“Are you just going to stare?” I questioned, smiling at him. The old Katherine was resurfacing. Fuck the self-pity. I was selfish.
He lowered himself in front of me, taking my thong down with him. I held on to his shoulders as I stepped out of them. He slid his hands up the backs of my thighs, cupping my ass. Bringing his nose to my small strip of trimmed hair, he inhaled deeply.
“God, I want to take my time with you, learn everything that drives you crazy.” He gradually rose, placing feather-soft kisses over my body as he did. “But tonight I need to know if you’re lying to me.”
Before I had time to register what he was saying, his mouth crashed down on mine. A whimper escaped me as I opened for him, his tongue exploring mine. He tasted of whiskey and mint. Reaching my arms around him, I splayed my fingers through his hair and tugged gently as I opened my mouth wider. My body was submitting to him with every kiss he gave, his mouth and tongue tantalizing me. He moved from my mouth down to my neck, pushing my body backward until my thighs hit the table.
Perched on the edge of the cool cherry wood, I opened my legs for him. Cole pulled a small plastic packet from his back pocket before lowering his pants and boxer briefs. I leaned back, admiring his long, thick length, and my mouth watered as my vaginal walls pulsed for him, begging him to ease the ache I felt. I held my breath, waiting impatiently for him to slip deep inside of me. He tore the gold plastic wrapper, pulling the latex out and sliding it down his shaft. Seconds felt like hours as I waited, ready for him.
No words were said, verbal communication between us lost as he aligned himself with my opening. I arched my back and moaned with pleasure as he slid deep inside me with one firm thrust, his sudden thickness filling me with both pain and pleasure. He held my face and brought his thumb to my lips, my teeth biting and sucking on it as I adjusted to him.
“Damn, you feel so” —his lips grazed my neck, leaving a burning sensation wherever they touched— “tight. So fucking tight.”
His words were my undoing. He began to pump inside of me, causing a sweet aching pain to build deep in my spine. Lowering his arms, he wrapped his fingers tightly around my hips so that the tips of his nails dug into my skin every time he thrust. Holding firmly, he pushed back and forth, going deeper each time. Grunts escaped him as he continued, and my orgasm built around him. He pulled out, adjusting his pants lower before he entered again, circling his hips when he was balls deep. My eyes rolled to the back of my head as my release crawled closer. I couldn’t breathe as I waited for the first shocks of pleasure to flow through me. My body tightened; I was almost there.
He thrust inside of me one last time before he pulled out completely, his hand holding my wrist, blocking me from rubbing my orgasm.
“Now, Katherine, I need the truth, or I’ll let you walk out of here dying for an orgasm.” He brought the tip of his cock to my swollen clit, rubbing ever so gently. “Is Ben your boyfriend?” he asked before pushing his cock deep into me one time, circling his hips, and then quickly pulling out to rub it on my clit again. I was on the brink of utopia. I needed to come, or I was going to explode.
“Please!” I begged. This was a battle I was not going to win. “No, he’s not. Please, Cole, fuck me.” I pleaded for the release my body craved. It ached for my climax.
He slid back into me, holding my upper thighs and securing me in place. Biting down on my shoulder, he pumped into me until I was at the edge. Finally, I fell over, and waves of bliss crashed through my body as I trembled. Cole tightened his grip, driving deep into me before finding his own release. I wrapped my arms around him, holding him as he shook.
Reality set in after the haze of lust cleared. This was not supposed to happen. I was done being that girl. I was worth more than a quick fuck on a conference room table. The guilt, anger, and disappointment resonated deep in me. The urge for one pill to numb it all made my tongue itch.
“I . . . I’ve got to go,” I muttered. I pushed Cole off me, and then grabbed my dress from the floor. “Cole . . .” I paused as I pulled my dress up. “This can’t—”
“Don’t.” He tossed the condom in the trash, then tucked his shirt into his pants before walking over to me. He pressed his lips to the side of my hair and whispered, “We’ll talk about it later.”
