Page 25 of Anything To Be With You

He kisses her hand again. "But I mean it with you."

Nine-thirty on a Tuesday night, and I’m still working. Along with Dani, who is not very happy about it and has been telling me as much for the last four and a half hours.

I’m working on the Dobson case, it’s petty and bitter. Joni wants the divorce, Doug doesn’t. Doug's lawyer has been fighting me the whole way, saying that Joni was sleeping with his brother throughout their whole marriage, blah blah blah. His brother says it’s hard for that to happen when he lives three Provinces away. Come to find out it’s Doug who has been cheating but he refuses to let Joni go.

I rub my face and loosen my tie. People like this is what’s keeping me from wanting to get into another relationship. If you’re not happy in your relationship, end it. Don’t cheat.

Hell, even my parents had a shit relationship after Mom got sick. Dad jumped into bed with any woman that would let him. I remember when Mom found out. She was still in shock after being diagnosed with cancer when the woman Dad had slept with called to inform her. The spark she had dwindled. Her smile stopped reaching her eyes. But she stayed with him. When I had asked her why, she said it was for us. That she didn’t want us to grow up in a broken home. Dad broke our home the moment he cheated.

The faint sound of music bleeds through the closed door of my office. I stand from my desk and walk out, finding Dani with her heels off, singing and dancing. She’s mesmerizing. The way her hips sway perfectly to the beat of the song.

She spins around and screams, hand flying to her chest. "For fuck sakes, Archer. You’ve really got to stop doing that!" she pants. "I’ve got a mom bladder; I could’ve pissed myself." Dani says swatting her hand in my direction. If I were closer, I would have gotten hit.

"Is there a reason you’re acting like this is a bar on King Street?" I bark.

"I’ve got to do something to entertain myself while making fucking copies for his royal dickweed," she says jabbing a finger into my chest. "That’s you. You’re the dickweed."

I take a step forward, but she doesn’t budge. "Is that right?"

Dani pulls out her chair and stands on it, making us almost eye to eye. "Yes. This is something I could be doing tomorrow, but nooo, you needed me to do it right this second." She pokes me in the chest again, her tone harder than before. "And on top of this shit show, I’ve got Mason calling saying he’s starving," Dani gives a humorless laugh. "The fridge and cupboards are full but there’s 'nothing to eat.'"

She goes to poke me a third time, but I grab her wrist, pulling her closer. Dani looks at my hand wrapped around her wrist then up at me. "Um, personal space Archer."

I lower my head, so we’re eye to eye. "Do. Not. Poke. Me."

The corner of her lip lifts in a smirk. "Or what?" she pokes me with her other hand.

I pull her flush to my chest, gripping her hip to steady her and look into her remarkable eyes. Her heart pounds against my chest as her body melts into mine. I affect her as much as she affects me. Her lush lip’s part, camouflaging a welt above her upper lip that I never noticed before and it takes everything I have not to lean in and taste them.

"Archer," Dani’s voice is breathy as a flush works its way up her throat.

Her warm, minty breath dances across my lips. I squeeze her hip, making her gasp and wiggle closer.

Fuck. Me.

I free her wrist slowly, allowing my fingers to graze over her skin, slipping over a raised scar along her wrist and drop my hand from her hip, backing up a step. "Go home Daniella," I growl.

I walk into my office, shutting the door behind me. "Fucking control yourself Luke." I whisper in the now quiet space.

As soon as the main door shuts, I head out of my office, shutting lights off as I go, just to find Dani waiting for the elevator.

She sighs upon seeing me. "You could take the stairs you know."

"Why can’t you?" I bark.

Giving me a quarter turn, she taps her foot on the floor, drawing my attention down those gorgeous legs of hers towards her feet. "You didn’t wear Kate Spade pumps all day," Dani states.

The doors open with a ding and we enter the elevator. Dani pressed her back against the wall of the elevator, clutching her purse against her chest and squeezing her eyes closed.

"Daniella? Are you all right?" I question, concerned.

She nods quickly. "Uh-huh," Dani squeaks as sweat breaks out across her forehead.

I move closer, my side pressing against hers and she relaxes a bit. "You sure you're okay? You're sweating and shaking."

"I'm f-fine."

My hand finds hers and I give her a gentle squeeze, that she returns.

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