Ava glanced away from him to stare across the darkening park. The scenic Midtown skyline towered above lush trees ablaze with fall color. The manicured grounds were filled with people walking dogs, couples strolling along the winding paths, families tossing Frisbees and children feeding ducks over by the glistening lake.
Ava observed the idyllic scenery, awash with memories of childhood forays to the park with her family. In her mind’s eye, she could see her father grilling hot dogs and hamburgers while her mother lounged nearby on a picnic blanket, idly watching as Ava and her older sister, Anita, chased each other around with water guns.
A soft, nostalgic smile curved her lips. “I haven’t been here in years,” she murmured.
“Really?” Colby tsk-tsked her. “All work and no play…”
She laughed ruefully. “I know, I know. But after putting in thirteen hours at the office, I just want to go home, crawl into bed and unwind with a glass of wine and a good book.”
Colby smiled at her. “Nothing wrong with that. Since moving back to Atlanta, I’ve started coming here after work to clear my head and decompress.”
“Oh, that’s right. You’ve been living in New York for the past fourteen years, haven’t you?” Ava smiled. “How does Piedmont Park compare to Central Park?”
Colby gave her an amused look. “Someone’s been doing her homework.”
Ava lifted a shoulder. “As the old adage goes, ‘Know thy enemy.’”
A smile played at the corners of his mouth. “Is that what we are, Ava? Enemies?”
She arched a brow at him. “We’re certainly not friends.”
“We could be.”
“Probably not.”
Chuckling, Colby patted the spot beside him. “Have a seat,” he invited.
She dubiously eyed the hood of the SUV, then shook her head. “No, thanks.”
His lazy gaze ran the length of her, taking in her tall heels and the fitted skirt of her red power suit. “Need help climbing up?”
“No, that won’t—”
Before she could complete the refusal, Colby stood, then scooped her gently around the waist and lifted her onto the hood of the SUV with shocking ease.
She sputtered protestingly, even as his touch sent bolts of heat shooting to her groin.
As she tugged down the hem of her skirt and primly pressed her knees together, Colby chuckled, enjoying her discomfiture. She glowered at him as he sat down beside her, resting his big feet on the front bumper of the vehicle.
“We really shouldn’t be meeting here like this,” she told him.
“Why not? We have business to discuss. Does it really matter where the discussion takes place?”
Ava gave him a look. “You know very well it matters. There’s a big difference between discussing business at one of our offices and discussing business at a public park. On the hood of your truck, at that.”
Colby threw back his head and laughed.
Ava stared at him. “What’s so funny?”
He grinned, shaking his head at her. “You’re a feisty one, aren’t you?”
“You make that sound like a bad thing.”
“Not at all. I think it’s sexy as hell.”
She snorted. “Flattery will get you nowhere.”
Colby snapped his fingers. “Damn.”
Ava laughed before she could stop herself.
Colby watched her, looking transfixed. “And speaking of sexy as hell…”
“What?”
“Your laugh. It’s incredible. Rich and throaty. Downright wicked.”
Ava’s insides tingled with pleasure. “Yours isn’t too bad, either.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
They shared a lazy smile. And for just a moment, Ava forgot that they were bitter adversaries instead of two lovers who’d come to the park to enjoy a romantic evening under the stars.
“So,” Colby murmured, tucking a windblown strand of her hair behind her ear, “you’re a lawyer, huh?”
She nodded slowly. “So are you. Imagine that.”
“Hmm.” His dark, glittering eyes traced her features. “So what’re we gonna do about that?”
She swallowed hard, her breathing suddenly shallow. “What’re we gonna…do?”
“Yeah.” His voice deepened. “We spent an amazing night together, Ava. I can’t stop thinking about you, and I know you wouldn’t be here right now if you didn’t feel the same.”
Her stomach clenched and a flush stole over her body. “I came here to discuss business, which—by the way—I’m still waiting for us to do.”
“All right, then. Let’s discuss business.” Angling his big body to face her, Colby pinned her with a direct gaze. “Tell your client to accept our terms.”
