by Sandi Lynn
“She sounds very ballsy.” Oliver smiled.
“She is and she’s amazing. I can’t stop thinking about her.”
“It’s called lust, my friend.” Oliver held up his glass. “It sounds like you have it bad for Gym Girl.”
“Maybe I do or did for a couple of days. I’m over it now.”
“Yeah. Sounds like you really are.” Oliver winked.
Delilah walked over and gave me a kiss and whispered in my ear, “If Oliver would have given up, we wouldn’t be together. Have a good night. Enjoy your new bed.”
Oliver gave me a light hug and whispered in my ear, “We Wyatt men always get what we want. Remember that.”
Chapter 9
Avery
I hadn’t been at the gym the past couple of days because the partners decided to dump ten cases at once on me. I needed to become familiar with each of them, so I brought my work home with me and stayed up later than I should have.
“Good morning, Ella,” I said as I passed by her desk and walked into my office.
“Morning. I have your coffee.” I set the files on my desk and turned around, taking the cup of coffee from her.
“Thank you. I needed this. Do me a favor and pull the phone records for Mr. Williams. I need to see if that sneaky bastard is lying about his calls.”
“Sure thing, boss.” She smiled as she strutted her way back to her desk.
I spent the morning working on the Williams vs. Williams case, a high-profile divorce case in which we represented Mrs. Williams. I was getting hungry, so I made my way to the kitchen area of the office and grabbed my yogurt from the refrigerator. As I was walking back to my office, I heard Tim call my name.
“Avery.”
I turned around and stopped dead in my tracks, jaw dropping to the floor and my heart racing.
“I’d like you to meet one of our biggest clients, Oliver and Liam Wyatt of Wyatt Enterprises.”
I gulped.
“Oliver. Liam. This is our newest associate, Avery Lewis.”
“It’s nice to meet you.” Oliver Wyatt extended his hand.
“It’s nice to meet you too.”
I looked at Liam, who was standing there, smiling at me. “It’s nice to meet you, Avery Lewis.” He extended his hand.
Shit. Shit. Shit. You have got to be kidding me. Gym Guy was one of my firm’s biggest clients?
I gave him a smile as his eyes stared into mine while I lightly shook his hand. His touch was explosive and a fiery sensation ripped through my body. “It’s nice to meet you. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have cases I need to work on.” I walked away with shaking knees back to my office.
As soon as I returned to my office, I sat down in my chair and let out a deep breath.
“Avery Lewis, eh?”
I looked up and Liam walked into my office, shut the door, and took a seat in front of my desk.
“Yes. May I help you with something, Mr. Wyatt?”
“Mr. Wyatt?” He arched his brow. “Call me Liam. So, you’re a lawyer working for one of the top law firms in the country and you couldn’t tell me that. Why?” He tilted his head and flashed his sexy smile.
For fuck sake, he was so damn hot that I had to cross my legs.
“It’s not that I couldn’t tell you, I just didn’t want to.”
“Why not?”
Gee, maybe because every time you’re near me, I can’t control the ache between my legs and it’s annoying.
“I’m just a very private person. I don’t give out my personal information to random strangers.”
“I see. Well, now that we are no longer strangers and we know each other’s names, how about dinner some time?”
“Sorry, but I can’t.”
“You can’t or you won’t?” He smirked.
“See this pile right here?” I put my hand on top of the mountain of files. “These take up my dinner time.”
“You need to take a break at some point.”
My office door opened and Oliver poked his head in. “Liam, we need to get back to the office.”
“I’m coming, Oliver.” He got up from his seat and held out his hand. “It was a pleasure seeing you again. It’s nice to know you as Avery instead of Gym Girl.”
Against my better judgment, I placed my hand in his and the fiery sensation that shot throughout my body earlier intensified.
“Have a good day, Liam.” He walked out and, in an instant, Ella came running in.
“Oh my God, that’s Liam Wyatt. He’s one of New York’s most eligible bachelors and he was in here talking to you! Do you need me to fan you?” She picked up a file folder and began waving it in front of me.
“Give me that and stop it!” I took the file from her hand.
“He’s so into you. Did you see the way he looked at you?”
“He stopped in to say hi. We know each other from the gym and that’s it.”
“Aw, Avery. You’re young and you have a lot to learn about men and that sexy as fuck man wants you.” She grinned as she slowly nodded her head.
“Listen, Ella,” I got up from my chair and walked around my office, “I know all there is to know about men. They’re users, liars, and cheaters. We’re nothing but their puppets and they’re the puppeteers, manipulating us to get what they want, and then BAM!” I clapped my hands together. “When they get us exactly where they want us, it’s over. We’re kicked to the curb and left in nothing but a pool of tears with a broken heart wondering what it was that we did wrong to make them leave. So, if Mr. Liam Wyatt has a thing for me, then I feel sorry for him because you see this?” I moved my hand up and down in front of me.
“I see nothing.” She shook her head in confusion.
“Look closer, Ella. It’s my wall and the wall is there to tell all interested men to back off!”
