Who's on Top

An Ellora’s Cave Romantica Publication

www.ellorascave.com

Who’s On Top ISBN # 1-4199-0622-4 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Who’s On Top Copyright© 2006 Lisa Renee Jones Edited by Shannon Combs. Cover art by Willo. Electronic book Publication: May 2006

This book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the publisher, Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Inc.® 1056 Home Avenue, Akron OH 443103502. This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the authors’ imagination and used fictitiously.

Warning: The following material contains graphic sexual content meant for mature readers. This story has been rated E–rotic by a minimum of three independent reviewers. Ellora’s Cave Publishing offers three levels of Romantica™ reading entertainment: S (S-ensuous), E (Erotic), and X (X-treme). S-ensuous love scenes are explicit and leave nothing to the imagination. E-rotic love scenes are explicit, leave nothing to the imagination, and are high in volume per the overall word count. In addition, some E-rated titles might contain fantasy material that some readers find objectionable, such as bondage, submission, same sex encounters, forced seductions, and so forth. E-rated titles are the most graphic titles we carry; it is common, for instance, for an author to use words such as “fucking”, “cock”, “pussy”, and such within their work of literature. X-treme titles differ from E-rated titles only in plot premise and storyline execution. Unlike E-rated titles, stories designated with the letter X tend to contain controversial subject matter not for the faint of heart.

WHO’S ON TOP

Lisa Renee Jones

Lisa Renee Jones

Chapter One Reese Winter hit her proverbial “hot spot” in a wicked way. Not many men got that rating in her book. Of course, she wasn’t alone in her assessment. Reese made a lot of women hot. The high-priced defense attorney drew plenty of attention. For one thing, he had a knack for getting really bad people off some pretty nasty charges. It gave him a sense of power. An air of success and confidence. He smiled and women swooned. No one really considered what kind of ethical lines he crossed to win his cases. Not with his movie star good looks and suave way with words. Catherine Maxwell knew the type well. After all, her father was both CEO and founder of Maxwell Beverages. In other words, one of the corporate types who bent the rules to meet his needs. Someone like Reese. What she hadn’t learned from that venue, she’d learned from her hound-dog brothers who were too good-looking for their own good. They’d taught her much about the psyche of men. Then, of course, her job as entertainment reporter for The New York Review had added even more clarity to the world of the down and dirties. Money. Power. They corrupted and controlled the world. And then there was sex… Sex was a weapon. She’d seen others use it and she had learned how to profit from its rewards as well. From across the bar, Catherine let her gaze roam toward the object of this evening’s obsession and found him looking at her as well. For a good hour, and the better part of an extra large frozen margarita, they’d been doing a sultry exchange of heated glances. She, killing time before an interview with a new Broadway sensation. He, having some meeting with an older, stuffy-looking man in a suit. Her eyes locked with Reese’s and awareness charged the air. Her attraction to him was crazy, considering he wasn’t her kind of man. Not at all. She liked artists and

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creative types who had no agenda but feeling good. Yet with each contact, the looks grew less subtle. More charged. Damn the man was sexy. His dark hair fell over his brow with a bit of wildness. It begged for her fingers. And his eyes…she couldn’t see the color now, but she’d seen them on television and in photos. They were blue. A vivid color that made people do a double take. And, finally, his full bottom lip. Oh yeah. She could already imagine kissing him. If only she didn’t have this interview… Truth be told, her extreme reaction to Reese could be a result of her lack of a sex life. It had been months since she’d found a good diversion. Since her best friend announced her engagement and then married. Somehow a little fling here or there had lost its appeal. Until tonight. Tonight Reese, and a little privacy, sounded mighty good. Catherine knew watching her best friend play house had gotten to her. It had messed with her head in ways she didn’t quite understand. She’d never admit it, but she even felt a pinch of jealousy. Happy jealousy. If anyone deserved good things it was Lauren. Her best friend shared one of those unique bonds with her man that few had. This was one of the few times Catherine thought maybe, just maybe, a couple had a real shot at happily-ever-after. But in her real world, Catherine knew there would be none of that for her. She also knew a good dose of the human touch would get her past her weird mood. The one she slipped into on occasion when she felt…alone. What made her feel that way she didn’t know? It just happened every now and then. And over time she’d found what chocolate didn’t cure, sex did. She’d tried chocolate in many forms. Ice cream. Candy. Cake. If she ate much more she’d have to hit the gym. So sex seemed the better option. And judging from the way Reese was staring at her, he needed a little under the covers action himself. After another sizzling moment, he looked away, obviously drawn by something the man he was meeting with had said. She watched as they stood and shook hands. 5

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Catherine knew what to do next. A man like Reese had to be handled just right. In other words, Catherine knew she needed him to come to her. With a hint of a smile on her lips, she turned away from him, ensuring no further eye contact. With her bare legs crossed, black silky dress hiked just above the knee, she took a sip from the straw sitting in her strawberry margarita. And she waited. Knowing it was only a matter of time. “Hello.” The sultry male voice made Catherine smile to herself. She looked up to find him leaning on the bar, facing her. The dim lighting of the trendy club nestled inside the Manhattan hotel set a perfect stage for seduction. If only she had the time to see it through to completion. With a deep breath she inhaled his warm, masculine scent. There was a spicy quality to his cologne that made her all warm inside. “Hello,” she said finally, having made him wait for her response with intent. It was all part of a game. The one she controlled, not him. He would have to work for what she wanted. She loved that. He worked. She wanted. The prize was hers. “I’ve seen you here before,” he said. “Have you now?” she asked, one dark blonde brow inching upward. Interesting. He’d noticed her before this night. He smiled. A sexy, one-sided smile she’d seen him use for the camera. “I’m Reese Winter.” She gave him a tiny nod and then reached up and slid her long blonde hair over her shoulder, exposing her neck. Testing him to see if he would follow the action. And he did. “Catherine,” she said. Life had taught her to leave her last name out of things. Maxwell made men get a hard-on and it had nothing to do with her and everything to do with money. “But call me Cat.” “Okay, Cat it is. I’d buy you a drink,” he said, “but it looks like you have that covered. Perhaps your next one?” “Buy you one,” she said. “This is my last. Everything is better in color. By drink three it’s a blur for me.” 6

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He laughed. “Lightweight, huh?” Reese raised a hand at the bartender. “Only when it comes to alcohol.” After ordering a scotch on the rocks, he studied her a moment. “What does a beautiful woman like you do for a living?” She tilted her head slightly. “Compliments will get you everywhere, Reese Winter.” He laughed. “Good to know. I’ll keep that in mind.” “As for what I do for a living, are you sure you want to know?” His eyes narrowed. “I’m brave man. Tell me.” “Brave,” she said. “Hmm. I guess we’re about to find out just how brave.” She paused and then dropped her bomb. “I’m a reporter.” A slow nod of his head. “Ah,” he said, and stepped closer rather than distance himself as she half expected. So close, his hand went to the back of her chair and she could feel the warmth of his body. A slight lean forward and their legs would touch. She tilted her head upward to make eye contact. If he was trying to scare her off, it wasn’t working. She wanted him. Sexual intimacy didn’t frighten her. There was no little girl waiting to run, hidden beneath her shell. “Thinking you might seduce me for a story, are you?” he whispered, his voice soft and husky. Seductive. He leaned down near her ear so that his breath tickled her lobe. “You came to me, not the opposite,” she reminded him. “Who’s seducing who?” For a long moment, he said nothing, leaning back to study her expression. Then he laughed. “I guess that’s still up for debate.” His drink appeared, and he turned away to deal with the bartender. Then, attention back on Cat, he lifted his glass in a mock toast before taking a sip. He set his drink back down and casually leaned against the railing, elbow on the surface. “So what game are we playing, Cat?” “Game?” she asked, brow inching upward. “If this were a game I wouldn’t have told you I’m a reporter.” “Maybe,” he said, his tone said he wasn’t so sure.

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“Disappointed? Maybe you’d prefer a little Cat and mouse action?” He laughed and leaned toward her again. “We both know I’m no mouse.” “You wouldn’t be interesting if you were.” “Unless I was a mouse who could make headlines,” he said. It wasn’t a question. “Are we talking professional or personal?” He studied her. “Is there a difference?” She nodded. “There’s a difference.” “So you don’t want to seduce me for a story?” There was amusement not irritation in his voice. She slid her hand to his thigh, enjoying the flex of muscle beneath her palm. “Not for a story.” His eyes darkened. Grew hotter. “But you want a story?” “Absolutely,” she said reaching for her drink, taking a sip before finishing. “But not from you.” She smiled. “Sorry, Reese. You aren’t on everyone’s headline news. I do entertainment.” She paused, unable to stop the next words from slipping from her lips. “Of course, some might call your courtroom adventures entertainment. Just not me.” “Is that right?” he challenged, amusement in his eyes. Her teeth found her bottom lip. She was enjoying this. “Yes. That’s right.” A shiver raced down her spine as his hand slid to her neck. He was testing her. Trying to find out if she was all talk. She looked into his eyes, letting him see what was there. Cat didn’t do serious relationships. She’d long ago found most men wanted her father’s money more than they gave a damn about her. Age had smartened her up. Promises of love did nothing for her, but she liked a hot night here or there. She wasn’t wild and crazy or anything. One-night stands weren’t her habit. However, a monthlong fling once in a while did her right.

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And right now, her body was screaming for Reese Winter. She could imagine him touching her. Almost feel his palm caress her skin. Even her nipples tightened and tingled. “So what do you want from me?” Reese asked. “What I want,” she said, glancing at her watch, “is better timing.” Cat looked at him. “My interview should be here any minute.” “It ends here then,” he commented, his voice monotonous, but not his eyes. His eyes held disappointment. “I suppose it does.” She glanced toward the door to find Marcus Alexander, the actor she was meeting, standing in the entranceway. Cat waved him forward. “He’s here.” Reese reached for his drink and drank it down in one long swallow before discarding it. He smiled. “I know my exit cue.” Reese reached forward and brushed his fingers down her cheek. “Too bad.” The touch sent a shiver down her spine. “Yeah. Too bad.” And then he was gone.

***** Reese reached the exit of the bar and stopped. For some unknown reason, he had to turn back to the bar. Had to get one last look at Cat. Women didn’t often get to him. He had too crazy a life to deal with complications. A hit-and-run fuck was all he had time for. Cat didn’t strike him as looking for more. That should have been the reason she interested him, but it wasn’t. Something about her… Watching her now, she was a different woman than the one who’d flirted with him the past hour. Gone was the seductress. Now she was all business. A pad of paper in hand, she was taking notes, attentive to the man she interviewed. He watched her nod, silky blonde hair bouncing with the action. There was something familiar about her. 9

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Perhaps, he’d seen her because of her job. On the news or in the paper. Or even at some big event. Lord only knew he was subjected to hell in a black tie far too often. One of the many political obligations of his world he didn’t like. Normally, Cat’s job would bother him. She’d been honest about it, and that had value. Still, it couldn’t hurt to be safe. Checking her out might be a good idea. He was about to plead a huge case that would have the press hounding him. He preferred making the news on his own terms. If someone leaked anything to the press before he was ready, head’s would roll. Forcing himself to turn away from Cat, he nodded at the hostess and exited the bar, decision made. He needed a newsstand. That should at least tell him if she really wrote for the entertainment section. A few minutes later he searched the street vendor truck to find himself out of luck. The paper was sold out. “Damn,” he mumbled. Three stores later, he found himself more than a little irritated to exit with no paper in hand. Without giving himself time to change his mind, he started back to the hotel. For some reason, he wasn’t willing to dismiss Cat as a fun but over flirtation. Why, he wasn’t sure. But like his efforts to find a newspaper, he reached the bar only to find himself without luck. Cat was gone. Fitting of his personality he wasn’t willing to give up. He flagged the hostess and found Cat had left only minutes before. With a healthy tip offered to the woman, he was directed to the bathroom just down the hallway. A smile on his face, he leaned against the wall and crossed his legs and arms, waiting. He wanted Cat, and he was going to have her. Tonight.

***** Cat stood in front of the bathroom mirror and sighed. Going home alone wasn’t appealing. She was going through some sort of funk. Her best friend, Lauren, now 10

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happily married, had impacted her some. Though Cat didn’t believe in happily-everafter, she thought that Lauren had something unique and rare. So maybe she was a bit jealous. Still, she was no less happy for Lauren. She loved Lauren like a sister and if anyone deserved happiness, Lauren did. Leaning on the counter, Cat inhaled. Alone really didn’t sound good. Several men came to mind. A phone call and her loneliness would be cured. Then her mind went to Reese and she knew, at least this evening, the others were no matches. She’d rather go without than settle. No. There was only one cure for her mood. A stop by the store for a pint of ice cream sounded like the best remedy. She’d order in pizza and then eat the ice cream. Or maybe she’d eat the ice cream while she waited on the pizza. With at least something to look forward to, Cat slid her briefcase strap over her shoulder and headed for the door. She made it to the hallway and stopped, blinking at the sexy man leaning against the wall, certain he must be a figment of her imagination. “Reese?” He laughed. “Don’t worry. I don’t make it a habit to stalk people. Tell me to leave and I’m gone.” She wasn’t sure what to think about his presence. But she didn’t want him to leave. That was certain. “Well,” Cat said, tilting her head to study him, and willing her heart to leave her stomach and go back to her chest where it belonged. This was crazy. Men did not make her feel like this. “I guess I need to know why you’re here, before I decide.” “You know why,” he said, his eyes darkening. His voice softer now. Cat walked toward him and leaned her shoulder against the wall. He turned to face her. Once again his spicy scent rushed over her. What was it about this man’s smell? It made her feel like she was melting. Briefcase deposited on the floor, she studied him, trying to hide the way she felt. The way she wanted him was beyond logic. “Tell me why. I already told you I don’t like games.” 11

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He glanced around as if confirming they were alone. Fortunately, being a Monday night, the hotel, which served as a gathering spot for executives, wasn’t as busy as usual. Then his attention was back on her. His eyes dark pools of seduction. He reached for her, his hand going to her waist as he stepped closer. “Games can be fun, Catherine,” he half whispered. No one called her Catherine but her mother, so why the hell did Reese’s deep voice saying it turn her on? Her hand went to the rock-solid wall of his chest and she inhaled, lavishing in that damn scent of his. “Never found one I liked.” His mouth had somehow gotten dangerously close to hers. His breath playing a soft caress on her lips. Taunting and teasing. Making her want to taste him. “A little play never hurt anyone.” And then he kissed her. The first touch of his lips was soft. Time seemed to stand still. Cat had never experienced anything so erotic. Hell, she’d had sex in a public place, and it hadn’t been like this. There was something so sensual about the way he seemed to absorb her. And then slowly, with a gentle whisper of his tongue, he slid into her mouth. Cat moaned ever so softly, unable to stop herself, and found her hand moving up that rock-hard chest to his neck. Her body melting into his. From one moment to the next they turned more heated. He deepened the kiss or maybe she did. Heat danced along her skin and invaded her senses. The ache of arousal burned in her thighs. The sound of voices made them break away. Breathing hard they stared at each other. She didn’t want to end this. Maybe it was her loneliness she’d been experiencing, so out of her nature, or maybe it was the dry spell called her sex life, but she needed Reese in a big way. “Let’s get out of here,” Reese said. She nodded. “Good plan. We’ll go to my place.”

***** Reese followed Cat into her apartment, having already noted her pricey location. Not the norm for a journalist. He knew what reporters made and it wasn’t enough to

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afford her place. Interesting… Proof there was more to Cat than met the eye. But then, he knew that. He made a living seeing beyond people’s guises, and he knew Cat was hiding something. The chances she really wanted a story were high. It bothered him when it shouldn’t. After all, he knew what she was after. That didn’t change their mutual attraction. She had that “come fuck me” look in her eyes. He watched as she tossed her keys on a table and flipped on the lights. A moment later, she took his hand. “This way to the bedroom.” “You really don’t play games, do you?” Her brow lifted. “Am I going too fast for you, counselor, or do you need some time before opening statements?” God, this woman was something else. All fire, wit, and…sex. He stepped forward and picked her up. “Actually, some of my best opening statements have been born of spontaneity. It’s the closing that I prefer happen with a bang.” Reese started for the door he assumed to be the bedroom. Cat laughed. “I can’t wait.” She began unbuttoning his shirt. Holding her in his arms, thinking of having her naked in only a few minutes, gave him an instant hard-on. The room was dark but the full moon shone through the blinds just enough to give the feel of intimacy. He made his way to the bed with ease, settling her on the mattress and following, his body on top of hers. His hands slid to her skirt and up her legs as he pushed her knees apart to sink between them. Hungrily, he kissed her, tasting her like a starving man would food. Crazy. Wild. That was how he felt. And hot. Burning hot. Her fingers slid into his hair, her palms brushing his face. His neck. His shoulders. And he knew he had to have her now. Fast and hard. They had all night. Next time would be slow. It wasn’t his normal style. A man with an ego, like most, he liked to prove his manliness. To please his conquest and make her beg for more. But something about Cat made him forget the

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normal. All he could think ‘bout was burying his cock deep in her body and fucking her. Her teeth scraped his lips and then tugged. “Fuck me,” she said, as if answering his need. “Now. Do it now.” He would have laughed, but her words meant he was free and clear to take what he wanted. Reese needed no further urging. He wanted. She wanted. He’d take. Reaching for his pants, he lifted his weight off her long enough to work them down his hips. Somehow they managed to continue kissing. As if neither of them could bear a moment of separation. The instant his cock was freed, his hand found her panties—damp from arousal—and shoved them aside. And then he sank deep. The warm, moist heat of her body surrounded him, taking him by storm. At the same moment, Cat sucked in a breath. The sound told him she felt the same thing he did. The overwhelming intensity of their yearning for one another. His forehead settled against hers and for long moments, they stilled, breathing together. His heart pounded against the wall of his chest like a drum. He hardly knew this woman, yet the fire she lit, the absolute complete way she drew him to her, astounded him. It was as if she had invaded not just his body, but his soul. The thought was a crazy one he didn’t like. It pushed him to act. To remind him this was sex. Hard-core sex. Nothing more. More meant complications. Emotions. Problems. Things he needed no part of. Driven by the need to get things back to the real world, back to the simple place of pleasure, he lifted his head and arched his back as he drew his cock upward and then thrust hard into her body. She gasped with the impact, but before she could even finish the sound, he ground into her again. Her fingers dug into his shoulders just before her legs lifted, feet finding his ass. Lifting her hips she met his next lunge, intensifying the connection. He moaned with the pleasure of it, and found he couldn’t get enough. Of her. Of her body. Of the deep, dark burn she turned into a roaring fire.

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With a shift of his body, he pulled one of her legs over his shoulder, staring into her eyes as he lifted the next. Her bottom lip was swollen from his kisses. Her blue eyes dark with passion. The only thing missing was the absence of barriers. He wanted to reach forward and rip her dress off her body. The urge ate at him with such force he found it hard to resist. “Fuck me, Reese,” she ordered. Damn, he loved it when she said that. He lifted her other leg, clothing forgotten as he thrust his hips, driving his cock to a deep spot, feeling it like a charge of energy. Over and over, he hit her core. Pounding with a force that should have hurt. Instead she cried out for more. “Deeper,” she murmured and moaned. “Harder.” Like a beast being awakened, he felt the primal calling to act. To do what she said. Go deeper. Hit harder. Feel…more. And then he heard those sweet words that told him how close she was. “Oh God, I—” She made a sound of pleasure. “I…am…” But she didn’t have to finish the sentence, her body jerked, her fingernails biting into his flesh as spasms milked his cock with ripples of absolute heaven. His blood heated, pulse pulsing with urgency. Arching at the waist, he lowered his head and then drove into her. Once, twice, and then a rush of release in the form of a burst of intense pleasure. So intense it stole his breath and left him shaken with the potency. When the moment was gone, he realized he’d been holding his breath. He let it out and eased downward, letting her slip from his shoulders. As amazing as his orgasm had been, he didn’t feel even slightly done with this woman. And as he nuzzled her neck, soaking in the sweet floral scent she wore, he wondered what made her so different. He wanted to stay buried deep inside her, to make love to her all night long. What was it about Cat that made him so hot? Somewhere in the back of his mind, he reminded himself he’d been working a lot of hours. It had been a good month since he’d had a woman. Still…this felt like more than simply lust. But maybe it wasn’t 15

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Maybe, it was her boldness getting to him. She wanted sex and he imagined she’d indulge his every fantasy. Yes. That had to be it. Cat was a walking wet dream. An escape long overdue. An indulgence he’d fuck out of his system. Yes. He’d just fuck her out of his system. Resting his weight on his elbows he stared down at her thinking of all the ways he could do just that. Pleasurable ways to make this night a damn hot one. Cat’s fingers laced behind his neck. “You get right down to business, don’t you?” He smiled. “That was just for starters, sweetheart.” “Is that right?” Cat asked, amusement in her voice. “Can’t wait to see what comes next.” And right when Reese was sure he had things back on track, a dangerous thought occurred. “Shit.” Panic rose hard and fast. He’d acted like some teenager, never giving safety or birth control a thought. “We didn’t—” Her hand slid to his cheek. “I’m on the Pill and I don’t have any nasty germs. Hope you can say the same.” Cat seemed to have a knack for reading his mind. Her light, funny personality also seemed contagious. Everyone in his world was so serious. Cat…well, she was different. Maybe that’s what appealed to him. “I don’t have any nasty germs, but I’m sorry, no,” he said, unable to resist returning a little humor, “I’m not on the Pill.” Cat laughed. “A smartass, now, aren’t you? Fitting. Never knew an attorney that wasn’t one. How about grabbing some tissue from the nightstand?” He did as she asked, and a few minutes later she sat on the edge of the bed taking off her shoes. She spoke of attorneys like someone with a lot of exposure. A journalist didn’t seem likely to be around a lot of legal people. He told himself to ignore the

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questions coming to mind, but instead he found himself questioning her. “So what makes you an expert on attorneys?” Cat eyed Reese. “I never said I was.” Then she stood up and pulled her dress over her head. Just like that the subject was over. Because with Cat wearing a barely there thong, and tiny strap of lace for a bra, he couldn’t even remember what his question had been. She walked toward the bathroom, the sway of her hips almost as sultry as the curves of her perfect ass. Stopping in the doorway, she looked over his shoulder. “I’m running a bath. Join me if you want.” Oh, he wanted all right. But he didn’t get off the bed. He waited. Cat might say she didn’t like or play games, but he knew better. And he was going to make damn sure he didn’t show his hand until the time was right. And then he would fuck her out of his system.

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Chapter Two Cat slipped into the full tub of water and bubbles, a smile finding her lips. Reese would be arriving any minute. He was doing what most men with a macho complex did, try to prove they had control. Lord only knew, she’d learned this growing up. Life had proven it to be true. Maybe that was why she valued her independence so much. All the men in her youth had always tried to take it. In truth, her father still would if he could. As an adult, she understood the male mind. Especially the alpha types like Reese. For him to have immediately followed her to the bathroom with no delay would have given her too much power. Truth be told, she’d meant it as a test. Was he as power hungry as she thought he was? And of course he was. Part of her hated that he’d proven her right. Another found his personality, his strength, oddly arousing. It made no sense. He wasn’t her type. She had said that so many times in her head over the course of the evening. He was an attorney. A man who craved winning and being on top. Someone an awful lot like her father. She frowned, thinking about this fact. So why did he turn her on so much? In the past, his “type” had gotten her nothing but icy cold. It didn’t compute, this heat and fire Reese ignited. Yet, now, waiting on him to walk through that door, she felt the yearning for his touch. The need to experience all he could offer. As if on cue, Reese appeared in the doorway. He wore nothing. Not a stitch of clothing. Taking advantage of her first opportunity to visually explore his body, Cat devoured him with her eyes. From his broad shoulders and well-defined chest to his tapered waist and rock-hard abs, she studied him, making no effort to hide her inspection. And as she let her gaze drift to his hips she watched his cock harden.

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He liked when she looked at him. Well, he would like what came next a whole lot more. Because if Reese thought he had control, he had another think coming. But he didn’t have to worry. She’d made the taming of the beast enjoyable. “You just gonna stand there?” she asked. “Or are you going to join me?” Without a word, he walked toward her, and she felt the tingling of arousal between her thighs. She had a huge garden tub which had cost plenty in Manhattan. But then, her father had given her the apartment as a graduation present. She hadn’t paid for it. Had she agreed to work for Maxwell like her older brothers Mike and Rick, she’d be living in luxury. Instead, like her younger brother, Chris, she paid her way in life off her own salary. At this moment, as a sexy, rather large man stepped inside the water, she was more grateful for her tub than ever before. He sank down into the water and leaned his back against the wall, long legs stretching out on either side of her body. Cat rose onto her knees, allowing him a full view of her naked upper body. She could feel the water and bubbles running off her skin. But more than anything, she felt the heat of his hot gaze. Her nipples puckered into tight balls in reaction. Her hands went to his knees and slowly started a slide up his thighs. The high water now covered his body all the way to his pecs, but she could see his cock, hard and ready. And she wanted to touch it. Suddenly, her wrists were shackled. “You have a real control issue, don’t you?” That shocked her. “What?” she asked, and then laughed. “Me?” Another laugh only this time it held disbelief. “I don’t have control issues.” One dark brow inched upward. “No?” he asked. “Prove it.” “I don’t have control issues.” This time the words came out sharper. “Stand up,” he said, and it was an order. “What?” she asked again. “Stand up? No I—” “Thought you didn’t have control issues?” he challenged. She gave him a frustrated look. “I don’t.”

