Justice Falling (3 page)

“True. When I see something I want--” His light eyes scanned my shape, undressing me. “--I take it.”

“Excuse me.” I stood quickly, and moved farther away from the desk and him, needing the distance. Nate stayed put, calmly leaning against the wooden surface. The dark gray pinstriped suit was elegant, and fitted to perfection on his long frame. It hinted at a tight body beneath, fully concealed in the three-piece designer label. “You know, you’ve got a lot of nerve. You don’t even know me.” I clenched my hands into fists to prevent him from noticing them shaking, desperately trying not to let him see just how much he affected me.

Slowly, like an animal stalking his prey, he rounded the desk moving toward me. I took one step backwards then fought it, feeling ridiculous. It was broad daylight. He wasn’t going to hurt me. Nate reached out and traced an index finger down the side of my cheek. Gooseflesh rose along my arms, and I closed my eyes.

“I want to know you better. Have dinner with me?”

For about ten seconds, I stared at his beautiful face. Dark hair swept back in a sexy style, though I could tell he’d spent time running his fingers through it. Lightly tanned skin, shaped eyebrows the color of coffee perfectly matched his thick head of hair, mustache, and goatee. His lips were full and pouty. I couldn’t think of another term. He had a sculpted jaw and his facial hair was trimmed intricately. It made me want to kiss the lips surrounded by that halo of dark hair. It also made me curious as to how it would feel to have that hair scrape along my neck as he kissed me or between my breasts…
my thighs
.

I shook my head, realizing I was daydreaming two feet from a beautiful male specimen who had asked me out on a date. A date. A real one.

“Why?” I asked, shocked that this striking man wanted to spend time with me. He smiled, prepared to answer. I stopped him with an arm out, palm up. The synapses in my brain connected, providing intelligent information previously muddled by the strong presence in front of me. “Doesn’t matter.” I shook my head. “No, sorry. I’m not able to have dinner with you. Thank you for asking.”

“Tomorrow perhaps?” He continued in that sexy British accent.

It just wasn’t possible. I shook my head once more. “I appreciate the gesture Mr. Walker but I’m very busy. Thanks anyway.”

“I don’t understand, love?” Nate put his hand on my shoulder. The warmth of his palm seeped into my skin. I leaned into it for a second, once again taken with his nearness.

“You don’t have to understand. It’s just the way it is.” I slid his hand off my shoulder wishing it could be different. That I was different. My life…different.

Hank strode into the office a huge smile on his face. Each time he visited with the OB/GYN he came back in the best mood.

“How’s she doing?” I asked happily, needing to change the subject, and avoid Nathaniel’s advancement. Nate turned, and Hank grabbed the man’s hand for a friendly shake.

“Perfect! Of course I was right on the dot about how much my baby has grown. Twenty six weeks,” he held out his big palms in a circle. “And a nicely shaped head of lettuce. My baby girl is growing, heart beat is extremely strong. Aspen is as happy as a clam.”

“Why’s that?” I laughed. Hearing about the doctor’s visits from a man’s perspective was entertaining. I didn’t have that with Tanner’s biological father and thoroughly enjoyed Hank’s thoughts on the subject.

“Yes mate, do tell.” Nate added.

I was surprised Nate cared. He didn’t seem the type to be interested in another man’s growing family or the details along with it. He was confident, a bit overly so. A man used to getting what he wanted. He looked at me, and one brow rose in question. Just that motion was incredibly cool and sexy as hell.

Hank shrugged and smiled. “She didn’t gain weight this round, so she said we’re celebrating tonight!”

Both Nate and I laughed. His manly chuckle sent shivers skittering along my spine to settle warmly at the sensitive dip at my lower back.

“Figure I’ll take her to dinner and be sneaky about fattening ‘er up a bit.” He put his fingers to his lips in a shushing motion. “But don’t tell her I said that. I want to make sure my baby girl and wife are getting everything they need. And
the book
said she was supposed to gain a couple pounds this time around.”

“Mr. Jensen, its fine if she doesn’t gain. Pregnant women fluctuate. Look it up.” Hanks eyes focused on me as he scratched his hand along his five o’clock shadow.

“You know I will. Now, Nate, partner. Thanks for coming. Cami sweetie, do you have everything ready on that issue?” Nate’s eyes squinted when Hank called me sweetie. It didn’t bother me. From him it was a term of endearment, not demeaning in the least. If I didn’t understand where Hank’s heart was, I’d correct him.

