“Yeah. You’ve been plying that jackass with alcohol in the hopes he’ll pass out soon.” His eyes were such a light shade of green, just like the succulents my mother had been so fond of planting. It was impossible not to stare at those irises.
I shrugged. “It’s been known to work before.”
“I have no doubts about it.” He laughed slightly. “I can help you get rid of him if you want.”
“And how would you do that?”
“I’ll think of something,” he answered. “I’m pretty good at thinking on my feet.”
“Well, you certainly are confident, aren’t you?”
He grinned again. “You have no idea.”
I leaned against the bar, crossing my arms over my chest. I half expected him to react like Garrett had, but the stranger kept his attention on my face. There was no doubt this man was attractive, but the longer I studied him, the more familiar he looked. Behind me, I could sense someone else moving in close.
I swallowed down my heart as the handsome stranger set down his beer and stepped closer to brace his arm on the bar behind me. He was practically leaning over me, and he smelled freaking delicious, like an intoxicating mixture of clean linens and sandalwood. “Can I help you?” the stranger asked the person standing behind me.
“I was just going to talk to Violet,” Garrett stated. “Who are you?”
Those light eyes flicked in my direction. “I’m Violet’s neighbor. I saw her standing over here and thought I would come buy her a drink.”
“You’re her neighbor?”
“Oh, yeah,” the stranger answered. “I’m always at her place. You know, fixing things and replacing air filters. We’re really close.”
“Oh.”
I bit back a smile as the stranger moved his hand from the bar to my waist. “Yeah. I’m always hoping we’ll be more than neighbors though.”
“Ready for another round?” Mitch asked, glancing between me and the stranger.
“Another margarita for the lady, a beer for me, and a special drink for the gentleman.”
Mitch nodded, popping off the cap of a long neck. “Got it.”
“And put all their drinks on my tab.”
Mitch grinned, his hand shooting forward. “It’s good to have you back in town,” he said, shaking the stranger’s hand.
The stranger glanced at me out of the corner of his eye. “It’s good to be back.”
Another margarita and special drink appeared by magic. Instantly, I grabbed the glass intended for me, taking a long swig.
Garrett held up his drink to me, the liquid sloshing slightly, before tossing back the entire thing. “Do you mind if I talk to Violet?” he asked.
“Actually, I do,” the stranger answered. Then he leaned forward to whisper in my ear. “Another few minutes and I’ll put him in a cab. He won’t be able to stand much longer.” The sensation of his breath on my flesh elicited a rush of chills across my skin.
“Thank you,” I breathed.
“Violet,” Garrett slurred.
“It’s nothing against you, I’m just very protective of her,” the stranger added.
“Right.”
Long fingers gripped my waist tightly. Oh, the things fingers like that could do. The thought was so unlike me. I’d been completely over men for a couple months now, but this stranger had incredible hands. And a small part of my brain longed to have them all over my body. Heat crept into my cheeks and flushed across my chest as if I were sporting a deep sunburn.
“What were you just thinking about?” he asked, lowering his voice.
“Nothing.” Having a fair complexion meant everyone else could always tell when you were embarrassed.
“Nothing?”
“That’s what I said.”
His lips tugged into a half grin. “I know you’re lying.”
“Sue me,” I lilted.
“Violet.” This time when Garrett spoke, his voice slurred even more.
What the hell did Mitch put in those drinks? Because whatever it was, it was worth its weight in gold.
Somehow, Garrett managed to stay on his feet. He placed a hand on my left shoulder, rubbing his fingers over my skin.
“Fuck,” I muttered under my breath. This shit was really starting to get out of control. Rhonda was so going to owe me for this.
“I think you’re probably done for the night.” The stranger stepped around me and placed his hand on Garrett’s shoulder. “Here, I’ll grab a cab to take you home.” He escorted, well, more like carried Garrett out of the crowded bar.
Finishing off the rest of my margarita, I retrieved my purse from the opposite side of the bar. I was about to walk back toward the table with the girls when I felt a hand on my waist once more.
“You’re awfully handsy.”
“You didn’t seem to mind when Garrett was here.”
“True,” I replied. “Thanks for all your help with him, by the way.”
“You’re welcome.”
“I should get back to my friends.”
“I think they’re okay,” he said, inclining his head in their direction.
Rhonda, Margot, and Danielle were sipping on a fresh round of drinks, laughing hysterically. It seemed they’d momentarily forgotten they’d left me in the trenches taking grenades. Or rather, sent me to the trenches.
“Jesus, they do this every week.”
“They get drunk off margaritas every week?”
“Yes. Well, that and they try to set me up.”
“Why don’t I buy you a drink to help make up for it?”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“I insist.”
The stranger grabbed us another round of drinks at the bar before leading me to an empty table in the back. There were still people all around, but at least there was the illusion of privacy back here.
“So, why did you help me?” I asked, taking a sip of the margarita the stranger had ordered.
He shrugged, his fingers toying with the label on his beer. “Something about that guy rubbed me the wrong way.”
“Seriously?”
“Yeah. He tried to seem all nice and polite, but guys like him only act that way when they want something.”
