Page 135 of More Than Pen Pals

“I don’t care about that,” she says, “but does he really have that much power?”

I shake my head. “No. He wields a lot of influence in the city, but there are people who won’t give in to him. And I can guarantee George Carter is one of them. I’ve never understood why George ever agreed to work with us.”

She cocks her head and studies me. “When did that begin?”

“I was the first person from our firm to work with them.”

“Hmm.” She looks thoughtful.

“Hmm, what?”

“Did you know George before that?”

I nod. “His family are members of my parents’ club. He would always talk to me when I was a kid and when I was home in the summers after I moved away for school.”

“What did you talk about?”

I finally get where she’s going with this line of questioning. “Mostly what I wanted to do with my life.”

“I think he saw something in you, even then. And when your dad went to him to put his scheme into place to try to break you, George saw an opportunity.”

My mouth slowly forms a smile. “Maybe so.”

“Carter-Jenkins is going to need new legal counsel,” she muses.

My smile grows bigger. “Maybe George will hire Randall to be your in-house counsel. I’ve often wondered why he didn’t have in-house counsel anyway. It has to be cheaper than hiring our firm.”

Leslie sits up straight. “George already told me he’d like to hire Randall but didn’t think he’d ever leave the family business.” She pushes off me. “Let’s call him now.”

I chuckle and tug her back toward me. “That can wait a few minutes. Speaking of jobs, I called Diego on Friday and told him he should hire me.”

She straddles my lap and wraps a hand around the nape of my neck, sending tingles down my spine and to places they don’t currently need to go.

“I’m proud of you for doing that,” she says.

My chest swells.

She adds, “And you were the only person on the list I gave him.”

I rest my hands on her hips. “I was?”

“Of course.” She kisses the tip of my nose. “You’re the only man for the job.”

“I love you, Leslie Beckett.” Who would’ve thought saying those five words could fill me with such joy?

“And I adore you, Ashley Hamilton.”

She presses kisses all over my face and whispers in my ear, “You trying to grow a beard?”

“I had more important things to worry about this morning than shaving.”

“Mmm. I like it.”

She moves her mouth below my ear and I tilt my head to give her better access. When her tongue flicks my skin, I stifle a moan.

“Go on. Let it out.” Her lips tickle my neck as she speaks, and I shiver. “I want to learn all your sounds.”

Her mouth trails to the other side of my neck and my fingers dig into her hips when her body slides all the way forward.

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