Hornet's Nest (4 page)

THE ELEVATOR DINGED, sending a sharp pain through my head as my insides continued to twist and turn. I had to remember to quit drinking so much whiskey, but I only ever remembered that the morning after. I pushed away from the elevator wall, stepping out into the lobby. My heels clicked against the marble tile of the law firm I had been working at for three years. I sipped hot coffee from my travel mug, hoping for it to clear my head and bring on a quick recovery as I remembered what drove me to whiskey: the day to day accounting of corporate law. It would drive anyone to a bar. Unfortunately, I did this to myself with my own bottle of whiskey; drinking solo for what seemed like the millionth time for well over a year. I shook my head before I unlocked the door to my office.
One day, I will stop thinking about him. One day, I’ll drink him away.

As I stepped into my office, the sun blinded me through my wall made of glass. I winced at the light, but decided to make my head suffer and kept the blinds up. I sat behind my desk and tossed my purse into the bottom drawer, stupidly placing my cell next to the computer like I had every day since Jordan’s wedding.
Like a damn fool.

While waiting for my computer to wake up for the day, I popped a B-12 to help with the morning-after hangover. I’d had worse. I could handle this. My computer dinged with an email and I exhaled one last breath before starting the day. I clicked open the envelope and the subject line read,
We love our auntie!
I smiled as a picture of Jordan holding her two beautiful daughters popped open on my screen. I couldn’t believe Pearl and Mary were nine months old already. The day that she announced her pregnancy seemed like it was just yesterday, not well over a year ago. It was probably because I thought of that day ever since her wedding… and those green eyes. Those evil, painful, unforgettable, beautiful, sparkling, stupid green eyes.

Damn fucker.

Every time I saw my goddaughter, Mary, I thought of him. Of course, we had to share a goddaughter. Paul and Ellie shared Pearl which was obviously perfect for them, and I never got to see either one of the girls unless Jordan and Tom brought them to Charlotte. The day he-whose-name-shall-not-be-spoken left my bed at The Inn was the last day I ever set foot in the God forsaken country. I would never go back there. Not after being played by the ultimate womanizer. I should have been stronger and not given in, but like the damn fool that I was, I gave in five times. Five times! And he plagued me ever since.

A knock snapped me out of my thoughts to the open door, and in walked my boss, Mr. Palmer, with a stack of documents that he laid in my inbox with a smile.

“Good morning, Katherine. How’s the view today?”

I turned around and attempted to contain my wince from the sun, but it was no use. I visibly squinted from the glare. “It’s a little bright.”

“Who did it this time? Jack or Jim?”

I laughed when I turned back around, resting my elbows on my desk, and I said, “Neither. It was Mark.”

“Gotta love those redheads,” he joked and then added, “If you’re actually able to handle work, we’ll be having a newbie today. I’ll introduce y’all later. Pop some B-12.”

He laughed.

As he was leaving, I replied, “Already on it, sir.”

I glanced at the stack of paper and back to my computer in a slightly foggy daze. I really should cut back on the whiskey, but it seemed to help. It made me forget. I stared at those bright blue eyes on the screen and their smiles melted my heart. My shoulders sagged as I exhaled and looked away, closing the email. I’d reply to Jordan tonight, maybe after my date with Jack, Jim, or Mark… the tough choices of whiskey. I glared back at the stack of papers with an added mental groan and started my day.

By the time lunch hour came, my head was clear and my hangover had vanished. I walked down the hall to the firm’s lunchroom with my boring go-to salad and sat down with a few ladies from accounting. I dug into the tasteless lettuce as one girl gasped, pulling me away from my food, and as I looked at her staring at her phone, she said, “Joshua Black is single!”

My ears perked up as I paid attention to this informative conversation. The absolute hottest attorney to have ever graced a courtroom was officially single. My heart fluttered for what was more than likely the first time in over a year. He just filled out a suit so nicely. It was probably why he was one of the firm’s best attorneys, and the fact that he was incredibly hot didn’t hurt. He had been dating an heiress worth a few million from a local restaurant chain for the past year and I had thought—like the rest of Charlotte’s society—that it was a solid deal. I was unofficially a part of this “society,” but I didn’t really go and make a show of it. My father had the wealth. I didn’t
have
to work, but I preferred it this way. My parents were glad for it.

