Ms. Lawyer

by Lea Coll

  “I have to say, Emma, it is not a chore to stand here and spar with you this morning,” he said as his eyes traveled from my pumps to my skirt.

  It definitely felt like he was undressing me with his eyes. I was wearing a black skirt suit with four-inch black pumps, which still only brought me up to his shoulders. Nothing about my outfit should be evoking the heat I saw in his eyes.

  “Those heels make your legs look amazing,” he said softly. When his eyes traveled back to my face, his gaze captured mine and the intensity of it pulled me closer to his body. There was no question that Luke felt the same attraction for me that I felt for him.

  Then his voice lost the intimate tone, as a bailiff walked out of the courtroom slamming the door behind him and continued walking down the hall, breaking the mood. “I still don’t understand how you’re a defense attorney. A sweet girl like you? I could see you as a state’s attorney. I could get behind you holding a badge, that’s crazy hot. But why a public defender?”

  “Someone’s got to do it, right?” I spun on my heels with a smile thrown over my shoulder. “And I’m not sweet.”

  As I walked back into court, I felt his gaze on me so I put an extra sway into my hips.

  I was not a sexy vixen usually, but Luke brought it out in me. I found I liked it.

  When I re-entered the courtroom, the state’s attorney, Josh Graham, gestured for me to approach. He asked for a postponement since the officer wasn’t able to appear in the stolen air conditioner case. I quickly agreed. I looked forward to dealing with Kevin another day.

  At lunchtime, I heard a commotion outside my office so I went to see what was going on. A tired-looking woman with a baby carrier walked in the main door to the office and stood in the reception area. She was surrounded by a few coworkers who were cooing over the baby. I decided this must be the lady whose position I was covering. I walked closer to get a good look at the baby who was now being handed around. I assumed it was a boy since he was wrapped in blue.

  “Emma, this is Penny Shaw,” Ashley introduced us. “Emma is the one taking over your position while you’re gone.”

  “It’s nice to meet you, Emma. I’m so glad you could come and help out so I could take the full twelve weeks of leave.”

  “Sure. It’s not a problem.” I didn’t tell her it wasn’t my choice.

  “I hope you like it here.” Then she lowered her voice and leaned in to Ashley and me so we could hear, “I might not come back.”

  “Really?” Ashley asked.

  “I just don’t know how I’m going to be able to leave this little guy with someone,” Penny said. “I’m barely sleeping as it is. I can’t imagine coming into work and trying to speak in coherent sentences after being up all night with this little guy.” She lifted up her baby so we could see his face.

  My stomach sank when she said that. What would happen if Penny didn’t come back to work? The thought had not entered my mind until now. Would my supervisor make me stay here? Though I liked Luke, I barely knew him. I had no idea if the flirtation we’d engaged in so far was worth exploring. Was it merely lust and he would lose interest? My track record with guys wasn’t the best. It was practically nonexistent with hot guys, and Luke definitely fit into that category. I liked the friends I was making here, but did I want to live here permanently? I just didn’t know.

  When Penny left a few minutes later, I turned to Ashley. “You think she will come back to work?”

  “I have no idea, honestly. I was shocked she had the baby. No one even knew she had been seeing anyone. I would never ask and she’s never mentioned a father. The way small town gossip is, you would think we would have heard something by now, but no one knows,” she explained, and then turned to walk back down the hallway to enter her office.

  ASHLEY AND I WALKED OVER to the pub a little after 5:00 p.m. Ashley rarely left the office early, so when she wanted to go to happy hour, I didn’t argue, though the bar scene was usually not my thing. I pulled open the large black wooden door and walked inside. The building stood out from the rest of the street as it was only one story high and had a flat roof. I wondered what the building’s original purpose had been, since most of the buildings in town were built in the 1800s in the Georgian style.