I didn’t argue. If I opened my mouth, unwanted tears would trickle down my face. I pulled open the door and headed straight downstairs. But before I entered the grand room, I took one last breath to compose myself.
Fuck. I was worth more.
9
Katherine
The next day I was lost and couldn't concentrate on a single task at work. My mind was frantic and unfocused. Every time I tried to apply myself to something, I drifted back to the night before with Cole and the way his lips caressed my skin, adding sparks to my burning need for him. My thoughts wandered back to the way he shoved himself inside me, making me feel both pleasure and pain, and the way my eyes rolled to the back of my head when he gave me that earth-shattering orgasm. I should have been mad at myself for my indiscretion, but I couldn't find it in me to be angry. When he was near, I couldn’t make my body move in any direction but toward him. Even so, if I didn’t stop playing with fire, he would be my downfall.
But God, do I yearn to get burned.
Lila had been so consumed with Caleb that she hadn't noticed how long I was gone. When I walked back into the ballroom she was wrapped in Caleb’s arms, dancing the night away, but Ben spotted me from across the room the second the door opened, and he’d also noticed that Cole had been gone for a long period of time. Though he was only acting the jealous boyfriend, Ben had done a great job with the twenty questions. After explaining that I had to use the restroom upstairs to remove the stain from my dress—in other words, lied through my teeth—he finally gave up.
An email notification dinged on my desktop, pulling me from my pleasant morning daydream. My happy smile left my face when I saw that the email was from Poochie. Fuck. I had spent most of the morning reminiscing about the previous night and forgot to check my phone.
I opened the filing cabinet where I’d stashed my purse and pulled out my cell phone. Two missed phone calls and three text messages from Poochie.
I took my office phone and dialed his cell number. He answered on the second ring. “Detective Morales.” His manly voice made me laugh. He sounded so serious, not at all the man I had known for years. The background noise coming from his end told me he was driving.
“Hey, Poochie. It's me. Someone is seriously stalking me, huh?” I twirled on my chair.
“You're a hard woman to get ahold of. I’m driving through Stamford now. Can we meet for lunch?”
I bit down on my bottom lip, trying to gauge his mood. “Yeah, that works. Do you have a place in mind?” I asked while reaching for my pen.
“Something good. I'm starving.”
I tried to think of the closest and easiest restaurant to meet for lunch in Manhattan and remembered I still had not visited Caleb’s new place. “Okay, I’ll text you the address. See you at noon. Pooch?”
“Yeah?”
“Is everything okay?” I closed my eyes, afraid of what he might say.
He sighed loudly. “I'll tell you when I see you,” he said, and we hung up.
His answer scared me, and my mind began working overtime. What could he have on Evan that I didn't already know? I chewed on the pen, racking my brain with every possible scenario. This wasn’t a cookie-cutter case. Something was off. I could feel it.
I organized my desk, hoping the time passed quickly. I replied to all my incoming emails and prioritized all my cases based on their court date. Most of the cases I’d been given were simple, just a couple of insurance frauds that were easy wins, but the Venturini-Seymour case was my baby. I had screwed Cole, but that didn’t mean I was going to screw up this case. Poochie wouldn’t drive all the way down here if he didn't have dirt on Evan—substantial dirt.
“Victoria, I’m stepping out to l
unch,” I said as I peeked my head in her office.
“You know you don’t have to tell me every time you leave.” She smiled and shook her head.
“I know, but I can’t help it.” I shrugged.
“Where you off too?” She beamed with excitement
“My friend just opened a restaurant in Midtown.” I said and leaned into the frame of her door.
“Ok. Have fun, and don’t worry about being back in an hour.” She waved her hand. “Howard is with his in-laws in Connecticut.”
At eleven forty-five, I made my way over to Kitchen Step. It was busy for lunch, but luckily for me, I had a connection. I walked over to the hostess and asked for Caleb.
“I’ll let him know you’re here.” She smiled.
