Chapter 10
TEN
Wednesday
My mother’s heart-to-heart talk had hit home.
Sort of.
I’d listened to her thoughtful words of advice, promised to give them some thought, and made a hasty decision I was even now reconsidering, a full day later.
There were reasons I did not move fast. One of them was so I never had to reverse course. I still could, but it would be sticky.
I didn’t like sticky.
I also didn’t like avoiding my assistant.
Today had been better. She’d come in almost on time.
Ten minutes past nine was practically perfect for her.
I’d mentioned some calls I needed her to make, and she’d even taken dictation on a letter I needed her to send Judge Tremont.
She’d doodled smiley-faced daisies in the margins of her pad while I collected my thoughts, but I didn’t care as long as the letter sounded coherent.
After that, we’d behaved mostly like boss and employee. I’d been in the courthouse part of the day, but when I was in-house, she kept her finger perpetually on the button for my line. Half the time she asked me stuff just to be annoying. And she definitely still sent me too many emails.
Isn’t Esquire just a pompous word for attorney?
Don’t you think putting a large red X next to the line where people need to sign is overkill?
Are you a super brainiac to get through law school in two-and-a-half years?
Some of her more salient questions I answered. The rest went into my circular file.
Her missives still dinged every damn time they hit my inbox. I was convinced my computer was hexed too.
I glanced at the time. I’d almost made it through. Soon, the day would be over, and I could follow-through on that questionable decision I’d made.
There was yet another item on my docket to contend with first.
I walked up the hallway in time to witness Ryan crouching outside my office, balancing on her heels and craning her neck to peer through the gap in the blinds. Pity I’d opened them marginally today. “This angle sucks. His desk is too high. I can’t see him.”
Lifting a brow, I tucked my hands in my pockets to watch the show. My last client meeting of the day was in a few minutes, so I’d gone to the conference room to make sure it was prepped.
To my utter shock, it was. Carafes of water and coffee—not mine, oh no, that was still purportedly en route—and a fruit plate were in the center of the table, along with a vase of fresh flowers. They were nice touches, especially since I suspected Stacey would need those small comforts.
When she’d called to make the appointment, she was crying. Never a good sign.
Just in case, I’d stopped by the supply closet to get a box of tissues for the conference room. Better to be prepared.
Now it seemed as if I’d get some free entertainment before what promised to be a challenging meeting.
“You act like it’s easy. I’m telling you I can’t see him.” Ryan blew her loose curls out of her face. She’d pulled her hair on top of her head, and strands escaped to rain down onto her back. Not bare today, thank God, but I remembered.
I remembered far too much.
“Do you think I have time for this? It’s almost quitting time, and I have to get back to digitally indexing—no, I can’t do just anything because I kissed the guy. I didn’t blow him.”
I reached up to loosen my tie. She just had to insert that image in my head. And who the hell was she telling she’d kissed me?
So much for discretion. I really should’ve made her sign that NDA. Not that unexpected tongue battles would have been a line item, but obviously, they should’ve been.
As much as I wanted to hear the rest of this conversation, I was an officer of the court who’d already fallen upon boggy moral ground yesterday morning. I didn’t need eavesdropping on my conscience too.
“No, that was the thing. He’s packing. Seriously.”
I straightened my shoulders and tried not to grin. Maybe I’d just listen a moment longer.
“I know, can you believe it? But honestly, I’m not even sure he can seal the deal. You know what happens in the sack when a guy hasn’t had any relief for a while.” She made an unflattering finger gesture that I assumed was a quickly faltering erection.
Ha. She didn’t have the slightest clue. Since listening to her infernal podcast last Friday, I could’ve hung a flag off my cock and saluted our nation.
“To whom are you speaking?”
She went stock still, which made her lean precipitously to one side since she’d been mid-creep toward another gap in the blinds.
“Gotta go,” she whispered and deposited her phone somewhere she assumed I couldn’t see.
Such as down her shirt.
“Hmm?” she asked with false cheer, appearing to buff the window with the side of her fist, thereby smearing the clear glass. “Just found a spot. I figured you’d want this clean.”
I crossed my arms. “Now you do windows? Also, I’ve heard glass cleaner does wonders for that. Here, let me get the bottle for you.”
She stood. “No thanks, the spot is—”
I was already halfway down the hall to the supply closet. When I returned, she was seated behind her desk with a pile of rocks stacked high on the blotter. She appeared to be chanting to herself with her eyes closed.
