Page 56 of Marcel

“You almostkilled us in your haste to get us here.”

“Good thing,traffic was so light on the freeway.”

“You ran a redlight.” She pointed out impishly.

“Think I amgoing to get a ticket?” he asked with a grin.

“The Hadley’shave a few judges and more than a few precincts in their pockets, sothat’s highly unlikely.”

His brows lifted. “Idon’t like what you are implying, and it so happens you are aHadley too.”

“Who isimplying?” Using a long, elegant finger, she traced a path fromthe hairs at his temple to the side of his straight nose. “AndI should take advantage of my position as Mrs. Marcel Hadley.”

“In whatway?”

“Running a fewred lights.”

“Don’teven think about it,” he warned with a laugh.

“I havesomething to tell you.”

“Uh oh. Whathave you done?”

Bending her head, shetrailed her finger down his throat and then his chest.

“Nikki?”Using his index finger and thumb, he lifted her chin.

“What is it?”

“I wanted thebest nursing home for my mom.”

“I knowthat.”

Her eyes bored intohis as if she wanted him to see the truth of her argument. “Iwas prepared to take out a loan to make it happen.”

“Instead, yougot an offer from my dad.”

She nodded. “Thatwas not the only reason why I married you. I know you will find itdifficult to believe, but since I started at the firm the first time,I fell in love with you.” Pushing ahead even at his skepticallook, she added.

“You wore ahunter green sports jacket over a lime green shirt and herringbonetie. You came into the associates' bullpen to ream out an associatewho had misplaced a file and had the poor guy trembling so much; Ithought he would pee his pants.”

“I remember. Ihad given the kid a chance to prove himself, and he screwed up.”

“You didn’tnotice me, but I noticed you. After that day, I took an interest inyour cases and studied them. You were arrogant and uppity andpretended that we did not exist.”

“Seniorpartners usually don’t have anything to do with lowlyassociates.” He reminded her loftily, his expression curious ashe stared at her.

“It did notmatter to me. I knew it was completely insane to ever entertain thethought of us being together, but the more I saw of you, the more Iwas drawn. First, it was your absurdly pretty face, and then it wasyour brilliant mind, and I was hooked.”

“You badmouthedme and called me an entitled prick,” he said wryly.

“I wanted tostop wanting you. I told myself that it was a damn pipe dream and Ishould stop thinking about you.”

“So, youdecided to alienate me instead.”

“Yes.”She nodded, her expression sober. “I had enough on my plate. Asick mother and a career I had worked my ass off for. I could notallow anything to make me lose my focus. I never dreamed I would everbe able to get your attention, much less get you to go out withme.”

He stared at her,unsure if he believed what she was saying. “You are telling meyou have been in love with me since the beginning? And that’sthe real reason you agreed to marry me?”

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