Falling for the Lawyer - By Anna Clifton Page 0,46
a filthy temper when he’s drunk and I’d rather not have a scene.” JP smiled at her then. “By the way, I hope you realise that you just passed up an opportunity to join Mark’s harem of current mistresses? He’s been eyeing you off all day you know.”
“Tempting,” Alex laughed, edginess from her close encounter with Mark still rippling through her voice as she looked up at him to reveal dark shadows of exhaustion encircling her eyes, “And although I could have stood the drinking, the swearing and the ogling, I’d have had to draw the line at the burping.”
JP gave a short laugh and gathered her closer; she was heaven in his arms.
“You did a great job today, Alex.”
“Me? What about you? Mark was so difficult to pin down that I thought your head would explode at one point, but you kept at it anyway.”
“Was that the point where he gave me five completely different versions of the one conversation?”
Alex nodded. “When you threw the pen down onto the table and shouted that if he didn’t stop lying through his teeth you’d leave and wouldn’t come back.” Alex paused thoughtfully before going on. “Do you think you got the truth out of him in the end?”
“I got a version of the truth,” JP conceded. “The problem with men like Mark Jackson is they think they’re smarter than everyone else. What he doesn’t realise is that in cross-examination a good Senior Counsel will unravel his lies so fast his head will be spinning and the next day they’ll be all through the newspapers. All I can do is try and weed them out now before he gets into the witness box and perjures himself.”
“I could never manage a client like you did today.”
“Rubbish, it’s just experience and confidence. One day you’ll have both in spades.”
His arms circled her waist then, her arms looping over and around his shoulders. They’d drawn so close it was hard to tell where one stopped and the other began. And despite all his promises, all his resolve, his body was raging with a fierce, sweet need to be one with her before the night was out.
He dropped his head a little so that his rough, unshaven cheek was tickled by the softness of her dark hair tumbling down around her face. “What happened during the break this afternoon?” he asked in her ear before pulling back a little so that he could watch her closely. “I want you to tell me Alex. Now. No arguments.”
She watched him back, clearly too exhausted to fight his will that night, and in the next moment she was relating her conversation with Monique.
“There could be a perfectly innocent explanation,” he offered when she’d finished but he couldn’t hide the doubt in his voice.
“There could be but I don’t think so.” Alex’s answer was despondent.
“Considering the skyrocket attraction between us you can hardly sit in judgment.”
Suddenly her eyes were flashing their own skyrockets. “There’s no comparison!” she snapped.
JP guffawed in bitter response. “I think if Simon had seen us together in my car the other night, or could even see us now, he’d disagree.”
“Nothing happened between you and me that night and nothing’s happening now.”
“Whatever, but the real problem is you don’t love Simon and you know that’s the truth, you’re just too terrified to admit it’s over. But Simon knows it’s over and he’s beginning to make alternative plans for his future—a fallback position.”
“You don’t know that,” Alex hurled at him.
“Trust me. I’m a man. I know what train of thought Simon’s on. But if I were you I wouldn’t beat myself up over it. In fact Alex, I’d like to see you cut loose for a while—from your parents, your fiancé, me, everyone. Then maybe you’ll work out what you want and start fighting for it rather than drifting along with what everyone else in your life wants for you.”
Alex stiffened in his arms like a board. “You know, if I’d wanted a lecture I’d have telephoned my mother!” With that she wriggled out of his hold, marched across the dance floor, snatched up her handbag from the bar and disappeared out the nearest exit.
JP thrust his hands deep into his pockets and followed in her wake, wandering slowly through reception and out through the hotel’s front doors. He scanned the streetscape but there was absolutely no sign of her.
Shrugging his shoulders he swung on his heel and began to stroll towards his city apartment for a shower