  The paneled window at the front of the building only let in a small amount of light and the overhead lighting was dim, but I could see the scuffed wooden floors. There was a wide gleaming wooden bar spanning the back of the building and wooden tables in the front. A few people were seated at the bar and the tables in work attire, but I still felt overdressed in my suit. I took my jacket and hung it over the back of the chair before I sat down at one of the tables by the sole window. I was wearing a silky blue ruffled shirt under my blazer, paired with a tan skirt and open-toed nude heels. Ashley was similarly dressed in a black suit. She ordered a pitcher of beer.

  As she poured beer into our glasses she asked, “So, how are your cases going?”

  “I thought I was finally going to have a trial today, but Luke burst my bubble.” I swirled the beer in my glass.

  “That janitor case? I thought for sure that would go to trial. Your defense was genius, a janitor picking up trash.” She chuckled as she took a swig of her beer. “What happened?”

  “The idiot was high when he was arrested,” I explained, scanning the bar for anyone else I knew. I didn’t want to bash my client if his family was present.

  “Your client didn’t think to tell you that?” she asked with amusement.

  “No, of course not. Why would you tell your attorney the truth?” It never helped their cases because the truth always came out. That usually happened when the defendant was on the stand, which was the worst possible timing since I couldn’t prepare for it. Clients think they know better though.

  “Still bitter, Ms. Lawyer?” Luke asked, pulling out a chair from our table and sat down.

  I looked up at him in surprise. I hadn’t seen him come in. “I was hoping for some excitement. I’m tired of all the plea deals,” I said.

  He’d changed since work because now he wore a faded pair of jeans and a black fitted T-shirt that did everything for his muscled chest. My eyes traveled down to his thighs, which filled out his well-worn jeans. He had spread his legs in that confident sprawl that men used when relaxed. He leaned back and placed his hands behind his head, giving me a long considering look. The position caused his biceps to flex, which I couldn’t help but admire.

  “Well, when you’re on the wrong side of the law, the wins are few and far between.”His mouth twitched with amusement.

  “Oh, I’m on the wrong side of the law now, am I?” I responded. I was beginning to enjoy these interactions with Luke. I glanced over at Ashley, who mouthed, “What is happening right now?”

  I shrugged in response, hoping Luke hadn’t noticed our exchange. At the same time, a man I didn’t know walked into the pub, catching Luke’s attention. He shifted forward in his seat. “Looks like Sawyer is here. I will see you ladies later.” He got up and left with a wink. Sawyer looked like a thinner, leaner version of Luke, so I thought it must be his brother. I couldn’t tell if he was younger or older though. He wore glasses and looked hot in a studious nerdy way.

  “What was that?” Ashley loudly whispered, leaning toward me.

  “I have no idea. He takes pleasure in teasing me,” I replied, trying to shrug it off. I drank some of my beer, wishing I had food to eat so my mouth would be full and I wouldn’t have to answer her questions.

  “I think he’s flirting with you,” she replied as if she just came to that conclusion and was proud of herself.

  I snorted at that. “No, no way.” I had some male attention in college, but no one who came close to being in Luke’s league. He was hot, and I was, well, plain. Not interesting; boring brown hair, blue eyes, and short legs. There was no way we were on the same level. He probably saw me as a friend, a younger sister, even. He felt protective toward me because I was new in town. He took his job seriously.
Although, he did flirt with me in court today.

  “Why are you so quick to disagree?” Ashley asked with genuine curiosity.

  “There’s no way that man is seriously interested in me.” I shook my head vehemently and picked up my phone to have something to distract me from the conversation. That man was seated at the bar next to his brother. I couldn’t help but be aware of his every move. He took a sip of his beer and I admired his forearms as he lifted the glass, and the moisture the beer bottle left on his upper lip as he placed it down.

  Ashley was not easily deterred. “Has he commented on your looks recently?”

  I turned my attention back to her. “How do you know that? Did you hear us talking in court?” I was slightly panicked now. I hadn’t intended for anyone to overhear that conversation.

  She looked at me triumphantly. “No, I didn’t. But when a man mentions your looks, he’s probably interested in you. I hate to break it to you. Plus he looks at you like he’s undressing you with his eyes.”