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“Then stand up.” Cat stood up. “Happy?” “Getting there,” he said. “Hands on the wall behind me.” She stared down at him. His eyes dared her to say no. The thing was, she wanted to do what he said. It just felt so…so something. So out of…damn it. Out of control. The guys she normally slept with were easygoing in bed. They did her bidding and she liked it. This was different. Yet, it was really, really sexy. “Hands against the wall,” he repeated, this time louder. She bit her bottom lip and did what he said. His palms went to one of her ankles urging it to the other side of his hip. Then he did the same with her other foot. With her legs spread, the vee of her body now lingered directly in front of him. Slowly, with a gentle touch, his fingers played on her calves before his palms flattened on her legs. Inch by inch, his hands moved upward, past her knees. Anticipation made her shiver as his warm breath blew across her nub. By the time he touched her ass, caressing it in a whisper-light way, she was ready to beg. And then in one hot moment, he half smacked her ass as he claimed her sensitive clit between his lips. She gasped from the shock of the actions. And before she fully recovered he was licking, touching, and tasting in a way that had her knees ready to buckle. With a slide of his fingers he teased her inner wall. All the while, he caressed her nub with his mouth, holding her up with a firm grip on her butt. Much to Cat’s disbelief, her orgasm came within only minutes, ripples of ecstasy taking over her body and leaving her limp and mindless. Reese maneuvered their bodies and stood, lifting Cat with him. Seconds later she faced the bathroom mirror, his arm around her waist. His cock slid into the slick folds of her sensitive flesh, lingering with a long slide. Then he opened her cheeks and positioned his cock, sinking deep. Once he hit her core, he leaned forward, mouth against her ear, chest pressed to her back. “Is giving me control so bad?” he asked. 20

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“Yes,” she said, unwilling to admit differently. He palmed her breast and pinched her nipple. “What about this? Does it feel good?” She moaned at sweet sensation of his fingers plucking her hardened peak. “No,” Cat lied. His breath brushed her lobe just before his teeth. “It sure sounds like it feels good.” “No,” she murmured, but he flattened his hand on her stomach and pulled her hips against his as he thrust hard into her. Cat made a loud sound of pleasure, feeling the impact of the contact in every nerve ending of her body. Reese leaned back and ground into her again. “So what do I do, Cat?” he half grunted as he again thrust. “Should I stop?” With the words, he stilled and she felt the loss of movement as if her breath had been stolen. “No. Don’t stop.” He didn’t move. “You’re sure?” She looked over her shoulder at him. “Damn you, Reese, no. Don’t stop.” A bark of laugher later, he didn’t hesitate to comply. With one hard lunge after another, he pounded her core. Each hit felt like heaven. Each contact bringing more satisfaction until she shattered, feeling the shudder of his body as he spilled himself inside her. When he used a towel to dry them off, turning her to lean on the counter, she didn’t fight him. She felt drained in a really good way. Her limbs felt relaxed. Again, he scooped her up in his arms. No man had ever carried her, let alone done it three times in one night. And as he slid into the bed with her and pulled her close, she knew she should tell him to leave. He had managed to manipulate her and make her submissive. Something she didn’t ever want to be. But his strong arms surrounded her and pulled her close. She was tired and he felt so…warm. She’d make him leave in a minute.

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***** Cat blinked into the darkness and reality slowly eased into her mind. A hard chest beneath her palm and a warm leg wrapped with hers were the first things she brought into focus. Reese. She didn’t allow guys to stay the night. The fact that she’d fallen asleep with him amazed her. No. It alarmed her. She had junk going on in her life and having a fling had been a dumb idea. Vulnerability spelled trouble with a capital T. She inhaled, determined to gain her resolve and get the hell out of his arms. Instead, she found his scent, masculine and natural, storming her senses. Making her want to stay in his arms. To touch him again. No. She said the word in her head and forced herself to sit up. One glance at the clock and she scrambled, kicking the sheets aside. “It’s five in the morning,” she announced, standing now, naked and not caring. “You need to leave.” Patting the bed, Reese ignored her words. “Come back to bed. I have another hour.” His eyes drifted down her body, heavy with their caress. She grabbed his shirt from the floor and put it on, covering herself. She’d give it back in a minute. Right now she was desperate to keep control. “No, you don’t. I have to…to be early to cover a story.” He rose up on one elbow. “In other words, you want me to leave.” Was she not clear? “Yes.” Laughing, he shoved aside the blanket and stood. Naked. Damn him. The next thing she knew he was in front of her. “I’ll need my shirt.” “Put on your pants first.” Looking down and then back up, he said, “I think that might be difficult at the moment.”

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Without meaning to, Cat’s gaze slid below his waist to his now erect cock. “Oh,” she said. Not a brilliant statement but all that came to mind. And before she could form a better answer, he was holding her, kissing her, and making her forget why she wanted him to leave. Maybe he could stay…a little longer.

***** Midmorning, Cat stood at her desk in the midst of a bullpen setup and stared down at the paper’s headlines. Her father was the main event. With shock, Cat eased into her chair feeling a rush of sickness take over. He’d been accused of securities fraud. Denial raced through her mind. It couldn’t be. Not her father. He could be a bastard but he wasn’t a thief. Worse, his associate, Ray Ryder, a man Cat knew so well she called him Uncle Ray, was also involved. She skimmed the words on the page. Her father and Ray were pointing the finger at each other. “You look shocked. I would have thought Daddy would have told you he was in trouble.” Cat looked up to find Lena Henderson, a brassy redhead with a personality to match. She hated Cat and took every jab she could get in. She was also the reporter who had turned the front page into a Maxwell bashing. “Guess not,” Lena said. “Go to hell, Lena,” Cat said and pushed to her feet. Without another glance at the other woman, she headed to her boss’s door, ignoring the fact that it was shut as she pushed it open and entered his office. Frank sat behind his desk with some new guy reporter she vaguely remembered being introduced to sitting across from him. She ignored the new guy, focusing on Frank. “We need to talk.” After a murmured dismissal of the visitor, Frank gave his attention to Cat. She shut the door. A firm thud that said she meant business. Turning to face him, she leaned 23

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against to wooden surface and pinned him in a hard stare. “Why the hell do I not know about the front page before the rest of the world?” “I have to report the news.” “I didn’t say you didn’t, but I’d appreciate some warning.” Short, bald, and incredibly intuitive, Frank had been her boss for three years. “He didn’t tell you.” It was a simply statement rather than a question. One that said he’d been sure she already knew. She let out a breath. “No.” Then softer. “He didn’t tell me.” Frank studied her a minute. “He probably hoped he’d make it go away before the press got hold of it.” “Right,” Cat said, feeling embarrassed and betrayed. True, she and her father didn’t talk a lot, but she was close to her oldest brother, Mike, and he worked with her father. Mike should have talked to her. Hell, her father should have talked to her. Somebody. Anybody. She shouldn’t be finding out like this. “Go see him,” Frank said. “Get lost. Deal with this how you need to.” Frank looked out for her when he didn’t have to. She’d told him that a million times. “No. I have an interview to write and turn in.” “And you will. You’ve never missed a deadline. That doesn’t mean you don’t need some time.” “I don’t need time.” He considered her words. “I think you do.” She didn’t want time. “I—” “You do. Get out of here, deal with this, and then don’t miss deadline. Consider it an order.” Cat took in his so-called “order” and decided he was right. She was in a bad place and she needed to find a way to get out of it. Having Lena gloating over her shoulder wasn’t the way. “Okay. Fine. I’ll go.” 24

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Without another word, Cat turned and walked to her desk. She ignored Lena’s questioning gaze, murmured a few replies to questions from various people, and made a quick escape. But by the time Cat found herself on the street walking, she didn’t know what to do next. Go home? Go see her father? She almost turned around and went back to work. If only her mother was still alive. No way would she have allowed Cat to be surprised like this. Then again, maybe her mother would have been just as shocked as Cat was that her father could be charged with anything illegal. Her thoughts were jumbled. She didn’t know what to do. And she felt almost…needy. It was a horrible thought. One she didn’t want to feel. It had begun even before the news over her father. Reese had really gotten to her. Made her want to see him again. Yet, he’d said goodbye, kissed her at her door and left. No talk of another date. Cat laughed and forced her feet to walk the direction of the Maxwell offices. At ten a.m. and the humidity was already thick. Her navy silk blouse, which matched her skirt, wouldn’t endure much heat. But walking felt like an outlet. One that might destroy her high heels, but still, a needed release. Now as her feet scraped the pavement, she reminded herself sex was not a date. Who was she kidding? But it, her encounter with Reese, had felt like more than just physical intimacy and she didn’t know why. Of all people, she knew sex meant nothing. Yet, something about the way Reese had not only demanded her submission but also made her free to give it, had really gotten to her. To come to work already feeling out of sorts, and out of control, and then find this out about her father, really was messing with her head. And as hard as it would be, she had to get answers. Her father hated to be bothered at work, but then so did she. He would have to fit her into his schedule. That thought lasted until she hit the street corner at which time she flagged a cab and gave them the address of Carlson Advertising to see her best friend Lauren. She knew Lauren was working, but Cat really needed to talk.

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Fifteen minutes later, after sitting at the same red light ten minutes, Cat managed to make it to the Carlson lobby. She started pacing, unable to sit, when Lauren appeared in the lobby with a newspaper in her hand. Her long brown hair was pulled back in a French twist. Her suit pressed and perfect. Cat, who prided herself in looking her best, felt like a sticky, rumpled mess in comparison. “I just read the headlines,” Lauren said. Cat felt the instant comfort of her friend’s understanding. Without saying the words, Lauren had already extended her support. It was in her voice as well as her face. Without another word, Cat followed Lauren to her office. And it was there, with the door shut, that Cat cried for the first time in years. Because Lauren wouldn’t judge her or call her weak. Instead, Lauren hugged her and told her everything was going to be okay. And for just a few minutes, Cat didn’t have to be strong. She could just let it all out.

***** Reese sat behind his desk staring down at a file he wasn’t really seeing. He’d slam dunked his plea bargain that morning, dealt with the press, and then planned to move on to the next case. But productivity had been elusive. Cat lingered in the back of his mind, distracting him. Something he’d dealt with the entire damn day. The sun was fast disappearing into the horizon, and he’d struggled with focus from the moment he’d arrived. It didn’t help that he’d stayed at Cat’s until after seven. And though he’d had to make a mad rush home to shower and change, he still could swear he smelled her scent on his skin. Seductive and soft. Teasing him with its presence. This was so unlike him. Women were not distractions. They were fun and they were trouble. With his father’s health failing, he was taking over more and more of the leadership of the firm. He couldn’t afford to be distracted. As it was, his father fought the need to take on less. Reese hoped to prove he could handle things so his father would rest. It would be good for his mom to see his dad more too. Lately, she’d seemed

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pretty withdrawn about his father and Reese wondered if there was trouble. He’d questioned both of them, but neither would talk. “Guess who just called wanting our services?” Reese looked up to see Michael Wright entering the room. Nicknamed “Pretty Boy” by the press for his classical good looks, he had a nasty way of winning all his cases. Reese should have liked him for that. There would have been a time when he would have. Michael settled into a visitor’s chair, making himself at home. In reality, Reese had mixed feelings about Michael. Maybe because Michael reminded him a little too much of himself in his early days in law. Michael would do anything to win. He made choices that got him attention, not justice. Choices his father condoned and Reese didn’t. That part about his father was hard to swallow. He justified everything as supporting the system. The system protects the people. To some degree Reese believed this as well. But a bad case had turned him to the truth. Fame. Money. Success. It wasn’t worth letting killers walk free. Nor was it worth his self-respect. He’d learned that the hard way. A bad case that still burned him inside out had made him see the light. Hell, he’d almost left the years he’d invested in law behind. But his father had convinced him to stay. Reese’s condition was that he got to choose his own cases. Ones he believed in. Still, as his father eased toward retirement, the partners were taking a closer look at Reese. They wanted him to produce money, plain and simple. It came down to the cold, hard dollars. Now, Reese had to decide what to do. If he didn’t take over, his father wouldn’t retire. If he did, he might not be able to look in the mirror. That left him in a hell of a spot. “Well?” Michael snapped his fingers. “You’re supposed to be guessing about the new case. Are you with me?” Snapping out of his reverie, Reese forced his attention back to Marcus. Leaning back in his chair, Reese thought through the most high-profile headlines in the news. 27

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There’d been a lot as of late. Normally, he’d been more interested than he felt at this particular moment. “Not a clue.” Michael gave him a bright white smile. “One hint…Maxwell.” “What?” Reese asked. “No way. He and my father had that political dispute years back. No way he’d come to us.” “That’s old news for two weathered businessmen.” “True,” Reese said, “but I thought Maxwell already hired the competition?” “He did. It’s not Maxwell who wants to hire us. It’s his attorney and close ex-friend, Ray Ryder, who Maxwell says is the true guilty party.” “How’s that?” “Maxwell says Ryder managed his holdings and did the trades without his knowledge. Something about phony books, too.” “And what does Ryder say?” “That he’s innocent, of course.” Michael laughed as he spoke. “Isn’t that what they all say?” Michael still has a lot to learn. “Actually, no. Attorney-client privilege tends to make people feel free to share the truth. Just not always before you get them off.” Lord knew Reese had learned that the hard way. After he’d gotten a killer off, the man had confessed. The nature of the crimes still clung to Reese’s sleep in the form of guilt and nightmares. It had been six months, and Reese still couldn’t let it go. With a shrug, Michael dismissed Reese’s words. “Your dad is letting me sit in on the meeting tomorrow. I’m second chair.” “If we take the case,” Reese said. “Don’t get ahead of the game. There are no guarantees until we size things up.” “I know,” Michael said, a sly smile on his face. “We only play the game when we know we can win.”

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Reese didn’t immediately respond, but the words lingered in the air like a taunt. Right. We only play the game when we know we can win. His father lived by those words. For years, Reese had too, and that was the hard part to swallow. Seeing Cat’s contempt for attorneys had bothered him. Perhaps it hit a sore spot. Or maybe it echoed his own feelings about who and what he’d become. “We always win, right?” Reese heard Marcus’s proclamation and snapped back to reality. “What?” “We always win,” Michael repeated. “Right,” Reese said, forcing a slight lift to his lips. The objective was to win. Knowing this, having it drilled into his head all his life, Reese wondered why he couldn’t apply it to Cat. Why was he contemplating going by her apartment when he knew damn well he didn’t have the time or inclination to deal with a woman in his life? Shoving away the thought, Reese refocused on Marcus. “When’s the meeting?” “Tomorrow morning.” “Let me know how it goes,” he said, but he really didn’t care. It wasn’t his case and his mind was elsewhere, still on Cat. Besides, he had a case he was trying to plead that he needed to deal with so he didn’t have to go to court. And Cat. He needed to decide what to do about her. What the hell was wrong with him? Why wouldn’t he get Cat out of his head? His parents were proof that relationships and running a law firm didn’t mix. Not if you planned to run the firm and run it well. Here he was about to take over the control of the firm so his father could retire, get healthy, and hopefully make his mother happy, and he chose now to let a woman invade his thoughts. Fate had thrown him bad timing, yet he couldn’t get Cat out of his mind. He’d learned a long time ago never to ignore his gut. Deep down he’d known that client was

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guilty. He’d convinced himself it wasn’t the case, but his gut had been right. And deep down, he knew Cat was special. So, even though logic said he should walk away, he wasn’t so sure he could.

***** Cat sat in her living room floor in pair of worn jean shorts and a tank top with a pint of cookie dough ice cream in front of her. Normally, she would be in the middle of her midnight blue oversized couch, but with today’s luck, she figured she’d spill stuff all over it. One thing life had taught her, when she had bad junk happen, more followed. Taking a big bite, she eyed the clock as the icy sweetness soothed her tongue. Her pizza was late, which did nothing for her bad mood. If it didn’t hurry and arrive, she’d be so full on ice cream she wouldn’t want it. Sex in the City played on her new flatscreen television. A present from her oldest brother for her thirty-second birthday. She would never have bought it for herself, though she had to admit she liked it. At present, Mr. Big was filling the screen with one of his messed-up excuses to leave Carrie single. “Asshole,” Cat said to the television, irritated that Mr. Big always walked away from the woman who loved him. Typical rich, arrogant male. Exactly why she fucked them and sent them away. Only Reese wasn’t gone from her mind, which added to her foul mood. She shoved the spoon back into the ice cream and took another bite. By the time she finished this pint and a pizza, maybe she would feel better. Lauren had offered to come over and pig out with her. Pizza with best friends had always been their way of killing the blues. Only, Lauren had a hot husband who needed her attention. Cat didn’t want to pull her friend into hell when she should be enjoying life. Besides, in truth, Cat knew nothing but talking to her father was going to make her feel better. Even then, she wasn’t so sure. But he’d been in meetings when she’d stopped by his office, as had her brothers. Convenient. Nobody wanted to talk to her.

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She had calls in to all of them. Even her youngest one, Chris, who lived in Texas. He probably knew more than she did and he was in another state. That thought irritated her. A knock sounded. “About time,” she mumbled and pushed to her feet. A few moments later, wallet in hand she opened the door. “How much?” “Expecting someone else, I guess?” Cat’s mouth dropped open. Reese. He looked tired but sexy. He wore a buttondown shirt, and his dark blue tie was loosened at the neck. His hair had a rumpled look as if he’d been running his hand through it. Fretting, perhaps. He’d clearly come straight from work. With her heart in her stomach, she tried to hide the shock and excitement she felt at his presence. “What are you doing here?” she asked, in a tone she hoped sounded unaffected. “To tell you the truth, I don’t know.” Her brows dipped. “What does that mean?” He gave her a steady stare. “Invite me in.” In the background her phone rang. Damn. “I have to get that.” She turned and rushed toward the other room leaving the door open and Reese standing in the hall. The cordless was on the floor by her ice cream. She grabbed it and punched “receive”. “Hello, Cat? What’s wrong? You sound out of breath. Are you crying?” It was Lauren, shooting questions at her with rocket speed. Regardless, her friend’s concern had a calming effect and Cat relaxed a little. “I was at the door. I’m fine. I just had to make a mad dash for the phone. I was hoping for some news.” “So, nothing yet?” she asked. “I wondered when I didn’t hear from you. You said you’d call after you went by Maxwell.” “I know,” Cat said. “I should have called. I was waiting to see if I heard anything this evening. I haven’t talked to anyone.” “But you went by Maxwell?” Lauren asked.

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Cat turned to see Reese sitting down on her couch, the pizza now on the coffee table. He eyed her half-eaten pint of ice cream with interest. Turning away, she gave him her back. Neither her eating habits nor her phone call were his business. “Yes I went,” Cat said into the phone. “Not that it did me any good. He wouldn’t see me.” “He should have seen you,” Lauren said, frustration in her voice. “But then, I’m sure he has his hands full. He’ll call.” Unwilling to say more with Reese present, Cat cut the call short. “I hope so. I’ll let you know. Listen, pizza man’s at the door. Gotta run.” “I would have come over and had pizza with you,” Lauren said. “I know you would have, sweetie,” Cat said, “but you belong with your man. Take good care of him.” A few more words of goodbye and they disconnected. Bending down she put the lid on her ice cream that was melting at a rapid pace. “I see you let yourself in.” “The open door seemed an invitation but I bought the pizza for good measure.” He smiled. “But you have to share it. That’s my price.” She straightened. “I’ll share, but only because I’m not as hungry as I thought I was.” Reese laughed and eyed the container in her hand. “I wonder why.” With a mean look directed his way, she walked to the kitchen. When she returned to the living room, she had plates and two colas. Sitting next to him seemed like trouble. She chose the floor again, directly in front of him with the nice, solid coffee table between them. It would be so easy to let physical adventure be her escape. But for some reason, she hesitated. Reese made her feel something she didn’t quite understand. Right now, she wasn’t herself. It seemed a smart idea to keep her wits about her. That meant keep her clothes on. Because with Reese, sex felt a bit too intense. Reese studied her as she opened the pizza box. “Keeping your distance, I see.” She ignored his comment. “I hope you like cheese. I like my pizza straight up.”

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With a laugh, he said, “I love cheese.” He picked up a piece and took a bite. “I’m hungry.” “So am I,” she said, but she wasn’t. Cat just wanted something to do so she wouldn’t think about how intimate she’d just been with this man only twelve hours before. “Even after the ice cream?” he asked popping the top of his drink. “Hmm,” she said. “All that did was take the edge off. I didn’t eat all day.” His eyes locked with hers. “I woke up starving.” Cat swallowed hard. Normally she loved the power of a little flirtation. Not now. Not with Reese. She reached for her drink, popping the top, and taking a long drink. His laugher drew her attention. A soft, teasing rumble of pure male sexuality. “What?” she asked setting down her drink and acting innocent. “You tell me.” “There’s nothing to tell.” “There’s not, is there?” he asked, a twinkle in his eye as he patted the couch next to him. “Then come sit beside me and help me figure out why, tired as hell, I couldn’t go home until I came here first.” “No,” she said abruptly. He laughed and reached across the table and took her hand. “Come here.” “No.” But she wanted to. Damn it, she wanted to. “Figure it out for yourself.” “I will,” he said, moving with briskness she didn’t expect. Before she knew what happened, he was on his knees beside her, pulling her close. And then he kissed her. Though her mind told her to resist, her body had other ideas. One stroke of his tongue against hers, and she melted. Her arms went around his neck, and as she had feared, she was lost. And lost wasn’t a good place to be…no matter how damn good it felt.

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Chapter Three The sound of the phone ringing again jerked Cat out of the seductive spell Reese had so easily pulled her under. She tore her lips from his, breathing heavily from the effort it took to stop kissing him. “I have to get that.” “Call whoever it is back.” He tried to claim her mouth again. Her hands gripped his shoulders and she leaned away from him. “I’m expecting…it’s important.” For a moment he looked like he would argue, but then he nodded and released her. Cat took the instant of freedom to scramble to her feet and grab the phone. She needed to get her call, but she also needed to get a grip on herself. Normally, a hot guy and a pizza would be a damn good combination. Tonight, with so much junk going on in her life and in her head, it seemed dangerous. No. It was Reese that was dangerous. Other men didn’t impact her the way he seemed to. “Hello,” she said, punching the button on her phone. “Hey. It’s Chris. I’m headed to a dinner meeting with that building investor I told you about last week, but I got your message. I also just flipped on my car radio. What the hell is going on?” An architect for an up-and-coming firm, Chris’s team was close to landing the design of a high-rise in Houston. It would make his career. She hated this thing with her father was happening smack in the middle of negotiations. Cat headed for her sliding glass door and pulled it open. She wasn’t about to have this particular conversation in front of Reese. Stepping onto the balcony she struggled with the door and it jammed half open. “And,” Chris continued, “why the hell don’t I know about it before the rest of the world?” 34

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“Hey, don’t feel bad,” Cat said, feeling the heaviness of the hot night slide along her skin. Abandoning her efforts to shut the door she went to the far corner of the tiny balcony and tried to keep her voice low. “I’m in the same city as Daddy, and I know nothing.” “Damn,” Chris said. “I was hoping you called with information, but I should have known better. Like always, the two who chose a path outside of Maxwell are excluded.” “We aren’t in the ‘club’, but then we’ve known that a long time.” She paused. “I’m worried. I can’t reach anyone. I even went by the office and they were all in meetings. I’d go by Daddy’s house, but no telling what time he’ll be home.” “You think it’s bad and they don’t want to tell us.” It wasn’t a question. “I don’t know, Chris. I’m mad as hell for being left in the dark, though. I work for the damn newspaper. You know what kind of pressure having my family in the headlines puts on me?” “I can imagine, Sis. I’m sorry.” He paused. “Damn. I hate this. I have to go. If you find out anything, leave me a message and I’ll call back as soon as I can.” “I will. Good luck in your meeting.” “Thanks,” Chris said. “I need it with this on my mind.” “Chris?” “Yeah?” Just thinking about the question in her mind made Cat’s stomach flip-flop. But she had to know what Chris thought. He was the youngest of her brothers but the wisest in her book. “You don’t think he’s guilty, do you?” she asked, the words barely there as she forced them from her lips. A moment of silence. “He’s an ass not a thief. There’s a difference.” Then, “Call me. Gotta run.” And with his harsh words of clarity and truth between them, they disconnected.

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***** He’d come here tonight hoping to convince himself that his distraction over Cat came down to great sex. But he now knew that wasn’t the case. Not at all. She intrigued him in some deeper way. Beyond the physical. Everything about her. From her cozy little apartment, full of dark colors and overstuffed furniture, to the sexy sway of her nicely curved hips. The new, more vulnerable, Cat of this night held no less appeal than the sensual kitten of their last meeting. Sensing she was bothered, he found himself wanting to comfort her. Proof he wasn’t interested in just sex. And when she’d seemed almost nervous with him, and not at all the bold, hungry woman who had led their lovemaking just hours before, he’d wanted to know why. It wasn’t likely they would be repeating the wicked romp of their first encounter but that didn’t discourage his interest in her at all. When he’d kissed her, Cat’s resistance had started to fade. He’d felt her relax and start letting go of whatever had her so concerned. That he had managed to pull her out of the stress she felt, if only for a short time, seemed to confirm their connection. When the phone had rung, the moment had slipped away. Just like that, she’d slammed the door on her emotions and blocked him out. Reese hadn’t intentionally eavesdropped on the call but nevertheless, he’d heard part of the conversation. And he’d heard enough to confirm she had something serious going on in her life. A family scandal of some sort. His best guess was the caller was a sibling. Judging from the bits he’d picked up, it was a brother she had spoken to. Knowing the phone call had ended, Reese considered feigning interest in the pizza. But one look at Cat when she appeared in the doorway made him throw out the idea. He could see she was trying to act unaffected, but the worry in her eyes told the real truth. She was troubled. “Everything okay?”

