by Maren Lee
“Oh, he’s ‘Tom’ to you? So what, are you chummy with a cop killer now? Without even hearing me out, you’ve made your decision?” Jake snapped.
“First of all, fuck you. There’s this little thing in America called ‘innocent until proven guilty.’ Perhaps you’ve heard of it? And everyone has a right to an attorney? If you can’t afford one, one will be provided for you? You know - the Miranda warnings you spout off without understanding? It’s sort of why I have a job. I would have thought you’d read the Constitution since you’ve had to swear to uphold it.” She rolled her eyes.
Jake scoffed at his little fireball smartass, but Lane kept going. “Second of all, yes. I have made my decision without first consulting you. Heaven forbid a woman thinks for herself without getting your permission! What even makes you think I require your permission?”
No no no. “Oh my god, Lane. Do not make this about some feminist bullshit. This guy is bad news. He’s dangerous. I don’t want you working with him.”
“Who the fuck are you? You don’t get to tell me what to do and I don’t get the luxury of choosing who does or doesn’t break the law! I work with anyone who is arrested and charged and needs me.” She narrowed her eyes at him.
“You defending him makes me sick to my stomach.”
Oh no. That was perhaps not the right thing to say. Lane came unhinged.
“You know what makes me sick to my stomach? When people are falsely accused of crimes. Get the fuck out of my office, Jake!” she shouted.
“No.” He stared at her defiantly.
“If you don’t drop this, I’ll have you thrown out of my office. Your choice, Sergeant Hamilton.” The line in the sand was drawn. Epic. Lane. Stare down. The woman didn't blink.
Holy shit. You woke the sleeping dragon, dude. God damn, why does she have to be so hot when she’s mad?
Jake cracked his neck. He knew he wasn’t going to beat this sexy-as-fuck lawyer in an argument while she was wearing those leopard print shoes that made his dick rise. And if he pushed harder, he knew he’d lose his chance to make her his. He let out a disgruntled sigh, “Fine. I’ll drop it.”
“I hope you do, Jake. I don’t talk to you about your job. Don’t talk to me about mine.”
He shook his head. I want to talk to you about everything, Laney. Dammit, this woman pisses me off, but fuck if I can't stop wanting her.
“Now, was there anything else you wanted to discuss?”
Make your move, Hamilton.
“Why yes, counselor. The second item on my agenda for discussion today is how sweet your pussy tasted on my tongue after a certain wedding we both attended.” Jake raised his eyebrows at her.
Lane blushed. Bright red. It wasn’t hard to see because she was a light skinned redhead. Her breathing noticeably increased. Bullseye.
“Jake… I know that we had a….moment. A lapse in judgement, or whatever you want to call it... But I think it’s best if we just pretend like that never happened.” She looked away from him quickly.
Jake moved to the door and locked it. Lane looked up in surprise. Her whole body stiffened at his actions.
“Pretend like what never happened, Laney? Pretend like we didn’t have the best sex of our lives? Pretend that you didn’t have at least eight orgasms in one night? Pretend that our bodies didn’t fit together perfectly? Like we weren’t made to fuck each other?”
He moved behind her desk, grabbed her by the hands, and pulled her to her feet. Then he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close to him. He walked her slowly back to the edge of her desk and slid his hands down to her ass, lifting her up and placing her on top of the desk.
She tried to protest, “Jake stop. I’m serious. We can’t-.”
“Shhh,” he cut her off.
He pressed his lips to hers possessively. His tongue parted her lips and she immediately responded and began kissing him back. Her self control walked right out the front door. She grabbed the back of his head and pulled him closer. Jake reached down and hiked her skirt halfway up her thighs.
Lane didn’t even put up a fight. Her resistance was all talk.
Their tongues tangled as Jake moved his hand up between her legs. He stopped just as his thumb met the crease between her thighs and the beginning of her mound. He ran his thumb over the top of her panties, delicately touching her, rubbing. He could feel her heat throbbing with his touch.
Lane let out a soft moan between their lips. Hearing her, feeling her pleasure from his touch, Jake felt like he was going to jump straight out of his skin. He began kissing down her neck.
“Wait, stop,” Lane breathed out.
Jake halted suddenly at her request and his eyes met hers. They were questioning him. “Best sex of your life?” Lane found that hard to believe given Jake’s...experience? Prowess? Reputation?
Jake kissed her again and continued to rub between her thighs. He pulled away from her mouth and leaned into her ear and whispered, “Best. Sex. Of. My. Life. You turned me down when you first moved into town and I let my ego get the best of me. There’s no more denying this, Laney.” He kissed her again softly and quickly and then looked into her eyes again. Searching.
Lane unexpectedly giggled. Not the reaction Jake had been looking for. “This will never work, Jake. I’m not even sure we actually like each other.”
Jake slipped his fingers beneath her underwear. “I like you a lot, Laney. Love your pussy, too,” he groaned out. “God, I fucking love it,” he said as he continued to circle her clit. “Holy shit, baby. Don't deny me getting in there again.” He plunged two fingers into her hot heat and moved them in and out. “Please,” he pleaded in a whisper.
