her. “There’s a Zachary Stewart here to see you.”
Why was she not surprised? It was too much to expect that Zach would silently accept her decision to step aside. Especially if Naomi was right, and his sudden sexual interest in her was motivated by a desire to compromise her fiduciary duty to her client.
Too bad. Because buried beneath a thick layer of cynicism, there was still a tiny part of her that believed in moonlit kisses and fairy dust.
“Send him in,” she said.
The door opened, and he strode into the office as if he owned it.
“Zach.” She rose, keeping her desk as a buffer between them. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”
He subjected her to the same slow, thorough scrutiny she had given him that first day, when he’d burst into her office on a wave of outrage over the lawsuit.
“You look well,” he said at length.
He’d come here to exchange niceties? Okay, she’d play along. “Thank you. So do you.”
“I thought maybe you’d come down with something. A cold or flu.”
Ah, so that was his game: he was giving her an out. How generous. And unexpected. But she couldn’t hide behind a fake respiratory bug forever. And she hated lying.
“More like an attack of conscience,” she said.
“Really. And your conscience didn’t bother you when you pawned off today’s deposition on an underling?”
“Naomi isn’t an underling. She’s a founding partner of this firm.”
“That still doesn’t explain why you weren’t there.”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “Unlike some people, I know how to recognize a conflict of interest.”
His eyes narrowed. “So you’re giving up.”
“No. I’m simply stepping aside so my partner can take over the case.”
“Because of what happened last week.”
She gritted her teeth. “Because of what almost happened last week.”
“Are you angry because I kissed you?” He stepped around the desk. “Or because I stopped?”
She wanted to smack him. “Naomi’s married. Happily married.”
“And your point is?”
“You won’t be able to seduce her into compromising the case.”
The words halted his advance. “You think this is about the case?”
She lowered her arms and took a step back. “Isn’t it?”
“You have a pretty low opinion of me, don’t you?” He started moving again, a hunter stalking his prey. “And of yourself, for that matter, if you think I would fake interest in you just to win a case.”
“We’ve known each other for thirteen years, Zach, and this is the first time you’ve ever even given me a second look.”
“Not true.”
She backed up, straight into the low filing cabinet that ran perpendicular to her desk. “What, are you going to rewrite history now?”
“You’re a beautiful woman, Angel, and you know it.” He boxed her in against the hard wooden surface behind her. “Of course I’m attracted to you. And whether you want to admit it or not, you’re attracted to me.”
His hand found her hip, scorching her skin through the lightweight wool of her skirt. Panic mixed with desire sent her pulse skittering. She pressed her palm against his chest and shoved. “Stop it. This is neither the time nor the place.”
He didn’t budge. “Then you tell me what is. Name it, I’ll be there.”
His eyes bored into hers, the blue all but swallowed by dark pupil. She blinked, breaking the connection. Someone had to put on the brakes. “Zach, listen to me. If there’s something worth pursuing here, it’ll keep. At least until after this case gets resolved.”
He leaned down, lips grazing her ear. “You know lawsuits can drag on for years.”
She shivered. “True. But do you really want this one to?”
“No.” His breath whispered along the column of her throat, to the pulse-point beating frantically just above her clavicle. “Do you?”
She felt her eyelids droop. “No.”
“So what do we do?” The hand at her hip tightened, pulling her closer, until he was right there, pressing
Why was she not surprised? It was too much to expect that Zach would silently accept her decision to step aside. Especially if Naomi was right, and his sudden sexual interest in her was motivated by a desire to compromise her fiduciary duty to her client.
Too bad. Because buried beneath a thick layer of cynicism, there was still a tiny part of her that believed in moonlit kisses and fairy dust.
“Send him in,” she said.
The door opened, and he strode into the office as if he owned it.
“Zach.” She rose, keeping her desk as a buffer between them. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”
He subjected her to the same slow, thorough scrutiny she had given him that first day, when he’d burst into her office on a wave of outrage over the lawsuit.
“You look well,” he said at length.
He’d come here to exchange niceties? Okay, she’d play along. “Thank you. So do you.”
“I thought maybe you’d come down with something. A cold or flu.”
Ah, so that was his game: he was giving her an out. How generous. And unexpected. But she couldn’t hide behind a fake respiratory bug forever. And she hated lying.
“More like an attack of conscience,” she said.
“Really. And your conscience didn’t bother you when you pawned off today’s deposition on an underling?”
“Naomi isn’t an underling. She’s a founding partner of this firm.”
“That still doesn’t explain why you weren’t there.”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “Unlike some people, I know how to recognize a conflict of interest.”
His eyes narrowed. “So you’re giving up.”
“No. I’m simply stepping aside so my partner can take over the case.”
“Because of what happened last week.”
She gritted her teeth. “Because of what almost happened last week.”
“Are you angry because I kissed you?” He stepped around the desk. “Or because I stopped?”
She wanted to smack him. “Naomi’s married. Happily married.”
“And your point is?”
“You won’t be able to seduce her into compromising the case.”
The words halted his advance. “You think this is about the case?”
She lowered her arms and took a step back. “Isn’t it?”
“You have a pretty low opinion of me, don’t you?” He started moving again, a hunter stalking his prey. “And of yourself, for that matter, if you think I would fake interest in you just to win a case.”
“We’ve known each other for thirteen years, Zach, and this is the first time you’ve ever even given me a second look.”
“Not true.”
She backed up, straight into the low filing cabinet that ran perpendicular to her desk. “What, are you going to rewrite history now?”
“You’re a beautiful woman, Angel, and you know it.” He boxed her in against the hard wooden surface behind her. “Of course I’m attracted to you. And whether you want to admit it or not, you’re attracted to me.”
His hand found her hip, scorching her skin through the lightweight wool of her skirt. Panic mixed with desire sent her pulse skittering. She pressed her palm against his chest and shoved. “Stop it. This is neither the time nor the place.”
He didn’t budge. “Then you tell me what is. Name it, I’ll be there.”
His eyes bored into hers, the blue all but swallowed by dark pupil. She blinked, breaking the connection. Someone had to put on the brakes. “Zach, listen to me. If there’s something worth pursuing here, it’ll keep. At least until after this case gets resolved.”
He leaned down, lips grazing her ear. “You know lawsuits can drag on for years.”
She shivered. “True. But do you really want this one to?”
“No.” His breath whispered along the column of her throat, to the pulse-point beating frantically just above her clavicle. “Do you?”
She felt her eyelids droop. “No.”
“So what do we do?” The hand at her hip tightened, pulling her closer, until he was right there, pressing
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