by Raquel Belle
Garrison, raised bushy gray brows and studied her closely with piercing blue eyes similar to her own. “Ms. Davis, is everything alright?”
Realizing that her jaw was still practically touching the carpeted floor, she snapped her mouth shut and straightened her jacket. “Yes, d- uh, Mr. Davis. Everything is fine. Good morning, gentlemen.”
Her father nodded while Mr. GQ mumbled a greeting, eyes still fixed on her.
Garrison cleared his throat lightly. “Jared this is Evelyn Davis, the lawyer I recommended and wanted you to meet. I think—I know, she will be a great fit for your team. Evelyn, this is Jared Hawthorne.”
Evie gulped, her gaze swinging from her father to Mr. GQ who now had a name—Jared. It was worse than she thought. He wasn’t just her father’s client, he was supposed to be hers. If there was any mercy in the world, he would turn down her father’s recommendation to have her work for him.
Jared’s right brow quirked up. He looked from Evie to Garrison, probably noting their resemblance for the first time. “Evelyn Davis?”
Garrison nodded. “That’s right.”
For a millisecond Jared looked just as miserable as she felt. “Your daughter,” he said, slowly. “Great. I’ve heard a lot about you.” With a tight smile, he stood up and offered her a hand. “Pleasure to meet you, Ms. Davis.”
Evie pulled in a breath. Okay, so they were going to do the thing where they pretended they didn’t have a wild night of passionate sex. Awesome. Placing her hand in his, she returned her own strained smile. “The pleasure is all mine, Mr. Hawthorne.” She did her best to ignore the teasing glint in his eyes, and the smirk that appeared on his lips.
“Well, have a seat, Evelyn. We have much to discuss,” Garrison said.
Reluctantly, Evie trudged to the chair parallel to Jared’s, wishing she was anywhere else but there.
Chapter Two
Jared
Jared half-listened to Garrison sell his daughter’s professional qualities. The other half of his brain was focused on the memory of what she looked and felt like under her stylish navy blue suit. Pretty goddamn amazing. They really did have a hell of a one-night stand. The woman was a wildcat in bed, the total opposite of her presently cool demeanor. She’d been flustered at first. He’d seen it clearly in her expressive eyes. He saw shock, embarrassment, and dismay flicker in their depths in rapid succession when she’d walked in and saw him. But, now she sat, legs crossed, back straight and shoulders squared, fully recovered from her shock. She’d played along well, pretending to meet him for the first time. Looking at her, there was no telling if she even remembered that he’d had his head between her legs just days before. Seeing her again had him feeling out of sorts.
Running into a one-night stand wasn’t something he was ever happy about, but she’d been a fixture in his mind since their encounter, and it was something new for him. He had the attention span of a toddler when it came to the women he entertained himself with. But Evelyn Davis—now he had a name to put to the face—had haunted him for a week. Perhaps it was because when he’d recovered from his exhaustion and woke up after she’d worn him out and wrung him dry, she was gone. That was his move. Never had he been the one left behind. They’d gone to her room, for Christ’s sake, and she still managed to be the one to skip out on him. She’d left a note telling him to enjoy the room until check-out. Another one of his moves. He’d been in disbelief as he’d sat there in the rumpled bed and read the note.
Jared made a huge mistake, mentioning it to his brother, Liam, who had a field day with how the table had turned. Liam was amused and insisted that he wanted to meet the woman who pulled a Jared better than Jared. His brother wouldn’t let him forget it any time soon. Jared gave Evelyn yet another side glance and scowled. Talk about getting a dose of one’s own medicine. She really wasn’t interested in more than one night. If she was, she wouldn’t have skipped out on him before he’d woken up the morning after. In his experience, women usually wanted more even after they agreed to one night. He liked to think he was so good in the sack, they couldn’t get enough. Evelyn delivered a blow to his ego for sure. Yet, the fact that she didn’t want him for anything more than one night of bliss made her all the more attractive. Obviously, he needed help. Maybe it was time to get himself a therapist.
The biggest shocker of the entire situation wasn’t even that they might be working together. She was Garrison Davis’s daughter. Of all the women in Seattle he could have slept with, it had to be with Garrison's daughter. He and Garrison didn’t have just a professional relationship, they were friends. What would the old man say if he found out Jared put his womanizing hands on his daughter?
“So, Jared, what do you say?”
His attention went back to Garrison who eyed him expectantly. For a moment, Jared was confused but managed pulled himself out of his haze to recall what Garrison had been rambling about and blurted out a response. “I’m sure Ms. Davis is highly qualified but does she have the experience?” He was a client of one of Garrison’s associates, and when the man retired, Jared had been assured he would get another top-notch corporate lawyer from Garrison’s firm. Evelyn did radiate intelligence and professionalism, but she looked a bit young. He glanced her way. She couldn’t be a day over thirty. How long could she have been a lawyer?
Before Garrison could respond, Jared was hit with cold blue orbs that flashed with pride, confidence, and a bit of resentment. “I assure you, Mr. Hawthorne, I’m a very capable lawyer. I might only have three years of experience, but I have a lifetime’s experience of getting things done properly through my knowledge of a situation and also in my tenacity.”
