Legal Trouble (Texas Hearts Book 1)

Chapter 13

Emma woketo the sun on her skin, a smile on her lips, and Noah’s arms wrapped possessively around her. No, not just Noah anymore. Her lover. She’d lost count of how many times they’d made love the night before, but each time had been more incredible and more passionate than the previous. Noah had been attentive in ways she didn’t know a lover could be—or would be. And sure, she didn’t have any other experiences to draw from, but she knew what it was like to feel unloved and unwanted, and she hadn’t felt either of those last night.

Grin spreading, she snuggled closer to him. She couldn’t lie. She wanted to wake beside him every morning. No, she wanted a life with him, one where they grew old together, went on horseback rides, and maybe once trekked Bluebonnet Creek all the way to the ocean. Maybe they could even have a family one day, but heaven only knew what kind of parent she’d be. She hadn’t exactly had the best role model growing up. Still, it might be nice to have kids and sleepy Sunday mornings snuggled in bed or Friday nights in the music room as she played piano.

Maybe that could be her new miracle?

Noah teased a hand over the small of her back and had goosebumps rushing out in every direction. “Your thoughts are deafening, Corazón. How’s a man supposed to get any sleep?”

“Sorry,” she murmured. “I’ll try to think softer from now on.”

He chuckled, a sexy sound that rumbled from his chest and into hers, and every nerve-ending in her body fired. How was it possible to still want him this badly when she was still exhausted from a night of nearly nonstop lovemaking?

She lifted her head and let her greedy gaze take him in. His shoulder-length black tresses were mussed and strewn out on the pillow. His eyes reflected the remnants of a nearly sleepless night, and yet, he still looked positively edible.

She touched his cheek. “So, uh, I’m supposed to have a meeting with one of my clients this morning. What do you think the chances are of me calling him and rescheduling without making him angry with me?”

The left side of his mouth tipped up. “I guess that depends on why you’re wanting to reschedule and whether it’ll have anything to do with the reason your client just might want to reschedule, too.”

“Could be, I guess. It depends on whether he feels up to what I have in mind.”

Quick as a flash of lightning, he flipped her beneath him, his erection already hard between them. “Oh, I think he’s up for what you have in mind.”

Oh yeah, he was certainly up all right.

She stilled her expression and prayed she could pull this off without giggling like a schoolgirl. “I don’t know. Are you up for a game of cricket?”

A smile split his face, and his laughter was the most harmonious music she’d ever heard. He had such a fantastic laugh. She didn’t hear it nearly enough, and she wanted to work on that. He smirked. He grinned. He chuckled. But this unbridled laughter was a thing of beauty, and she vowed to find more ways to make him laugh in the future.

“Do you even know how to play cricket, Corazón?”

“No. But maybe I wanted to learn by having you teach me, which is why we’d need to reschedule.”

“Mmm-hmm.” He lowered onto his elbows so that they were nearly mouth-to-mouth. “There is only one racket I plan to use with you this morning.”

“Oh, yeah. And what, uh, racket would that be?”

“Allow me to show you.” With a wicked grin, he grabbed a condom from the nightstand.

Rollingonto his back after yet another round of lovemaking, Noah fought to get his breathing back under control. He was exhausted, but dang it, he already wanted her again.

“Still with me?” he asked, reaching blindly for her hand.

“I can’t feel my body. I’m pretty sure I’m supposed to be able to feel my body.”

Laughter spilled out and nearly doubled him over. He rolled toward her and propped onto an elbow so that he could take her in. Her eyes were closed, and her lips curled in a satisfied, lazy smile. In the post-coital haze, she hadn’t attempted to cover herself, and he hoped that meant she was growing ever-more comfortable with him.

With the most delicate touch he could manage, he traced his index finger over her nipple. “Can you feel that?”

Her laughing grin said yes, but her words, not so much. “I’m not sure. Better try it again.”

“If you insist.” He replaced his fingers with his mouth.

“Okay, okay. Definitely feel that.”

“Good to know.” He nipped his way to her collarbone.

“Mmm. What time is it?”

“Nearly ten, and unfortunately, I must go to the office soon. I have three meetings this afternoon that I don’t actually want to reschedule, as I doubt I’d be getting to do this with any of them.”

“I sure hope you’re not doing this with anyone else.” She flopped her head in his direction. “Guess that means we have to get up, huh?”

