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Lawfully His (A Dirty Business Novel Book 1)

Page 6

by Michelle Betham


  I find the men’s room, and after glancing quickly around to make sure nobody’s about, I tap gently on the door and wait a couple of beats before I slowly push it open. He’s standing right opposite the doorway, leaning back against the row of sinks, his hands in his pockets. He’s taken off his jacket, it’s hanging on the back of the chair by the door, and he’s rolled his shirtsleeves up over his forearms. He’s ready. I’m not sure about me.

  “Everything go okay with Dana?”

  “She just wanted to welcome me to the family.”

  He says nothing to that, just smiles slightly, and then he moves forward, leans across me and flicks a lock on the back of the door. I wasn’t even aware the restrooms had locks on the main doors, but this one obviously has. “Just in case you were worried about anyone disturbing us.”

  “Strange place for a meeting, don’t you think?”

  We change position; I lean back against the row of sinks and fold my arms, and he slides his hands back into his pockets and smiles again.

  “You really aren’t gonna make this easy for me, are you?”

  “A man like you wants it easy? I would’ve thought a challenge was more your thing.”

  He laughs quietly and briefly bows his head.

  “Do you do this with all your new female employees, huh?”

  He raises his gaze and his eyes lock on mine. “No, Lola, I don’t.”

  “So why me?”

  “I enjoyed our night together.”

  “That’s the reason?”

  “I’m not here to play games.”

  “Oh, so, this isn’t what we’re doing? Right now?”

  He moves a little closer to me, and his eyes never leave mine, not for one second, and I feel a shiver trickle down the back of my neck, edging its way down my spine until it hits my core and I literally feel the breath catch in my throat. I don’t want this man in any way other than a selfish sexual release, but he’s still making me feel all kinds of crazy.

  He reaches out and cups my cheek and he edges closer still, his mouth bearing down on mine but not quite touching it. “The second I touched you I wanted you. In a million different ways, I wanted you.”

  “I’m flattered.”

  He smiles again, and he keeps his hand against my cheek, his thumb stroking my lower lip and in spite of myself I know I’m wet.

  “I could walk out of here, right now, and leave you with no other option but to jerk off, alone, in one of those stalls. If I wanted to.”

  “Do you want to?”

  “You’re my boss. I’m not sure I have that option.”

  “I’m not forcing you to do anything, Lola.”

  “So, when you told me, over lunch on my first day here, that you were changing my job description, adding ‘extra’ duties; when you told me if I wanted to keep this job you’d advise me against fighting those duties… you didn’t mean that, huh?”

  “I didn’t want you to walk away.”

  “But I did. Didn’t I?”

  “Yet, you’re still here. And why is that, huh?”

  “You’re such a bastard.”

  He smiles, and I feel my stomach jolt, and then he leans into me and gently nips my bottom lip with his teeth before kissing me quickly. And my stomach jolts again, making me gasp, and I hate that he’s doing this; hate that I’m responding in this way but, Jesus, I want to fuck him. I want him to fuck me. I want him to take me like some low-down filthy whore right here in the restroom, I want that so bad. I just don’t want him to think I’m that easy; that I’m just going to give in like some simpering, infatuated female every time he clicks his fingers. I’m not that, I never will be.

  “Doesn’t that turn you on?” he murmurs, his mouth still resting lightly against mine. “Me, being a bastard?”

  “Jesus,” I laugh, and he’s pressed right up against me now, his cock hard and rigid, I can feel it, digging into my hip. “Which TV movie did you walk straight out of?”

  His hand slides to my neck, and he pushes my head back as his mouth crashes down onto mine, kissing me hard, and I’m already reaching up under my skirt to get rid of my panties.

  “Let me.” He almost growls the words, and I feel another of those now-familiar shivers tear through me as his hand grazes my thigh and his fingers hook into the sides of my panties, dragging them down until they hit the floor. I step out of them and kick them aside, and I close my eyes as he kisses me again, his hand on my neck applying just a touch more pressure, but all that seems to do is heighten everything.

