Counselor Undone

by Lisa Rayne

  “You work non-stop. You need to learn how to relax.” She entered the office and came over to his side of the desk. She propped her butt against the edge.

  He grinned at her obvious line. “Oh, I relax plenty.”

  Alyson mistook his humor for interest and leaned in. “Maybe you need a little help in that regard.”

  He shook his head. “I think I’ve got it covered, Alyson. You have a good night.” He picked up his pen and slid his chair back to a working position.

  Alyson took the hint and stood up. “Well, if you ever change your mind . . .”

  “If I ever change my mind, what?” he asked, playing obtuse.

  Alyson laughed. “You know where to find me.” She sashayed from his office.

  No she didn’t just proposition me a few minutes after her lips slid off another man’s dick. Some women had no couth.

  His thoughts strayed to another woman, refined and classy, whom he’d much rather dally with at the moment. He was tempted to stop by her place when he left tonight, but it was late and he didn’t want to seem too eager.

  He’d told Jordis he’d see her on Monday. He’d have to wait until then. Somehow, he’d make it through the night without touching her again, without holding her again.

  Their last romp together replayed in his head, and his body responded as if she were in the room. No longer sure he could wait until tomorrow to see her, he glanced at the clock and felt his resolve waning.

  Chapter 18

  Jordis awoke Monday morning with a smile on her face. Michael hadn’t stopped back by, but he’d called late last night. They’d talked for at least an hour.

  Today, their schedule included a session together to begin cementing their court strategy. Working next to him after having his arms around her all weekend would be one of the hardest things she’d ever had to do. Hopefully, by the time she got to the office, she’d have wrestled control over her galloping hormones and suppressed the goofy grin that kept creeping onto her face. She’d decided to give in to her feelings for Michael and see where this led, but she didn’t want to telegraph to the entire office the change in their relationship.

  When she stepped outside, her joyful mood tanked. Her car had not been returned. In its place, sat a brand new Dodge Charger II Daytona Limited Edition in electric blue. Stunned paralysis overtook her. What had he done!

  She whipped out her mobile phone and dialed Michael’s personal number. When the call went to voicemail, she couldn’t contain herself. “Remington! Where’s my car? Call me back ASAP!”

  Battling shock and frustration, Jordis tried the door to the Daytona. It was locked. Hands on her hips, she stared at the blue V8, unable not to appreciate its racecar-inspired lines—and boy, did she love the color. But how dare he take it upon himself to replace her car?

  She didn’t need this this morning. She had enough on her plate with the need to cover her inadvisable affair.

  Searching around, she found an envelope taped to the column of her parking bay, which contained instructions telling her where to find the keys. After retrieving them, Jordis fired up the engine and drove to the firm. She headed straight for Michael’s office. On the way, she noticed everyone atwitter about something.

  Half way to her destination, she ran into Vivian. “Vivian, what’s going on?”

  “You haven’t heard? Apparently, Michael Remington has been searching for this woman he met on New Year’s Eve. Until now, he hasn’t been able to find her. Well, turns out, she walked into the firm today looking for him.”

  “What?” Jordis croaked.

  “Yeah, isn’t that romantic? I think his secretary is making reservations for them to go to lunch or dinner or something . . .” Vivian’s voice trailed off when she caught Jordis’s pained expression. “Oh, no. Jordis? I thought you weren’t—”

  “It’s okay, Viv. I’m fine,” she lied. Her stomach roiled.

  She’d told Michael she wasn’t his Juliet more than once. This weekend she’d let yet another opportunity slip by to tell him the truth. It never occurred to her he’d keep searching until he found one. How could he believe that other woman was her? Even without her admission, if he really had strong feelings for her like those his father had experienced upon meeting his mother, he would have known despite her prevarication she was the Juliet he’d kissed New Year’s Eve.

