‘Like trouble,’ she said, pressing closer. ‘But okay, if we do this we have to keep it simple.’
‘Very simple.’
Ruby nodded so seriously Sam had to pull back from kissing her again. ‘No unnecessary promises and no repercussions,’ she pressed.
‘None.’
‘And no emotional entanglements. From either one of us.’
The light breeze swept a few strands of hair across her face. Sam pushed them back. ‘Ever do anything without a caveat, Clarkson?’
‘Not usually,’ she grumbled reluctantly. ‘Is that a problem?’
‘No, my crazy little control freak, it’s not.’
‘I am not a—’
‘You are and I love it.’ He crushed her lips beneath his in a greedy kiss, only coming up for air when they were both breathless and wanting.
‘Feel what you do to me, Ruby. What we do to each other.’ He ran the pad of his thumb across her lower lip, soothing her swollen flesh. ‘What have you got to lose by saying yes?’
Her eyes were heavy-lidded with a desire he knew was reflected in his own. ‘Nothing,’ she whispered.
But what Sam heard in her voice, what he felt when she tightened her arms around his neck, was everything. And he didn’t know if he was the one thinking that, or she was.
CHAPTER NINE
ON THEIR NEXT weekend together they flew to Melbourne, hired a car and drove along the rugged cliffs of the Great Ocean Road.
Victoria wasn’t as warm as New South Wales, so Sam had stopped at a local market and bought her a shawl to wrap herself in. They’d stayed in a gorgeous house overlooking the sea in Apollo Bay, lit an open fire in the hearth and toasted marshmallows, talking about everything from horror exam days at university to the merits of the government’s new environmental-law package, and favourite Broadway musicals—none in Sam’s case, loads in hers.
Ruby found out that Sam had gone into law because his father was usually scathing about it, and she’d told him how she had an over-developed sense of fairness that drove her to want to set things right.
The following weekend Sam had flown them to Far North Queensland, where they’d stayed in an eco-resort and snorkelled with dolphins, and slept out under the stars. Kong had gone with them on both trips, proving to be an excellent travelling companion apart from the sofa leg he had chewed at the house in Apollo Bay, and which Sam had already replaced with a more expensive version.
When both Molly and Miller had asked where she was going she had made up some new, top-secret case that she had to oversee, and, although they had looked suspicious, they were used to her working over weekends, so it wasn’t that much of a stretch for them to believe her.
That had been two weeks ago and since then Ruby had hardly seen, or heard from, Sam. Mainly that was due to Drew and Mandy having had their baby, a beautiful little girl, which had caused Sam’s responsibilities to double. Then last week he’d had to fly to LA when an old case he’d been working on had blown up. He’d been sorry to cancel yet another weekend together but he’d had no choice.
He’d even thanked her for taking it so well, but what had he expected? That she would get clingy? Ruby didn’t do clingy. Ever.
And really, Sam’s being away had been a good thing. Her own caseload had significantly increased since the merger and she’d needed a lot of uninterrupted time to get on top of it.
She’d also used her free weekend to catch up with her mother and Phil, the fiancé.
They’d lunched at a chic French bistro on the previous Sunday, and her mother had been delighted to fill her in on the story of their romance.
Apparently theirs had been a whirlwind affair—her mother’s favourite kind—and Ruby only hoped this one would last longer than the many others over the years. Though, to be fair, none of the others had made it to the engagement stage. It still surprised Ruby that after her father had walked out, leaving her mother shocked and devastated, she was optimistic enough to date as often as she had and to even try marriage again. But she had to admit that her mother did seem happy with Phil, and that was all Ruby had ever wished for her.
With Sam’s sage words in her ear—words she hadn’t wanted to hear at the time—about her mother being a big girl and able to take care of herself, Ruby found herself biting her tongue rather than warning her mother to be careful. Of course, she didn’t think that her behaviour was that different from the norm, but Molly had frowned at her after the lunch and asked if she was okay.