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“Oh yeah,” she said, a little too quickly as she stepped inside the apartment and shut the sliding glass. “Just family drama.” She gave him her back and set the phone on top of the television. He suspected the action was meant to give her a moment of reprieve from his probing gaze. “Ready for pizza?” she asked, turning back to him, and eyeing the coffee table where the box sat. “It’s probably cold. I can heat it up.” “It’s fine. Come sit down and eat with me.” Reese patted the couch beside him. Cat hesitated a minute and then moved forward sitting down on the floor across from him. “I’m messy. It’s safer for you to eat with some distance.” Reese knew she simply wanted an excuse for putting distance between them. Yet, her need didn’t bother him. He sensed that she needed to feel in control, right now, and if that meant he needed to keep his hands to himself, so be it. As she took a bite of pizza, he reached for a slice and did the same. In silence, they ate, letting a full minute pass without words. “How long have you been a reporter?” he asked, not only to make conversation but because he wanted to know about her. She eyed him and put her pizza on her plate. “Why are you here?” Her bluntness didn’t surprise him. He’d learned that she said what was on her mind. It hit him that it was this trait that was partly responsible for her appeal. In his line of business everyone had unspoken agendas. Cat didn’t hide what she wanted. “You thought you’d never see me again?” “Well,” she said, “to be honest, I didn’t.” “Is that what you wanted? To never see me again?” She hesitated and then said, “It’s what I expected.” He smiled. “That doesn’t answer the question.” “You didn’t answer mine. Why are you here?” “Since we’re being honest… I couldn’t stop thinking about you today.” 37

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“Is that so?” she asked, tilting her head as if to study him. “You thought you’d return for a repeat of last night?” He took in a breath and let it out. “I—” Her brow inched upward. “You what?” “I think sharing pizza and conversation will do just fine.” She laughed but without humor and then pulled her knees to her chest. “What’s so funny?” he asked. “We are so not right for each other.” “That’s not how it seemed last night.” Her eyes narrowed. “I’m not talking about sex.” “Who says I am?” he challenged. “You don’t even know me,” she said. “And you don’t know me, yet you judge me because of my job.” Her face registered shock. “That’s not true.” He smiled. “Yes it is. You even said so back at the bar. You know how attorneys are.” “I just meant…” Her voice trailed off. “Yes?” he asked. “Just eat the pizza,” she said, reaching for hers. With a chuckle, Reese reached for his pizza. “We both like pizza. There’s one thing we share in common.” “Everyone loves pizza,” she said, dismissing his words. “My mother doesn’t. She says it’s too fattening.” “That doesn’t mean she doesn’t like it.” “She doesn’t eat it.” “But does she like it?” she asked. 38

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He laughed. “You should be the attorney. You have an answer for everything.” “Like you?” she asked accusation in her voice. He gave her a probing look. She ignored him, opting to focus on a big bite of pizza. After several seconds, he decided this was important. He wasn’t going to let it drop. Her judging him as some sort of scum bothered him. “What is it about attorneys that bug you so much?” She sat down her food and brushed her hands together. “Let’s see, where should I start? How about the way they twist the facts to win. After all, winning is everything, right?” “It’s about justice, not winning,” he said, but felt a pang of guilt with his words that made him add. “When a client is innocent you certainly want to win their case.” She shoved her plate away. “You expect me to believe you only take cases where the client is innocent?” “Why do you think I win so often? I fight for victims.” This time he meant his words. “For victims?” she asked her voice disbelieving. “How is that when your clients are the accused?” “The system protects us. No one is guilty until proven so. Besides, if an innocent person is convicted then the guilty person is still free.” He paused. “Think of it that way.” She snorted. “Sounds like you’re trying to make your own case. You defend the rich and famous. You won’t convince me you think they’re all innocent.” “The cases you see in the headlines are the high-profile ones. I take plenty of others.” Their eyes locked in a silent challenge between them that turned to a simmering heat. “I like you, Cat,” he finally said, his voice low with the rush of desire taking hold. “I believe you like me, too. You don’t want to, but you do.”

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“I don’t know you well enough to say I like you.” “And you don’t know me well enough to judge me either.” She took several seconds to answer. “I guess that’s true.” “Then get to know me,” he said, his voice low as passion rose and swirled in the air between them. “Have dinner with me Friday night.” “I…don’t know,” she whispered, but her eyes said she wanted to say yes. “We were supposed to be a one-night stand.” “Just say yes.” She looked away, letting her tongue dart out across her full bottom lip. Tempting and teasing. Making him want to kiss her. “Because we’re good in bed together doesn’t mean we are good in life together.” “I didn’t say it does.” “Then why even try?” “Just say yes.” She rolled her eyes. “I’m so going to regret this.” “Is that a yes?” he asked, trying to hold back a smile. “Yes,” she said, giving him a sideways look. “Now eat your pizza.” He grinned and did as ordered. Why he felt such a sense of satisfaction he didn’t know. But he did. Cat was a challenge. Her desire to believe the worst of him made him want her all the more. Logically, it made no sense, and he knew this. Nevertheless, it was a fact. Making small talk, he avoided tough subjects and asked about Cat’s job. He found out she really loved the arts as well as the theater and hoped to write a book someday. The softness of her voice as he listened to her world coming to life seduced him and pulled him further under her spell. One day he wanted her to see that each case he took felt as important to him as her dreams did to her.

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When they finished eating, Reese helped Cat gather the trash and followed her to the kitchen. Her place was decorated with high-end art that didn’t come cheap. Even the Oriental rug that ran from the living room to the kitchen was top dollar. He wanted to ask more details about her life, but he was afraid to push and spook her. Friday night he’d find out more. As he stood in the doorway of the kitchen, he fought the urge to grab Cat and kiss her. To do just as she’d accused him—and rightfully so—of trying to repeat the night before. No. If he was going to get anywhere with Cat, he needed to stay hands-off. At least for tonight. As she bent to stick the pizza box in the fridge, he received a nice view of her shapely ass. He could just imagine pulling down her shorts and sliding inside her. With his cock stirring to life, his will to stay hands-off started to slip away. He had to leave. “I guess I should head home. Tomorrow starts early for me.” She turned toward him, hand going to the counter, surprise registering in her beautiful blue eyes. Eyes the color of a perfect sea. Eyes he loved. “Oh. Of course. It was hmm, well…” His brow inched upward in question. “Interesting,” he supplied for her. “Exactly.” She laughed. Since the kitchen was by the front door it made sense to simply leave. Still, he hesitated. It was Tuesday. Friday seemed a long ways away. Lord help him if he was as distracted the rest of the week as he had been today. “Goodnight.” He turned and walked the short distance to the door. Cat followed. When he stood outside her apartment, she faced him. “Goodnight.” The phone rang. He saw urgency in her eyes. He also saw a safe opening to kiss her. “I have to—” Reese grabbed her hand and kissed her. Quick, hard and full on the lips. “Get the phone,” he finished for her, and touched her cheek. “I know.” And he turned and left.

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Chapter Four Morning light brought no news. Cat woke up frustrated with knots in her stomach. By the time she finished two cups of coffee, she was revved up for action. Setting her empty cup in the sink, she glanced at the clock over the stove. Seven o’clock. She’d get to her father’s by seventhirty and get answers before he slid into his corporate world and out of reach. She didn’t bother with a cab. Despite wearing high-heeled sandals, Cat could walk miles of Manhattan sidewalk and never feel pain. It was part of being a New Yorker. And with the turbulence of her thoughts, she barely remembered entering the subway and riding across town. At the front door to her father’s high-rise, luxury apartment, Cat waved to the doorman. Elderly, with gray hair and a glowing smile, he’d been around for years. “Hello there, Ms. Catherine,” he said. “Come to protect your pops from your fellow reporters?” “That bad?” Cat asked, pausing beside the desk to study him. His brow inched upward. “It’s been a madhouse. Reporters everywhere. If I didn’t know you, I’d think the whole lot of them were bloodsuckers with no care for anything but the story.” Cat let out a breath. “I’m sorry you have to deal with all of this.” He winked. “I’ll live. You just go see that daddy of yours and work though all this mess.” With a nod and an attempt at a smile, Cat headed for the elevator. The ride up to the twentieth floor felt like an eternity. Her stomach twisted into a tighter knot with every ding of a passing level. Her father might not be the most thoughtful person, but

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he was quick to defend his honor. The fact that she hadn’t heard from him or her brothers gave her a bad feeling. When the door opened to reveal her oldest brother Mike, Cat wasn’t surprised. Tall, with blond hair and blue eyes, at thirty-six he was single and handsome. No. Not true. Mike was happily married to his job. Just like her father. How her mother had lived with his ways Cat would never know. A second later, Rick appeared. Five years younger than Mike, the similarities between the two brothers were remarkable, except for one thing. Somehow, Rick had dark black hair like his father. The only one of the siblings who’d inherited that trait. “We had a feeling you’d be around,” Rick said, scrubbing his hand across a recently shaven jaw. Mike pulled the door back and motioned her forward. “Come on in.” “Thanks for letting me find out about all of this from the press,” Cat said, as she slid past them both. “A great surprise for a reporter.” “Sorry, Cat,” Mike said from behind her. “I meant to call.” Cat whirled and shoved her fists into her hips. “Meant to call? Is that the best excuse you can come up with?” Mike shut the door and turned to Cat, irritation evident in his face. “It’s been hell. We—” “I don’t want your excuses,” Cat spat. “Just talk.” “If it isn’t my lovely daughter.” Cat rotated to find her father standing near the dining room table just past the entryway, cup in hand. Like her, he had a coffee habit. Dressed in a silk robe, he looked tall and distinguished. Even from a distance she could see he looked tired. And older. At sixty, most guessed him to be fifty. Today he looked his age. “Why don’t you join me for coffee, little one,” he said. “We’ll chat about current events.”

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Cat felt Rick’s hand on her shoulder. An act of comfort Cat found calming. Rick worked for Maxwell and even looked like Mike on the exterior, but he had a softer side that the corporate world had never quite destroyed. At least, not yet. Cat reached up and touched Rick’s hand before walking toward the table. “Hello, Father.” She pulled out a chair and sat down at the deep mahogany table, reaching for the delicate china filled with coffee her father sat in front of her. Sleep had been slow in coming and had been restless. Caffeine sounded damn good. Answers sounded better. Rick chose a seat next to her, while her father, in his normal fashion, took his spot at the head of the table. Mike, as usual, stood alone, leaning against the bar that separated the dining area from the kitchen. Her father spoke before she could finish her first sip of coffee. “Mike and Rick didn’t call because I forbade them to.” Swallowing, Cat almost choked on the hot liquid. “And why is that?” she asked, setting her coffee on the tabletop. “You didn’t think I had the right to know before the rest of the world?” “I meant to talk to you before the news got out,” he said with a heavy voice. He ran his hand over his thin, gray hair. “The next thing I knew, it was all over the papers, and I had fireballs being thrown at me left and right.” Grasping her fingers together in front of her, Cat studied him. The tension in the room was palpable. “What happened?” she asked. “As you know your Uncle Ray does my financial management. I did what he advised me. With my upcoming retirement, I won’t hold the control at Maxwell. Selling off my stock seemed a natural step toward the future. We started slowly diversifying my portfolio and the next thing I knew the authorities came knocking.” His explanation seemed weak and Cat made a mental note to find out more from Mike later. “You don’t really think Ray would do anything unethical, do you?”

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“It’s beyond unethical,” Mike said. “It’s illegal. And that’s what we’re trying to find out. We think he might have owed someone money and needed the cash.” This made no sense. Cat shook her head rejecting the idea that Ray would do this. He was like family. “He’d come to you for money,” she said, looking at her father. “Things have been…tight. The company hasn’t done well, and I’ve made some bad investments.” “Ray made bad investments,” Rick corrected. “We think he was trying to make the cash back for both Father and himself.” Cat sank back against her chair, stunned by the hard reality of the truth. “So beating this means convicting Ray?” she half whispered, thinking of the times Ray had been there for her. On her sixteenth birthday he’d taken her to the theater, something her mother would have done had she been alive. Ray was family. “It looks like this might get nasty,” Mike agreed. “Each man for himself,” her father said. “Sometimes there isn’t a way around it.” Cat narrowed her gaze on her father. “You against Ray?” “Do you want me to go to jail?” “I don’t want either of you to go to jail.” “It’ll work out, honey,” he said. In other words, conversation ended. He didn’t want to explain himself because she wouldn’t like what he had to say. Cat pushed to her feet. She needed out of here. No matter how she pushed, she wasn’t going to hear the entire truth. Even Rick wouldn’t tell her. Though he had more compassion than the others did, he still lived the Maxwell corporate life. He did what success demanded. Now Cat wondered how far her entire family would go to protect their world. Would they break the law? She cringed at the idea. She eyed her brothers and then stared at her father, shaking her head as she saw the blankness of their expressions. All of them had cut her off. She’d heard all she was going to hear.

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Damn it, she was tired of being on the outside looking in. But then again, Cat didn’t want to be like them either. All she wanted was honesty. True, sincere honesty. Was that so much to ask for?

***** Reese unlocked his apartment with a smile playing on his lips. He’d left his office early, eager to get to Cat’s place and begin their Friday night out. This date had been a long time coming. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d looked forward to something as much as he did seeing Cat. The need to see Cat had him charged with an adrenaline high. He’d never been like this about a woman. What that meant he wasn’t sure but he knew he had to find out. He hung his jacket on the coat rack just inside his doorway and placed his briefcase on the floor. He didn’t know why he’d bothered to bring it home. For once, he might just take a weekend off. Hell, he wouldn’t mind spending the next forty-eight hours lost in Cat. Not one bit. Maybe he’d work her out of his system. And if he didn’t, then maybe he wasn’t meant to. As he took the stairs leading from the entryway to his lower level flat, he started unbuttoning his shirt, recalling their brief phone call the prior day. Cat had tried to back out of their dinner, but her objections had lacked true resistance. In fact, the heat between them held such a charge, distance did nothing to contain it. He’d hung up from that call, after listening to the soft, sexy play of her voice, with a damn hard-on. No woman had ever given him a damn hard-on over the phone. A half-hour after arriving home, Reese was showered and clean-shaven. He’d dressed in black pants and a thin matching sweater. Just as he headed for the front door, the bell rang. His brows dipped as he reached for the knob. Normally, the doorman would have called to alert him of a visitor.

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When he opened the door, he found his mother. “Mom?” he asked, quickly noting her tear-streaked cheeks. “What…” He motioned her forward. “Are you okay? Is everyone okay?” She shook her head and drew her spine straight, tipping her chin up as if trying to be strong. “Yes. Fine. We just need to talk.” She walked past him, entering the apartment with a tissue in hand. Worried, Reese shut the door and followed his mother down the stairs to the living room. She sat on the edge of his black leather couch, her hands on her knees, one fist balled around her tissue. She wore a light floral silk dress that accented her slim figure. Too slim, Reese realized. She looked as if she’d lost weight. Her long hair, which she kept a dark brown, had a wispy windblown look. In short, she looked like a delicate flower that needed some special care. Sitting down beside her, he braced himself for bad news. Anyone who knew his mother knew how strong she was. Whatever had her upset had to be big. “What’s going on, Mom?” She turned to angle her body his direction. “I know this is going to be hard for you, but Reese…” He swallowed. This was killing him. “Just say it. What? Please. You’re worrying me.” “I’m leaving your father.” Reese’s eyes went wide. “You’re what?” “That’s right. I’ve had enough, Reese. Your father lives his job. I’m tired of living it with him. Not that I do. He won’t even know I’m gone.” He didn’t even know what to say. “You’ve been married for thirty-seven years. Surely you could talk—” “I’ve talked for thirty-seven years. I’m finished, Reese.” Finality laced her words.

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Reese had learned that there were times to talk and times to listen. This wasn’t a talk time. “What are you going to do?” “I moved my things today. I took an apartment off West Fifth.” The words hit Reese like a two-by-four. This was for real. She wasn’t just talking. “Does Dad know?” “I left him a note,” she said, the slightest tremble in her voice. “I doubt he notices it until bedtime. He won’t get home until late. He never does.” “Mom—” He didn’t finish, his words cut off as she burst into tears. Reese reached for her, feeling his heart squeeze painfully. “It’s okay, Mom. Let it out.” His hand stroked her back, and he rested his chin on her head. Life had suddenly gotten a hell of a lot more complicated than it had been only minutes before. He might be an adult, but the thought of his parents breaking up made him feel incredibly unsettled. Long minutes later with a promise to take his mother to dinner, Reese found a private moment to call Cat. He hated to break their date. As he picked up the phone, anticipating the sound of her voice, he realized this thing with his parents made him wish for time with her all the more. To find comfort in her arms. It was a crazy thought considering he barely knew her. But then, everything about Cat seemed to make him crazy.

***** Cat stood on her balcony with a glass of wine in her hand. It was her second. The first had been an hour ago when she thought Reese would soon arrive. She’d been uncharacteristically nervous so she’d decided a few sips of alcohol might calm her nerves. Now, thirty minutes after he was supposed to arrive, she contemplated a third glass. She wasn’t much of a drinker, but her stupidity over Reese made her want to scream. Okay, it was worse than that. His no-show, no-call act hurt. It shouldn’t. She 48

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barely knew him. But it did. Maybe because it reminded her of all the times her father promised to be places that he wasn’t. Work probably had Reese detained. Like her father, he probably didn’t even realize the time. Figured. Tipping back her glass, she finished off the last of the warm, red liquid and headed for the door. A few seconds later, she discarded her high-heeled sandals and reached for the bottle she’d sat on top of her television. Just as she filled her glass the phone rang. Instantly, her stomach clenched with apprehension. She glanced at the clock clenching her teeth as she noted the tardiness of communication. A call forty minutes after he was due to arrive was simply too late. Cat took her wine and went back to the balcony, shutting the door and with it blocking out the sound of the ringing. Reese Walker could go to hell.

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Chapter Five At midnight, Reese stood outside Cat’s door. Coming here at this time had been insane, and he knew it, but he couldn’t seem to help himself. Cat hadn’t taken his calls, so she’d left him no choice. He knew that missing their date and calling far too late had set him up to look bad. If she would just hear him out, he could explain. He had to explain. With a deep breath he knocked. And knocked again. Finally, he heard sounds from inside. “Who is it?” Flattening his palms on the door, he let out a breath, relieved to hear her voice. “It’s Reese.” Silence. Then, “Go away.” “No,” he said. “Not until you hear me out.” “Go away, Reese.” “No.” Silence. “No?” “No,” he said. “Not until you hear what I have to say.” She cracked the door, chain in place. “I have neighbors. Go away. How’d you even get past the doorman?” Pause. “Never mind. I know how. Money.” The snide remark didn’t escape Reese’s attention. Not only was she pissed, she was still judging him by some preconceived notion about attorneys. Or maybe about men in general. Shoving aside the subject, he went back after his objective. “How I got here isn’t important. The fact that I’m here, waking up your neighbors, should be your concern.” 50

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A door opened as if on cue and a man poked his head into the hall, a scowl on his face. Reese looked his direction and waved. “Sorry, man.” Cat made a frustrated sound and shoved the door shut. The chain jangled against the surface as she unlocked it. Seconds later, dressed in silk boxers, a T-shirt and pink, fluffy slippers, she waved him forward. In all his life, Reese couldn’t remember ever thinking fluffy slippers to be sexy, but on Cat they somehow managed to shoot fire through his veins. Or maybe it was the long slender legs attached. Crossing her arms in front of her chest, she stared at him, making it clear that he wasn’t getting past the hallway. “Talk and leave.” “I’m sorry,” he said softly, his eyes finding her hard ones. There was no give to her look. No forgiveness. “I appreciate that,” she said in a voice that said she really didn’t, “but let’s just take this as a sign. We weren’t meant to go beyond one night.” He shook his head. “You’re not even going to listen to what happened, are you?” “You said you’re sorry. I get that. I don’t need a detailed playback of events.” “Even if I have a good reason?” “I’m sure you do,” she said, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. Suddenly, Reese didn’t have this battle in him. He wanted to grab her and kiss her or get the hell out of here. Before he could talk himself out of it, he turned and headed to the door. She’d already decided he was guilty. Of what he didn’t know. Why her contempt hurt so badly he didn’t understand. Maybe because he was raw inside over his parents. Lost even. Everything felt like it was crashing to the ground. He reached for the doorknob when he heard her voice. “Why?” she asked. Reese let his forehead rest against the wood panel. He wasn’t sure what she was asking. Why had he been late? Why had he come here? Or maybe why had he called so late?

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Without turning, he answered, forgetting anything but what he came here to say. “My mother showed up at my door as I was leaving.” He paused, thinking about the moment he’d opened the door and found her there. “She left my father. After thirtyseven years, she left him and… I didn’t even know anything was wrong.” Several seconds passed and Reese squeezed the knob, feeling his stomach clench. For some reason, Cat accepting his words, and allowing him back into her world, mattered in ways beyond the moment. He needed her. Whatever she’d made him feel that night they’d shared, he wanted to wrap himself in it and forget. To get lost in Cat and what she made him feel. To forget everything else. The soft touch of her hand on his arm made his heart kick up a beat and his breath lodge in his throat. Without words, he felt her understanding. Slowly, he turned to face her, looking down into her forgiving eyes, not even trying to hide the pain in his. He didn’t care if she saw. Maybe he should but he didn’t. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I should have listened.” “It’s okay,” he said. “I should have called sooner but—” She pushed up on her toes and pressed a finger to his lips. “Shh. I understand.” For a beat, then two, they stared at each other. Slowly, he relaxed, taking the comfort she meant to offer and letting it ease into his mind and body. “Come,” she said, sliding her hand around his. Reese followed her into the living room. It was clear she’d been awake. The television played on low. A glass of wine sat on the coffee table. Beside it sat a halfeaten bag of popcorn. They settled onto the couch side by side, bodies turned toward each other. “Do you want to talk about it?” she asked, her voice low, and without any sign of probing. It was an offer not a demand. “What if I said I don’t?” he asked.

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She smiled. “That’s okay, too.” Tilting her head, she studied him. “Are you hungry?” He thought of the uneaten food he and his mother had left at the restaurant. “I took my mother to dinner but neither of us ate.” “Where is she now?” “I tried to get her to stay with me, but she insisted on going to her new apartment.” “Wow. She has an apartment already. That sounds pretty serious. She’s given this some thought.” A pause. “Sorry. I don’t mean to push. You said you didn’t want to talk.” He gave her a weak smile. “It’s okay.” Leaning back against the couch, Reese straightened his legs. Suddenly, he felt exhausted. A minute later, Cat snuggled under his arm, and draped her leg over his. The soft scent of her floral scent tickled his nose. He inhaled and pulled her closer. Warm and perfect, her body fit his like a glove, and his eyes drifted shut. For the first time in hours he felt at peace…

***** Cat blinked into the sunlight wishing it would go away. Sleep had felt so good. Wait. Memories flooded her mind. Her palm curled on a hard chest. Reese… Slowly, she rose upward, and looked down at him. Unbelievable. They’d fallen asleep on her couch. A glance at the window, where the sun burned through the hole in the curtains, confirmed morning had arrived. She barely remembered lying down. And technically Reese never had. He was basically sleeping in a sitting position. She stared at him feeling awareness stir inside. Clearly, he’d been emotionally drained to slide into slumber so quickly. Truth be told, she had been too. This past week had been hell. Her brothers had dodged her questions much like her father. In turn, she’d dodged reporters from every place known to man. The worst of the bunch worked right by her side.

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In slumber, he looked younger. She’d guessed him around thirty-seven, but perhaps not. With his guard down in slumber, he didn’t look the shark who handled a courtroom with vicious manipulation. He looked masculine. Sexy. Overwhelming in his appeal. What was it this man did to her? Her hand moved of its own accord, palm settling on the new growth shadowing Reese’s square jaw. Reese’s eyes opened and she smiled. “Morning.” For several blinks, he didn’t speak. Then his hand went to hers, covering it, and then bringing it to his lips. “Morning.” He let go of her hand and sat up, stretching a bit. “I’m sorry I crashed on your couch.” She laughed. “I’m sorry I crashed on your chest.” He chuckled. “I’m not. I slept like a baby.” “I guess we were both tired,” she said, smiling. “I could use some coffee. Want some?” “Love some,” he said. “Great.” Cat pushed to her feet wondering why her mood was lighter than the night before. Nothing had really changed, yet somehow she felt…better. “I’ll go get it started.” She made a quick stop by the bathroom, brushing her teeth, and trying to understand why Reese being here didn’t bother her. Men and mornings didn’t mix. Of course, they hadn’t slept together, so the morning after wasn’t quite the same as if they had. She laughed as she dried her hands on a towel. Cat knew damn well she’d broken out the toothpaste in preparation for a little one-on-one action. She had every intention of making up for the lack of physical play from the night before. This thing with her and Reese bordered on dangerous territory. One night should have been all it ever was or would be. Instead, they’d both felt compelled to make it more. And now, she had all kinds of emotional baggage and so did he. Of course, he wouldn’t be finding out about hers. It had to be what was pulling them together because Reese was not her type. She bit her bottom lip. Not in an intellectual kind of 54

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way. On a physical level, the man made her ache just thinking about him. He was hot. And now, so was she. She reached for the bathroom door, ready to venture into the risky seduction of Reese. It wasn’t like she was going at this blindly, she told herself as she headed for the kitchen and found Reese pouring water into the coffeepot. Her eyes lingered on his nice, tight ass and she sighed. This was definitely an eyes open kind of job.

***** Reese flipped the coffeepot to on and turned to face Cat. “Hope you don’t mind. I kind of made myself at home.” Leaning an elbow against the counter, he studied her. With her long blonde hair falling a bit wildly around her makeup-free face, she looked both natural and beautiful. He’d seen women first thing in the morning, and few looked as radiant and sensual as Cat. And judging from the sparkle in her deep blue eyes, she was feeling a bit feisty and full of challenge. One he was more than ready to answer. Cat rested a shoulder against the door jamb. “Who am I to complain?” she said, smiling. “A man who both makes coffee and acts as a pillow. What more could a girl ask for?” Her fast comeback didn’t surprise him. “I’m sure you can think of something.” He let his eyes do a slow slide down her body, over her curvy hips and long, lean legs. When his gaze returned to hers, the look they shared sizzled. Pushing off the wall, she straightened and closed the space between them. He watched her walk the short distance, feeling his cock stir with anticipation. Damn, this woman got to him. She stopped in front of him and he felt a rush of adrenaline as he anticipated her touch. He’d come here last night wanting to get lost in her appeal. In that soft, full

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mouth. In those lush curves. He’d found comfort in her arms. Not the wild, crazy lust he’d thought to bury his worries in. She’d made him feel he wasn’t alone. Maybe it was a shared pain. He’d seen it in her the other night, when she’d talked to her brother on the phone. And though he didn’t know what it was all about, even now, with a smile playing on her lips, he sensed it still existed. Perhaps her own ache had allowed her to reach to him, and make him feel support, even without words. Last night, there had been a connection. She’d known what he felt. It made him wonder about her parents and what they were all about. But now, feeling her palm slide up his arm, he felt aroused beyond a simple touch. Like a starving man who yearned for fulfillment, he absorbed each brush of her fingers. “I thought of something,” she said. “What?” he asked, watching her teeth make a tantalizing scrape across her plump bottom lip. He had no clue what she was talking about. She touched his chin with her finger. “Pay attention. I thought of something else a girl could ask for.” “Ah,” he said, glad for the recap because right now all he could think about was pulling down those silk boxers and fucking her. “What would that be?” “You,” she whispered, pushing to her tiptoes, and pressing her mouth to his. It was all the invitation Reese needed. He grabbed her and pulled her close, kissing her hard and long. There was nothing gentle about the way his tongue stroked hers, or how his fingers followed the curve of her hip until he palmed her nice, full ass. No. Not gentle at all. Animalistic. Wild. Burning up from the inside out. Cat moaned into his mouth and wrapped her leg around his calf. He lifted her and sat her on a nearby counter, shoving her knees apart and stepping into the vee of her body. “God, woman, you drive me crazy,” Reese said, as her hands framed his face. “Prove it,” she returned, her eyes dark with passion. Her words, simple and direct, packed with the ultimate invitation to take what he wanted…all of her.

