Page 15 of Legal Attraction

But he just looked down into her face, his eyes caressing her just a bit and then tapped her nose. “Right to this.” His mouth spread into a wide grin, eyes all tease. Then he slipped his arms into his shirtsleeves, thankfully leaving it unbuttoned to flutter in the breeze. She reached down and grabbed her heels as they made their way back to the stairs and toward the house.

Waves of attraction rolled off of him. They had chemistry. But that wasn’t everything. And she really wasn’t the type to be kissing any man on the beach, stranger or no. She was just going to chalk this whole evening up to post trauma and give herself some grace. She glanced at him again, his abs, well defined, his profile sharp and his lips soft. She’d do it again. Her smile grew. No one would blame her, and he certainly knew that there could be no expectations. Though she might not mind a phone call or two. “I don’t even know where you live.”

“Do we want to go there?” He stopped and turned to her. He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, but it willfully freed itself immediately. “I don’t know where you live either.” He waited, watching her. The moon was behind his face so she could see nothing in the shadows that so easily hid his feelings.

“I mean, I asked.” She smiled. But then held up a hand. “But maybe you’re right. You know where to find me. If you reach out in the next few weeks, I’ll have some fond memories come rushing back to keep me warm.” She laughed. “And if not, I’ll still have the memories.” She let her eyes linger all over him and then turned again to walk toward the house.

His laugh was low and enticing. Before she knew what was happening, his hand was on hers, she was whirled back and, in his arms, his mouth kissing her all over again.

She leaned into him, her shoes dropped once again to the sand, her fingers moving along his warm skin to his shoulders.

He paused and then kissed her one more time. “Just in case you needed a few more memories.” His hand slipped down her arm, sending a cascade of goosebumps. Their fingers laced together like they’d been holding hands for years.

Coral lifted her hand to wave to the security cameras.

“What are you doing?” Rand followed her gaze.

“Just waving at Lucan. I’m sure he will personally scan the tapes after a day like today.”

He waved too and then dipped his chin. “Can they hear us too?”

“I don’t think so? But you never know. Lucan is the best at what he does.”

“And this doesn’t concern you? All the surveillance?”

She shrugged. In truth, it bothered her a lot. One of the main reasons she’d decided to pursue a law degree in the USA was to gain a bit of privacy. “Princess, remember?” She winced. The moment she dreaded in every dating relationship, reminding the man that she had her own set of complications.

He just nodded. Then he swung their hands together. “Thank you for tonight.”

“And for today.”

When they stepped back into the house, music beat out from the smaller party room just like before. But she paused. “I’m going to head back to the rooms. I think I’m done with that for tonight.”

“I’ll walk you there.”

He didn’t say the words with any meaning, they weren’t meant to communicate anything other than the face value, were they? Was he hoping to be invited in? They walked side by side, Rand looking totally unaffected while a storm raged inside Coral. But when they arrived at her door, he simply pulled her into a hug. “I’m so glad you were safe today.” And then nodded, turned and left her at the door.

She wouldn’t have invited him in, but now she was left completely unsettled. Didn’t he want to come in? Had she done something to turn him off? Was he unimpressed? She pushed open her door, shaking her head. She could not begin a series of endless what-if ruminations.

Sleep came easier than she expected and morning brought messengers from her parents. They were coming with demands that she leave immediately. They no longer thought her safe unless with their own country.

That clinched things for Coral. She was packed and on an airplane headed the opposite direction before most of the rest of the house was awake. She had a moment of regret in not saying goodbye to Rand, but like he had said, did they really want to know about their own real lives? Apparently, he did not. It didn’t stop her from checking her phone multiple times on the flight over, but nothing ever showed up from Rand.

ChapterEight

Rand was up early and on the company jet before anyone in the house had even stirred. Connor Smithson had already called him. The royals’ paperwork had gone through and he was needed back in the office because of a minor billing dispute with one of their smaller clients. He rotated his neck inside his collar in frustration. That’s what they used him for, all the time. Except in the case of the royals’ paperwork, he was kept to small, low-profile clients and their small issues. Anders and Astra were decent attorneys. They certainly had the connections, well, Anders did. Rand wasn’t entirely sure how Astra got herself entrenched with the Mediterranean royals, but there was no reason two associates with barely a year between them had more clout in the firm than he did. And the Muskanza. The two newest were assigned those cases? Something was not sitting right with Rand. But he would worry about it later. He pulled out his phone. He’d taken a picture of he and Coral on the dance floor and then another one right as they were coming up the grassy hill on their way back from the water. She was beautiful. And in both, her eyes shone with a mischievous sparkle he’d found difficult to resist. Nico had texted him her contact info without him even asking. He’d texted back.I thought you said she’d be difficult.

Well, she is. But there’s something about you that broke through.

Rand had laughed. He chuckled again thinking about it. But should he call? He was certainly not going back to the Mediterranean on a regular basis. And he doubted she spent much time in the States. Long distance sounded like the worst idea. But a little conversation now and again never hurt anyone. And with the royals as clients, she just might become one soon anyway. It didn’t hurt to be on good terms with the next client. He’d get some signing bonuses for that. He wanted to chastise himself for thinking about networking when it came to Coral, but facts were facts. He could enjoy business development. No crime in that.

But as his thumbs hovered over his phone, he didn’t begin a text. Instead, he pocketed his device and pulled out his laptop and began working on a brief that he knew was going to be in his docket first when he arrived.

Something about that woman lingered though, because he found himself thinking of her more than once over the course of the next three hours while he tried to get some work done.

The airport was more crowded than usual. As he moved from his private jet terminal to join the rest of the people moving toward their ground transportation, he was thronged on all sides. His arm was bumped and his briefcase rammed against his legs enough that he lifted it and carried it at his chest. They had duplicates of everything in that file, but it would be a serious breach of attorney client privilege were someone to gain access to even the few he carried with him.

When he exited out onto the curb, he looked for his ride. The firm provided a driver whenever they wanted one, but he didn’t see any of the sedans waiting yet. That was odd. And he knew he shouldn’t complain but he was used to having the car ready when he needed it. He pulled out his phone to check for any notifications and saw none. Just as he was pocketing his phone, he reached down to grab his bag again at the same time a man tripped over him, almost tumbling to the ground. “Oh, sorry man.” He steadied himself.

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