against her, hard and unmistakable even through multiple layers of clothing.
Her fingers, caught between them, slid up his chest to his shoulder, digging into the muscles that tightened beneath her touch.
He groaned and buried his free hand in her hair, tugging until she arched back and gave him greater access. His lips traced a slow path up her neck, sending ripples of heat to her core.
“Zach,” she breathed.
His teeth nipped the sensitive skin just beneath her ear.
“Oh, God.” Desire shuddered through her. How long had it been since she’d felt like this? Months? Years? Surely whatever they’d been arguing about could wait…
He released her hip, skimming his hand over her ass and down the back of her thigh, lifting her leg as far as the pencil skirt would allow.
He cursed and pulled back slightly to assess the material getting in his way.
That momentary pause was enough to bring Angie to her senses. Or at least dampen the flames sufficiently to allow her to push Zach away. He clearly wasn’t expecting the move. That was probably the only reason it worked. He stumbled back a step, and she slipped out of his grasp, past the executive chair that he’d rolled aside earlier, and around to the other side of the desk.
“Don’t even think it,” she warned, when he made a move to follow.
“Angel…”
“No.” She backed up toward the door. “I mean it. Don’t come any closer.”
“You’re killing me here.”
“You know the issues, Zach.” She fumbled blindly for the doorknob. Her fingers found the heavy brass handle and she felt a surge of relief tinged with just a hint of disappointment.
He took a deep breath. “It might be better if you spelled them out, Angel.”
“Like…now?”
That brought a wry smile to his lips. “I think we could both use a break to clear our heads. And you know what they say about things done in haste.”
“Yes.” She hesitated. “You want me to draft a settlement proposal?”
“That would be good.”
“I’ll still need my client’s approval.”
“Whatever it takes, Angel.” He approached her slowly. “Just do it. We can always work through the details later.”
“No guarantees,” she said. “But I’ll try.”
With each step, she could feel her body tensing up, like a violin string getting pulled tauter with every twist of the tuning peg.
She tugged open the door and stepped back, giving him plenty of room to pass by.
He paused in front of her. “I’ll request a voluntary settlement conference with the judge. A couple weeks, okay?”
She nodded.
Before she could even think to protest, he leaned in and brushed her lips with a soft kiss. And then he was gone.
In a daze, she closed the door and slumped against it.
What had she just agreed to?
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
“You sure you don’t want one?” Angie said. “Last chance.”
Naomi shook her head and watched Angie devour a double-chocolate cupcake with caramel sea salt frosting. “How can you eat like that and not get fat?”
Angie licked a dollop of frosting from her finger. “Just lucky, I guess. Plus I run every morning, do Pilates twice a week, and hike on weekends.”
Naomi sighed. “I remember those days. Before kids.”
“Hey, anytime you want to trade…”
“Really? Who are you, and what have you done with the real Angie MacDowell?”
“What are you talking about? I love kids.” When her friend’s brows shot up, Angie tossed a balled-up napkin at her. “Seriously. I’ve babysat for you and Cheryl, right? And I’m a great auntie. Ask any of my nieces or nephews, they’ll tell you.”
“That’s because you bribe them. Don’t deny it. Kids are lousy at keeping secrets. And just so you know: pizza and ice cream are not breakfast foods.”
“Oops.” Angie grinned. “Would it help if I told you it was only that one time?”
“Oh, please. You can’t even say that with a straight face.”
“You’re no fun.”
Naomi got up to clear the remains
Her fingers, caught between them, slid up his chest to his shoulder, digging into the muscles that tightened beneath her touch.
He groaned and buried his free hand in her hair, tugging until she arched back and gave him greater access. His lips traced a slow path up her neck, sending ripples of heat to her core.
“Zach,” she breathed.
His teeth nipped the sensitive skin just beneath her ear.
“Oh, God.” Desire shuddered through her. How long had it been since she’d felt like this? Months? Years? Surely whatever they’d been arguing about could wait…
He released her hip, skimming his hand over her ass and down the back of her thigh, lifting her leg as far as the pencil skirt would allow.
He cursed and pulled back slightly to assess the material getting in his way.
That momentary pause was enough to bring Angie to her senses. Or at least dampen the flames sufficiently to allow her to push Zach away. He clearly wasn’t expecting the move. That was probably the only reason it worked. He stumbled back a step, and she slipped out of his grasp, past the executive chair that he’d rolled aside earlier, and around to the other side of the desk.
“Don’t even think it,” she warned, when he made a move to follow.
“Angel…”
“No.” She backed up toward the door. “I mean it. Don’t come any closer.”
“You’re killing me here.”
“You know the issues, Zach.” She fumbled blindly for the doorknob. Her fingers found the heavy brass handle and she felt a surge of relief tinged with just a hint of disappointment.
He took a deep breath. “It might be better if you spelled them out, Angel.”
“Like…now?”
That brought a wry smile to his lips. “I think we could both use a break to clear our heads. And you know what they say about things done in haste.”
“Yes.” She hesitated. “You want me to draft a settlement proposal?”
“That would be good.”
“I’ll still need my client’s approval.”
“Whatever it takes, Angel.” He approached her slowly. “Just do it. We can always work through the details later.”
“No guarantees,” she said. “But I’ll try.”
With each step, she could feel her body tensing up, like a violin string getting pulled tauter with every twist of the tuning peg.
She tugged open the door and stepped back, giving him plenty of room to pass by.
He paused in front of her. “I’ll request a voluntary settlement conference with the judge. A couple weeks, okay?”
She nodded.
Before she could even think to protest, he leaned in and brushed her lips with a soft kiss. And then he was gone.
In a daze, she closed the door and slumped against it.
What had she just agreed to?
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
“You sure you don’t want one?” Angie said. “Last chance.”
Naomi shook her head and watched Angie devour a double-chocolate cupcake with caramel sea salt frosting. “How can you eat like that and not get fat?”
Angie licked a dollop of frosting from her finger. “Just lucky, I guess. Plus I run every morning, do Pilates twice a week, and hike on weekends.”
Naomi sighed. “I remember those days. Before kids.”
“Hey, anytime you want to trade…”
“Really? Who are you, and what have you done with the real Angie MacDowell?”
“What are you talking about? I love kids.” When her friend’s brows shot up, Angie tossed a balled-up napkin at her. “Seriously. I’ve babysat for you and Cheryl, right? And I’m a great auntie. Ask any of my nieces or nephews, they’ll tell you.”
“That’s because you bribe them. Don’t deny it. Kids are lousy at keeping secrets. And just so you know: pizza and ice cream are not breakfast foods.”
“Oops.” Angie grinned. “Would it help if I told you it was only that one time?”
“Oh, please. You can’t even say that with a straight face.”
“You’re no fun.”
Naomi got up to clear the remains
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