“Ohhhh my God,” she whispered, trying to keep Anne from hearing what was happening behind her closed door.
“That’s it, baby. Give it to me.” Lane moaned a little too loudly and Jake quickly covered her mouth with his and swallowed the noise. “Shhhhh. You need to be quiet, honey. I’m not sure Anne likes me very much.” Jake spoke softly against her lips.
Lane laughed quietly. “We at least have one thing in common, then.”
“We have more than one thing in common, baby. We love fucking each other.”
Lane inhaled quickly.
Jake moved his mouth to Lane’s ear and lowered his voice even more. “I’m gonna come over to your house tonight and my smart, sexy lawyer is going to get naughty with me. God, you make my dick so hard, honey. I can’t wait to get it wet with you. I’ve been aching for the past month.” Lane whimpered. Jake continued his ministrations on her clitoris. “Aching. Can’t stop thinking about how good you felt. How you milked my cock. I’ve never come so hard in my life, Lane.”
“Oh my God, Jake. I’m so close.” She breathed out.
“Come on, baby. Come on my fingers.”
Lane complied almost immediately and breathed heavily as she climaxed. She grabbed hold of his shoulders and dug her nails into him while her entire body convulsed with pleasure.
She caught her breath and then shook her head in disbelief. Lane looked Jake straight in the eyes and paused a beat. “Ok, so we’re sexually compatible. I’ll give you that. Shit, Jake.”
Jake chuckled softly and kissed her sweetly on her forehead. “We can talk about this more later. I’ll come over and make you dinner tonight, Laney.” He pulled his hand back and gave her a moment.
She hopped off her desk and started to pull herself together. “Jake,” she whined. “I have so much to do tonight. I need to go through all of this.” She put her hand on top of the stack of files and then pulled her skirt down and straightened it.
“There’s a game on tonight, and I’m sure you’ve got Netflix, so that’ll keep me occupied. I just want to see you again, Red.” Fuck, man. You’re practically begging.
“Jake, I still haven’t talked to Connor. Please just give me some time.” Lane sounded a little too annoyed for someone who just had an orgasm.
“You should probably handle that situation. T
oday,” he ordered.
“I don’t have time today.”
“Fine. If you don’t do it, I’ll do it for you.”
“Don’t you fucking dare, Hamilton.” Lane was firm. Oh, he was going to enjoy this.
“I’m coming over to make you dinner tonight. Officially break it off with Mr. Perfect so that this small town doesn’t go crazy when they see my truck, or maybe my ‘rod depending on the weather, parked outside your place overnight.”
“I’m sorry? Did you just invite yourself to a sleepover at my house?”
“Yes, I did. I’m coming over to cook you dinner and rub your feet and then I’m going to rock your world.” Jake’s eyes twinkled.
“Ugh. That is not happening, Jake. This,” she gestured between the two of them, “can’t happen again.”
“Quit denying it. We’re good together.”
“We hate each other.”
“Only just a little bit,” Jake smirked.
Ok, that's kinda funny. Lane couldn't stop her lips from slightly twitching.
“Jake. You’re a man whore.”
“Red, I’m a reformed man. Haven’t been with anyone since you.”
“So you’ve gone about month. How noble of you.” She raised an eyebrow at him. Saucily.
“Can't change the past, Laney. I'm a man looking toward the future, now. And that future hopefully includes you.”
“You’ve been a total asshole to me, Jake. I can’t even process this right now.” The look on Lane’s face said she could not believe what he just said. “And how am I supposed to function in a town where you’ve slept with everyone?” Lane questioned. “You know what, we’re not talking about this, because, like I said, this isn’t happening!”
“I’m coming over tonight, Lane. And we’ll talk about all of this.” Jake countered her firmly. He was not taking no for an answer.
She still gave it to him. “Not tonight, Jake. I need time.”
“No you don’t. I’m coming over.”
“You’re are so fucking stubborn!” she exclaimed.
“Not going to give up on this, Laney. We are too compatible to throw this away.”
“Compatible in bed, but completely incompatible in every other aspect of our lives! Please stop calling me Laney.” She was exasperated.
“You love it.”
“You don’t know me well enough to know if I love it or not.” There was something in her voice that made Jake file this “Laney” thing away for further discussion.
“I know a lot more about you than you realize, but I want to get to know you even more. Let me come over tonight. Let me take care of you and help you relax. You're wound up too tight for Montana.”
Lane’s eyes became soft and in that moment her defenses crumbled. She let out a heavy sigh.
“Whatever.” She didn’t have the energy to fight him anymore. God, Lane hated to lose. But he was basically beating her into submission on this one.
“Awesome. See you in court this afternoon, Ms. Bennett,” Jake said in his formal “cop voice.” Fucking sexy.
“Get out of here with that Ms. Bennett shit,” Lane smiled.
