Love and Lust (Small Town Secrets Book 2) Read online

  Janae beat me to the punch. “Samantha’s client just left.”

  “And?”

  Janae’s large smile flashed white teeth before she spoke, a teasing lilt in her voice. “And he is quite hunky.”

  My partner shook his head. “Hunky, huh?” His light brown eyes moved from Janae to me—and I suddenly felt like I was in the hot seat. “What—did he ask you out on a date?”

  “No, dad, he didn’t.” I inhaled deeply, hoping it would help my composure. “That would be inappropriate. But I’m not blind.”

  Adam smiled, shaking his head. “Well, I just got off the phone with Braden. She’s not budging on the Newman case.”

  “No plea deal?”

  “A lame one but nothing worthwhile.” He ran a hand through his black hair. “Shit. I hate court.”

  “Like we didn’t know that.” I didn’t mind it as much, but only because I liked a change of pace once in a while.

  Janae clicked her mouse a couple of times. “Need me to clear next week’s schedule?”

  “Yeah, I guess you better.” Adam glanced at me. “Would you be able to cover any weird shit that comes up while I’m gone?”

  “Always got your back, partner.”

  “Yeah, I know. Thanks.”

  I slapped him on the back, a gesture we’d done since our lean days, something we’d even done during our long stint as lovers. “Do what you gotta do. Janae and I can handle it here.”

  When Adam hugged me in response, my thoughts drifted back to Ryan—and that woke me up to something huge.

  I was completely over this man, my partner, my friend. Ryan was the first guy I’d really lusted over since Adam and I had called it quits a couple years earlier. “Hmm.”

  Adam released me. “What?”

  While my grin might have betrayed me, I wasn’t fessing up. “Nothing.”

  Janae shook her head. “Probably still thinking about her client.”

  I laughed and strolled back into my office. Better that they had no clue what I was thinking.

  * * *

  A few weeks later, Ryan Craig was nothing but a fond memory—and a case file pending action in the future as I fell back into the routine. But even though he no longer dominated my amorous thoughts, I felt gratitude that the man had inadvertently helped me see past the old ties I’d felt toward Adam.

  One afternoon in June, Janae rapped lightly on my door before she walked in, almost tiptoeing across the carpet to my desk. Her odd behavior was completely out of character, and I was thinking to myself that this had better be good, because she was interrupting billable time. I looked up from my computer screen. “Yes?”

  “There’s someone here to see you, Samantha.”

  Someone without an appointment—and Janae knew I was busy. I could’ve gotten angry with her, but I could tell something was going on. “Who?”

  “Ryan Craig. He said he wanted to inquire with you about his case.”

  Jesus Christ. Why the hell did my heart start beating in my chest like a rabbit being chased across the plain at the mere mention of his name?

  Stupid.

  Janae flashed a sweet smile. “Did you want to see him, or would you rather I took care of this?”

  She and I both knew it was something she could take care of in two seconds—but Janae must have also remembered my crush. It wasn’t until Ryan came back to my office that I realized how sadly mistaken I’d been over the past few weeks.

  I was nowhere near being over my lusty adoration.

  Or maybe I was—and the only way to find out for certain was to meet with him. “No, I’ll see him. Just give me a minute, okay?”

  Janae left, closing the door with a gentle click as she walked out. I’d already forgotten about the file I was working on when I grabbed a small tube of lipstick from my purse in the bottom drawer and strode across the room to the mirror on the wall. Then, checking my hair and face, I took a deep breath.

  Surely, there was no way I’d find Ryan Craig as potent as I had before. That had to have been a fluke.

  When I opened the door to my office, I found him sitting in one of the chairs in the lobby looking out the window. “Hi, Ryan. Would you like to step in my office?” I noticed my hands were trembling. What the hell? Why was I so drawn to this man but, more than that, why did he have this kind of effect on me?

  I led him to my office, confident at least that I looked great in my smart red power suit, a skirt that hugged my ass, and three-inch black heels that emphasized the curvature of my calves.

  Once we arrived in my office, we both sat across the desk from each other. “What can I do for you?”

  He looked at me before answering with a quiet voice. “It’s been a few weeks, so I wondered if you had any news.”

  I opened the small filing cabinet to my side and pulled out a file. Once I opened it, I pulled out a copy of the letter we’d mailed to the respondent. “This is what we sent to her, and we’re just waiting for a response. In about a week, if I haven’t heard from her, we’ll file a motion with the courts that will compel her to have the testing done. It’s all very standard.”

  Ryan glanced at it before handing it back to me. “Yeah—you already sent me a copy of this. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that you haven’t heard from her. Are you sure she got the letter, though?”

  I took a green receipt out of the file that had Rachel Evans’s signature on it to show him. “She signed for it seven days after we mailed it. She’s already had plenty of time to contact us.”

  “That’s her writing.” Ryan’s frown was sexy, making me want to bite my lip. “I guess she’s going to make this difficult.”

  “A lot of people do, Ryan. If they didn’t, I’d be out of business.”

  His slight smile told me he had a bit of a sense of humor, something I appreciated. “I guess you’re right.”

  “Have you done your test yet?”

