The Bridgewater Case

by R. C. Martin

  I nod, sliding one of my hands up his arm, across his shoulder, and around the back of his neck. Curling my fingers into a fist in his hair when he kisses me, I sigh into his mouth as he slowly eases his dick out of my core. He fills me again at the same time that he fills my mouth with his tongue, and I accept all of him.

  He makes love to me, right here beside the bathroom sink, and I get lost in all that is him. My heart swells when he gently kisses his way across my bruised cheek and then down the column of my neck. My center flutters when he palms my breasts, rolling my nipples between his finger and thumb. The slow burn he ignites inside of me builds and builds until not either of us can take it anymore. When his thrusts come harder, I circle my arms around his shoulders, holding on as I roll my hips in an effort to reach for the more that I crave. He grips his hands around my waist, groaning as he touches his forehead to mine.

  “That feels so good—don’t stop, baby, don’t stop,” I whimper.

  I start to tremble when he drives inside of me and then tilts his hips so that he grazes my swollen clit. Over and over he does it, until I’m coming hard, my walls clamping down around him in an attempt to keep him inside of me. He rides me fervently, his thrusts coming faster before I feel him swell and spill his release. He closes his mouth around mine, kissing me deep and wet as he continues to stroke me with his cock. In his arms, our bodies joined together, there is no fear. There is only love.

  I’m sure I’ll remember this moment always…

  The moment Dane Laurel Croft promised me forever—and I promised it right back.

  “I love you,” I murmur, holding his face, my lips still grazing his. “Because you are the smartest man I know. Because you are dedicated, driven, and steadfast. I love you because you believe in what is fair and what is right—because you are kind and generous, but also ruthless and fierce. I’m going to marry you,” I whisper, brushing a kiss against his lips. “I’m going to marry you because I can’t imagine my life without you in it. Because since the moment I met you, you changed my world for the better. Because you’re mine, Dane. You’re mine.”

  “So we’re agreed?”

  Smiling for the first time all day, I hook my legs around him and answer with a slight nod. “Yeah, baby.”

  “Good.”

  Without another word, he pulls out of me, holding up a finger before going to grab a washcloth. He wets it in hot water at the sink beside me and then cleans between my legs. I bite my lip, fighting a grin when he scoops me in his arms and cradles me against his chest. I’m quick to circle my own arms around his shoulders.

  “You hungry?” he asks, gently depositing me onto our bed.

  “Yeah.”

  “Name it. I’ll bring it.”

  “I can—”

  “Babe,” he interrupts, putting his foot down with just one word.

  I reach up to tuck my damp hair behind my ears, trying to recall the last thing I ate. I can’t even remember, and that only makes me even more hungry.

  “How about noodles, from that Thai place you like?”

  My stomach growls as my mouth waters at the mere mention of those noodles, and I nod excitedly.

  Dane then leans down and presses a kiss to my forehead as he mumbles, “I got it. Lay down for a bit. I’ll be back in a minute.”

  He disappears into the closet for a moment, and I tuck myself underneath the covers. I’m resting my head on a pillow when he exits, wearing only a pair of sweatpants low around his waist. He looks positively lickable, and I snuggle our blanket underneath my chin as I watch him leave the room. Even his retreating figure makes my stomach clench, and my eyes close as I think over the last few minutes. My head and my heart have been all over the place today, but I’m finally where I belong. I’m home, and I’m not alone.

  My heart is still heavy, the last two days having been both difficult and frightening; but as my adrenaline starts to crash and my mind starts to relax, I find comfort in the hope that everything will be okay. Eventually, all things will be as they should be. Maybe not today or tomorrow, but until that day comes, I have Dane. With him, perhaps my dreams won’t shatter. With him, I know I won’t be picking up the pieces of my fractured heart all by myself. In his eyes, my failures aren’t the end of anything. I can feel it.

  My dreams are his dreams as much as his are mine.

  My love.

  My future.

  The man who won’t let me fall any farther than into his arms.

