Beguile her: Laws of Seduction Book 2 (2 page)

“It’s getting pretty late. Shall we go?” he asks.

I just smile and nod. Davis takes my hand and starts leading me to the door. “Don’t we have to tell Selene goodbye?” I ask.

“Already done.”

We stand waiting for the elevator to take us down to the lobby. The silence seems heavy with the raucous sounds from the party in the background. Davis has moved his hand to my waist, and he pulls me around to face him before settling his lips on mine. At first I am startled, but then I close my eyes and kiss him back.

One thing is for sure. Davis knows how to kiss a woman. After a while, he draws back and looks down at me with a slight smile. “I’ve wanted to do that all evening.”

He looks so mischievous that a little laugh escapes me. “I hope it was worth the wait.”

“Most definitely.” His grin widens as we step onto the waiting elevator. 

CHAPTER 2

Monday morning finds me in a better frame of mind. As I head for my desk, I remind myself that I will be ignoring the existence of James.  I have spent the weekend doing everything in my power to keep from dwelling on him. Every time I think of him I become angry. Angry at him for treating me so disdainfully. Angry at myself for letting it happen, and most of all angry that it gets to me so much. Whenever my mind shifts to James, I redirect my thoughts to Davis and our date Friday night. The uninhibited passion that I feel around James may not be there, but good relationships should be built on things like mutual respect and kindness. 

I have just begun some research for Elizabeth when my phone lights up, indicating that Andrew Mills is calling me. This is the senior partner we all refer to as Mills because he insists on calling everyone by their last names. My heartbeat ratchets up a notch and my hands break out in a sweat. Why is a
 
senior partner calling me on a Monday morning? Hesitantly, I pick up the line, but force myself to answer with a firm, “This is Elaine.”

“Good morning, Hart. Do you have a moment to come to Roosevelt?”

“Yes, of course.” I answer deferentially, and then think to double-check. “Right now?”

“Yes, I’ll see you in a few minutes,” he says before I hear the click of the call ending.

My nerves go on high alert.
I say goodbye to the start of a good day as I resolutely walk towards the Roosevelt conference room. I give the door two brief knocks before taking a deep breath and walking in. My gaze takes in Andrew Mills sitting at the end of the small conference table, and then I noticed the other occupant. I stifle a gasp when I see Karl Rothschild sitting next to him. “Mr. Rothschild, I wasn’t expecting to see you here,” I say as I step forward to shake his hand.

“Hello, Miss Hart,” he says, smiling at me and giving me a friendly wink. “It’s nice to see you again.” I return my confused gaze to Mills, who indicates that I should take the seat next to him. I sit down and fold my hands in front of me on the table, curious about the meaning behind this unexpected meeting. Mills clears his throat before beginning. “Well, Ms. Hart, I am sure you are wondering what this is all about?” I doubt that he requires a response but find myself nodding my head nervously. “Mr. Rothschild has come to Houghton Mills with an opportunity. In a nutshell, he is unhappy with his current representation and wishes Houghton Mills to take over representation of some of his key holdings. He would like you to be lead attorney.”

Shock ripples through me, and I am uncertain if I have understood correctly. I sit in stunned silence as Mills words replay in my mind. “But I’m only a junior associate,” I state lamely.

“Yes, there is that,” says Mills dryly before continuing. “We will have to work out the details, but you would of course be working with a team. Essentially, though, the client,” he tilts his head toward Karl, “would be yours.”

Karl nods his head once in support of Mills and smiles at me warmly. “As Andrew says, all these details can be ironed out. Why don’t you walk me out? Lydia Banks will be your liaison with me, and she will be able to get you up to speed. I will have her call you later in the day so you can get started.”

“Of course,” I say as we all stand up. After Mills and Karl shake hands, I open the door and gesture that he should precede me. As we walk toward the lobby, Karl walks with his hands clasped behind his back. “I know this must all come as a big surprise, Lainey, but you saved my son’s life, and if I there is anything that it is in my power to do to help you, then I will.”