“What? I thought you liked it. Don’t you ask Anne to call you Ms. Bennett? I thought you got off on that shit.”
“She won’t call me Lane! I've tried a million times! She says she won’t call me Lane until she decides if she likes me. I’ve worked with her for just short of a year, Jake. How long is it going to take for her to decide? I’m a nice fucking person! This town is so damned frustrating!” Lane really was wound tight. She started to slightly hyperventilate.
“Whoa! Language, counselor!” He wrapped her up in a sweet hug and began to stroke her back, lightly. “Okay. Okay. So no ‘Ms. Bennett.’ I got it. See? Too wound up. You know,” he pulled back from their embrace, “I have secret ways to help with that.” He winked at her. “Give some control to me, Lane. I can make you feel good.” Fuck, his arms are gigantic. Lane melted into his embrace. But give up control? What the fuck did that even mean?
The two hugged in silence for longer than a moment. Holy shit. The man can definitely fuck. But his hugs are made of the stuff romance novels are written from. Jake pulled away and kissed her forehead.
Lane found herself disappointed by the loss.
“I’ll see you soon, Red.”
She had no response. Jake smiled, unlocked the door and swung it open. He gave her another wink and a lingering smile and headed for the front door.
Anne gifted him a smug glare as he left. At this point, Jake didn’t give a damn what anybody thought of him or his relationship with Lane. And he only slightly cared what Lane thought. His mind was made up.
Chapter 3
Lane’s head was spinning. She stared through the door, at the space he’d last inhabited, trying to make sense of the last fifteen minutes. Did Jake really just come into her office, kiss her stupid, and claim his territory? Yeah, that just happened, Lane.
Granted, it was unexpected. But what was really bothering her was how easy it was to just surrender. Lane won arguments and she wasn’t a quitter. Yet she just straight up gave in. That wasn’t like her. Why did you just let him steamroll you? Jake was cooking her dinner tonight. At her house. Shit fuck. What the hell, Lane?
She was pissed at herself and lost in thought again when Anne knocked on the door, bringing Lane back to reality.
“Ms. Bennett?”
“Yes, Anne. What can I help you with?” This woman was getting damned annoying.
“Court Clerk just called. They’re running 15 minutes ahead of schedule.”
Lane glanced at her watch and back to Anne, “Okay. I need to head over there now in order to meet with my client. Thank you for the heads up.” At least she does her job.
Lane grabbed her Louis Vuitton briefcase - a reminder of her more well paid days - and headed out the door, “I’ll be back after the arraignment if all goes well. Then we’ll plan out the rest of the week when I get back?”
“Sounds good, Ms. Bennett.”
“Anne, call me Lane, please.”
“I’ll call you Lane when I’m ready to call you Lane,” Anne gave her a bitchy smile.
“Oh fine,” Lane let out an exasperated sigh. “See you in a little while.”
When Lane arrived at the courthouse, a relic from the Wild West Montana days of the 1800s, she checked the paper schedule thumbtacked to the bulletin board outside. Long gone were Lane’s days of practicing in city courtrooms with video board schedules and high tech equipment.
Inside the building, there was only one courtroom. The floors looked like they hadn’t been swept in 20 years and the whole building smelled of musty old books. But the courtroom itself (oh my God!) was a lawyer fairy tale. The gallery was straight out of To Kill a Mockingbird. Harper Lee and Gregory Peck had inspired Lane to go to law school in the first place. Fitting that this old fashioned courthouse was now her second home. Lane loved it.
Lane requested the bailiff bring her client t0 the conference room so she could go over today's proceedings with him.
This would not be a home run case for the defense. She knew the prosecutor, the city force, and the entire county had already made up their minds that Tom was guilty, no matter what she presented to the court in the upcoming trial. She didn’t need Jake showing up to hang shit for her to know the odds were stacked against her. But she had to try.
The loud thud of boots and shuffle of belly chains dragging on the ground grabbed her attention. The bailiff opened the door and escorted Mr. Walters to the opposite side of the table. Lane couldn’t believe what she saw when he looked at her. Both eyes were blackened, his nose broken, and his lips were bruised and swollen. Holy fuck.
“Tom, what happened to you?” Lane’s face and heart ached looking at him.
Silence. He wasn’t going to make this easy.
“Who did this to you? Are you getting in fights with other inmates?” That would piss her off. Lane needed her client to portray exempla
ry behavior in order to even stand a chance to win at trial.
“Please, Tom. I need to know what is going on,” Lane pleaded.
He shook his head at her, “Ma'am, I ain't been fighting with any other inmates.”
“It had to have happened since you’ve been locked up, Tom. Your mug shot looked nothing like this-” It hit her like a ton of bricks, “You’re being mistreated by jail staff, aren’t you?”
“It don’t matter that I’m innocent, ma’am. They all assume I did it.”
“It matters to me. This is not going to continue on like this.” Lane was furious. he could feel her cheeks heating. “I will see to it that you are moved to General Population today and out of Solitary. The more witnesses around you, the less likely you’ll have troubles like this.”