  September – Seven Months Later…

  “OH, MY GOD, show me again!” I insist, leaning against my elbows on top of the table.

  Ava grins widely, extending her arm and wiggling the fingers of her left hand in front of my face.

  “He did so good,” I gush with a tipsy sigh.

  “He did,” she agrees, stealing her hand back to grab her wine and take another sip. She swallows and shrugs before teasing, “It’s no Winston, but I’m happy.”

  My eyes automatically drift down to my own engagement ring. The four carat, cushion-cut, Harry Winston diamond is coupled with my narrow, micropavé diamond wedding band. Even after wearing them together for the last four months, I still find myself staring at them in awe. I think they’re absolutely beautiful—the promise and commitment they represent making them even more so.

  “Yeah. My husband knows a thing or two about designers. He did all right.”

  She throws her head back in laughter, and I giggle right along with her. “I still remember the look on your face that first day you two walked into the office sporting those rings. He did better than all right.”

  I hide my smile in my wine glass, thinking back a few months. After Dane and I got engaged, we decided not to make a big deal about it and tell anyone. With everything that went down during the Bridgewater trial, we were already getting enough attention as it was. Not to mention, with the partners moving forward with buying Allen’s share of the firm, Dane already had plenty on his plate.

  It was in March when they finally confronted Allen—with the backing of the board and their legal counsel—and ousted him. Needless to say, Allen had been livid, but Rebecca, Maverick, and Dane had done their due diligence, and there was nothing he could do. He’d screwed up with Lydia, and his track record spoke for itself. Then, a few days after Croft, Sloan, Parker, & Croft became Sloan, Parker, & Croft, as things started to settle down and feel somewhat normal, Dane surprised me. He had booked us a trip to Florence, Italy, insisting we could use some time away. I, of course, agreed with no argument whatsoever. I’d never been to Italy and was excited to go—but that wasn’t the best part.

  He said he hadn’t bought tickets for just us, but for my parents, Ellery, and Pryce, too. Then he informed me that Heather and Rupert would be tagging along, and for a whole week, we’d be hanging out with all six of them. When he told me he intended to marry me in Tuscany at the end of the week, I remember the goosebumps that spread across my skin. I’d never heard of anything more romantic and intimate, and I agreed without a second thought. Knowing my man, I’d always assumed we’d do something small anyway, but he made sure we had an incredibly special day.

  Our families left the morning after the wedding, but we stayed another week for our honeymoon. It was perfect, and so incredibly hard to leave. It wasn’t until we returned to the office that word got out that we were married. Harry Winston did all the talking.

  Drinking the last of my wine, I shove aside my happiest memories and shift my focus onto my friend. “We’re old news, Ava—you’re the it girl, now. So, have you two thought about a date?”

  We chat about wedding details and ideas she’s already got in mind for the ceremony until our men start texting us. It’s getting late and, like we so often do, we lost track of the time. At first, it’s just Dane sending messages. Then, when Ivan starts checking in on Ava, we know our designated drivers are getting antsy to have us home. We give them the green light to come pick us up and then close out our tab, waiting at our table for them to arriv
e.

  “Oh, I didn’t tell you—Janet wrote us a letter. Dane and I got it the other day. It had a picture of her with her boys in it. I think it was their first day back at school. Anyway, you should see her. She looks great.”

  “I would too if I won millions from a trial I fought tooth and nail to be tried.”

  I giggle, because I literally can’t help myself, but there’s also a part of me that’s genuinely so relieved for her. Her letter reminded me of the year she had been through, the rejection she had faced, and the difference Dane and I made in her life. I get a little teary every time I think about it.

  Luckily, before I’m swallowed up by my emotions, I feel a strong pair of arms wrap around me from behind. I lean against the familiar body at my back, breathing in deeply, anxious for his scent.

  “Hey, babe,” he mutters into my ear. “How’s girl’s night?”

  “Marvelous, as always,” I reply, grinning over at Ava.

  She winks at me and then her attention drifts across the room. She must see Ivan, because she waves her hand and stands from her bar stool. When he comes to a stop beside her, he wraps his arm around her waist and kisses her hello before turning to greet us.

