Page 28 of When You Give a Lawyer a Kiss

I brace myself for her disappointment. She must be upset that I would resort to blackmail and use underhanded tactics. Reese tends to follow the rules, so I suspect my approach disappointsher. The idea of letting her down bothers me more than it should.

She gulps loudly. “Let Donald get away with cheating on his wife. Don’t you think she has a right to know she’s married to a fraud?” Reese steps forward, looking like she’s unsure how I’ll react.

My mouth falls open slightly, stunned. “Not everything is black and white, especially in this business,” I say.

“No, but it’s the right thing to do,” she states with conviction. “Is money really worth allowing someone to get away with that kind of deception?”

God, she’s adorable when she’s all fired up.

I drum my fingers against my desk. “I might be aggressive and unyielding, but I won’t back down when greedy adversaries try to exploit me or my clients.”

She purses her lips. “Does opposing counsel do the same to you and your clients?”

I shake my head. “They wish they were so lucky. I do my research before working with a new client, and know exactly what I’m dealing with from the get-go to avoid any surprises.”

Towing the line with Reese is the first impulsive thing I’ve done that could have repercussions for us both.

“For example, Harrison, one of my most reliable clients, is a billionaire who also happens to be the most straight-laced guy I know. I’ve found it’s best not to judge a book by its cover.” I use the same words she used on me the night at the tattoo shop. I leave out the part where I’m a billionaire, too, worried that will scare her off. “Why don’t you have a look at those, and you’ll see what I mean.” I nod toward a pile of folders on my desk.

Reese takes a tentative step forward to retrieve them and sits on the couch in the corner. She flips through the documents, pausing at the dossier I compiled for Donald. I maintain one for opposing counsel and their clients, with detailed notes ofpotential leverage. It’s important to have it ready, never knowing when the information might come in handy. Just like it did today.

She opens the dossier and begins reading the first page, a myriad of emotions flickering across her face, shifting from apprehension to confusion, and finally realization. After she’s done, her shoulders slump as she nibbles on her lower lip.

With a downcast gaze, she whispers, “You were never going to let Donald off the hook.”

I let a small grin slip. “No, Red, I wasn’t.”

A week after the funds are transferred from Donald’s client, an encrypted email from an anonymous source will land in his wife’s personal inbox, exposing all the evidence of Donald’s affair. On top of that, all the illicit messages he sent to his client using his company’s chat system will conveniently be brought to his business partners’ attention by their IT department.

This will absolve me of any blame and guarantee that my client and I receive the compensation we’re owed, along with the justice I’m after.

Reese shuts the folder, a quizzical look in her eyes. “Why didn’t you tell me that in the first place?”

“Because it seems you want to paint me as a villain.” I get up from my chair and take a seat next to her on the couch, allowing my leg to graze against hers. “Why is that?”

She’s been working with me for two weeks and has been doing everything she can to create space between us—a stark contrast from the woman who bolted into my tattoo shop and kissed me with unguarded passion. And I want nothing more than to break down her walls and reignite the inferno we shared that night.

Admittedly, my desire goes beyond physical attraction. Since our conversation last night where she shared some of her favorite things, I find myself increasingly curious about her, andwant to learn more about her interests and experiences. Every new thing she shares about herself is like a new tattoo on a sleeve—each one telling another part of her story.

Reese looks up, her green eyes meeting mine. “It’s easier that way.”

“What is?” I ask.

“If you were cold and cruel, I could pretend that I’m not attracted to you,” she murmurs. “But instead, you’re kind of decent under that gruff exterior. Even when you act like a jerk, it’s clear you have good intentions.”

I cup her chin, tilting her face to meet my gaze. I’m tempted to close the space between us and kiss her. She’s the most alluring woman I’ve met, and I know that if I give in, I’ll be consumed by an insatiable longing to do it again. Whether or not I’m ready to admit it, Reese Taylor could turn my world upside down if I let her.

But the reality is that she’s my paralegal, and aside from our mutual chemistry, we don’t seem to have much in common. While she’s empathetic and understanding, always seeing the best in people, I’m suspicious and wary, quick to notice their flaws. I’m a guarded cynic masking my vulnerability with calculated indifference. I’m the guy who prefers a casual fling, and Reese strikes me as someone longing for commitment.

Like ink embedded in the skin, she’s etched in my mind, impossible to erase. The space between us feels like a chasm I’m desperate to close, even though I shouldn’t.

“You’re so damn beautiful.” I trace the freckles dotting the bridge of her nose with my thumb. “Being this close to you makes me want to throw out every rational notion and kiss you.” Her eyes widen at my admission. “But I’m not going to do that.”

She blinks up at me, her brow furrowed. “You’re not?”

I force myself to remove my hand from her face. “No. Because I’m trying to be on my best behavior.”Even though I’d rathernot have to be.“Given how much this job means to you, I should never have put you in a position where it could be compromised.”

Disappointment flickers across Reese’s face, but she quickly replaces it with a polite smile. “I should get back to work.”

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