Barefoot Kisses: A Billionaire Love Story (2 page)

“Calvin-” I started, but thought better of it and shut my mouth.

“I really wish you would be more like Alexa.” Calvin looked at me with such disappointment and pity that I felt sick to my stomach. “You'll just need to work harder. Like she does. I can't take your name out of the scholarship running, but I will have to tell them my concerns.

It took everything I had not to get up and murder Alexa right then and there. That scholarship was my dream and I had worked my ass off for the law firm to be the top contender. I was already a part of every opportunity the law firm offered, but the full ride scholarship to Harvard Law was what I really wanted.

“Would you like to add anything, Lena?” Calvin asked. There was a lot I wanted to add, but none of it would help me get a raise or even keep my job. Several expletives and obscene offers sat on my tongue for what he could do with his opinion of me from Alexa.

“I don't feel that Alexa's assessment is unbiased or a good example of the rest of my interactions with staff,” I said diplomatically. “If you look at the referrals written by some of the other lawyers, as well as my case numbers, you'll see that I've gone above and beyond the basic duties assigned to me. Mr. Joffrey's case, for example-”

“I don't care about Mr. Joffrey's case,” Calvin replied, cutting me off. “Alexa's concerns still stand. If you can't work with one lawyer, how can I expect you to work with the others?”

I bit my tongue, nearly drawing blood. My file clearly showed that I
did
work well with the others. The other lawyers loved my work. I took a deep breath and tried to come up with a way to salvage this. There was always a way to salvage things. If I wanted to be a lawyer, I had to learn to manage situations like this.

“Mr. Abrams,” I said slowly, using his formal title. “What do I need to do in order to prove to you that I am not only a reliable employee, but one of the best paralegals at this firm?”

He barked a laugh. “You may have the other lawyers willing to write nice things for you, but Alexa tells it like it is. I already told you, you need to be more like Alexa.”

I wanted to scream. This wasn't anywhere close to fair. He wasn't listening to anything I had to say. I frowned trying to think of something to change his mind, but as I looked up at him, I realized it was a lost cause. He took Alexa's word as gospel.

“I see,” was the only thing I could say.

“I hope to see you make some improvements.” Calvin didn't look at me as he filed my review away in his desk. “You can go now.”

I stood stiffly. My skirt pinched at my stomach and there was a run in my nylons. It took everything I had to turn and walk out with as much grace as a broken heel could give me. I looked back at him as I opened the door to leave and wondered how things could have gone so poorly.

T
wo shimmering dust specks twisted through the golden evening sunlight, circling and spinning, dancing with one another like long lost lovers as they slowly descended and finally came to rest on the shiny black surface of my desk. There they sat, motionless and lifeless after their golden fall. I stared at them for a moment, wondering if motes of dust could feel, and if they could, if they felt as let down as I did.

I shifted in my chair, feeling the stiff fabric of my skirt tighten across my legs. I wished I had brought a change of clothes so I didn't have to wear my suit anymore. The lawyers were expected to dress in suits, but as a paralegal, I was allowed to wear business casual. I kicked at the broken pair of heels under my desk and tugged at my uncomfortable skirt. Right now, I would have killed for a pair of flats and pants.

My phone buzzed, skittering along the edge of my desk. I hoped it wasn't my sister canceling on me. We had dinner reservations, and while we were no longer going to be able to celebrate my raise, a drink sounded fantastic. Dinner with my little sister would at least make my day a little better.

The message was from Alexa. I thought about chucking my phone across the hallway instead of checking it, but since I didn't get the raise, I knew I wouldn't be able to afford a new one. I opened the message, my jaw falling a little bit as I read it.

Go to my office and find the discovery file for the Preston Case. It needs to be in Calvin's office by 5.

It was 4:45. I had fifteen minutes to go find the stupid file and give it to Calvin, and since she was asking me to do it, that meant she had left early. I was stuck doing her work again, and if I was late getting it to Calvin, it would be my fault. Anger burned hot in my throat. I had to do it or risk losing my job. Calvin would put Alexa over me every time because she was an associate and I was just a lowly paralegal.