“Who cares? I don’t care if his girlfriend was rich. She was all sorts of kucky. He could have picked someone
way
better. That makes me question his judgment just a bit.”

The girl next to me pulled me out of my thoughts as I turned my head slowly toward her with my forehead wrinkling in confusion. “Kucky?”

Another girl, who sat across from me, laughed and replied, “It must be Yankee talk for ugly.”

I nodded in response as a dark gray suit passed by, heading back from the vending machines. I turned my head as I held my forkful of lettuce in midair, and locked eyes with the most decadent pair of chocolate eyes and perfected blond hair I had ever seen.
Joshua Black.

Usually at this point, one person would flinch away, but neither one of us did. A small smile glided up his cheeks as he passed by and bowed his head, leaving the lunchroom. I rarely crossed paths with the attorneys, but I had definitely noticed him a time or two at the firm’s functions. We were in the same circles for several society functions, but I never had a conversation with him. Even though my family had more money than he’d ever make in a lifetime, it didn’t mean I ever would, and I didn’t want to be known for my father’s money.

I didn’t think I was kucky. Maybe I wasn’t his type. But he definitely smiled at me. Maybe I could get over Lance once and for all.

The day dragged on as I focused on work and mentally planned my evening. I was leaning toward a movie with Colin Firth and a glass of wine—maybe two—and staying away from all tall, dark, and handsome men that were in the shape of a whiskey bottle. I continued my work as I listened to music with ear buds in both ears, trying to ignore the phones and chatting outside of my office. The firm was one of the largest in the United States with Charlotte being their corporate office. The accounting aspect was as fun and exciting as it sounded.

As I pecked away on the keyboard, a repetitive tap began to register that wasn’t to the beat of the song. I flicked my eyes away from the computer and the breath caught in my throat. A man in a dark gray suit leaned up against the door frame with his arms crossed over his chest wearing a sexy smirk and a cocked eyebrow. I slowly reached up and plucked the ear buds out and straightened my back.

“Do you know your head bobs to the music while you’re typing?”

Heat flared up my cheeks as he pushed himself away from the door, crossing the distance to the front of my desk. He extended his hand toward me and said, “Hi. Katherine, is it?”

I stared at his hand for probably a second longer than I should have. I blinked out of my stupor and eased my hand inside his. “Yes, and you’re Joshua Black.”

“Yes, I am.”

He smiled that sexy grin of his and I got lost staring at the faint trace of a dimple in his cheek. Joshua Black easily pulled me under some sort of spell. He was just so damn hot. That suit did him wonders… or maybe it was the other way around. “Well, what can I do for you, Mr. Black?”

I loosened my grip in his hand, but he squeezed it tighter and said, “Katherine, please call me Josh.”

“Okay… Josh.” He released my hand as I added, “What can I help you with?”

He pulled out an envelope from his pocket, and said, “I had a client pay today on his account, and I needed to have the check brought down to accounting. My assistant was away from her desk, so I decided to do it myself.”

I grazed his fingertips as I reached out for the envelope. I looked up into his eyes and a mild hum coursed over my skin. “Thank you. I’ll go ahead and set up the deposit right away.”

“Thanks,” he said, turning away. He stopped in the doorway and continued. “Maybe I’ll see you around. My assistant tends to be away from her desk a lot.”

He gave me a sexy smirk and I mimicked my own before saying, “Let me know if I can ever be of any help.”

“Oh… I have no doubt that you can be.”

Flashing his smile one last time, I memorized the barely-there dimple before he vanished from sight. I leaned back into the chair, staring at the vacant doorway. Joshua Black just openly flirted with me. The absolute hottest attorney ever to have graced a courtroom just flirted with me! I turned away from the door and stared blankly at the wall. He had never once looked my way at any firm or social function. But now that he was single, he hand delivers me a check. It wasn’t an uncommon thing for an attorney to visit the accounting department, but one of his stature… well, it just didn’t happen.

I turned my head back toward my computer as my eyes focused on the time and they perked up. Mr. Black’s check would just have to wait for another day. I logged out of my computer and dug my purse out of the drawer, snatching my phone from its desperate position next to the computer and tucking it away. I turned off the computer monitor as I stood up, hooking my purse on my elbow and grabbing my empty travel mug to bring home. A knock on my door alerted me of Mr. Palmer. I wanted to groan. It was five o’clock. Time to go, boss.

