by Exley Avis
My inner flirt must have been showing on the outside too because, an hour into the party, two colleagues had asked me for my private number and a tipsy client had invited me to dinner, off company time. I politely refused them all. My involvement with Radford and the disastrous encounter with Daniel Greene had taught me never to play that close to home again. And I always – always – learned from experience.
Therefore, when a handsome man approached me half way through the evening, the refusal was already on my lips before he’d even launched his first chat-up line.
“Allegra?” he said, predictably giving me the once over. “Allegra Lawless?” He held out his hand. “I’m Aiden Thirstan. Thirstan Holdings. It’s really good to meet you.”
I hadn’t expected the head of a multi-million pound corporation to be quite so young, or so very good looking either. Tall and broad, with a sexy smile and huge, hazel eyes flecked with amber. Mid-thirties – my favourite age – and with a glint in those tiger’s eyes that could have meant a million things.
Shame he was so far off limits.
“Please, call me Allie,” I said, shaking his hand. “Only my Italian grandmother and the senior partner use Allegra.”
He grinned and his handsome levels went somewhere off the scale. “Great work spotting the problem with the old factory site,” he said, sounding impressed. “I think our vendors might be trying to pull a fast one. We shouldn’t talk shop at a party but could you do some more research for me? See what else you can turn up.”
“With pleasure,” I said, relieved to find he wasn’t just another good looking guy fancying his chances.
“Perhaps we should get advice from counsel too,” he went on. “Just to be on the safe side.”
My heart sank. I’d already worked out we’d need a second opinion from a barrister. And anyone who knew anything about construction law would only ever call one person.
“Who do you prefer to use?” I asked, praying Aiden had a different name in mind.
“A good friend of mine who specialises in this area. And…” He took out his phone and dialled a number. “…as luck would have it, Radford’s here tonight. Let’s see what he thinks.”
My whole body arrested at the inevitability of the next few seconds and my senses went into freefall. As Aiden’s call connected, he turned to look across the room. I followed his eye line, sick with anticipation, my heart pumping so hard my insides burned white hot and the pit of my stomach liquefied.
This meeting had to happen one day, I told myself. Radford and I couldn’t avoid one another indefinitely and the past always refused to be buried.
But I had no idea how Radford would react.
The last time I’d seen him, he’d been tender, loving and concerned but I guessed women didn’t often walk away from Radford Byrne. After a brutal separation and six months apart there was no telling what effect his bruised ego might have had on his feelings toward me. I held my breath.
Radford’s eyes connected with mine in the same instant – as much a shock to him as to me – his stride faltering momentarily, as if the ground had cracked beneath his feet.
He went from fantasy to reality in a split second and my poor heart splintered.
I’d imagined this reunion a thousand times; fantasising about where we’d meet, rehearsing what I’d say, picturing what I’d do, what I’d wear and how I’d remain completely in control.
But the moment I laid eyes on Radford, every certainty went out of the window. Despite my resolutions to keep my distance, I knew that half a lifetime wouldn’t be long enough to wipe the imprint of this unique man from my soul and that, whatever there’d once been between us, traces of it still lingered.
For me, at least.
“Hello, Allie,” Radford said, ignoring Aiden’s introductions. His frozen features told me I was the last person he wanted to see. “How are you?”
“Great,” I lied, even though I could have thought of a hundred more appropriate adjectives. Confused. Terrified. Relieved to be in the same room as you again. Hurt that you’re less than pleased to find me here. “It’s good to see you again.”
He didn’t return the sentiment. “How was Rome?” he asked as if he couldn’t have cared less.
“Hot. Chic. Fascinating. Hard work.” I tried to sound light-hearted but didn’t quite pull it off.
Instead, I drank in the sight of the deep blue eyes I wanted to float in; the lips that had kissed every inch of me; the heavy-set body that had pinned me to the bed and made me come so often I’d lost count.
After six months in the company of devastatingly-attractive Italian men I thought I’d become immune to tall, dark and handsome. But Radford wasn’t a man I’d ever build up any resistance to.
The client was delighted we already knew one another. “So you’ve worked together before,” Aiden guessed.
Radford had obviously never mentioned me – but then, why would he?
“We both acted for Zeus Developments,” Radford explained, every muscle in his perfect body tensing.
“I didn’t know that was one of yours.” Aiden did a double take. “It’s not like you to lose that disastrously.”
“I didn’t lose,” Radford snapped. “I never took it to trial.”
The memory obviously still rankled because a muscle twitched under Radford’s right eye. I could still make out the scar across his eyebrow from where Daniel Greene had punched him and the past crowded in on me. I pushed it away and closed the lid.
“I gave one of the directors some particularly hard-hitting advice and he didn’t like it,” Radford continued. “Allie and I were both sacked.”
I shot Radford a look of pure gratitude – the last thing I wanted was the client knowing my entire sad history the first time I met him. Radford nodded his head slightly in acknowledgement but his mask never cracked.
“Well the good news is, I’m considering buying what’s left of the company,” Aiden said, oblivious to the look of horror on my face. “So you’ll get your revenge one way or another, Allie.”