  Jordis’s feet continued unguided towards his office. She entered in a fog and saw a tall, tan-in-a-can model-thin woman with her arms around his neck. Upon seeing Jordis, Michael grabbed the model’s arms and pulled away. Jordis’s anger at his heavy-handed tactics with her car simmered up beneath a sense of betrayal over his obsession with his fabled Juliet. Considering she was Juliet, her feelings were irrational, but she failed to consider that.

  “Jordis,” Michael said when she entered the office.

  “I need to talk to you a moment. Alone.”

  Michael sent the walking hanger outside to wait in the reception area.

  Once they were alone, she said in a deceptively calm voice, “Where’s my car?”

  His face showed surprise. Clearly, he’d expected her to go straight to a discussion of the bimbo who’d been hanging on his neck.

  “Your car is safe.”

  “I want it back now. Immediately.”

  “No, Jordis. I want you to drive the Daytona for a week and see how you like it. It’s the latest model, and it has all-wheel drive.”

  “Did you just tell me I can’t have my own car back? Who the hell do you think you are?”

  “Jordis, calm down.”

  “Don’t tell me to calm down.” Her voice crescendoed with each word.

  Michael blew out a breath and ran his left hand down his face. “This isn’t really about the car, Jordis. So, why don’t we talk about what’s really bothering you.” He glanced towards the door.

  “Screw her! You had no right.”

  “I had every right!” Now his voice began to rise. “What’s the big deal? I bought you a car. I need you to be safe. I would have preferred to buy you an SUV so you’d have higher clearance, but I know how much you love the Charger so I thought the Daytona would be a nice compromise.”

  “Compromise? Compromise?” She paced away, shaking her head. “It takes two people to compromise, Michael.” She turned back. “You did this without consulting me.”

  “Jordis, you needed another car.”

  She raised her hands in frustration. “You and my brother and that damn car! If you’d have both just backed off, I’d’ve taken care of it.”

  “What! Are you telling me you hadn’t dealt with your car situation because we wanted you to, and you were simply being contrary?”

  Her lips tightened. She hadn’t consciously made that decision, but she’d always hated being told what to do. She had a tendency to ignore unsolicited instructions and do the opposite.

  When she didn’t deny his accusation, Michael lost it. “Of all the obstinate, hardheaded—”

  “Look who’s talking.” She stepped closer to him, dropping her voice. “What? You think because we had sex once, you own me?”

  “We did more than have sex,” he growled. “And we certainly did it more than once.”

  “Well, we won’t be doing it again,” she snapped. “So, you can get over treating me like some kept woman. Take that car back and give me my Bee!”

  “What do you mean we won’t be doing it again?” He reached for her, but she avoided his grasp. “Jordis, don’t be unreasonable. I know you felt something special this weekend. We both did. Why would you want to throw that away?”

  “There was nothing special about it. That’s why you have your Juliet outside waiting to take my place.” She shoved her hands against his chest.

  He grabbed her forearms and held on. “Nobody’s taking your place, Jordis. Let me explain.”

  “There’s nothing to explain. You’re my supervising attorney, Michael. We knew that going in, and we knew we couldn’t continue to carry on. This wee
kend was a one-time deal.”

  “It doesn’t have to be.” He pulled her close. “Let me appoint Eric to take over the Metra Pharmaceuticals case. You can move to the Business and Finance group and then we won’t have the problem of me being responsible for supervising and evaluating your work.”

  “You want me to give up my position?”

  “Yes. It solves our ethical problem and then we can continue to see each other.”

  “And since this move to Business and Finance would come after the start of the fiscal year, I’d have to wait until next year to be considered for partner?”

  “Yes, but it’s only a year. You know you’re going to make partner.”

  “I do? Why? Because everybody knows I’m screwing the boss?”

  He released her. “Stop it, Jordis. You don’t have to be crude. And nobody knows.” He glanced at his office door, which had been ajar. “Well, nobody did know.”

  Lana stood in the doorway with a chastising look on her face. She grabbed the door handle and pulled his office door closed.

  Turning his attention back to Jordis, Michael said, “How ‘bout you say it louder next time so the other twenty-four floors can hear you, too?”

