Legal Seduction

by Sharon C. Cooper

  “I know, I know, but I want to know someone is there to greet you when you get home from school. You probably don’t appreciate this right now, but when you get to be my age, you’re going to look back and remember how good it felt for someone to greet you at the door.”

  Tania shook her head and smiled. She reached for the door handle, but stopped and turned back to Iris, her expression serious. “Uncle Nash told me about your date yesterday and how much he likes you,” she started, then glanced outside before returning her attention to Iris. “Just so you know, I’m cool with you guys hooking up. I actually think he needs someone like you.”

  Before Iris could respond, Tania kissed her on the cheek and bolted from the car. She didn’t know how long she sat stunned before the blaring of a horn from behind her shook her out of her reverie. She pulled away from the curb, her heart melting at the thought of Tania’s feelings toward her. Iris couldn’t believe how attached she was getting to Tania. It had only been a couple of weeks and already she wasn’t looking forward to the day Tania went back home to Nash.

  When she exited the school’s property, her cell phone rang.

  “Hello.”

  “Good morning, Iris.”

  Good Lord. Iris shivered. The deep timbre of Nash’s hypnotic voice sent shock waves of desire to every cell in her body and made her want to climb through the phone and throw herself at him.

  “Good morning,” she finally said, hoping her voice was steadier than she felt.

  “I was wondering if you would join me at the new club for breakfast this morning.”

  The invitation was tempting, especially since she had ruined her bowl of cereal earlier. Besides, not only was she curious about the new club, she also wanted to see Nash. That last thought both thrilled and terrified her. Being with him was equivalent to being on a roller-coaster ride, sitting at the top of the highest point and anticipating the thrill of roaring down the hill, her hair blowing in the wind, her screams piercing the air.

  “It’s just breakfast,” he said to her silence. “I assure you my intentions are honorable. Besides, a couple of weeks ago you said you were willing to do anything it takes to keep Tania and me together. This is about her. I want your opinion on a few things.”

  Iris twisted her mouth and scrunched up her face, wondering if this was a trick. She admired his persistence. This was the third or fourth time he had asked her out since that evening she’d had dinner with him, Tania and Ms. Dalton at their home. Despite what he had told Stacey, she honestly thought that yesterday would have been their only date. Come on, Iris, live a little. It’s just breakfast. She could hear Janna’s voice in her head. But Janna didn’t know that a simple outing for her and Nash could easily turn into something much steamier. Case in point—their basketball game yesterday.

  “Okay, when?” she finally asked.

  * * *

  “Are you cooking enough for me, too?” A familiar voice rang through Platinum Pieces–Buckhead’s soon-to-be state-of-the-art commercial kitchen. “Mr. Big-Time, working eighty-hour weeks, I didn’t know you still made time for cooking.”

  Ace Hardison, an ex-boxer and another of Nash’s longtime friends from Compton, was the head bouncer for Nash’s midtown nightclub. Soon, he would be head of security for both locations.

  “I cook periodically, but not often. Except this woman is special.” Nash turned to Ace. He had actually been surprised that she accepted his invite, but it didn’t matter. This morning, he hadn’t planned on taking no for an answer. There was something about Iris that piqued his interest, and he intended to find out what that something was.

  When he and his twin brother were younger, their father taught them how to cook, claiming it to be the best way to a woman’s heart. Nash’s parents were avid foodies. Growing up, not only had he learned to cook, but Nash had experienced every type of cuisine. Whatever recipe his mother was trying out, her sons were her number-one guinea pigs.

  Nash hadn’t cooked for a woman in years, having never felt the desire to do so. But this morning, he woke up thinking about Iris and the idea popped into his head after his meeting with Nigel.

  “I’ll check back with you later to let you know what I find out about the cameras in the parking lot. I’m not sure why they’re not working. But for now, let me head out before your woman gets here.”

  My woman. It had a nice ring to it, but he wasn’t looking for anything serious. He just wanted to get to know her a little better.