“Oh.” Her face twisted and her eyes narrowed. “I’m going to go out on a limb here, Avery, and assume you’ve been deeply hurt before.”
“More times than I can count. Now, I have a pile of work to do.” I walked back to my desk and sat down.
****
Liam
I couldn’t get over the fact that gym girl was an associate at Finn, Muir, & Abernathy. It had me wondering how old she was. She looked younger than me, but Finn didn’t hire new law school graduates. He only hired established lawyers.
“You move fast,” Oliver spoke as we walked out of the building, distracting me from my thoughts.
“What?”
“You just met that new associate, Avery Lewis, and you were already in her office hitting on her.” He smiled.
“Oliver, she’s Gym Girl.”
He stopped behind me. “What did you say?”
I turned around. “That’s the girl from the gym I was telling you and Delilah about last night.” I climbed in the back of Oliver’s limo.
Oliver slid in next to me. “Did you ask her out while you were making yourself comfortable in her office?”
I shrugged. “I told her we should have dinner some time.”
“And?”
“She basically said no.”
“She’s pretty,” Oliver spoke.
“She’s beautiful.” I smiled.
“You’ll figure it out and, when you do, she won’t be able to say no. After all, you are my brother.” He winked.
“You are so full of yourself.” I chuckled.
When the workday ended, and I was on my way home from the office, I stopped at the Food Emporium to pick up some things for dinner. I had decided that tonight was the night that I would cook in my new home. I grabbed a cart and headed to the produce section to get some vegetables for a stir-fry. As I was looking over the green peppers, my phone rang.
“Hey, Collin. What’s up?”
“Just calling to see how your move went.”
“It went good. I’m thinking about having a housewarming party as soon as I get the new floor in the foyer put in.”
“Sounds like a plan. I can’t wait to see yo
ur new bachelor pad.”
I looked up and saw Avery standing there staring at me. “Hey, Collin. Let me call you back.”
“Sure, bro. I’ll talk to you soon.” Click.
“Hello there.” I smiled.
“Hi. Don’t you have people that do that for you?” she asked.
“Do what for me?”
“Your shopping.”
“Nope. I do my own shopping.”
“I see,” she said as she picked up a green pepper and examined it.
“Are you on your way home from work too?” I asked.
“Yeah. I needed to pick up a few things.”
“So you live around here?”
She glared at me for a moment before answering my question. “Yeah. I do.”
I could tell she wasn’t about to tell me exactly where she lived, so I didn’t press it. “Me too.” In fact, I could tell she was uncomfortable, so I decided that I wasn’t going to ask her any more questions. “It was nice seeing you again, Avery. I better get going.”
“Yeah. Okay. I’ll see you around, Liam.” Her mouth gave way to a small smile.
I collected a few more vegetables and then headed over to the meat section to get some chicken.
Chapter 10
Avery
Over the next couple of days, I saw Liam at the gym, but he didn’t say too much to me. A simple hi and have a nice day were the only words that escaped his lips. I found it odd since he always seemed to go out of his way to talk to me. I would catch myself unwillingly stealing small glances at him as he lifted weights. His body was ripped and my mind often traveled to the places it shouldn’t have been. Thinking about how his strong arms would feel wrapped around my body and playing the guessing game of how many inches his cock was. It was those uncontrollable thoughts that made the fierce ache I had down below intensify. God, I was horny and it had seemed like forever since I’d had sex with someone other than my B.O.B.
I was sitting at my desk, prepping for court tomorrow when there was a knock on my office door.
“Come in,” I spoke without looking up.
“Hello there, Avery.”
That voice. I gulped as I looked up and saw Harrison standing in my office.
“What are you doing here, Harrison?” My tone was stern and my stomach started to ache.
“I was in town for a client meeting and I heard you were the new associate here, so I thought I’d stop by and say hi.”
“Hi? Just hi? What about an apology?”
“Avery.” He cocked his head and gave a small smile as he held out his hands. “I did nothing wrong, babe.”
I slowly got up from my desk and slammed down my pen. “Nothing? So it’s okay to sleep around on your girlfriend?” I said rather loudly.
“Keep it down. I never said we were exclusive. We’ve already been over this. I thought maybe you got over it, but I guess I was wrong. I just wanted to say hi and see your new office.”
I pointed my finger at him as I slowly walked over to where he was standing. “We dated for four months and not once did you say you wanted to see other people!” I jammed my finger into his chest as he backed up and began walking out of my office. “All those times you cancelled plans on me, you were out sleeping around with one of your whores. You are a pathetic excuse for a human being and I hope you catch chlamydia!” I yelled as he stumbled into the hall.
I crossed my arms and looked down for a moment.
“Wow, Avery. I don’t even know what the hell I ever saw in you.”
“Keep talking, hotshot, and I’ll end your fucking career with one hell of a sexual harassment suit, and you know I’ll win!”
I looked straight ahead at Ella as she sat there wide-eyed. Looking to my right, Oliver and Liam Wyatt were standing there with their hands placed in their pockets. I shook my head, turned around, and shut my office door. Before I could even make it back to my desk, the door opened. “Not now, Ella.”
