Page 38 of Indiscretion

“It’s not that fucking funny.”

Ben held his stomach while he continued to cackle his ass off. “You’re wrong. It’s fucking hysterical.”

I raked a hand through my hair. “Why don’t you tell her you don’t think it’s a good idea that she works with your friend? Tell her what an asshole I am.”

“Me? Why would I think it’s not a good idea? I’m not the one who’s going to screw myselfagainby fucking around with someone at work. That’syourspecialty.”

I shook my head, staring down at the carpet. “What the hell was I thinking offering her the job?”

“You were thinking with thewrong head, my friend.”

After ten minutes of standing on the street, trying to figure out why the hell I’d done what I’d just done, I walked back to Ben and Lily’s from the bar. Why had I panicked at the thought of not seeing Naomi again? The obvious answer was that I liked her, which I couldn’t deny that I did, but I liked the women I slept with too, and never wanted to spend eight hours a day around them. Lord knows, Emily could attest to that.

Ben laid his hand on my shoulder. “She’ll do great.”

That wasn’t the issue. I had no doubt Naomi was intelligent and could do the job. But…but…she’d gotten disbarred for assaulting a criminal. How was she going to deal with some of my dirtbag clients? Mr. Wendell had been indicted for bribing a public official, but when his wife didn’t back his story, he’d pushed her down a flight of stairs. That would surely hit close to home. And Dr. Elgin was charged with Medicare fraud for billing for reconstructive surgery after car accidents when he was really doing nose jobs and chin implants. When his face hit the news,twelvewomen came forward to claim he’d fondled them during their exams. My clients were the people Naomi loved to put behind bars, not help set free.

“What if she attacks a client?”

Ben shook his head. “You’re just fishing for a reason to get yourself out of the mess you made by hiring a woman you’re already attracted to. Naomi is good people. She’s not violent. That guy just got under her skin.”

“What if one ofmyclients gets under her skin?”

“What if one of them gets underyoursone day? Lord knows you used to have a temper when we were kids. Anything can happen.”

“Yeah, but ithasn’tto me. I don’t have a track record like she does.”

Ben went into the fridge and pulled out two bottles of beer. He twisted the cap off one and passed it to me, then put the cap between his thumb and pointer and snapped his fingers. It flew directly into the garbage can.

“Nice shot.”

“Thank you. You want to know what I think?”

“Definitely not.”

He smirked. “That’s because you know I’m going to say something you don’t want to hear.”

“Then maybe you should keep it to yourself.”

“That’s not how our friendship works. We not only call each other on our bullshit, but we trust the other will. It’s our version of checks and balances.”

I groaned. “Why did I come back here? I should’ve just gone home.”

“I think you hired her because youfeelsomething for her, something more than just a physical attraction.”

“I don’t do feelings.”

“No, you don’twantto do feelings. But sometimes you can’t stop them, my friend.”

“I’m keeping my distance from her—at least ten feet at all times.”

Ben smiled. “Good luck with that. Especially since her desk is about two feet from the door of your office.”

Chapter 11

DAWSON

“What are you doing here at this hour?”

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