“I see.” Slowly, I lifted my gaze to meet his. “And what do you want?”
“Just to buy you a drink.”
“That’s all?”
“Should there be more?” he inquired seriously.
“Maybe,” I breathed.
His deep laugh filled my ears as he leaned closer. “Interesting.”
“So am I to understand you would help a complete stranger in a bar just because you’re a good person?”
“Take it how you wish.”
“What did Mitch mean when he said it was good to have you back?”
“Oh,” he said, sighing. “I recently moved back here from Chicago.”
I sipped on my margarita, the tangy sweetness overwhelming my taste buds. “Why’d you move back?”
He broke our gaze, glancing to the far side of the bar. “Personal reasons.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to pry.”
“You’re not prying.” His green eyes surveyed my face so meticulously that I could feel warmth flushing my skin once more. “You don’t have a Bostonian accent, so what made you move here?”
“Personal reasons.”
He nodded. “I get that.”
A long pause elapsed where we simply looked at one another. All around us, patrons in the bar carried on loudly, laughing and downing glasses teeming with alcohol. “What were you thinking about when you blushed at the bar earlier?”
“Nothing.”
“If I confess something, will you?”
“Why do you want to know so badly?”
“I’m a curious person by nature.”
“I’ll tell you what you want to know, but I want your confession first.”
“Deal.”
“Why did you really help me with Garrett?” I qu
estioned.
He took another swig of beer, his eyes quickly focusing on my face. “I’d been watching you since you first walked in tonight. It was obvious you didn’t want to talk to Garrett, but you did so anyway because of your friends. And the longer you talked to him, the more annoyed you became. You were clearly frustrated, but then, for a brief moment, you were sad,” he said. “I just wondered what could make you so sad.”
My heart stilled at his confession. In the midst of a crowded bar, in the midst of horny strangers drowning in alcohol and lust, he noticed my flickering sadness?
“You’re a nice guy, aren’t you?”
“I try to be.”
“I was sad.”
“I figured as much.” He smiled slightly. “If you want to share the reason, you can.”
“It’s a little too heavy for bar talk.”
“Okay.”
“I suppose you want my confession now?”
“That would be my preference.”
I took another sip of my margarita, hoping for some liquid courage. “I was thinking about how nice your hands felt.”
Those succulent eyes flashed at me. Lust, or something a hell of a lot like it, burned in their depths. His teeth barely grazed the edge of his lip. “Is that so?” I nodded because, at the moment, my brain was incapable of stringing words together. “Maybe we should do something about that.” The mischief in his voice was unmistakable.
“Like what?” I asked.
“You want to get out of here?”
I considered his offer for a second. Whatever kind of mischief involved those hands, I wanted a part of it. Not to mention, I desperately needed to wipe away my memory of Ted. If anyone could help distract me from that piece of shit, the handsome stranger before me definitely could.
“Absolutely.”
“Let your friends know you’re leaving and I’ll settle my bar tab.”
“Okay.”
I hurried over to Rhonda and the rest of the girls. They were all drunk, so I made sure to order an Uber for them through Rhonda’s phone before parting. Apparently, they were so drunk, they believed I was leaving with Garrett. Exactly how many margaritas had Mitch made them? Instead of explaining everything that had happened, I simply hugged them each and promised to fill Rhonda in tomorrow. Then, I headed outside into the cool Boston air.
The feel of a hand against the small of my back informed me the handsome stranger had found me again.
“Glad to see your handsy nature hasn’t subsided.”
“I think it’d be impossible not to be handsy around you.”
“Did you just compliment me?”
“Have I not done that yet?” he asked with a grin.
“Nope.”
I walked down the street, my purse clutched firmly in my hands. I headed toward my car parked two blocks away.
“Well,” he began, bringing both of us to a stop, “I did want to help you with Garrett, but my intentions weren’t completely altruistic.”
“Meaning . . .”
“You’re beautiful.” He turned to face me, his hand forcing us closer. “And I wanted an excuse to stare at you.”
“Is that so?” As I posed my question, my attention dropped to his mouth.
“Yes.”
“Maybe you should show me,” I teased.
He leaned closer, a fresh, woodsy scent saturating the air around me. Anticipation practically stalled my heart as his tongue slid over his lips seductively. “I can do that.”
The stranger’s lips were mere breaths from mine when I suddenly remembered I’d never asked for his name. “Wait,” I whispered. “I don’t even know your name.”
He smiled, his mouth nearing mine. “My name is Hunter Desmond.”
Two words, and it was as if the ground had fallen away from underneath my feet.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
This couldn’t be happening. Surely, the only nice, sexy man God had thrown my way couldn’t be my new boss. My train of thought was quickly interrupted when Desmond softly pressed his lips to mine. What started out soft quickly transformed into something desperate and uncontainable. My body reacted to his despite my wishes. Desire hummed inside my chest, dulling my thoughts. I curled my arms around his neck as my lips parted to taste him. When his tongue massaged mine, I moaned with absolute delight.
