First Time For Everything

by Aimee Carson

  “I couldn’t hear the police officer’s order to move because of the music,” she mumbled.

  “Precisely,” he said evenly.

  She shot him a look she hoped was veiled by her lashes, her voice growing stronger. “And I didn’t intend to land on the sidewalk. I just overshot my mark doing the Worm.”

  He raised a brow higher. “I assume you’re referring to the dance step that involved you undulating along the ground on your belly.”

  He set the report on the seat between them and went still, as if he couldn’t wait for her to explain further. Somehow she didn’t think further details would help.

  “The maneuver isn’t easy to do,” she said.

  “It certainly looked painful.”

  She ignored him and went on. “And I unintentionally positioned myself in the wrong spot. I didn’t know that I was getting too close to the walkway.”

  “In retrospect, a fatal error in judgment,” he said drily.

  The sarcasm was really getting on her nerves.

  “There was no time to practice,” she said. “We needed to react quickly to the budget cuts. While the news was fresh in the public’s mind.”

  He settled a little deeper into the seat. “And you thought taking the teens you were responsible for out on a flash mob and risking arrest was a good expression of your dissatisfaction?”

  Jeez, putting it like that made her feel like a crazy lady. “I told you, I was trying to keep it legal.”

  Above the pristine tux and the tanned, flawless complexion of his face, the two dark slashes of eyebrows were perfectly schooled into a noncommittal expression. And despite the sophisticated polish and the undertones of skepticism, she suddenly got the impression that Blake Bennington was as amused as he was disapproving of her actions.

  She narrowed her eyes suspiciously. “Deep down, you find this whole thing funny, don’t you?”

  “Just the part where your carefully planned flash mob was ruined by a dance move.” His lips twitched, as if suppressing a grin. “Perhaps next time you’ll plan your routine more carefully.”

  The hint of restrained humor was annoying, and she said, “And perhaps Officer Brown will learn to lighten up a little?”

  His eyebrows shot higher as the gray eyes grew dark, holding her in their power as he leaned closer. She’d obviously stepped on a nerve.

  “I can assure you, Ms. Lee. When it comes to people who break the law—” his voice was deadly soft, and his proximity brought her attraction back in full force

  “—both Officer Brown and I take our jobs very seriously.”

  Trapped by the force of his gaze, Jax’s heart rapped harder beneath her ribs. Getting beyond the thickly fringed, hypnotizing eyes was difficult, but she finally allowed her gaze to skim down the angular planes of his face, landing on his mouth.

  Oh, great...he had lips just the way she liked them. Full. Sensual. The kind that could kiss a girl senseless and make her forget she’d sworn off men forever. Or at least until she found one who didn’t think she was certifiable.

  And Superman here, with the eyes of steel, clearly wasn’t the type.

  As their staring contest continued, another heated flush slowly crept up her face, but she refused to feel ashamed. Because regret would keep her tethered to the past, unable to move on.

  Relying on an innocent expression to tone down her statement, she said, “Are you lecturing me?” She lightly scrunched up her face, as if she didn’t already know the answer. “Because this is beginning to feel a lot like a lecture.”

  Amazingly, his lips twitched. “Not at all. But since you now have several charges filed against you requiring your attention, you should learn to follow advice.”

  Advice? Pressing her lips together, Jax turned her gaze to the window, drumming her fingers against the leather seat. Advice seemed a tame description for 007’s fetish for control. Not to mention those disturbing shoulders that were so broad you’d need a map to kiss your way from one side to the other...

  Shoulders currently encased in a tuxedo—a blatant reminder of how he’d sacrificed his plans to help her out, and here she was taking issue with his every word. She curled her hand into a fist.

  Oh, perfect—guilt. Just what she didn’t need.

  She let out a sigh. “Look, I know you had plans.” She took in the strong, stubble-free jaw and the crisp, horizontal precision of his black bow tie. “And I’m sorry I ruined your evening.”