“Karl, I told you at the time, I don’t need a reward.”

Karl shrugs his shoulders nonchalantly. That’s not the way I do things, and besides, don’t thank me yet; it may turn out to be more of a curse than a reward.”

After this cryptic remark, we find ourselves standing in the lobby. Karl reminds me once again to expect Lydia Banks to call before stepping through the glass doors leading to the elevator banks. I watch as he presses the call button for the descending elevators. A few seconds later, the elevator announces its arrival. The door opens, and he turns to give me a little wave before stepping into the elevator. At the same time, I notice someone else stepping out – James. He turns towards the lobby doors and sees me standing there. He stops infinitesimally before approaching me with the confident, masculine stride I find so appealing. Stopping in front of me, his piercing blue eyes roam over me, and I am glad I am wearing my new black, cap-sleeve shirt dress. Black seemed to suit my mood this morning. The asymmetrical cut and the buttons running in a slant from the neck to the waist and then down the side keep it from being boring.

James must see something in my face because he asks, “What’s wrong?”

I glance nervously at the receptionist. James takes me by the elbow and leads me back down the corridor to his office. “Tell me what’s wrong,” he repeats as soon as the door has closed behind him. I lick my lips, which feel dry, and notice his eyes focusing on my mouth. Taking a deep breath, I relate to him the events of the morning. He walks over to his desk leaning his hips back against the front and folding his arms across his chest. “Are you telling me that Karl Rothschild is rewarding you for saving his son’s life with his business?”

“Yes,” I gasp, the reality of the situation finally hitting me.

“That is…” James shakes his head back and forth, speechless.

“I know.”

“Well, this should be interesting.”

“Thanks for your vote of confidence.”

“That’s not what I meant, Lainey.”

“Well then, what did you mean?” I ask defensively.

“Are you still angry at me?”

I roll my eyes. Men can be so dense sometimes. “James,” I say with exasperation, “you completely blew me off last week.” I don’t even mention the flirting with Elizabeth.

“I know I probably handled that badly.”

“Probably?” I interrupt him.

“Okay, I did handle that badly, but I want you to know that I had my reasons.”

I wait for him to continue. When he doesn’t, I prompt, “and those were?”

James looks at me with what, fear? Before I can analyze his expression further, he straightens and walks around his desk. He turns his back to me to look out the window. “I don’t want to talk about them right now… if ever. Let’s just say they reminded me of why I am not cut out for relationships.”

I can’t help but be touched by the hint of vulnerability he has revealed to me. I walk over and place a hand on his back, but I remove it
 
when I feel him stiffen. “James, I know you have baggage. I have baggage too. This is nothing new. Do you really want to throw away what we shared because of that?”

He turns back around to look at me. “Lainey, I wish we could just pick up where we left off, but… it’s complicated.”

“Why don’t you let me be the judge of that?”

“I can’t. Please, just let it go.”

I don’t know how to respond to his entreaty. I can tell that begging him will do no good, and a sense of bitter disappointment swamps me. Swallowing the lump in my throat, I ask, “Can we at least be friends?”

James reaches down and takes my hand, squeezing it gently. “I will always be your friend.” 

The sincere look in his eyes is almost my undoing. “I’m glad.” Holding back the tears that are pressing against the back of my eyelids, I gesture towards the door. “I guess I had better get back to work.” I see James nod as I escape out the door.

I make it to the restroom, and after letting a few tears escape, I relentlessly quash the impulse to break down in sobs. Not at work,
 
not
 
at work I repeat to myself over and over again. Think of something else – anything but James. After managing to get a grip on my tumultuous emotions, I go back to my desk and get back to work.

A little after seven, I finally drag my exhausted body home. Sam is already there whipping up one of her protein drinks and making a complete mess in the kitchen. I fling myself down on our sofa, which is a hand me down from Suzanne. 

“Bad day?” asks Sam.