A few minutes later, Caleb greeted me with a kiss on the cheek. “About time you came to see the place.”
“This is beautiful,” I said taking in my surroundings. It was modern with dark wood and industrial décor. The hanging pendant lights gave the atmosphere a warm and inviting feel.
“I’m glad you like it.”
“I have a friend meeting me here for lunch.”
“Ok.” He walked me over to a table. “Anything you need, let me know.”
“Thanks, Caleb.”
I sat near the window at a small table for two, then opened the menu and waited for Poochie to arrive.
I was so busy studying the menu that I didn't notice him until he was a few feet away. “Poochie!” I squealed, jumping off my seat. “It’s been so long.” I hugged him tightly. Poochie was a manly, hands-on type of guy which, of course, only added to his sexiness. His strong arms wrapped around me, holding me against him for a few seconds longer.
“How you doing, Wolf?” he asked, releasing me. His olive skin was tan for this time of year.
“I'm a little scared,” I said before hugging him around the waist again and placing my head on his broad chest. The scent of his favorite cologne forced its way into my nostrils. It was the same scent he'd worn since high school.
“Why is that?” he asked, placing a soft kiss on top of my head.
“Because you drove all the way out here to give me dirt on this guy. I have a feeling you’re going to make my job very difficult.” I sat back down on the chair across from him.
“Maybe I just wanted to see a friend and this was an excuse.” His bright smile beamed at me as he sat. He reached across the small table, laying his calloused hand over mine, his face serious. “Look, you’re not gonna like what I found, so I wanted to hand deliver it to you.”
He slid a manila folder to me. I reached for it but kept it shut, afraid to see what was inside. “The cat has a pretty clean rap sheet, but that’s because he pays everyone off. He has a bit of a gambling problem in AC and Vegas, nothing too serious.” He stopped speaking, bringing both of his hands to mine. “But, Kat, he’s had some charges dropped against him. Rape charges.” He said the last two words in a low whisper.
I tried not to let my face change when he said it, but I couldn’t help it.
“All of the victims’ contact information is in there. Anything I could find. I was hesitant to give it to you with your history and all—”
“It's fine, Poochie,” I lied. “Don't worry about me.” I pulled my hands from his and shoved the folder in my tote.
“Kat?” he questioned, his head tilted to one side.
“Pooch?” I smiled at him, faking it the best I could.
“Still stubborn as always.”
“Still annoying as always.”
The waiter interrupted our conversation to take our order. As soon as the server walked away, I looked at Pooch. “Thank you for this. It will help a ton. I needed a good break on this case. How long are you in town for?”
“Until you have to get back to work.” A sly smile appeared on his face.
“You drove all the way out here for me?”
“Of course. You’ll always be my girl.” His words hit a part of my heart. Our waiter returned quickly, placing our food in front of us, and I waited until he left before I addressed Poochie.
“Ant,” I began softly.
“I know, I know. I’m your past.” He shoved a couple of fries in his mouth.
I couldn’t help the sad smile that appeared on my face as my mind drifted to when we were kids. Poochie had been my first.
It was the spring of my freshman year of high school, and I knew Mom was on the outs with husband number four, so it was only a matter of time before we would be moving again. Poochie had become my best friend, and somewhere in there a weird type of relationship had built. After school, Poochie always insisted on walking me home because he said it was a bad neighborhood. On that particular day, my mom was out with her friends for what she called “liquid lunch.” Knowing that she’d be gone till late at night, I invited him in.
I was sitting on our awful green couch, watching the latest episode of What I Like About You. Poochie's shoulder bumped me to get my attention, and when I turned to look at him, he grabbed my cheeks and kissed me. At first, I thought it was weird. In school, he had all the girls begging for his attention, yet there he was on my couch kissing me. He was the first guy I slept with that I consented too. He was someone I trusted. I also wanted to see if it was different with someone my own age. Someone who wasn’t drunk or who forced me to be quiet.