  “I did it a couple of days after you told me to.”

  “Good. Don’t worry—it’ll happen. It just takes longer this way, because people don’t like being told what to do, but who knows? She might change her mind at the last minute.”

  “I doubt it. I expected her to act like an adult, but why would she start now?” He inhaled a deep breath through his nostrils. “If I’m this kid’s dad, I need to be involved in his life.”

  “I understand. Rest assured, I won’t let any grass grow under my feet, so to speak. As soon as she misses the allotted time, I’ll file the motion with the court.”

  “How long does that take?”

  “Well, after the motion is filed, we’ll have her served with the paperwork. She can get an attorney if she wants, but then she has to have the testing done. She has no choice in the matter at that point. And then we await the results.”

  “How long does that take?”

  “A week, maybe two. Not long at all.”

  “Well, if I turn out to be the baby’s father, can I see him right after that?”

  I kept my face looking neutral, just as I’d trained myself, but the answer wouldn’t necessarily be palatable. “It may not be that simple. If she allows you to, definitely. But if she’s in a fighting mood, we’ll have to go through more battles. I hope she’ll cooperate once she’s served with the paperwork. It’s in the best interests of the child, after all.”

  “It’s not in her best interest.”

  “It will be if you are the child’s father. She can get child support, for starters.”

  He shook his head. “That’s not the way she works.”

  “I guess you would be the best judge of that.” As much as I liked having the gorgeous Mr. Craig across my desk, I would be wasting his time if I kept him around after this. “Do you have any other questions?”

  “Uh…no. Thanks for your time, Ms. Paulson.”

  I nearly cringed. “Please call me Samantha. We’re on a first-name basis, remember?”

  “Okay, Samantha.” I had to admit to myself that I loved the sound o
f my name on his tongue. His baritone voice was sexy, stirring things inside me—and I felt it all over again, that urge to fuck this man. I had myself under control, but that desire was strong.

  We both stood. “I promise we’ll call you as soon as we know something, one way or another.”

  “Okay. Thanks.”

  This time, I followed him to my office door but held myself back. No way was I going to give Janae any more fuel for her fire.

  If I wanted to watch the well-built Mr. Craig, I could observe him from the window in my office, where I could see him just fine.

  Damn. I needed an icy shower. Probably several. It would take hours to put out this fire.

  Chapter Three

  When the day finally arrived, I wasn’t surprised by the respondent’s action—or, rather, inaction. Rachel Evans didn’t reply to our letter—not by her own correspondence, not with an email or phone call, not even anything from her own attorney.

  Which meant it was time for me to contact my client.

  This time, I remembered that my attraction to him wasn’t a fluke. I still couldn’t explain it, but it was indeed very real. So a phone call would help me focus on the work instead of the man.

  When I reached him on his cell, I said, “I just wanted to give you an update. As I’m sure you’ve already figured out, we didn’t get a response from the letter we sent. So, as we speak, my assistant is preparing the paperwork for the court. After filing the motion, we’ll have a process server or someone in the Sheriff’s Office in Las Animas County serve her with the paperwork.”

  “What exactly is this paperwork?”

  “Basically, it’s a summons that compels her to come to court. At the hearing, I or a representative will request the judge to order her and the child to have genetic testing done.”

  “When will the hearing be?”

  “It depends on the court. Once we file the paperwork with them and a case is assigned, the court also sets the hearing date. And, because I represent you, you won’t have to be present if you don’t want to.”

  “Can I come if I want?”

  “Of course. But if you feel it would be too uncomfortable or you can’t get out of work or whatever, you don’t have to. Do you have any other questions?”

  “No. Just let me know when you find out something, okay?”

  That wouldn’t be a problem.

  But it was a couple of weeks before anything significant happened. As soon as it did, though, I didn’t hesitate to call. This time, he didn’t answer, so I’d have to wait for him to call me back—and I left my cell number in the voicemail message, too, just in case I wasn’t in my office. That way he could talk to me and not Janae.

  I did not give all my clients my cell number unless they had a lot of money and could afford me billing for off hours. That wasn’t my intention with this particular client, even though I lied to myself that his whole future hung in the balance.

  When he called, I was still at work. To ease my guilty conscience, I got right to business. “I promised to keep you updated, so I wanted to let you know we won’t have to go to court—for now, at any rate. Ms. Evans has agreed to have the testing done. I spoke with her attorney earlier today, and she and the baby will be getting tested next week.”

  “That’s great. Thanks.”

  I should have hung up the phone right then and there, said my goodbyes, and let him go.

  Instead, I crossed the line.

  “I’d like to take you out to celebrate.”

  When the pause sounded almost like our connection had been dropped, I bit my lip. I knew he was still on the line. Fuck. I really had gone too far. Now our interactions would be awkward and uncomfortable. Taking a deep breath, I tried to assess how to undo the damage.

  His unexpected voice made me almost jump out of my skin. “Like dinner or drinks?”

  I swallowed. Holy shit. Was he agreeing? “Maybe a drink?”

  “Sure.”

  Oh, my God. I’d just sealed my fate, but giddy anticipation made me blind to the future beyond the moment of having a drink with the intoxicating Ryan Craig.

