Page 20 of Soaring Free
“Speaking of going for the jugular, did you already gossip about the coffee date I crashed this morning?” Walker’s eyes twinkle with mischief.
Vivian’s head snaps to me as I gasp at Walker’s accusation. “That was no date. I’m not dating him—or anyone else for that matter. Theo is my lawyer’s brother, or technically, I think he might be one of my lawyers, I don’t know. It’s not like that.” I mean, Theo is ridiculously attractive, but my love life is on indefinite hold—and maybe a permanent hold.
“Are you sure? And if so, does he know that? I don’t know, Savannah, the way he was looking at you, I don’t think he sees you in a strictly professional manner. I’m pretty good at reading people, and I know what I saw. My gut says there was more than a spark there on both ends. He was looking at you like you were a tall glass of water and he’d been trudging through the desert for months.”
“Months, huh?” Vivian wiggles her eyebrows at me. “He sounds thirsty, girl.”
“He was not. Don’t believe him, Viv.” I dismiss Walker’s claims.
“What?! I absolutely believe him, and I also love this so much!” Vivian claps her hands and squeals like a schoolgirl who just heard her crush checked yes on the note she passed him asking if he liked her. I can’t help but wonder if Walker brought this up just to make her smile, and his smug smile and wink at me only confirms my suspicions.
“Look at what you did. You’re going to get her hopes up, Walker.” I try to school my smile but fail. “It’s true that my sister and I both agree Theo is handsome.” Walker snaps his head to my sister with a growl as she pats his knee.Ha, two can play that game.“He has a very pretty smile and handsome face, but I am not going to fall for it. I bet he flirts with all the ladies, and I have zero interest in getting involved in whatever drama I’m sure would come with trying to get a place on his social calendar.” Theo is insanely rich, intelligent, successful, and then he has to go and be irrationally handsome on top of all of that? It’s borderline unfair, really. If he doesn’t already have a girlfriend, I’m sure he has several contenders for the position. “He was just being nice to his sister’s client who has an asshole ex that he hates; that’s all it was, Walker.”
Walker slowly smiles as he nods his head toward me. “Look at that, Viv.”
“What’s that, baby?”
“That right there is what denial looks like, and this is going to be fun to watch. Get your popcorn ready, Sugar.” Walker smirks at me like he won, which makes Vivian laugh even more. He’s being ridiculous, but I don’t know what he is talking about, Theo was just being kind, there’s no way he was flirting with me. The electric energy I feel around him is just basking in all that makes him—well, him. I don’t need to spend any more time thinking about him or his very handsome smile, let alone his incredible Adonis-like physique. Lord knows he isn’t wasting time thinking about me.
Chapter thirteen
I can’t stop thinking about Savannah. I even found myself peeking at my sister’s calendar to see if there were any meetings with Savannah that I wasn’t aware of so I could crash them. I toss a squash ball up in the air as I pace my office.
Am I attracted to her just because I hate her ex?
No, that’s definitely not it.
Her ex has nothing to do with her soft, loose golden waves that always look perfectly styled, and they make me want to mess them up a little with my hands. I don’t want to make her hair look bad; I want to mess it up just enough for the world to know my hands were there. Her ex has nothing to do with her sassy attitude, her poised grace, those cerulean-blue eyes I want to swim in, and those damn perfectly plump lips. I bet they are soft and plush and would smash against mine while I devour her mouth. And her ass? Her ex has nothing to do with her phenomenal ass and that incredible hourglass figure that Marilyn herself would be jealous of—and that’s before considering the most mouthwatering rack I’ve ever seen.
Fuck.
This is a problem.
Or … is it? Is it a problem?
I’m not technically her lawyer, my sister is, and I’m just helping out to fuck with Shane. Also, I’m Theodore Ares Smith-Harrington. I don’t get nervous around a beautiful woman. Get your shit together, man. You’re forty-seven years old, not seventeen. Man up. If you want her, pursue her.
Do I want her?
Oh, hell yes, I do. I can’t remember the last time I wanted something as much as I want Savannah Callahan-Williams. But I’m going to have be strategic and patient in my pursuit. This is a long game. She is wounded, going through a messy divorce, and judging by our few physical interactions, likely to be skittish about any guy right now.
So, I just have to figure out a way to prove to her that I’m not just any guy—I’m the right guy for her. She’s a queen that deserves a king who will always show her she is cherished and respected.
A knock at my door pulls me from my consuming spiral of all things Savannah as Cian bounces into my office. “Hey, man. Pippa’s assistant just let me know she’s stuck in court with the Pederson case but needs someone to attend the temporary hearing with the updated filings from last week. I’m assuming you want to be the one to stand in for her, but if not, I can find another associate to stand in?”
Let’s fucking go. When Pippa found out that the judge who approved the freezing of assets was Shane’s golf buddy, she decided to wait until the court calendar had a different judge on the docket and is going to nail Shane’s ass to the wall. But now I get to swing the hammer.
“You assumed right, my friend.” I set the ball back on my desk and grab my suitcoat. “I figured Pippa would have already called for an emergency hearing on that bullshit he pulled.”
“Typically, she would have, and I thought the same thing. When her assistant called me to check your availability, I asked her about that, and Pippa decided to take a strategic approach of letting the other party assume they were winning for a few days before slapping him with today’s filing, including officially notifying the court of her new representation. This one is going to be wild.”
“Clear the rest of my day, I have a court date with an asshole.” Cian gives me a knowing look—we both are well aware this shouldn’t take more than ninety minutes of my day, but obviously, I intend to be very thorough with this specific client. I don’t haveto explain that though, Cian knows this isn’t my typical modus operandi, but I know he will handle my schedule with finesse.
With twenty-two minutes to spare before the hearing is scheduled to start, I walk around the courthouse and immediately spot Savannah pacing at the top of the front steps. Thankfully, there is no Shane in sight. Savannah is wearing black high heels, a body-hugging black dress, and the palest of blue blazer that make her eyes pop even from a distance. Her hair is pulled up in a smooth high ponytail and she looks incredible, but she’s missing her beautiful smile and her sparkle is faded. The asshole dimmed her sparkle and that lights a fire under me in a way that has me feeling protective of her, which surprises me a bit.
She turns and sees me as I walk up the courthouse steps. “Theo? Where’s your sister?” There’s no greeting, no formal handshake, no radiant smile, but if her twisting hands and tapping foot are any indication, there are plenty of nerves.
“Hello, good to see you too, Savannah. I’m well, thanks for asking, come with me.” I don’t stop walking as I place my hand on her lower back and guide her into the courthouse without giving her an explanation, nodding hello to colleagues as we enter through the main lobby.
