’t shake your head at me.” I continued to move in on her space as she continued to walk back away from me. My approach was faster than she expected, and now she was trapped. I had her backed against the far wall of the conference room, my hands on the sides of her lovely face. “I’m not married, and I don’t know where you got that from.”
“You’re not married?” she asked softly.
“I’m not married and have never been,” I declared sensually, hungry with the need to possess her in every way possible. I would be married soon and so would she.
Relief colored her face, and that was my cue. My mouth returned to hers, kissing her deeper than before. I groaned when she started to sigh with desire. Our bodies were pressed against each other, feeling all we could with our clothes on. I wanted to fuck her against the wall, but I would prefer her all to myself without the chance of interruption.
If I didn’t back away now, I’d be buried inside her. My cock was already leaking, and I couldn’t take much more before my pants were down and her skirt was up. With the modicum of control I still possessed, I pushed away from her.
“Fuck,” she moaned as she looked up at me.
“Yes, we will, tonight,” I warned. She was going to be under me, over me, and filled with me.
“I’ve just ruined my career. I have to go.”
She tried to get away from me, but I put my arm out to stop her. I pulled her back into my chest and placed a slow, languid kiss on her lips before I whispered, “Sorry, babe. You’ve worked so hard only to give it all up for me.”
“So, you are going to fire me?” she asked disbelievingly.
“No, but as the mother of my children, you can’t be working for too hard or too long.”
“The mother of your children? A bit presumptuous?”
“No. You’re mine. I crossed a line in ethics I’d nev
er thought I would, and you’re my penance.”
“Penance? That’s rather insulting,” she bitingly replied before trying to get away.
“It’s not nice. I’m going to have to suffer a lifetime of trying to keep a brilliant and beautiful woman happy and satisfied. I’m going to have to spend a lifetime teetering on the brink of being on the opposite side of the law whenever another man looks at you. I’m going to have to spend a lifetime with this gut-wrenching feeling of anxiety because having you with me seems like a fucking amazing prize that at any moment could be taken from me.” And just like that she was mine. Her eyes moistened, and I was certain her panties were flooded. I was a lawyer, pleading my case was easy, especially when it meant everything to win.
“You don’t play fair,” she hissed with a pout.
“No, I don’t, but it doesn’t change the outcome now, does it? You’re mine, and that’s the way it is. Now give me a kiss and let’s get our day done so I can fuck my baby into you.”
“I’m on the pill.” I didn’t respond because I didn’t like the idea of her needing the pill before me, but it didn’t matter because soon she’d get off of it and knocked up. Couldn’t have her leaving me for one of these lawyers here because an orange jumpsuit would definitely be in my future.
The moment I let her walk out of the conference room, she had to run into one of the other lawyers, Lee Kent, a fucking muscle head who was either working a case or his mattress out with his latest. For all involved, she dismissed what he was going to say and walked back to her office. He looked at her ass as she walked by him, then back up and saw me glaring at him. I was on him in an instant, not in his face, but close enough he actually flinched.
“Kent, if your ass wants to keep your job, I suggest you keep your eyes off hers. As a matter of fact, don’t speak to her again. She isn’t going to warm your bed, so think again.” I didn’t care if he took it to mean she was mine because she was, and if I caught anyone of these supposed professionals fucking with her, they were going to be panhandling on the street corner.
Back in my office I was fucking grinning. Kristen came in to fuck with me. Especially because she saw the incident with Kent, Sophia, and I.
“So what’s up, boss? Wedding plans or pending sexual harassment suit in the future?”
“You two better not try to gang up on me in the future. Malcolm and I won’t appreciate it.”
“Oh, so that’s how it is. I’m going to love it. Is there a special announcement being made or are you letting everyone know you staked your claim as soon as they approach her?”
“I will always be staking my claim if anyone thinks they’re going to come at my woman, but nothing’s official yet. Once it is, all will know.”
“Well, can I tell Malcolm, at least?”
“Sure, now can you beat it? I’d like to finish so I can go home. I’ve got some construction to do.”
“Construction?”
“Yeah, I got to lay some pipe,” I laughed.
“Pig!” she shouted while giving me a dirty look.
“That’s what you get for setting her up in the same hotel as Ryder.”
“I guess you got me there,” she agreed.
Four hours later, I was walking out of my office and down to hers. Once I got there, I could see her through the glass on the side of her door. She looked so fucking beautiful. I knocked and walked in.
“Ready?”
“Um…sure.” I looked at her desk and realized she had a half-eaten sandwich and chips. Oops. I should have taken her to lunch.
“I’m sorry that you didn’t get to eat all your lunch.”
“It’s okay. I wasn’t really hungry. Matt brought me something to eat.”
“Matt did?” I was fucking jealous because I’d forgotten to do it and someone else thought of her other needs when all I could think about was getting into her.
“Please don’t trip. He was in the kitchen when I was and asked if I needed lunch. I told him I forgot so he gave me the extra lunch meant for your brother Malcolm.”