Ava shook her head. “No,” she said unequivocally. “Absolutely not.”
Colby frowned. “You’re not going to win this case. We both know that Johnae’s supervisor discriminated against her.”
“That remains to be seen,” Ava countered, conceding nothing. “Even the EEOC declined to pursue her case.”
Colby scoffed. “You know damn well that doesn’t prove anything.”
She did, but that was beside the point. “Look, I sympathize with your client’s dilemma—”
“I believe that.” At her surprised look, Colby gently elaborated, “I saw the way you looked at Johnae during the meeting. I could tell that you genuinely sympathized with her and cared about her as a person.”
“Of course,” Ava grumbled irritably. “I’m not an ogre.”
Colby smiled faintly. “No, you’re not. So I know I can count on you to do the right thing.”
“The right thing?” Ava echoed, taking umbrage. “In case you’ve forgotten, Counselor, I don’t represent Johnae Kearse. I represent Southern Pacific, so it’s my responsibility to look out for their best interests, not your client’s. I agree that the company should settle with Johnae but not for the outrageous sum you’re asking. I believe that our offer was more than sufficient.”
Colby snorted rudely. “Give me a damn break. Five grand doesn’t begin to compensate my client for everything she’s been through. It was bad enough that she was dealing with a difficult pregnancy that caused her to be sick practically every day. Instead of receiving compassion and support from her supervisor, she was subjected to a hostile work environment. And then, to add insult to injury, she was fired without notice. She’s been out of work for four months. She’s behind on her bills, and the emotional stress is taking a toll on her and the baby.” Colby shook his head in grim disgust. “Finding a good job is hard enough in this lousy economy. Try finding one when you’re six months pregnant.”
Ava swallowed tightly as an unwelcome knot of guilt twisted in her stomach. Agreeing to meet Colby tonight had been a mistake. She knew that now more than ever. So the only thing left for her to do was retreat.
And quickly.
Gathering her composure, she said evenly, “It seems we’ve reached an impasse.”
Colby just looked at her, a muscle working in his jaw.
“Since we have nothing more to say to each other,” she continued, carefully sliding down from the hood, “I think I’ll just go now.”
Just as her feet touched the ground, Colby suddenly rose and pinned her against the front of the SUV. She gasped at the feel of his strong, muscular legs on either side of hers, trapping her.
She stared up at him, her heart thundering against her ribs, the Escalade’s cool metal grille pressed into her back. “What are you doing?” she whispered.
Dark eyes glittering fiercely, Colby slanted his head over hers.
She averted her face just in time, shivering as his soft lips brushed her cheek before drifting to her ear. “I’ve always prided myself on being able to stay focused on my work,” he murmured, low and guttural. “But you’re driving me out of my damn mind, Ava. I want you. I want you so fucking bad I can’t think straight.”
Ava shuddered uncontrollably at
his raw confession.
As his tongue traced the sensitized shell of her ear, her conscience screamed, This is wrong! But she couldn’t get her brain to transmit the warning to the rest of her hijacked body. Her heart was pounding, her breasts were throbbing and her pussy was pumping relentlessly.
She closed her eyes and bit her lip hard, desperately wishing Colby would lift her onto the hood of the SUV, tear off her panties, throw her legs over his shoulders and bury himself deep inside her—onlookers be damned.
When her traitorous hips began rocking against the heavy bulge of his erection, he groaned hoarsely. Putting his finger beneath her chin, he turned her face toward his.
They stared at each other, the air between them thick and vibrating with so much sexual tension Ava felt smothered with every breath she took.
This time when Colby lowered his mouth to hers, she didn’t turn away. Keeping her eyes open, she met his kiss with an answering hunger that made them both groan.
Cupping her head between his hands, Colby molded his warm lips to hers, nibbling at the corners, sucking, tasting her. By the time he eased his silky tongue into her mouth, she was drunk on sensation, each sensual stroke of his tongue sending a rush of pleasure to her loins.