I kissed him back and pulled my shirt over my head. And there on my crocodile-green couch, I had sex for the first time on my own terms with my best friend.
Though Poochie wanted more from me after that day, I just wanted to be his friend. We only slept together that one time. Maybe if I knew then what I know now—that I use sex for validation—maybe there could have been more between us.
“Stay for dinner?” I asked, looking back at him. “I’ll give you my house keys and try to get out of work early, then I’ll cook.” I smiled at him. “You drove all the way out here, so stay a little longer. I’ve really missed you.”
“Okay. I’ll stay.” His smile brightened and completely washed away any awkwardness that had just passed between us.
10
Cole
I couldn’t get her out of my head. I’d tried for two days with no fucking luck. I sat in my office staring into nothing as I tried to find another way to see her again.
Since I’d met Katherine, I couldn’t get enough of her, and being buried deep inside her wasn’t nearly enough. I needed one whole night with her to finally get her out of my system. Although, if her pussy got any better, she could possibly be the end of my promiscuous ways.
Yeah, right. I don’t chase them, I replace them. That had always been my motto, and no woman could make me change that.
I needed to see her again.
Fuck. She’s just a chick I met at a bar. But she had managed to crawl under my skin, no doubt about it. I was never one to console women. Hell, I was usually the reason they needed consolation. I didn’t have time or patience to care about their problems. But with her it was different, and I couldn’t figure out why. All I knew was that I needed one night. One night to make her mine, make her crave me the same way I craved her. Then she would be the one begging for more.
I yanked my office phone from my desk and dialed my assistant, Melissa. I had to make my one night possible, and I knew exactly how.
“CHR Esquire, Melissa speaking. How may I help you?”
“Melissa, it’s me.”
“Oh, Mr. Rhodes, do you need me to go to your office?”
“No.” I leaned back in the chair. “Do you know if the file I requested for the Seymour case was delivered?”
I heard rustling through the phone, as though she was moving papers around on her desk. “No, Mr. Rhodes. Nothing was delivered.”
Perfect.
“Thank you, Melissa. That’s all.”
Now it was time to put my plan into action.
I picked up my phone once again and dialed Goldstein, Lipsky, and Wails. Howard had been my mentor whe
n I was in law school. We saw each other often in the courtroom and worked on cases together regularly, but outside of the office, I would never call his cell phone. Except for today.
“Hunter, what can I do you for you?” Howard answered.
I cleared my throat. “Howard, I’m sorry to bother you. I’m in a bit of a rush, so I won’t be long. I was wondering if you could send the Venturini-Seymour file over to me. I know I mentioned it at the end of the deposition, but Melissa just noticed that it was never delivered.” I hoped he took the bait for my bullshit excuse.
“Sure, not a problem. I’ll have Katherine bring it right over. I’m in with my wife’s family right now, but I’ll make sure to call Victoria.”
“Actually, I’ll call Victoria myself. I didn’t know you were with your family. Enjoy your time away from the office,” I said quickly and hung up the phone. Howard would be able to get me the files, but maybe with a little persuading Victoria would give me Katherine’s schedule.
I pulled the phone from the receiver a third time and held it to my ear. “Goldstein, Lipsky, and Wallis, Victoria speaking.”
“Hello, Victoria, it’s Cole,” I said in the most charming voice I could find.
“Oh.” She paused. “Hi, Mr. Rhodes, what can I do for you?” Victoria had worked for Howard for many years. During my internship with his firm, she had walked me through the day to day.
“You can tell me how I can get you to work for me.” I chuckled.
“Funny, Mr. Rhodes, but you know that I like my job here.”
“It was worth a try. I know you’re the best paralegal on the East Coast.” I paused, trying to remember her personal life. “How’s your mom doing? Pamela, right?”
“Yes.” Her tone softened. “I can’t believe you remembered. She’s doing well. We moved her to assisted living, which was tough on me, but she loves it. Thank you for asking.”
“Where is the facility?”
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