“Are you actually a witch?”
Her eyes flew open, and she knocked some of her rocks to the floor. I set down the window cleaner and bent to help her gather them. Naturally, our heads nearly collided. We avoided that disaster, but when we readjusted, our mouths were entirely too close.
Her aquamarine eyes were like a cat’s. Sly, wary, and stunningly beautiful.
“Who were you telling about my…package?” Sounded like something I’d neglected to retrieve from UPS.
A heavy rock landed on my shoe.
We both looked down, but when I picked up the big golden hunk, she gasped and grabbed it back. “Don’t mix your energy with mine. It’ll fuck everything up.”
“Just like my efforts at lovemaking?” I mimicked her limp finger gesture and had the satisfaction of watching her golden skin flush.
Only problem was, she was even more gorgeous when she was blushing.
“I can’t believe you eavesdropped on me.”
“I can’t believe you told people you laid your lips on mine.”
Her brow arched. “I believe that’s called a kiss in most societies.”
I made a show of looking around, although I knew for a fact that my father had left hours ago, and his admin Courtney had followed shortly thereafter.
Gee, I wondered why.
I wasn’t sure Dex had even come in today, and his assistant had been out sick. Therefore, we were very much alone in the office.
But she didn’t need to know that—unless she already did.
“That is hardly appropriate office conversation. But just so you know, being discreet and discriminating does not indicate lack of skill.” I cleared my throat. “Also? I would never discuss you so crassly with another male.”
She swallowed deeply, looking down at her lap. “You’re right. I’m sorry. And it wasn’t actually a person. Just my best friend. She wanted to see what you looked like after I mentioned you. ”
“Your best friend isn’t human? Figures.”
“I mean, she’s not just anybody. Lu’s a vault when it comes to intel. She would never spread shit.”
“Lu being la-la-Luna from the podcast?”
“Her name is Luna. No la-la.”
“She said it that way, not me.”
“Yeah, well, I say my middle name is Goddess. We do what we want.”
I rocked back on my heels, unwilling to move away from her just yet. We were crouching behind her desk, and I liked being in her space. Even if her witchy night floral scent was making me lightheaded. “Regardless of either of your names, the size of my physical blessings is no one’s business.”
She snorted. “Not even mine, since you put the kibosh on anything right quick.”
“Shut up or I’ll touch your rock again.”
She cocked her head. “It’s rather fascinating how you make that sound like porn.”
“You’d be surprised all the things I can do, Miss Moon.”
With a sigh, she rose from her crouching position and sat on the edge of her chair. Then she picked up a small chunk of pink rock and held it out to me. “Wrap your hands around this.”
I frowned. “What is it?”
“Rose quartz. A kind of crystal,” she said slowly, as if I was new to learning the English language. “Crystals are used for channeling energy and protection and different kinds of spellwork.”
“In your witch practice.”
“Sure.”
“Sure? That sounds like a pat answer meant to shut me up.”
“Shut up and wrap your hands around the ro—I mean, crystal. Crap, you’re annoying.”
I managed to control my smile and did as she asked. In a manner of speaking.
Instead of wrapping my hands around the rock, I wrapped them around hers holding it.
Instant flooding warmth. The heat rapidly rose as we stared at each other.
We were caught in a vortex that felt so much bigger than we were, yet somehow was more about us than anything I’d ever experienced.
The pink stone seemed to subtly glow, pulsing with faint energy as I tightened my hold on Ryan.
It was as if she was being pulled from me, and only by sheer will could I hold on.
I dropped my hands away. The stone was merely a faceted pink rock once again. Not glowing or pulsing or anything else.
“Wow,” she murmured.
“Is that…” I didn’t even know what I wanted to ask.
“Part of the sex hex?” She didn’t laugh. “I don’t know.”
“Is this a witch thing?” I sounded choked, as if I’d lost all my air. “Something you usually do.”
“I’ve never done anything like this.” Swallowing hard, she moved the rock from hand to hand. “I’ll discuss it with Luna. She should know.”
“Is she going to ask for a picture of my unmentionables too or is your word enough?”
Her gaze dropped and lingered on my groin. I couldn’t say I minded either. “I don’t have nearly enough words about them.” Her voice was low and smoky and made my blood hum.
“Give me your phone.”
“What?”
I held out my hand.
“I have your number already.”
“Miss Moon.”