  “Did I say I was ready?” I whisper, but I’m already loosening my shirt, and his eyes drop to my breasts still encased in a black lace push-up bra.

  “You’re ready.” He drops a hand to the hem of my skirt and pushes it up over my thighs, his fingers gently and quickly brushing my labia, causing me to widen my stance a little. “You are more than ready, Ms. Burrows.”

  I tuck a finger under his chin and lift his head so his eyes meet mine, and I kiss him again. I slide my tongue inside his mouth; I taste him. And as I do that I flick the front catch on my bra and let my breasts spill free, and I take his hand and place it over one of them, my nipple immediately hardening against his palm. And he groans, and I smile, because I’ve just taken the lead right from under his nose. I’m in control now, and for a fleeting second I wish I could be this much in control of the mess that is my personal life. And then I lose that thought because I don’t want to lose this control. Yes, he can have me, any fucking way he wants, but only if I let him. Only if I say so. Only if I allow it.

  His eyes drop to his hand on my breast, and I throw back my head and enjoy the sensation his slow, circular motions are causing. And when he dips his head and takes a nipple in his mouth I have to bite down on my lip to stop the groan from echoing off the empty restroom walls. Someone might hear, but I think that’s what he gets off on most; the danger.

  He lifts me up and sits me down on the edge of the counter, spreading my legs as he steps between them, and I watch as he reaches behind into his back pocket and pulls out a condom. The man’s prepared, I’ll give him that, and I continue to watch as he sets free his impressive cock, deftly slipping the condom over his erection, and I breathe in deep as I prepare to take him.

  He places his hands on my knees, keeping my legs wide apart, and he looks right into my eyes as he thrusts into me; I’ve noticed he likes to do that – look at me when he makes that first thrust inside of me. He gets off on that, too. Is that a power thing? Does that make him feel in control, make him feel like he’s got me?

  I wrap my legs around him and lean back slightly, taking him deep, this needs to be quick. We haven’t got time for anything long and drawn out, this is a fast release fuck, for both of us. Oh, I suspect he thinks this is his release only, that he needs some relief after this morning’s deposition, but I need relief too. I need my escape; my distraction.

  I lock my ankles together behind his back, pushing him deeper into me, and he takes my face in his hands and he kisses me hard, so hard I can almost feel the bruises start to form, but, Oh God, it’s hot. It’s so fucking hot, I can barely breathe.

  He slides a hand into the small of my back and angles me slightly, dipping his head to suck on a nipple again, his tongue flicking and probing and I want him to do that inside my pussy. I want him to make me come with his tongue, but not now. That can’t happen now. But just the thought of it sends me over the edge, until I’m coming so fast I have to cling on to him as wave after wave wracks my body, sending it into a spasm of tiny convulsions that set him off, too.

  It’s over in minutes. He’s had his fix, I know, because he’s zipping himself back up and straightening his tie; he’s putting his jacket on, making sure he doesn’t have a hair out of place.

  “Put these back on.” He hands me my panties and watches as I slip back into them. “We’ve got work to do.”

  He starts to walk toward the door but I stop him. And it’s a completely involuntary action, that hand on his
arm, I don’t think I meant to do it. I could be stepping over a line here. But then, I think we both stepped over that line a few nights ago.

  He looks down at my fingers clutching the soft material of his suit jacket, and then he raises his gaze and his eyes meet mine.

  “You said if I didn’t agree to your terms I couldn’t work for you. And you still haven’t told me whether you meant that or not. Whether that threat was real…”

  “I meant it.”

  I don’t believe him. But I don’t tell him that. “If we have no emotional connection, though, why would it matter? I could still be your secretary, and you could find some other…”

  “A physical connection is just as important to me. More so. I don’t respond to emotion.”

  “Ever?”

  He just looks at me, the corner of his mouth twisting up into an irritatingly sexy smirk. And he doesn’t reply, what was I expecting?

  “What if you get bored? What if, one day, you wake up and you just don’t want to fuck me in between meetings or court appearances or depositions anymore? What happens then, huh?”

