by Alexa Davis
"I'm not kidding, Brooke," he said, keeping his eyes on the road but reaching across the seat to grab my arm and squeeze it. "You need to tread carefully around this one."
"Teddy, look, I'm a grown woman," I said in an exasperated tone. "I'm a lawyer, and I know what I'm getting myself into. I'm defending a man who didn't murder anyone. So let's just stop and consider what it would look like if I said no thanks to work, which, by the way, we don't have enough of these days."
"Brooke, I know all those things," he said quietly. "I'm just saying that the guys on the force have been talking about Malone and his crew for a long time, and they're getting ready to crack down on his drug trade. I don't want you in the middle of it, that's all."
"Drug trade or no drug trade, I'm the lawyer for his murder case," I said. I knew I was being stubborn, but I was tired of everyone making me feel like I couldn't handle a challenging case. I also didn't want them to know how I felt about Dax, mostly because I wasn't quite sure how I felt about him yet. "I can handle it."
"I know you can," Teddy nodded. "I just don't want you put in harm's way if this all goes to hell in a hand basket."
"How on earth could I possibly be in harm's way?" I shot back.
"Brooke, his previous lawyer is dead and he's been charged with her murder." He gripped the steering wheel and pushed the car up over the speed limit.
"Yeah, well, I'd say I have a far better chance of dying in a car crash caused by your crappy driving than being murdered in a drug shootout," I replied with a wry grin.
"You've always been a stubborn girl," he said as he eased off the gas and shook his head. "Too stubborn for your own good."
"Oh please, you've always been an overprotective older brother," I teased.
"Only because I love you, Brookie," he said, suddenly serious.
"I know, Teddy," I said as I patted his shoulder. "I know."
Before too long, we pulled up in front of my office and Teddy reached over and pulled me into a bear hug before letting me get out of the car. I hugged him tightly and then patted his cheek before I got out. I knew he'd worry about me, but I didn't have time to stop and think about it. I needed to get up to the office and talk with Dax.
CHAPTER FORTY-NINE
Dax
I watched Brooke as she walked through the lobby of the building, marveling at the way she turned, walking into an act of seduction. Her hips swayed as the slit up the back of her skirt exposed the soft line of her legs. I watched as she stood in front of the elevator, waiting for it to arrive, and then silently walked up behind her and wrapped an arm around her waist as I slipped my hand into her hair and lifted it off her neck.
Brooke screamed and kicked backward with the sharp heel of her stiletto pump. It connected with my shin and caused me to let go of her. "FUCK!" I yelled as she rammed her elbow into my abdomen, knocking the wind out of me.
"Brooke! Brooke! Stop!" I yelled as I saw her preparing to attack with her briefcase. "It's me!"
"Jesus H. Christ!" she yelled as her breath came in rapid gasps. "What the hell is wrong with you?"
"Nothing, I was just trying to seduce you," I said as I held a hand to my sore side and wondered if she'd drawn blood on my shin.
"That's a stupid, stupid thing to do late at night in the lobby of an office building!" she hissed as her eyes blazed with fury. She drew a deep breath and tried to calm herself. I could see how badly I'd frightened her, and while I was sorry, I was also intensely aroused by her fierceness. Her blonde hair framed her face and she had a wild look that made me want to pull her into my arms and kiss away the fear.
The elevator door slid open and she motioned me to follow her. Once inside, I couldn't stop myself from stepping close to her and gently wrapping an arm around her waist. When she didn't resume her attack, I smiled and bent down and softly kissed her lips. I heard her sigh as I brushed my lips across hers before pressing them against hers more urgently.
"I'd hoped we'd have been doing this early this morning rather than you bailing me out of jail," I murmured against her mouth as I used my tongue to gently push her lips apart, seeking the taste of her mouth. She moaned softly as our tongues tangled and my hands slid up her sides. I could feel her softness under the silky blouse and wanted nothing more than to yank it off of her so I could bury my face between her soft round breasts. But we were in the elevator, so decorum won as I continued kissing her harder and deeper.