I left my broken shoes tucked under my desk and crossed the hall to Alexa's office barefoot. No one was around, and there was no way I was wearing broken shoes if I didn't have to. Nylon stockings beat limping down the hall.

Alexa's office was tiny, but it was all hers. She never let me forget that she, as an associate, had a real office while I just had a desk that I had to share with the other paralegals. It was a good thing she didn't have to share with anyone, because it was a total mess. Files were strewn across the desk and stacked in haphazard piles. Books and more open files laid scattered across the filing cabinets on the back wall. I recognized some of the books as ones from the research library upstairs.

I picked up one, checking the title:
Wage and Hour Collective and Class Litigation
. This was part of the permanent reference section and wasn't even supposed to leave the library. I sighed and set it down. I was leaving it in her office. Alexa could deal with the trouble that was going to come down on her for having it.

As soon as the book left my fingers, I had a bad feeling about it. That was too easy. Alexa never got in trouble for things. Ever. Especially when it was her fault. I felt the need to check and make sure she wasn't going to screw me over. Again.

She had left her computer on, so it only took me a moment to log onto the law firm computer system to check the status of the book. It was checked out in my name. I had no idea how she even had my account number, but she had been using it for a while. She had not only taken two reserved books that weren't supposed to leave the library, but four others that were due at the end of the day. If Alexa didn't return them on time, which considering she wasn't even here to deliver her own files, I was the one who was going to get busted. I wouldn't qualify for even a cost of living raise with that on my head.

I collected all the books and stacked them on the edge of the desk while I searched for the discovery file. It took a little while, but I finally found it buried under two other files and a stack of magazines. Just holding it made my stomach boil with anger. It was the discovery information that she had tried to pawn off on me. This was the reason for my bad review.

It felt surprisingly light, so I thumbed through it to make sure all the pages were there. The file was complete, but pitifully short. I checked it again, just to make sure I wasn't missing something. Calvin was going to be pissed. This was a huge case, one that the head partners were involved in, and Alexa had completely half-assed it. She was supposed to have researched every aspect of our clients and their accuser, but just glancing through it I could see items that Alexa had completely skipped over to save herself time. The partners were not going to be happy about this. I really hoped that Alexa was in for some of the karmic justice she deserved.

“Whatever,” I mumbled as I placed the folder on top of my stack of books. Before today, I would have considered adding in more research, but not anymore. My lips twitched up at the idea of him calling her and forcing her to come back and work on it tonight. I imagined her showing up in uncomfortable party clothes and having to work into the night as I skipped off to my fancy dinner. The look on her imaginary face made me smile.

All I had to do was drop the file off at Calvin's office, then head upstairs to return the books before I got in trouble for them. Once I had that done, I could text my sister to bring a spare set of shoes with her to the restaurant and I would be on my way to dinner. There was less than ten minutes left in my workday- what could happen in ten minutes that could ruin things further?

The stack of books was heavier than I had expected, and the file kept trying to slip off as I tried to open the door without dropping anything, but I was determined to get out of here on time. I finally caught the door handle and swung it open as hard as I could. I rushed out without looking so the door wouldn't slam shut on me before I could escape.

I should have looked, because instead of an empty hallway in front of me, there was a person. All I saw was his white dress shirt before I nearly barreled into him. I shrieked and nearly threw my hands up in the air in surprise. Luckily, I managed to keep the books in my arms despite my shock, but the file resting on top was not so lucky. It opened, sending the papers inside fluttering to the ground like snow.

“I am so sorry,” I said quickly as I set my books down on the ground and began scrambling to pick up the pieces of paper. I was just glad I had managed not to injure either of us. “I wasn't looking where I was going, and-”

“It was my fault,” the man assured me, handing me the file folder. He was down on one knee, helping me pick up the fallen reports. I looked up at him to see the most amazing hazel eyes I had ever seen in my life. Green, gold, brown, and just a touch of blue swirled together like granite under green water. Hair the color of honey with just a slight curl accented the colors of his eyes. He was smiling at me, and the smile in addition to those eyes made my heart skip a beat.