  “I disagree. He’s just a flirt.” I looked around the room, trying to think of a better argument. I saw Logan Gray close to another woman in conversation at a table in the corner which gave me an idea. “You know, like Logan Gray, the one who’s always calling everyone gorgeous.” It made every woman feel great, but he wasn’t really interested. It was part of his charm.

  “Logan is a shameless flirt, that’s true, but Luke is not.”She glanced over at him. She looked slightly annoyed.

  “What’s the difference?” I asked genuinely, trying to figure out her thinking.

  “Logan flirts with everyone. He’s a harmless puppy dog. I’ve only seen Luke talk to you like this. Plus he has a nickname for you: Ms. Lawyer. Come on. Nicknames equal interest.”

  “No, he thinks of me as a little sister, the newcomer in town who needs help. That’s his job, he’s a police officer,” I continued to argue with her. “He’s trying to run for sheriff, for God sakes. He thinks everyone in town is his business.”

  “No, I disagree. It’s not a police officer’s job to flirt with all newcomers.”

  “Well, when you say it like that it sounds ridiculous,” I scoffed. I poured more beer into my glass.

  “That’s because it is ridiculous. Why are you so quick to discount the fact that Luke Hudson could be interested in you?” she persisted.

  I looked down in shame, wondering if I should reveal my inner thoughts and past experiences. “Because that’s how it is. I’m plain. I don’t get male attention; especially not from guys as good looking as Luke. He’s in a completely different league. There’s no way he could be interested in me. Guys like that usually treat me like a friend or a sister.”

  Now she looked shocked. “Have you looked in the mirror? You are not plain. You’re beautiful. It’s those big innocent blue eyes. How can you not have had a lot of attention? I just don’t believe it.”

  “You’re rambling now. Maybe I was too focused on studying and school. Then I was too concerned with proving myself at work. I haven’t made much of an effort to date, either. But guys in high school paid me no attention.”

  “Well, we’re a long way from high school. Don’t let those idiot guys in high school dictate the rest of your life. Maybe guys were too intimidated because you were so smart.”

  “You might be right. I was a nerd in high school,” I conceded. I looked around. Almost every table and stool was occupied now. It was loud.

  “See? And you haven’t really dated any men,” she reasoned, taking off her blazer and placing it on the arm of the chair she was seated on.

  “I dated a few in college, but nothing serious,” I said.

  “No one since you started working?” she asked.

  “Just a few dates here and there. Attorneys I would run into in court. I just never liked dating guys I worked with. And I’m so busy working, I never meet anyone outside of work.”

  “Exactly. So how do you know a guy like Luke wouldn’t be interested in you?”

  “I guess you’re right. We will just have to wait and see.” I didn’t tell her about the drawing he gave me. It felt too personal; something meant to be between us.

  “Ladies, what are you doing here?” Stella asked, plopping down in the chair Luke had vacated.

  We were so involved in our conversation, I hadn’t even noticed Stella come in. I gave Ashley a look I hope conveyed that the conversation about Luke should remain private. She seemed to get it because she didn’t mention it again.

  “Hey, Stella!” Ashley said in response.

  “Nice to see you again,” I said.

  “The newspaper is all abuzz about this sheriff’s race. We’re getting a flood of letters for the op-ed section. ‘Luke is too young to be sheriff. He just graduated from high school, didn’t he? Didn’t he used to steal lawn ornaments from old Ms. Ellis’s yard?’ She finished up in her best male voice impersonation.

  “I think every kid in town used to steal lawn ornaments. Who cares?” Ashley asked.

  “Are you getting any letters in support of Luke?” I asked. I found it hard to believe that he didn’t have support from a portion of the town. His ideas were solid, but I didn’t know Brad.

  “A few, but the overwhelming bulk so far has been in Brad Campbell’s favor. I swear Brad is walking around asking people to submit letters in exchange for money,” Stella said. The waitress stopped by and asked Stella if she wanted anything. She asked for a glass. “Another pitcher, ladies?”

  “Sure,” Ashley answered and the waitress picked up the pitcher to fill it up.

  “What do the letters in support of Luke say?” I asked.