  * * *

  I didn’t pick up men that often on purpose. When I was on the prowl, I’d go to the one and only biker bar in the whole county, because it was stocked with the kind of men I liked best. Tonight, though, I let Ryan choose where we’d meet, and he picked the sports bar on Main Street, a place called Shooters.

  I’d planned to leave work early that day so I could make sure I looked perfect—but my partner had other ideas.

  Just as I was starting to put files away before shutting down my computer, Adam tapped on my open door and came in. I shifted my eyes to him. “What’s up?”

  “Not much. Just wondered if I could have your input on one of my cases. I need a woman’s point of view.”

  Several months ago, when I’d been still pining over our failed relationship, I would have welcomed this man’s undivided attention. When we discussed our clients and battles in court, it reminded me of all the reasons why I’d fallen for him in the first place. He was smart, sharp, and sometimes ruthless—not to mention good looking.

  Now, though, I didn’t have time. “Can it wait until tomorrow?”

  I could see the disappointment in his eyes. “I guess so. I just wanted to finish this up before I leave today.”

  Glancing up at the clock on the wall to see the time was five-thirty, I decided I could spare my partner a few minutes. “All right. I just need to leave soon.”

  “Fair enough.”

  “Be there in a sec.” After I shut down my computer, I whisked myself to his office. He was hunched over a physical file and, when he looked up, I could see the tension in his jaw. “What’s got you so stressed?”

  “How familiar are you with the Roberts case?”

  “Only what you’ve told me.” He slid the case file across the desk and I picked it up.

  “So she’s accused of murdering her husband. The DA thinks it’s a slam-dunk, but I’m not so sure. I’m not just talking attorney/ client privilege either. The pieces just don’t fit.”

  I started looking through the transcribed notes from his interviews with his client. “What are you thinking here?”

  “Well, she already admitted to having an affair. But I think her lover killed the husband, not her.”

  “Why?”

  Adam didn’t answer until I looked up from the file. “Could you smother me to death?”

  I shrugged. “I’ve wanted to on occasion.” I grinned as Adam raised an eyebrow. “Maybe if you were drunk. Or maybe if you pissed me off enough.”

  “Cute.” Leaning over, he lifted a couple papers in the file, pointing to a particular page he wanted me to see. “There were signs of a struggle. But ultimately her husband was smothered by his own pillow, and that was it. Nothing more. And the toxicology report showed he had a little alcohol in his system but not enough to incapacitate a big guy like that.”

  “Drugs?”

  “Nope. Now, there are historical police reports—the husband was a violent guy, beat her pretty frequently. I really think if she’d wanted to kill him, it wouldn’t have been by smothering. It would have been one of those stories you hear about all the time…like a fire in the bed, skillet to the head, penis severed off, poisoning, whatever. But smothering?” Adam shook his head. “I don’t buy it.”

  “And you know what’s even weirder? Usually DV cases don’t involve extramarital affairs. Well, at least not on the part of the one who’s been beaten.” Adam cocked an eyebrow. “Okay, not the ones I’ve worked on.”

  “Don’t even go there, Samantha. I don’t need you muddying the waters. Questions like that have already kept me up a few nights.”

  I continued leafing through the pages in the file. “Does she have an alibi?”

  “She says she was at the supermarket. The clerk thought he remembered her being there, but he wasn’t certain.”

  “Any cameras?”

  “They had a surv
eillance camera at the entrance but no tape running. If my client did it, she planned it perfectly.”

  “No kidding.”

  “The DA doesn’t have much. All the evidence is circumstantial, but the motive is strong. I just wanted your opinion. I was thinking about going with the defense of ‘Do you really think she’s got enough upper body strength to do this?’ and appeal to the jury’s common sense. I’m telling you, Samantha, this woman is lucky if she’s ninety-five pounds wet. And the deceased was around two-twenty-five, big and beefy. Probably used my client as a punching bag on a regular basis. What do you think? Think that angle might work with a jury?”

  “What kind of jurors will you be looking for?”

  His eyes lit up. “Mostly women, possibly low-income. I haven’t done any profiling yet.”

  Smiling at my partner, I closed the file and slid it towards him across the desk. “Adam, you’re one of the best courtroom lawyers I’ve ever met—hell, you’re one of the best lawyers out there, period. And I’m not just saying that because you’re my partner. If I had to go to trial, I’d hire you to defend me. I know that, whatever you decide, you’ll have a better chance than most at getting this woman acquitted.”

  His grin made his eyes sparkle once more as he seemed to relax. “Flattery will get you everywhere.” Then he stood, walking toward his filing cabinet. “Thanks. I’m still not sure that’s my angle, but I wanted your opinion. I need to believe my client is innocent, or I won’t be convincing.”

  I also stood, ready to begin my evening as soon as possible. “I didn’t say I didn’t think she had no help. I just don’t know that she could have done it on her own. You said he had alcohol in his system?”

  “Only trace amounts.”

  “And you said she’s small?”

  “Yep. Not meth addict small, but skinny and short. She’s about your height but no meat on her bones.”