“No, it means I have to get up. Given all you’ve been through, no one would think less of you if you took one whole day to recover, not just a morning. Being suddenly homeless is an acceptable excuse to take a full personal day.”

She cocked an eyebrow at him. “So, you’re kicking me out already, huh?”

“For me to kick you out, you would first have to agree to move in.”

“Sorry, I thought I had last night when I told you to take me to bed?”

“Wait, seriously? That’s a yes?”

“Unless you changed your mind.”

“No, I haven’t changed my mind.” He tugged her so that their positions mirrored each other. “Tonight, when we get home, I’ll get you added to the security scanner so that you can get in and out of the gate. I’ll also let you pick out one of the cars in the garage. Oh, we can start planning ways to make you feel like this is your home, too, like maybe adding a special run in the garden so that Laverne and Shirley can play outside in the sun.”

“Oh, Noah.” Closing her eyes, she rested her forehead against his. “You’ve done it now.”

“Done what?”

“Assured we’re gonna be super late to work.”

She pushed him onto his back, and yes, they were extremely late for work.

Hands clasped,Noah and Emma stepped into Emma’s office. A young woman with choppy blonde hair and purple tips sat on the desk. A red sweater wrapped around the young woman’s petite torso. She’d paired the top with a navy-blue skirt, white polka dots decorating the dark material. Blue leggings, the same color as the skirt, completed the outfit. She’d finished the look with a pair of black ankle boots with mile-long heels.

Emma placed her hands on her hips and seemed to make a show of leaning back to check the name on the door. “Yup, this is my office.”

Despite her shoes, the young woman jumped from the desk and landed gracefully. “Mr. Whitlow, I just, uh, was, uh, looking for this.” Without glancing down, she grabbed a container of sticky notes. “I was out. I should have just run to the supply room but—”

“Gwen, stop it,” Emma said with a laugh, “or you’ll need a surgeon to remove your foot from your mouth.”

Gwen drew her lips into a thin, straight line as if fighting a smile.

Emma turned to Noah but motioned to Gwen. “Noah, this is my legal secretary, Gwen Gregory, although I’m pretty sure I’m gonna have to fire her for attempted theft of sticky notes and, generally, just being a pain in my ass.”

Grinning, Gwen shrugged, and he decided he liked her.

“It’s lovely to meet you, Gwen.”

Noah took her hand and brought it to his lips, just as Emma had said he should do, and just as she’d predicted, Gwen’s cheeks turned the color of strawberries.

Releasing her hand, he turned to Emma. “I have a meeting in twenty, so I have to run. If you need anything, you know how to reach me.”

“I’m fine, Noah. Go. It’s not my first day on the job.”

“I know. Still, let me know if you need anything.”

A mischievous smile curled her lips. “If you’ve got time later, I’d like another cricket lesson.”

Yup, this woman was one hundred percent a danger to his heart, but he wouldn’t want her any other way. “How about after dinner?”

“That’ll do, but if you have some free time earlier, just let me know.”

“You bet.” He pressed a kiss to her lips. “Adios, Corazón.”

“Adios.”

By the time he stepped onto the elevator, he already missed her—as if he needed a clearer sign that it was time to tell her he loved her and wanted a life with her. He should have told her the night before, but she’d knocked him flat on his ass when she’d asked him to take her to bed.

After everything she’d been through in her life, she deserved to know how much he loved her. Maybe he could take her to Veranda 62 this weekend and make an extravaganza out of it, give her the entire princess treatment. Lord knew she deserved it, and he wanted to do that for her—for himself, too. After all, this would be a first for him as well. Aside from family, he’d never told another woman he loved her.

When he reached his floor, he had a smile in his heart and a plan forming in his head.

Caroline stood as he neared her desk. “As requested,” she began, falling into step beside him, “I rescheduled your morning meetings.”

“Very good. Does there look to be any blowback?” The last thing he needed was the appearance of scandal or neglect, especially now. The court of public opinion seemed to be coming around on their side, but he didn’t need to fumble any goodwill. Then, there was his uncle to worry about.

“No, sir. Everyone completely understood. Most also sent good wishes to both you and Ms. Morgan.” Caroline’s voice softened, as did her expression. “How is Emma doing? I saw the reports. Her house was destroyed.”

“We got out just after the fire started, so there are only emotional injuries.”

“Good. Is there anything I can do?”

The question sparked an idea. “Actually, yes. Reach out to her secretary and coordinate the best time for Emma and me to get away for a week or two. I was thinking about taking her to Ireland. She’s always wanted to visit there.”