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Chapter Six Ravishing her with both his mouth and his hands, Reese took what Cat had offered. Lost in all that she was, he wanted no barriers. He palmed her breasts, and thumbed the hard peaks at the center, but her shirt kept him from feeling the soft heat of her skin. His fingers found the hem and worked beneath it, pushing the cloth upward. Cat helped him, eagerness in her actions, as if she, too, needed skin-to-skin contact. Seeing her naked, or almost so, made his heart race and his body pulse. He’d seen many a woman without her clothes, but seeing Cat made his heart skip a beat. His gaze lingered on the fullness of her high breasts, and he watched as her rosy, red buds grew tighter beneath his inspection, begging for his fingers. For his mouth. Still, he resisted, forcing himself to lower his hands to her knees. When she tried to reach for him to pull him close, he grabbed her hands and pushed them to her legs and then settled his on top of them. “Not yet,” he said. “You’re beautiful. Just let me look at you for a minute.” Their eyes locked in a hot stare, and for an instant, he thought he saw a flicker of insecurity in her eyes. But as fast as it was there, it disappeared making him wonder if it ever existed. Cat came off confident and clear about her wants and needs. Insecurity seemed unlikely. When she didn’t object to his demand, he let his gaze slide down her body, back to her lush curves. She aroused him in a deep, almost primal way. Somehow, he kept himself in check. How he didn’t know considering he simply wanted to rip her remaining clothes off and drive his cock deep to her core. Yet, doing so would end this experience much too fast. With Cat, he got the feeling that she could easily make each encounter their last. He wanted to enjoy every second he had with her. “Kiss me,” she whispered. 57

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But he didn’t. Instead, he slid his hands away from hers and to the sides of her legs, inching them upward, beneath the silk of her shorts. She didn’t hesitate to take advantage of her newfound freedom, using it to shove his sweater toward his shoulders. He pulled it over his head and tossed it across the room. Before he’d even finished the act, Cat’s hands and mouth were all over his body. The scrape of fingernails over his nipple came with a surprising rush of heat. That particular part of his body had never been overly sensitive, but then maybe, it just took the right woman’s touch to bring sensation alive. Hungrily, he claimed her mouth, kissing her with wildness to the strokes of his tongue he couldn’t contain. Demanding more than her response. Demanding all that she was. Because, damn it, he wanted that much and more. Hands traveled each other’s bodies. Touching. Absorbing. In a frenzied rush, she pushed her boxers down her hips and he stepped back to allow her room to discard them, eager to find his way to a more intimate moment. She kicked the final barrier away and his eyes feasted on the sweet sight of the blonde curls at the vee of her body. But he had no time to linger. Cat grabbed the waistband of his slacks with a low growl escaping her lips. “Take them off, “she said, fumbling with the button, even as her other hand stroked his hard body beneath the zipper. He bit back a moan, and slid one hand into the silky stands of her hair, guiding her to look at him, and kissing her the moment he found the full sweetness of her mouth. “Cat,” he murmured against her lips, tugging at her lip with his teeth and then caressing her mouth with his. The zipper slid down and she shoved at his pants. With her dark, passion filled eyes, she stared up at him. “Get rid of your pants.” Her voice came low and husky, her breath warm as it mingled with his. More than happy to comply, he shoved them down, taking his underwear along for the ride down his thighs. Cat’s hand circled his cock and made a slow glide from the 58

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base to the tip where her fingers lingered at the head where dampness had gathered, spreading it. The touch she used was gentle, but the impact surged through his limbs like rocket fuel. The counter was high. Too high for what he wanted, which was inside her. This forced him to keep his desire in check. He pressed her knees farther apart. Seeing her open for him, wide and glistening with arousal, made him want to tease and please her. He inched his way toward her core, watching her breasts rise, nipples puckered and high, and a smile played on his lips. Her anticipation turned him on. Her teeth found her bottom lip just as his fingers brushed the slick fold of her center. Exploring her body, he used her moans as a guide to her pleasure and then slipped a finger into her warm recesses. Leaning forward, he swallowed the gasp of pleasure his act drew from Cat, savoring the urgency of her tongue against his. He palmed her breast with his free hand, loving the way her palms felt against his face and in his hair. Everything she did burned him with heat and sensuality. Like this was more than sex. Like this was a joining of mind and body. It felt potent and raw and full of explosive possibilities still to unfold. “I can’t wait anymore, Reese,” Cat said, her hands gathering behind his neck, as she tried to get closer. “I want you now.” Nodding, he settled his hands on her waist. “This won’t work.” “I know,” she agreed, “so let’s move.” His arm went around her waist and he eased her down to the ground, trying to decide the best location to take her to. But that choice was made for him when she turned around and faced the counter, presenting him with a view of her nice, round ass. Reese didn’t need further encouragement. One hand on her hip, he used his fingers on his other hand to test her readiness, sliding them along her dripping-wet core, and teasing them both in the process. “Reese,” Cat spat, looking over her shoulder at him.

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Smiling at her eagerness, he guided his cock to her body, and then entered the warm wetness he’d been starving for. He squeezed his eyes shut as he sank deeper. “Oh God, yes,” she whispered. He leaned into her, bringing his mouth to her ear, and filling his palms with her breasts. “You like?” he asked, pinching her nipples and then rolling them. She gasped. “Yes.” One of her hands covered his and encouraged him to continue, as if she was afraid he might stop. Reese ground his hips against hers, unable to stop himself from moving against the tightness of her muscles. He tweaked her nipples one last time, and then steadied himself, hands on her hips. His cock pulsed, throbbing with the need to take this to the next level. Inch by inch, he eased back until just the head of his erection remained. Then, with one hard thrust he drove into her, hearing the slap of her skin against his. A rush of pure pleasure surged through his body, and pure heat exploded from the inside out. All sense of reason left. He moved with pure instinct, in and out, harder. Faster. Pounding into her even as she pushed against each push of his hips against hers. Arching her back, she made soft, sexy sounds of pleasure, and reached behind her with desperation, as if she wanted to find a way to grip him and pull him closer. And when he thought he couldn’t stand the pace anymore, that he had to slow or risk exploding before he ensured her pleasure, she cried out his name. He’d heard his name in the realm of passion before but never before had it made his chest tighten. Nor had it ever made him feel a swell of unbelievable possessiveness. But before he could examine what it meant, her body contracted around him, her orgasm milking him, and pulling him into the bliss of release. With a low growl, he tilted his head back and drove into her one last time, shaking with the intensity of what could only be described as complete, utter satisfaction.

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When he finally caught his breath, reality sliding back into focus, he realized Cat had draped her upper body across the counter. He covered it with his own, and nuzzled her ear. “You’re amazing,” he whispered. She laughed, soft. “I could say the same of you, but right now, my legs are about to buckle.” “Oh,” he said, “sorry, sweetheart.” Grabbing a towel nearby, he handed it to her and then pulled away from her. Oddly, he felt the separation like a loss. He didn’t remember ever feeling such a thing with a woman before. By the time Reese has his clothes intact, Cat had done the same. “Well,” Cat said with a smile. “Looks like the coffee is ready. Want some?” Yes, he wanted, but not coffee. He wanted Cat. He felt like he could never get enough of her. A woman who hated his career. A woman he hardly knew. There was no logic to what he felt, yet it lived inside him, and demanded to be heard. Cat was under his skin and he didn’t know what to do about it. Maybe some quality time with her would allow him the chance to figure out what it was about Cat that made him like this. “Why don’t we walk to the corner bakery and get some croissants to eat with it?” he suggested. She studied him without speaking, but try as he might, Reese couldn’t figure out what she was thinking. “Okay,” Cat finally responded. “I’ll throw on some jeans.” Her eyes lit. “I haven’t had a chocolate croissant in forever. It sounds really good.” The way she said the statement, with a lift of excitement to her voice, made Reese smile. For a woman who could be an absolute sex goddess, in that moment, she looked as cute as kitten. “Then chocolate croissants it is,” he said, and winked. She smiled and rushed from the kitchen. Letting out a breath, Reese felt the relief of Cat’s agreement. Damn. Why did her walking to the damn corner with him matter so much? But he knew the answer without even asking the question. He was officially in deep shit. Reese knew damn well he was 61

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falling for Cat. Which should be a bad thing but it felt too good to be anything but exciting. Yet, his job occupied his life and demanded his time and energy. In other words, he had no time for a relationship. And until now, no interest. But everything about Cat felt different. And right. Now, he just had to figure out why.

***** “Oh, that looks good,” Cat said, pointing at the glass surrounding all kinds of freshly made goodies. Inside sat everything from donuts to cookies and cakes. “I want one of those big cinnamon rolls with extra icing.” She motioned toward the biggest, yummiest-looking one near the front so the man behind the counter would know she’d claimed it. Beside her Reese smiled. “I thought you wanted a chocolate croissant?” “I do,” Cat confirmed, eyeing him. “I want both.” He laughed. “First the ice cream and now this. A little sweet tooth, I take it?” Cat nodded. “I do like my sweets. It’s one of the things I love about living in the city. We have bakeries where you can not only get your sugar fix, but they sell pizza too. Gotta love that.” “Actually, I do. I live in a whirlwind of crisis management and these little bakeries have kept me fed many a night.” “Hmm,” Cat said. “Right. Planning those opening statements and tangled webs of courtroom storytelling.” She turned away to accept a bag from the man serving her. Her response held just a hint of bite, and Reese wanted to call her on it, but the store attendant had turned expectant eyes on him. “Three chocolate croissants,” he told the man. “Three?” Cat teased. “Must be hungry.”

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As much as he didn’t want to let her escape her comment, to call her on it, and clear the air, he didn’t. Now wasn’t the time. “I seem to have worked up an appetite,” he teased. “Me too,” she responded playfully. “But wasn’t it fun?” Any sign of the negativity her little comment had held were gone, and he found himself wanting to forget it even happened. Instead, he laughed, loving how lighthearted he felt at that moment. When was the last time he’d spent Saturday morning relaxing? But just as soon as he had the thought, guilt washed over him. His mother…he should go see her. Eyeing the bakery trays he found his mother’s favorite black-and-white iced sugar cookies and ordered two. He would take them to her in a little while and pray for good news.

***** They made it to the sidewalk outside the bakery and Cat couldn’t hold back her question any longer. Just a little before nine on a Saturday, the crowds had yet to form. Cat waited until Reese turned to look at her, and studied the worry that had formed deep in his eyes. “What made you buy those cookies?” Cat asked. Reese narrowed his gaze on her. “That’s an odd question.” He laughed but it wasn’t quite real. “What made you buy that cinnamon roll?” Avoidance. Cat knew it when she saw it. As a reporter she was used to asking the same thing several different ways so she simply rephrased. “Did you buy those cookies for your mother?” Silence. “How could you know that?” Her heart squeezed tightly. As much as she knew Reese to be a bastard who got killers off for cash, she was having a hard time making it compute. It didn’t fit what she

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was learning about him. “You were worried about her last night and I saw the look on your face right before you ordered them.” After several long moments, Reese let out a breath. “They’re for my mother. You’re right. I’m worried. What can I say?” He lifted the bag by his side. “She loves these things.” That he cared so much for his mother defied what she thought she knew of this man. It also brought back memories of how alone her mother must have felt. Lord only knew, Cat’s dad acted married to his job not his wife. And both her older brothers were no better. “It’s really nice of you to think of her. I’m sure you’re worried.” She touched his hand. “Go check on her.” A tormented look flashed across his face. “No. It’s okay. I plan to go by later.” One corner of his mouth lifted in an attempted smile. “We have coffee waiting on us.” She didn’t want him to worry about her when he needed to take care of his mom. “I can put on a fresh pot of coffee later if you like.” He seemed to hesitate. “I’ll go on one condition.” “Which would be what?” she asked, one brow lifting. “Come with me.” “What?” she asked, stunned. He laughed. “You look like I just asked you to commit a crime. I didn’t ask you to marry me. I just asked you to come with me to take my mother a few cookies.” A pause. “I know we don’t know each other all that well, but…I’d really like it if you came.” Cat had to work to swallow. A ball of panic had lodged in her throat. “Your mother would probably find my presence uncomfortable.” “No,” he said, “my mother would be thrilled I brought a woman with me. She thinks I work too much and play too little.” “Do you?” Cat asked, unable to stop the words from falling out of her mouth.

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“Yes,” Reese said, without hesitation. “I think I probably do.” She’d expected denial. Cat wasn’t quite sure how to respond. “Reese—” “Come with me, Cat,” he said, reaching for her and pulling her close. “I really need to check on her but for some reason I can’t explain, I hate the idea of leaving you.” He let the words linger a moment. Then, “Please.” The depth of emotion in his voice and eyes gave Cat true pause. This man was everything she thought she didn’t like in men, yet he aroused her beyond belief. No. It went deeper than that. He touched her in ways she didn’t understand. “Cat?” he prodded gently. Unable to immediately find her voice, she nodded. “Yes. Okay.” And with those words, Cat knew she was in trouble. Feeling needy and alone because of this thing with her father had her acting stupid and forgetting that Reese and sex made for a good escape. Reese and the real world meant trouble. The two didn’t mix. So, she’d go with him to his mother’s and then bring him back to her place and fuck him. Yes. Good. That plan made her feel better. She’d keep things in proper perspective. She wasn’t falling for Reese. Then everything would be just fine. She hoped.

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Chapter Seven The fancy high-rise building Reese’s mother had taken as her new home didn’t surprise Cat. Both Reese and his father handled high-dollar legal cases, so she knew they had money. But aside from that, standing beside Reese in front of his mother’s new apartment, Cat wasn’t sure what to expect. She watched as he punched the doorbell. When the doorknob jiggled, Cat felt the sound in every nerve ending of her body. Her stomach dropped as if she were on a roller coaster slope. She swallowed hard and balled her fists so tight the nails of one hand dug into her palm. Meeting Reese’s mom seemed big though she knew it meant nothing. He’d been worried about her and she happened to be around at the time. In truth, Cat knew she’d felt compelled to offer moral support. But why? There lay the question. Reese, for all practical purposes, remained a stranger. What made her feel she should be here? Before she could analyze what her inner motivations might be, the door swung open. A slight woman with dark hair and delicate features appeared in the entryway. Reese held up the bag. “I brought cookies,” he said. “Your favorites.” She smiled but it didn’t quite make it to her eyes. Cat thought she saw a flash of disappointment cross the other woman’s features. Perhaps she’d hoped it was her husband visiting, not her son. “Looks like you brought more than cookies,” she said, eyeing Cat curiously before returning her attention to Reese. “About time you bring a woman around.” Reese put his hand on Cat’s back. “This is Catherine…” He paused as if he suddenly realized he didn’t know her last name. Considering “Maxwell” had become headline news these days, she had no intention of filling in the blank spot he’d noted. Besides, she wasn’t here as his 66

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girlfriend. They were having a sex thing not a love connection. She wasn’t stupid enough to fall in love with a man like Reese. And she didn’t need more complications than necessary. It was bad enough she had on no makeup and basically looked like a bum. She didn’t need to be linked to a scandal too. Especially one her family continued to avoid being straight with her about. Both of her brothers and her father had dodged her at every turn and she’d had about all she could take. Mike had even stood her up for lunch the day before. Cat had been so ticked she could have chewed nails. That thought made her all the more determined to turn the conversation away from the name Maxwell. Cat held out her hand. “Nice to meet you. Call me Cat. Everyone does.” Accepting Cat’s hand, her smile seemed to brighten. “And call me Mary.” She stepped back and waved them in. “You two come in.” Inwardly, Cat let out a silent sigh of relief. Last name avoided, thank God. Cat noted Reese’s mother’s attire. She looked almost too neat and together. As if she’d worked really hard at it. Simple black slacks and a white silk shell looked casual but somehow elegant at the same time. A closer inspection of Sharon’s eyes exposed puffiness. No doubt from crying. Her perfectly applied makeup had been meant to hide the emotional side effects of leaving her husband. Cat felt like an intruder. How could Sharon talk to her son and express her pain with a stranger present? She watched Reese’s mother turn and walk down a narrow hallway. Reese took her bakery bag and motioned for Cat to enter the apartment. A few moments later, Cat sat next to Reese on a leather couch. The room, decorated in rich browns and expensive art, had a masculine flare. Not at all the way Cat would picture a home Sharon decorated. Sharon sat her cookie on the long, marble coffee table and then settled on the edge of a wingback chair, looking like she might bolt at any moment. After an uncomfortable moment of silence, she waved a hand through the air, indicting the room. “It came furnished. Amazing what convenience money can buy.”

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The words held a distinct bitterness and they hit a nerve for Cat. “But it can’t buy happiness.” She kept her eyes on Sharon when she said the words but she felt Reese’s attention. “A voice of experience?” Sharon asked. Cat didn’t want to talk about herself, but she’d opened the door for questions and she knew it. “Let’s just say I have been around. Money has a nasty way of taking control of life. It becomes the replacement for other things that have no price tag.” Sharon stared at Cat a moment and then turned her gaze on her son. “Smart woman. I hope you’ll let her influence you.” “Money doesn’t control me, Mother. You know that.” “Do I?” she asked, her voice quivering. “You work like a dog by your father’s side and for what, if not money?” She laughed. “I know. I know. It’s all about justice and the law. I’ve heard it all from your father. It’s why he didn’t come home until all hours of the night. It’s why he forgot anniversaries and birthdays and every special occasion I remember since he opened that firm.” “I’m young. I’d hoped my hard work would let Dad retire and you two could enjoy life a little.” “So if he retired tomorrow you’d be different?” “Mother—” Sharon held up her hand in stop sign fashion. “Don’t explain. I don’t want to hear your reasons. I’ve heard thirty-seven years of excuses that played out like a well-plotted closing statement.” Cat didn’t know what to do. She felt like she was in the middle of something never meant for her ears. Instinct made her act. She pushed to her feet. “Listen,” she said. “I’m going to step into the hall and make a call.”

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Sharon and Reese both stood. “No,” Sharon said. “I’m sorry. I really am. Please sit and talk to me. Reese hasn’t brought a woman to meet me since high school. I can’t believe I’m blowing it with emotional nonsense.” What had she gotten herself into? Cat felt the words like a shock wave. She didn’t dare look at Reese. Hell, she hadn’t looked at him since they’d walked into his mother’s apartment. The implications of Sharon’s words were just way, way too intense. True, Reese had brought her out of convenience but he had to have known how his mother would respond. Reese’s hand settled on her back. “Please stay.” She turned to look at him and found a plea in his eyes. One she should have found easy to ignore. Instead, it made her stomach flutter. Slowly, Cat lowered herself onto the couch, her eyes still locked with Reese’s. “I can make the call later.” The look he gave her said thank you and for some unknown reason, he mattered to Cat. More than it should and she knew it. Maybe because she got the impression that her being here, and her staying when he asked, mattered to him. “I’ve been rude,” Sharon said. “Cat, how about some coffee?” “Actually,” Reese said. “That reminds me. We left a pot on back at Cat’s apartment.” “Oh,” his mother responded. “So you have to go?” The disappointment in Sharon’s face was instantaneous. “No,” Cat said quickly. “Coffee would be wonderful. Besides,” she added, “the chocolate croissant in my bag is calling me.” Reese reached over and took Cat’s hand, giving it a gentle squeeze meant as a silent thank you. Sharon pushed to her feet. “I’ll go make the coffee. This place thought of everything. I have dishes, pans and even a toothbrush. They went all-out.” A few minutes later Cat sat with Reese and his mother at a long cherry dining table, steaming coffee coming from her cup as she took a big bite of her pastry. As the delicate

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pieces of sugary sweetness touched her tongue, Cat sighed with pleasure. “God, I love these things.” Reese and Sharon laughed. Cat blushed. “Oh, um, sorry. I guess I get a little intense about my food.” “All I can say,” Reese replied, “is I hope mine is as good as yours.” He took a bite and then did an exceptional job of imitating her sigh of pleasure. “Yep. I believe it is.” Cat smiled. “So I can’t have yours, too, I take it?” “Not a chance,” Reese said. “What kind of gentleman keeps pastry from a woman?” Cat teased. “Exactly,” Sharon said. “You really should hand over the croissant, dear.” Reese eyed them both. “You women think you can team up on me, but you can forget it.” He took another bite as if he had to eat it before it was stolen. Watching Sharon, Cat could see her face lighten at her son’s playful nature. This little distraction had done Reese’s mom good. Turning her attention to Reese, Cat studied him. It was hard to put the tough attorney’s exterior she’d seen in the media with the lighthearted, sincere man sitting at the table laughing. Both versions were handsome. Confident. Beyond sexy. But this Reese, he seemed so…real. So good and honest. Cat inwardly shook herself and reached for her coffee. She knew Reese’s courtroom track record. He got murderers off. Helped criminals to make a big paycheck. No matter how wonderful he seemed, this shell hid something darker. Something she didn’t dare forget existed. In fact, the smoothness of the way he hid that part of himself made him worse rather than better in her book. “So, Cat, tell me about yourself. What do you do for a living? What’s your family like?” Sharon’s question snapped Cat out of her reverie and into a panic. The last thing she wanted to do was talk about herself or her family. Mind racing, Cat responded in avoidance mode. “My mother passed away several years ago and my father is a stuffy

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businessman who works too much. As for my career, I’m an entertainment reporter for The New York Review.” One of Sharon’s brows inched upward. “Really?” She let out a short bark of laugher. “This is ironic and actually quite funny. Reese and his father have always hated reporters. I expect you’re just what he needs. A nice dose of new perspective.” “Hey now,” Reese inserted. “Cat here hates attorneys.” Amusement danced in Sharon’s eyes, the sadness lingering but deeper below the surface. “Smart girl. She should. Attorneys are trouble.” She gave Cat an approving nod. Reese rolled his eyes. “Clearly, neither of you has heard innocent until proven guilty.” “This isn’t a court of law,” Sharon and Cat said in unison and then smiled at their same words. “Clearly, I am outnumbered,” Reese said, leaning back in his chair. “Maybe I should just eat and shut up.” “Do you get to meet many movie stars?” Sharon asked Cat. Cat smiled. “Some.” An idea occurred. “Do you like the theatre? Next time I get free passes I can send you some.” “I love it,” she said, and then sighed, a wistful look slipped into her eyes. “Reese’s father never had time to take me. I’m afraid it’s been quite a long time since I’ve been.” Okay, so Cat had opened another can of worms. The muffled sound of her phone ringing gave her a much-needed reprieve. “I’m expecting a call. I’ll just step outside.” Shoving back the chair, Cat avoided eye contact with Reese, reaching for her cell as she scurried to the door. As expected, caller ID indicated her brother Chris was calling. They’d promised to touch base sometime that morning. “Hello.” She stepped into the exterior hallway outside the apartment and pulled the door shut behind her.

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“Anything new?” he asked, not bothering with a greeting. “Not on my end. Any luck for you?” “Yeah, I talked to Mike. It took some pushing, but I got him to talk. He says Ray overstated financial reports that went to shareholders and pushed the stock price up. Then Ray sold both his stock and Dad’s.” Cat felt a wave of nausea and leaned against the wall. The idea of her father or Ray being guilty scared the hell out of her. “Why would he do that?” “Apparently, Ray has a gambling problem and he’d borrowed from Dad’s accounts. He planned to make the money back and fix everything, but it backfired.” Emotions rolled over Cat. She didn’t know what upset her most. That Ray might just be guilty or that she felt like such an outsider from her family. “Why didn’t Mike just tell me this?” Silence. “Chris?” A sigh. “You won’t like the answer.” “Damn it, Chris, just tell me.” “He said that with you working at the paper the less you know the less you could slip and leak.” “What!” Cat could barely believe her ears. Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to lower her voice. “He thinks I’d give up my own family for a damn story?” “No,” Chris said quickly. “No, that’s not it, Cat. He’s worried someone will pump you for info. He said everyone will be after a story and you’ll be a major target.” “Stop defending him. He told you not to tell me.” “But I did,” Chris said. “And he’s being an ass, no doubt, but this isn’t the time for a family fight. Let it go.” Cat was getting damn tired of letting things slide by to appease the family. She wasn’t sure she could do it this time. This was too much. “I’ll talk to you later.” 72

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“Cat—” She punched the “end” button and let her head fall back against the wall. A burning sensation formed in her eyes and she squeezed them shut, trying to control the need to cry. She didn’t get all emotional. It wasn’t her style, yet now, for the second time in a week she felt like bawling. The phone started to ring again and she punched the off button. About that time, the creak of the door opening alerted her of company. Of Reese. She knew without opening her eyes. She could smell and feel him, all masculine and sexy and…safe. Where the word came from she didn’t know. It just found its way into her head. Because she was so afraid of crying, she didn’t move. Suddenly, his body enclosed hers, his fists resting against the wall by her head. When his palm went to her cheek, she opened her eyes and met his probing stare. “You okay?” he asked. His voice, soft and gentle, worked along her nerve endings. She wanted to call the feeling that danced along her nerve endings sexual arousal, but it was more than that and she knew it. “I’m fine.” “Need to talk?” “No.” The word came out abrupt. She knew it and didn’t care. His comfort scared her. Made her fear more pain. “Okay,” he said. “You don’t want to tell me what’s wrong, so I won’t push.” “Good.” She paused, thinking. Reese equaled another power-hungry man with his own agenda. He needed to be kept in his place. “There is one thing you can do for me.” His brow lifted. “What’s that?” Her arms slid around his neck. “Take me home and fuck me.”

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Chapter Eight Cat’s words replayed in Reese’s head. Take me home and fuck me. But what she had meant was, Fuck me and don’t ask questions. Make me forget but don’t make me talk. Reese made a living seeing below the surface. Knowing when people hid things. Cat’s declaration had been meant to distract him from pain lurking in the depths of her deep blue eyes. Even knowing this, not wanting it to work, his cock hardened, pressing against his zipper. The soft scent of flowers and woman inched into his nostrils, clouding his mind with the screams of his body. Reese reached deep for control. With each passing moment, Cat became more interesting. More enticing. But her allure held more than physical lust. It touched him deep inside and made him yearn to know her dreams. Her desires. And seeing the vulnerability in her eyes, he wanted to know the cause. What hurt her and made this pain? With the back of his knuckles, he caressed the soft skin of her cheek. “I want you,” he murmured. Her eyes narrowed. “Why do I sense ‘a but’?” “No but,” he assured her, and then changed his mind. “Maybe one.” Cat started to slide her hands away from his neck. He reached up and caught her hands, pressing them to his chest. “There you go again,” he said. “Convicting me without a trial. Aren’t you even going to ask what it is?” “No,” she said in a clipped tone. “I don’t want to know. I don’t like conditions. A ‘but’ is a condition.” The fingers of one of his hands found her hair and he brought her mouth just within reach of his. Their breath mingled. “Yes you do. You want to know.” Seconds passed.

