Page 39 of Take the Bait

“Well, you didn’t tell the WMP partner to shove it when he offered me to you on a silver platter.”

“I’m not gonna lie. I was so shocked I didn’t know what to say.”

That made her push away from him a little to stare up at him. “You? Shocked? I thought you guys in the D.A.’s office have seen everything.”

“Yeah, well, I’ve never been offered women as a perk of a job offer before.”

She stared at him for several long moments, assessing the truth of his answer. She didn’t hear or see any signs of evasion or dishonesty. If he was faking his dismay over WMP pimping her out, he was a better liar than she could detect.

At some point, she had to get off the fence and choose to trust him or not. And her gut said he was being straight with her.

She settled back against his side, which had the advantage of her not having to look him in the eye when she talked about this supremely embarrassing subject.

“There’s not much to say. And honestly, Cam, you know more than I do at this point about what WMP is asking—or coercing—its women associates to do.”

He snorted but made no comment.

She continued, “I only caught part of the conversation between you and Raspy Voice. But from what I heard, I was hired apparently not for my mastery of the law, but rather my more…tangible… physical assets. Like how I look in high heels and a tight skirt.”

She had to stop for a moment to collect herself. She was not going to burst into tears in front of Cam.

Eventually, she added, “I never noticed before that night how there are practically no female attorneys at WMP.” She shook her head. “I was arrogant. I assumed I was special. That I was the first woman from a crappy little part-time law school who was talented enough to scale the walls of the ivory WMP tower and breach their corporate fortress.”

“Aww, honey. They’ve had a reputation since long before I started practicing law for burning through female associates over there like spilled gasoline.”

“Too bad no one told me that before I accepted their job offer.”

“Honestly, you strike me more as the fiery public defender type than as a well-paid private defense shark.”

“Really? Thank you.”

He chuckled briefly. “Some attorneys would take that as an insult.”

She ventured another peek at him, and he smiled back wryly.

“What am I going to do with you?” he sighed. “I’d love nothing more than to kiss you right now, but if I do that, then I’ll be the asshole you originally thought I was.”

“I really did think you were a jerk after our first meeting,” she confessed. “The one in the courthouse where you showed up in sweaty workout gear.”

“I really am sorry about that. I told you the truth. I didn’t have time to change.”

“It’s okay. I’m told the clothes don’t make the lawyer, anyway.”

He said reflectively, “I thought you were the smartest, hottest woman I’d met in a long time. I was secretly not disappointed you turned down the plea and were going to fight the case. You know, so I could see you again.”

“Really?”

“Scout’s honor.”

“Then I guess that leaves only one option open to us,” she announced soberly.

“What’s that?”

“I’ll have to kiss you.” She pushed away from his side and turned to face him. His expression went dark and sexy and dangerous. He reminded her of a tiger she’d imagined sitting on in his car.

Which gave her an impulse. She intentionally didn’t stop to consider it and just acted upon it, rising to her knees, and throwing her thigh across his lap. She straddled his hips and draped her hands over his shoulders, smiling shyly at him.

He smiled back, slow and sexy.

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