by Lexy Timms
Crystal smiled nervously. It’s a lot of pressure on her first day, but she was willing to take it on. “When will she be in?”
“She won’t be,” Art said. “You’ll have to go to her. One of us can go with you if you like, or you can take Sheri. She’s agreed to meet with you at her home tomorrow morning…but that’s all she’s agreed to.”
“Okay, I’ll talk to Sheri. Maybe her going would be better, if men make her nervous. Or…I don’t know, I’ll think about it. Maybe it would be better to go it alone.”
“I knew you’d be up for it,” Art said with a wink. “Our illustrious boss is in court until late this afternoon. Mostly today all we have for you is a lot of depositions that need to be typed up so they can be ready to present to a judge Monday morning. We’ve split them up, evenly.” Art got up and came back with a file box full of case files.
“Wow,” she said with another nervous smile.
“Yep,” he said with a grin. “That’s what we say every morning too.”
Crystal thanked them and picked up the box and carried it down the hall to her office. She rolled up her sleeves and got to work right away. She thanked her high school computer science teacher for her typing skills as she dug in to the pile. She worked through lunch and at dinner time she ate a sandwich Art dropped off for her at her desk. Her neck was stiff and her fingers slightly swollen when she finished the last one. She packed them all back into the box and carried it down the hall towards Sheri’s office. The building was quiet and dark. Everyone had already gone home for the night. She looked down at her watch and was surprised to see that it was after eight already. She wasn’t watching where she was going when she hit a wall and everything in her hands went flying.
“Shit!” She realized then that it wasn’t a wall she’d hit. She was staring at the front of a man’s shirt. She reluctantly looked up at his face. It was Eric Steel in the flesh…and Jesus Mother Mary…what flesh it was. That chest she’d just run into was as hard as steel itself and attached to a pair of broad shoulders. His face was all hard angles…just like in the photo downstairs. His eyes were blue…but they had a steely, dark gray quality to them that gave them a sort of cold edge…really intense. His black hair once again looked like he’d been dragging his fingers through it. Crystal bit down on her lip to keep from cursing again. She’d just run into her boss. “I’m sorry!” She said, kneeling down and trying to gather her files. The next thing she knew, Steel was kneeling down next to her and doing the same. He smelled like expensive cologne but it was subtle and sexy. Crystal’s heart was pounding in her chest and she felt like she could hardly breathe. His masculinity practically overwhelmed her. The worst part…or best part, depending on how you looked at it, was that intense eye contact that he never broke as they shoveled the folders back into the box.
“Who are you?” he asked in a deep husky voice that resonated right through her.
“Crystal Reid…I was John Kramer’s intern. Now I’m…”
“Mine.” he said as if she was his possession. She shivered and hoped he didn’t notice. She bit her lip again. Their fingers brushed together lightly as they finished picking up the files and the touch of his skin set hers on fire. When they finished he lifted the box up off the floor and placed it in her arms. She bit her lip again and then said, “Thank you, sir.”
He looked at her long and hard again. She couldn’t tell what he was thinking. Did he think she was a clumsy fool…or was that desire she saw in his eyes. She told herself to stop being ridiculous especially when he suddenly said, “Stop biting your lip.” Crystal stopped and said, “Yes sir.” He walked away then and left her standing there. Her entire body was tingling. What the hell?
Chapter 9
Eric knew that one of John’s interns was a woman. He hadn’t even had time to consider what she might look like. John told him she was the best intern he’d ever had and that he had complete faith in her. Eric needed someone like that while John was gone. He’d taken her on, sight unseen and he’d told the young men interning for him to assign her to depose the young woman that was raped by the pig he was trying to prosecute. He had no idea if she could do it or not…but it was worth a shot.