  “You girls have fun?”

  “Don’t we always?” Ava hums, draping her arms around his shoulders.

  He’s a little shorter than she is with her heels on, but neither of them seem to mind. In truth, they look absolutely adorable. I remember when Ava first told me about her man—her New Years Eve secret. He sounded so amazing, and the joy on her face every time she mentioned him filled me with hope that her insufferable dating woes were over. The first time the four of us went out on a double date, I just knew she had found her happily ever after.

  “So, you two leave tomorrow morning, yeah?” asks Ivan, bringing me back to the here and now.

  “Yes! Oh, my gosh, I wish you guys were coming. You would love The Reinhart. And my sister—Ava, she’s dying to meet you.”

  “We’ll definitely have to arrange a meet one of these days,” she agrees, a mischievous grin playing at her lips.

  Raising my eyebrows, I suggest, “Girls weekend?”

  Smiling at her man, she reminds me, “There is a bachelorette party in my near future.”

  “That would be so perfect!”

  “All right, all right—don’t get too excited. It’s time to get you two home,” Ivan insists, steering Ava to the door.

  We all walk out together and head our separate ways as we call out our goodbyes. When Dane and I get to his Benz, he opens my door for me and waits for me to get inside, like he always does. After closing me in, he strolls around the front of the hood and then climbs behind the wheel. Peeking over at him, I smile at his handsome profile. Even after a year of seeing his face almost every single day, I still find him just as sexy as I did the day we met—him wrapped in only a towel.

  “Dane?” I murmur, the memory triggering my need.

  I swear, I’m always hungry for this man. Always.

  “What is it, Sigourney?”

  “I’m in the mood for shower sex,” I blurt.

  He chuckles, blindly reaching over to squeeze the back of my neck affectionately. His warm, strong, rough hand buried in my hair makes me suddenly impatient, and my own hand finds its way over to his inner thigh. The alcohol coursing through my body makes me bold, and I feel my way up to his crotch. When his dick twitches in his pants, I laugh coyly and give him a squeeze.

  “Fuck—do I love girl’s night.”

  I GLANCE DOWN at my watch as we ride the elevator up to our hotel room. We still have a couple of hours before we’re to meet everyone at the restaurant, but I have no intention of underestimating L.A. traffic. I know we’ll need to shower and dress within the next hour if we’re to make it on time.

  When my phone rings in my pocket, I’m quick to pull it out to glance at the screen.

  “Baby, you promised,” Sigourney insists.

  “I know,” I assure her, pressing a quick kiss against her temple. “It’s not work. I swear.” She nods as we arrive at our floor. When the elevator doors open in front of us, I answer, “Hello?”

  “Dane, hi. Just calling to check in. She still doesn’t suspect anything, right? I know you had lunch with my parents, and they suck at keeping secrets.”

  I fight my smile, reaching for Sigourney’s hand as we make our way down the hall. “No. Everything is in order.”

  “Ah. She’s with you, isn’t she?”

  “Yes.”

  “Okay. Well, I wanted to double check to make sure you brought the dress I picked out for her. Tonight has to be perfect and—”

  “I’ve got it all under control. Trust me. We want the same thing. I won’t drop the ball.”

  “Right. Of course you won’t. I’m just a little extra anxious today. I’m sorry.”

  A soft chuckle sounds from my throat as I insist, “Don’t apologize. We’ll talk again soon—but I have to go.”

  “Right. Okay. I’ll see you tonight!”

  “Are you sure that wasn’t business? Sounded kind of like business,” my wife teases.

  “Whatever it was, it’s over now,” I reply, letting go of her hand in order to grab our room key.