“I made sure of that,” Garrison said coolly.
Jared lifted a brow, noting Evelyn’s expression tighten at her father’s comment. Eyes still on her, he added, “I have more than one businesses, Ms. Davis. I constantly require counseling on handling numerous business transactions and drafting complicated contracts.”
“I’ve worked with large corporations in Los Angeles, as well as music labels. I assure you, I can handle your many businesses and any tasks given to me. I’m good at my job.”
Jared’s lips twitched, wanting to smile at her confidence. She was a different type of woman that he wasn’t accustomed to. “I’ll take your word for it, Ms. Davis.”
“Don’t. My resume and recommendations speak for themselves.”
He swallowed another smile, fully aware of the rising tension between them. It was made more uncomfortable with Garrison peering at them both with a frown. Did the old man pick up on their tension? Evelyn’s unease wasn’t in your face, but if one looked close enough, it was apparent. Her shoulders were rod-stiff, and she jiggled an ankle anxiously. The thought that his presence made her nervous gave him a sick kind of satisfaction because he was just as moved by sitting in a room with her and having to pretend that he didn’t know what her lips and the rest of her tasted like. Jared stifled a groan and turned his attention to Garrison.
“I trust you, Garrison, and your firm. If you’ve hired Ms. Davis, she must be quite a lawyer. I’ll take another look at her resume, make some calls, and then make a decision. Sound good?” He shifted his gaze from Garrison to Evelyn.
“Fine,” she said.
“Do what you have to do, Jared.”
“I’d also like a word with you, Ms. Davis … If that’s alright ...?”
“Of course,” she forced out through clenched teeth. “My office is just down the hall. Mr. Davis, are we finished here?”
“Go ahead. We’ll talk later.” She nodded and rose from her chair. “You’ll find my office when you’re ready, Mr. Hawthorne?”
Jared nodded and smiled, willing his eyes not to stray to her swaying hips as she sauntered out the door. Seconds of silence ticked by before Jared cleared his throat and addressed Garrison. “So, your daughter, huh? She’s ... not what I expected.” His friend had mentioned his daughter a couple of times. He’d lied when he told Evelyn he’d heard a lot
about her. Garrison never gave away much. It was easy to see that their relationship was strained with the aloof way they interacted. It amazed Jared that he and Garrison had been friends for years, and he knew nothing about his daughter, except that she’d been living in California and was into law like her old man. He hadn’t even known what she looked like. There were no family pictures at Garrison’s house, not one on his desk or anywhere in his office. If he’d known what she looked like before today, their entire awkward situation could have been avoided.
Garrison’s brows shot up. “Oh? Well, what were you expecting, exactly?”
Jared rubbed his chin thoughtfully. What had he been expecting? Of course, she had to be smart. She was Garrison’s kid. He suspected the gruff man would expect no less from his child. Maybe he hadn't expected her to be so … attractive, fiery, and able to so easily get under his skin. “Never mind that, Garrison. Why haven’t you talked about her much?”
The older man’s stout shoulders lifted. “What more did you want me to say than what I had already told you? She’s a smart woman like her father,” he added, “and she wasn’t living here.”
“So you two aren’t close?”
“I’d say we’re as close a father and child can be.”
Jared resisted the urge to roll his eyes. If there was one thing he disliked about Garrison, it was his view on raising children. It was much too similar to Jared’s late father’s view. A child was nothing more than a pawn to raise and groom to continue their father’s legacy. There was no need for affection or anything else a child might need to feel normal. So, Evelyn Davis had daddy issues. He could relate. That explained her controlled demeanor around her father. He wondered if that was the cause of the sadness in her eyes. Oh, yes, he remembered seeing it that night. He remembered everything about her from that night, and it terrified him.
“I see. You must be happy having her back in Seattle and closer to you.”
“Sure,” Garrison said, already preoccupied with a file on his desk. Poor Evelyn. It couldn’t have been easy growing up with Garrison as her only parent. Jared knew Garrison was a single father since his daughter was eight years old.
“Right. I should go and speak with the potential new member of my team.”
Garrison glanced up. “It’s your decision to make, but I have to say … I would hate to lose your business if you decide to go with another lawyer. My firm makes a shitload of money off of you.” He grinned.
Jared snorted. “Well, I’ve been satisfied with your firm so far.”
“Good to hear. Evelyn is good at what she does, Hawthorne. I wouldn’t have hired her otherwise.”
Jesus, the man spoke of his daughter so clinically, as if she were just some stranger he hired. “I’m sure she’s great,” I said.
He stood up and straightened his tie. “I’ll see you later?”
“Of course. I’ll be home. Drop by any time.”
It had become a tradition to meet up with Garrison for nightcaps to discuss business or personal matters and everything in between. They’d become close friends after Jared’s father died three years ago. Jared had always liked his father’s oldest friend. Underneath Garrison’s brusque exterior, he was a likable man with a lot of good advice. He’d encouraged Jared to take over his father’s company and prove everyone wrong. Neither Jared’s father or his associates believed he could carry on what his father had built. With Garrison’s help, he’d accomplished more than that—he’d turned his father’s shipping business into a conglomerate success.
