Page 4 of Defensive Hero

She sits down, and I turn to my computer to pull up the email about her. Sandy Beck, twenty-three years old. “You got your certification just a year and a half ago,” I mention, as I scroll through her profile.

“Yes, sir.”

“You don’t have much experience in this field,” I observe, my voice not particularly hard, but I notice her wince slightly. Oh, she’s not going to last even the typical week it takes most before they finally call it quits. Even so, I decide to give her a chance. “Why Valor Springs?”

She blinks up at me in confusion. “Excuse me?”

“I asked why Valor Springs?”

“Well…”

“I prefer honesty.”

She nods once. “I needed the job. Most law firms prefer to hire people with a little more experience in the field.”

“I see.” And I do. I don’t care about the age or gender of the people who work for me as long as they do their job and they do it to perfection, and I tell her as much.

“I assure you, sir, that despite my short time working in the field, I am perfect for this job.”

“We’ll see about that.” I force my eyes away from the overeager and obviously nervous girl and back to my computer. “I’ll have you start by familiarizing yourself with our case files. I’m assigning you to organize and update them. I want you to ensure everything is in order for my upcoming court appearances.”

“I’ve got the job?” she says excitedly, leaning forward and placing her hands on my desk, but she quickly realizes hermistake because she pushes back in horror before muttering an apology.

“I assume you have already signed a contract with Martha.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Then you will start immediately.”

Her face lights up with a smile as she prepares to get up, and I am struck mute by how much her face transforms when she smiles. Her brown eyes sparkle, and the golden specks glimmer in the soft light, sucking all the air from my lungs.

This girl—with her heart in her eyes—is supposed to shadow me to client meetings and court proceedings? Jesus Christ, they are going to eat her alive. That is if she doesn’t break down and cry when she meets the men I represent in court.

I rub a finger on the bridge of my nose as I wait for Sandy to leave, but she doesn’t. Instead, she slowly lowers herself back into the chair. Her cheeks are flushed red when I look up to lock my gaze with hers, but she quickly looks away.

“Do you need anything else, Miss Beck?”

She wiggles nervously in her seat, biting her lip in a move that I imagine is meant to curb her nerves but comes off so darn sensual, it has my cock throbbing behind my fly. “I…I’m sorry, I don’t think I can get up. Well…”

Oh right. Her ripped skirt.

Without another word, I get up from my chair and walk to the coat rack. I grab the long one I wore to work this morning and bring it to her. “Use this.”

Sandy stares at me in surprise before her expression morphs to that of gratitude, and once again, I am taken aback byhow easy it is to read her expression. Even more surprising is the immense pleasure I get when she gets up and slips into my coat, her smile back on her face. I have to look away. “Thank you.”

I walk back to my seat without saying another word and turn to my computer, staring unseeingly at the screen. She takes that as her cue to leave, and I look up just in time to catch her walking out. I expect to get back to the case file I was reviewing before the two ladies walked in but find it impossible to do so.

She stays on my mind, this girl. It unsettles me just how fully she occupies my mind, and I am unsurprised when I pull up her profile once more. Something in me seeks to understand what it is about this girl that makes her stand out from all the others who have worked for me before.

Sandy Beck.

I tap my index finger on the table as I stare into those pretty eyes looking straight into the camera. There is nothing particularly unique about the girl. Sure, she’s a striking brunette with a body that makes my cock hard, but all that is physical. I can explain away my attraction to her and the effect it has on my body, but what bothers me is the warm feeling I get in my chest when she looks at me.

Is this going to keep happening?

The girl will be gone soon anyway, so I might as well speed up the process. At this point in my life, I cannot handle distraction, and she, Sandy Beck, is a distraction. I need to get rid of her.

***

---