“I’ll get it done before the end of day.” And with that, her softness turned again to steel. “Will there be anything else, sir?”

“I could use an espresso—or eight. I’m dragging today.”

“Consider it done.”

When she left, Noah sat at his desk. He’d just fired up his computer when the door flew open, and Ethan stumbled in. His cousin’s tie was askew, and his hair stuck out as if he’d been wringing his hands through it for hours on end.

Concern had Noah pushing to his feet. “Ethan, what is it?”

“Everything’s going to shit.” The words spat from Ethan’s mouth with so much venom that Noah was surprised they didn’t drip onto the carpet and leave black singe marks. “And I think I need your help.”

Noah took a cautious step toward his cousin, an alarm clanging in the back of his head. Something was very wrong if Ethan was coming to Noah for help. Yeah, that was something he hadn’t done since they were fifteen, and Ethan had taken his father’s Aston Martin for a joyride and run it into a ditch.

Why did Noah feel as if he were being pulled into a trap?

Ethan turned suddenly to Noah. “Did you sleep with Sara?”

Noah took a literal and figurative step back. “Excuse me?”

“My girlfriend from college. I was planning to propose to her, but then, I found out you slept with—” He stopped and seemed to shake something free from his thoughts. “But then someone I thought I could trust told me you slept with her.”

The puzzle to their friendship’s sudden demise began to assemble itself. “I’ve slept with a lot of women, Ethan. We both have, but I would never betray you by sleeping with someone you loved.”

“I was afraid you’d say that.” Ethan cursed under his breath. “Ya know, I think things would be easier if you had.”

“What does that mean?”

Ethan evaded. “Is Emma okay?”

“Yes. She’s shaken, but well.”

“Good. Just... keep an extra close eye on her until everything shakes out.”

“Until what shakes out?” Panic increased the volume of the klaxons blaring in Noah’s head. “Is Emma still in danger?”

“I don’t know. It’s just…” Ethan combed anxious fingers through his hair. “Just watch her extra closely, okay?”

“Why?”

“I don’t know,” Ethan said again. “I just have this sick feeling that things are about to go sideways.”

“Well, maybe that’s because they are.”

Noah and Ethan turned toward the office door as Detective Hill strode across the threshold, a dark smile in her even darker eyes. Detective Tanaka stood just behind her, two officers in uniform behind him. Blackness crept in from the corners of Noah’s eyes, tunneling his vision. Fear constricted around his torso, and his chest couldn’t fully expand. Memories of the past fueled his mounting panic, and suddenly, he was sixteen again and in a police interrogation room.

Ethan stepped between Noah and the detectives. “What’s all this about?”

“That’s between Mr. Whitlow and the Houston Police Department,” she answered, hardly sparing Ethan a glance.

But Ethan didn’t budge. “Well, I am Mr. Whitlow, and I’d appreciate an explanation.”

Ignoring Ethan, Hill stepped to the right and held a piece of paper out to Noah. “Noah Whitlow, this is a warrant that allows us to search your office.”

The band around Noah’s chest tightened, and when he opened his mouth to respond, nothing came out.

“Don’t say a word,” Ethan said to Noah as he rushed to the door. “Caroline, get Emma up here now.”

“Oh, very good. I was hoping you’d call Ms. Morgan up here to save the day.” Hill smiled at Ethan and then at Noah. “Because I’d very much like her to be here so she can hear all the evidence we’ve amassed against you. As your lawyer and as your supposed girlfriend, she deserves to know what kind of man you really are.”

“Evidence of what?” Noah asked when he finally found his voice.

“Please,” Hill said, as Ethan said, “Noah, I’m serious. Keep your mouth shut.”

Ethan was right. The rational part of Noah knew that, but he was beyond rational thought. “Evidence of what?” Noah repeated.

“Of how you used Emma Morgan,” Hill answered.

“Of course, he didn’t use her,” Ethan said, sounding as if he truly meant it. “You’re way off base, Detective.”

“Am I?” Hill turned on Ethan. “Then why does Franklin Bishop have texts from your cousin telling him to be at Emma Morgan’s house the night of the fire to pick up some mysterious package from her front porch, some supposed settlement offer that would put an end to all these lawsuits?”

“Bull! I didn’t send Franklin Bishop a single letter of text.” The words were out in an explosion of anger, and Noah pointed an accusing finger at Hill. “If you have evidence to the contrary, it’s all lies.”

