Page 55 of Beyond Expectations

“Come on, there must be something. If you could pick anything, with there being no repercussions, anything in the world, what would you be? What is your passion?”

I don’t know why, but I really wanted to know. I was so eager to discover what he would pick—without the restrictions or restraint shackled to him by his family. Pulling my legs beneath me, I turned, eagerly waiting for his answer.

“If I had to pick something I’m passionate about, I guess it would be something with cars.”

The belly laugh that burst out of me was so unladylike, and I couldn’t help but roll my eyes.

“I’d find something involving classics and vintage ones. Whether it would be as a collector, driving them for stunts in movies, or even just opening a museum.”

I watched as he rubbed his hand over his cheeks, trying to hide the blush creeping in. At that moment, I realized I was probably the first person he’d ever told that to. The feeling was one of privilege and sadness.

Unsurprisingly, he changed the topic of conversation back to me, and I understood the need for that.

“So, Serena Parker of Serena Parker and Associates, how is a woman as young as you able to break into the field of law and have your company, though smaller in comparison to others, be one of the most sought-after ones in the city?”

I knew that was a question he would eventually ask, but it still always set me back slightly.

“Well, after I finished law school and passed the bar, I was lucky enough to get a job at Goldheim & Steiner, and within three years, I had worked my way up to associate. It wasn’t an easy task. I worked hard, but luck also fell my way. I was given a few important cases, and our clients walked away happier and with more money than they had hoped they would. I always made it a crucial factor of mine to have honest communication and relationships with my clients. After a while, my bosses noted that and sought me out by giving me the cases other associates struggled with.”

I took another sip of wine and could see I had his undivided attention.

“I was handed a case where a mother was suing the NYPD for the wrongful homicide of her son. She and I became very close. He was the only family she had, and the loss she suffered through his death would break most people. But she was adamant to fight and so was I. The officer was found guilty of homicide, and she was rewarded eighteen million dollars in damages. The settlement was so high due to the lengths the officer had gone to in covering up his crime. Sadly, just a few months after we won the case, she died of a stroke. I was the only person who attended her funeral. There, I was told that she had left everything in her will to me.”

“You really must have meant something to her.”

I could feel my lip tremble, and taking a deep breath, I had to look up to the ceiling as my eyes began to water. I tried not to well up as I often did when explaining that story. I didn’t want to do that in front of him.

“As you can imagine, I didn’t know what to do with that money. At first, I considered giving it to charity, but then I thought about helping my father out and giving him the choice to retire early. To which he straight up shut me down. My bosses at G&S also had many ideas, but how they discussed it, with no regard for where it came from, made me realize I could no longer work for them. They were a typical large legal machine—case after case through the door, with no afterthought. I decided to use the money as capital to set up my firm. I used it to hire and train other lawyers who didn’t just want a job but wanted to make a difference. So now, even though we practice general law, we specialize and take an interest in cases that other firms would class as too much hassle.”

“So, you fight for the underdog?”

“I guess, in a way, you could say that.”

I was also lucky as some of the clients I had worked with previously only wanted to work with me, so they broke their contracts with G&S and signed on with me.

“So why take us on as clients? We don’t fit the bill of your ethos.”

“You’re right, your company doesn’t. But the apartment owners and tenants do. And I want to be able to deliver what your company wants while also making sure the residents get the best deal they can.”

“I admire you. To do what you’ve done and continue to do takes a strong, hardworking person. Many people would have taken the money and lived a life of leisure and luxury. Yet instead, you work twice as hard and with more drive than anyone I have ever met.”

I couldn’t help but blush. I guess he really did understand why I did what I did.

Chapter 15

Serena

Ever so softly, his fingertips ran across my shoulder and neck. The simple touch at the soft spot of my neck sent tremors through my whole body. I could feel my nipples peak. Slowly, I turned towards him, wanting to savor every moment. Trying to go in softly and keep my composure, I leaned in, but as soon as my lips touched his, I felt wild with the need for him to have him touch every inch of my skin. Eagerly, I began rubbing my body against his. My breasts felt full and heavy and my nipples ached as they rubbed against my satin bra. I could feel my panties getting wetter by the second. I continued pressing against his erection, prolonging the ever-increasing pleasure that seemed to forever emanate with every encounter I had with this man.

With one hand, he held my head in place. The other ran over the lace of my dress until he reached my ass. He dug his fingers in and kept me against him, allowing me to rub our bodies together gently.

I was about to lay myself fully on him when he lifted me, carrying me away from the sofa into his bedroom. He made sure not to break our kiss. I wrapped my legs around him, causing my dress to ride up, exposing my ass.

Untangling my legs from his waist, he gently lowered me to the ground. I could feel his fingers deftly begin to unzip my dress. Once he fully unzipped me, I stepped back.

His eyes were a dark, stormy blue. After he had taken off his shoes and socks, I led him to the wing-back chair in front of his king-size bed, gently pushing him down until he was seated. Taking my time, I did a striptease for him. I wanted to make sure he was as turned on as I was. As my dress pooled at my feet, he let out a primal grunt. I glided my fingers across my silk and lace bralette down to the matching silk thong.

Sliding my hands behind my back, I unfastened the hooks and slipped the straps down. My breasts spring free and hang heavy with my desire. Leaning forward, he pulled me closer and began nipping along my hip and across my stomach. His fingers slid along the thin silk of my panties, and he delicately pulled them down. As I stood there in my nude heels, I began to massage and toy first with my right breast, then my left.

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