Page 18 of Bang Buddies With Benefits
“Good.” She nodded and then pushed the glass across the counter. When she reached for her wallet, I waved a hand through the air and told her it was on the house. She stood and tugged on the bottom of her shirt. “One more thing. It’s tradition in our family that the bridal party do the waltz at the wedding. Since I’m the one who knows it best, I’ll also be the instructor.”
There was the real bombshell, and I froze, as if I could stop it from going off when it already had. If it were for anyone but Noah, I’d flat-out refuse. But all I could think was that I’d made the right decision when I’d roped Cat into being my fake date for this.
7
Catalina
For some reason, Miko requested I come out of my office to greet my visitor instead of showing them inside. Not our usual way of doing things, but I didn’t have a client meeting on my schedule and trusted her enough to assume she had her reasons. It’d better not be some delusional Richie McRicherson who showed up and demanded to see a lawyer, thinking their time was more important than anyone else’s. The partners kept sending those type—usually a friend of a friend—my way. I was trying to play the game and all, but they never asked Mark to step in, and that was a bitter pill to swallow.
“Sexist old white men at it again,” I muttered. While I maintained my right to complain, I was actually glad for a reason to close out the macabre images on my screen. “I can use a break anyway, so joke’s on you guys.”
I stretched out my toes in search of the heels I’d kicked off beneath my desk, finding one and then the other and stepping into them.
After double checking my computer was asleep and would therefore require a password, I pushed away from the desk. I blinked my tired yes, covered my yawn with my hand, and pushed out of my office.
Then I froze and gaped, the gears in my brain grinding against one another as I processed the unexpected sight in front of me.
The law firm was set up in a sprawling square, with all the offices along the side of the building with the view of the harbor, our assistants placed at desks immediately outside our doors, and the paralegals and rest of the staff in flat open workspaces that were supposed to encourage discussion. Most of the time all I saw were heads down, files open, a cloud of stress hovering in the air above them.
Today everyone was perked up in their seats, curious gazes aimed in my direction.
As if Zac weren’t enough of a spectacle, with his ripped jeans, motorcycle boots, and a simple white T-shirt that showcased his ripped, tattooed arms, he was also holding a giant bouquet of red roses.
When it came to the work week, I lived and died by my schedule and wasn’t a fan of surprises unless they involved pizza or liquor. And this visit definitely wasn’t on my calendar. “What are you doing here?”
“Now, is that any way to greet your fiancé?”
Right. How on earth could I forget my betrothed? Orgasms also landed on the good list when it came to spontaneity, but again, that was on the weekend or afterhours, and everyone was staring, and I was completely unprepared. “I, uh… hello, sweetie. This is so unexpected.”
Yuck. Nevereveruse sweetie again. You can’t pull it off, and it sounds more like a death threat than a term of endearment.
“That’s the point. I wanted to surprise you.” The cellophane wrapped around the flowers crinkled as Zac extended the flower arrangement my way.
Instead of letting go, he laced his long fingers through mine, snaked a hand around my waist, and pulled me in for a kiss.
Due to my hellish day of sorting through photos in a manslaughter case that hit too close to home, my body remained tense, my posture stiff. But as Zac parted my lips with his, awareness sparked deep within my core, easing my inner turmoil and chasing away my blues.
I felt him begin to pull back, and panic set in, my ragged senses not done taking advantage of the numbing effect this man had on them. I gripped his shoulder, and pressed my upper arm and elbow against his, keeping his arm around my lower back. Then I sank into his embrace and threw myself more fully into the kiss, adding a light swipe of my tongue.
The peanut gallery whooped and hollered, and a few whistles pierced the air. Evidently, the partners wanted me to be a horny dolphin, so I might as well take advantage and call it game on with the PDA.
A giggle spilled free as Zac dipped me, far enough the ends of my hair brushed the tile floor, and I had to fight my leg from popping up—I’d never live this down as it was, but that went double if I accidentally flashed the paralegals.
Zac hauled me back to my feet, and my assistant and the rest of the people in the office gaped at us as if they’d never seen kissing before. Or perhaps it was my wide smile and accompanying laugh. I wasn’t sure, and I didn’t want to examine it too deeply, but seriously, I wasn’tthatstern and stoic.
Was I?
Bill, Roger, and Gary had even poked their heads out of their offices to witness the hubbub. Their resulting grins were as good for me and my promotion as they were infuriating. I couldn’t believe that acting like a sappy woman who swooned over flowers and giggled over getting swept off her feet by a hot guy was seriously working.
That giggle and swooning were a little too real, too, but that was a problem to ponder over later. What was important in the here and now was that I was playing the long game. Regardless of whether I thought the rules were trivial and ridiculous.
Miko swept her straight black locks over her shoulder, switching to Japanese as she asked, “You’re engaged? When did that happen?”
Since I was better at understanding than speaking Japanese, I replied that I’d explain later in Spanish. Worry rose up, over how much I should spill and how she’d feel about our ploy once I did.
Then again, I’d never been one for veiling the truth, unless it was in court and would violate client attorney privilege.
“I was also hoping I could steal you away for lunch.” Zac moved his mouth next to my ear and spoke in a low voice only for me. “There are some logistics that we need to discuss, and I figured we should get everything down on a calendar. I’m usually fairly open, but I know you book up fast.”