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One. Two. Heat swirled between them. He wanted to kiss her, to taste the sweetness of those perfect lips. But he resisted. “Don’t you?” he demanded, his tone a bit rougher. “No.” He stepped closer, his cock pressing into her stomach, their bodies too intimate for a private building well monitored but he didn’t care. “Don’t you?” he said, his tone more forceful. Her lashes fluttered. “Okay, damn you. Yes.” The sound of a neighbor’s door opening, though quite a distance away, forced Reese to retreat. Brushing his lips over hers, he released her. Reaching for her hand, he motioned toward the apartment. “Let’s say our goodbyes and then we’ll talk.” Heading for the door, he was only half surprised when she grabbed his forearm. He turned to her, his brow inching upward in question. “Talking isn’t what I had in mind,” she said. Avoidance seemed his best option. He wasn’t promising what he couldn’t deliver. They were going to talk. “I know what you had in mind and believe me,” he promised, “I like it.” With that said, he opened his mother’s door and successfully stopped any further debate. Later, when they were alone, he’d find away to make her open up to him. He could be convincing when he put his mind to it…and in this case, perhaps his body.

***** The streets were busier now, and Reese and Cat walked side by side, arms touching, awareness charging the air around them. Neither spoke, yet words weren’t needed. Not to express the desire and attraction between them. Reese had the most intense desire to reach over and entwine his fingers with hers. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d held a woman’s hand, but it felt right with Cat. Still, he had a feeling she’d recoil. There was no doubt she wanted him. That she, too, felt the unique dynamic

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of their attraction. But she rejected the emotional content of their bond. She wanted it to be all physical. All about sex. Taking the subway stairs, their feet moving in unison, he wondered what she was thinking. Did their silence bother her? It didn’t him. He had thinking to do. Planning. If he was going to get her to open up, he had to handle himself just right. Giving her a sideways glance, Reese decided she was doing the same. Only she was trying to figure out how to keep him at bay. How to push him away without saying goodbye. No doubt her guard was up. She didn’t like attorneys and he wanted to know why. Hell, he didn’t know why he even cared. But he did. Plain and simple, he did. A thought formed, slowly taking root. He wouldn’t push her to talk the minute they walked into her apartment. The lady had instructed him to fuck her and fuck her he would. Fast and hard. Then slow and easy. He’d make her so hot she burned and leave her soft with satisfaction. Before this weekend ended, he would get Cat to open up to him. And as he stepped onto the subway, Cat next to him, he smiled. A rush of people surrounded them, some entering and some exiting. No time like the present to put his plan in action. He reached for her hand and with a gentle tug, Reese pulled her close, anchoring them both to a pole, thighs pressed together. Her fingers melted into his chest, her chin tilting upward as her eyes locked with his. The look they shared smoldered with heat. It did nothing to break their silence and everything to press their desire. Slowly, he lowered his head, allowing his breath to mingle with hers, lost…in the moment. In the anticipation. In the woman.

***** Cat couldn’t get enough of Reese and it scared the hell out of her. No man had ever taken her to such extreme desire. Her hand shook as she unlocked her door and she prayed he didn’t notice. Logic told her to send Reese home, to send him away. He was everything she despised. A hard-core businessman who lived in a corrupt corporate world which had caused Cat nothing but pain. A world that had taken her father and 76

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held him prisoner. A world that had made him miss school functions and dismiss special events. And in the end, a world that had killed her mother. Because with all of her being, Cat believed the pain of loneliness had brought on her mother’s heart attack. So knowing all of this, why the hell did Cat want Reese with a burning need so hot it consumed? So intense it demanded that said she touch him, taste him…feel his body next to hers? Why, as she turned the doorknob and felt Reese’s hand at her waist, did she shiver with anticipation of more? But she never had time to answer any of her questions. Didn’t even want to try. She just wanted to feel…and so she did. The minute they were inside the apartment, they were all over each other, bodies clinging, hands roaming, mouths hungrily exploring. Somehow the keys landed on the floor, as did her purse. Reese kicked the door shut with a loud bang. Her hands went to his sweater, pushed it up his body, fingers feeling the flex of his delicious muscle. Nothing mattered right now but this. Reese. Her. Touching. Feeling. His sweater went flying across the room and Cat shoved him against the wall. If Reese was under her skin, controlling her with desire, she’d even the playing field. She’d make darn sure he knew he wasn’t in charge. With her teeth, she scraped at his nipple. With her hands she molded his biceps. His waist. His hips. And then down his zipper, caressing the hard length of his cock with her fingers. Reese sucked in a breath and her eyes lifted to his. “You like that, yes?” “You know, I do,” he responded hoarsely. She fingered his button loose and then went for his zipper. “Then you’ll love this,” she said, sliding her hand past all barriers and caressing his cock. He reached for her, his hands sliding to the sides of her face. “Cat—” Cutting off his words, she kissed him, sliding her tongue along his in a seductive dance of passion, desperate to let him break the freedom of the physical. She tugged his lower lip with her teeth. “You talk too much.”

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Taking a step back, she started undressing. Reese watched her with a heavy-lidded stare, his eyes locked with hers until the first layer of clothing, her shirt, came off. Then his gaze dropped, exploring her lacy bra as she unhooked it and tossed it aside. Her nipples puckered, the ache of arousal throbbing between her legs, pushing her to remove all barriers. She kicked off her shoes and slid her pants down her legs. “God, you’re beautiful,” he whispered. She went to him then, pressing her body against his and letting her breasts settle against the sprinkle of hair on his pecs. God, it felt good. He felt good. Mouths joined, kissing, he cupped her ass, pulling her tight against his hips. Making her burn with the connection. The fire. The need for more. Reaching to his waist, she shoved at his pants, and took his boxers with them. Gliding down his body, she settled at his feet, beneath his erection. She lingered at the tip, letting her breath tease him with the possibility of what might come next. Then, when she was certain he was completely on edge, she lowered herself further and unlaced his shoes. Impatiently he kicked one off while she worked on the other. A smile tugged on Cat’s lips. She loved the power of being on her knees. When at last all clothing had been discarded, Cat centered herself between his calves, toying with him as she ran her index fingers up his calves, past his knees. Reese looked down at her. “You’re killing me, woman.” A slow smile turned up the corners of her mouth and she circled his cock with one hand. “Is this what you want?” “That’s a start,” he said, drawing a breath as she cupped his balls with her free hand. A start that she knew just how to finish. Sex was her thing. She did it well and she liked what that did for her. A man with a hard-on forgot all else. And taking the lead with the artistic types came easy. Something about running the show with a man like Reese really turned her on. Maybe because she knew he had the will to resist but didn’t.

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Maybe because she knew at any moment he might turn the tables and try to bring her into submission. With the heat of her thoughts, she touched the tip of her tongue to his cock and then slowly did a twirl around the ridge. He moaned and the sound ignited her hunger. She loved this. Loved being the one who delivered the pleasure. Teasing him, she licked his length from top to bottom. Up and down. Slow and sultry. Focused on the swollen head of his penis, she sucked it into her mouth, looking up at him as she did. Reese stared at her with eyes like dark pools of passion. She could see his desire. See the way watching got him off. Inch by inch, she drew him deeper, relaxing her throat and suckling. Using her tongue, she stroked the underside of his shaft. One hand still circled his width while the other found the back of his thigh and slid to his nice, tight ass. She began moving, pumping back and forth. His hips rocked with her and his fingers slid into her hair, gently at first, then becoming firmer, applying slight pressure as if he feared she might stop. Cat could feel him pulsing in her hand and mouth. Taste the salty proof of his arousal. She pressed him to the edge, a rhythm to the way her mouth worked with his body. Drawing him deep into her throat, urging him to thrust, she took him to the absolute edge. “Cat,” he hissed, with a slight jerk of his body. In response, she drew back, still gripping him with her palm, but withdrawing the pleasure of her mouth. “It’s not time, yet,” she said, pushing to her feet and turning to walk toward the living room. Knowing he’d follow.

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Chapter Nine Cat played the game of who’s on top better than anyone he’d ever known. Except him. A slow smile turned up the corners of his mouth as he watched her nicely rounded ass depart. She wasn’t the least bit shy about her nudity. Her confidence worked for her. It worked for him too. But as much as Reese wanted her, he didn’t rush forward. Like fine wine, a woman was meant to be savored and enjoyed. And there had never been a lady so worth enjoying. Besides, this was about more than sex. This was about getting inside her head. Past the barriers. For Cat, that meant getting all hot and bothered. Cock throbbing with need, Reese reached down and gave it a hard stroke. He waited a full minute after Cat disappeared from view to start after her. With slow, predatory-type steps, he entered the living room. She sat in a wide cushioned chair with high arms. Waiting on him. The seductive look she cast his direction saying she enjoyed forcing him to come to her. She thought she set the pace. Ah…but she had so much to learn. She needed to know the tide had turned. The control he’d allowed her had been a gift. One meant to earn him trust. Now, it was his turn. As he closed the distance between them, wicked thoughts flashed through his mind. So many ways he could turn her position into pleasure. He stopped directly in front of her, but just out of reach. “Stand up,” he said, his voice low and authoritative. Her brow inched upward, a hint of a smile on her sultry, full lips. “Why?” “Stand up.” This time his voice was heavier with command. “Make me,” she dared. “Gladly.” Before she could resist, Reese pulled her to her feet and kissed her. His cock slid between her legs and her warm, wet core called to him. But this moment wasn’t about 80

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the primal joining of man and woman. True, there was a battle to be fought. One that couldn’t be soft and tender even if he wanted it to be. Not if he was to achieve his goal…her submission. With long strokes of his tongue, he tasted her, his hands gliding over her smooth skin, absorbing her sweet little moan into his mouth. Feeling it in his body and somehow beyond. He wanted to make love to her. To lay Cat down on the floor and gently show her what she did to him. But she wasn’t ready. She’d withdraw afterward. Instinct told him so. Decision made, he broke their kiss and turned her to face forward. He pressed her hands to the arms of the chair and molded his form to hers, returning his pulsing shaft to the slick folds of her core. Loving the way her soft curves fit just right. Reaching between them he used his hand to guide his hard length back and forth, growling low in his throat at the warm wetness he found there. The readiness. God, how he wanted to sink deep and take her. His mouth neared her ear. “Did you really think you could refuse?” He nipped her lobe. “You’re so wet you’re dripping. Say you want me.” “No,” she whispered. And so the war of wills began. She said no but her response defied the truth her body revealed. He could feel the yes in the way her legs were closing, trying to trap him inside the warm recesses of her core. But that wasn’t going to happen. Not now. Not yet. He placed a solid palm on her ass, giving her a slight slap. She yelped but the sound turned to a moan as he slid his fingers along her sensitive flesh, dipping one inside her body. With slow, easy moves he inched deeper. “Say you want me.” “N-no,” she said loudly, her voice quivering with pleasure. Reese smiled. Easing backward just a bit, he used his knees to spread her legs farther apart. Though she wouldn’t admit her desire, she didn’t hesitate to do his bidding. He put another step between them, allowing himself the space to enjoy the 81

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view. Taking in the way her waist curved outward to her nicely rounded backside. Cat tried to stand and he planted his hands on her hips. “Stay where you are.” She looked over her shoulder at him. “Enjoying yourself?” This time she sounded breathless, maybe even a bit insecure. He smiled and dropped to his knees, knowing his plan was working. Cat’s acceptance of his orders told of a secret she didn’t want revealed. She had relinquished control and that meant she was offering him trust. And trust meant building a bridge toward the other side of her wall. Reese flattened his palm on her stomach, pressing upward so that she lifted her hips and gave him better access. “I am enjoying myself but this is about you, darling.” His tongue did one long slide down her core. “All about you.” Intent on pleasing her, Reese began slow, sensual swirls of his tongue. Ever so often he nipped at her clit with his teeth and then suckled the swollen nub. With soft little sounds of pleasure she squirmed here or there, wanting more. He took his time giving it to her, drawing things out, taking her to the edge and then pulling it away. With his thumbs he pulled her wide and used his tongue, thrusting deep and pushing her to her limit. “Oh God,” she murmured and her legs started to buckle. Reese grabbed her hips, steadying her. “Easy, baby,” he purred. Pushing to his feet, he was satisfied he’d achieved his desired goal. Satisfied he’d achieved his goal, that she was ready to admit defeat, he pressed his cock, thick with arousal, against her cheeks. Red-hot need pulsed through his body. He could barely think his body burned with such fire. “Say you want me,” he ordered. Cat let her head drop a moment as if she fought some internal struggle. “You know I want you, Reese.” The words were whispered. Then she looked over her shoulder, her eyes glimmering with heat. Passion. And what he’d learned as her trademark challenge. “Fuck me, damn it.”

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He laughed at her command, her way of hiding the confession she’d delivered. Pleased with her response, he did as she asked. With one, hard thrust, he sank deep in the wet heat of her body. Her muscles contracted around his shaft, squeezing him with powerful force. He cried out with the swift delivery of pleasure. The warm, wet confines of her body answered the cries of his need. He’d held himself in check so long. As her mouth and tongue had done delicious things to him. Then while he tasted her sweetness and felt her surrender. It all compounded and found him in this moment. With untamed passion, feeling wild with his burn for this woman, he began lunging in and out of her body. Back and forth. Side to side. Pounding at her core. Watching the arch of her slender back and neck. Listening and loving her sexy little gasps and sighs. “Say you want me,” he said again, not sure why…but needing to hear her reply. “Yes…I want…you.” She arched into his next thrust, meeting it with her own push. The impact roared through his body like an imaginary ball of fire, lighting him up. He drove into her and again, she slammed into him. His fingers tightened around her hips. He could see her breasts bouncing as they started short, tight movements. The sight was sexy and made him wish he could touch them. Pull a nipple into his mouth. Together they moved in short, tight strokes. Pumping back and forth. Harder. Faster…faster. And then Cat cried out, her body going stiff, her back arching. A second later, her muscles grabbed him, squeezing him with such intense pressure he shattered and shook. In one of the most forceful explosions he’d ever experienced, he spilled himself in the deep depths of her body, burying himself as deeply as he could manage. In a raspy voice he barely recognized, he called her name…and what he felt in that moment, the utter satisfaction, the complete release, was like nothing he had ever known. Reese knew that though he might have won this one battle for control, he had a long way to go before he was on top. Being with Cat felt wild and crazy. Explosive and addictive…and most of all, it felt right. Why he knew this with such certainty he

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couldn’t say. This wasn’t something he’d ever experienced. As he sank to his knees and pulled her to the floor with him, curling her back to his chest, he knew he had found “the” woman. He also knew that the fight to win her heart would be a hard, vicious one. But it would be worth it.

***** “I need a shower and clean clothes.” Reese’s words washed over Cat like ice water, harsh and full of reality. Cat wasn’t sure how to respond. Lying in his arms in the middle of her living room floor naked, close, way too comfortable, she had felt warm and safe. Now, she felt—exposed. It was crazy, she knew. This was sex. It’s what she’d wanted it to be. So why did she feel so horrible knowing he was about to leave? Reese nuzzled her neck, and she suppressed a shiver. She didn’t want to respond to him. “Come with me,” he said as he brushed his fingers over her cheek. She swallowed, feeling her heart in her throat. The correct answer was “no”. She knew this. “I need to shower too. I better just stay here and get cleaned up.” He eased her to her back and she wanted to fight him, wanted to keep her expression from his view, but she didn’t. To refuse to look at him would give away how vulnerable she felt. “Why don’t we run to my place and I’ll grab some clothes and we can come back here and shower together.” He brushed his lips over hers. “Then, I’ll take you to lunch.” Why was he doing this? Why? They both knew there could be nothing between them. Yet he seemed to resist saying goodbye as much as she did. “By then it will be almost dinnertime and I have to review a show tonight.” His hand flattened on her stomach. “We have to eat.” Narrowing her eyes on him, she tried to figure out what he was thinking. “We have nothing in common.” 84

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“I never said we did.” “Look,” Cat said. “We had sex. It was good. Leave it at that.” He smiled. “I owe you. We missed dinner. Let’s have lunch.” Cat started to get up. “You don’t owe me anything.” Reese shackled her arm. “I want to spend time with you.” “Why?” she challenged. “I admit I have an agenda.” Figured. “Which is?” “To prove to you all attorneys aren’t jerks.” She laughed. “That’ll take a whole lot more than lunch.” He winked. “I’m up for the challenge.” But she knew he wasn’t different. She’d seen her brothers and even her father make all kinds of promises about putting family above work. It never happened. Still, she found herself, saying, “Fine. Lunch it is. But only because I really am getting hungry.” Then, because she knew she was getting in some deep shit, begging to get her heart broken, she added, “But I’ll shower here and we can meet in the middle.” “I’d rather you come with me,” he said, narrowing his eyes on her. “That’s my best offer, counselor. Take it or leave it.” He stared at her a long, hard few moments and then sighed in obvious defeat. “I never accept a plea bargain.” “Never?” she challenged. He sighed. “You’re a tough cookie.” His lips turned up in a sexy smile. “All right. But you owe me a concession.” With that said, he pushed to his feet, naked, gorgeous, and leaving her to wonder what the hell his comment meant. Once again, he had control. He was on top and she was…liking it a little too much.

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Chapter Ten Cat stood in the doorway of the Art’s Café eyeing the rows of red booths and tables with checkered cloths, looking for anyone who resembled Reese. Dressed in tan slacks and a lacy off-white long-sleeve blouse, she could feel the coolness of the September day through the thin material. “Am I late?” Reese’s softly spoken words vibrated along her nerve endings like a soft breeze on a hot day, touching her in the most intimate of places. Before Cat could recover, his hands were on her shoulders, his body close. The masculine scent she was beginning to know as unique to Reese, spicy and a bit woodsy, insinuated into her nostrils and made her draw a breath. As she turned to look at him, her chin tilting upward so she could meet his deep, dark stare, her stomach fluttered. This was crazy. She felt like a schoolgirl with no experience with men. “You’re not late. I was a bit early,” Cat said, trying to seem unaffected by his presence. “Hunger had me half running the last block.” About that time a rumbling sound in her stomach sounded. Cat’s hand went to her middle. “See?” She grinned. “Told you.” “Well, then,” Reese said with a smile. “We better get you fed.” He motioned to a waitress and in a snap they were following her lead to a corner booth. The Fifties-style diner, a popular hangout for all age ranges, was busy but not overpopulated. At two o’clock in the afternoon, most of the lunch crowd had cleared. When Reese held his hand out for Cat to take the seat which placed her back to the door, she shook her head in refusal and pointed to the other side. “I’d rather sit that direction.” His brows dipped and then he smiled. “Whatever makes the lady happy.” 86

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With no hesitation, Cat claimed her seat and reached for a menu as Reese slid in across from her. The waitress took their drink orders and disappeared. Staring at the list of food options, Cat could feel Reese’s hot stare. She grabbed the menu stuffed behind the napkin holder and put it in front of him. “Choose. I’m starving. Must order food now.” “I know what I want.” The piercing directness in his eyes, and the low, sultry tone of his voice told her he didn’t mean food. He meant her. “Reese—” He didn’t let her finish. “Double cheeseburger and a shake. They make the best in Manhattan.” Cat sat back in her seat. “Fine. I’ll have the same.” “You might want a single. They’re huge.” “I’m starved.” She gave him a challenging look. “I’ve worked up quite the appetite.” “You’re a control freak.” “What?” she said, surprised by the out-of-nowhere comment. “You can’t even sit with your back to the door. You’re a control freak. You have to have everything under thumb.” “About some things, I guess,” she reluctantly admitted. His brow inched upward. “Some things?” “Look who’s talking,” she retorted, sitting forward and resting her hands on the table. “You are, too.” “And you base that assessment on what? I’m not the one who can’t have my back to the door.” She shifted in her seat feeling way too on trial. “I’ve seen your desire for control and you know it.”

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A sexy little smile turned up the corners of his mouth. “I’m willing to take turns. Give a little here. Take a little there.” They were talking about sex now. Or were they? Somehow the conversation was cloudy. “And I haven’t?” The waitress appeared before Cat could get her answer and inwardly she cursed the timing. Tall drinks appeared on the table right about the time a tight spasm in her stomach reminded her that eating was becoming critical. Even her hand felt a little shaky. Sweet stuff in the morning and nothing since had caught up to her. Cat reached for her cola hoping it would settle her grumbling stomach. “How do you want your burger?” Reese asked. “Well done,” Cat said. “Same for me,” Reese told the waitress before she disappeared. Cat quirked an eyebrow. “I would have thought you’d want yours rare.” Settling back against the cushion, he studied her, amusement lighting his eyes. “Do I dare ask why?” “They say you eat your victims alive in the courtroom.” “Victims, huh?” he asked, his voice hinting at laughter. “Tell me, Cat, why do you hate attorneys so much?” Blue. His eyes were so damn blue. She blinked. Thinking. Then reminded herself he was “one of them”. No matter how sexy, how compelling, his career would always be number one. “It’s not just attorneys. And it’s not personal.” “Not just attorneys?” he asked. “Okay, I’ll bite. What elite group have I become involved with and don’t know it.” “Those who will do anything to be on top.” He gave her a coolly assessing look. The kind she imagined he gave a witness on the stand. Only she doubted the witness felt all tingling with awareness. Then again, maybe. Reese had an air of confidence that oozed sex appeal. Even now, knowing he

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was about to blast her with some hard-to-answer question, her body vibrated with the low pulse of newborn arousal. The slight movement of her arm and the rub of fabric against her now ultra-sensitive nipples made them ache. Silently, she prayed her blouse had enough lace to hide the evidence of such a response. She looked down at the table and blinked several times, trying to clear her head and get back to the conversation. Her physical reaction to this man had left her with her proverbial guard down. Struggling to regain her composure, she lashed out again, angry that Reese had managed to get her so off balance. “Do you deny you’d do anything to win a case?” she asked. “Like you’ll do anything to get a story?” he countered. Slam. Bam. She hadn’t expected that one. “No,” she responded immediately, feeling suddenly defensive. “I’m an entertainment reporter.” His brow inched upward. “And that means what?” Cat hated being grouped with the rest of the media. “I’m not like the others.” “But you’re a reporter so I should convict you of being like them, should I not? You’ve done that to me.” She ground her teeth together. “I should know better than to get into verbal banter with an attorney.” “And I guess I should be careful about what I say around a reporter.” For an instant she considered throwing her drink in his face. “You’re impossible.” “No more so than you,” he said with a chuckle. “Remember when I said I wanted a concession?” She inhaled and then let it out. “You’re already calling that trump card? I would have thought you’d hold it longer than a few hours.” “What I want isn’t so much a concession as a favor.” His voice was softer now, and he pinned her in a stare. “Give me a real chance, Cat. Find out who I am outside the courtroom.”

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“Is there a difference?” No hesitation in his reply. “A huge one.” She made a disbelieving sound. “If you don’t have a conscience inside the courtroom, you don’t have one inside the courtroom.” “I agree with that statement,” he conceded. “So there isn’t a difference. You are you, no matter what.” “There are different motivations.” “Wrong.” Reese shook his head. “You’re tough, woman, but you’re still wrong. Protecting the legal system that protects the people is a service. I do my job and I do it well. That doesn’t make me some sort of devil. The criminals are the bad guys, not me.” “Yet you get them off,” she reminded him. “Sometimes.” “And you make damn good money doing it.” “Sometimes.” She crossed her arms in front of her chest and gave him hard look. “And these things make you a good guy how?” “I try to pick clients I believe in. Sometimes, I get into the case and realize I don’t. I won’t lie to you, defending someone I’ve lost faith in is hell. But I have to do it, because the system has purpose. It has to be used as it’s designed. In most cases, once I sign on to a case, I am obligated for the long haul.” Cat studied Reese, finding she wanted to believe him. “You’ve never taken a case just for the money or even the public attention?” His eyes cut to the side a moment. “You want the truth?” If he told her he hadn’t she’d know he was a liar and she could never trust him. “Yeah, I do.”

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One second. Two. “Yes,” he nodded, giving her a direct look. “I have. Early in my career, I wanted to win at all cost. But not anymore.” “What’s different now?” she asked, some of the accusation in her tone gone. She respected his honesty. “A lot,” he said. “Like?” “It’s a long story.” In other words, he wasn’t willing to share any insight. The waitress appeared and set their food in front of them. The tension had become palpable. For several minutes, they ate without speaking. A prickle of guilt began to form. She liked Reese. Maybe she owed him the benefit of the doubt. Most certainly, she owed him the kind of directness he’d just shown her. She eyed him, thinking how different he looked in jeans and the black T-shirt he wore today. Even dressed casually, he claimed an air of authority. And no matter what his attire, he had a sexiness that said “bad boy”. But maybe this “bad boy” had more good in him than she’d given him credit for. Decision made, she swallowed the last of a fry and wiped her hands on a napkin. “You were going to ask my last name earlier.” She paused watching as he took a bite of his burger. “Maxwell. My last name is Maxwell.” He stopped chewing, recognition flashing across his face. When he finally swallowed, she waited for his response. “As in the Maxwell being charged with securities fraud?” She nodded. “That would be my father.”

***** Knowing who her father was explained so much about her personality. It also put Reese in a hell of a position. His firm was representing her father’s business partner. In other words, they were most likely helping to put her father behind bars. He shouldn’t be with Cat. It would be looked at as if he was sleeping with the enemy. Yet…he wasn’t 91

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handling this case. Inwardly, he cursed. Just when he thought he’d gotten Cat to see beyond his job, fate reared its ugly head. “My own newspaper has been hounding me for a story. I feel like I woke up in the middle of someone else’s bad dream.” The vulnerability in her voice made him want to hold her. He felt her distress. “I can’t imagine how difficult it’s been.” “I don’t know which is worse. The fact that my father might be going to jail or that I have to read the paper to know what’s going on.” Reese told himself to tell her about his firm’s involvement. He knew he had to. Yet…she needed support and his admission about his past seemed to have opened a door of some sort. She’d decided she could tell him about this and he wanted to be there for her. “I take it your father is being protective?” he prodded gently. She laughed but without humor. “No. Nothing that noble. I don’t live in his world now or ever. But my two older brothers are. They walk the walk and talk the talk.” “So they work for Maxwell?” The waitress came by with two coffee cups and both Reese and Cat accepted. After sipping the warm liquid, Cat set down her cup. “You asked about my brothers. The two older ones work for my father. My younger brother is an architect. We are considered the traitors.” Curious, he had to ask, “What made you start talking?” Her hands resting on her cup, she seemed to assess him a moment. “Your honesty. If you had told me you didn’t ever take a case for money or fame, I’d have known you were lying. Not telling you my last name felt like a dirty little secret I didn’t want to carry.” Crap. He had to tell her. He opened his mouth to speak just as Cat slid from her seat with her purse in hand. “Bathroom. Be right back.”

