Seduce Me

by Jo Leigh

  He slowed his step and stopped, blocks past his loft. But that was okay, because his mind was as clear as it had ever been. He was ready for his meeting, and he knew exactly what he was going to say.

  * * *

  THE KNOCK AT HER DOOR panicked Natalie a little. Had Max forgotten something? She dabbed at her eyes and quickly checked her reflection before seeing that it was Fred outside. Of course. Max would have rung the doorbell downstairs.

  “You okay?” he asked the moment she opened the door. “I just saw Max leave.”

  “Other than the fact that it’s over between us, I’m swell.”

  “What do you mean it’s over? What happened?”

  She shook her head and looked at her watch. She’d gotten dressed too early, and now she had time before she had to be at work. “Nothing unexpected. I mean, I’ll see him later at Lviv to help Joey squash the lawsuit nonsense.”

  Fred followed her into the kitchen as she started to make some more coffee. She’d need it.

  “Okay, so it’s not over over.”

  “It is. I mean, we both knew this was coming. Tomorrow he goes back to work, and then, well...you know.”

  She heard Fred shift behind her. As much as she wanted him there, she didn’t want to start crying again. But dammit, listening to her whine about her pitiful life was what Fred was for. Putting down the coffee tin, she turned to face him. “I screwed up. I kept telling myself it was temporary and I could handle it.”

  “I know,” he said, sliding in beside her to take over coffee-making duty.

  “Max is at the peak of his career, has amazing skills with a solid plan for his future. He’s got motive and opportunity to see his dreams come true. So why in the hell would he put all that aside for me?”

  Fred snorted, but didn’t comment.

  She watched him set the grinder at the wrong grit and didn’t care. “But I’ll give him credit. He never once lied to me. I knew right from the start who he was and what he wanted out of life. I walked into this with my eyes wide-open, so no matter what, I can’t blame him.”

  “Sure you can. Make it his fault. I always do, whether I’m wrong or right. Eventually, you’ll have to take responsibility for your part, but in the meantime, screw it, blame him.”

  She mustered a smile. “Too late. I’m already at the taking-responsibility part.”

  “Then how about the part where it’s no one’s fault?” He looked at her, his eyes full of pity. “You two clicked. No one can predict when that kind of alchemy will strike. On paper, you guys should have been oil and water. But that’s not what happened. Truth is, you both got lucky.”

  She waved at her face, at her puffy eyes. “Lucky?”

  “Yeah. There is no way in hell you’re going to end up with some schlemiel now. You’ve had Oliver and you’ve had Max, and sweetie, there is no way you’re going back to the minors.”

  “You’re right. So I’ll just go down to the perfect-men department at Macy’s, shall I? I’m sure they have a wide variety, and I’ll customize him to fit my exacting specifications.”

  “Look, you’ve got that whole trading-card thing going on. Seriously, you’ve got a great path to follow now, better than most. And you’ll just have to do what everyone in this city does—say yes to every damn date you can.”

  “The whole point of the trading cards is to separate the chaff from the wheat. And anyway, that won’t help me forget Max.”

  “You can’t know until you try.”

  Natalie didn’t say anything. She knew he was trying to help, but he didn’t understand. Max was the most amazing man she’d ever met. Someone whose path she should never have crossed. Yes, he had flaws. She was still bothered about his big victory, not just about how many people had been hurt by the verdict, but that Max had known it was ethically questionable or he’d have told her about it their first night together. And after watching and listening to people on the yacht Friday night, he seemed headed right back into those murky waters. The thing was, though, he wasn’t built for being that kind of shark. He could be as tough as nails, but to be true to who he was, he needed to be on the white-hat side of things. She’d thought long and hard about that and she wasn’t wrong.

  “What happened to you two staying friends?”

  She leaned against the counter. “If he goes back into the same environment, despite his best intentions, he’ll be buried.”

  “Not necessarily.”

  “And I thought I was the unrealistic one living in movie land.”

  “Hey, I like Max. But I love you,” Fred said, getting a smile from her. “I’d be the last person to push you at him if I thought he wasn’t good enough for you. He’s pretty and I assumed that’s what had turned your head. Game night proved me wrong.”

  “The story about his brother in the hospital?” she asked, sighing with the memory.

  “Cool as that was, no, that’s not it. It was really obvious that he wasn’t into game night, even after he won. The part he liked best was being with you.”

  She hadn’t really thought about it, but Fred had a point.

  “And yeah, the hospital story about his brother and father?” Fred pretended to swoon, making her smile again. “Jesus. Killer. That’s the kind of stuff that builds character from the ground up.”

  She nodded, thinking about him as a little boy in his Superman suit. “See, that’s the thing... I know that side of Max. That is so him. His dad is still his hero. I think Max might want to be a hero himself. But Friday night on that yacht—you should’ve seen it with the over-the-top Champagne and all the women who were collectively a size two—it was as if we’d stepped onto a movie set, except I was horribly miscast. That’s when I really got it, how different we are from each other. We live in different worlds that should never overlap.”