“Hello, sir. Are you heading out yet?” I asked, trying to be polite with the implication that I was leaving, and he was to not give me more work.

“Yes, I’m just about to leave, but I wanted you to meet the newest person on the accounting team.” He stepped aside as a man walked into my office… the best looking ass ever to have graced the planet.

No fucking way
.

MY JAW SLACKED. My eyes widened. Anything left of my heart plummeted into the pit of my stomach. The breath lodged in my throat as my gaze locked on those honey-colored eyes that I had dreamed of for over a year. The woman who corrupted every single thought stood five feet away from me. The woman who sought me out and played me like a stupid country boy stood a mere five feet away from me and her face was as shocked as mine. The woman who toyed with my emotions and refused me was now the woman who I was to work alongside of. And I was supposed to function as a normal human being right now?
Fuck my life.
I gulped down the anxiety that had sickened me for longer than I would have liked as I crossed the distance and stood in front of her desk. Even through her deer-in-the-headlights look, she was as beautiful as I remembered… the memories that I had tried so hard to forget.

“Katherine,” Mr. Palmer said as he turned toward me, ushering me farther into her office. “I would like you to meet Lance Walton. He’s your new accounts payable counterpart being that you both now handle the foreign accounts.”

I stood in front of her desk and extended my hand as I avoided any emotion, pulling out my old country boy charm. “Ms. Klein, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Katherine stared down my hand and then glanced back into my eyes. I hadn’t been this close to her in so long. I had hoped that the one day we would finally cross paths I would be able to function, but I could only function in the smartest way I knew how… like a cocky asshole. My signature smirk slid up my cheeks as her eyes narrowed on me. She wanted to play dirty, apparently. She came on to me. This was all her doing. Of course, I pursued her, but she knew what she was getting into, and then what happens? Nothing. Poor little country boy wasn’t good enough for the big, bad city girl.

She flicked her gaze back to Mr. Palmer, and when her eyes met mine again, she easily slid her hand inside my grasp. In that exact moment, all of the hate, all of the pain, all of the anxiety melted away. My heart thumped from one touch of her skin. The wreck of a man that I had been for over a year vanished into thin air, much like she had all of those months ago. I wanted to hate her. I fucking wanted to hate her, but with her skin against mine, the only thing I wanted to do was kick Palmer out of her office so I could show her how much I truly still wanted her. I wanted to show her how much she changed me. My gorgeous conquest standing before me was every reason why I decided to grow up. After the night we shared together, I knew I could never win over a girl as sophisticated as Katherine. The man who once chased women in Olde Town and all across the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains had changed forever that day. With one stare into the sweetness of her eyes, I made it my personal mission to win her over and show her that I wasn’t a stupid, farm-loving country boy. I would show her all that I could be if she would give me the chance.

“Well, I hope you two will become acquainted soon,” Mr. Palmer stated, interrupting me from the glorious view of my auburn-haired, honey-eyed angel.

As I let go of her hand, a cold ache surrounded my chest. The warmth she had provided fled, reminding me that she would always flee. I stepped backward, walking to the door way, and said, “It was nice meeting you. Have a good evening, Katherine.”

She stood there without a response as Mr. Palmer and I exited her office. I let out a breath. My shoulders relaxed, but my heart still thumped in my chest. Out of all the law firms in Charlotte, I had to find a job at the same one as Katherine Klein. This was going to end really good or it was going to end really bad. If it ended badly, I could more than likely kiss my new job goodbye.

“Well, Lance, that’s the firm. How did the first day go?” Mr. Palmer patted me on the back as we walked to the other side of the department. How did the first day go? An uneventful first day turned into the worst best day of my life.

“It went well, sir. I’m looking forward to the challenge.”

That was about as good as I could sum it up. It was going to be a challenge, all right, but when has Lance Walton ever backed away from a challenge?

By the time I left the office, my shoulders ached. The tension buzzed through my system more than it had ever done before. There were two things I would usually do in this situation: whiskey and women. I turned my head to the right, studying the distance to my apartment and then turned left to see what Charlotte had to offer. Down by the corner, suits and heels gathered around with drinks in their hands. Normally, I would steer clear of the suits, but as I looked down at my own attire, I realized I was one of them. After seeing those honey-colored eyes today, I wasn’t sure if I was meant to be one of them. Maybe I should have just stayed in the country and worked on Tom’s farm the rest of my life. As soon as that thought flew through my head, the memory of her glazed over my eyes. I turned left. This was me now. I had to get her back, which meant I had to leave the country boy in the past.