  The look he gave her revealed little. “That’s debatable.”

  “Debatable I’m sorry or that I ruined your evening?”

  His forehead crinkled in suppressed humor. “I can’t attest to your capacity for remorse. But rest assured...” He paused before going on, the lines fading from his brow. “It was a dinner function I was happy to miss.”

  “Then why were you going?”

  His tone grew vague, as if briefly stumped by the question. “Responsibilities, Ms. Lee.”

  Curious, Jax paused. The air conditioner kicked on, and cold air hit. Her tank top and cutoffs, perfect for a flash dance mob under the Florida sun, now left her feeling exposed. And next to the sinfully sexy lawyer and his limousine of luxury, she felt positively scruffy. Tugging on her frayed hem, she tried to cover more skin. It was hopeless, so Jax resorted to rubbing her arms to overcome the chill.

  Blake glanced at her and then flipped the AC switch, cutting off the blast of air. “Next time you plan on risking arrest, maybe you should choose a more suitable outfit.”

  She suppressed a groan. “Can we just agree it wasn’t my finest moment and leave it at that?”

  “Since I’ve just met you, I’ll have to take you at your word.” His gaze drifted down to her chest, and the ever-present tension expanded to a level that made the air crackle like the night sky over Times Square on New Year’s Eve. Heat filled her gut as her heart thumped loudly in response, and she prayed her body wouldn’t betray her attraction.

  He lifted his hand to point at her tank top. “And you still have some mud from that less-than-fine moment stuck to Paul McCartney’s face.”

  Startled, Jax glanced down. A light brown streak was smeared across her tank top emblazoned with the Fab Four. Paul’s forehead covered her left breast and was smudged in a golden-brown color. Humiliation flared as she repeatedly swiped at the spot with trembling fingers, her bracelets tinkling. She knew Blake was watching her, and the tight knot of desire grew. Until her breasts gave her up, the tips pebbling.

  “I’m afraid you’re only making it worse,” he said, his rumbling voice tinged with an unidentifiable emotion.

  She gritted her teeth, and her bracelets continued their musical sound as she rubbed harder. Please, God, let him be referring to the smudge she’d smeared bigger with her efforts.

  Blake leaned forward to shed his coat, his white shirt pulling tight against a wall of muscle that short-circuited her brain. Which was the only reason she dumbly let him slip the jacket around her shoulders.

  It was warm. Heavy. With a seductive scent of a fresh sea breeze. Enveloping her like an embrace...

  Oh, heck, no. “I’m fine, thank you,” she said with a tight smile, and lifted her hand to remove the jacket.

  His fingers encircled her wrist, stopping her movements, and the skin-on-skin contact sent a wave of heat up her cheeks.

  “Quit being stubborn.” His usual gray gaze had gone slate, his voice low. “You’re cold, so leave it.”

  Flickers of electrical energy continued to skitter out in concentric circles from his touch, until Blake released her wrist to unbutton his cuffs and push up his sleeves. As if he wouldn’t allow further debate.

  Brother of her new friend or not, his attitude was hard to take.

  “Look,” she said as patiently as she could, “I know I’m not the kind of woman
you typically associate with, but—”

  “You haven’t known me long enough to determine the kind of women I associate with,” he said without looking at her.

  Jax let out a quiet grunt. “Time enough to know all I need,” she muttered.

  He lifted his gaze to hers. “That’s highly unlikely.”

  Every muscle in her body tensed. There it was again. The same überconfident, master-of-all-he-surveyed look. And right then and there she realized that even attempting to keep the peace was no longer an option.

  She folded her arms tight across her chest. “Shall I tell you what I think?”

  Leaning back, he studied her carefully. “You appear committed to sharing your every thought,” he said, his voice now laced with amusement. “Why stop now?”

  His tone pricked a nerve. Without a doubt, it was time she provided him and that God complex of his with a much-needed reality check. Anticipation soaring, Jax twisted in her seat to face him.