  “Oh, sweetie....” Fred sighed and then frowned. “You know what? This coffee looks all wrong. I think I screwed up.”

  “You did.”

  “Huh,” he said, giving her a look she didn’t understand. “So people really can change,” he said, very unsubtly.

  She swallowed hard. Fred was trying to help, but he’d only reinforced what she’d discovered for herself. On that yacht, Max had showed exactly how he’d changed. The little boy in the hero costume was gone. At least on the outside, but she knew the good man was still there. Would it still be if he accepted the job at D & P? “I know that Max has it in him to be a remarkable man. The man I’ve fallen in love with. But he won’t if he keeps reaching for security instead of satisfaction and honor.”

  “So what are you doing to do about it?”

  Natalie blinked as she recalled the words of Harry Ellerbach. How he’d counseled her to take care of herself and her friend. And Max was her friend, at least for now. She owed him the truth. He probably wouldn’t be delighted to hear what she had to say, not right before he was supposed to begin work again, but she couldn’t stand by and not tell him the truth.

  So she would. Today. After the family meeting, she’d talk to him. Face-to-face, friend to friend... The whole truth and nothing but the truth. Which would probably take care of the shaky friendship issue.

  Damn, but she really, really hated irony.

  * * *

  NATALIE WAS TRYING her hardest to pay attention to Joey, who was standing in front of five tables of family and laying down the law. It was a hell of a talk. So good that even Ivan and Victor had shut up to listen. But she kept looking at Max, sitting to her right, at the same table.

  The two of them had done their parts, small as they’d been. She’d told them that if they wanted either restaurant to succeed, they had to start behaving like real chefs instead of children. That had gone over big, but her point was made: enough of the yelling. People came out to eat to enjoy themselves, not to listen to soap-opera screaming.

/>   Max had spelled out what a nuisance suit could cost them. As the figures climbed, the two men had shrunk in their seats, finally hearing how ridiculous all the fighting had become.

  But Joey was actually offering them a compromise, something they could both be proud of. Each of them could make a new signature dish. Not the same kind of dish, but something they could call their own. It would reflect the Ukraine and their heritage, but have a new American twist. They could publicize the unveilings together, and have customers coming to both restaurants. Then they could find something else to argue about—but not at the workplace.

  It was brilliant and simple, and Joey truly did look like a big-shot attorney. Max had been smiling for a while, at least every time she’d caught him staring at her.

  “Everybody clear?” Joey asked. There were grumbled mutters but no one raised an objection, so Joey raised his voice to say, “Okay. Everybody out. Now.”

  Victor started to protest, but Joey cut him off. “Max and Natalie need some privacy. So, everyone, go.”

  Ivan stood up and opened his mouth, but Luba, Hanna and three other cousins herded him into the kitchen.

  Natalie turned her chair to face Max. “I asked him to do that. I hope you don’t mind. I need to talk to you.”

  He shook his head. “Since I asked him the same thing, I think we’re fine. You want me to go first?”

  She shook her head no and took a deep breath. Putting it off wouldn’t make it easier. “No, I do. I’ll go first.”

  Max looked behind her, and she turned to find Aunt Hanna sneaking up to the table, holding a white candle.

  “I’m a ghost, not even here. Just let me light this and I’ll vanish.” She took a match from the book, but before she struck it, Natalie winced and held up a hand. “No, Aunt Hanna. Thank you, but no. We don’t need a candle.”

  Hanna frowned, but she went to take it back.

  “Wait,” Max said. “It’s very nice of you. Please, I’d like the candle lit.”

  Natalie felt a little sick. He wouldn’t be so happy about the bit of romance when she got finished with her speech. He probably thought the candle would make her feel better about everything, about them being friends, but how would he feel when she told him he should quit the job he’d just accepted?

  The candle fluttered, then held the flame, and Hanna made a quiet exit.

  “Go ahead,” he said, a small smile playing at his lips. She’d soon take care of that.

  “I’m not sure what firm you decided to go with, but I think it was probably Daniels and Porter. And as your friend, I need to tell you that, well...” She sat up straighter and clasped her hands together. “I think it’s a mistake. I’m sorry, I should have spoken up before now, but I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t at least try. You’re too good for them, Max. They’re not nice people. And please don’t laugh. I know lawyers aren’t renowned for their kindness and courtesy, but they were really terrible people. I wasn’t even around them very much, and I knew that.

  “The thing is you’re not like that. You’re a really good man, with strong values and a big heart, but if you go there, and bury yourself in that environment, I’m afraid you’ll lose the best parts of yourself. I know you want challenging cases, but maybe there’s still a way to find that while fighting for things you believe in.”

  She took a deep breath, barely able to look into his eyes for fear of what she’d see. But when she pulled her courage together and met his gaze full-on, his eyes were as warm as the candle they reflected. “Did you hear what I said?”

  He nodded. “Oh, yeah. Is it my turn now?”

  She could only blink, but she thought she’d gotten the message across.

  “I agree with you completely.”