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He watched her walk away, the sweet sway of her backside bringing back memories having her naked and in his arms. Damn… How the hell had he gotten himself into such a mess? Cat was the first woman he remembered ever wanting this much and he was about to lose her over someone else’s crimes, unless he could find a way to make this all go away. Maybe…he could. His mind raced. Maybe he could look at the case file and see if he could influence a quick closure for everyone involved. Over and over, he replayed the idea in his head. Yes. That was what he’d do. He’d make this go away so Cat could stop worrying. Or he’d at least try. And then there would be no conflict of interest. He drew a breath. But he couldn’t see Cat again until it was over.

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Chapter Eleven Confused and upset, Cat had darted away from the lunch table and into the tiny restaurant bathroom barely big enough to hold a toilet and sink. Not the best place to hide out, especially when feeling trapped. Cat’s hand shook as she tried to apply lipstick in the mirror. Worse, the deep pink shade seemed to emphasize her too-pale skin. She hadn’t slept well in days and it was showing. Her mind raced with thoughts about Reese, her life and this situation with her father. The way Reese had reacted to her confession over her family name had taken her off guard. In the past, the money Maxwell represented had been a reason people, men in particular, wanted to get close to her. When she’d told Reese about her father, she’d prepared herself to see dollar signs in his eyes. Sure, he had money, but most people never thought they had enough. Instead of interest, she saw something different in Reese. She’d seen dread. Or perhaps disgust? She wasn’t sure. All her life her last name had impacted how people perceived her. This time the name brought a negative reaction rather than a positive one. The only other person who’d ever done that was her best friend Lauren. But the money Cat grew up around had intimidated Lauren. She’d thought she wasn’t good enough to hang out with Cat. Reese had been bothered by who her family was too, but why, she didn’t know. Maybe because her father was being accused of stealing? That word “stealing” sent Cat’s stomach into a lurch. Her mother must be rolling over in her grave over this. Straightening, Cat patted at her hair and exhaled. She didn’t know why this thing with Reese bothered her so much. He wasn’t her type anyway. A damn good bed partner but nothing more. It was time to end this thing. It had gone too far anyway. She’d make up a nice excuse and leave. Then, she’d go home and…feel sorry for herself.

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What the hell was wrong with her?

***** By the time Cat returned to the table, Reese had begun to wonder if she had left. Her arrival, however, only made her determination to leave clear. She tossed money down, near his hand. “I have to run. I forgot about something I have to do.” She seemed upset. Now he was too. He grabbed the cash and handed it to her, not believing she’d just given it to him. “I told you I’d buy you lunch.” His brows dipped. “What’s wrong?” he asked. “Did I do something to upset you?” “No,” she said, cutting her eyes to the floor. “I just have to go.” He’d done something. That was for damn sure. Her unwillingness to look him in the eye when she’d replied was a telltale sigh. Sliding along the seat, he gently shackled her wrist and urged her to join him. “Sit with me,” he urged. She hesitated. “Reese—” “Please,” he said, a low plea in his voice. She blinked at him several times and sighed. “Only for a minute. I need to go.” Once she was beside him, he kept her hand in his, feeling a strange need to ensure she didn’t bolt. “What’s wrong?” “Nothing,” Cat said shortly, eyes going to his chest. Nothing meant something. His finger went to her chin, urging her to look at him. “Talk to me.” “No. I don’t want to talk. I shouldn’t have brought up my father. We are just—” “Just what?” “A fling,” she said, a bite to the words that made him inwardly flinch. He didn’t want to be just a fling. He knew that with certainty. She inhaled and exhaled and continued. “We were a one-night stand. I don’t know why we are even here today. You didn’t have to know. I don’t know why I tortured myself by telling you.”

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The pain in her voice washed over him like it was his own. His palm went to her cheek. “We are more than a fling. You know it. I know it.” God, he should tell her about his firm and her father, but she was so damn upset he was afraid she would bolt. “And of course you told me about your father. Why wouldn’t you?” She laughed. A choked, bitter sound. “You have no idea what it’s like to be my father’s daughter.” His finger slid from her check to stroke her hair. “More than you can imagine. Think about who my father is. I had a lot of pressure to follow in his footsteps. Because I did and you didn’t in your father’s doesn’t change the reaction people have when they hear the name.” “People know you’re not your father,” she argued. “Now. It wasn’t always that way. And look at how you react to knowing who I am. You hated me, not sure you still don’t, just because of how you perceive me.” She looked down again and he wondered what she was thinking. “I never know if people want to be close to me or the money my family has.” “I know.” Her eyes lifted to his. “You do?” “Of course,” he said, nodding. “Women like the power the media dishes out to me and let’s face it, everyone knows I have money.” Reese paused. “We aren’t as different as you have tried to make us.” Tilting her head to the side, she studied him, eyebrows dipped. “I don’t know what to make of you, Reese. I really don’t.” “The feeling is mutual, I assure you.” He smiled at her. “I guess that means we have to do some in-depth exploration.” She smiled. A soft smile that pleased him. “Maybe,” Cat said, and then seemed to hesitate. “I…need to go.”

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He should just let this be until he took care of this thing with her father, but the idea of letting her escape bothered him. For some reason, he felt if she bolted he might not ever see her again. And he knew she needed to talk. If he could get her alone and relaxed, Reese thought she just might open up. So, despite his best judgment, he found himself asking, “What are you doing later?” “I have to go to the new Night Rangers opening tonight. It’ll run late with after show interviews.” She stood up and Reese let her. What else could he do? This was for the best. Besides, he needed to spend time with his mother. But after a quick goodbye, he found himself turning to watch Cat’s departure. Fate had brought them together under sticky circumstances. But not impossible ones. He’d worked plenty of legal miracles. He’d just have to work one that helped Cat’s little nightmare with her father get resolved. And Cat, without a doubt, was under his skin. He had to find out why.

***** Cat had called Lauren to go to the show with her. Now, walking toward the theatre door and laughing with her, she was glad she had. Lauren sniffed and made a comment about the lead actress’s attire—or rather, lack of—after the show during Cat’s interview. “Come on now,” Cat laughed. “You, my darling friend, are no good girl. Not anymore.” She lowered her voice and leaned toward her friend. “You had an affair with your boss.” Lauren’s head jerked toward Cat, making her light brown hair bounce. “And then I married him!” Then, brows dipped, “This has nothing to do with me and everything to do with that woman. Someone should tell her that pretty designs on a bra do not make it a shirt.” Cat opened her mouth to speak and then shut it, stopping dead in her tracks. Because just outside the door stood Reese. “What’s wrong,” Lauren said, turning to face

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Cat and letting her eyes drift toward to direction of her friend’s. “Ah.” She looked at Cat and smiled. “Never seen a man have quite an effect on you.” Turning away from the door, Cat walked the other direction as fast as her slim black-skirted dress and high heels would take her. Lauren followed, trying to dig out her ringing cell phone at the same time. “Hello,” she said, answering. “Yes. Drinks. Serendipity. I know. We’re coming.” She mumbled something low and hung up. Pushing open the bathroom door, Cat was relieved to find it empty. Inside, she began to pace, as Lauren leaned against a sink and silently watched her. One thing about Lauren, she understood Cat. She knew she’d talk when she was ready. They’d know each other for years, two girls from opposite sides of town, who found soul sisters in each other. Another trip across the bathroom and Cat turned to face Lauren. “That isn’t just some guy.” “That much I got about the time you bounded for the bathroom door.” “It’s Reese Winter.” Lauren’s brows dipped. “Is that supposed to mean something to me?” Cat rolled her eyes. “Reese Winter,” she said with emphasis. “Hello? The attorney who handles all the high-profile cases on the news all the time?” “Still don’t know him,” Lauren said with a shrug. “Is he involved with this stuff with your father or what?” “No. I mean, yes, this does have to do with my father.” Cat ground her teeth. “Sort of. Not directly.” Lauren’s eyes went wide. “Oh. My. God. You slept with this Reese guy, didn’t you?” She paused as if expecting a denial, eyes searching Cat’s face. “With an attorney. Part of the group of men you consider the enemy. Someone who isn’t your normal artsy type.”

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Cat threw her hands in the air and then let them fall to her legs. “I know.” She shook her head. “I know. He is so not right for me.” “Wow, now.” Lauren held her hands up stop sign fashion. “That’s not what I said. In fact, this guy has gotten more of a reaction from you than I’ve ever seen.” She gave a decisive nod and crossed her arms in front of the cream silk of her camisole dress. “In fact, he might be just what the doctor ordered.” She held up a finger. “He might be Mr. Right.” She had to be kidding. “Since when did a man who makes you run and hide become Mr. Right?” “Extreme reactions for extreme feelings.” Her eyes twinkled with the words. “He is not Mr. Right. In fact, when I finally told him who my father was—” “So he didn’t even know? That’s perfect. It proves his interest was in you and not your money.” Cat gave her a warning look. “Will you please let me finish?” Lauren had the good judgment to murmur an apology. “He has money, too. That’s not the point.” “Then what is?” “I’m trying to get to it if you’ll let me.” Cat glared and then continued, “He seemed…” Lauren leaned forward a bit as if hanging on to the words. “He seemed…disturbed.” Lauren blinked. “Disturbed?” she said with confusion in her tone. “What the heck does that mean?” “I don’t know. It wasn’t the reaction I expected. But then, I didn’t expect my father to be accused of stealing either. Reese probably thinks lying and cheating runs in the family.” “Cat,” Lauren said, her voice softer. “I’m sure he doesn’t think that. And once he gets to know you he’ll judge you for you. Besides, clearly he’s here to seek you out. Or I assume he is. I don’t think he would do that if he thought such things.”

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“Maybe he feels guilty for how he reacted when I told him.” “No,” Lauren said discarding that idea. “He’d call, not show up.” She paused. “But…” She hesitated, biting her bottom lip. “But what?” Cat demanded, hands going to her hips. She was on edge and wanting to know what Lauren wasn’t saying. Now. She sighed. “Fine. I’ll say it. Don’t judge him by his family either. Or his job. Or anything but whom he proves himself to be in your eyes.” Cat gave Lauren her back, hugging herself, not liking the way her friend’s words took hold. Deep in her gut and in her heart. Was she judgmental in an unfair way? Maybe. She didn’t like the thought. Not one bit. Her hand went to her forehead. “I’m really confused right now.” “You really like this guy, don’t you?” Did she dare admit it out loud? Cat turned to face Lauren. “It was only supposed to be a one-night stand.” “But?” Lauren urged. “I keep thinking about him. The fact that he showed up here made my heart beat all wild for all kinds of reason. I was…excited to see him. It’s crazy. I’m begging to get hurt. I don’t want to be one of those freaky people who marry a version of their inattentive father and convince themselves it’s not some weird need for approval from someone just like him.” “Is he like your father?” “I don’t want him to be.” “Then maybe he isn’t. Are you willing to give him a chance? A real one? Because if you are, that poor man has been standing outside for a really, really long time.” She was right. He had. “Crap,” Cat said, and headed for the door. Reese Winter might not be her type, but he was hot. And he was here. And she wanted him. Bad. For now, that would just have to be enough.

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Chapter Twelve Reese had told himself to stay away from Cat. Just until he dealt with the complications of her father and his firm. But here he was, only hours later, waiting outside a theatre, hoping to catch up with her. Reese had been to see his father and found him stubborn and determined to make his wife come home groveling. Though the news that his wife had taken an apartment seemed to shake him, Reese hadn’t gotten past “no” and “she’ll be back”. He’d begged his father to take time off, to take his mother away somewhere. But all his pleas had gotten him nowhere. Feeling disappointed and more parent than child, Reese had headed to his mother’s to take her to dinner. She’d barely touched her food, upset his father hadn’t called and then she’d started crying. By the time Reese had taken her home, called her best friend to stay with her and given her some over-the-counter sleeping pills, he’d been on edge. The crazy thing was, Cat felt like the solution to how he was feeling. For a loner who didn’t get close to women, this one had fast become important to him. Meeting Cat, and seeing his parents as they were, had made him realize that alone wasn’t always so wonderful. He’d hated the way he and Cat had parted at lunch. In fact, he couldn’t get it off his mind. She’d been upset and he couldn’t help but wonder if she needed him the way he did her right now. He wanted her to open up and talk to him. To explain what was going on in that pretty little head of hers. So here he was, wanting to see her. No. Needing to see her. He glanced down a moment and then felt a rush of heat. Cat. He felt her eyes on him. Damn. He felt her presence. What the hell was happening to him? His gaze lifted and he found her walking toward him, her expression sultry. Not surprised. Every inch of his body screamed for her. With awareness and warmth. Even his heart beat faster. 101

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Never before had he responded in such a way to a woman. He watched her approach, anticipating her touch. Her soft scent. Her lips. The black dress she wore was short enough to display long, lean legs. The silky fabric hugged her curves displaying the sway of her curvy hips with tantalizing results. When she stopped before him, he reached for her, pulling her close and brushing his mouth across hers. Heat swirled in the air charged with the electricity of their connection. Her body lightly touching his made him yearn for more. It would be easy to forget the shuffle of people around them. To devour her with his mouth and pull her tight against his hips. “Surprise,” he said, feeling the way she fit perfectly in his arms with a wave of possessiveness. Her hand went to his jaw. “Not an unpleasant one.” His fingers trailed her wrist and slowly moved up her arm. “I wasn’t so sure. You left lunch a little abruptly.” She wet her lips, tempting him with a quick flash of her tongue. Her lashes fluttered and lifted. “I know. I’m sorry.” “Why?” he asked, studying her. “It’s…hard to explain.” She started to pull her hand away. He gently shackled her wrist. “Try,” he said in a gentle voice. She swallowed. “Later.” “Hmmm. Cat?” Reese and Cat both turned toward the female voice. He’d barely noticed the woman who’d been walking beside Cat. “Oh God, Lauren,” Cat said, trying to step away from Reese. For some reason, he really didn’t like that idea. He took her hand. She glanced at him, a slight frown on her face, but she didn’t try to escape. A feeling of accomplishment hit Reese. Holding hands

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in public meant they were having more than sex. This was becoming a relationship. And in that moment, he realized, with certainty, it’s what he wanted. “This is Reese Winter,” Cat said to her friend. “Hi, Lauren.” Reese smiled and noted the twinkle in the brunette’s green eyes. She wasn’t upset about being forgotten at all. In fact, he had the distinct impression that she approved of his presence. Lauren gave him a nod. “Nice to meet you.” “She’s my closest friend,” Cat said, glancing at him. “Reese,” Lauren said. “Cat and I are supposed to meet my husband for drinks at Serendipity. He has a table reserved. Want to join us?” To see Cat in a casual setting, relaxing and being herself sounded perfect to him, but he looked at her for approval. Cat bit her bottom lip and seemed to consider a moment. “Can you join us?”

***** Sitting beside Cat in Serendipity, Reese found himself enjoying the casual conversation. He liked both Matt and Lauren. Both were businesspeople like himself. Why Cat didn’t see them in the way she did him he didn’t know. They were of the corporate world and all the “dog eat dog” that went with it. “So, Reese,” Matt said, “you’ve handled some pretty high-profile cases. Must be tough to defend some of the people you do. But I’m sure people ask you about that all the time. Maybe I shouldn’t.” Reese shrugged. “I try to defend people who deserve defending. There are times when I choose wrong or when I somehow land in the middle of a case I never wanted. In those situations, you do what you are required to do but no more.” “Does it bother you?” Lauren said. “Knowing a murderer went free because you defended him?”

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Reese felt Cat stiffen beside him. He held her hand a bit tighter. Letting her withdraw wasn’t an option. She needed to hear his point of view. “Hell yeah, it bothers me. I remember my first rude awakening. I almost quit law because it tore me up so badly. I had this case, a guy accused of brutally raping and killing a woman. There wasn’t any DNA evidence but the prosecutor wanted him bad. I thought he was innocent. I really did. I fought hard for this guy and I felt like the king of the world when I won. But then he told me he did it. He’d killed that girl. I took a week off of work. I reevaluated the seven years of school I’d put into my future. It was a rough time.” “But you decided to stay and you defend criminals all the time.” It was Cat who’d spoken and Reese turned his full attention to her. “I believe in the system and the law, Cat. It saves lives and protects people. I fight for that. I’m at a place in my career where I can choose my cases with care. I’m not without a conscience.” “But you tend to take ones that make lots of money,” she said, clearly trying to tear down his sincerity. “I take many that are not high dollar. It’s the press that turns certain cases into major news.” Lauren cleared her throat. “Speaking of news. Tell me tonight’s show is going to get a bad review.” Cat hesitated a moment and then squeezed Reese’s hand. The look in her eyes said she was sorry for being so hard on him. Inwardly, he let out a sigh of relief. Progress. Slowly, but surely. For the next hour, the conversation was filled with laughter. When Lauren began to tell the story of how she met her husband Matt, Reese found yet another glimpse into Cat’s world. “So Cat said, have a fling with the boss but keep it quiet,” Lauren explained, waving her hands in animation. “It happens all the time.” Her final words were exaggerated as she gave Cat a look that said, “yeah right”. 104

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“Not Cat,” Reese said, laughing, and nudging her with his arm. Cat smiled at him and their eyes met, a little charge of electricity zipping through the air between them. “Lauren’s career desires ruled her world. Someone had to help her get a life.” Matt nuzzled Lauren’s neck. “She was hard to get to, that’s for sure.” Then, he looked pointedly at Cat. “Actually, Cat’s love ‘em and leave ‘em attitude is what almost did me in. Lauren tried to imitate her.” Lauren turned to him with a flash of anger on her face seconds before Matt yelped and reached for his leg. “What did you do that for?” Reese laughed. “I think it was the love ‘em and leave ‘em comment.” He eyed Lauren. “It’s okay. Cat made her plans for me quite clear.” “Oh, like you had different ones for me?” Cat said, a mischievous tease in her voice. He slid his fingers along her cheek. Never before had a woman made him feel the need to touch her all the time. But Cat did. She evoked all kinds of things he didn’t understand. “I guess all that matters is the here and now.” He paused. “And what comes next.” Cat blinked at him and then inhaled deeply. So much so that he saw her chest rise. A flash of panic crossed her face. Okay, he thought. Wrong thing to say. Shit. He just wanted to see where this was going. He wasn’t proposing. Leaning toward her, he intended to whisper as much in her ear, but before he could, she pushed her seat back and stood. “Ladies’ room,” she said to the group and then she was gone. Reese sat there a minute contemplating and then stood up. “Excuse me a minute,” he said to Matt and Lauren. He and Cat needed to have a talk.

*****

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What was it about Reese that sent her to public bathrooms? She seemed to always run and hide. This time she had to pull herself together quick. The restaurant was packed and several women were outside waiting on her. Smoothing her dress with her palms, she straightened. She’d bolted like a fool. There was nothing wrong with what Reese had said. He simply inferred they were a little more than a sexual fling. Which was true or he wouldn’t be here with her tonight. He wasn’t her type. Or maybe he was. With that thought, she hugged herself. Maybe she secretly wanted a man more…like Reese than the artsy types she dated. Maybe that was why she always felt so unsatisfied. But Reese and men like him were all about money and getting ahead. Weren’t they? Reese didn’t seem like the others but she knew he had to be. She’d seen him get murderers off. That thought make her shiver. How could she fall for a man who helped criminals get off of charges for money? Yet, he said he believed in his clients. He acted as if he didn’t morally break the rules. Could that be true? God, why did she want it to be so damned bad? Someone knocked on the door and she jumped. She had to go back out there. She had to move. Only her feet seemed planted in the spot she stood. The plain and simple truth came down to fear. Reese scared the hell out of her. She barely knew him, yet he made her feel more than any other man ever had. Her life felt out of control and he, somehow, felt like a white knight. Without even sharing what was on her mind, his touch, his nearness, made her forget. Made her feel safe. It was nuts. Crazy. But…true. She let out a shuddered breath. She needed him right now. Her family trouble had her tied up in knots. Maybe she should just go have another glass of wine and stop thinking so much. With that thought, she reached for the door and decided to go face Reese and her own fears. She made it all of two steps out the door and just past a couple snooty remarks about how long she was in the bathroom, when a strong hand lightly shackled her wrist. Cat looked up to find Reese leaning against the wall in the hallway leading to the bathrooms, waiting for her. He urged her forward and she let him, feeling her heart pound a rhythm against her chest.

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“You’re always running from me,” he said softly, his blues eyes seemed dark, no color visible. And warm, like a smoldering fire. “Not from you,” she half whispered. His brow inched upward in question. “From me,” she answered. “Don’t you want to know what this is between us?” he asked. “I…I do,” she said. He leaned close, his breath warm and sensual on her neck and ear as he whispered, “So you admit it’s more than sex?” She swallowed and nodded leaning back to look him in the eyes. “This thing between us makes no sense.” “This is just as unexpected to me.” Tilting her head, she studied him. She knew his words were true. The press had made him out to be a bit of a playboy. He’d dated a couple models and even an actress. Funny, but until this moment she hadn’t even thought of that. She supposed it should make her feel insecure, but it didn’t. The attraction between them was real. Her concerns about Reese didn’t come from his prior personal life. But then, right now as he leaned toward her again, his spicy male scent sliding into her nostrils, she couldn’t remember what her concerns were. “Let’s go to my place.” Her stomach flip-flopped. His place? That meant no control for her. It scared her. She should insist on going to her apartment. But then, the chance to see more of his world appealed for some unknown reason. “All right. Your place it is.”

*****

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They stepped onto the sidewalk and made it all of a foot before cameras started going off. Reese felt his stomach tighten. Shit. The last thing he needed was his picture in the paper with Maxwell’s daughter. He pulled Cat close and lowered his head. “I take it this is about your father?” he asked. Before she could answer, reporters started cramming microphones at her and asking questions. “Is your father guilty?” “Will you support him in court?” “Ms. Maxwell…” “God,” Cat said, “I hate this.” Reese turned her toward the restaurant and shoved her through the door. He shoved money at the hostess. “I need a back door and a cab.” He was almost certain he’d avoided the cameras. Almost. Telling Cat about his firm was now mandatory. Damn it. Progress made. Progress lost. No telling how she was going to react.

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Chapter Thirteen Reese’s apartment had a comfortable feeling. As if it was home. Which, of course, to him, it was. The thing that struck Cat as odd was that it made her feel that way. Warm browns helped set the comfortable mood as did dim track lights. There weren’t flashy colors or fancy statues. The large living room sat directly off the entrance. A huge bar framed a large kitchen. A stairway led to the other rooms. Sitting on an incredibly soft, light brown leather couch, Cat waited on Reese to pour her a glass of wine. He seemed intent on taking things slow. She wasn’t against it tonight. Everything she was feeling was foreign and hard to digest. Directly in front of her was a brick fireplace. Above it a huge picture of a landscape. She knew the artists. After all, the men in her life had all been artsy to this point. Reese appeared, holding two glasses, and sat down next to her. She accepted her drink and smiled. “I like your place. It’s not what I expected.” “And what exactly did you expect?” he asked, sipping her wine. “I thought it would be more bachelor-like.” “I’m not sure I know what that means. How does a bachelor’s place look?” She shrugged. “I just thought it would be more about bells and whistles than comfort.” “You have a lot of preconceived notions about me.” Her eyes dropped to her glass and she remembered what Lauren had said about judging Reese unfairly. “You’re right. I do. I mean I did.” She lifted her gaze to his. “I’m trying to be better.”

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Reese reached for her wine and deposited both of their glasses on the marble coffee table. When he turned back to her, he slid closer and his palm did a soft glide across her cheek before he took her hand. “I know why you’re afraid of me.” “Why is that?” “You think I’m like my father.” “Like mine.” She paused. “Like my father.” “My guess is they’re a lot alike. I see my mother’s pain. I see how she needs my father and he isn’t there.” “I know you don’t want to hear this, but to leave like your mother has is brave. My mother wanted to leave but she never did. She died unhappy.” He didn’t respond immediately and seemed to his drift into his thoughts for a moment. “I hope this wakes up my father.” Then in a lower voice more to himself than anything. “But I doubt it.” “How is your mother?” His shoulder sank into the couch, leaning into it but still facing Cat. “Hurt. Emotional. I wanted to stay the night with her, but she wouldn’t let me. I called her best friend to stay instead. At least, I got her to agree to that. I didn’t know what else to do.” He scrubbed the evening shadow now present on his jaw. “Hell, at times like this, she needs a daughter around, not a son. Somehow I felt she needed another woman. I’m glad she had a close female friend.” “Believe me,” Cat said. “With three brothers, I can tell you that sometimes siblings only complicate matters. I mean, sometimes, it’s nice having a larger family. But sometimes it’s not so great.” “I would think now would be a time you were happy for your brothers and the strength and support. It must be hard getting all this press.” Her stomach knotted. It was doing that a lot the past week. She turned and slid down on the couch a bit, resting her head on the cushion and staring up at the ceiling.

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“They don’t offer much support. In fact, they tell me as little as possible. It’s made it harder dealing with all of this. My father says he’s innocent.” She expected Reese to respond but he didn’t. Still, the silence between them felt okay. He was looking at her, his eyes warm on her skin. “I’d like to believe he is.” Reese brushed his fingers along her hairline. “Of course, you do. He’s your father.” She turned to her side, facing him as she leaned on the cushion. “Yes, but it gets more complicated. His innocence means someone else’s guilt. The man he’s blaming for all of this is so close to the family. I call him Uncle Ray.” Reese took a few moments to respond. “So I guess that means you’re close to this man?” “I have fond memories of Ray from my youth. He always had a smile and a way about him that wasn’t all business. He was at our family functions. Even at my college graduation.” She paused. “I love Ray.” Her lashes fluttered. “I love my father. I don’t want either one of them to be in trouble.” “It’ll work out.” “I’m not so sure.” “Cat…” He seemed to hesitate as if he wasn’t sure what to say. She sensed he wanted to comfort her and it felt good. He felt good. Without another thought, she leaned forward and pressed her lips to his. “Thank you,” she whispered against his mouth. “For what?” he asked. “For finding me tonight.” Their eyes locked and held, and the intensity of the emotion she felt in those few seconds made her shiver. Never, ever, in her life had she felt this kind of powerful connection to a man. “You found me tonight,” he said. “In my thoughts. I needed to see you.”