I tried not to stare, but he was possibly the most handsome man I had ever met in real life. His features were strong and bold, but chiseled and sophisticated. High cheekbones contrasted nicely with a strong, almost crooked nose. I wondered if he had broken it at some point in his life. It added character and mystery. He was simply breathtaking.

It took me a moment of staring before I took the folder from him. “Thanks,” I managed to get out. I could feel my cheeks starting to burn so I looked down at his shoes instead of his face. They were expensive shoes. His gray dress pants were of high quality too, as was the cream-colored button-up shirt he was wearing. After working with incredibly high paid lawyers, I had learned to appreciate quality. His clothing was expensive, but practical. I had seen similar outfits on high paid personal assistants.

The body underneath those clothes was what really captured my attention. His broad shoulders and the muscles of his arms screamed that he enjoyed some sort of physical activity. Boxing maybe? That would certainly explain the nose. He didn't have a tie, so I figured he must be someone's assistant. Clients typically stayed up on the sixteenth floor and sent their assistants down to the Dungeon.

“Did I knock your shoes off?” he asked. I nearly dropped the file.

“What?” I gasped, feeling incredibly flustered. I hoped he thought the blush searing across my cheeks was from nearly running him over and not the way he was making my heart pitter-patter and my brain think dirty thoughts about him knocking my shoes off.

“You aren't wearing shoes,” he explained. He had a deep voice that was easy to listen to.

“Oh, right!” I laughed nervously. I always had a hard time around handsome men. I never could tell what they were thinking. “I broke a heel earlier today, so I left them under my desk. I didn't think I'd run into anyone today.”

He chuckled at my unintentional pun and handed me the last loose piece of paper. My hand accidentally brushed against his, sending a thrill straight up my arm and directly into my heart. I glanced up at his face, hoping to see the same reaction but he was already rising to his feet.

I quickly counted and organized the pages in the file to make sure they were all still there. For once I was actually glad Alexa had skimped on her work; it meant I had less to pick up. I turned to pick up the books, but the man already had them in his arms.

“Let me,” he said, smiling at my confused expression.

“You really don't have to do that. I can get them,” I replied, feeling incredibly self conscious as I rose from the floor. Only teenagers from the 1950's offered to carry a girl's books. “Besides, I was the one who ran into you.”

“Then how about a trade?” he offered, keeping the books close to him so I couldn't take them. His eyes held a secret mirth, as though he knew exactly what I was thinking and found it amusing. “I'll carry the books for you if you'll show me how to get out of here.”

“What?” I was saying that a lot to this man, but he had me thoroughly flustered.

“I'll carry the books for you if you show me the way to the main elevators,” he explained. “That's why I was coming to your office. I've been wandering around looking for the way out when I saw the light on in there.”

“The exit's actually just around the corner and to the right,” I said, pointing down the hallway helpfully. “People are always getting lost down here. Someone really should have walked you out.”

He flashed me a heart-stopping grin. I suddenly wished I hadn't just told him where the exit was. I should know better than to tell good looking men who want to carry my books how to escape from me.

“Then why don't you walk me out once we've delivered these?” he asked, ignoring my directions. For whatever reason, he wanted to carry my books. Maybe he just felt bad about nearly running me over.

“Okay,” I said, tucking a stray strand of hair behind my ear. “I have to drop this file off at my boss's office before we take the books upstairs. You sure? You really don't have to.”

“I'm sure,” he told me, the corners of his mouth moving up toward another grin. “I'm waiting for my ride, and I would rather spend the time carrying your books than waiting in the lobby.”

“It's over this way,” I said, leading the way down the hall. I could feel him walking beside me, far enough away to be polite, but close enough that I was very aware of his presence. Plus, he smelled amazing. It was a clean, light scent that reminded me more of soap than cologne. The short walk to Calvin's office was not nearly long enough.