He’d been in court all day trying to persuade the judge to revoke the son of a bitch’s bail. He’d been caught red-handed trying to intimidate the star witness…the one who could make or break this case. By the end of the day Eric was under the impression that the bastard’s rich father had paid off the judge. The old man refused to revoke the bail, citing the witnesses change in her earlier statement to the police. She’d changed her statement because she was scared to death and now his entire case hinged on her changing it back. It might hinge on the woman he’d just run into in the hallway. The way she’d suddenly invaded his mind…a lot of his own needs might hinge on her too.
He made it back to his office after the encounter and sat down at his desk. His head had been spinning from the horrible day he’d just had…and then he ran into a literal Goddess in the hallway. Those jade green eyes took up the better part of her face and he felt like he could look right through them and into her soul. That long red hair called out to him. The thought of wrapping his hands up in it made his chest feel tight and his cock surge to life. He hadn’t felt this attracted to a woman in years. Jesus Christ…no wonder the last thing John said to him was, “Crystal’s off limits Eric, okay?” He’d given him that fatherly look and Eric had been annoyed with him and he’d said something back like, “What the fuck kind of animal do you think I am?”
John had raised an eyebrow and Eric had stewed about it for a while after he left. He had self-control no matter what all of these gossips around here liked to say about him. It was the women who threw themselves at him…He had told himself that day and then he’d seen the one woman who could possibly change all of that. She’s incredible. Her body is all soft, womanly curves. Her skin looks like cream with a small spattering of light brown freckles across her nose. Her lips are full…and the way she was biting on that bottom one made him want to bite it himself. But what turned him on the most was the way she’d immediately obeyed him when he told her to stop. She’d said, “Yes sir.” He smiled at the memory. He could picture her tied up to his bed saying, “Yes sir,” to everything he told her to do. Damn it! His cock was throbbing now just at the thought of it. He reached for the case file thinking about getting some more work done, but almost immediately and with a frustrated sigh he tossed it off to the side. He’d deal with it in the morning. Right now he needed a release. It was going to come at the end of his hand most likely. After the woman he’d run into tonight, not just any bimbo would do.
He gathered his things and as he was walking out of the office his phone buzzed. He looked at it. It was Sheila…the woman he’d fucked the night he’d won his last case. How the hell did her number even get in his phone? She must have put it in while he was in the bathroom. She wanted to see him again. He sent her a text that said, “Lose my number.” Then he blocked her. Tucking his phone back in his jacket, he left for the night.
*****
Eric got into the office the next morning at seven. He spent the first two hours he was there in a meeting with one of the girls the college boy had raped. She hadn’t come forward until Sarah…the girl he needed the deposition from, had pressed charges. Now that Sarah was trying to change her story, this girl was thinking of backing out as well. He came out of the meeting angry and feeling like everything he did was for nothing if these fucking witnesses were going to keep backing out. He did his best to show compassion for them. He knew they were scared. But, they had to see that all he wanted to do was help take this monster off the streets.
“Marla!” He didn’t even use the intercom, he just yelled. Marla came in looking as laid-back as always. His bark no longer frightened her and somedays it pissed him off. “Where is the first deposition Sarah Parker gave us?”
“In the evidence box, I would assume,” she said.
“This
box?” he asked her, waving his hand across the box on his desk. “Because if you mean this box you’re wrong. I’ve just been through this box and it’s not fucking in here.” Marla came over and started going through the box. That pissed him off too. “Do you think I’m blind? I’m telling you it’s not in there.” Marla pulled out a set of papers and sat them in front of him. It was the deposition. “Fuck! No wonder I couldn’t find it. This should be in a folder.”
Marla knew him well enough not to argue. “Yes sir. I’ll get one for it now.”