  “There’s some letters questioning whether the whole department has been mismanaged under Sheriff Robinson and his second hand man, Chief Deputy Brad Campbell,” she said.

  “Well, that’s in Luke’s favor. If Sheriff Robinson wasn’t doing a good job, then Brad will be associated with him as chief deputy,” I said.

  “Yeah, but Sheriff Robinson is pretty well liked in the community.” Ashley said.

  “We should probably ask Luke if he needs any help handing out flyers, that kind of thing,” I suggested.

  Ashley gave me an amused look like she thought I had ulterior motives and said, “That’s a good idea.” I ignored her.

  Stella talked about the upcoming issues in the sheriff’s race, how money was being spent, deputy morale, whether the office had in fact been mismanaged by Sheriff Robinson and Chief Deputy Campbell, crime rates, and overtime. Then conversation turned to events coming up in the town. Chestertown was known for its festivals, including musical, historical reenactments, and even a Harry Potter festival in the fall.

  The town also attracted a lot of summer tourists looking for duck decoys, art, and the Eastern Shore experience. I couldn’t blame them. It was a peaceful place, with boating on the river, lots of shops, and crabs to eat at the restaurants. I felt like a tourist myself, since I was only in town for a few months.

  Eventually, the pub filled up even more as people came in after work and the dinner crowd assembled. Ashley and Stella were mired in a debate about getting a movie theater in town and I took the opportunity to study Luke. He was still seated at the bar, deep in conversation with Sawyer. They were talking and glancing up intermittently at the baseball game playing on the television above the bar. I decided to use the bathroom. When I came out, Luke was waiting in the hallway, leaning against the wall. I looked around, but he was staring at me.

  “Stalking me in bathrooms now?” I asked.

  He drew up to his full height and backed me up until I leaned against the opposite wall. His arms went on either side of my head, blocking my view of anyone else. He caged me in, but wasn’t touching me. I breathed in his scent and tried to remember it for later. My eyes traveled slowly from his chest up to his eyes and what I saw caused my breath to catch. His brown eyes were practically smoldering. I was incapable of moving.

  “What did you think of that drawing I gave you?”<
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  At the moment, we were alone. I forgot that we stood in the hallway of the pub. I smiled. “You made me look like a knockout, but cartoons are meant to be an exaggeration.”

  Luke tensed, his eyes serious. “That’s how I see you, Emma. You are a knockout. You’re also sweet and sassy.” His hand touched my face and his eyes softened. “I want to get to know you better.”

  Warmth spread through me at his words. “Okay,” I said quietly. “Thank you.” No one had ever described me like that before. It would take a bit to get used to Luke seeing me that way. He made me feel special, desired.

  He tucked an errant piece of hair behind my ear and placed something into my hand. Before I could glance down to see what it was, he leaned in close, his mouth hovered over my ear. “And it wasn’t a cartoon, Emma. I will see you later.” His voice was low and husky, causing my knees to go weak. Then he pushed off the wall and sauntered back down the hallway toward the bar area.

  I didn’t move from my position as I watched him walk away. I admired his tight butt in those jeans, but then he looked back and caught me staring. He smiled at me like he knew the effect he had on me.

  I let out a shaky breath. There was no mistaking his interest. No friend had ever made my panties wet with just a few words. I shook my head to clear it and then remembered the scrap of napkin he’d tucked into my hand. I unfolded it to see another hand-drawn picture.

  With a small smile, I looked closer at it. He was a talented artist. Luke continued to amaze me and I wondered who else knew about his talent. I liked the feeling that I was the only one, but I didn’t delude myself.

  There was a police cruiser in the picture and Luke was in his uniform leaning back against the door. There was a woman, shorter than him, who was wearing a short skirt and sky high heels again. Long hair cascaded in waves down her back to just above a voluptuous butt. One of his hands was in her hair and the other one was on the side of her face. He was looking at her and leaning in, almost as if he was going to kiss her. Her eyes were open wide and her pouty lips were slightly parted in anticipation. The muscles of his arms popped out from the short sleeves of his uniform. He looked like a beast of a man next to the depiction of this smaller woman. The picture made my heart race.