  In a movement so quick I just didn’t see it coming, he takes my hand and swings me around, pushing me back against the restroom door, his fingers tightening around mine as he leans right into me. “You’re not going anywhere, Lola. I don’t intend to get bored, I’m not gonna tire of you and do you want to know how I know that? Because you’re gonna make sure it doesn’t happen. It’s your job to keep me happy, remember?”

  “And if I don’t? If I can’t?”

  He smiles, and he looks down as his thumb strokes my knuckles. “That isn’t gonna happen either, Lola.” He lets go of my hand and steps back. “You leave first. I’ll see you back at the office. We need to go over a few things regarding the Mason/Stanford case so, could you make sure those files are on my desk before I get back up there?”

  I turn to go, but as I rest my hand on the door I turn back to face him. And he just looks at me, his expression impassive. As far as he’s concerned my job here is done. So I leave, darting quickly into the ladies restroom next door first, just to make sure there are no tell-tale signs, that my make-up is still in place, my hair not too messed up. I look fine. I feel slightly cheap, but at the same time I feel like I’ve just had a shot of confidence fired straight into me, and I smile at my reflection. Yeah. I can do this. I can make this work, for me.

  I head back to my cubicle, trying hard to keep the smile off my face. I think I’m actually getting off on the danger of what me and Evan are doing. It’s wrong and exciting and everything I need. Now. Who’s to say how long it’s going to last, but while it’s happening; while I need it, I’m taking it.

  I hunt out the files Evan needs and place them on his desk before I return to mine to check his afternoon schedule. So my head’s down when I hear someone approach, and I keep my eyes down, even when I’m aware they’ve stopped right by my cubicle.

  “Something I can…?”

  I slowly look up.

  And that’s when I feel my entire world shift on its axis…

  Seven

  Lola

  “Lola, I… Jesus…”

  “I thought you were back in Toronto.”

  My voice is surprisingly steady, given the circumstances; calm. I’m calm. Why is that? Why am I so calm? Because inside I’m falling apart.

  “I was, I… What are… what are you doing here?”

  “I work here.” I really don’t know how I’m keeping it together, I don’t. I just know that I have to, because this isn’t the time or the place to scream and shout and ask this man why he left me alone on our wedding day. Why he ran without giving me even the slightest hint that something was wrong. Why he killed us. I can’t do that here, and I want to. Oh, God, do I want to. “And I could ask you the same question.”

  “I… I work here, too. I start tomorrow. I’m a new junior partner, I… Yeah. I just wanted to come in and check with Evan that everything was good.”

  I feel like I’m working on auto pilot; like my mouth’s working, the words are coming out, I’m functioning, but only because I have to. Inside I’m a bigger mess than I’ve ever been. “You finally landed your dream job, huh?”

  “Look, Lola, I…”

  “Not here. Okay?” I look over as Evan strides down the wide, bright corridor, deep in conversation with a man I assume is Kyle Powers, because he fits the description Jess gave me earlier. “And Evan, he knows nothing about my personal life so, let’s keep it that way.”

  Evan pats Kyle on the shoulder, laughs loudly, and as he turns and catches sight of Mike at my cubicle he smiles in our direction and heads over, extending a hand to Mike.

  “Glad you could stop by today, Mike. I really appreciate it.”

  Mike shakes his hand, and I watch as the man I love and the man I’m fucking exchange greetings. And I try to cling on to some shred of sanity, because my world has just gone way beyond complicated now.

  “Lola, this is Mike Carrington, our new junior partner. He’s going to be working alongside me on the Mason/Stanford case, so, anything he needs on that score, you help him out, okay? His office is just down there.” He turns his attention back to Mike, and I try to keep my expression stoic. “Until we can sort you out a secretary of your own, anything you need, you just come see Lola, all right?” Evan’s eyes swerve to meet mine, a slight smirk on his face as he looks at me. “She’s only been with me a few days, but I can’t be without her now.”

  I feel my stomach twist and turn and I feel sick, physically sick, my head’s spinning, but I have to deal with this. And it’s hard, it’s so hard.