I strolled down the sidewalk with purpose as the busy street roared alongside me. I had been here for three solid days, and even though I had visited the city often, I couldn’t quite grasp the intensity of it on a nonstop basis. It wasn’t the easy going life of the country, but I was determined to do it. I was determined to make something of myself and prove to everyone that I could.

The bar I approached looked a bit stuffy, but if this was the kind of place the suits were at, then this was the kind of place Katherine could be after the work day. I passed by a group of girls and felt the eyes shift toward me as I pulled open the door. The old me would have stopped and scooped up a number or two, but that wasn’t me anymore. I had eyes for only one girl. I never thought I would ever admit it, but one woman was all I wanted, and her name was Katherine Klein.

I stopped short as I walked into this city tavern. Gone was the worn out wooden floor and the license plates that decorated the wall. There was no jukebox to be seen in this place. I really missed the nods to the colleges that peppered the state of North Carolina. Stuffy didn’t describe this place. Something inside made me want to run home and get my cowboy boots. I knew there were country folk here, but they all wanted that city kind of life. I guess I was one of them. I guess I needed to suck it up and blend in. I loosened up my tie and headed straight to the bar. I glanced at the thing that was supposed to be a stool and saddled up with ease. A curvy, dark-eyed brunette approached and I said, “I’ll have whatever’s on tap.”

She looked at me with a blank stare and said, “We only have bottled. No draft.”

My only reaction was to blink. In my stupor, I was afraid they wouldn’t have any real beer. “Light then, please.”

She turned away as I studied the patrons around me. The tables that dotted the place were full, mostly of what seemed like after hour work negotiations or just after work stress relievers. A line of guys around my age sat on the other side of the bar and I noticed the blonde bartender was very attentive to them. A beer bottle was placed down in front of me.

“That’ll be six dollars,” the brunette bartender said, pulling me away from the rowdiness at the other side of the bar. I must have misunderstood her. I had only ordered one beer.

“Do what?”

“That will be six dollars,” she repeated, and I had done lost my mind.

“Is it two for one?”

“Umm… no.” She shook her head.

“Six dollars for one light beer?”

“Umm… yes?” She winced when she replied in question.

I shook my head as I pulled out my wallet and handed over my credit card.

“Will you be starting a tab?”

“Nope. The one will be just fine.” Six dollars for a light beer was insane. I could get three of those for the same price at Dixie’s. My wallet would suffer in the city.

A roar of laughter pulled me away from my shallow bank account, and I glanced down the other end of the dimly lit bar. A small red accent light hung directly over the ring leader of this little group of former flipped up collar, frat boy alums. With one crook of his finger, tall leggy blonde barmaid was in front of him without delay. She batted her lashes and strutted away, but he didn’t watch. Instead, he returned to his conversation.

“Well, did you get her, Josh?”

“The seed has been planted.” I overheard one of the douches saying. I felt horrible for whoever they were talking about, but then a vision of a former conquest flashed in my mind.

Angela Butler.

I was that guy, that horrible douchebag at the end of the bar. That was me not that long ago. If it weren’t for Ellie in high school, I may have been like that my whole life. I turned away and took a sip of my beer. Maybe this was all some form of fucked up karma. I wronged Angela so much that karma bit me in the ass with Katherine, and no woman will ever compare to her nor do I want any other woman.

My shoulders sagged once again. I couldn’t believe she was in front of me. I couldn’t believe I actually touched her hand. I was going to have to work hard at this. It was hard enough before, but I only had to compete with my reputation. I had history to take to battle. I refused to be General Custer. Our one night in the country would not be my last stand with Katherine.

A glass fell behind me. I turned to see tall leggy blonde barmaid assisting the cleanup.

“What kind of seed did you plant with Katherine then?”

My hand gripped the beer bottle tight as I eased back around slowly and stared at the group on the other side of the bar.

“I’m pretty sure she’ll be riding my cock by the end of the week.”

My eyes glared on the arrogant asshole as he tilted back his beer. He cocked his eyebrow, almost taunting. My blood boiled with my apparent competition. He would never lay a hand on her, and I would make sure it would never happen.

I smiled my signature shit eating grin right back at him.

Game on, player. Game on.