Counselor Undone by Lisa Rayne Page A

tossed the dossiers onto the coffee table, one of Eric Covington
and one of Jordis Morgan.
    “Yeah.” Michael
placed his feet on the floor. “I certainly like Jordis’s fire. Not to mention
she clearly does her homework. She spouted the relevant facts of the Gardner
file without once looking at any notes. That’s impressive.”
    “The entire group is
really bright, but yeah, Jordis stands out when it comes to the details. She’s
helped me a couple of times with some motions and a few deposition preps. She
has a real knack for reviewing large quantities of information and finding
patterns and connections others miss.”
    Michael aligned the
photographs side-by-side. “And if I were grading them on their arguments today,
Covington wouldn’t make the cut.”
    “Well, then, I guess
you have your answer.” Chase sat back down. “Jordis would certainly be my
choice for my replacement.”
    Michael wasn’t so
sure. He had no doubt the lady lawyer would perform beautifully as his second
chair, but the sexual effect she’d had on him today gave him pause. He couldn’t
remember the last time he’d gotten a hard-on in a business setting. In fact, he
didn’t think he ever had. If she had that effect on him in a full conference
room when they weren’t interacting directly, what would happen if they worked
closely together for an extended period of time?
    Chase probed into
his silence. “Michael?”
    “Yeah. Maybe.”
    “Maybe? What maybe?
A mind like a steel trap, exceptional debating skills, and extensive courtroom
experience. What’s your maybe?”
    “I don’t know.”
Michael blew out a breath. “Nothing. You’re right. Jordis is the clear choice.”
It wouldn’t be fair to select Covington over her because Michael couldn’t keep
his libido under control. He’d simply make sure to keep his focus on the case
and off those long shapely legs. His mind drifted at the thought.
    “Not to mention, all
that comes in a package perfectly designed to make a man want to come home to
her every night.”
    It took a few seconds
for the comment to register with Michael. He looked up with a frown to find
Chase watching him with a knowing half smile. “Hey, what happened to all that
‘no woman can replace my Grace’ business?”
    “I’m widowed, not dead.
My eyes work just fine. As do yours apparently.” Chase gave a look that dared
Michael to challenge him.
    Michael’s expression veiled. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
    “Oh, puh-leez.”
Chase pushed to his feet. “You forget to whom you’re speaking. You can drop the
poker face. I know you too well. I saw you checking her out . . . more than
once.”
    Michael looked at
Chase without responding.
    “Yeah, that’s what I
thought.” Chase headed for the door. Before he opened it, he turned back towards
Michael. “You know, it looks like Ms. Morgan is going to shake things up around
here in more ways than one.” Smiling, he added, “Perhaps the cure for your
infatuation with the New Year’s Eve mystery woman is in the office around the
corner and down the hall.”
    Michael flipped him
the bird. Chase laughed and exited the office. Michael could still hear him
laughing after the heavy mahogany door clicked shut.
    To his frustration,
Michael spent the rest of the afternoon trying to dissect the weaknesses in the
Dexter Drug motion for summary judgment without success. Caramel skin, hazel
eyes, and gams the stuff of erotic fantasies kept traipsing across his
concentration. He wanted to talk to her again. That niggling feeling he’d met
her before still bothered him. He felt uptight and on edge, and Jordis Morgan
was the cause. She drew him on a biological level even though his intellect
kept sending his impulses the exact opposite message.
    He pushed up
abruptly from his desk and grabbed his duffle bag. Maybe a good, hard workout
would take his mind off the distracting Ms. Morgan. He needed to talk to her
about stepping into the Metra