The Gamble

by Alice Ward

  “I smile all the time, but it’s been a little trying the last few days.” She put her purse down and moved to stand at the edge of the kitchen. “Business and then dinner, or dinner first?”

  “Let’s eat first. You finish tearing the lettuce for the salad and I’ll get our veggies out of the oven. We’re having steak. Is that alright with you?” I glanced back to find her staring at me with a hint of hunger in her gaze.

  “Sounds delicious. You have wine or should I go grab a bottle?” She turned and busied herself with the salad.

  “I always have wine.” I opened a bottle of Chianti and poured us both a glass.

  “My kind of guy,” she mumbled softly, the sound of her subtle neediness throwing me off.

  What the hell had changed from the day before when she was pushing me off and verbally spanking me for diving into any stories from our past?

  “Here you go, my lady.” I moved up behind her and reached around her, setting the wine down by the cutting board and making sure to press my chest to her back. “You smell divine.”

  “It’s the tomatoes.” She glanced over her shoulder and awarded me another smile.

  “What are you in such a good mood over? I’m almost hesitant to tell you that it’s a little surprising to me. I half expected you to be upset with me. Did the meeting with Jon go that well?” I walked across the kitchen and pulled a tray of veggies from the oven before placing them on the stove and walking back over to stand beside her.

  She took a sip of her wine and shrugged. “I think I found a few cracks in the rape charges. The girl alleged that you offered her a job for sex during the interview, which we can do little to prove.”

  “Except for the fact that I didn’t. I can’t give someone a job without board review and approval.”

  “That’s true,” she popped a crouton into her mouth, “but, the allegation could still hold true. It’s not about whether you have the power to give her the job, but whether you make the promise. And you could have as far as the law is concerned. We have your word against hers, and you’re soon to be prosecuted for insider trading. Let’s not dismiss the fact that she has a scrapbook full of pictures of her body bitten and bruised.”

  I swallowed hard and finished off my wine. “Tell me again why you’re in a good mood?”

  She laughed and turned to me, reaching out and brushing her hand over my upper arm. “She didn’t get a project from you, nor did she visit you the five times that she said she did to work on this mysterious assignment.”

  “I never gave her a project.” I glanced down, enjoying the way her smile lifted to her eyes.

  “I know that, Zek. That’s my point. Stay with me.” She picked up one of the empty salad bowls. “Can I just use my fingers?”

  “Yeah, but only because it’s you.” I winked at her as she gave me a sideways glance. “So we need to pull the camera outside my office to prove that she didn’t come by and see me five times in that short week?”

  “Yes. With the evidence of her having settled several other rape charges, we’ll be able to establish her as a liar on the stands. We’ll pull this same information out of her without Jon knowing, then we’ll present the cameras. I’ll pin the fact that if she can’t be honest in simple statements of fact, then how in the world could the jury trust her?”

  “Nice. I hate to drag her through the dirt though. The girl obviously has issues. You should have seen her that day. I know I should have pushed her back and said no to her offer. I get that, but she was so good at playing the seducer.” I let out a sigh and moved to make myself a salad.

  “Which is a little surprising at her age, but who knows why she does what she does. Attention? Money? Comfort?” Alisa picked up her glass of wine and lifted it toward me. “To us beating this case and moving onto the next one.”

  I chuckled. “I’m glad to see your spirits up. I thought it would be a struggle just to be around each other from here on out.”

  “It doesn’t have to be. At least not for right now.” She nodded toward the dining room. “Where are we eating?”

  “Let’s go in the living room. I started a fire a little while ago. It’s supposed to get pretty chilly tonight.” I walked toward the glow of the flames and stopped only to turn on the large overhead light. It was far too romantic, and though I’d love to spend my evening seducing the gorgeous woman who was quickly stealing my thoughts, I knew she wouldn’t appreciate it. Besides, I quite enjoyed the level of comfort that had developed between us over the last twenty minutes.

  “This is beautiful. The whole house is.” She moved to the coffee table and got down on her knees before kicking off her sandals and glancing up at me. “Grab the bottle of wine.”