When we reached our floor, the doors silently slid open and she pushed me out into the hallway without letting my lips leave hers. She pulled away and motioned for me to follow her as she walked down the hall and unlocked the front door of her office.
"We need to talk business, Malone," she scolded when I moved in behind her and wrapped my arm around her waist.
"Are you going to use your self-defense moves on me again?" I growled in her ear, lifting her hair up to gently bite the curve of her neck.
"That was your fault," she groaned as my teeth found her sweet spot and I ran my hand up over her breast, cupping it before I lightly traced a circle around her already erect nipple. She moaned softly as I began pinching it between my fingers.
"Is this my fault, too?" I asked as I slid my other hand down her hip to her thigh.
"It's always your fault, Malone," she gasped. "What are you doing?"
"Everything you want me to," I murmured. I propelled her down the hallway with one hand halfway inside her blouse and the other resting against her thigh.
"This isn't appropriate," she protested as I pushed open the door to an office that happened to be hers before spinning her around and pinning her against the door so that I could kiss her again.
"I don't really think appropriateness is our thing, do you?" I murmured into her lips as I ran my tongue lightly over her top lip before biting down into the bottom one. She gasped as she reached up and wrapped her arms around my neck so that she could pull herself into the kiss. I smiled as I said, "I'll take that as a no."
"But, Dax..." she whispered into my lips.
"No buts," I replied as I tugged at her blouse and freed it from the waist of her skirt before running my hands up her abdomen and cupping both breasts. "Just say yes."
I took the moan that escaped from her lips as that yes and bent my head to capture one of her lace-covered nipples between my lips. I sucked the hard bud through the fabric and felt it swelling as I closed my teeth around it and bit down lightly. Brooke cried out as she gripped my shoulder, and while I could feel her wanting more, I took my time.
I ran my hands over the bare skin of her back and made quick work of the hooks that connected the fabric covering her breasts. She lifted her arms and I pulled the straps down, exposing the rounded mounds of flesh. I cupped them in my hands, feeling their softness before bending down and running my tongue across one and then the other. I could feel Brooke's breath coming in ragged gasps as I teased her until, still pinned against the door, she spread her legs to stabilize herself.
At that moment, I stepped back and looked at her. The low lights of the office combined with the moonlight streaming in through the window and illuminated her beauty. Her hair was loose around her shoulders and there was a wild look in her eyes as she stood before me naked from the waist up. I'd never seen a more beautiful woman or wanted one more than I wanted her right now.
"Dax..." she whispered as she hung on the edge. I knew that if I didn't act fast, her practical side would overrule her passionate side and we'd be sitting in the conference room talking about my case.
"Brooke..." I moved forward and scooped her up. She gasped as I sat her on the edge of her desk and held her with one arm as I used the other to swipe everything else onto the floor with a resounding crash. Her eyes were wide as she realized what I'd done, but I quickly bent and kissed her hard. There was an urgency in my kiss, a need that was greater than the order and organization on her desk.
I reached behind her and unzipped her skirt before sliding it off and tossing it in the corner.
I pushed her down on the desk so I could get a full look at her naked beauty in the half-light. Her hair spilled across her desk and I inhaled deeply as I admired every inch of her, while pulling off my own shirt. I could feel my own need straining against my pants, but I wanted to draw this out and spend as much time playing with her body as I could. Honestly, I wasn't sure I'd get another chance.
I lightly ran my fingers over the delicate fabric of her panties and watched her squirm as I parted her thighs. I could feel how wet she was already, and as I slipped my fingers under the lace, I felt her push her hips forward to meet my hand. I slowly slid the tips of my fingers up and down, feeling the heat radiating underneath them. Her mouth was half open and she moaned as I parted her nether lips and slipped my fingers between them.
"Dax..." she breathed as I bent forward and kissed her in response. Up and down, I slowly dragged my fingers from top to bottom, stopping at each end to touch and tease enough to make her raise her hips in an attempt to push me deeper. I smiled as I pulled back and she groaned in protest.