Jared respected Garrison Davis, which was why guilt nagged him as he vacated the man’s office. He still couldn’t believe he’d had a wild night with his friend’s daughter. It wasn’t anything strange to find himself in an awkward bind with a woman, but this had to be the worst by far. He found the object of his newfound problem in her office, pacing a hole in the carpet. Her door was ajar and he couldn’t help stopping to watch her before making his presence known.
She was a stark contrast to the woman he’d met a week before. That woman had been wearing a dress that gave tempting views of what she had underneath. That woman had her hair literally and figuratively let down. Before him now was a prim and proper version of her in a modest suit that hid most of her flawless curves and tanned skin, and a severe bun that showed off every angle of her oval face and high cheekbones. Her pouty lips with the prominent cupid’s bow weren’t a vivacious red but a toned-down nude color. That did nothing to take away from the fact that she had lips a lot of women paid to get. He remembered how good they felt on his mouth and other parts of his body. Garrison’s daughter was a stunner—unfortunately for him because he never could resist a beautiful woman. It would be difficult to stay out of trouble where Evelyn was concerned.
He cleared his throat lightly, alerting her to his presence. She started and whirled around, wide-eyed. “Do you need a few more minutes to pace? I can come back,” he said.
Two pink stains appeared in her cheeks, and she brushed her hands down the front of her jacket. “No, come on in. I was just …”
“Wearing a hole into the carpet?”
“Thinking,” she said. He watched her swallow and compose herself. It amazed him how quickly she went from flustered to unruffled in seconds.
“Thinking about our real first meeting?” He couldn’t help himself.
Evelyn blanched—all color seeping from her face. She scurried toward him to close the door. “Keep it down, will you? What if dad …I mean, Mr. Davis hears us?”
Jared lifted a shoulder. “Then, I’d probably be severely kicked in the nuts for sleeping with his daughter.”
Chapter Three
Evie
Evie couldn’t hold back the derisive snort that escaped her. “I’d be more likely to get kicked in the nuts for sleeping with a client, Mr. Hawthorne. Trust me.” If her father found out she’d jumped into bed with Jared Hawthorne, she’d be screwed for sure. One, she’d probably be fired before completing her first week at the firm. Two, he’d probably, completely disown her as his child. She ignored Jared’s chuckle and motioned to a chair. “Please, have a seat.” She moved back behind her desk to plop in her chair, feeling much better with the massive piece of oak between them.
Jared sat down, as gracefully as a jungle cat, his green eyes swirling with amusement and wonder, fixed on her. “We’ve found ourselves in quite an ironic situation, haven’t we, Evelyn? May I call you Evelyn?”
“Evie. All of my friends call me, Evie. Not that we’re friends,” she said. “I just prefer ... You know what? Call me ‘Evelyn’ or ‘Evie,’ whatever you’re comfortable with.” Wow, Jared Hawthorne in close proximity after the things he did to her—after the things she did to him—was unnerving, considering that they weren’t ever supposed to cross paths again.
“Evie,” he said. “I like it.”
The sensual quality of his smooth baritone made her squirm in her chair. “Look, Mr. Hawthorne …”
“Jared.”
“Jared. This is a very awkward position that you and I are in.”
His mouth curled into a wicked smile. “Funny you say that considering the various positions you and I have already been in.”
Her jaw slackened. Was he being serious? In her father’s office, he’d been nothing but cordial—thankfully—and now he was teasing her about their cursed sexual encounter. He was going to be trouble for sure. Trouble had been written all over him from the start, which was why she’d suggested nothing more than one night. “Mr. Hawthorne, can you please be serious?”
“Jared,” he corrected her again.
Evie sighed. “Jared, what do you say we forget that we ever met before today? That would make sense since we weren't supposed to see each other again, right?”
His right brow quirked. “Can you forget all the things we did, Evie?”
“Of course,” she answered too quickly. “I already have and I’m ready to move forward professionally.”
Jared’s eyes narrowe
d, as he studied her intently, his index finger rubbing his chin. Evie tried her best not let him see that she was lying through her teeth. Forget? She’d tried many times over the last week to forget to no avail. Jared Hawthorne was simply unforgettable in bed but she’d take that to the grave.
He sighed. “What if I can’t forget?”
She groaned. “Then I’m going to be unemployed before I’ve finished my first day. If my father finds out about us, I’m done.”
He smirked. “I didn’t know there was an ‘us.’”
Evie took a deep breath and prayed for patience. Obviously, Jared took the entire situation as one big joke. Not that she could blame him. If her boss wasn’t her harsh, tough-as-nails father, she would probably have a good laugh about accidentally sleeping with one of his clients. But, being in her position, there was nothing funny about it. She was barely keeping herself together as it was. “Are you deliberately being difficult, Mr. Hawthorne? Are you getting some kind of enjoyment out of this? Because if we can’t be professional, then you should go back to Mr. Davis and turn down his recommendation to have me join your team.” That way, she couldn’t be blamed for losing a client. Right? Surely, her father couldn’t blame her if Jared decided to go with a more experienced lawyer. Her lack of experience was out of her control.