“Yeah, like we’ve never heard that one before.” Hill leaned into Noah’s personal space. “We have you cold. You initiated a farcical relationship with Emma Morgan for the sole purpose of conjuring a better image for yourself and your company after the Lone-Star Tech acquisition went south, and I can prove it.”

“Y’all are sosweet that I might just slip into a diabetic coma.”

Emma rolled her eyes as she lowered onto her desk chair, but inside, she was all smiles.

“Okay.” Gwen dragged the word out to about three seconds. “Tell me everything, Lady Boss, starting with whether Mr. Tall-Dark-and-Handsome looks as good naked I-R-L as he does in my head.”

“I-R-L?” Emma asked, setting Gwen up.

“In real life! Geez, what rock did you just crawl out from under this morning?”

“No rock.” Emma leaned close, readying to deliver the punchline. “But I did crawl out of Noah’s bed this morning.”

“Oh, I am so cursing you in my head right now! High-fiving you, too, but mostly just cursing.”

Emma laughed. God, this felt good. She’d never had a guy to joke about. She and Gwen had joked about Gwen’s revolving door of a dating life, but never Emma’s lack of one.

Gwen plopped onto the edge of Emma’s desk. “For that, you must give me something good, something more than a tidbit, like describing his body in explicit detail. Or, if you have a photo of him sans clothes, that would be even better.”

“Gwen Gregory, you are positively terrible!”

“Yes, yes, this is common knowledge. But what I must know is whether Noah Whitlow—the tall, dark, and delicious one—is the ultimate male in the buff.”

“I will not dignify that by saying anything.” Emma nodded instead.

“I knew it!” Gwen placed a hand on her heart and pretended to swoon.

“There’s more.” Emma lowered her voice to a conspiratorial level. “And you can’t let this get around yet, but Noah asked me to move in with him, and I said yes. I know what you’re gonna say. It’s too soon, way too soon, but...” She held her arms up in surrender. “But I already know all that, and I said yes anyway. I’m crazy. No, I’m you.”

Gwen positively beamed. “And since you’re me, I must tell you that crazy is the best way to go through life, especially when said life includes having fun times with the World’s Sexiest Bachelor?”

And Gwen wasn’t being hyperbolic about the title. Noah had graced the cover of People after being voted the World’s Sexiest Bachelor.

And that bachelor was hers!

She wrapped a hand around her necklace as a knock sounded and Brad appeared in her doorway. “You have a minute?” he asked, face stern.

“Of course.” Emma turned to Gwen. “We’ll talk later.”

Gwen nodded and practically danced her way out of the office.

Brad closed the door behind Gwen. “I saw the news reports yesterday about your house, and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it. How are you holding up?”

“I could be worse,” she answered honestly. “It was scary, but we got out just after the fire started.”

“I’m not gonna lie…” He dropped into the chair opposite her. “It shook me and made me think about—” He paused and then seemed to change lanes. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

Sitting back in her chair, she studied him. Should she take his concern at face value? Or was he playing an angle?

In the end, she decided brutal honesty was the best way to go. “Why did you tell Gwen not to contact me after David’s heart attack?” she asked.

“What did I what?”

“When David had his heart attack, Gwen said you ordered her not to contact me. Why? Me, being the cynical person I am, thought you were trying to sabotage me because I made equity partner before you, but now, you’re in here acting all concerned, and I just don’t know what to think.”

Confusion crossed his face before morphing into concentration and, finally, shock. “No,” he said, shaking his head. “No. I’m not at all upset that you made equity partner. You’re a fantastic attorney, Emma, and you deserve it. I told David as much when he approached me about his plans.”

Emma leaned back and took a moment to process this new information. “So, you’re not upset they offered me equity partner before you?”

He laughed. “Emma, I turned down equity partner about six months before they hired you. When I started here, I thought that was what I wanted. I’d worked hard for it, but after my wife died and I suddenly found myself a single father, I knew I wouldn’t be able to give the firm one hundred percent anymore.”

“Then why did you ask Gwen not to contact me that day?”

He glanced down and then back up with a sheepish expression that took ten years off his face and made him look positively adorable. “Because you work so damn hard and never seem to take time for yourself. I’d hoped to give you a few days to decompress on the beach before having Gwen call you. I shouldn’t have made that decision for you, and I apologize for that. It’s just, I knew you’d drop everything and come running because that’s just how you’re built. It’s part of what makes you so you.”

Okay, color her shocked.

