Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 99434 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 497(@200wpm)___ 398(@250wpm)___ 331(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 99434 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 497(@200wpm)___ 398(@250wpm)___ 331(@300wpm)
I wanted the annoying clutter sitting between Layla and me removed. “Are you insinuating that Layla isn’t capable of answering any questions I might have?”
“No, not at all.”
“Then why are you here?”
The pencil neck looked to Layla to answer.
“I invited Oliver,” she said. “Like I told you, I thought there should be more than one attorney available to answer your questions, considering how valuable your account would be to our firm.”
“You thought wrong.” I turned back to Oliver. “You can go. I trust that Layla will be able to handle any questions I might have.”
Layla spoke through gritted teeth, but managed to keep a level tone. “Oliver is already here. And he brings a lot of value. I’m sure you’ll see that by the time we finish dinner.”
The waiter appeared holding menus.
I grumbled to myself, “I’m sure I won’t.”
After we ordered dinner, Layla’s chaperone excused himself to go to the bathroom.
As soon as he was out of earshot, I said, “We need to talk, Layla. Alone. Tell him to take a hike.”
“What? No!”
I stood. “Fine. I’ll take care of it myself.”
I ignored Layla shouting after me as I trailed Mr. Junior Partner to the bathroom. Pencil Neck was at the urinal. Apparently his neck wasn’t the only thing that resembled a pencil. I stood next to him and reached into my pocket. Peeling ten hundred-dollar bills from my thick billfold, I waited until he zipped his fly. Then I extended the cash.
“Have dinner somewhere else? On me.”
Pencil Neck looked down at the cash, up at me, and walked over to the sinks. I waited while he washed his hands.
When he was done, he leaned against the sink and folded his arms across his chest. “I assume we’re talking man to man in here, not attorney at Latham & Pittman to potential client, right?”
“Of course.” I nodded once. “Man to man.”
He smiled. “Good. Then let me tell you, you’re wasting your time if you’re interested in Ms. Hutton.”
“Why is that?”
“Three reasons. One, Layla would never go out with a client. Two, I did my due diligence on you. You might be a client worth a lot of money to the firm, but you’re also an ex-con. And three, she’s my girlfriend.”
My blood started to pump harder. I hadn’t expected that last part. Although, if Oliver thought that would scare me away, he had another thing coming. I’d just done three years in prison. Even if I found this guy mildly intimidating—which I didn’t in the slightest—he’d never see me sweat.
Instead, I smiled and put a hand on his shoulder. “Let me be honest—you know, man to man—I find none of those three reasons a deterrent.”
***
At least he was smart enough to take the hint. Oliver—the boyfriend—kept his mouth shut during most of dinner, allowing Layla to take the lead. Unlike this afternoon, I let her tell me all about the firm I already knew I was hiring, without interrupting. I didn’t really give a fuck about any of the old cronies who would oversee my needs. But sitting across the small table, watching Layla’s mouth move while she talked, staring at the light smattering of freckles she tried to conceal, letting my eyes linger on her full lips when she was paying attention and Pencil Dick wasn’t, had turned into a fun game: Make Layla squirm in her seat.
It had been over a year since I last saw her, and if it were possible, she’d grown even more beautiful. Her dark hair was longer, and she was letting its natural wave show, rather than making it silky straight like she had a year ago. Looking at her, all I saw was what I’d dreamed that straight hair would look like after our bodies spent hours slapping against each other.
That had been a recurring damn dream after she’d cut off all communication with me. It had filled my thoughts on many lonely nights.
Tonight her plump lips were painted a bright red, and the top center dipped low, forming a perfect little V. I wanted to trace them with my tongue. Her long, feminine neck needed sucking and biting. But her eyes were the showstopper. They were a pale greenish-blue that I knew firsthand darkened when she was turned on.
“Are you even listening to me?” Layla blinked twice.
Shit. I hadn’t heard a word she’d said. “Of course I am.”
She leaned forward and lowered her voice. “Then what did I just say?”
Well damn, her eyes also go dark when she’s pissed. I couldn’t wait to fuck her when she was angry and see what that looked like.
“You were talking about the firm.”
She looked back and forth between my eyes and squinted. “Whatever. I’ve been doing all the talking this evening anyway. Tell me, Mr. Westbrook, what kind of services are you looking for from a firm? This afternoon you mentioned your SEC license appeal and your new business venture. But I don’t know anything about your plans since you were too busy to give us that full hour earlier today.”