‘Fine,’ she’d said blithely. ‘I’ve just decided to stop trying to save Mum when it’s obvious she doesn’t want, or need, that from me any more.’
Molly gaped at her. ‘Okay, where’s my sister and how much do you want for her return?’
At the time Ruby had given her that look, but deep down she wondered the same thing. She did feel different at times—looser and less worried about everything, and always wondering what Sam was doing. Like now, for instance, when she should be preparing for a major meeting with Carter Jones she was actually working out the time difference in LA.
And every time she wondered if she was being a bit naive in agreeing to see Sam past that long weekend at the beach house, every time she wondered if she wasn’t getting in a little over her head, her body would pulse with remembered longing and she couldn’t bring herself to end it.
Yet.
But what was he doing now? Working, as he had said, or was he catching up with friends? Had he run into an old flame? Was his lack of contact a signal that he was already tiring of their relationship? Ruby’s stomach bottomed out. Had the time they had spent together been enough for him, while for her the more time she spent with him, the more she wanted to spend with him?
It took everything in her not to get uptight or paranoid, and she felt as if she’d succeeded right up until she heard his voice outside her office coming down the hallway.
‘That’s great news. Have their CFO call me. Those contract negotiations can get tricky when you least expect it, so she needs to be fully briefed ahead of time.’
Ruby only had a moment to collect herself before Sam was standing, larger than life, in her doorway, so handsome it hurt her heart to look at him.
Grant muttered a greeting, barely looking up from his computer, his fingers working furiously on the contract they were planning to put to Carter Jones in less than two hours’ time.
Leaving Grant to it, she smiled at Sam, only to find his expression so serious a lump formed in her throat. He had met someone in LA. Someone at a party, he was sorry, but what could he do? It was back to business as usual for them.
‘I’ve just heard that Jones has called a mediation meeting for this afternoon,’ he said, his dark eyes holding hers. ‘Are we ready for it?’
Quickly shifting gear from the personal to the professional, and hating the sick, insecure feeling clawing at her stomach, Ruby exhaled slowly. ‘Yes. He’s panicking because of the media leak last week, and also because we’ve refiled a motion with the court for a class action suit. He’s also no doubt wanting to capitalise on the fact that the mobile phone videos we have showing his managers browbeating their employees will likely be inadmissible in court.’
‘Move in for the kill while he assumes we’re hurting more than he is,’ Sam suggested.
‘Yes.’
Nodding, Sam glanced at his mobile phone. ‘I’ve cleared my diary for the next few hours. What time are you both leaving for his office?’
He’d cleared his diary? Ruby hadn’t even known he was back in the country. He hadn’t sent her a single text since asking how her afternoon went with her mother on Sunday. God, she hoped he didn’t sense how off-balance she felt right now.
‘An hour.’
Holding her gaze, Sam spoke to Grant. ‘Give us a minute, would you, Grant?’
It wasn’t a request and Grant didn’t take it as
one, balancing his open laptop in his arms as he left them alone.
Sam closed the door behind him and Ruby’s throat bobbed as she swallowed. ‘Was there something else?’
Sam came towards her, rounding her desk in three easy strides. ‘Yes.’ He pulled her to her feet, his eyes searching hers. ‘I’ve missed you.’
Stunned, Ruby could only stare up at him. She’d slipped her shoes off under her desk, so she felt tiny as he towered over her, his dark, hot eyes pinning her to the spot. Her heart was beating so hard inside her chest she’d be surprised if he couldn’t hear it as clearly as she could.
‘You’ve got exactly two seconds to tell me no before I kiss you,’ he murmured gruffly.
‘I...’ She moistened her lips, utterly intoxicated by the heady rush at having all that power and strength completely focused on her.
‘One.’ He stepped forward.
‘We shouldn’t.’
He took another step, his gaze on her mouth. ‘That’s not a no. Two.’