  “You’re turning into a regular drinker, aren’t you?” I sat my salad down and smirked at the expression I got back from her. She could steal my heart so fast it would make my head spin, but maybe I was still needy and raw from Lindsay leaving. It was a relief of sorts, but like I’d explained to Alisa on more than one occasion... I was lonely.

  Not as lonely as you’re going to be in jail.

  I fixed our plates and balanced them on one arm, my free hand holding the bottle of wine. I walked back into the living room and paused for a minute, wanting to take in the scene before me. The thought that she belonged there, here, with me raced through me, but I forced it away.

  “What do you do with a big house all to yourself?” She turned and move to her knees, taking the plates from me and setting them on the table. “Do you have dogs or a large family that I don’t know about?”

  “No. It’s just me. I had to host a lot of functions when we first opened the firm, and we still do a lot here, or did, but that was the main purpose. The cabin I have outside of the city is honestly the perfect size for me. It has two bedrooms and is intensely cozy.”

  I sat down next to her and started to work on my salad.

  “I’d like to go visit it sooner than later. I’m not sure what Mr. Mills is going to come back with, but I really would love to be fully prepared to blast him if he tries to blast us first.” She picked up her fork and took another bite of her salad before turning to me. “Let’s sign the papers now and get it out of the way.”

  “Sure. Are you in a hurry? I don’t want to cause you to be late for something. A date perhaps?” I hated to ask because in all actuality, I didn’t want to know, but I asked regardless.

  “No. I’m just wrapping up a rather shitty divorce.” She moved to her knees and crawled out of the small space we were sitting in. The view of her rear caused my stomach to tighten, my body to harden. How badly I wanted to skip over dinner and lay her out anywhere she would let me. She couldn’t have been with a man that would focus on her pleasure like I would.

  “Where are you going?” I picked up the knife beside my plate and cut my steak and then hers.

  She walked back into the living room with a handful of papers and two pens. “To start this arduous process. It’s exhausting.”

  “Oh joy.” I reached up and took the packet from her before making a little bit of room on the table.

  She sat down beside me and made a small sound of appreciation. “Did you cut my steak?”

  “Yeah. We only had one knife, and I thought it might be the gentlemanly thing to do.”

  She made a few more soft groans and grunts over the food as I started to sign the papers. I glanced over at her and lifted my eyebrow. “Stop making those sounds. I’m behaving as best I can, and you’re making it extremely difficult to focus.”

  The innocent look on her face stole my breath, and I set the pen down and moved toward her slowly.

  She held up her hand and pressed it to my chest. “Zek, what’re you doing?”

  “I’m warning you to stop making those sexy sounds. You think I’ve forgotten what a tease you can be? I don’t buy your innocence for a minute. I’ve known you all my life. Just because we’re reconnecting doesn’t mean you can pull the wool over my eyes.” Adoration for the bea
utiful blonde-haired girl beside me swirled in the center of my stomach and I reached out again, touching the side of her face this time. “Why are you getting a divorce? What did he do? I need to know.”

  She placed her hand over mine, stilling my actions and squeezing softly before pulling my fingers from her soft skin. “It’s not what he did. I worked far too many late nights. He left me a couple of months ago, but I guess I deserved it.”

  “No, you didn’t. Don’t talk like that, Alisa.” I brushed her hair off her shoulder. “I know you don’t want to hear this, but you honestly have to be the most beautiful woman I’ve seen in such a long time.”

  “Oh yeah?” She glanced at me, cockiness written all over her expression. “And who was the last beautiful woman you saw before me.”

  “This girl that left me hard as a rock and wanting to wait around forever for her. You wouldn’t know her. She was a complete hellion.” I pulled my hand back and turned to the table, working to sign a few more papers as I continued to tease her. “She’s the kind of girl who would never, ever be seen in a monkey suit or doing anything that didn’t lead to a good time.”

