Page 69 of Pride & Precedents

I sigh and lean against the railing next to him.

"That day I left? The day of the kiss?" Henry drops his eyes, obviously reliving that terrible memory.

"She was standing right outside the door. I'm not sure how much she heard, but when I saw her, she accused me of sleeping with you to get my position. Apparently, she's been pissed at me this whole time."

Henry's jaw is like granite, his eyes filled with lethal intent.

"She said that to you?"

I shrug.

"As you know, I can handle the assholes at work. I thought it was just some catty bullshit. But you're saying she went to the partners?"

"Either she did, or she told Jonathan and he did," Henry growls.

All the more reason to get out of dodge.

"They really almost fired you? For something that isn't technically against the rules?"

"Actually, it was like you said."

I look at him, confused.

"They weren't happy, but I got in more trouble because I didn't tell them beforehand. Once someone filed a report, there weren't a lot of options."

I don't say "I told you so", but I think it.

"You can go ahead and say it," he says with a smirk. "I fucked up. I knew it as soon as you walked out the door, but I thought we'd have a chance to talk it out."

"Henry. I…" I raise and drop my hand, unsure what to say, where to start.

Henry chuckles.

"It's honestly no big deal." I furrow my brow. "I mean, itisa big deal, but it feels like it was meant to be. Seven years is way too long to go with practically no down time. No vacation, staying late every night, and working through every weekend? It was a recipe for disaster. If it hadn't been this, it would have been something else."

I'm struggling to come to terms with the firm's top earner spouting the virtues of stopping to smell the roses. It's unheard of.

"Well…I can't say I'm not surprised. I'mbeyondsurprised. But if you're able to embrace this whole situation and finally take some much needed time off, then I'm happy for you. You definitely earned it."

Henry gives me a genuine smile and I'm thankful to be already leaning against the railing.

"I'm also here to warn you," he says. Something shifts in his eyes. He's gone from unsure to determined, even cocky.

"Warn me?" I reply, raising an eyebrow. He just smirks in response.

"Yes. I'm here to warn you I'm not giving up on us. You can storm out of the office over a mistake." He raises an arm when I open my mouth to interrupt. "A mistake I regretted immediately, even more than not pushing Naomi when she put her hand on my knee."

His face is obviously contrite, and my heart squeezes.

"You can ignore my calls and texts. You can bury yourself in studying—which I totally get, by the way. But soon, when you're done with the bar and can addEsquireto your name, we're going to talk. We're going to talk and you're going to hear me out and stop being so stubborn."

"I'm not being stubborn," I argue, ignoring the juvenile pout in my voice. He gives me an adoring smile in return.

"Youarestubborn, but it's OK. I'm not perfect either." He looks into my eyes, emotion swirling right at the surface. There's lust there, and determination to get his way; it's part of what makes him a formidable lawyer. There's also something else. Something too big for me to process on five hours of sleep with a week still left on my study plan. He must sense my inner turmoil.

"I'm not here to get into everything right now; there'll be time for that later. You're probably beside yourself with nerves over the test next week." I can't help but nod.

"That's totally normal. Just stick with your schedule, make sure that schedule includes sleep, and the day before the exam, don't study at all. Give your brain a break. Once you pass, and you'regoingto pass," he says with a certainty that makes me grin, "we're going to talk and we're going to get past this."

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