“I think fathers get a raw deal, that’s what I think, and I’m glad you’re handling his case so he doesn’t get ignored like so many seem to.” He folded his arms and leaned back in his chair as if challenging me to disagree.
“Sometimes,” I ventured. “But we also handle cases where it might look as if the father is getting a raw deal at first, but on closer inspection there’s something preventing, or even that should prevent, greater access for him.”
“I’m sure those aren’t the majority. I’ve seen dads get a really raw deal. I’ve read up on those cases. I’ve written about them.” His eyes flashed with contained anger, and the spark sent a pulse of longing through me.
His passion thrilled me.
Before I thought the movement through, I stood and rounded the desk to perch against it at Jamie’s side. “It’s good to have a pet project and a cause you really believe in, but Jamie—” I broke off and lifted his chin gently so his gaze met mine. For a moment, I couldn’t breathe. His eyes held me prisoner, and I couldn’t form a single thought. My pulse rang in my ears, and I simply stared at Jamie, at the passion in his face, at the man I wanted.
Just one night.
I shook my head and blinked. “This…this passion you feel is a good thing. It will allow you to take cases on and win them, but you must hide it.” Only I didn’t want him to hide it. I wanted his passion to spill all over me.
His lips parted.
“Others will see so much emotion as a weakness and they could use it to try to destabilize you or make your arguments seem less legitimate. Keep your composure at all times. Hold your passion inside.” I needed to stop touching him before my own composure slipped, but I couldn’t draw my fingers away, and I loved the feel of his skin against mine.
A delicious, slow blush spread over his cheeks, and his heavy breathing became audible as I stopped speaking. His lips parted farther, and I wanted to taste them. They held my entire focus, and when the tip of his tongue slipped across them, I began an automatic lean forward.
Number one rule: friends don’t date brothers. Saint’s voice sounded loud and annoying—exactly like real life—in my head, and I sat up straight, the reaction immediate.
It was almost as though Saint had walked into the room, and the moment acted like a shower of ice-cold water. I shoved my hand into my pocket, where it burned in reminder of his touch. I’d been so close to… to what? Ruining my friendship with Saint? Ruining what little relationship I already had going with Jamie? I’d promised myself I could do this, so I would. Just one night would spoil everything.
I stood, the movement stiff as though I’d prematurely aged in the past ten seconds. It took effort, but I stepped away and blew out a breath.
“We can revisit this subject another day—maybe I’ll even drag out a few cases that illustrate the opposite of what you believe so we can compare.”
His gaze swam with confusion, and he opened his mouth as if to speak.
I patted his shoulder, keeping him from talking. I didn’t want to hear his voice right now. “Go and grab yourself some lunch. Good talk this morning. Well done for learning so much about each of the cases.”
I swung away, but not before his jaw tightened and he stood. His footsteps were rapid as he hurried from the room, and my office door swung shut heavily behind him. I braced my hands flat against my desk and looked down at the swirling woodgrain. Jesus Christ. That was close.
I sighed, the common sense I held like a shield deserting me without Jamie in the room to protect against, before I sank into my chair. Fucking Jesus Christ.
I thumped my fist half-heartedly against the wooden surface. So much passion, so much ingrained self-belief. And wrapped up in a body I wanted to touch, lick…be inside. Jamie was a very sexy man.
And his passion could be his downfall—if it didn’t bring me down first.
7
Jamie
I closed the office door too hard, but I didn’t care. I couldn’t even think. For one split second, I thought… I’d actually thought he might. For fuck’s sake, he’d leaned forward. He had. I didn’t imagine that. A man knows when another man is about to kiss him.
Frustration wound through me and fought with my