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“I’m glad you came,” she said, her breath lodged in her throat. That he found comfort in her presence felt special. “This thing with your parents is bothering you.” He nodded. “For some reason you felt like the thing that would make it better. It’s crazy, I know, but still…it’s a fact.” Feeling drawn to him, feeling attached emotionally, scared her. But it didn’t stop the thrill of his words. Or the yearning for him beyond the physical. She couldn’t make this go away. It was what it was. Even if she could, she wasn’t sure she wanted to. “I need you tonight, too.” He kissed her then, a slow slide of his tongue past her lips, soft and sensual. When he lifted his mouth from hers, he lingered, breath mingling with hers, teasing her with the wait of another taste. “You know what I want?” he whispered, his breath a warm, sultry trickle against her skin. “What?” she asked, a bit breathless. He framed her face with his hands. “To make love to you. Nice and slow and all night long.” Cat absorbed the intimacy of what he said, the deep meaning. She wanted to believe they weren’t just flowery words spoken in a moment of passion. That this was more than sex. For the first time in her life, she really wanted to make love. To feel this man beyond the limits she’d placed upon herself and every other who’d ever touched her. Yet, still she didn’t know how to respond to the inferred question. To say yes. Make love to me. So instead of speaking, she kicked off her shoes and pushed to her feet. She stood in front of him and began undressing. He watched her, his eyes smoldering hot. His hands on his thighs as if he had forbidden them to move. To touch. In a few flicks of her hands and a brush of material, Cat was naked. Exposed. He was fully dressed. It was meant as a sign of trust. A willingness to be the one without the barrier of clothing. “Make love to me,” she said softly. 112

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A flash of passion and emotion so intense it darkened his eyes crossed his features. He pulled her to him, onto his lap. She straddled him and instantly his hands and mouth traveled. Explored. Induced ravishing charges of electric heat that felt as if they would consume her with a cloud of instant desire. Claiming her mouth in a passionate, hungry kiss, he swallowed her moans and palmed her breasts. Then, he pinched her nipples, rolling and tweaking with a technique born of a man who knew how to please a woman. Her fingers slid through his dark hair, over his arms, enjoying the flex of muscle beneath her touch. But even as she explored the fine lines of his body, he did the same to hers. Every caress of his hand, his mouth, his body, sizzled. Ever inch of her skin tingled and warmed. She worked the buttons of his shirt, struggling to stay focused on the task as he arched his hips upward, pressing his aroused cock against her core. God, he was so hard, so ready. Urgency grew and she slid the shirt over his skin and across his shoulders. Finally, she had him partially undressed. He pulled her close, pressing her warm skin to his, her nipples settling with tantalizing perfection into the dark hair on his chest. Her lashes fluttered as his lips touched her neck, her jaw and her ear. And when he drew back and stared up at her, his blue eyes so dark with passion they appeared black, her heart skipped a beat. For there was more than the heat of the moment in his gaze. There was true yearning. There was…love. At least that’s what if felt like. Dangerous, wonderful, love. An illusion, she knew. It couldn’t be. Not yet. Maybe not ever. Still, it sent a shiver from head to toe. It made her wish for things she thought she didn’t believe in. Reese whispered her name and kissed her, and whatever she’d seen in his eyes, she heard in his voice. Even tasted as his tongue caressed hers. She sank into the kiss, arms sliding around his neck, savoring the seduction of the moment. After several seconds, Reese flipped her to her back, pressing his long, hard body against hers, still kissing her with deep, probing strokes. She clung to him, legs wrapping around his calves as she fought to get him closer. The need to have him inside her growing with each passing

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second. The absolute yearning to feel the steel hardness of his cock buried deep in her core demanding to be heard. To be acted upon. Abruptly, Reese moved, untangling himself from her body and pushing to his feet. She wanted to argue the loss until she realized he was undressing. Leaning up on her elbows, she watched as he toed off his shoes and then shoved his pants and underwear down in one movement. And there he stood, tall, broad, and sexy, allowing her inspection. Her absorption. His body was perfection. Head to toe muscle. Not too bulky but not too lean. Her eyes traveled from his broad shoulders to his tapered waist and defined abs…lingering. Taking her time and enjoying. But when her gaze settled on his erection, long and hard, her body sizzled. His hand circled it as if reacting to the heat of her stare. He took a step forward, and feeling impatient, she sat up, meeting him halfway. She touched the tip of his cock and his hand slid away. She found her fingers damp, offering proof of just how ready he was for her. Cat spread the liquid along the soft skin of his head and along the ridge. She wanted to feel him pulse in her hand and she circled his shaft, her eyes lifting to his as she did. And as he watched she bent forward and licked the dampness pooling again on the tip. Though she’d wanted a reaction from him, she found one in herself. Pleasing him became imperative. The salty taste of his arousal spurred her onward. She lapped at him with her tongue, circling and tasting. But it wasn’t enough. Cat sucked him into her mouth, taking him with long slides back and forth. He was moaning, fingers in her hair, body arching into her mouth. She wanted this. She wanted him. Turning him on wasn’t like turning on other men. This was an ultimate satisfaction. His pleasure was hers. She’d felt power from taking a guy over the edge many times. But never, ever, had she felt pleasure from it. That came later. With her own orgasm. When she demanded her turn. “Cat. Baby. No.”

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Reese eased her back with effort. She didn’t want to stop. She wanted him to come. To know she’d given him that satisfaction. But before she could think, she was pressed into the couch cushion and he eased her legs apart. “I want to make love to you,” he murmured, his breath warm and tantalizing against her cheek. “To come when you come. Inside you. With you.” She could barely breathe. Anticipation, emotion, arousal, all merged and made her mind cloud. His cock slid inside her and seemed to melt into her body. Reese’s mouth lingered above hers. “I’m crazy about you, Cat.” For some reason, she didn’t know how to respond. Maybe it was simply because she burned to move with him. To feel their bodies in motion as one. But there was more to her silence and she knew it. She was as scared of what he made her feel as she was pleased. Her fingers brushed his cheek and then his lips before her mouth brushed his for the briefest of moments. Time seemed to stand still as they merged into the passion. Like a burst of flames, desire and need were unleashed. Wildly, they kissed, their bodies beginning to rock together. Back and forth. Up and down. They pressed against each other, her fingers digging into his back even as she lifted her hips upward. She didn’t just want the feel of his cock hitting her core. She wanted every inch of his body touching hers. When his hand closed over one of breasts, she covered it with her own, urging him to knead harder. Everything felt too soft. Too not enough. She found herself nipping at his shoulder, biting him even. Out of control, she just acted instinctively. Taking everything she could get. Drinking his kisses in with a thirst like none before. “I can’t get close enough,” he half whispered, half growled into her ear. He pushed her hair away from her face, caressing the sensitive skin of her neck with his fingers and then his mouth. Cat moaned. “Reese.” She moaned again. She said it over and over. She couldn’t seem to help it. 115

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Reese leaned up, supporting his weight on one knuckled fist shoved into the couch. He stared down at her bouncing breasts and drew his cock from her body, leaving only the tip inside her. “What are you doing?” she demanded, reaching for him to no avail, desperate to get him deep again. To satisfy her need to have him buried to the hilt. He gave her what she wanted. With a hard lunge he sank to her depths. But then he stilled again, as if he meant to torture her with need. He reached down and thumbed her nipple and then leaned down and drew it between his lips and teeth. Her hands went to his head and her back arched, but before she could fully enjoy the pleasure he offered, Reese pulled back and thrust again. And this time, he didn’t stop. In and out, he pounded into her. His muscular body defined with exertion. His expression intense as he hit her core over and over. Cat tried to watch him. The pure animistic look on his face turned her on. Pushed her to new levels. But the build of sensation, the edge of satisfaction came suddenly. She didn’t want it to be here yet. She wanted this to last. But he slammed into her, hitting her clit with just the right contact from his pelvic bone and she had no choice. She tumbled into the sweet, white bliss of orgasm. She stiffened and cried out something. His name, she thought. She didn’t really know. Ripple after ripple of absolute heaven lapped at her body as her muscles grabbed at his cock. The spasms actually made her body jerk. With a hard thrust of his shaft, Reese lunged into her one last time and then began to shake. A loud roar of pleasure slid from his mouth as he, too, erupted in release. She felt the warmth of his seed touch her inside as she began to calm and it drew a smile from her. It was long moments later when Reese eased down on top of her. For several minutes, they lay there, bodies pressed together, his face buried in her neck. When Reese finally moved, he rose up on his elbows and looked down at her. “I meant what I said.” He brushed hair from her eyes with a tender caress of his fingers on her temple. “I’m crazy about you.”

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She smiled. “I’m crazy about you too.” He studied her for several seconds, his eyes probing. “Stay the night. Sleep with me. Wake up with me. Eat breakfast with me.” Cat laughed. “That’s a long list.” “Say yes.” She smiled. Staying the night was big to her. But Reese wasn’t like anyone she had ever known. Leaving would mean protecting her heart so it’s what she should do. It wasn’t what she wanted. And maybe it was time to take a risk. To believe a little in happiness. “Yes,” she said. “I’ll stay.”

***** Cat stood in Reese’s sparkling white kitchen, sipping coffee, watching him make omelets in nothing but his boxers. She wore his shirt from the night before. It was huge on her but it smelled of him and it felt…intimate wearing it. She’d never cooked breakfast with a man before. Not that she was cooking. She’d been alone so long she rarely did more than microwave a TV dinner. If she wanted something special to eat, she picked up takeout. “I didn’t expect you to be a cook,” she commented. He glanced at her and smiled before turning his attention back to the pan. “Compliments of my mother. My dad was gone a lot but my mom, well, she and I spent a lot of quality time together. She seems to think a man who can cook is important. You know, reaching beyond the boundaries of the expectations.” Cat laughed. “She trained you well.” “If you say so,” he chuckled. “I just remember time with her being special. She came to my sporting events. I cooked with her.” “What kind of sports?”

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“Baseball. Second base. I screwed up my knee pretty bad my senior year in high school though. Pretty much ended my college ball. I tried my freshman year but it didn’t work out.” She refilled her coffee cup and then walking to the fridge for more vanilla creamer, which she couldn’t believe Reese actually had. She loved the stuff. “I was all into the theater scene.” “Plates. Can you grab them?” Cat nodded and set her cup down to help. “To your left overhead,” he instructed. She removed two white porcelain dishes and Reese distributed their food. “I guess that led to your job now?” he asked, wiping his hands on a towel. “Yes.” She eyed the plates in his hands. “You want coffee?” “Coffee would be good. With cream and sugar.” Cat filled a cup for Reese and then followed him to a long cherry wood table. They sat side by side, eating, talking and just enjoying their time together. Avoiding difficult topics wasn’t hard. She found there were many things to discuss. Movies. Books. Politics. Sometimes they differed in opinion but debating with Reese actually was enjoyable. “Have you ever been to Europe?” Reese asked. “No. I’ve always wanted to go. You?” “I have. All this political stuff we’re talking about, it’s much different in other countries.” Cat was about to ask, in what way, when the phone rang. Reese sighed. “Hold that thought. It could be my mom, or I wouldn’t answer it.” She smiled to herself. Cat liked how he worried over his mother. That had to be a good sign. She’d always heard a guy who was good to his mother was a good catch. Not that she was trying to catch Reese. The very thought made her panic a little. God,

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she was thinking crazy things. She didn’t need or want…she didn’t even let herself finish the thought. The truth was, Reese wasn’t like the other guys she’d dated. He was basically everything she’d always said she didn’t want. The ironic thing—he made her feel special. He seemed to be exactly what she did want. Ignoring it or denying it wasn’t going to get her anywhere. Reese was Reese, not some formula of a man she thought was taboo. For now on, she was going to approach things with him that way. To give them a real shot at…whatever it was they had going on between them. The phone being placed back on the receiver drew Cat’s attention. Reese sat back down next to her, his dark hair more disorderly than before the call. As if he’d been running his hand through it. “My father is acting like a lunatic. He’s outside my mom’s apartment and the neighbors are threatening to call the police.” Cat smiled. “That’s good.” His eyes went wide. “Excuse me if I don’t think my father going to jail is good.” She leaned forward and rubbed her hand over his jaw, feeling the roughness of his whiskers. “Your father has come to his senses. This is a good thing.” She paused. “Besides, you’re a damn good attorney. You’ll get him out of jail.” “You’re not calming me down. Crap.” He pushed to his feet. “I need to go over there.” “I know,” Cat said. “I’ll find my way home. You go take care of your parents.” “No,” he said. “Stay. I’ll be back soon.” “I need to write up last night’s review. I’ll go home.” She waved him on. “Go, Reese. I’m a big girl. Your parents need you.” He hesitated and then bent down and kissed her cheek. “You’re amazing.” Cat felt a sizzle of awareness and even satisfaction from his words. “You can prove it later.” Straightening, he winked. “You can count on it.”

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Chapter Fourteen Cat walked in her front door and heard the phone ringing. She ran for it just in time to hear a dial tone. Her cell was dead so she plugged it up and then headed toward the bedroom to take a shower. She made it two steps when both phones started to ring and someone knocked on the front door. About to reach for her cell, she stopped when she heard her brother Mike call her name. “Catherine Maxwell, open up. I know you’re there. The doorman told me you were here.” Her brows dipped as she stomped toward the door and yanked it open to expose her scowling brother. “What the hell are you doing, Mike? I have neighbors.” He shoved a newspaper at her. “What the hell are you doing?” Pushing passed her he entered her apartment. Cat made a frustrated sound and slammed the door shut, turning to face her brother. “You have a lot of nerve—” She stopped mid-sentence as she read the paper’s headlines. Her hands started to shake as she read it again hoping she’d seen it wrong. Maxwell’s daughter and opposing counsel…up close and personal. The words were above a picture of her and Reese coming out of Serendipity. Her eyes lifted to her brother. She couldn’t seem to read the rest of the page. “Who is he?” Her brother gave her a hard look. “You don’t know?” “No. I mean I do. I know he’s an attorney.” “Representing Ray.” Cat’s mind went back to the night before. To their conversation about her father and Ray. Betrayal stung hard. “I…didn’t know.”

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“You have to be careful—” She cut him off. “Careful? You tell me nothing. How the hell am I supposed to know what’s going on and with whom?” She glared at him. “How?” “Cat—” “I’ve had it this time, Mike,” she bit out in a tight, harsh voice. “Had it.” She tossed the paper across the room and it flew in pieces all about. “You…you let me get used. You made me a victim.” He took a step toward her and she did the same. “Mike, leave. Go home. Go to Dad. Go to Rick. Hold your little meetings and leave me out of it.” She didn’t yell or scream though she wanted to. God, how she wanted to. Somehow, she kept the words low and cold. Had to. If she let her emotions take hold she was afraid she would lose it in a big way. And that was something she preferred doing alone. For a moment he looked as if he might argue then he walked toward the door. She kept her back to him, doing her best to keep the tears from falling until she was alone. “We were wrong, Cat. I’m sorry.” And then the door opened and closed. She didn’t let herself cry right then. Instead, she followed Mike’s exit path and flipped her locks in place. Right now she felt as if she’d been raped. It hurt. Really, really hurt. And she felt more alone than she had her entire life. With slow steps she found her way to the shower and stripped off her clothes. She stepped under the spray of hot water and let it deliver warmth and ease the strange ache that had taken hold of her body. It was then that she cried. Alone. In the privacy of her shower. She’d been a fool to let down her guard with Reese. A part of her had wanted to love him. That thought sent a jolt of pain through her chest and stomach. She hugged herself, water trickling over her lips and face, mingling with her tears. Cat let it come. Let it take hold. Because when it was done, when the hurt had torn her insides out, she would heal. And she would never let her guard down again.

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***** Since he’d arrived at his mother’s apartment, Reese had succeeded in getting his father out of the hallway and that was about it. “This is ridiculous, Mary. Get your things. You’re coming home.” “I am home,” she said, sitting down on the couch and crossing her arms in front of her chest. Reese watched as his father reached for his mother’s arm. She jerked it away. “Stop, Tom! You don’t own me. You can’t just show up here and demand I jump to your command.” “Damn it, Mary—” “Don’t you curse at me,” she spat, interrupting him and then looked at Reese. “Are you going to let him curse at me?” Pressing two fingers to the bridge of his nose, Reese prayed for patience. “Both of you sit.” Reese issued the order because he really didn’t know what else to do. His father started to speak. “Please just sit.” After a bit of argument, Reese managed to get one on each end of the couch. A little more resistance and he managed to get them talking. An hour into it, his father was on his knee in front of his mother promising he’d change. They’d take a vacation and fall in love again. Reese agreed to watch over the firm, but even as he made the promise he knew it complicated his life all the more. It felt like the weight of the world had decided to plant two feet on his shoulders. Cat…she really mattered to him. Even while watching his parents argue and then make up, he kept thinking about her. He had to fix things. She needed to know about his firm and her father. Then, he’d go to work Monday, meet with Ray and the DA in place of his father and see what he could do to make this go away. He hoped. He needed a good look at the case file. With that thought in mind, he was ready to leave. To go see Cat and tell her what he should have last night. He said his goodbyes and headed for the door. Noting the newspaper on the hall table, Reese reached for it. “You going to read this, Mom?” 122

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But he didn’t hear her reply. A picture of him with Cat stared back at him. A picture sure to destroy every ounce of trust he’d earned with Cat.

***** Monday morning came with dread. Reese and her boss had been calling and calling. She hadn’t taken either call. Cat knew what her boss wanted. A story and a reason why she made the other papers look good. Reese had even tried to call that morning. By now, she’d thought he’d get the idea…she had nothing to say to him except “go to hell”. She’d half feared he’d show up at her door but after his attempts Saturday he seemed to give up the in-person attack. Maybe he was afraid of her making a scene and then both of them ending up in the papers again. Dinner the night before with Lauren had helped though she’d barely eaten. Talking had done her more good than anything. Cat pulled open her desk drawer and inserted her purse right about the time she heard her name bellowed across the room. “Catherine.” Angry pause. “My office.” “Morning to you too,” she mumbled under her breath as she grabbed a pen and paper. Thank God Lena wasn’t here yet. She appeared in Frank’s doorway and found hostility in his round face. He ran his hand over his bald head. “You don’t know how to answer your phone?” “You called?” she asked, not moving from the archway. “I, um, dropped it and it’s been acting strange.” “Right,” Frank said. “And I have some swamp land for sale.” Being talked down to really was not high on her list today. “Enough, Frank. We both know what you’re upset about. Don’t take petty jabs.” His eyes narrowed on her face and then his expression softened. “Sit down, Cat. You look like you might fall down if you don’t.” She nodded and pulled his door shut before sitting. “You didn’t know who he was, did you?” She shook her head, unable to find her voice. 123

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Frank mumbled several obscene words. “Want me to punch his face in for you?” Cat laughed but even to her own ears it sounded forced. “You’d do anything for a story, now wouldn’t you, Frank?” she teased. “Even make the front page yourself.” He leaned forward, thick forearms resting on the scuffed-up desk. “I’m serious.” She smiled. “You are something, Frank. One minute you’re mad because I didn’t get you the story and the next you are ready to beat someone up for me.” She paused. Maybe Reese needed to learn a lesson. “When this is over and I’m sure it won’t hurt my father, I’ll give Lena a damn good story to write.” His brows dipped. “If there’s a story to be written, you do it.” “That’s not my kind of story. She can write it.” Cat pushed to her feet, feeling a little emotional and not wanting it to be noted. “I’ll let you know when I’m ready to talk.”

***** Reese stood at the window in his office, his mind heavy with thoughts of Cat. If distance was a test of his true feelings, Cat had gotten under his skin in a big way. It had been over a week since he’d last seen her. Since he touched her and tasted her and felt her body close to his. After a few days of calling her with no response, he’d decided to back off. Now, it was time to talk. The buzzer on his phone went off. “There’s a Mike Maxwell here to see you. Says he doesn’t have an appointment.” Interesting. “I’ll see him.” Walking across the room, Reese sat down behind his desk in his high-back leather chair, in the position of control. Something told him he’d need it. When the door opened, Reese stood. “Thank you, Kelly,” he said to his assistant. “Mr. Maxwell,” he motioned to a chair. “Have a seat, if you’d like.” Reese took his. As the man moved forward to sit, Reese sized him up. Tall and broad, his only resemblance to Cat was his blond hair. He wore an expensive suit. Black. Silver tie. He liked style. He liked money. It showed in his attire and his carriage. 124

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Reese laced his fingers together on the mahogany surface of his desk. “What can I do for you?” “I’m sure you know the charges against my father were dropped this morning.” “I knew before you did. Ray’s decision to confess his misuse of company funds came with a condition. That all charges against your father be dismissed.” What Reese didn’t say, nor did he plan to, was why. He dreaded having to tell Cat the entire story. Ray had given him permission but delivering the news was going to be tough. She’d want to know though and there was no way he could keep it from her. Not without losing her. If he hadn’t already. “I assume we owe you a thank you,” Mike said. “Actually, you don’t. Ray’s decision came without any effort on my behalf.” Ray’s wife had convinced him to tell the truth. In exchange for a media silence, Ray had confessed to setting up Maxwell. Because Maxwell had been sleeping with his wife. It was the kind of nastiness Reese hated being involved with. “I’m surprised about how this turned out. After all,” Mike said, his eyes probing as he watched Reese for a reaction, “you were sleeping with my sister.” Reese felt the muscle in his jaw jump, but he managed to keep his expression clear. “Dating her,” he corrected, irritated at Mike’s choice of words. “I had no idea who she was. For some reason, Cat feels her last name is a death sentence in a relationship.” “You really expect me to believe it’s a coincidence?” “When a top attorney is needed my firm is often called. This case pulling on our resources is more likely than the opposite. That Cat and I met during all of this was unfortunate. That my firm was chosen to defend Ray, expected.” “Did you use her?” The true agenda of this meeting surfaced. Accusation laced Mike’s words. He was here in his sister’s defense. Reese would have been offended if he hadn’t been so damn happy to see her brother show concern.

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“No, Mike, I didn’t. I’m crazy about your sister. If I can ever get her to speak to me again, I intend to prove it.” Mike studied him for several moments and then pushed to his feet. “She’s stubborn, strong-willed and hard to get along with. She also has the biggest heart I’ve ever seen and would do anything for anyone. Once she’s wounded, she shuts down. You’ll have to fight to get back in her life.” He paused. “Just like I’m going to have to.” “I’m willing,” Reese said. “Me too.” Mike said, and extended his hand. “Here’s to luck on both our sides.” He paused. “She doesn’t know about the charges being dropped. As far as I know the press hasn’t gotten hold of it. Maybe you should tell her.” He laughed. “Make a hell of a story for her paper.” Reese smiled and shook Mike’s hand. Then, without another word, Mike turned and walked toward the door. Without turning around, he said, “Thanks for what you did for my father. No matter what you say, I know you had an influence.” And then he was gone. Leaving Reese to contemplate his words. He owed Cat a good story and a whole lot more.

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Chapter Fifteen Cat sat at her desk staring at her blank computer screen. She had three reviews to type and an interview, yet nothing filled the page. She’d sworn she wanted Reese to stop calling, but when he had, well, it had hurt. Nuts, of course. She knew he’d used her, but somehow his quietness felt like the confirmation she hadn’t really wanted. It had been seven days—a week now—since she and Reese had been the headline news. In some ways, like the tension she felt at work as everyone gave her funny looks, it felt like longer. In others, a lifetime. In some way, the romance with Reese had appealed. Lots of ways, actually. Or maybe it had just been Reese who had appealed. She sighed. Who was she fooling? The only thing real about what had happened with her and Reese had been the sex. That he couldn’t fake. “You weren’t kidding, were you?” Cat looked up to see Frank standing in front of her desk. She hadn’t even noticed him approaching. “Meaning what?” “Reese Winter is up front for your interview.” Her heart thundered into her chest. “What?” Frank grinned. “Go get ‘em, tiger.” Frozen, Cat just sat there. Frank was already gone, leaving her to flounder in panic. Reese was here? Why? About an interview? God, what was the man up to now? And why the heck did she have flutters of anticipation in her stomach at the thought of seeing him again? Not from anxiety or anger, but from desire and excitement. Damn it, why did she let a deceitful jerk affect her like this? She shouldn’t. She couldn’t. Cat pushed to her feet. She wouldn’t. Whatever Reese’s game, and he had one—that she was certain of—it had to be shut down at the gate. With newfound determination, Cat headed for the front lobby, pad and pen in hand. 127

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She found him standing rather than sitting in one of the many empty chairs. The receptionist eyed Cat and a smile played on her lips. Everyone knew Cat and Reese had been…a thing. How could they not? Their picture had been all over the competition’s paper and the gossip all over the building. In a black, pinstriped suit, he looked like the Reese seen in the media. The man she’d met that first night at the bar. Sexy. Confident. A bit cocky even. “Hello, Cat,” he said in a low voice that rippled along her nerve endings and forced her to suppress a shiver. Her first instinct was to call him Mr. Winter, to put formality between them, thus distance, but she decided that made her look upset. No, she thought. She’d show him the unexpected. “Hello, Reese,” she said and smiled. “I hear you have some news for us?” He studied her a few moments, which felt like a lifetime, his blue eyes as bright as a perfect sky. The depths of his gaze probed and explored, wearing her down under their scrutiny. “Is there somewhere we can talk?” Her eyes narrowed on him, but she gave him a nod. Without another word, she turned and walked away, giving him no option but to follow if he wanted to talk. With each step she took down the narrow hallway toward cubicle land and the far corner conference room, she was aware of Reese watching her. Behind her. Too close. Not close enough. When she stepped inside the rectangular-shaped conference room, Cat stood back, hand on the doorknob as Reese entered. He walked by in a cloud of spicy maleness that made her want to grab him and…do things she shouldn’t. Hit him. Yell at him. Kiss him. Sex had been amazing with Reese. She’d seen the heat in his eyes in the lobby. His desire for her was still alive and well as was hers for him. She wished that wasn’t the case. It would be easier to hate him with her mind and body…and her heart. She shut the door and turned, expecting him to have taken a seat. Instead, he stood only a few feet away. Cat motioned toward the long wooden table. “Feel free to sit.” 128

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“I’ll sit when you do,” he said. Not with the power trip. She didn’t like it. Cat set the pen and paper on the table. “Reese,” she said. “Sit. I don’t have the time or energy to go through some invisible battle of control.” He took a step toward her and she wanted to back up just as much as she wanted to move forward. She stood perfectly still. “You’ve won that battle many times over in the past week,” Reese said, his voice low. Taut. “Every damn time I called and you wouldn’t answer.” “It didn’t take you long to give up, now did it?” “I’m here, aren’t I?” he asked. “Does it look like I gave up?” “You should.” “Why?” Cat fought the urge to cross her arms in front of her body. She didn’t want to show a reaction. “What do you want, Reese?” “You,” he said in a voice as smooth as velvet. She drew in a breath. “You already had me.” “Had being the operative word.” “Do you have a story or not?” He stared at her, fire and challenge in his eyes. Then, abruptly, he masked his expression. “The charges against your father were dropped.” Of all the things he could have said, that wasn’t what she expected. “What?” she asked. “How? When?” “Late last night. Ray confessed to setting him up.” “What?” Cat could barely believe her ears. She forgot the discomfort between her and Reese, taking a seat as she suddenly felt weak-kneed. “Why would he do that?”