Not realising that he’d backed her against the wall until she felt its solid presence behind her, she flattened her hands against his hard chest. She knew if she told him to back off that he would. In a second. She didn’t want him to. Instead she slid her hands to his shoulders and moaned his name as his mouth crashed down over hers.
The kiss was delicious. Deep and drugging. Sam’s rough growl and powerful body letting her know just how much he wanted her. Ruby went liquid.
At that point she wouldn’t have cared if Drew and his father, and the whole executive team, were crowded into the room taking notes. She’d missed Sam more than she wanted to admit and it was heaven to be in his arms again. To be touching him again.
Fortunately Sam did care, easing back to rest his forehead against hers. When he felt her legs take her weight once more he released her and took a step back. ‘Sorry. I know that crossed your line, but the last two weeks have been interminable. Have dinner with me tonight.’
‘Okay.’ It wasn’t the weekend but she couldn’t have cared. ‘Oh, no! I can’t. I promised Molly I’d run through lines with her tonight. She has a big audition coming up.’
‘How long will that take?’
‘Not all night.’
His smile was slow and full of sensual promise just as Veronica hurried in carrying a packing box. ‘I just found this in—Oh, sorry, I didn’t realise you had someone with you.’
‘I was just leaving,’ Sam said smoothly. ‘Tonight,’ he added before leaving them.
Veronica set the box on Ruby’s desk. ‘I finally located your missing books.’ She started unpacking them. ‘So what’s on tonight?’
‘Nothing...’ Ruby surreptitiously smoothed the corners of her mouth, thankful that she hadn’t reapplied her lipstick after lunch. ‘Just a...a work thing.’
‘Oh, okay.’ Veronica gave her an enigmatic smile as she retreated to answer the ringing phone on her desk. ‘Well, enjoy your work thing and don’t forget your shoes this time.’
Ruby groaned. She hadn’t fooled Veronica one bit. She closed her laptop and slipped on her heels, a small smile tilting her lips. Probably she should feel a bit more worried about that. And maybe she would if her body wasn’t still buzzing from that kiss.
* * *
By the time they reconnected in the car that whisked them to the Star Burger building, Ruby was glad to have Grant along for the ride. She was a bag of nerves and she knew that was only because Sam was with them. Usually, she felt completely in charge by this stage of the proceedings, knowing that her preparation was rock-solid in the cases she worked on. Now, though, there was so much at stake and part of that was impressing Sam, which should not have been uppermost in her mind.
Pulling herself together, she flipped the switch on her emotions and focused on what she had to accomplish as the three of them strode into Carter Jones’s palatial suite of offices. After they were left cooling their heels for ten minutes Sam quietly informed the snooty receptionist that he would walk out and terminate all future negotiations with the restaurant giant if they were left to wait a second longer.
Miraculously, Carter’s personal assistant arrived—a woman who looked as if she’d stepped from the pages of Glamour magazine—and escorted them to a richly designed conference room.
Two minutes later Carter Jones, a large, balding man with bulging eyes strode in, flanked by Tom Roberts, his head lawyer, and six minions. Ruby knew of Tom’s reputation as a corporate shark and had little time for the man, who was as unscrupulous as he was smart. She didn’t bother to return his superior smile and nor did Sam or Grant.
Carter didn’t smile at all, glaring across the table at her and saying nothing, while Tom shuffled papers and started his opening pitch. Which was basically ‘we won’t pay and you don’t have a case’.
‘Please tell me you didn’t call us all the way down here just to go over old ground, Tom,’ Ruby said pleasantly. Having had him blustering on the phone to her on more than one occasion last week, she really wanted to close this case, not drag it out.
Tom’s mouth turned down at the corners. ‘We know you’re wanting to get local MP Tessa Miles involved to support your evidence—or lack thereof—but she won’t go on the stand, Ruby. You’re following a dead dodo with that one.’
Ruby gave him a cool look. ‘I’d recheck my information if I were you, Tom. Not only will Ms Miles go on the stand, but she’s already provided us with her written testimony. And yes, it is signed.’