"Don't you understand, pretty girl?" I whispered as I kissed her neck and then bit down on a tender earlobe. "I want all of you. Everything."
"Oh God," she groaned as I returned to her mouth and bit down on her lower lip. My fingers continued to stroke the velvety folds and I could feel her need growing and spreading out. I'd never spent this much time teasing a woman before, but something about Brooke made me want to draw it out as long as possible.
I traced a line down the side of her neck with my tongue and once I reached her nipples, I decided to keep going. Her skin was unlike anything I'd ever tasted or touched before. She felt warm, and her scent alone had made me hard. As I moved lower, it filled my nostrils, driving me to the edge of madness. I could smell her need and now, I wanted to taste it.
I looped my fingers over the edge of the panties so that I could pull them down and off. I grabbed her ankles and pulled her down to the edge of the desk where I knelt in front of her and spread her thighs wide.
"Oh my, look at you," I whispered as I slipped my thumbs between her lips and splayed them open. They were pink and already slick with her wetness. I couldn't stop myself from leaning forward and running my tongue down the inner folds. Brooke moaned and writhed so violently that I let go and gripped her thighs tightly, pinning her to the desk. "Do not move." I said sternly. "Do you understand?"
I looked up and saw her raised head nod slightly before she lay back down. I was going to take what I wanted – and what I wanted was this. I leaned forward again and slipped my tongue deep into her warm wetness and lost myself in the act of licking, stroking, and sucking. When I slid two fingers inside her tight opening, she moaned and reached down to grip my head, but she didn't move.
I could feel how much she wanted this, and I wanted to indelibly imprint this on her brain with the hope that she'd give me so much more. Slowly stroking her hard little nub with my tongue, I moved my fingers inside her and felt her wetness dripping down my wrist. I was lost in my own pleasure of tasting her and feeling her contract around my fingers that time seemed to stop.
There was nothing more important than giving this woman pleasure, and when this wove its way into my brain, for the first time in as long as I could remember, I felt fear. I had spent the majority of my life focused on my own path, my own needs, and this woman had come along and taken me out of my familiar surroundings. I licked faster as I felt her begin to contract around my fingers and put the fear in the back of my mind. I wanted nothing more than to feel her tipping over the edge of ecstasy and calling my name.
"Dax, Dax!" she cried as I stroked harder and faster. I could feel how much she wanted it as her hips rose to meet my hand and mouth. "Oh God, I'm...I'm...I'm..." Her cries were followed by a long low moan as I felt her muscles contract and her body release. She climaxed hard as her wetness flowed onto my hand and I lapped it up. She pulsed around my fingers as I continued softly stroking her inner walls.
"Oh God, yes," I growled as I felt her hips continue moving against my hand.
"Dax, please?" she begged. "Please, I need you."
I stood up, quickly shed my clothes, and slid my erection up and down between her open legs, coating it in her wetness. She had a wild look in her eyes as she nodded, and I positioned myself at the edge of her opening, stroking it with the tip of my shaft before I thrust into her hard and fast. She cried out and reached out to grab my arms as I lifted her legs and wrapped them around my waist.
"Yes, yes!" she cried. "Hard, deep!"
Her begging was all the encouragement I needed and I pulled back slowly once before I began thrusting hard and deep inside of her. She moaned and reached out for me as I leaned forward to lay my palms on either side of her head. I looked deep into her eyes as I slammed my hips forward over and over. I could feel her gripping me as I thrust into her again and again, and it drove me close to the edge so quickly that I before I knew what was happening, I had taken flight and was soaring with her as she climaxed again, this time with me.
I shivered as I felt my body release everything that I'd been holding onto into Brooke. It was as if she were taking all the fear and loneliness inside of her. I could feel her hands stroking my face as I slowly returned and looked down into her eyes.
"Wow," she whispered in a voice ragged from screaming.
"Wow, indeed," I agreed, leaning forward to gently kiss her lips. She returned the kiss as I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her up off the desk so that I could hold her body against mine. She wrapped her arms around my neck and rested her cheek against my chest as I tenderly stroked her hair and kissed her head.