She wrapped her arms around his neck as he reached down with one hand to squeeze her butt. She moaned and ground her aching pelvis into his, grateful for the shadowy darkness that had fallen over the park, obscuring their exhibitionism.
When he slipped his other hand inside her suit jacket and cupped her breast through her camisole, she gasped. Jolts of ecstasy speared through her belly as he stroked her tight, engorged nipple.
As his lips returned to hers, she reached down and tugged his shirt and undershirt from the waistband of his pants. She touched his hot skin, feeling his abdominal muscles contract beneath her palm.
“Inside,” Colby whispered roughly.
And then he was backing her up toward the driver’s side of the SUV, opening the door and lowering himself onto the leather seat. He pulled her down with him, her skirt riding up her thighs as her legs straddled his lap. He crushed his mouth to hers as he slammed the door shut, locking them inside the dark interior of the vehicle, where they were shielded from view by the tinted windows.
Their tongues tangled erotically as he reached under her skirt and seized her lace panties, ripping them clean from her body. Too far gone to care or stop what they were doing, Ava fumbled frantically with his belt and zipper, unfastening his pants. She gripped his rearing shaft, stroking him from swollen tip to base as he groaned with satisfaction.
Staring into her eyes, nostrils flaring, he slipped two fingers inside her slick sheath. She let out a soft hiss, surrendering to the deliciously erotic invasion. As he tenderly rubbed her clit and caressed her saturated walls, she writhed against him, riding his long fingers.
Watching her face intently, Colby withdrew his hand from her tight clasp and painted her sticky essence across her lips. His eyes darkened with lust when she opened her mouth and sucked his wet fingers, savoring her own taste.
“Fuck,” he growled before leaning forward to kiss her ravenously, stealing some of her nectar for himself.
When their mouths broke apart, Ava hurriedly unbuttoned her jacket and tore it off as Colby dug into his pants pocket and removed a condom from his wallet. He quickly covered himself, then grabbed her hips and guided her down onto his huge, jutting shaft.
She cried out hoarsely as he penetrated her with one deep, powerful shove that shot spasms of pleasure to her cervix. Biting her lower lip hard enough to draw blood, she clutched his big shoulders and held on tight as he began thrusting upward, plunging deeper with every stroke.
He felt so good inside her, so incredibly sublime, that Ava wondered how she’d ever survived without him as her lover.
They stared into each other’s eyes as she rode his cock, her hips undulating to match the slow, measured tempo he’d set. Her heart was thumping, and her skin felt flushed and dewy beneath her clothes.
Colby palmed her straining breasts through her camisole, his thumbs tracing circles around her erect nipples until they burned from the sensual onslaught. When he lowered his mouth to latch onto her left breast, she flung back her head with a choked cry. He sucked her nipple through the gauzy material, the wet friction making her womb clench and contract.
“Colby,” she whimpered breathlessly. “Ohhh, shit…”
“I know,” he rasped. “You feel so damn good, babe.”
“Mmm, so do you.”
He reached up and cupped the back of her head, capturing her mouth in a searingly carnal kiss that left them both moaning raggedly.
Ava leaned back on Colby’s flexing thighs and rocked her hips faster, bouncing up and down the steely length of his shaft. As her legs began to shake, she sobbed helplessly, “I’m coming…ohhh, Colby…Colby!”
She arched backward as a blinding orgasm tore through her, racking her body with violent spasms as her juices spilled around Colby’s hard flesh. Moments later he groaned her name and gave one last savage thrust before he exploded, gripping her ass cheeks as his cock pumped furiously with the force of his release.
Gasping loudly, Ava dropped her head onto his shoulder and closed her eyes, her chest heaving as she fought to catch her breath. Colby’s arms went around her, holding her protectively closer.
They remained clamped together for a long time, the air moist and warm around them.
Gradually, as her breathing steadied and her body stopped convulsing, Ava opened her eyes. When her gaze settled on the fogged windows, she tensed, then slowly lifted her head from Colby’s shoulder and stared at him.
His dark, smoldering eyes were heavy lidded, and his forehead glistened with sweat.