  “I know the type.” She pressed her shoulder against mine, shocking me. “You have to watch out for those girls. They’re usually just teases. They’ll bring you to the edge of pleasure, or fun, or love and leave you hanging. Such bitches.”

  “You’re in such a great mood tonight. I like it.” I pushed the papers away and filled up our wine glasses. “And all of this is because you think you’ve cracked the rape case, or is some of it because you believe me now?”

  Her smile faded. “I believed you from the minute we spoke in the restaurant a few days ago. I know you, Zek. There’s no way you would do anything that Melissa has claimed you’ve done. In my mind, it’s not possible. I’m happy because I honestly think we have them. It just feels good. It’s why I do what I do.”

  “I’m glad.” I focused on my dinner, not wanting to probe, but needing to know her thoughts behind her comment the day before in her office.

  “What is it?” She pressed her shoulder to mine again, and the smell of her vanilla soap or shampoo ran straight to my dick, tugging me toward losing the battle that raged inside of me.

  “I’m just still mulling over your comment about it not being safe to go into the woods with me.” I took another sip of my wine and turned to her. “Clark said you’re fearless, so why would you say something like that? I got pissed because I thought you were trying to tell me that you were scared of me.”

  “I am scared of you. And, dammit, stop talking to my brother about me.” She reached out and touched the side of my face, her fingers grazing over the trimmed hair on my cheeks and chin. “When did you decide to keep a beard?”

  “A while back. You don’t like it?” I looked down into her deep blue eyes and felt the need to move in for a long slow kiss. I wanted to taste her, and her mouth would just be the start of the night if it were up to me.

  “I love it.” She brushed her fingers along my cheek again, her thumb running over my lip as she got that soft, needy look on her face I used to love to see.

  “Why are you scared of me?” I moved closer, pushing against her hand and sliding my fingers along her thigh down to her knee and back up. “The thought of it makes me feel horrible.”

  “Because of how badly I feel every bit of desire for you that I felt all those years ago. It scares me.” She moved toward me, but I didn’t give her the upper hand. If we were kissing, it would be because I wanted us to. She was aggressive and confident, but I was soon to be her man, and I would be in control.

  Whether she liked it or not.

  CHAPTER NINE

  Alisa

  I hadn’t meant for the moment to move toward us kissing, but I shifted toward him without a thought.

  His fingers slid into my hair, the pressure at the base of my head so deliciously firm as his lips met mine. The kiss wasn’t sweet and endearing, but filled with hunger and need.

  A groan escaped me as I tilted my head slightly and opened up to him, needing so badly to taste him. His tongue slid by mine and he pulled me in close, forcing our chests together as his hand brushed down my back and rubbed softly just above my ass.

  He was being respectful, but I wish he wouldn’t have.

  The brush of his teeth against my bottom lip as I pulled back left my insides melting. It had been far too long since I’d wanted anyone as badly as I wanted him. I leaned in for another kiss and he pulled me into his lap, the tight space affording me only one position without having to break the moment.

  Sliding my arms up onto the couch behind his head, I pressed myself against the thick bulge I was sure to find sitting against his lower stomach. Straddling him was a horrible idea and yet had to be the most delicious feeling I could remember entertaining.

  “Fuck,” I mumbled against his mouth and rolled my hips, needing to feel him against me. The desire to test whether he would fit tucked deeply inside of me ran by my mind and I moaned deep in my chest.

  “What are we doing, Alisa?” His hands moved down to cup my face as he licked at my mouth before moving down my neck. His fingers dug into my hand as he flattened me against him and ran his nose from the base of my throat to my ear. “This is your fault.”

  I pressed a kiss to the side of his neck and nuzzled him as lust pumped through me. I didn’t want to snuggle or be sweet in the slightest. I wanted to be stripped naked and held down as he fucked me long into the night, but it wasn’t happening.

  “I need you so goddamn bad. Did you know that, naughty girl?” He licked my ear and shifted his hips, grinding against me as I cried out against his neck.

  “Me too,” I mumbled and sat up, sliding my hands down his chest. “We can’t do this.”

