“You didn’t go with Kayla?” I asked.
“We’ve been a bit rocky lately. She’s staying with her sister for now.”
“Oh.” I took my new drink and eyed John. He looked at me sheepishly.
“Well, are you going to tell me, or am I going to have to die of curiosity?”
“Your girlfriend tried to set me up for embezzling money from this client for the merger. She hacked into my computer to make it look like I was transferring money to an offshore account when it was her and Arlene.”
“Wait, she did what?” He nearly choked on his drink.
“Oh, yea. Turns out your baby mama is something else.” I laughed bitterly noticing Reid and Joe coming back into the room. Reid searched the room until his eyes landed on me and a smile spread across his handsome face.
I grinned back. The conversation with Joe must have gone okay. The two men walked over to the client shaking hands. I’d tried to smooth the group over as best I could, but I know they wanted to talk to Joe and Reid, and not just me…law student, paralegal, soon to be lawyer.
“You really like him?” John asked, watching the look exchanged between Reid and me.
“Can I ask you something?” I countered, ignoring his question.
“Um… sure, what’s up?” He eyed me.
“Reid overheard Kayla telling Arlene the reason she was helping her screw me and Reid over is because she knew you had a thing for me. What would give her that impression, John?” I didn’t mince words. If he was giving her some kind of idea that he and I were anything other than friends that was dead wrong, and the reason for all of this mess. Well, not the sole reason, but a reason nonetheless.
“I may have mentioned your name…” He rubbed a hand over the back of his head.
“Mentioned my name? How?” I narrowed my eyes at him.
“Look, you and I had been spending a lot of time together at the law library studying for finals and for the bar.” John skated all around the point instead of actually getting to it.
“Christ, John, spit it out. I know that. What does us studying together have to do with the price of rice in China?”
“One night a few weeks ago, she and I were getting intimate—”
I held up a hand. “Spare me that much detail, please.”
“Long story short, I may have called out your name instead of hers while we were...you know,” John admitted.
“John, no!” It was my turn for a good choke on my beverage. “Please tell me you didn’t!”
“It slipped, Addison. I mean, you’re a beautiful woman. Don’t get me wrong.” He ran a gaze down my body and back again. “But, I didn’t mean to…”
“Kayla went psycho-bitch and almost screwed my career over because YOU said the wrong name in bed?” I shoved at his shoulder and his drink sloshed over onto his hand.
“I mean, I do have feelings for you, Addison. I don’t want to see you with him,” John said.
“You don’t get to make that call! You and I are not together. You are with coo-coo-cachoo. Go figure it out with her. And, I am so glad school is over, because if it wasn’t, we would never...ever, ever be studying together again. Of all the stupid, dumb…foolish... God, I don’t even know what to say. UGH!” I slammed my drink on the bar and stormed passed him. “Go home, John. This night is a wash,” I said over my shoulder.
Chapter 23
Addison
“Fancy meeting you here.” His voice was a low rumble at my ear. I instinctively leaned into him; my back coming into contact with the contours of his chest and abs.
I turned in his arms and looked up at him. His gaze dipped lower between us to the book nestled against my chest.
He snagged it, reading the title aloud, “Law and Economics of Capital Markets...sounds boring as hell. You’re returning this, right? Who the hell made you read that thing?”
I chuckled. “My law professor made it more interesting than it sounds.” I winked at him, taking the book back from him, I laid it on the table behind us.
“Oh, yea? Anyone I know?” He reached for me, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me back near.
“Eh, you know, just a guy…” I teased.
He feigned a look of hurt. “He doesn’t sound like he made much of an impression.”
“He’s left more of an impression than he’ll ever know.” I ran a thumb down his stubbled jaw.
“I’m sure you returned the favor.” He turned his head slightly, kissing the back of my thumb. “Why did you leave the gala tonight?”
“I needed to get out of there; get some air, I confessed.
“And, now was as good a time as any to return your law books to the library at this hour?” He checked his watch
“I love the library at this hour. It’s quiet…”
“Aren’t libraries always...quiet?” He joked.
“You know what I mean, smart ass. Not a lot of people milling about like they do during the week, mid-day. I like my privacy.”
“You remember what happened last time you were alone in the library, Addison.”
“That same professor hoisted me up amongst the books and had his way with me,” I responded.
“Damn, this guy is my hero.” He chuckled.
“You are impossible.” I shook my head. “You and Joe looked pretty chummy again from what I could see before I left.”
“Yea, we kissed and made up.” He wise-cracked.
“How did he know Kayla and Arlene were behind it?” I asked, reaching for the book on the table and placing it in the return bin as I originally intended.
