“What the hell are you talking about?” His head cocked to one side.
“I don’t think Ms. Sharp would be pleased to know what you’ve been up to.”
“Rebecca? What does she have to do with us?”
His blue eyes turned dark and he abruptly stood.
She jumped and wrapped her arms around her middle.
With one hand, he rubbed the back of his neck. “I came here tonight to talk to you about the case. We’ve both had a long day. It’s probably best we meet at your office tomorrow. Around ten, if that works for you?”
“Ten is fine,” she responded.
He then stormed past and left the apartment.
She inhaled a sharp breath, stunned by his sudden departure. What just happened? When she mentioned Rebecca’s name, Christina saw his attitude change. He couldn’t get out of here fast enough.
Tears filled her eyes and jealousy twisted in her stomach. “Stop kidding yourself.” He doesn’t want me. I’m a temporary distraction. The sooner he’s out of my life, the better.
****
After another sleepless night, Christina’s eyes were masked with dark shadows. With the tip of her finger, she dabbed on concealer to hide their gloom, and then placed the makeup in her desk drawer.
“Did you even go home last night?” Vince knocked on her open office door with one hand and held a coffee tray with two cups in the other. “I don’t mean this in a bad way, but you look terrible.”
She pushed her chair away from the desk. “With compliments like that my ego is to surely swell.” She snatched the coffee from his hand. “Didn’t your mother tell you if you didn’t have anything nice to say, then don’t say anything at all?”
“Wow, someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed.”
“I didn’t get much sleep.” She pointed at the file on her desk. “This damn case has taken a turn for the worse, and my client doesn’t want to go to court. Her husband appears to be a clean-cut politician, but there’s more going on.”
“What about another woman?”
“I’ve checked. He’s covered all his tracks.” The caffeine gave her a boost of energy. She sat on the edge of her desk, dangling one of her shoes from the tip of her toes. “Speaking of another woman, I hear you have a girl friend.”
Vince jerked and his hand shook, spilling his coffee over the edge of his cup and onto his hand. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I had dinner at Antonio’s last night. He said I just missed you and your pretty lady.” She tossed him a tissue. “You’ve been holding out on me. I’m supposed to be your best friend.”
“I had dinner with a friend, that’s all.”
Vince blushed, a sure sign he must be smitten by whoever this lady was.
“Speaking of holding out, you’ve hardly mentioned a word about your weekend. I know something happened between you and that jerk.” He tucked a lock of hair, loose from its clip, behind her ear. “You’re not sleeping, you’ve been crying, and you look like hell. What’s going on?”
“Thanks, that’s the second time you’ve told me I look awful.” She leaned her head on his shoulder. “I feel as though I might snap at any moment. There’s so much happening—this case, my sister’s wedding, and Steven is around every corner. I can’t avoid him and I’ve damn tried my best.”
Vince put his arm around her.
“Had I known Ciccone would be mauling you at this hour, I would have called first.”
Her stomach clenched. Christina glanced over Vince’s shoulder and found Steven scowling from the open doorway.
****
Steven took a step closer to Vince.
Christina slid off her desk and jammed her body between them. Animosity sliced through the air.
Steven wasn’t sure whose loathing soared higher. He was envious of Vince’s strong relationship with Christina and he didn’t care if Vince liked him.
She placed her hands on their chests.
He was sure the last thing she wanted was him and Vince brawling in her office. The well-manicured fingers lying on Steven’s chest warmed his skin right through his shirt.
“You’re early. Our meeting isn’t until ten.”
He flinched as her glare landed on him. “I had to schedule another appointment and hoped we could meet now.” He stared at Vince who stood with a rigid posture. “Give it up, buddy. Your infatuation with Christina is pathetic. She needs a real man.”
Vince took a step closer, pressing Christina tighter in the middle. “I’m not your buddy, and if anyone here is to be pitied, it’s you. What does it take for you to understand she can’t stand the sight of you? Just being in the same room with you makes her physically ill.”
Though the words stung, Steven ignored the other man’s bitterness. He moved closer, pinning Christina and enjoying the warmth of her curves.
“Stop it, both of you! Someone will get hurt if you don’t put an end to this foolishness, and I don’t want to be the one on the receiving end of a flying fist.” She turned to Vince, putting a restraining hand on his arm. “I have to discuss this case with Steven. I’ll catch up with you later.”
At the sight of her hand on another man’s body, Steven clenched his hands at his sides. Why couldn’t he control his jealousy?
“I’ll be fine,” she told Vince.
Vince stepped to the side and then slammed his shoulder into Steven’s as he walked by. “Take the hint, buddy, she wants nothing to do with you.”
I’ll trash this piece of garbage. Afraid what the man said was true, Steven stepped forward, ready to pounce on Vince, but Christina grabbed Steven’s arm just in time. Her fingernails bit through the sleeve of his jacket, but her persistence didn’t stop him from throwing a verbal punch. “You don’t know anything about my relationship with Christina.” He stood straight, legs apart, and his arms across his chest. “You need to let go of her skirt and find someone else to chase.”