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Reese chose the seat beside her, not across, as she would have expected. He moved the legs of the chair so that he faced her. “Some of this is off the record. What you let the paper print has to be discussed between you and me and agreed on.” She made a frustrated sound and turned her chair so she faced him. “This isn’t about the news. This is about my father. My family. Why would Ray do this?” “Cat,” he said. “Ray told me I could explain this to you, not your father. I had to get his permission because of client-attorney privilege. But I also need you to know, I am only relaying what I’ve been told. I have no clue what is true and you can’t repeat any of this. Not to the public and certainly not your father. What you know as far as he’s concerned should be what your family tells you.” “Just tell me,” Cat spat, feeling on edge. “Tell me.” “He claims your father had an affair with his wife.” “With Clara?” Cat felt sick. Would her father do that? No. No. She didn’t want to believe it. “Why would Ray confess if that’s true?” “Clara convinced him to.” She sank back in her chair. “I can’t believe this.” Her eyes lifted to Reese’s. “Do my brothers know?” “I don’t know. I’ve talked to your father’s attorney but no one else.” He hesitated. “Cat.” Another pause. “When I met you, I wasn’t even handling this case.” Cat held up a hand. “Stop. I don’t want to hear this.” He leaned forward, both hands on her chair, rolling his closer so their knees touched. “You have to hear it. I didn’t know who you were. How could I? You never told me your last name.” His nearness made her insides tremble. She wanted him, but she didn’t want to get hurt any more than she already had. And this thing with Ray blew her away. Did everyone burn each other? She thought he was like a brother to her father. “It doesn’t matter.”

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“It does matter. Everything about what happened between us matters.” “It was sex, Reese. Sex. You can have it with anyone. Please do.” But she didn’t want him to. The words fell from her mouth with a bite of bitterness. “Is that all it was to you?” he demanded, anger creeping into his tone. “Just sex?” Pause. “Because it didn’t seem like just sex, Cat.” “Some out of character guilt has you delusional.” She reached up and shoved at his arms, reeling from the charge of electricity it sent through her body. “Move, damn it.” But he didn’t. In fact, he seemed to solidify to stone. And his eyes…they were hard. Even cold. “The sex was good,” he said. “You’re right about that. If it’s nothing more than that…why stop?” He let the question hang in the air. “I want you, Cat.” His hand found its way to her thigh just below her hemline. Cat sucked in a breath as the touch radiated up her legs to her core. She wanted him. Why could she not control her feelings with this man? His fingers inched their way beneath her hem and her hand went to the top of his. “Stop, Reese.” But even to her own ears, the words sounded lame. Lord help her, she didn’t want him to stop. He slid his other hand into her hair. “You want me,” he said. “I see it in your eyes.” Cat felt her nipples tighten, the heat of awareness burning her inside and out. She could barely think. Somehow, his fingers managed to make their way to her panties and he brushed the silk. The smoldering heat from moments before rocketed into a burning flame. Her eyes fluttered with the potency of the moment and her chest tightened. He eased her legs apart. Or maybe she did. She wasn’t sure. He inched the material of her skirt as high as it would go and then his eyes dropped to the vee of her body. Knowing he was looking at her served as an aphrodisiac of sorts. It turned her on and the throb between her thighs intensified, roaring with demand to be fed. Touched. Stroked. And when he pushed aside her panties and slid a finger along her sensitive flesh all reason fled. She wanted Reese. Everything prior to this moment didn’t matter. “I can feel how much you want me,” he said, sliding a finger along her now wet, sensitized body. 131

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Her hand went to his shirt, curling around it as she pulled him close. But need and the position of the chairs forced her to abandon that strategy quickly. She cradled his face in her palms, pulling his lips to hers and kissing him. Savoring him. Completely forgetting she was in the middle of a newsroom where scandal was made if not delivered. And here she was handing it over on a silver platter. Not even caring.

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Chapter Sixteen This wasn’t how Reese had planned his meeting with Cat. But Cat had tried to hide behind sex and he couldn’t let her. Hell, it pissed him off the way she tried to downplay what was between them. He knew she was scared, but damn it, so was he. He knew the situation was strange. Meeting the way they had and then finding out they had a link they didn’t know about. None of this changed the fact that there was something between them beyond the physical. Something he wasn’t ready to let go of. And he was willing to bet she wasn’t either. So, he’d decided if sex was her defense, he’d make it his offense. Not a good idea. His actions were backfiring. He was sliding into the realms of passion and forgetting all else. He’d only meant to prove his point. That they couldn’t just walk away from each other. That the sex felt like it did because they were connected somehow. But now, as his tongue slid along Cat’s, as he drank her in like a fine wine, he yearned to take her. To push her up on the conference table, spread her legs and sink deep inside her body. To claim her as his. To make her admit what was between them. He slid a finger inside her body, stroking her inner wall, loving the soft moans she made. Low and sensual. Rich with wanting. And though he didn’t dare take her right here in the newsroom, there were other options. He’d make her submit. Her release would be his path to the other side of her resistance. His way of reminding her how intense what they shared had been and could be again. Her fingers dug into his shoulders and she tore her mouth from his with a gasp, her legs spreading wider with the sound. His cheek pressed against hers even as he continued to play along the wet folds of her sensitive flesh. Pushing her toward release. His mouth found her ear. “Imagine if I was inside you right now,” he purred.

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“Yes,” she whispered. Desperation laced the word or maybe a plea. He nipped her earlobe and then trailed kisses along her jaw until his mouth lingered just above hers. “I can almost feel what it would like to be inside you. Buried deep, your warmth surrounding me.” “Yes.” The word came out a hiss and her head fell back, her back arching slightly. Her hips thrusting into the slow rhythm he’d begun. “Oh…I…” He felt her stiffen, felt her fingers sink deeper into his arms. Her head came forward and found his neck. “I…” She started to shake and then he felt her spasm around his fingers. With easy strokes, he eased her through the pleasure, slowing as the orgasm slowed, and removing his fingers only when he heard her sigh. She collapsed against him, confirming her completion, and for long moments they just sat there, unmoving, breathing together. Then abruptly, she raised her head and looked at him. “I can’t…I don’t…” She shut her eyes and drew a breath before fixing him in a hard look. “This changes nothing.” She tried to push away from him, but Reese grabbed her arms. “Don’t do this, Cat. Don’t shut me out.” “I didn’t know who you were.” “It doesn’t matter. We had a good time and it’s over.” She looked at one of her arms and back up at him. “Let go.” Damn it. He hated this. With the snap of a finger, her walls were back in place. He’d put himself on the line and she just kept slapping him down. Reese straightened, letting go of her arms. Feeling burned. He’d spent years focused on his career. Reese had known his father neglected his mother. It’s one of the reasons he hadn’t been quick to jump into a relationship. Hell, for years he loved his career more than he did anything. Time, maturity and a few bad cases had taught him some lessons. And then Cat came along and she had him believing he could find a balance between work and a personal life. Wanting to, was more like it. He pushed to his feet, shaking his head and laughing, but not with humor. A fool. He felt like a fool. Cat claimed from day one this was all 134

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about sex. Maybe she meant it. He’d spent over a week worried over this, desperate to make things right and she didn’t even give a crap. And the truth was, he had a law firm to run. His father had now taken off on vacation with his mother and he hoped like hell it was the first step to his retirement. His life wasn’t his own for a few years. He had no room for a relationship no matter how bad he’d wanted one with Cat. He turned to face her and motioned to the paper. “The story. If you want the exclusive here it is. Take notes. I expect nothing but what I say now, on the record, to be printed.” She stared at him, not moving. “Cat. I need to go. Do you want the story or not?”

***** Cat sat at the bar of the Blue Lagoon Restaurant and sipped her third margarita. Mike had asked her to meet him over an hour ago. Of course, she knew he wanted to tell her about the charges being dropped, but she knew already. Nice of him to tell her after it was already going to hit tomorrow’s papers. So, while she sat and waited, she drank. A lot more than usual. In fact, she hadn’t had this much to drink in, well, in years. But today she’d turned Reese away and he’d let her. She wasn’t sure what she’d wanted him to do, but walk away wasn’t it. Which was nuts. He was a poison. The kind who pulled her into the hell of her mother’s world. Wanting a man who would never find you more important than his work. And of course, that was the case with Reese. It took a certain breed to be an attorney. To think he would or could be different than the rest would be nuts. For a little window of time, she’d tried to convince herself the opposite was true. Just thinking about her stupidity made her take another long draw off her straw. She should stop drinking. Her head felt light. She took another sip, not caring. Wanting to forget. This thing with her father cheating with Ray’s wife had slapped her with the cold, hard reality that happily-ever-after was a fairy tale. The world was a big, dirty game and the easiest way to deal seemed to keep the play in perspective. She’d lost that with Reese and that meant she had to distance herself. If she didn’t, he would hurt her, and 135

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in a big way. Already, she felt the tequila seemed to dull the knot in her chest, at least a little. “Sorry I’m late.” Cat turned to find Mike looking his normal handsome self, tie loosened, shirt sleeves rolled up to the elbows. “I expected it. After all, nothing’s more important than work. I know the way it goes. Got it. No problem.” She took another really long drink. Mike gave her a probing look as he adjusted the barstool next to her so it angled toward her seat. He flagged the bartender. “How many have you had, little sis?” “Not enough.” She shoved her glass away. “Order me another.” Impatient, she flagged the bartender who didn’t see her. She slapped the bar. “Damn. Just like a man to be so distracted.” The man turned. “Over here. Drinks please.” The bartender, Joe, as he’d told her one drink back, smiled at her. He’d been flirting. She was okay with that. Not that it would get him anywhere, but she was pretty sure he’d made her drinks stronger than he might have otherwise. That counted for something. Tonight she wanted strong. When Joe appeared before Mike and slid a napkin on the mahogany bar, Mike kept his gaze on Cat. “What are you waiting on?” she asked, frowning. “Order.” She looked at Joe and patted the bar. “He wants a beer. Whatever you have on tap that’s light.” She realized her oversight. “Oh. Joe.” She motioned to Mike. “This is my brother Mike. Mike meet Joe. He’s the best margarita maker in all of Manhattan. Aren’t you, Joe?” Joe laughed. “If the lady says so, then it’s true. Light beer on tap then?” Mike gave him a nod. Cat eyed Joe. He was a sexy guy, her new bartender. He had long brown hair tied at the back in a ponytail. A square jaw. Deep blue eyes, but not as blue as Reese’s. He had eyes that would melt a woman in the middle of a snowstorm. Damn. Reese. God. Why would the man not get out of her head? Maybe she should take Joe home and fuck Reese out of her system. She sighed. She didn’t want Joe. She didn’t. Reese had ruined her. She wanted him. 136

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It was an emotional thought. “I’m empty, Joe.” She scooted her glass toward him. “I like the salt. Can I get more salt?” “Anything you want, Cat. More salt and a beer on tap coming up.” With Joe’s departure, Cat lingered on Reese. He was the type of man a woman should never fall for. It just so happened, her oldest brother fit the same formula. “So, Mike,” Cat said. “You’re a good-looking guy with lots of money.” He chuckled. “And you’re an attractive woman with lots of money.” “Ah,” she said, holding up a finger. “But there’s a difference between you and me.” The bartender set her drink in front of her. “Thank you. You’re fast, Joe. Not a good trait in the bedroom but a damn good one for the bar.” “Cat!” Mike barked his disapproval. “What?” she asked, eyeing him with a sideways look. “It’s true, Mike. We’re brother and sister. No secrets. It’s okay to be frank.” He cursed and reached for his beer, a deep frown on his handsome face. Cat laughed. “Give Joe a big tip with all that cash you have. You’re good at buying happiness.” She looked at Joe. “He’s loaded.” “All righty then,” Mike said, reaching in his pocket and obeying. A moment later he tilted back his beer and took a long slug. “As I was saying,” Cat said, running a finger over her salt-rimmed glass and sucking it off. “The difference in you and me—” “Is that I’m a man and you’re a woman?” “Ha ha.” She crinkled her nose. “You’re so funny.” Pause. “Not.” He grinned. Cat pinched the dimple. “See? Isn’t smiling better than all that frowning?” He shook his head as if he was at a loss for words. Whatever. She pointed a finger at her temple. “You and I think different. I hate the way people want me for my money.” Her brows dipped and he laughed again. Short. Without humor. “You think I want to be wanted for my money. Where the hell did you get a crazy idea like that?”

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Her hands fluttered in the air. “Oh come on, Mike.” There was a “give-me-a-break” tone to her voice. “You offer a woman no more than a good fuck.” She touched his arm and added with concern, “I hope it’s good.” She paused for a sip off her straw and to give Mike time to lift his jaw off the bar. “Then you give her a nice gift here and there. I know how smart you are, Mikey, and you know damn well they aren’t sticking around for love.” He grabbed her arm. “Will you keep your voice down?” She giggled, something she couldn’t remember doing in a very long time, nor could she help herself. It felt rather good. She giggled some more. “Sorry, Mikey.” In mock distress she said, “Don’t mean to embarrass the big, bad businessman.” “Okay,” Mike said. “You’re cut off.” He reached for her glass and she grabbed it. “No, I am not. This is New York. It’s not like I’m driving or something. There is no walking while drunk law.” She held up another finger. “Not that I’m drunk. I am merely feeling…feeling good.” “It’s called public intoxication and it is a law.” She waved him off with a hard flick of her wrist. “Whatever. Let’s just get down to business. That is why you’re here, right?” she asked. “Business? It’s always business. Let me make it simple for you so you can get on with your all-consuming life. The charges were dropped. I know. It’s tomorrow’s front page.” Then, in a sarcastic tone. “So nice of you to inform me after I already know.” He drew a deep breath. “Cat, I know I haven’t handled this well.” “Whatever you say, Mike. I don’t care anymore. I’m done thinking about it.” Silence. “Catherine.” She turned to look at him, eyes narrowed with warning. “Don’t call me that. Mom is the only person who called me that.” “I used to,” he said in a low voice. “When you were little.”

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The light, fun feeling started to turn more gray and sullen. “When we were kids. A long, long time ago.” “We’re still the same two people. Time has just muddied the water. I handled this wrong, Cat. I regret it.” She didn’t want his apology. Dad had done that too many times over the years. When he’d missed a school function. Hell, when he’d been late to her high school graduation and missed her walk across the stage. Sorry meant nothing. “Not just you. Rick. Dad. None of you.” “I know.” He hesitated and ran a hand through his hair. “I do know. I wanted to spare you as much as I could. Finding out Ray stole from Dad was a blow to all of us. I’d hoped it might not even be true.” “Ray acted out of pain, Mike. Daddy screwed his wife. Yes. He screwed Clara. The man has no heart. It’s all about his needs. His desires. His everything. Who knows? Maybe Mom knew. Maybe it went back that far, this affair. Maybe that’s what did her heart in.” “What? Dad and Clara?” He shook his head. “No. What gave you that crazy idea?” Cat squeezed her eyes shut and with a shaky hand shoved hair out of her eyes. “I wasn’t supposed to tell.” Deep breath and then she forced herself to look at him. “I seem to be much worse at the whole ‘keep my mouth shut’ thing than you are.” Mike’s face had turned pale. “How do you know this?” “Reese Winter told me. He swore me to secrecy.” Several mumbled curse words and a drink of his beer later, Mike responded. “Maybe Ray is lying.” “Maybe,” Cat said. “But according to Reese, Clara is the one who convinced Ray to tell all and clear Dad.” Mike turned to face the bar, silent. Cat continued, “Kind of changes this situation, doesn’t it? Seems everybody is using everybody in some way. Then again, it might not bother you. You live that life. But it bugs the hell out of me.”

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Mike turned a scrutinizing look on her. “When did you get this bitter?” “I’m not bitter. I’m realistic.” She made a sound of disbelief. There had been a time when she and Mike were close. Now, he knew nothing of who or what she was. That turned her mood darker. Sour almost. “And darling, I should thank you. Along with Rick, and Dad, you showed me the light. I know the real story. The truth behind the fiction. I won’t be dumb enough to…” Her voice caught in her throat. “Be Mom.” She turned away from Mike, hands going to the stem of her glass, needing a place to settle. Damn alcohol. One minute it had you laughing, the next emotional. The touch of Mike’s hand on her shoulder brought a surprising bit of comfort. But then again, he was her big brother. In her youth, she’d idolized him. He would protect her from all. All her brothers would. She missed those days too much. Again, she cursed the alcohol. She hadn’t felt the need to have her big brother rescue her in too many years to count. She didn’t want to be needy. Standing on her own two feet kept her sane. Still, she didn’t shove him away. A part of her wanted the days when her big brother was her friend. Mike scooted his chair closer, brushing her hair from her eyes. “Sweetie. I hate you feel these things. Dad loved Mom. He was a fool for treating her like he did, but he regrets it. I’ve heard him talk about it. I don’t know how this thing with Clara happened but Mom’s been gone a long time. I don’t believe it happened when she was alive.” That her father talked to Mike and never to her only enhanced to ache of being an outsider. “How can you be sure?” “I’ve seen the pain of his regret. Heard him talk about it, but mostly seen the way he’s changed. Cat…I don’t want to let that happen to me. I’ve thought a lot about this. And I don’t want it to happen to you.” Cat looked at him. “Do you think he really did it? Slept with Clara?” Remorse flashed in Mike’s expression. “Reese told you this and that counts for something,” he said. “I’ve met him. I’m a pretty good judge of people. I don’t believe he would have told you if he wasn’t certain. Especially not you. He cares for you.” 140

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His words sent a shock wave through her system. “What? No, he doesn’t. He used me just like…he doesn’t.” She turned away and faced the bar. “He didn’t know, Cat. I…went to talk to him about you.” “What?” Cat half gasped, fixing her gaze on him. “I had to. I thought he used you. I was pissed.” She dropped her face to her hand. “I can’t believe this.” Mike turned her to face him. “I want to make a deal with you.” “What is it with you men and making deals? No. No deal.” He ignored her words. “I will make a damn hard effort to change my ways, if you will, too.” “Me?” she asked, surprised. “What do I need to change?” “Stop judging everyone by your asshole brothers and I promise to stop being one.” “It’s not that easy,” Cat said. “Try. That’s all I ask.” He let the words linger in the air. “Will you try for me, Cat? Please. You won’t regret it.” “The proof is in actions, Mike. I’ll try when you give me reason.” He smiled. “Then it’s a deal. No. Promise. I’m going to make pulling our family back together my pet project. All you have to do is give us and everyone a chance.” Her chest tightened with emotion. She so wanted to believe him. “Fine.” He smiled. She frowned. “Don’t get all happy. I want proof.” “And I’ll deliver it.”

***** Reese stood in the bar entrance and stared across the room at Cat. She sat with Mike. It had taken him an hour to get to the bar and Mike had promised to try and sober her up before his arrival. The coffee cups in front of them seemed to indicate he was good to his word. 141

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Mike had convinced him Cat needed him. And foolish as it might be, he was here, once again, ready to put himself on the line. To have his heart stomped on and beaten. His heart. That is what it came down to. He was falling in love with Cat. It’s why he’d allowed himself to be talked into showing up. Reese knew he and Cat had the potential to share something special. If there was a chance to start fresh, to explore what could be, he wanted it. It would be tough. She hated his job and he was locked into the firm for at least a year after his father’s retirement. Long enough to convince his dad to stay gone. When the time was right, Reese would leave and start his own practice. And then things would be different. Until then, Cat would have to understand his crazy schedule and even a few cases he preferred to avoid becoming a part of his future. He wasn’t sure she was willing to deal with it all. But he needed to know. Mike glanced over his shoulder and spotted Reese. With a discreet wave of his hand he motioned him forward. Cat faced the bar, her long blonde hair like silk down her back, a contrast to the black pants and blouse she wore. Reese approached the bar. The anticipation of her scent, her touch, her taste, like a low hum along his nerve endings. When he stood behind her, Mike eased from his chair and murmured something about a phone call. And just like that he was left with Cat. With a deep breath, Reese claimed the chair Mike had just left, resisting the demanding urge to touch her. “Hello, Cat.” She turned toward him, shock registering in her expression. “Reese?” She blinked as if she thought he was an alcohol-induced illusion. “What are you doing here?” “Giving us one last shot.” He waited a moment but she didn’t respond. “Unless you tell me it’s a worthless cause, in which case I will walk you home and you’ll never see me again.” “I don’t need to be walked home.” She turned away and grabbed her purse. Next thing he knew she took off walking. Shit! “Wait!” Reese tossed money on the bar not knowing if the tab was paid and took off after her. 142

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She’d made it all the way to the street by the time he caught up. “I’m taking this as a get-lost. Your brother called me, you know.” “I got that,” she said walking faster. “I’m not stupid. I put two and two together and figured out that’s the only way you knew I was at that bar. Why he called, I don’t know.” “He cares, Cat.” “He feels guilty. There’s a difference.” “I’ve seen a lot of people who don’t so much as blink at other people’s pain. Your brother called me because he cares about you.” She gave him a sideways look. “So he called you.” It wasn’t a question. “Two guilty men trying to make up. Amazing how you can come together in your time of need.” He grabbed her arm and turned her to face him. “I don’t deserve this. I didn’t know who you were. My career does not make me a jerk.” He paused. “I’m sorry I came. I really am. I thought…well, it doesn’t matter. I’ll walk you home and then that’s it. I’m gone.” Reese let his hands drop, feeling burned by her words and actions. For several seconds, she stared at him and then, without a word, turned and started walking. Side by side they traveled toward her apartment, the tension and emotion between them so thick it could be cut with a knife. When they reached her building she turned to him. Her eyes were wide with vulnerability. “Will you come up?” “This isn’t about sex, Cat. You’ve been drinking and I wish like hell I had been. If I come up, we talk. Nothing more.” She nodded. “I want to talk.”

***** Reese’s words back on the sidewalk had been like ice water in her face. She wanted to blame the alcohol for how she’d acted in the bar, but Mike had forced coffee down her and the fuzziness was fast fading. Food had made a huge difference. Drinking on an empty stomach never turned out well. She couldn’t remember the last meal she’d eaten. 143

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Stress tended to either make her eat a lot or not at all. Besides, the alcohol wasn’t what had made her act so poorly. Fear had. She was scared of being hurt. And Reese could hurt her with the snap of his fingers. He’d managed to steal her heart. Deep down she’d known this from the moment she’d met him. Tonight, she had to admit it for the first time. If any man was the man, it was him. She didn’t want to lose him. Cat led Reese into the living room and sat down on one side of the couch. He joined her, leaving a huge space between them. Dressed much like her brother, tie loose, shirtsleeves rolled up, it should have reminded her of their similarities. The things she didn’t want in her life about their career and lives. Instead, she could only think of how much she wanted to touch Reese. To kiss him and tell him she was sorry. She wanted to believe in Reese, and even in Mike, for that matter. Her chest tightened as she tried to draw in a breath. “I was wrong back there at the bar…and when we were walking. I shouldn’t have acted that way.” She paused. “Same goes for my office. I didn’t mean what I said…that it’s all been about sex.” His eyes met hers. Blue, so very blue. And potent. It was hard to think when he looked at her like that. “Then why did you say it was?” he asked, his voice low. Challenging. She closed her eyes a moment, terrified about what she was about to admit. Forcing her gaze back to his, she responded. “You scare the hell out of me, Reese. What you make me feel and think and want.” She watched his chest rise and fall for several seconds, his expression indiscernible. “Because I’m an attorney and a part of a world you don’t want to be in.” It wasn’t a question. “That’s what I told myself at first. And I won’t lie. To some degree, there is truth there. Only, it’s more than that. I feel things with you I have never felt and you have no idea how hard this is to admit.” She laughed, but not with humor. “There is probably just enough alcohol left in me to give me the courage to admit all this.” He stared at her, not saying anything. “Don’t just sit there. Say something!” 144

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“Is this about sex?” “No. Yes. I mean, damn it, I want you, Reese. You know I do. But it’s not about that. I think…well, I think the physical part is so good because there is more to it than just sex.” Reese slid across the couch and took her hand. His touch felt like an electric charge. “I knew you were scared. I understand, you know. I feel all the same things.” “You do?” His hand slid down her hair in a gentle caress. “Of course, I do. I’ve never felt like this. Never.” He kissed her then, soft and sensual, but oh-so tender. When he raised his head, he stared into her eyes. “I need to tell you some things. I need to know if you can deal with what I have going on in my life.” “If this is about your job—” He stopped her words with a brush of his lips. “It is. I have to take over the firm or my father won’t retire. He and my mom are trying to work things out. I have to give them that chance. That means a lot of demands the next year. A lot.” Her hand went to his cheek, stroking the stubble on his square jaw. “And you’re telling me this why?” “It will impact you. Us, that is. I’ll work long hours and I’ll take some cases I won’t love. But when it’s over, I’ll leave and open my own practice. I want you to know there’s an end in sight. If you’re willing to ride it out with me.” He paused and drew her hand to his mouth. “What I’m saying is I want to know where this is going, you and me. I need to know.” She smiled. “I need to know too. And you’re worth a little pain for the pleasure, Reese. I’m not going to bail because you’re trying to take care of your parents. In fact, I find the fact that you would sacrifice for their happiness incredibly sexy.” His brow lifted and a smile played on his deliciously sensual mouth. “Is that so?” he asked.

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“Hmmm,” she purred, and moved, pushing him against the couch and straddling him. “And I might even let you be on top sometimes.” He laughed and she nipped his earlobe. “Make love to me, Reese,” she whispered. Reese framed her face with his hands and looked at her. His eyes were hot and demanding, searching for the truth. For confirmation of the meaning behind her words. Her hands went to his. “Make love to me, Reese.” She repeated the words, sensing he needed to hear them. And then he kissed her, sealing the promise inside the words with a hot, sensual claiming of her mouth. And as he moved, claiming her position on top and laying her down on the couch, she smiled. On top. On the bottom. It really didn’t matter. But making love. That mattered.

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About the Author Lisa Renee Jones lives in Austin, Texas. She owned and operated a seven-office staffing company for eleven years. She discovered a love for writing in 2003 and sold her business, and now has a dozen published titles.

Lisa Renee Jones welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email address on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.

Also by Lisa Renee Jones Addicted Christmas King Hurt So Good Red Hot Secrets Underground Guardians: Healer Underground Guardians: Protector

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