  “Sounds good,” Nash said. They bumped fists before Ace headed to the rear of the building and out the back door.

  Nash finished cutting the fruit and placed it near the place setting for two on the stainless-steel prep table with two barstools pushed up to it. It made a nice makeshift eating area, and the small bouquet of mixed flowers he had added softened the industrial feel of the space.

  His phone beeped, letting him know he had a text message. He wiped his hands on his apron and glanced at his cell phone sitting on the counter.

  I’m out front. He read Iris’s message. Anxious to see her again, he headed to the front of the building.

  “Hey,” she said when he opened the door.

  “Hey, yourself.” Nash stood back to let her in and inhaled the fresh floral scent of her perfume. He admired how sexy she looked in her fitted red blouse, skinny jeans and short red heels. “You look great...and relaxed. I think vacation agrees with you.”

  She gave a nervous laugh. “Yeah, I’ve been enjoying this time off more than I thought I would. I’m even thinking about adding another week, giving me four weeks instead of three.”

  “You definitely have the right idea. I plan to take some time off once we get the doors open here.” She followed him into the foyer, which opened onto a large dining area on the left and a semicircular bar to the right. “Why don’t we eat and then I’ll show you around?”

  “That sounds fine.” She stopped and glanced around the main dining area. “I can’t believe the changes you’ve already made. This area is definitely bigger than I remember. I came here once for dinner when it was Simon’s and it doesn’t look like the same place.”

  “We’ve made a few changes. We’re going for more of an open concept instead of chopping up the room.” They moved along and he pointed out various features. “We added that stage. Since I’ve always loved music, I wanted to make sure we had a spot that could host live performances. There’s also a smaller stage upstairs, which is where the VIP lounge will be.”

  “When are you scheduled to open? Looks like it’ll be soon.”

  “We’re surprisingly ahead of schedule.”

  “Oh, Nash, this is lovely,” she said when she saw the makeshift table, her hand over her heart. “You didn’t have to go through all of this trouble. I usually keep breakfast pretty simple, just toast and coffee.”

  “Well, since you’re on vacation and have time for a real breakfast, how about cheesecake-mousse crepes with mixed berries, eggs, sausage and bacon? In addition to the fruit on the table, I also have chocolate-chip waffles.”

  “Mmm, crepes and chocolate chip waffles, a man after my own heart,” she said in a wistful voice. Realizing what she just said, she dropped her hand and diverted her eyes. “Uh, I mean...I have a sweet tooth, also.”

  Nash laughed. Not wanting to embarrass her more, he said, “I threw the waffles on the menu at the last minute. I had a taste for them. It’s good to know I’m not the only one who loves something sweet.” He pulled out the stool for her. “Breakfast will be ready shortly.”

  “Wait a minute, you cooked?”

  Nash feigned offense. “What? You think I’m all brains and brawn, and no skills?”

  “I mean... I didn’t mean to imply...”

  Nash shook his head and laughed. “I’m just messing with you, Iris.” He went to the refrigerator and pulle
d out a pitcher. “Is orange juice okay with you? I also made a pot of coffee.”

  “Orange juice would be great, and though I’ve met my coffee quota for today, maybe just a little would be good.” She emphasized the amount by pinching her thumb and forefinger together.

  As they talked like old friends throughout breakfast, Nash thought that if he was intrigued by this woman before, he definitely wanted to get to know her better now. Beauty and brains.

  “You know, this past week without Tania at home, and wondering who set her up with the drugs has been like living a nightmare.”

  “I can only imagine,” Iris said. “Well, if it makes you feel any better, she’s doing fine, and Noelle will not stop until she gets to the bottom of who planted the drugs on Tania.”

  “I know. I have complete faith in your law firm. It’s just that I never thought anything like this would happen to us. And don’t even get me started about that judge.”