  “You choose your clothes to impress.” She paused, remembering the restrained impatience as he’d shoved up his sleeves. “Not necessarily because you like them, but as a symbol of your success. To convince the masses you’re good at—” She crinkled her brow. “What exactly do you do?”

  “I’m an assistant U.S. attorney.”

  “Impressive.” She avoided the cool eyes watching her expectantly. “You wear your hair conservatively short, but leave it longer on top to avoid looking too militant.” Her fingers itched to dig into thick waves and muss them up, just to see what he’d do. “What are you? Thirty? Thirty-one?”

  “Thirty-two.”

  So nine years, numerous tax brackets and an alternate reality separated them.

  She briefly inspected the deliciously bared forearms lined with muscle and sinew, irritated that his lethal sensuality was so utterly intoxicating. She avoided the tall, dark and disturbingly intense type, but this man had the heat rising in her body like hot oil in a lava lamp.

  And the reemergence of a sense of humor made him vastly more appealing.

  “I’d bet big money those muscles are courtesy of your home gym equipment and not from a love of sports.” From the look on his face, she knew she was right. “You keep in shape as part of your image. The self-discipline thing and all that,” she said with a dismissive wave of her hand, her bracelets tinkling again.

  “An art you obviously don’t subscribe to,” he said, his level gaze not budging.

  “In relationships you prefer women like yourself.” Biting back a smile, she went on, ignoring his dig. “Rules number one and two state they must be sensible and practical.”

  “Wrong.” He leaned closer, bringing the gray eyes into sharper focus, and the breath stalled in her throat as her head spun from his towering proximity. “Those are numbers two and three,” he murmured. “Law-abiding is rule number one.”

  Pinned in place by his look, the need to move grew unbearable. She crossed her legs and wiggled her dangling foot in agitation.

  At five feet six, she’d never be considered outrageously tall. But he was six foot three, at the very least. And despite the easy tone and his almost-teasing words, there was nothing soft about him. He was all dark edginess, like a tightly coiled spring.

  He’s too much for you, Jax. Just keep your fat mouth shut.

  But she knew she wouldn’t. According to her friends, she lived with her heart on her sleeve. According to every foster family she’d ever been placed with, she simply lived with her foot in her smart-ass mouth. Realistically Jax knew the truth dwelled somewhere in between.

  But the need to provoke him was too great.

  Her leg stilled, and she adopted a wide-eyed, innocent air. “I still haven’t addressed the most critical issue. The age-old question—boxers or briefs?”

  “I wouldn’t classify that as an age-old question,” he said, and the corners of his eyes crinkled as he smiled, the first show of frank amusement.

  Blinking hard, Jax stared at him. She’d thought it had been a fluke, but her first impression had been spot-on. He was extra hot when humored.

  Fascinated, she continued. “Sure it is. Ranks right up there with the chicken-versus-egg question.” She noticed a small scar that disappeared under a dark slash of eyebrow, daring to mar all that perfection. “And the argument over which is more influential, nature or nurture.”

  Intense interest flared in his face. “I wasn’t aware men’s underwear was as hotly contested as genes versus environment in forming personality.”

  “In certain circles it is,” she said.

  A droll skepticism crossed his face. “None that I frequent.”

  “That’s not saying much. And as far as DNA and environment are concerned...” Jax’s face softened with the faded memories of her grandmother belting out the latest country-western song. “I’ve always believed we’re a unique combination of the two.”

  Pursing his lips, his voice turned thoughtful. “I’ve always hoped we could overcome them both.”

  Intriguing response. Very intriguing.

  Troubled by the notion, she studied his scar, wondering about its origin. “Is that why you wear a suit? To overcome your DNA?”

  The twinkle in his eyes grew brighter. “A better question would be, is psychoanalysis via underwear a required course as a music therapist?”