“Oh, God,” she whispered as cold reality intruded, releasing a dam that flooded her conscience with shame and regret.
Colby frowned, searching her eyes. “Ava—”
She climbed off his lap and scuttled backward, landing awkwardly on the passenger seat. She straightened at once, her hands trembling as she quickly tugged down her skirt and tucked her camisole into her waistband. When Colby wordlessly handed her jacket to her, she shoved her arms through the sleeves and hastily buttoned herself back up.
She couldn’t look at Colby as he calmly disposed of the condom and fixed his clothes.
A heavy silence fell between them.
When Ava’s nerves were stretched to the breaking point, she mumbled, “I should go,” and reached for the door handle.
Colby caught her wrist, halting her escape. “Wait.”
She tensed, staring down at the long, masculine fingers encircling her slender wrist. Reluctantly she lifted her gaze to his. “Can we just pretend this never happened?” she said pleadingly.
His eyes glinted with wry humor. “I think you already know the answer to that question.”
She did, God help her.
Tugging herself free of Colby’s grasp, she heaved a frustrated sigh and leaned back against the headrest. “This was a mistake. I shouldn’t have come here tonight.”
“Maybe not,” he quietly conceded, “but I’m glad you did.”
She snorted. “I bet you are.”
He scrubbed a hand over his face, then exhaled a deep breath. “Look, I could sit here and tell you that I feel terrible about what we just did and I can swear to you that it won’t ever happen again, but I’d be lying on both counts. Because I don’t regret making love to you, Ava, and if I hadn’t promised to have dinner with my family tonight, we’d be on our way to your place right now for round two.”
“Are you serious?” Ava demanded incredulously. “Do you honestly see nothing wrong with what we just did? Do I need to explain to you that we have a humongous conflict of interest here?”
Colby frowned. “Of course not. Believe me, I take matters of professional conduct very seriously. Which is why I wanted to meet with you and hash some things out.” His eyes met hers in the shadowy darkne
ss. “The sooner we settle this lawsuit, the sooner we’ll be free and clear to explore this thing between us.”
Stunned, Ava gaped at him. “Is that what tonight was about? Seducing me into accepting your terms so you can keep screwing me with a clear conscience?”
Colby scowled. “No, damn it.”
“Good. Because if you think I’m going to put my own needs above my client’s, you’d better think again. When you’re ready to discuss a reasonable settlement, call me. Otherwise, please don’t waste my time.” With that, she opened the door and climbed out of the SUV.
Before she could march away, Colby buzzed down the window. “Ava.”
She spun around. “What?”
Eyes glimmering with amusement, he held up her ruined lace panties. “I owe you a new pair.”
An embarrassed flush scalded her face. She opened her mouth to deliver a stinging retort, but all that emerged was a strangled sound of vexation. She, who could spar with the best of them in or out of a courtroom, had been rendered incoherent by a man wielding a pair of her underwear.
As she watched, Colby brought the torn scrap of lace to his nose and breathed deeply. “Mmm,” he murmured appreciatively. “Best damn souvenir I’ve ever had.”
Hating the way her belly quivered with arousal, Ava pivoted on her heel and stalked off toward her car.
Tate’s smug taunt echoed through her mind.
Are you sure you’re up for fighting this lawsuit?
The answer—the truth—was too damn unsettling to contemplate.
Chapter 6
“Colby? Is that you?”
“Yeah, Ma,” Colby called upstairs to Carlene Austin, keys jangling in his hand as he walked through the foyer of her house.
“I’ll be down in a minute.”
“Okay.” Colby headed into the small kitchen, crossed to the refrigerator and helped himself to a cold beer. Leaning back against the granite countertop, he twisted the cap off the bottle and took a healthy swig. He was parched, and though he’d stopped home for a quick shower, his body still felt overheated from the sizzling encounter he’d had with Ava.
That woman’s gonna be the death of me, he mused and couldn’t stop the wicked smile that curved his mouth.
Merry Sexy Christmas Page 23