  “I know.” He moved to stand, holding me tightly against him. He was a powerhouse and holding me wasn’t at all an issue for him. I wrapped my legs around his waist as he turned and laid me down on the couch just behind us.

  As his weight came down on me, I groaned with pleasure. He glanced up, the desire in his blue eyes searing me in places I’d almost forgotten about.

  “You’re so beautiful. So sexy.” He ran his nose along the top of my chest, his tongue snaking out to lick the top of my breasts as I whimpered. “So talented and cocky.”

  “I’m confident. You’re cocky.” I undulated my hips, sliding along his arousal. I wanted to reach down and stroke him, to remember how truly naughty I’d been when we were younger together. There had been so many nights of me reaching for him and him pulling my hand from his cock, turning me and trying to calm me as hormones ripped through my body. I needed a good fuck then, and I needed one now.

  “Yes, I agree.” He moved down my body, his teeth pressing against my flesh just over my clothes as he went. A sharp cry left me as he gripped my thighs and tugged them open before pressing his mouth to my sex and biting down.

  “Oh God.” I closed my eyes and arched my back as a shiver danced down my spine. My nipples ached for his attention, my body wet and pulsing.

  “You smell so good. I can almost taste your arousal.” He licked at my center as I opened my eyes and watched him. There would never be a better man for me. The way he made me feel left me needy for another hit of him and we hadn’t even parted ways, though we should.

  “I need to go.” I arched my back again, and he flicked his tongue over me. Fucking clothes.

  “You need to stay. My cock’s rock hard, and it’s your fault. It’s been a theme over all of my life, but you knew that, didn’t you?” He chuckled darkly as pleasure raced down my nervous system, pressing against each intimate part of me as it did.

  He tugged my shirt up and shifted again, pressing his soft lips to my stomach and breathing in deeply as if he wanted to stain his lungs with my scent.

  Take my pants off. Rip my panties next. Taste me. Please. I need you so damn bad.

  Tears burned my eyes, but I played it off, lifting my hands and moaning
as I brushed my palms by my face and collected the evidence.

  Strong hands pressed into my side and slid upward, cupping my breasts and massaging firmly. The rhythmic flicking of his thumb over my nipples caused me to jerk up, almost knocking him backward.

  “I need to go. My insides are on fire.” I hadn’t realized I was panting, but quickly tried to calm myself once I did. All of our long nights of petting each other danced along my vision, leaving me weak to his assault.

  He moved up between my legs and wrapped his strong arms around me. “Whatever you want, but you know I want you here with me in my bed.”

  “Do you?” I looked down into his familiar face and pressed myself to his front as my fingers moved along the thick swell of muscles on his back. He was beyond every fantasy I’d ever had, and yet my time to break free and not taint our relationship was running thin.

  “Of course I do.” He brushed his lips up my neck to my ear. “And against the wall in my bedroom. Pinned down on this couch. Pressed to the shower wall. In my car. My office. Your office against the window.”

  I groaned and pushed at him before untangling and standing up. “Shit.”

  “Alisa.” He moved to stand and my eyes moved down him, which was a mistake.

  The quick rise and fall of his chest combined with the sexy vein at the side of his throat pulsing wildly was almost too much. The outline of his cock against his jeans undid me. My mouth started to water as I imagined hitting my knees and sucking him as his fingers tightened in my hair and he lost himself to the pleasure I would provide in thick, heavy waves.

  Reaching down, I gathered the papers and tried to clean up as my movements boarded on frantic. I had to leave, had to save us from a mistake we might not survive. I couldn’t let myself fall for a man who was likely to head to jail for God knew how long.

  “Alisa.” He reached down and jerked me up, his hand comforting albeit tight around my shoulders. “Baby, don’t run from me. Please.”

  “I’m running. This isn’t happening between us.” I pulled from him as my heart raced. “I’m your attorney, Zek. Once the trials are over, we can see what this thing is between us, but not before. I can’t go into a courtroom and defend you as my client when you’re really my lover.”