  “Juvie judges often recommend family counseling,” Iris said, cutting into her waffle. “Some believe a child’s bad behavior is brought on by something the child is missing from their parents, or by problems at home.”

  “When the judge required me and Tania to seek individual counseling first, I thought he was talking crazy.” Nash chuckled and took a sip from his second cup of coffee. “But I can honestly say it hasn’t been as bad as I thought it would be.”

  “Glad to hear that. Family counseling starts in a few weeks. Are you ready?”

  Nash shrugged. “If it means getting Tania back home and our lives back on track, then yes. I’m ready.” The only thing he wasn’t ready for was not seeing Iris as often. With the setup they had now, he saw her daily, if only for a few minutes when he dropped Tania off after school.

  “I’m going to miss her when she goes back home.”

  “Somehow, I don’t think you’re going to get rid of her that easy. She’s as taken with you as you are with her. We both are.”

  Iris smiled and lowered her head. Her shyness was endearing, but it cracked Nash up how she could be shy and reserved one minute, and a formidable defense attorney the next. He had read up on some of her most recent cases and to say he was impressed would be an understatement. She had won her last fifteen cases. In an interview she had done, she attributed the wins to having an amazing defense team, but from what Nash knew of her, he was sure she had had a huge hand in the wins.

  He topped his coffee cup off and then held the pot up to ask Iris if she’d like more. When she shook her head no, he asked, “So, what made you go into criminal law?”

  Iris hesitated. She wiped her mouth with the cloth napkin and laid it on the table. “My biological mother.”

  “Was she a lawyer?”

  Iris chuckled. “No, but she was definitely a force to be reckoned with. She didn’t take mess from anyone. Mom was a high-school English teacher.”

  “Teacher...lawyer, I don’t get it.”

  “When I was fourteen, my mother was shot by a teen who took a gun to school because he was being bullied.”

  “Oh, my God, Iris, I’m sorry.” Nash covered her hand with his and squeezed.

  “It’s okay. I came to terms with her death years ago. She died doing something she cared about—taking care of her kids, as she used to refer to them.” Iris smiled. “The way she talked about her students, you would’ve thought I had siblings.”

  “So what happened?” Nash released her hand, but rolled his stool closer.

  “The student thought that if he brought a gun to school, he could scare the kid who was bullying him.” She stopped and blew out a breath. “Things got heated in the classroom, but my mother was able to talk him out of hurting anyone. He eventually handed her the gun, but it went off and she was shot in the chest. She died immediately.”

  “Oh, baby, I’m so sorry.” Nash wrapped his arms around Iris, placing a light kiss against her temple. “We don’t have to talk about this if you don’t want.”

  She shook her head, but didn’t move out of his arms. “It’s okay. My mother and that kid are the reasons I became a lawyer.” She toyed with the hem of her napkin. “He went to prison, though he claimed he was only trying to scare the kids who were bullying him. He hadn’t intended on hurting anyone. I believed him.”

  “Really?”

  “Don’t get me wrong, I was heartbroken that my mother was killed, but I could relate to what that kid was going through. I wanted to kill bullies lots of times who made fun of my dark skin and my height.”

  Nash rubbed her back, shocked to hear Iris say anything about killing.

  “It’s just by the grace of God that I never did.” She released a weary breath. “As I got older, and some of the anger subsided, I didn’t think the kid who shot my mother should spend the rest of his life in prison. I had heard that his parents couldn’t afford a lawyer, so he was assigned a public defender who didn’t represent him well.”

  “And that’s why most of your clients are teens.”

  Iris nodded.

  Nash didn’t know what to say. She had not only lost her mother at a young age, but she had had to endure bullying, as well. Yet she was gorgeous and one of the sweetest people he’d ever met. The thought of someone picking on her was crazy.

  Iris leaned back without pulling completely out of his arms and met his gaze. “I didn’t mean to ruin this wonderful breakfast you’ve made with such a heavy story.”

  “Don’t apologize. I’m glad you told me.”