Electricity flowed through my muscles, filling my body with need. His fingers caressed the length of my spine before tightly fastening around my waist. He lifted me off the ground and my hold on him tightened in response. Mouth to mouth, tongue to tongue, Desmond wanted this just as much as I did. In this moment, we were both desperate. Whatever I endured in the wake of this kiss was worth it. My mouth moved against his, craving more. And Desmond complied. He sucked on my bottom lip, barely nipping at my flesh.
Eventually, my sensibility returned, and even though I didn’t want our embrace to end, I reluctantly pulled away from him. This was a first, last, and every other kind of kiss in between.
It had to be.
“I’m sorry but I really have to go.”
“What?” he asked, his voice dripping with confusion.
“Thank you for helping me with Garrett and for the drinks, but I just remembered there is something I need to do.”
“Right now?”
“Yep, afraid so.”
God, was he even believing the bullshit I was feeding him?
“Well, at least let me walk you to your car.”
“No!” My answer came out more of a yell than I’d intended, but I didn’t trust my self-restraint around this man. I’d strip his clothes off if given half the chance. “Really, I’ll be fine.”
“You’re sure?”
“Definitely.”
“Okay. I had a nice time with you tonight.”
“Same here.” I waved and sprinted down the street as fast as my fuck me heels would allow.
I was in deep shit.
A colossal amount of shit.
A freaking shit storm.
I kissed my new boss. And damn if it wasn’t the best fucking kiss I’ve ever had.
Chapter Two
It was my first day working at Beakman, Bartlett, and Bridges. A new firm meant a new start. My mother was thrilled that my relocation brought me home to Boston. My father, on the other hand, wanted nothing to do with me. I’d shamed the Desmond name, even if I never did any of the things I was accused of. I flipped on the lights to my newly renovated office and then emptied the contents of my briefcase on the desk. I’d be taking over my predecessor’s cases, and I made sure to familiarize myself with every single client he had. I was nothing if not a good fucking lawyer.
Rumors be damned.
And after the gorgeous blond I’d met last night bailed, I was desperate for any kind of distraction. She was a fucking force to be reckoned with, and I loved it. She’d been setting up that loser Garrett to drink pure grain alcohol, and she had confessed it wasn’t her first time pulling that kind of stunt either. Clearly, she could hold her own, which made her even more intriguing. Not to mention, her tits were perfect. Seriously, a monk would applaud the willpower it took not to stare at them all night. Then there was the kiss. The way she smelled, the way she tasted, was like a potent drug, and I needed another hit. I knew I wasn’t the only one rattled to the core by the kiss we shared, but that just made her abrupt goodbye even more confusing. Violet had dumbfounded me, and in all honesty, I couldn’t remember the last time a woman had done that.
My new secretary wasn’t here yet, but it was only eight in the morning. Most people wouldn’t start filing in until nine. According to Beakman, she was one of the best at the firm. Technically, he described her as intelligent, feisty, and beautiful. Not that I cared what she looked like. The lower I could keep my profile here, the better. All I wanted was to prove myself as a valuable part of this firm. So as long as my new secretary and I could work well together, I didn’t give a shit what she looked like. Though, for the life of me, I couldn’t remem
ber what her name was. I was being a dick. I should definitely know my own secretary’s name, but after memorizing all the case files for the multitude of clients Frank Tomlinson left behind, my brain was out of commission.
Either way, I’d learn it today and then commit it to memory. Loosening my tie, I rounded my desk and powered up my laptop. I was halfway through typing up a document when the door to my office flung open.
My head snapped upward at the sound and, to my surprise, Violet stepped through the open door, quickly slamming it behind her.
Unable to help myself, I scanned her from head to toe. Well, this was a really pleasant surprise.
“Violet?” I asked as I stood up.
“Did you know?” she asked, the words spitting from her mouth like poison.
“Know what?”
“Did you know who I was?”
I rounded the desk, approaching her slowly. “I met you just last night,” I answered. “I’m sorry, are you here to see me?”
She laughed, but there was a severe, almost maniacal tone to her voice. “What am I saying? Of course you knew.”
Her arms crossed over her chest as she glared at me. Fuck, if she wasn’t even more beautiful in daylight.
“And what do I know exactly?” I stared at her in confusion, hoping she would take pity on me.
“Don’t play dumb with me. You have a reputation after all.”
“Excuse me?” I questioned, charging for her. I hadn’t even been here an hour and the shit from Chicago had already followed me like a plague.
“As if you didn’t fucking know. God, you’re as bad as Bartlett,” she spat. “Just what this firm needs, another womanizer who can’t keep his hands to himself.”
“If there is something you’d like to say to me, then I suggest you fucking say it.”
She stomped toward me, slamming her finger into my chest. “I’ve worked really hard to do well at this firm and I don’t want all my effort to be canceled out by people thinking I slept my way to the top. It may have been acceptable to fuck your way around your old firm, but I will not be another notch on your fucking belt!”
“Maybe you should get all your facts straight before you start gossiping like a fucking school girl,” I shouted. “You have some fucking nerve to walk into my office and start throwing accusations in my face!”
Burning Violet Page 2