“Besides knowing his soon to be ex-wife was more than likely up to no good? Kayla used her computer to send the emails, even though it was from your account. I.T. was able to see the I.P. address was for her computer. And, Arlene gave herself away when she knew what was going on with the situation tonight. Joe never said why he was upset with either you or me. She would only know what was happening if she was the one behind it.”
“Makes complete sense. That is why the both of you are such damn good lawyers.” I came to him, and he took my hand.
“Well, this lawyer is hanging up his hat from Eisen, Gold and Blume,” he confessed.
“What? Why? Did Joe fire you?” The alarm was clear in my tone.
“That douche canoe can’t fire me. I was never really his employee.” Reid laughed. “My job was to get the client to sign that damn contract, and they did, tonight.” He smiled.
“Oh, thank goodness.” I placed a hand over my chest and Reid’s eyes followed the motion lingering over the swell of my breasts. “ I thought after that display tonight, we’d all be looking for new jobs. Wait, I still have my job, right?” I asked, just assuming I was okay. “Wait… Reid, where are we going?” I asked as he started walking toward the door. He still firmly clasped my hand tugging me along behind him.
“Yes, you still have your job. You are graduating soon. Eisen, Gold and Blume need you as their up and coming Jr. Associate, sweetheart. You are gonna knock ‘em dead. I’m telling you.”
“But, Arlene is fired and you won’t be there anymore…” The thought of Reid not being at the firm and me not being in his classes more than twice a week, when would I see him? I knew I wanted to keep seeing him.
He stopped and turned to me. Seeing the look of concern in my expression, he pulled me to him cupping my face with either of his hands and lowered a kiss to my lips.
As if reading my thoughts, he responded, “You will report to one of the partners as Jr. Associate. They will match you up with someone you know and you’ll be compatible working with. Not another Arlene. I’ll make sure Joe does right by you. Okay?”
“Okay,” I whispered, trusting Reid would keep his word.
“And, just because you won’t be in my class any longer, doesn’t mean we won’t see each other, often.” He smiled at me.
“Oh, yea? You promise that, Professor?” I teased.
“Of course, I need a Farmer’s Market partne
r for Saturday mornings, remember?”
I laughed out loud in the quiet library. Luckily, the place was damn near empty except for the trusty janitor who was probably sick of seeing me and my late night antics with one Professor Reid Matheson. I know I sure wasn’t sick of it. I couldn’t get enough of this man.
I noticed we were moving again, Reid clearly on a mission.
“Where are we going, Mr. Determined? Geez.” I tugged at his hand. As we cleared the exit of the library, Hank, the driver turned the corner in the shiny black sedan if as on queue.
Reid turned to look at me offering me a wink on his devastatingly handsome face.
“We are going back to my place to get you out of that dress, Miss Mitchell.”
The End
About the Author
Hadley has been editing Romance and Erotica for nearly ten years and is working on getting several of her manuscripts published. By day she is Human Resources professional at night she lets loose with sordid tales of romance and sexy times.
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Excerpt
Her eyes widened and back stiffened when the heat of his looming body pressed into her. “I need to talk to you, Callie, now.” The threatening hiss at her ear was low and dare not be challenged.
She rolled her eyes shut and her heart quickened. Shit! Not here, not now. Here we freaking go.
She had successfully avoided him for the better part of the week. He’d sent her numerous emails, sticky notes were left on her desk, internal message pings blew up her messaging system in the office and she’d deleted and ignored every one of them.
Daniel Morrow, the firm’s acting managing attorney, would not be ignored for long though. She knew this eventually would happen, but she’d pushed it off long enough. Time to face the music.
This talk would more than likely end with them arguing, arguing would end in emotional, and heaven help her, sexual frustration. She did not want to be alone with him, but he was her partner in the office. He managed the attorneys, and she managed the day-to-day of the office. They did have business to discuss, she was sure of it; they had many cases going on, the damn budget needed established for Paul to approve. It was petty refusing to talk to him and she knew it pissed him off. She got a little satisfaction in that.
“Not here, Daniel.” She cleared her throat, thinking about the support staff standing around watching for her reaction to his demands. They didn’t need to hear this conversation.
“Excuse me?” he growled at her.
She turned on her heels and faced him now. Something flashed in his eyes. She could see the anger there, but she didn’t care. She’d hold her ground. Leveling her gaze at the ridiculously handsome man, she repeated the words he didn’t want to hear. “I said, not here.”
She looked around the buzzing law office at lawyers coming and going from trial, paralegals on the phones, and legal assistants typing deposition notices and scheduling meetings.
Butting heads seemed to be their thing though the office still ran like a fine oiled machine. He refused to accept the fact she was his equal as Office Manager. She was tired of him treating her like his underling.