  I manage to get by with no further questions as we cross the threshold into our suite, and then I’m left alone for a moment as Sigourney excuses herself to the bathroom. I’m sure she is clueless about the real reason for our weekend visit, and I can’t wait to surprise her. The news I’ve been keeping from her is so big, I almost feel like I’m betraying her. Nevertheless, what Ellery and I have planned is exactly what she deserves, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

  When she registered for the July bar exam, I did my best to ensure we spent the weeks leading up to it as any normal, newlywed couple would. We weren’t studying every night. I wouldn’t let her. She knew everything she needed to know for the exam backwards and forwards. Rather than allow her to get caught up in the routine of prepping for the test, I kept her busy at work during the day; and on the nights we found ourselves at home with time and energy to burn—I kept her occupied in a variety of other ways, most of which involved us naked in various places around the house.

  She was nervous about the exam, as we both knew she would be, but she finished. After two days of testing, she put it behind her, and we did the only thing we could do. We waited for her results. Right now, she’s still waiting—but two weeks ago, I got her results in the mail. I wanted to know; I wanted to be prepared for anything, so I opened them. Tonight, we celebrate her achievement.

  My gorgeous wife is going to be a lawyer—finally.

  “Are you sure you don’t want to go play tourist for a little while?” she asks, emerging from the restroom. As she brings all of her hair to one shoulder, she goes on to tell me, “We have a couple hours before meeting up at the restaurant for Pryce’s celebratory dinner, but we don’t have to stay in the room.”

  I smirk at her, feeling clever. Pryce’s five-star review in a food critic’s article a few weeks ago is the guise we’re all operating under in order to surprise her. While the review is definitely worth celebrating, it was Pryce who suggested the restaurant’s review would be the perfect way to get Sigourney out here to celebrate with family and friends. Even Avangeline and Ivan will be in attendance tonight. Fortunately, nobody has let the secret slip. Though, playing tourist for the rest of the afternoon isn’t what I had in mind to pass the time.

  “I’ve been to L.A. before, babe,” I remind her, crossing the room until I’m standing right in front of her.

  “I know. But only on business.”

  “You know what I think we should do?” I mutter, bending down to grab hold of the back of her thighs. She gasps as I lift her from her feet, her eyes widening in surprise. While she wraps her legs around me and grips my shoulders, I answer, “Get this ass out of these shorts.”

  A smirk curls the corner of my mouth as I clap my hand against her ass cheek, and she gr
ins at me with a giggle.

  “Oh, yeah?”

  “Yeah. You know what I think would be even better than playing tourist?”

  “Tell me,” she whispers, tightening her legs around my hips as she touches her forehead to mine.

  Fuck me.

  I love this woman—she’s always ready to fool around.

  “You. Naked. On the bed.”

  “Now?”

  “Now.”

  “’Kay.”

  She slips down my chest and gets undressed before throwing the coverlet off of the bed. She then stretches out across the sheets and waits for me. I don’t take my eyes off of her as I shed my clothes as well. She doesn’t know it yet, but the pleasure I’m about to give her is just the beginning. I plan on making her come so much over the next few weeks, she won’t know how to handle it.

  I want her to know how it feels—to be so full, to be so satisfied, to be so overwhelmed by me that she can hardly stand it. I want her to know how she makes me feel—my wife, my future lawyer, the woman I can’t live without. I’m so fucking proud of her.

  “Hurry, baby,” she insists, reaching for me.

  I don’t delay a second longer.

  One Year Later…

  “BABE,” HE GRUNTS, filling the doorway.

  I look over at him from where I’m sitting, in one of the many conference room chairs. It’s only me in here, and while all the other seats are vacant, I feel anything but alone. In fact, I was so focused on the files in front of me, I hardly remembered where I was.

  “That’s enough. It’s time for us to get out of here,” he insists, making his way toward me.

  I open my mouth to beg for fifteen more minutes, but those blue eyes shut me up before I can say a word. He’s adamant. Lately, he’s been so rigid and bossy—more bossy than ever. An ignorant party might blame it on the fact that I’m no longer his secretary but recently under his wing again. They might think, with my different job title, his treatment of me—as his wife—is warranted. As a second year associate, claimed by the man himself, he can’t be seen playing favorites between me and my peers. However, I know this not to be the case.