I moan miserably, rest my head on the back of the sofa, and close my eyes. Feeling a hard object nudging my arm, I turn to see Sam holding out a glass of her protein drink in front of me. “I think I need something stronger.”

Sam laughs, “That bad? Just drink this and go for a run, and I am sure you will feel better.”

Taking the glass, I take a tentative sip. Sometimes Sam’s concoctions can be a little, well, let’s say interesting. Hmm, this one seems to taste a lot like chocolate. Since it is not so bad, I take another less cautious sip. “Thanks.”

“So, tell me about your day.”

I fill Sam in on the Rothschild business, and she looks at me with a dumbfounded expression on her face. It almost makes me laugh to see Sam at such a loss for words. She is the second person today that I have made speechless. This makes me think of James, and I once again have to fight back the urge to cry. She must have seen the distraught look on my face because she asks, “Isn’t this good news?”

“Well, yes… I guess… but that’s not it.” I set my protein drink down on the coffee table. “I also spoke with James today.”

“Oh no. It didn’t go well?”

“He won’t give us a chance. It has something to do with baggage from his past, but he won’t tell me what.” I look up at Sam beseechingly. “What can I do with that, Sam? And he played the friend card.” 

Sam gasps “No.”

I give a little hiccupping sob. “Oh, yes… we’re going to be friends.”

Sam pulls me into her arms for a hug. I let her hold me for a moment before pushing away. I wipe the tears that stream down my cheeks with my hands, and Sam gets up to bring me the box of tissues from our bathroom. “Thank you,” I manage to squeak before blowing my nose into a tissue. “I’m alright,” I assure her.

“I still can’t believe that you are going to represent Karl Rothschild. He is a huge client. This could make your career.”

“I know.” I give a watery little laugh. “Make it or break it you mean.”

“Lainey, you are so smart. You won’t have any problems showing them what a great lawyer you are.”

I smile fondly at Sam. “Thanks for the vote of confidence, but let’s face it… I am a junior associate with no experience.”

“Listen Lainey, Houghton Mills is going to be bending over backwards to help you. If you leave, you will take the client with you, and having Rothschild as a client is a huge feather in their cap. Believe me, they will not let you fail.”

I think back over the hectic day at the firm. Andrew Mills had called me into his office and informed me that I would be given my own office and that he would help me put a team together. He had also promised to help me personally as much as possible. I thought with his guidance I might just be able to handle it all. We had then spent some time discussing a team. It was going to be tricky not bruising any egos. Not only would I be a junior associate in charge of a group of seasoned lawyers, but I was also woefully inexperienced. We had left on a first-name basis, and I had felt that I had at least one supporter.

“They are moving me into my own office tomorrow.”

Sam’s eyes widen. “Wow, you’re in the big leagues now, honey. Go for it is my advice.” My cell phone vibrates, indicating that I have a new message. “That could be James.”

“Yea, my friend James sending me a friendly text.” I pick up my phone, and after giving it a glance, turn the display towards Sam. “Nope, it’s Mark.”

“He’s still contacting you?”

I start to nod, but then I realize that I haven’t heard from Mark that much recently. “Sometimes.”

After dinner, I decide to go for a run. I run north up to Riverside Park this evening because I want to avoid any reminders of James. It is dark by the time I get back. I shower and get ready for bed. Once I settle down for the night, I wonder how I will ever fall asleep with all the events of the day racing through my head. This is my last thought before slumber overtakes me.

CHAPTER 3

At Pier 15 I look with trepidation
 
at the gangway leading to the sleek cruise boat that I will be trapped on for the next four hours. I glance toward the South Street Seaport and consider begging Davis to bail with me. Davis touches my elbow and looks down at me quizzically. No, I can do this. Don’t forget the open bar, I remind myself. There is always liquid courage. I give Davis a reassuring smile and place my silver stiletto on the gangway. The sun has just set, and it is still light.  I look
 
south at the Brooklyn skyline before turning my attention to the boat deck. The HM lawyers and their partners seem to be enjoying themselves mingling on deck.