  Jordis dropped her face into her hands. “I’m such an idiot,” she said into her palms. “I can’t believe I did this to myself.” She looked up. “I lose another year towards partnership. I change to a division of the firm that’s not my first choice. I suffer the stigma and gossip about why I had to move to a new division. I give up the right to pick what kind of car I drive. And I do all this so we can sleep together until you get tired of me. Do I have that right?” Her voice had returned to a normal pitch.

  Michael said nothing.

  “Tell me, Michael, what sacrifices are you planning to make?” She crossed her arms, waiting. “Really. I’m curious. Do you have to give up anything to have this relationship with me?”

  “I’m losing a great second chair. I’d much rather have you in IP Litigation than in Business and Fin—”

  She put up a hand to stop him. “Yeah, poor you.” She turned and walked towards the door. Before she opened it, she glanced back. “I’m flattered you thought my performance this weekend was worth a car.”

  Michael winched.

  “Most men just send flowers. You might want to try that next time. Leave the keys to the Bee with my secretary. Once I get them back, I’ll return the Daytona to you. I’ll be gone for the rest of the day.” She opened the door.

  “Jordis, wait.”

  Seeing the waiting Juliet, Jordis said quietly, “Oh, and enjoy your lunch.”

  Upon exiting Michael’s office, she caught a glimpse of Alyson a few feet away. Alyson stood at her secretary’s desk with a stack of documents in front of her. Jordis doubted she was doing anything more than pretending to review the documents.

  Alyson looked up and smirked. Jordis wanted to knock that self-satisfied look right off her pale face. Given the scene she’d already made in Michael’s office, she wisely chose to avoid starting a female imitation of a WWF smackdown. Instead, she made a beeline for her office. She needed to get out of here.

  * * *

  Jordis entered her office gripping the keys to the Daytona tightly in her fist. She crossed the threshold to find Eric Covington sitting at her desk going through one of her files.

  He looked up when she entered. “Why are you going over clinical trials and medical case studies? You’re working on a patent case not a malpractice suit.”

  “None of your damn business. I got the case assignment not you. Remember? Now get your ass out of my chair.”

  Eric raised one eyebrow at her tone and her language. It wasn’t like her to lose her cool. He sat back in her chair. “Well, it looks like the golden girl is in a tiff this morning. Trouble in paradise already? That was certainly a whirlwind romance.”

  Pain in Jordis’s hand alerted her she still held the car keys. She stepped to her desk and dropped them on a corner. Leaning across the desk, both palms flat, she over-enunciated, “Get. Your. Ass. Out. Of my. Chair.”

  Eric’s mouth tightened. He unfolded himself from her chair never taking his eyes from hers. “I can certainly see why Remington is fascinated with you. That fire of yours makes a man hot.” He stepped from behind the desk.

  She straightened. “Eric, I’m not in the mood for any of your crap this morning. Go away.”

  “You’re not going to find a way to win this case in those medical documents. The opponent’s claim is based on a legal theory not a medical one.”

  Jordis thought about their information leak and suspicion overtook her. “What do you know about the opponent’s legal theories?”

  “Enough to know you’re barking up the wrong tree, and Remington obviously picked the wrong associate to back him up.” He approached her. “But, of course, you know that, which is why you set me up.”

  Jordis’s eyes narrowed. “What are you talking about?”

  “Come on, Jordis. I’m done falling for that sweet innocence act. Man, Alyson was so right about you.” He rubbed his hands down his face.

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about. Exactly how do you think I set you up?”

  Eric scoffed. “I got a visit from the Chief Information Officer this morning. It would seem information regarding your case has been leaked to opposing counsel, and firm data indicates the network breach came from my computer.”

  She shook her head. “You’re the one who’s been helping the other side?”

  “Hell no!”

  Jordis jumped at his angry bark.

  “I’ve been vying for that case for months. Why would I help the other side?” He stepped closer. “You, on the other hand, figured you’d get the case and get rid of me at the same time.”