With a flash of a grin, Vince winked at Christina and then turned to leave. “Next time, I won’t let her stop me from putting you in your place.”
“I look forward to it.” Steven squared his shoulders.
She shoved him aside and slammed the door shut. “You daft idiot. Are you insane? Picking a fight with my colleague. Where is your professionalism?”
“I’m not the one making out in my office.” The sight of Christina resting her head on Vince’s shoulder had made Steven’s stomach rotate into a tight knot.
“We weren’t making out. We were…oh, forget it. I’m done explaining myself to you. I’m running on minimal sleep and now I have a throbbing headache. I don’t have the patience to cope with your childish behavior. You came here to discuss the case, so discuss.” She popped a pill she retrieved from her purse and swallowed a mouthful of coffee. “My client doesn’t want to go to court. The media will not be kind and she wants to protect her children. I need more time.”
Christina had excellent gut instincts regarding twisted divorce cases. She would soon discover the missing piece to the puzzle. Steven had followed her career. She never allowed distractions to get in her way, but he was more than a distraction. Christina would absolutely hate playing nice, but she didn’t have a choice.
“I can’t. My client wants this wrapped up immediately.”
She leaned against her desk, extending her long legs. “Your client needs this divorce case publicized to win his election.”
Steven didn’t rebut because her assessment was correct.
“My client isn’t having an affair. Give me a couple more days…please.”
Steven stared at those sexy legs, remembering a time when they were entangled with his. His pulse skipped a beat.
Sliding them backward, she retracted her legs.
Too late. He closed the distance and lifted her on the desk. His legs forced hers apart as he nudged between them. He could take her right here, in her office, and she wouldn’t have the will to stop him. He trailed light kisses down her
neck.
With a sigh, she closed her eyes and leaned her head to one side.
“Hell, woman, you know what it does to me when you say please,” he whispered against her skin. “You’re playing a dangerous game, but you won’t win.” He leaned his forehead against hers. “You want something from me, and I want something from you. I say we make a deal.”
“I’m listening.” She held his gaze.
“I’ll give you a few days. I might even convince my client to joint custody.”
Her eyebrows rose. “You could do that?”
“I can and will.” Steven slipped his hand in her hair and removed her hair clip, tangling his fingers in her hair. “If you agree to one night.”
“What?” She pushed him and jumped off the desk, straightening her skirt. “You can’t be serious? You want me to have sex with you in order to win my case?”
Steven laughed. “Listen to my terms before you go into hysterics. I’m suggesting a date—candlelight dinner, wine, conversation, and dancing.” His intention was to wine and dine her—to win her back.
“There has to be more. There always is with you.”
“You’re beautiful when you’re upset.”
She snatched the hair clip from his hand and lifted her hair to secure it in place. “What happens after the date?”
“That will be up to you.” He rested his arms over his chest. “I’d be willing to oblige a suggestion of an intimate ending.”
She pressed a finger on his chest. “You’re lower than hell.”
“If you don’t go to court to plead your case, your client won’t have a chance.”
“What if I don’t agree to your deal?”
“Then you’ll leave me no choice. I’ll have to set the wheels in motion to have the children removed from your client’s home.” He crossed his fingers behind his back, hoping she’d believe him.
Christina opened her office door and waved her hand.
He walked to the door and stood beside her. With the tip of his finger, Steven gently lifted her chin and descended his lips over hers. The light brush against her lips had his pulse racing. “To seal our deal.” As he drove away from Christina’s office building, he smiled. She was clearly appalled by his suggested compromise, but too smart to decline. He wasn’t proud of his actions even if he had good intentions.
Normally, this type of case would be a breeze for Christina. His involvement in this case had her flustered. He wanted to return her focus in a way she couldn’t refuse. Christina would rise to the challenge. Offering her time with a price, she’d work harder to achieve victory, and if for some misfortune, she didn’t find the missing puzzle piece before the time allotted, Steven had one heck of a night planned.
A sinister plan? Maybe, but if his scheme went the way he prayed, they’d both win.
Chapter Fifteen
A kick in the butt, that’s exactly what Christina needed, even if the punishment came from Steven. Her concentration wasn’t where it should have been. Time to take charge and win this damn case.
She contacted Gwen to inform her of their additional time, and then asked her client a personal question. “Do you know if your husband ever had an affair?”
“I don’t think so…” Gwen’s voice broke into a sob.
Christina forced herself to disregard her client’s distress. “I only have a day or two to find incriminating evidence against your husband. I haven’t found any evidence implying any wrongdoing, but I’m about to dig deeper. Will you be able to handle what I find?”
“Probably not, but do what you have to. I need my children.”
Christina sympathized for this woman. If she had children, Christina couldn’t imagine ever letting them go. “I’ll be in touch soon.” She placed the receiver on its cradle and leaned her head against the chair. Steven had given her a small window of opportunity. She had to find the missing piece to this case and wouldn’t sleep until she did.