  “Anyway, now you’re here, Mike, you couldn’t give me a couple of hours, could you? It’d be a real help. There are a few details regarding the case that need going over before we make our next move and I’d really value your input. I take it you’re up to speed with everything?”

  “Yes, I… I’ve looked over all the notes you sent me. And I think I might’ve found something.”

  “Good. Those rumors about you being one of the best young lawyers in the city might just be true, huh?” Evan’s eyes meet mine again, and I hold his gaze, I try to stay focused, and I hope I’m winning this. “I trust you’ve left those files on my desk, Lola? The ones I asked for?”

  I nod, because I’m not sure I can do anything else right now, I need a minute. I need this not to be happening. What the hell have I done to warrant being thrown into this huge, hot mess of a situation?

  “Okay. Thank you. Look, could you order us in some Chinese? We can eat while we go over those documents, if that’s all right with you, Mike?”

  Mike glances quickly over at me but I’ve already averted my gaze, I’m already ordering lunch and hoping they’ll be holed up in that office long enough for me to get my head around this.

  “Yeah, that – that’s fine.”

  “Come on through. Nothing like throwing you in at the deep end, huh?”

  It isn’t until Evan closes the door behind them that I finally let out a breath, closing my eyes, just for a second.

  “You all right?”

  My eyes snap open at the sound of Jess’s voice. “Yeah. Yeah, I’m fine.”

  “You sure? You look like you’ve… oh. Don’t tell me. Kyle’s paid you a visit, hasn’t he? I’d recognize that dead-eyed expression anywhere.”

  “No, that isn’t – no. That isn’t it.”

  “He still hasn’t stopped by your cubicle? The man must be slipping…” She looks up and glances into Evan’s office, and her face breaks into something verging on a leer. “Who is that in there with Evan?”

  “New junior partner. Starts tomorrow, apparently.”

  “He’s the new junior partner? I knew Evan and Dana had found someone, I just didn’t think they had such great taste in eye candy. Seems quite young, too.”

  “He’s thirty-three.”

  She shrugs. “Young enough. He got a name?”

  “Mike. Mike Carrington. He’
s my ex-fiancé. The man who, just three months ago, jilted me on our wedding day.”

  She looks at me, and I can tell she’s trying to digest what I’ve just told her. “He’s…? Okay. Grab your jacket, Ms. Burrows. We’re going to lunch.”

  *

  “And you have no idea why he did it?”

  I shake my head, my eyes down, my fork absentmindedly stabbing at the penne on my plate. “No one heard a thing from him for months after he left, at least, that’s what they all told me. My roommate – my best friend – her boyfriend’s Mike’s brother…”

  Jess whistles quietly and takes a sip of wine. “Nothing awkward there, then.”

  I smile slightly, and I wish this was dinner rather than lunch because I need more than one glass of wine. But I don’t know how long Evan is going to need me today, and a clear head is essential. A clear head… I almost laugh out loud. My head hasn’t been clear since Mike left me. And now he’s back. And I know I never stopped loving him. I never fucking stopped.

  “Eric’s a good guy. So was Mike, it just…” I stab another piece of penne; I don’t actually know if I’ve eaten any of it, I’m all over the place right now. “It didn’t work. I just don’t know why. Maybe it was the age difference, I mean, he’s six years younger than me, but – we just never saw it, y’know? It wasn’t an issue.”

  “And you had no idea he was joining Cavendish King?”

  “No. None. I thought he was back home in Toronto, that’s what I was told. The first thing I’ve been told, as far as Mike’s concerned, since the day he jilted me. I mean, I knew he was looking for a place in the best law firm he could find, but when they said he was back in Canada I just assumed – I assumed he was going to stay there. His father’s the managing partner of a law firm – a very good law firm – in Toronto, and even though Mike said he didn’t want to work with his father, he wanted to make it on his own…” I drag a hand through my hair and sit back in my chair. “When they said he was back in Canada, I just assumed he’d decided to take up his father’s offer after all.”

 

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