  Jordis stepped back from the fury radiating off him. “Don’t be ridiculous.”

  “I checked, Jordis. The computer specialist they’re using for the investigation happens to have the last name Morgan. Coincidence? I don’t think so.” He stalked her. “Someone you know?”

  Jordis nodded slowly. “My brother.”

  “Figures. So, you had your brother set me up, huh? It wasn’t enough that you got the co-chair appointment for reasons that had nothing to do with your litigation skills.”

  “I know how to do my job, Eric.”

  Eric’s gaze shifted down her body. “Yeah, I bet you do.”

  The predatory look that overlapped his fury made Jordis wary. She moved to step around her desk.

  “Not so fast.” He grabbed her arm and pulled her to him.

  Jordis struggled against his grasp. “Let go of me.”

  He leered. “That’s not what you told Remington. Now is it?”

  A gruff voice sounded at Eric’s back. “Take your hands off her.”

  Eric’s head whirled to find Michael Remington standing behind him. He yanked his hands off Jordis and stepped aside.

  Michael placed himself between Jordis and Eric. “What the hell do your think you’re doing, Covington?”

  Eric shoved his hands in his pockets, an angry glare on his face.

  “Come on. You were man enough to state your grievance when you only had Jordis to deal with. If you’ve got a problem involving me, grow some balls and confront me directly.”

  “Really? You really want me to state what’s obvious to everyone around here?”

  “Yeah, I really want you to state what you think is obvious.”

  “Okay.” Eric pulled his hands out of his pockets. “Everyone knows the professional skills she used to get this assignment were the oldest known to man, but they certainly weren’t legal in nature.”

  Jordis sucked in a loud breath. She tried to step around Michael. “Did you just call me a prostitute?”

  Michael held Jordis back with one hand. Jordis spun and tried to get around him. Michael pivoted grabbed her around the waist and lifted her off her feet. “Not this time, princessa.” He set her down behind him and ordered, “Sta
y put.”

  She bristled at his tone, but the look in his eyes warned her challenging him would be a mistake.

  Once he was satisfied she wasn’t going anywhere, Michael released her and asked, “Where’s your annual billing summary?”

  “What?” Momentarily thrown by the abrupt change in subject, she didn’t move.

  “Your annual billing summary. I need to see it. Right now, Jordis.”

  Confused, she stepped to her desk and grabbed the report from beneath a stack of papers. She handed it to Michael, curious as to what he intended to do with it.

  Michael flipped over several pages of the report then handed it to Eric. “You might notice, Eric, that last year, Jordis out billed you by over one hundred hours. On top of that, her realization rate is ninety-eight percent. Since yours is ninety-two percent, that means not only did she work more hours than you, but we were able to bill a higher percentage of that time to our clients.”

  Michael stepped closer to Eric and placed his finger over the top of the page to point at a column. “And don’t forget to look at last year’s collections. Collections on her billed time were the highest of any associate in your class.”

  Eric clutched the report until it curled into a roll between his hands. “These numbers aren’t everything.”

  “No, they’re not, but this is a business after all so the numbers are extremely important.” Michael leaned against Jordis’s desk. He crossed his arms and ankles. “Lest you think I’m stressing quantity of work over legal aptitude, let’s not forget I saw the two of you in action at the first associate meeting I attended. If memory serves me correct, Jordis won that debate.”

  The rolled report in Eric’s hands crumpled in the middle.

  “But you’re right, Covington. I happen to find her a lot more attractive than I find you so I may be biased. You should know, however, Chase Hager recommended her as his replacement. I simply agreed with his assessment. You’re free to question him about his rationale, but I wouldn’t recommend you suggest he had any untoward sexual motives.”

  Eric’s lips thinned. He unfurled the report and glanced over at her, probably expecting her to be gloating over his put down. She clutched her arms around her chest and worked to keep her expression devoid of any emotion. He moved to hand her the report, but she backed away. The urge to grab the report and slam her fist into his face was too great to risk it.