“Are you okay?” Liam asked.
“Why do you care?” I spoke with an attitude. “Please just leave.”
“I’m afraid I can’t do that just yet. I’m not leaving until you tell me you’re okay.”
“I’m fine.” I inhaled a deep breath as I sat down behind my desk.
“That was one hell of a scene. I especially loved it when you told him you hope he catches chlamydia.” He smiled. “Does he work here?”
“No. He works at the firm I left back in Danbury, Connecticut. It was something that never should have happened. I was stupid and—I don’t even know why I’m telling you this.” I placed my hand on my forehead.
“Maybe because I’m a nice guy and you feel comfortable around me.”
I rolled my eyes. “Can you please just go, Liam?”
“No. I’m not going anywhere until you agree to have dinner with me tonight.”
Was he kidding?
“I’m not having dinner with you tonight.”
“I think you should have dinner with him tonight,” Ella said as she walked in and put a file on my desk.
“Your secretary is a very smart woman and if she says you should have dinner with me, then you should.”
I sighed as I slumped back in my chair and stared at him. “If I agree to have dinner with you, will you agree to leave me alone?”
“Yes.” He smiled.
“Fine, Mr. Wyatt. I will have dinner with you tonight, but I can’t be out late because I have to be in court first thing in the morning.”
“I promise to have you home early. I’ll make reservations for seven o’clock. Give me your address so I can pick you up.”
“You’re good and sneaky. I will meet you at the restaurant. There’s no need to pick me up.”
“Okay. Then give me your phone number and I’ll text you the name of the restaurant.”
“You can call my secretary and tell her.” I gave a cocky smile.
He sighed. “That works too. I’ll see you tonight at seven.”
I slowly shook my head as he walked out of my office. What was I doing? This wasn’t a good idea. Ella stopped in the doorway and put her hands up.
“Don’t shoot me, but he’s a really nice guy and you should get to know him. Don’t let one bad apple deter you from sampling the good and crisp ones.”
I frowned as I glared at her. “What?”
“Never mind. Go and have a nice dinner with that hot and sexy corporate man and when you come in tomorrow, I want all the juicy details!” She winked and walked out of my office.
“There aren’t going to be any juicy details,” I yelled.
After eating lunch in my office and going through the final details for court tomorrow, my phone rang.
“Hey, Willow.”
“Hi, Avery. Cam and I are going to dinner tonight and want you to come with.”
“As much as I’d love to, I can’t. I already have dinner plans with someone.”
“Oh? And would this someone be of the male species?”
“Yes, and don’t say another word. He’s a guy I know from the gym. We’re sort of friends, I guess.”
“You guess? What the hell is going on?”
“It’s a long story and I promise to tell you about it later.”
As we continued our conversation, my phone beeped with a text message. I put Willow on speaker and checked it.
“Le Bernardin. 155 West 51st street between Sixth and Seventh Avenues. See you at seven.”
What the—“Willow, I have to go and yell at my secretary. I’ll call you tomorrow.”
I hung up and walked out to Ella’s desk, staring at her as she sat and typed at her computer.
“May I help you with something?” she asked without looking at me.
“Did you give Mr. Wyatt my phone number?”
She put her hands up. “Okay. Okay. But come on, Avery, he’s so hot and he should have your number. What if he had to cancel or something at the last minute and you were sitting in the restaurant all alone waiting for him, looking at
your watch as the time ticks away and thinking you were stood up. You have man issues and I know that’s exactly what you’d be thinking.”
I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply. “Fine.” I turned on my heels and walked back into my office.
Chapter 11
Liam
“I like Avery. She’s got spunk. She reminds me of Delilah.” Oliver smiled as he patted my back.
“She agreed to have dinner with me tonight.”
“Good man. I knew you’d figure out a way. After witnessing that little scene outside her office, I can see why she’s been avoiding you. It’s obvious she has been deeply hurt. I can relate.”
I laughed. “God help me if she’s anything like you.”
Oliver grinned and we went our separate ways. I headed home to change, and when I got there, I noticed the flooring for the foyer had been delivered. The last thing I needed was to be going out, but Avery Lewis had me intrigued which, at this moment, took priority over putting in my floor.
Ordering a drink, I looked at my watch. It was six fifty-five.
“Checking to see if you have enough time to bolt?” Avery asked as she slid in the seat across from me.
I chuckled. “Are you always this witty?” I smiled.
She smiled back as the waitress took her drink order. “I’ll have a dry martini with a twist.”
“Very good,” the waitress spoke as she walked away.
“Thank you for having dinner with me,” I said to get the conversation going.
Her eyes sparkled under the illuminating lights and, being a man who was very attracted to her, my cock twitched more than it should have.
“I want to apologize for earlier,” she said as she took a sip of her water.
“For what?”
“At my office. The little scene you witnessed. It was very unprofessional, but he caught me off guard.”
“No need to apologize. I found it entertaining. Oliver told me that he likes you. He said you have spunk.”
She laughed. “Tell Oliver I said thank you.”