“Fine, if I know it was for Malcolm then I could enjoy this,” I said before picking up the sandwich and taking a bite. Yep that was Malcolm’s, it had that sriracha sauce on it. “Damn, it’s got a kick. Was it too hot for you, babe?”
“No, Caleb. I was just too busy to eat.”
“Good, are you done? Let’s go to dinner and you can tell me all I don’t know about you.”
“Okay. Any place in particular?”
“Wherever you want.”
“I’m not from here so I don’t really know many of the places.”
“Neither am I, but I have my places I like, though.”
“Well, you lead the way, Caleb.”
I took her to this Italian place that Jackson and I go to often.
“So tell me, does this place seem authentic to you or is it Americanized?”
“It’s a bit of both. Really, it depends on which region you are from. This one is close to Roma cuisine,” Sophia replied as she looked at her menu.
I ordered the same thing as she did. Once our food came, I just watched as she took her first bite and her eyes closed and a smile came over her face. She moaned as she enjoyed the bite. Score.
“This is very good, Caleb.”
“I’m glad you like it. This is my favorite place to come.” She blushed and looked embarrassed as she looked around the room at the hostess and server.
“I’ve only been here with Jackson or Malcolm and Kristen.”
“Oh.”
“Don’t be upset. I get that you would be uncomfortable, but I wouldn’t bring a woman to my favorite restaurant unless she meant something.”
“So I mean something?”
“I already told you that. You mean more than something. Everything, babe. You’re my everything. You just don’t realize it yet, but you will,” I boldly stated.
She didn’t say anything; she just blushed and continued eating.
“Signore James, it’s so good to see you,” the owner said as he came to our table. Turning to Sophia, he said, “Bellissima, you finally brought a woman with you. I was starting to think you and Signore Blake were umm…you know.”
“Just best friends. This is my fiancée, Sophia Rinaldi,” I announced with pride. She was mine.
“Italian, si?”
“Si, Io sono di Salerno,” she responded with a beautiful grin. I would be furious if he was not old enough to be her grandfather and had his own lovely wife.
“Salerno è bella, proprio come te,” he breathed as he took her hand and kissed it. I snarled at him then he added in English, “My wife grew up near there as well. She would love to meet you.”
“Is she here?” I asked.
“No, not today. She’s with my daughter and the grandbabies.”
“Tell her I said hello,” I said, trying to dismiss him. He said his goodbyes and left.
“So do you miss home?”
“Not too much. I miss my parents sometimes.”
“How long has it been since you’ve been home?”
“I’ve been back to visit once a year since I moved here. I was supposed to go in two months, but with everything that happened, I won’t get a vacation for a long time.”
“Well, we can take a trip there, soon. I need to meet them.”
“It can wait you know. It’s not like we’re getting married anytime soon.”
“Yes, we are,” I added.
She just shook her pretty head at me, her black hair gave a little sexy twirl in the process. Staring at her was the only thing I could do in between bites. I was hungrier than I thought I was—in more ways than one. She looked so damn delectable in that tight fitting black suit with the light gray blouse under her suit jacket that hugged her voluptuous curves.
“Are you ready, Sophia?”
“Sure. I really enjoyed dinner,” she admitted strongly as I requested the check. After paying, I stood up and reached for her hand.
She took it
and the feeling I always got seemed to have grown. I bent down and stole a quick kiss because I needed it before I whispered, “Good, come along, we don’t have much time.”
Chapter 5
When he grabbed my hand to leave the restaurant, I knew that was it. It was going to happen. We were going from boss and employee to lovers. To him, it was already way past that, but I wasn’t so sure. I wanted him that goes without question, but I was afraid of just jumping in head first. The feelings that coursed through me when I even thought about him was insane; my heart raced and my stomach was in knots.
I sat in silence on the way to the hotel, but my mind was going through everything I could imagine. He seemed interested in making me his wife, immediately. For the first time in my life, that wasn’t a sore subject for me. When it came to Caleb, being his wife just felt right. What my parents thought would be another thing that crossed my mind. I loved them, but I knew they wanted to keep with tradition. Marrying an American, no matter how wonderful he is, wouldn’t be traditional. They already had someone in mind and I liked Matteo, he seemed like a decent guy and all, but I wasn’t in love with him and he certainly didn’t set off sparks for me with just a look.
We arrived at the hotel and he didn’t have the valet park it because he knew that we would be in and out, and it was a waste of our time to wait for them to get the car when we were ready. As we waited for the elevator, I hoped that I didn’t see Matt. Part of me was still mad at his dismissal of me and another part was mortified that I was with the boss, especially after what happened in Chicago with Mr. Hoyt.
We got to the room and I let us in. Once we stepped through the door, he locked it then demanded, “Get some clothes for tomorrow.”
“What? Why? You’re not going to drop me back off.” He just shook his head in the negative and looked at me like I wasn’t getting what he was telling me.
“Get some clothes and shit for work tomorrow. Then afterward, we’ll come get the rest of your things,” he ordered. I could tell his attitude was getting shorter. I knew why, too—that massive stick he had pressed against his zipper. I looked down at it and involuntarily licked my lips.
Caught Crossing the Line Page 3