  Several synchronized beeps pierced the air and Iris scurried away from him in search of her purse, which she found on the bottom shelf of the prepping table.

  “Oh, crap, Macy’s going to kill me.” Iris plucked her cell phone from her handbag. “That’s my reminder alarm. I’m supposed to meet her at the gym in ten minutes.” She glanced at her watch. “I’m sure it’s going to take at least twenty to get there.”

  She placed her phone back in her purse and started gathering dishes.

  “Leave it.” Nash halted her. “I’ll take care of those. You go ahead. I’m glad you came by on such short notice.”

  Iris twisted her mouth and frowned at the mound of dishes. “I hate to leave like this, especially since you were kind enough to prepare such a wonderful breakfast.”

  “Don’t worry about it. I’ll have this cleaned up in no time.”

  “Okay, well, if you’re sure.” Nash took her hand and they walked toward the front of the building. “I would offer to reciprocate by preparing you breakfast one morning, but that wouldn’t be a good idea.”

  “Why not?” Nash slowed.

  She hesitated. “Uh, I can’t cook.”

  Nash let out a hearty laugh. He thought for sure she was going to say something about not being able to see him because of Tania, or the case, or because of his reputation. It was hard to believe she couldn’t cook.

  Iris swatted his arm. “It’s not that funny.”

  “Actually, it is,” he said, still chuckling. He pulled her into his arms. Staring into her eyes, his tongue traced the soft fullness of her lips. He captured first her top lip, then her bottom lip, gently between his teeth. “I love kissing you.”

  Her phone beeped.

  “I really have to go,” she said, but didn’t move out of his arms.

  “Have dinner with me one night this week. I want to take you on a real date.” When she opened her mouth to speak, he placed his finger against her lips. “And before you come up with a reason for why you can’t, let me remind you of how much fun we’ve had together these past couple of days.”

  He hadn’t brought up their basketball game, not wanting to embarrass her, but he had no intention of letting her avoid him. They had a connection and he wanted to see where it would lead.

  “I’d love to have dinner with you.”

 
* * *

  Iris hurried to the gym’s locker room and did a quick change. She was scheduled to meet Macy twenty minutes ago and had no doubt her sister would harass her for being late, especially since Macy had to get back to work.

  “Girl, where have you been? I had to give this woman the evil eye when she tried to use that machine,” Macy said, eyeing the elliptical next to her. “You’re never late.”

  Iris climbed onto the machine. “I am so sorry. I had an impromptu breakfast meeting and lost track of time.”

  Macy took in Iris’s appearance. “You look...great. And based on the head turns you received on your way over here, I’d say that I’m not the only one who has noticed.”

  Iris peered to her left and met the gaze of a man she’d seen in the gym numerous times. He smiled and she returned the gesture. Though she’d seen him often, this was the first time he’d paid her any attention.

  “Are you using a different makeup or something? You’re glowing, and I noticed you have a little extra pep in your step today.”

  “Yeah, right.”

  “I’m serious. You seem...cheerful. What have you been up to? Who’d you have breakfast with? You’re supposed to be on vacation. I hope you’re not doing any work.”

  “Oh, no, it’s nothing like that. I got together with Nash.”

  Macy hesitated. “Hmm, two days in a row. I called you yesterday and Janna told me you were out with Nash,” she said in response to Iris’s questioning gaze. “So, what do you think of him?”

  Good question, Iris thought. Her feelings for Nash were all over the place. “He’s not what I expected. Janna was right. He’s really a nice guy. Charming, funny, brilliant. It’s no wonder he’s so successful. The way this man’s mind works is so different from other men I’ve talked to. I was telling him about some of the challenges the center is having with meeting its financial goals, and within seconds he gave me numerous ideas.”

  Nash had so many more qualities that she liked. The way he made her feel at ease with little or no effort. The way he kissed, and the way he lit her body on fire with just a touch. She thought better of sharing those attributes with her sister.