'Hmm, let's see,' she murmured speculatively, as if giving his question serious consideration. 'I'm trapped in a room with a tiger, a rattlesnake, and a lawyer. I have a gun with two bullets. What should I do?'
He lifted his brows, indicating he was ready for her punch line, even though he knew it wouldn't bode well for him. 'I have no idea. What should you do?'
'Shoot the lawyer.
He chuckled and shook his head, even as he wondered what had caused such a cynical attitude toward attorneys. 'I take it that means no?'
'Ahh, a lawyer that catches on quick. Amazing.' She moved away from him, to the wall holding his law degree and other various certificates, diplomas and credentials he'd acquired since college. He watched her examine each one, a tiny frown forming on her brow. Not sure what had caused the sudden mood change, he attempted to keep their banter light and flirtatious. 'You'd better be careful, Jessie. I have to confess that those lawyer jokes of yours are starting to turn me on.'
She glanced over her shoulder at him, a hint of laughter dancing in her eyes. 'Maybe I need to work on my delivery.'
His gaze perused her lazily, thoroughly. 'From my vantage point, your delivery is
She turned around and sighed, the sound rife with regret. 'It's nothing personal, Ryan. I
'Just not that I'm a man who represents clients in a court of law.'
'Yeah, something like that,' she responded vaguely.
Pushing his hands into his trouser pockets, he slowly stepped toward her, watched as she subtly backed up to keep the same amount of distance between them. 'Then maybe we should narrow it down to working on just you, and me… on a
She bumped into his cherrywood filing cabinet, glared at it for being in her way, then crossed her arms over her chest in a gesture he read as protective. 'You don't give up, do you?'
'What can I say? Being a lawyer, I like to argue and prove people wrong. Especially when I know I'm right.'
She rolled her eyes at his too-confident statement. 'Well, this is one case you won't win, counselor.'
He smiled lazily. 'You don't think so?'
She shook her head, and that soft, enticing hair of hers swayed with the movement, teasing him, making the tips of his fingers tingle for direct contact. 'I
Very casually, as if it were a perfectly natural move, he braced his left hand against the edge of the filing cabinet, sealing off her one chance to slip around him. All amusement ceased, replaced by a shimmering heat. Her scent, an arousing combination of jasmine and innocence, curled around him, intoxicating and impossibly alluring.
Resisting the urge to bury his face against her neck and inhale deeply of the fragrance dinging to her skin, he tipped his head and said, 'Give me a strong, valid reason why I
She swallowed, and the pulse at the base of her throat fluttered. 'Number one on my list of dating rules. No lawyers.
He'd heard it all before, in so many words, and he didn't bother asking why, knowing by that guarded look in her eyes that he wouldn't glean the answer he wanted, just a brush-off. But he knew her reasons went much deeper than something so superficial, and the analytical part of him couldn't help but want to discover all her secrets.
'So, you're gonna hold my profession against me?'
''Fraid so.' She lifted her chin. 'You know, despite knowing how much you enjoy provoking me, I didn't come here for an interrogation.'
He stared deep into her eyes, filled with conflicting emotions. Denial.Defiance. Longing. It was the last emotion that struck a reciprocating chord in him.
'Maybe you came here for more than you realize,' he murmured, and lifted his free hand. He moved slow and easy, catering to her apprehension, intending to brush his knuckles across her cheek, gently tangle his fingers through her silken hair, stroke along the warm nape of her neck… and let desire take its natural course.
He was determined to make this the defining moment between them. And judging by the deepening of her breathing, the parting of her lips, and the way her lashes drooped slumberously over her hazy eyes, he was fairly certain she wouldn't belt him for satiating the need to caress her supple skin, taste her honeyed lips, and draw her lithe form up against his hard, hungry body.
It never happened.
A brisk knock on the door interrupted his seduction. Jessica jerked back, shaken, her eyes widening in alarm. Inches away from touching her, he fisted his fingers in the air, and swore beneath his breath at Glenna's untimely return.
Frustration tightened his jaw. Another five seconds, and he would have finally kissed Jessica, as deeply and as intimately as she would have allowed. And in the process he would have put a serious crimp in her 'ethics' against getting involved with a lawyer. He'd waited a year for this opportunity, only to have his proficient receptionist shatter the moment.
He gave Jessica the breathing room she suddenly seemed to need and opened the door, retrieving their hot beverages from Glenna. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Jessica move into the center of the room, where it was spacious and safe. She dragged a hand through her hair, looking flustered and as though she couldn't believe what she'd almost allowed him to do, what she'd almost openly participated in.
He nearly laughed at her naivete. If she knew the half of what he imagined doing to her, he was convinced he'd never see her again. Kisses and stolen caresses were only the beginning of what he wanted from her.
He turned back to the receptionist, who was awaiting further instructions from him. 'Glenna, will you hold all my calls until I'm through with Ms. Newman?' At her nod, he added with a rueful grin, 'And would you mind closing the door for me since my hands are full?'
'Of course.' With a smile that told him she believed this was just another business meeting with a client, she enclosed them in the room. A tension-filled silence immediately descended over his office.
Jessica eyed him cautiously, and he hated that her wariness was back. 'You don't have to hold your calls for me.'
He held her cup out to her, and she took her beverage. 'I prefer private, uninterrupted consultations.'
A faint smile touched the corner of her mouth. 'Are you going to charge me by the hour for your time?' She took a drink of her mocha, then her tongue darted out, catching the smear of whipped cream clinging to her upper lip.
His gut clenched, and he drew a deep, steady breath, unable to remember the last time a woman had him so tied up in knots. 'For you, my fee is negotiable, and very flexible.' He winked at her to put her at ease. 'But we can discuss that later. Have a seat and let's get business out of the way first.'
He waved to one of the two seats in front of his desk while he settled into his leather chair. He caught a glimpse of the gray-leaded sky out the floor-to-ceiling windows that dominated theDenverhigh-rise where Haywood and Irwin leased their offices, and wondered if they were in for another winter storm.
Taking a quick drink of his cappuccino, he set his cup on his blotter and reclined in his chair. 'You have my complete and devoted attention, not to mention my curiosity. What brings you by my office in the middle of the day?'
'I wanted to discuss something with you.' A sudden anxious light flickered in her gaze. 'I suppose I should have called first, but I was the next block over having lunch with Brooke, so I thought I'd take a chance that you were in and available. I figured a half hour out of your afternoon might be easier and more convenient than taking time out of your evening.'
He lifted a brow her way. Easier and more convenient for her, of course. 'Don't be shocked, but my social calendar in the evenings is quite empty, though I wouldn't mind filling in a few of those nights with a date, or two, or three, with you.'
She wrinkled her nose at him, and this time didn't bother responding to his flirtatious attempt to sway her. He