  That made her blink some more.

  “For a couple of days now, I’ve been going over my options. I’ve looked at a very long list of pros and cons, and weighed them as straightforwardly as I was capable. One of my top picks had almost everything I wanted, but one of the senior partners was an ass to a waiter and his driver, and that turned out to be a deal breaker.

  “In fact, that whole win-at-all-costs attitude wasn’t fitting so well. But instead of just crossing all those firms off the list, I decided to throw the list away and start again. Except this time, instead of putting all my energy into my future life, I thought, what if my life starts now? What would be on my list, if I could have my ideal situation right this minute?”

  He leaned over and put his hands on hers. “And that’s where you came in. Because it’s really hard for me to see a lot of satisfaction in a life that doesn’t have room for you. I don’t mind working hard, but I don’t want to be swallowed whole. You saw the truth about D & P, and honestly, that’s not the way to what I really want. That’s a one-way ticket to a heart attack at fifty.

  “So I decided I’m going to stick with Latham for a couple of years, but under my terms. No more killer hours unless it’s absolutely unavoidable. A hefty bonus and more say about what cases I work. Also, less time in the courtroom.”

  It took her a minute to find her voice again, because she was reeling with all this astonishing information. He’d obviously thought things through. Which meant... “Really? They’ll really do that?”

  “For a couple of years,” he said. “Then it’ll be renegotiation time, but that’s okay. That’ll just make it easier for me to move over to Joey’s firm. Kid’s got a hell of a head on his shoulders. And he’s pretty family friendly. Which is good, because I want kids, and not when I’m too old to enjoy them.”

  “But wait.” She pulled her hands away, because she couldn’t touch him and say what she needed to. “I’m not the right woman for you. You need someone outgoing and sophisticated who buys designer dresses. I didn’t tell you this to manipulate you into liking me, I was being a friend. For real.”

  His crooked smile helped her to settle the butterflies in her stomach. “Telling me what you did proves you’re exactly the woman I need. With you at my side, I might just become the man my father hoped I would be. The man I want to be for my kids.

  “You gave me the courage to rethink my options. Hell, you didn’t settle for Oliver, and you walked boldly into situations that scared the crap out of you and you never blinked. A woman like you is hard to come by, and I don’t want to miss out on what we could build together. So what do you think? Would you consider joining me on this wild ride?”

  She stared at him, letting it sink in. It wasn’t easy. And she knew the road ahead of them wouldn’t be, either. But she couldn’t imagine going any other way.

  “Say yes, you foolish child,” Hanna said, her voice carrying from the kitchen.

  Both Natalie and Max turned to see the family nearly tumbling out from the swinging door. Of course they’d been eavesdropping.

  “You can still change your mind,” she said. “I come with all those lunatics.”

  He stood, pulling her up with him, and his kiss told her a lot, but not as much as his whispered, “Are you kidding? You’re the total package. I couldn’t ask for more.”

  * * * * *

  Keep reading for an excerpt from MAKE ME MELT by Karen Foley.

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  1

&n
bsp; Twelve Years Earlier

  ONE OF THE things that Caroline Banks liked best about Jason Cooper was that he was so different from any other guy she knew. He wasn’t at all like the boys she went to high school with, or even like the Stanford University law students who frequently came over to the house to help her father handle his caseload, in the hopes of obtaining a judicial clerkship. Despite their ambitions and their wealthy families, they were all just boys.

  Jason was unique.

  Her dad, a superior court judge, apparently thought so, too. After Jason had made numerous appearances in his courtroom for various juvenile offenses, Judge William Banks had made an offer to the then sixteen-year-old: stay in school and get good grades, and he would help Jason attend college. The alternative was juvenile detention and—once he turned eighteen—the very real possibility of hard jail time. If he messed up even once, the offer would be withdrawn.

  That had been five years ago, when Caroline had been just eleven years old. She still remembered the defiant, angry boy that Jason had been back then. At sixteen, he’d been taller than most boys his age, but he’d looked half-starved, and he’d sported visible scars on his face and body. But when she’d asked her father for details, he’d simply pinched her cheek and told her there were some things a little girl didn’t need to know.

  Now Caroline lay in the darkness of the guest bedroom and listened as the footsteps outside the room drew closer. She glanced at the bedside clock. Nearly one in the morning. She’d been battling her nerves for more than two hours, waiting for Jason to come upstairs and wondering if she’d have the nerve to remain in his room until he did. She’d had a crush on the reformed bad boy for as long as she could remember, and although he might act as if he didn’t know she existed, Caroline knew better.

  He’d just graduated from UCLA School of Law, and her father couldn’t have been prouder than if Jason had been his own son. William had invited his protégé to stay with them at their beach house in Santa Cruz, in order to celebrate his success and discuss his future plans. Caroline hoped Jason would be blown away by how adult she looked; after all, she was now almost seventeen. That afternoon, she’d deliberately joined her father and Jason for lunch on the patio, wearing nothing but a string bikini. Her father had caught sight of her over his newspaper and scowled.