“It doesn’t matter. It’s worthless anyways. She’s changed her testimony and the new one won’t help me at all.” Marla stood there for a few minutes waiting for him to tell her what he wanted. He knew she was wondering why he’d been yelling about it if it didn’t even matter. He wasn’t going to explain himself to Marla though. The truth was that today, he didn’t know what he wanted. That was a rare feeling for him. He was pissed over this case…and he’d spent half the night awake thinking about the red-head. He couldn’t get her off of his mind and he’d used her as fodder for his masturbatory fantasies all night. That hadn’t helped the frustration though…it just made him want her more. “You can go!” he snapped at Marla. She left, not looking any more flustered than she was when she came in. Her cool head was why he kept her, but sometimes he wanted to fire her just for not being afraid of him.
“In a mood are we?” Speaking of needing to be fired Sheri came in right after Marla left. If he wouldn’t have to explain it to his parents…he just might do it.
“Do you need something Sheri or did you just come in to annoy me?”
“I need this Friday off.”
“No! For what?”
“I’m going out of town with Rick. We want to leave Friday before the traffic gets bad. We’re going to Martha’s Vineyard….”
“No. I need you here.”
“Eric! I never ask for time off. I have time on the books. I’m going to use it.”
“You’ll get all of your time in one check when I fire you. How’s that?”
“You’re not going to fire me. You’re just in a pissy mood…” she was interrupted by a knock on the door. Eric looked up and his mouth went instantly dry. It was the red-head. He glanced at his sister. She was smiling at Crystal. She looked at him however with a warning in her eyes. It pissed him off more.
“Come in,” he said to Crystal. He looked at Sheri and said, “We can talk about this later.” Sheri looked at the red-head in the brown pantsuit and back at her brother.
“Sure, but bet that we will. Hi Crystal.”
“Hi Sheri.”
“Go!” Eric snapped at her. She left with a smirk on her face. He really needed to fire her. Crystal was standing back a few feet from his desk holding a file in her hands. She was biting her bottom lip again. “Can I help you?” he asked her.
“Um…yes sir. I have this for you.” She handed him the file and he motioned at the chair on the other side of his desk. She sat down and crossed her long legs. Damn! She’s too damned hot to be his employee. How the hell was he not supposed to hit on her? He finally tore his eyes off of her and looked down at the file in front of him.
“What is this?”
“Sarah Parker’s deposition, sir.”
Eric’s jaw dropped. He opened it up and began to read. A smile was suddenly spreading across his face. “How the hell did you manage this?”
“Um…I went to her house this morning. I’m sorry, I was going to take Sheri with me but it was on my way in…”
“Never mind that. Tell me what happened when you got there.”
“Well, at first, she didn’t want to talk to me. She kept trying to say she had made a mistake and he hadn’t really done anything to her. I finally convinced her just to have coffee with me and talk and before you know it we were talking about school and professors we had in common. She asked me if I knew the defendant and I told her no. Then she asked me if I knew he was out on bail. I used that as an opportunity to tell her that he would remain out forever if she didn’t testify. I told her that we could only protect her for so long…once the trial was over and the charges dismissed she would be on her own…And he would very likely re-offend.”
“Brilliant! You’re brilliant. This is perfect!” Her face colored the same color as her hair. She’s so damned cute. He got out of his chair and came around to where she was sitting. She seemed even more nervous with him standing over her. Finally she said, “Thank you…is that all?” He reached down and surprised her by taking hold of her hands and pulling her to her feet.
“That’s all…for now…” He said it with the intentions of her understanding what he meant…but he was careful to word it so if she was the type to cry sexual harassment, he’d have an out.
“Okay…” her voice was shaky. He could almost smell her pheromones. She hadn’t pulled away from him so he took it one step further and leaned in to whisper in her ear, “Mmm, you smell so good.” He pulled back and smiled. “So young and beautiful.”
That time she pulled back. “Sir…umm…thank you?”
Eric smiled. “Tell me about yourself.”
She looked confused. Good. She was feeling uncomfortable with his come on and he couldn’t have that. His career was too important to have it end with a lawsuit. Women would probably come out of the woodwork to jump on board with that one. Sometimes he took things too far and he knew it. But Jesus, she’s so fucking gorgeous.