That got Tom’s attention, and while he conversed with one of his minions Carter Jones stared down his nose at her, dismissing her out of hand before eyeballing Sam. ‘Who’s running this dud outfit, Ventura? You or your subordinate?’
‘Don’t mind me,’ Sam said, ‘I’m just window-dressing on this one.’
Carter tossed a mint into his mouth and chewed noisily. ‘You can’t win this case, Ms Clarkson. Those little videos you’re so proud of will be deemed inadmissible in court.’
‘Quite possibly,’ Ruby agreed, ‘but, with Ms Miles’s testimony and more potential clients contacting our office because of the recent media storm, we don’t need them.’
‘What other potential clients?’ Tom asked, choking on his water.
‘Didn’t you get my memo, Tom? You might want to check with your staff. We should be up to fifty by the time we get back to the office.’
Unsure whether to believe her or not, Tom stood up, sprouting reams of legal precedents and inadequate documentation until Carter snarled at him. ‘Sit the hell down and shut the hell up. You’ve been completely useless on this case from day one, Roberts.’
Tom turned crimson under the weight of Carter’s frog-like glare, his fellow lawyers shifting uneasily in their seats. Ruby almost felt sorry for the man. Almost.
‘All right, how much do those hungry little bloodsuckers want from me?’ Carter all but spat at her.
‘Carter, I think we should take a moment to consider our options,’ Tom suggested quietly.
‘Take all day,’ Sam drawled. ‘It won’t change anything.’
‘I don’t need a moment,’ Carter barked. ‘Give me a figure.’
Ruby named a fairly meagre sum that their clients had agreed upon, even though she had informed them that they were due a lot more.
‘Is that all?’ Carter Jones laughed incredulously. ‘You mean to tell me that I’ve been fighting this dog of a case for a pittance? I’ll accept your resignation forthwith, Roberts.’
‘That’s not all we want,’ Ruby added softly.
Carter’s bull neck swivelled to meet her direct gaze. ‘We also want you to make a yearly donation to refugee centres around the country.’ She named a figure and this time it was much more substantial.
Carter gave a hacking cough. ‘You’re pushing your luck, lady.’ He passed his gaze to Sam. ‘You going to just sit there and le
t her get away with this, Ventura?’
‘And a public apology,’ Ruby continued as if he hadn’t spoken. ‘In writing to each and every plaintiff.’
Carter’s thin lips were pressed so tightly together they looked like a jagged surgical scar. ‘No deal.’
‘I was hoping you’d say that.’ Ruby smiled. ‘I can’t wait to meet you in court, Mr Jones.’
‘Fine. I’ll do what you want.’ A thick white line of spittle collected at the corner of Carter’s mouth as he called her a derogatory name under his breath.
‘You call my associate that again—’ Sam said with such lethal softness it was scarier than waiting for a bomb to go off ‘—you and I will have a talk in a closed room.’
Carter’s beetle-like gaze sharpened as it moved between her and Sam, and Ruby felt her face turn pink as his upper lip curled unpleasantly. ‘Like that, is it?’
‘It’s not like anything,’ she interjected forcefully, knowing immediately that she should have kept her big mouth closed.
Carter started to laugh and Sam cut him off with a look.
‘We’ll have the contract on your desk within the hour,’ he said, taking over while Ruby could do nothing but inwardly curse her own ineptitude.
‘It’s in his inbox as we speak,’ Grant murmured, typing on his computer.
‘Dipping the wick a bit close to home, aren’t you, Ventura?’ Carter said snidely.
Having finally pulled herself together, Ruby gave Carter a quelling look. ‘You keep going, Mr Jones, and you’ll have a defamation suit launched against you as well as a class action. If that’s all, gentlemen—’ she cast a glance around the room ‘—we’ll be on our way. Sorry you lost your job, Tom.’
Physically vibrating with tension, Ruby thought she might snap in half as the three of them entered the lift and pressed the button for the ground floor.
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