I tried laughing it off, but the prospect of meeting Daniel Greene again sapped the words from me and I floundered. Sensing my hesitation, Radford leapt to my rescue.
“You said you had a problem,” he prompted, drawing Aiden’s attention away from me. Radford’s face unexpectedly relaxed into a broad smile that melted the splinters of my heart and stirred more than a few memories. “But it’s after seven. I’m doubling my fees.”
“Nice try.” Aiden laughed and clapped his friend on the back. “I need your advice because Allie’s spotted something interesting on land I’m buying in East London. There might be a contamination issue.”
“What exactly?”
This time Radford looked directly at me and I wished I could read what was going on behind his big, blue eyes but the shutters had been slammed down and the grin had evaporated.
“The adjoining site has houses on it,” I explained, struggling to keep my voice level. “Several residents were made seriously ill by chemicals buried there in the 1950s. The builder settled out of court and paid substantial damages.”
“Will the residents talk to us?”
I shook my head. “Already tried. They signed confidentiality agreements when they collected their cheques.”
Radford took a moment to process the information, giving me the chance to study him while he was deep in thought. He wore a white shirt and pale blue tie, offset by a suit in the darkest of greys. He’d obviously come straight from chambers because the suspicion of a beard darkened his chin, highlighting the thoughtful creases forming around his very kissable mouth. His open jacket just begged me to slip my hands inside and that sharp jaw line cried out to have a trail of kisses burned along it.
God, I’d missed him. Missed the look, sound, feel and taste of him. And had he leaned in and kissed me right then, I’d have melted into him in an instant.
“Your problem will be if the chemicals have leaked into the water table under you
r site,” Radford said, thinking out loud. “All kinds of legal action might be lying in wait.”
“I agree.” Aiden gave me a megawatt grin that had no doubt wreaked havoc amongst the female population of London. Unfortunately, he’d chosen the one woman who was decidedly immune. “I’m impressed Allie picked it up,” he told Radford. “My surveyors didn’t.”
“Allie has an amazing eye for detail.” Radford’s smiled hesitantly. “The Zeus case was watertight by the time she’d finished. Had we gone to trial, we’d have wiped the floor with the opposition.”
“Radford’s exaggerating.” I tried sounding modest but his compliment had thrilled me.
“Nonsense. Allie’s probably the best instructing solicitor I’ve ever worked with,” Radford went on, going over the top to sell me to Aiden. “You’re very lucky she’s on your team.”
Up until that moment, I wouldn’t have put effusive down on Radford’s list of virtues so let myself believe he spoke from the heart. This time my smile was less tentative and accompanied by whispered thanks.
Aiden stopped a passing waiter and picked up some champagne. “We should drink to that,” he said, handing me a glass. “Radford’s a very difficult man to impress. He’s always been very choosy about who he gets into bed with.”
I gasped and my cheeks flushed scarlet at the unfortunate turn of phrase but, luckily, Aiden was too busy helping himself to hors d’oeuvres to notice. Radford appeared equally horrified and, for the first time, I read exactly what was going on behind his eyes.
I didn’t tell him anything, Radford was thinking. Aiden doesn’t know about our weekend at Claridges. Your secret’s safe.
The unspoken conversation sent the memory of those two days hurtling towards me and the blood pooled in my feet. Without warning, I was back in a hotel suite, naked in Radford’s arms.
My whole body ached to be held by him again. My skin tingled at the memory of his touch, my tongue recalled the taste of him and my heart…my poor, damaged heart…
But let’s not even go there.
As my chest tightened painfully and I thought about excusing myself, I felt Radford’s steadying hand on my elbow and a squeeze of reassurance.
“Deep breath,” he whispered, leaning in closer while Aiden was still distracted. “Do you want to sit down?”
I shook my head, not trusting myself to speak, my breathing laboured. I’d been doing fine keeping it together until Radford touched me but even this innocent contact hijacked my senses, leaving me unable to think straight.
Aiden turned back towards us and Radford hurriedly let me go, breaking the connection and leaving me feeling cold suddenly. I wondered whether I could get him alone on some pretext. Even though I didn’t have a clue what I’d say to him. But there was no telling when I might see him again.
As if reading my mind, Radford glanced at his watch and grimaced. “I need to go,” he said, excusing himself. “Dinner date.”
I deflated with a mixture of disappointment and relief.
Aiden gave Radford a knowing look. “Anyone I know?”
“Sorry. That’s privileged information.” Radford raised an eyebrow, leaving the rest unsaid, even though I could probably guess at it. He whipped round to face me again. “Are you free Friday morning, Allie?” he asked.
“Yes,” I spluttered, completely blindsided by the question. I hadn’t a clue what my diary looked like but I’d cancel everything for a chance to see him again.
“Great. So why don’t we all go and have a look at this site? It’s impossible to get an accurate picture from a file.”
Aiden shrugged, also apparently caught off guard by the suggestion. “If you think it’s necessary. I’ll call my surveyors.”
“No, not yet.” Radford was quick to counter the idea. “No point running up costs until we see what we’re dealing with.”