Something in me shifted, and I knew that I was going to have to come clean with Brooke Raines. Not just because she was my lawyer, but because she was someone different.
"Brooke?" I whispered into the tangle of blonde hair.
"Shhhh," she said as she stroked my neck and ran her fingers through her hair. "I know, but shhhh..."
I nodded and waited for her to give me a sign as to what I was supposed to do next, since I had no idea where to go from here.
CHAPTER FIFTY
Brooke
As I rested my cheek against Dax's smooth chest and felt his strong arms wrapped around me, I knew there was no turning back. There was something about him that was unlike any other man I'd ever known and the way he'd made my body sing for him was nothing short of a miracle.
However, the doubts soon began creeping in as I recalled what my dad and Teddy had told me about Dax's business. I knew that no matter how much I wanted him, I was still responsible for defending him against the murder charges. I was supposed to be a professional, not some swooning little teenager who could be bowled over by a guy who was good in bed – or on a desk or on a bar table. What was wrong with me?
"Dax?" I said quietly.
"Mmm hmm," he murmured into my hair as he continued to stroke my back.
"We need to talk about your case," I said as I felt him shift and realized he was still hard inside me. I lifted my head and looked up at him. His dark eyes, normally wary and guarded, had a softer quality to them and as I looked into them, I brought my hand down to stroke his rugged cheek. There was no doubt about it, he moved me. "Seriously, we need to talk about it."
"I know," he said, dropping his gaze to the desk and then slowly pushing away from me. As I felt the cool air hit my body and fill the space where Dax had just been, I wanted to call him back. I wanted to keep him warm and close. Instead, I simply nodded and looked around for my clothing. Dax bent over and retrieved my underthings before handing me my skirt and blouse. He stood naked in front of me watching me dress before he grabbed his clothes and pulled them on. I wanted nothing more than to take his hand and drag him back to my apartment where we could hide out from the rest of the world forever, but since I knew that game plan had a limited shelf life, I turned my attention to his case.
"Brooke..." he said once he was dressed.
"Yes?" I rep
lied as I looked up expectantly. I had pulled the paperwork out of my briefcase and was trying to find the other papers in the mess on my office floor. "What is it?
There was a silence between us as we both worked to replace objects on the desk. And when I looked over at him, he just shook his head and kept stacking piles on the corner of my desk.
"Nothing. Never mind," he said. "What do you need from me?"
"We need to go over your whereabouts and talk about any motives that you might have for killing Lydia," I said in a business-like tone. It was odd having just been so intimate and now moving back to business, but I knew that we had to talk about this, and now seemed like as good a time as any.
"I thought you believed me when I told you I didn't do it," he said defensively.
"I do, that's why we need to look at any possible motives," I said. "We need to discount them immediately and have our arguments ready when the other side accuses you of something you obviously didn't do."
"Brooke..." he trailed off as if he wanted to say something.
"I know," I said softly as I nodded. "I know."
Dax fixed his gaze on me for a few very intense moments before shrugging and then sitting down in the chair across from my desk. I pulled up my chair and grabbed a pen and a legal pad.
"Let's figure this out, shall we?" I said as I prepared to construct an airtight case that would ensure Dax would never be locked up, away from me.
CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE
Dax
When Brooke shifted gears and moved straight into professional mode, it threw me for a loop. I'd never seen a woman do that before. I was used to being the one in control – the one who could get my physical needs met and then shift back to business with no trouble whatsoever. As I watched her, I realized I was watching the female version of myself, and it made me feel extremely exposed.
As we got down to business, she started probing the recesses of my memory and trying to pull together a timeline that would exonerate me. The problem I kept running up against was that in order to give her all the information she needed, I would have to expose the seedy side of my dealings. I resisted telling Brooke about the drugs because I didn't want her to change her opinion of me. She believed me to be an upstanding club owner and someone who had been wrongly accused of murder. If I told her about the drugs and everything else that went with it, she'd look at me through different eyes, and it would cast a shadow of doubt over the defense she was constructing.