Her gaze raked over his perfect, chiseled body, clothed in a tailored blue suit and a dark blue designer tie—all shades of gorgeous. She blinked away the elicit images floating in her head. She didn’t care how delicious he looked. She had to put a stop to this. The way he treated her and the firm’s staff was unacceptable. She’d been lax in letting him get away with speaking to her like this before. She didn’t know if it was because she found herself salivating every time he came into the room, but she’d be damned if she would stand around like a dewy-eyed schoolgirl backing down to some man just because he filled out a suit in all the right places.
He had another think coming if he thought he would get away with it this time. She calmed her nerves, scolding herself for finding this sexy dominance remotely attractive. She hated being controlled when she was used to being the one in control and her ever-growing weakness for his daunting smirk annoyed the hell out of her.
But, she’d stand her ground this time. “Since you are being so persistent about meeting with me, fine. Just not here,” she spoke through gritted teeth. She turned her back to him and took the stack of files one of the assistants handed her. “Thank you, Katy.” She turned on her heels again, walking right past his ever-looming shadow. “Let’s talk. Your office or mine?” she asked without looking at him.
He took a step back letting her walk by him. Her skin grew warm under his gaze. She stopped and turned to look at him over her shoulder. He wasn’t following her; instead, he stood his ground, watching her walk away.
Lifting her head in defiance, she turned and continued marching away from him, passing a group of attorneys. “Callie, he’s following you. Watch out,” one of them whispered.
She turned slightly and caught Daniel shooting a warning glance at the three attorneys. “Don’t you have a case or something to work on, Michael?” Daniel’s voice was low and rumbling. “I know there is more than one Workers’ Compensation case close to settlement, right?”
Callie glanced at the group of men. The young attorney shook his head ‘yes’ to Daniel and slinked away with the other attorneys in tow before their boss saw fit to call them out on something else.
Daniel turned his attention back to her. She noted his dark blue gaze seemed to roam her body as he spoke. “Well, after you, Miss Johnson.”
She shifted the files in her arms and averted her eyes from him where it was safe. The way he looked at her caused her traitorous body to react and she needed to readjust her thinking back to the screw you, asshole state of mind before she was behind closed doors with him.
“Do you need to put that paperwork down, Callie?” he asked, looking at the files snuggled against her breasts. His gaze lingered a little longer than needed.
She shook her head. “No, I grabbed these because I have to close these files for Frank.”
He turned his head to the side to read the file labels hugged to her sexually aroused body. His eyes examining something pressed so close to her body caused her nipples to harden. She was thankful for the files covering her front or he’d surely see the protruding points through the material of her business suit. “I didn’t know he had reached a settlement on this file.” His deep voice caused a tingling in her belly making her bite back a moan.
“Just this morning,” she replied, clearing her throat trying to shake the husky tone from creeping out.
“Interesting. I’ll talk to him about this one. Can you hold off on closing until I discuss the details with him?” His gaze moved back to her face. She noted his blue eyes grew dark when he was angry, or serious, and even when they were looking at each other—like now. She fidgeted in front of him, pulling the file away from the others. She handed him what he had requested.
Looking into his eyes this long without exchanging words was dangerous. She needed to hold her ground. Don’t hold onto the file. Look everywhere, but at your hands connected by the damn thing. Don’t even touch him.
“My office is closer,” he said, disrupting her inner monologue.
“What?” she asked, distracted by what she’d like to do to him, besides touching his hand with a stupid file as a barrier. Turn him right out that’s what; he wouldn’t know what hit him.
“You asked if we should go to your office, or mine. I suggested mine is closer,” he said, speaking slowly, his lips wrapping around each word. She watched them, plump and kissable as he spoke. Then something clicked in her. He was doing it again. Talking to her like she was slow; like she couldn’t understand the words coming from his delectable mouth. Well, he did kinda catch her in a ‘moment’. She’d just missed what he’d said; not that she could understand him. She wouldn’t let him do this.
; “Please don’t speak to me like that.” She looked him square in the eye. Mistake. She ignored the reaction between her legs and the tightening of her nipples.
He stepped closer. He smelled woodsy, spicy and masculine and his body emitted a deep warmth she would love to get wrapped up in. He spoke low so only she could hear. “Lose the files and the attitude, Miss Johnson,” he said, looking down at the files near her body, lingering over cleavage they nestled against, before moving his gaze back up. “I’ll meet you in my office.” He left her gawking after him.
She stole the chance to watch him from behind as he sauntered away from her. He shoved his hands in his pants pockets causing his suit jacket to ride up and hug his tight ass. She bit down on her bottom lip.
Shit.
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Also by Hadley Raydeen
Simply Irresistible
Lady Guardians: Ride For Free
Closer Than a Brother
Forbidden Page 14