He shook Aiden’s hand warmly and suggested meeting for a drink the following week. When it came to say goodbye to me however, he mouthed my name, gave me a cursory nod and promised to see me first thing Friday.
I don’t know what I’d expected – he could hardly scoop me into his arms and kiss the life out of me at an office party – but it wasn’t as if we were strangers to one another. You can’t lie naked in bed with someone for forty-eight hours and maintain any level of formality – in my opinion at least.
However, a few seconds later, he doubled back through the crowd towards us. “A word of advice, Allie,” he said, giving me the first genuine smile of the evening. “If Aiden’s going to be a regular client, buy yourself a very warm coat and a pair of Wellington boots. You’ll spend half your life trudging across freezing building sites, knee deep in mud.”
Not the most alluring outfit he’d ever asked me to wear but beggars most definitely couldn’t be choosers.
Chapter Twelve
The ground gave way beneath me the minute I laid eyes on her and my legs faltered.
She stood next to Aiden, wearing a green, silk dress that left very little to my imagination, and looking so beautiful I thought the pain in my chest had collapsed my lungs. Her hair was swept back off her face and up into a sleek bun, leaving her honey-skinned neck naked and just begging to be kissed. I don’t know how I got through the evening without running my tongue along the lines of her collarbone, or pulling the pins out of her hair so I could bury my face in it.
No one else had come close to Allie Lawless and I suspected no one ever would. Six months on, I still couldn’t get past the thought of her naked body and that I’d been too much of a coward to try and persuade her to stay. The sense of loss had seeped into my bones until it had become a part of me.
Missing didn’t even begin to cover it.
I knew she’d been back in London for a while – Stephen had told me that – but I hadn’t wanted to unsettle her in those first few weeks. Too soon and she’d point blank refuse to talk to me. I had to take things gently. Slowly. But all the while I would have walked barefoot over broken glass for a chance to see her again.
Then suddenly, there she was, involved in a case with one of my closest friends, and handing me the perfect excuse to spend time with her. Who said there wasn’t a God?
Seeing Allie that night opened up every old wound, making me as vulnerable and defenceless as I’d ever been around that dazzling smile and that sensual body. But this time I was determined to be braver and, having been handed my golden opportunity, I wasn’t prepared to let her slip away again so easily.
When we met at Aiden’s offices a few days later, I was relieved to see Allie had taken my parting advice.
“It’s cold this morning,” I said, noticing how the short walk from the Tube had brought out the roses in her cheeks. I wondered what she’d do if I went to kiss some warmth back into her pink nose. “I’m glad you’ve wrapped up.”
“I never ignore counsel’s opinion.” She raised her eyebrows impishly before holding up a brand new pair of Wellingtons in a carrier bag. “And I’m wearing so many layers, I must look twice my normal size.”
“No you don’t. You look wonderful.”
My eyes feasted on the way her skin tight jeans clung around those long, slim legs and very sexy arse. More than once, she’d had me flat on my back, riding my cock, and I’d gripped those softly-rounded hips to force her down harder onto me. My hands still carried the memory of their shape and the velvet softness of her skin.
The mental image provoked a predictable reaction.
“First time I’ve seen you in jeans,” she said, her eyes doing a leisurely stock take of my lower portions and I doubt she could have missed the bulge in my groin. Perhaps that’s why she took so long over it. “Well-worn denim doesn’t really match your successful-barrister image, if you don’t mind me saying. You look too rough and ready to win a jury over.”
I recognised flirting when I heard it and unleashed my inner Romeo. “Does rough and ready win you over?” I asked. “Or do you prefer men in suits?”
“It depends w
hat mood I’m in.” She thought hard for a second as if I’d thrown a difficult legal problem at her. “And what kind of suit we’re talking about. Business suit, dinner suit or…” She dropped her voice to a suggestive whisper. “…birthday suit?”
Game on, I thought and took the flirting up a notch. “Personally, I prefer the latter. Someone once told me I do all my best work in the nude.”
“Who was that then?”
I shrugged, playing along. “I can’t remember now. Some woman with a fantastic arse and great tits. We spent a weekend at Claridges.”
“That’s a coincidence.” She pretended to be amazed. “I had the greatest sex of my life at Claridges.”
“What did you do?”
“I daren’t say in case I incriminate myself.”
“Perjury’s a very serious business.”
“I know, but he’s my dirty little secret. Telling the truth might get me into much more trouble.”
“Who’s in trouble?” Aiden asked, walking in on the tail end of our conversation and only catching the last word.
“Allie,” I said immediately, enjoying watching her face drop. “She’s worried she might not be warm enough on site.”
Aiden took a quick look at what she was wearing and couldn’t resist giving Allie’s arse an appreciative glance.
I caught his eye. Aiden and I had hunted as a pair in bars often enough for him to recognise my warning look that said, back off, this one’s mine.
He had the decency not to unleash his devastating charm. If there was one guy in London who could out-charm and out-flirt me, it was Aiden Thirstan and the tabloids had the photographs of him leaving nightclubs with a string of beautiful women to prove it.
“You’ll be fine,” he said to Allie. “If you get cold, stand in front of Radford. His ego’s big enough to act as a windbreak.”