“Um…I’m twenty-three years old. I grew up in Jersey. This is my last year of law school. I want to be a prosecutor. That’s about it.” Eric was smiling. That accent was so sexy…he wanted to hear it with her voice hoarse from screaming after a night of hot, sweaty sex. He didn’t have any doubts that he would get the chance to hear that…sooner, rather than later. But for now, he needed to cool it a bit. It was one thing when the woman was coming on to him, but when he was the aggressor, she could flip that around and use it against him in a heartbeat. He had to make this one think it was her idea.
“Well Crystal I am really happy to have you working with us. I can’t tell you enough how excited I am that you got this deposition that nobody else could get from Sarah. You obviously have what it takes to make it around here. If you ever want any inside tips, come by after hours when this place calms down. I’d love to help you out.” Eric ran his eyes over her again and once again and Crystal flushed red.
“Thank you sir,” she said. Once again she said, “Is there anything else?”
He grinned. He was so tempted to just tell her what he wanted right there…but he didn’t know her well enough yet to risk it. “That’s all Crystal…for now.”
She smiled, but it looked like she was going to run out of the office as fast as she could. She nearly mowed Sheri over on her way back in. Sheri was standing in his doorway with her hands on her hips. He could hear the lecture already.
Chapter 10
Crystal’s heart was racing by the time she made it back to her office. What the hell just happened in there? Was he coming on to me? Her skin was flush and hot to the touch. He was definitely flirting…and although he didn’t come right out and say what “else” he’d like from her, it was obvious in the look on his face and in his eyes. He also came right out and told her that she’s beautiful. Crystal was young, but she wasn’t completely naïve. She knew desire when she saw it in a man’s face and Eric Steel wanted her. The big question was what was she going to do about it? There was no way she could sleep with her boss while she was doing her internship…was there? No…no way….what would John think? John won’t be back for another month and a half…Shit! Stop it Crystal! You cannot have sex with this man. Think about his reputation and all of the other women who have slept with him and who have been just tossed aside. At least if the rumors were to be believed. Who care’s anyways…it’s probably all made up and besides…you don’t want a relationship anyways, right? Maybe a one-night-stand with that man might just be worth it. God he’s so beautiful.
>
She closed her eyes for a second and imagined what he would look like out of that suit…beautiful. She felt her face flush again. She opened her eyes and told herself to snap out of it. This is work! This is her last two weeks of her internship. She can’t mess that up for one night of sex with the boss. She’d worked too hard for this.
A knock on her door brought her out of her reverie. She still felt flushed and she was breathing hard. She didn’t want to see anyone, but she snapped out a “Yes?”
Tanya pushed open the door and stuck her head in. Great, of all the people to come in when she didn’t want to see anyone…the last person she wanted to see. She looked at Crystal strangely and said, “Are you okay?” That was a strange question coming from Tanya. She usually acted like she despised her.
“I’m fine…why?” Crystal was suspicious of her intentions…with good reason it turned out.
“You look all red and out of breath.” She laughed then, oddly enough and said, “You’re not messing with Steel, are you? That would be very stupid.”
Shocked that Tanya would ask her such a personal question like maybe they were friends or something, Crystal said, “What?” then suddenly she realized Tanya wasn’t asking…she was accusing. In an indignant tone she asked her, “What are you accusing me of?”
Suddenly that bitchy smirk Crystal had come to hate was back on Tanya’s face. In a voice designed to taunt she said, “Nothing, what are you guilty of?”
That pissed her off. Even if she were guilty of something…which she is not…it was none of Tanya’s business. “Maybe you need to mind your own business,” Crystal told her. She was sure she’d be part of the rumor mill tomorrow, but she didn’t care. “You’ve had a problem with me since day one and I don’t know what it is…but I’m tired of worrying about it. I don’t care if you like me or not and I don’t care what you say about me. What do you want anyways?”