  Amused, Jax swept a stray hair from her cheek. “No. But every choice you make reveals a little of your character. Today proves I lead with my heart.” She studied his endless legs, encased in what had to be custom-fit trousers, giving a decisive nod before going on. “You’re definitely a briefs man. You like everything neatly—” she lifted her gaze to his for effect “—contained.”

  A quick flash of a devilish grin morphed from outrageously handsome to downright devastating, and the euphoric high it produced only made her miss the smile more when it was gone. Disturbed by the thought, she sent him a pointed look, and her voice lost the teasing tone. “Including your emotions.”

  His scar shifted in surprise at her blunt statement, and she was almost ashamed she felt so smug about bringing the man down a notch.

  Apparently, he didn’t agree.

  “I think I’ll let the insinuation my emotions are contained in my underwear pass without comment,” he finally said. His faint smile was concerning. “Especially since my deal with my sister includes further contact with you.”

  Confused, and more than a little alarmed, Jax frowned. “How does your deal with Nikki include further contact between us?”

  “She didn’t tell you the details?” His tone implied he wasn’t at all surprised his sister had been less than forthcoming. “In exchange for helping you, she promised me she’d finally let me hire someone to move in with us and help her with her daily activities until she’s out of her cast.”

  “And how does that affect me?”

  He settled back and shot her a master-of-all-he-surveyed smile. “Because the live-in caretaker is going to be you.”

  TWO

  Blake watched Jax go completely still before the refusal burst from her lips.

  “No.” Clearly stunned, Jax froze for a few more seconds filled with silence before she continued, “Wait, let me put that another way,” she said leaning closer, bringing the smell of lemon shampoo and damp earth. “Hell, no.”

  Fighting back a smile, Blake said, “That was eloquent.”

  “That was clearer.”

  “Why the emphatic refusal? Nikki told me the cut in funding has forced the club to shut down several programs, including yours. So obviously you’re in need of a job.”

  “No, I’m in need of a plan to get the programs up and running again.” A furrow appeared between her eyebrows. “And no offense, Suit,” she said smoothly, but Blake got the sense she did mean to offend, “but I’m not
in bad enough straits to accept a job that requires me to live in your home.”

  The words lingered in the air between them as Blake held her gaze. Awareness seeped into the limo and saturated every molecule of air, making each breath suddenly feel heavy. And then Jax turned to face forward, effectively putting an end to the moment.

  Part of him echoed her reluctance. But so far Nikki had fired the three people he’d hired to help. And she’d refused the limo service he occasionally used. Blake had nearly burst a fuse when he’d discovered his sister had driven herself to the flash mob in a cast.

  A long leg cast.

  Which was as reckless as the careless stunt that had broken her leg in the first place. It was amazing she hadn’t gotten herself killed today. And if he didn’t get Nikki to accept help from somebody, she’d wind up dead in a car accident, just like his father.

  For a flickering moment, the memories flooded him and his chest grew tight, making breathing difficult.

  Blake rubbed his forehead, easing the tension as he concentrated on the view out the tinted window. Palm trees paraded past like guards along the median. Cars eased forward in sporadic burps as the city reached the peak of the Friday rush hour. His sister was going to drive him stark, raving mad. The past few years had been tough, the two of them clashing more and more. Now he suspected she was doing things solely with the intent to tick him off.

  And how could he concentrate on the biggest case of his career if he was living on pins and needles, dreading her next stunt? He needed someone to help Nikki, and the only one she’d agreed on was the hellion on heels.

  He glanced at said hellion. Unfortunately, his fleeting impression at the courthouse had been dead-on. Jax Lee was trouble of monumental proportions. Impulsive. Headstrong. With a mouth to match.

  Worse...everything about her made him hot.

  Honey-colored hair, wild and unrestrained, hung in waves down her back, while the small tattoo on the inside of her right wrist enhanced her unruly air. And, as if that weren’t disturbing enough, her long legs were bare beneath the cutoffs. Her black cowboy boots were decorated with a line of red thread that twined around the ankles and climbed higher, as if wanting to hold more of her close; he knew the feeling.