Her office phone rang. She glanced at the base. It was one of Noah’s office lines. Odd, he usually texted or called her cell.

“One sec, Brad,” Emma said as she picked up. “Noah, hi. What’s—”

“Get up here now.” Urgency thinned the frantic female voice, and it took Emma a moment to place it as Noah’s executive assistant. “The police just walked into Mr. Whitlow’s office, and they have a search warrant.”

“I’ll be right there,” Emma said and took off running, leaving Brad sitting at her desk.

The elevator trip to floor fifty seemed to take four hours. When she arrived, she found Caroline pacing. Detective Tanaka, judging by the cut of his suit, size, and hairstyle, stood just inside Noah’s office, and wherever Tanaka was, his partner was close by.

Three steps from his office, Hill’s voice cut through the pounding of Emma’s heart with the lethality of a freshly sharpened knife. “We have you cold. You initiated a farcical relationship with Emma Morgan for the sole purpose of conjuring a better image for yourself and your company after the Lone-Star Tech acquisition went south, and I can prove it.”

No.

Emma’s legs faltered. Noah had staged their entire relationship to garner goodwill after the Lone-Star Tech debacle?

She shook her head. No, not Noah. It couldn’t be. He’d asked her to move in with him. They’d spent all night making love. This morning, too. They’d even talked about changing his house as what, an elaborate hoax?

No.

“Back off, Detective.” The male voice wasn’t Noah’s, but it was familiar. Emma couldn’t quite place it, though. “Of course, Noah didn’t do whatever you’re implying. You’re wrong.”

“I’m not wrong, and you’d better back off before I charge you with interfering in an official police investigation.”

“Like hell I’ll back off. You’re the one who came in here and started threatening my family.”

Family?

Ethan?

Except that made no sense. Ethan and Noah’s relationship was a match made in hell. They didn’t come to the other’s defense.

“Or maybe you were both in on this together,” Hill suggested. “You both wanted a way to end the public relations nightmare your company was in, and when the head of your legal team had a heart attack and his replacement took over, you saw an opportunity to exploit the situation, and so you devised a plan. After Noah called off his relationship with Bridget Montague, he initiated a faux relationship with the new head of your legal team. Then, y’all waited.”

No.

Pain speared through Emma’s chest, fiery and lethal, and her lungs struggled to remember how to process oxygen.

“Except,” Hill continued, “I don’t think you had anything to do with this, Ethan. At least, there’s no evidence to suggest it, but you, oh, I have enough to bury you.”

Emma didn’t need to see into the room to know that the last you Hill spoke to was Noah.

“You have no evidence because I didn’t do anything.” Noah’s voice was calm but unsteady, and Emma didn’t know how to interpret it.

“Save the innocence routine for someone who’s paid to believe you. I have motive, means, and opportunity. And I’ll be happy to lay it out for you. After initiating the fake relationship with Ms. Morgan, you had to settle in and wait, specifically for the next Lone-Star Tech court date. That way, you could use the court loss as the reason Bishop would attack Ms. Morgan, and man, she provided you with all the ammunition you needed. She demolished Bishop’s lawsuit. She couldn’t have set you up for success more brilliantly than if she’d been in on the plan with you.”

Emma couldn’t breathe. Each new revelation was a razor slash across her heart.

“Once Bishop got out of jail, you sent him a message to be at Ms. Morgan’s house just before you arrived. You told him he was there to pick up a package that you never intended to leave. Then, once Bishop was gone and you went inside, you had the guy you hired to set the fire carefully toss a few bombs into the front of the house to make sure you could get out safely. Then, all you had to do was sit back and let the media eat up the narrative you created. A sweet lawyer with a tragic history again attacked—and it might have worked if we hadn’t found your accomplice.”

“Lies. I didn’t—”

“He told us everything, Mr. Whitlow, right down to the detail of how easy you thought it would be to seduce Ms. Morgan because, and I quote, ‘Ordinary women are so damn easy to get into bed.’”

“No.” Her knees threatened to buckle, and Emma grabbed the door jamb to stabilize herself. She couldn’t believe Noah would do that to her—and yet she could believe it, much too easily. Hadn’t she thought this very thing at Isadora’s, the night Noah had first taken her out?

With a cacophony of noise and errant thoughts screaming in her head, Emma looked at Noah. His lips were moving, but it wasn’t his voice she heard in her head; it was her father’s, screaming at her for being so stupid and falling victim to such a simple but insidious plot.