To agree to his deal was a bad, and yes—a stupid move. If another opposing lawyer had made the suggestion of a date she would have turned them down immediately. She hadn’t compromised her ethics as a lawyer, only made a wise decision to help this case. Then why did her head keep warning her about the repercussions if she didn’t win this case? A night with Steven. What harm could there be in one date? A laugh escaped her. Just my sanity and my heart.
****
Christina sat at a table in the airport’s restaurant, eating a fruit salad while waiting for her sister’s flight to arrive. Earlier, she had gone to the library to print out several political news reports and now had them scattered across the table, reviewing each one closely for a hint she may have overlooked.
“Christina?”
She popped the last piece of melon in her mouth and turned. Trevor looked powerful and irresistible in his pilot’s uniform. To her amazement a woman hadn’t snatched him yet. She smiled as he sat. “Hi, Trevor.”
“I called you earlier, but your assistant said you were out of the office for the rest of the day.”
“Tanya is arriving soon. Some of her friends in town set up a bachelorette party for tomorrow tonight. What about you, heading to or from work?”
“I’m starting my first shift.”
A waitress came to take Christina’s plate.
Trevor greeted the waitress with a charming smile.
The lady returned his greeting, blushed, and then went back to the kitchen.
“She likes you.” Christina tapped his arm.
“Who? Lisa?” He shifted his hat from hand to hand. “No, we’re just friends. I stop here a lot to grab a bite between flights.” He blushed and then pointed to the mass of papers on the table. “Working on your case?”
She nodded. “Time is running out. I have to come up with hard evidence soon.” Before she could stop herself, Christina then brought up Steven’s explanation regarding Tammy.
“I can’t believe he told you that pack of lies.” Trevor frowned.
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said anything. Your fight with Steven is none of my business, but I really think he’s telling the truth. Maybe if you talk to him?”
“I know what I saw and Steven didn’t deny my deduction. To me that’s enough.” He sighed. “I don’t know what’s going on between you and my cousin, but you need to be careful.”
“Nothing is going on between me and Steven.” Her response was a bit too loud. Other patrons in the restaurant glanced in her direction. She lowered her head.
“I saw sparks flying the night of the party. Steven is captivated by you and I believe the feeling is mutual. I had hoped for more between you and me, but I know we are only to be friends because your heart is already taken. Be aware of what you’re getting into.”
Christina laughed. She preferred to think of Trevor’s statement of her emotional state as crazy talk instead of holding a bit of the truth. The arrival of Tanya’s flight flashed on the monitor. She gathered her paperwork and shoved the documents into her briefcase. “Don’t worry. I’ll be fine. This isn’t my first run-in with Steven.” She kissed Trevor’s cheek. “Please reconsider mending your friendship with Steven. At least talk to him.” She waved and rushed down the terminal hallway to meet her sister.
Once home, Christina helped Tanya unpacked and then prepared a binge of snacks for their entertaining evening of chick flicks. Tanya wanted to know about Christina’s date with Trevor. Oddly enough, she didn’t seem disappointed when Christina told her they’d only be friends.
Having her sister home was nice. Christina forgot about her problems and for the first time all week, she had a full-night’s sleep. Unfortunately, Tanya’s disinterest in Christina’s personal life didn’t last long. She was sitting at the kitchen table enjoying the pancake breakfast Tanya made until her sister’s glare caught her attention. “What’s up?”
“I was going to ask you that same question.” Tanya poured syrup over her pancakes.
“I’m wondering if my stomach can manage the la
st pancake on my plate. Not really giving much else any thought, but it’s obvious there’s something on your mind.”
“Just wondering how you and Steven are doing?”
Christina’s fork landed loudly on her plate. “Why on earth would you ask me about him?”
“Well, you are working together on a case.”
Oh right, the case. For a moment she thought Tanya had figured out what was really going on. She sighed and picked up her fork, continuing to enjoy a meal that wasn’t from a box in the freezer. “The case is complicated, and Steven’s involvement with a divorce is still a mystery to me.”
“He’s leaving criminal law. This case is probably to familiarize himself with domestic.” Tanya swallowed a mouthful of orange juice. “You do know he’s opening his own firm closer to home?”
Again, Christina’s fork slipped from her fingers. “I had no idea.”
“Brian said Steven is tired of working for a big firm. He’s ready to go out on his own and open a smaller, more personable firm. The family is thrilled he’s coming home to stay.”
As she half-listened to her sister’s chatter, Christina was consumed with concern. Steven would leave town once this case was over, and she’d have to watch him exit her life again. Even though she wouldn’t outright admit any connection, she was growing accustomed to sparring with him every day. They brought out the best and worst from each other. Could she really say goodbye to him a second time?
****
Her forced smile at her sister’s bachelorette party had Christina’s jaw aching before the night’s end. The trained pretence had everyone at the table unaware of the misery churning her insides. The slinky lingerie Tanya had unwrapped and the half-naked male dancers couldn’t dislodge Steven from Christina’s thoughts.
Why was he pursuing her? Did he feel actual remorse for his actions of the past? Why hadn’t he mentioned his move? And where did Rebecca fit into his future? Too many unanswered questions.
Law Of Attraction Page 13