“Yes, sir, right here.” I handed them both the packets. “Do you need me to take notes?”

“Naw, go on home. I’m heading out right after Nate and I here clear up this little issue with some bad product shipped to the Howzer job last week. Bastard’s trying to get me to pay for poor product that crumpled under pressure.”

I smiled and nodded, pulling together my things. Hank marched into his office still mumbling about the company that sent busted materials on an important job. It had set the build back three weeks which is why Nate was here in the first place. They needed to discuss suing them for lost dollars.

“Just a moment, mate,” Nate said to Hank.

I pulled my things together quickly, grabbed my purse out of the drawer, and threw the strap over my shoulder. I made it to the elevator before he caught up with me. I pressed the down button repeatedly, hoping the doors would open. No such luck.

“Hey, Cami, wait up.” Nate closed a large hand around the crook of my elbow. I turned and looked into his blue eyes. He was so handsome. In different circumstances, I’d love to stare into those eyes all day. Nate licked his lips and tilted his head to the side. “Lunch, tomorrow. My treat.”

“I can’t… “

“You can, and you will. I’ll be here at twelve sharp.”

I shook my head no, but he backed up with that sexy grin plastered across his unbearably gorgeous face.

“Nate…really, it’s not a good idea.”

“It’s a brilliant idea. Best I’ve had in a long time. Tomorrow, Precious.” He turned on his heel and opened the glass doors, firmly cutting off any protest I may have made.

Shoot!

What was I going to do?

I’d made it home in record time. Though I wouldn’t be able to tell you how I got there, as my mind completely focused on a certain sexy British lawyer who was determined to steamroll me into getting his way. Jin, my roommate and best friend, was making stir fry for dinner when I arrived. She wore a tiny coral-colored slip dress, so short it looked like a t-shirt on her petite frame. Just like our children, we were exact opposites. I’d regularly felt like an Amazon at five-ten standing next to her barely five foot two, and size zero frame. Her olive skin tone was a lovely compliment to her dark eyes and thick, shiny black hair that just skimmed the edge of her ass. I always joked with her that she was a dead-ringer for Lucy Liu’s character in Charlie’s Angels. She said she wished she looked like Cameron Diaz’s character. Jin was Korean and completely obsessed with everything American.

Like me, Jin didn’t really have any family. Together, we were our own little family. Jin watched the boys during the day so I could work for Jensen Construction, and then on the nights where I had my shift down at Gems. Jin introduced me to the gentleman’s club back when we met. Now she worked four nights a week and was their most popular stripper. Men liked sexy little Asian’s, but I held my own and did okay. At least I thought so.

“Hi honey, I’m home,” I said while giving Jin’s cheek a friendly kiss.

“Perfect timing. Dinner’s just about done. Can you get the boys?” she asked while loading plates with steaming veggies and chicken over a bed of jasmine rice.

I made my way into the boys’ bedroom. My little man was sitting on the floor busily pushing his race car along the race track imprinted into the room’s area rug. His light brown hair fell in unruly waves around his head. Zachery, Jin’s son, was lying next to him coloring. His long jet black hair matched his mother’s and touched the coloring book as he drew. Even though Jin loved American culture, she didn’t cut his hair, letting it grow long and thick. I constantly teased her that he looked like a little girl when his hair was down, but she didn’t care.

My heart filled with joy as I watched the boys play. The two were inseparable. If Tanner was in the kitchen, Zach was sure to be near. If Zach was in the room, Tanner would choose to play there. They just enjoyed each other’s company, and for boys four and five years old respectively, you’d think they’d fight or have jealousy issues. These two didn’t. It gave me hope that they’d be close friends throughout their lives, just like I was with Jin.

“How’re my guys doing?”

“Mommy!” and “Auntie!” were screamed simultaneously as the boys clamored at each hip. I crouched down and hugged them both, relishing in their fresh, just-bathed scent.

“Zach, your Mommy needs you to wash up and get to the table for dinner.” He ran out of the room and to the bathroom.

I ruffled Tanner’s hair, and he grinned. His Father’s big blue eyes shining happily as he put his hands around my neck. I cherished the small moments of time I had alone with my son each day. I lived for it. “Did you like work Mommy?” he asked with his sweet little Mickey Mouse, high-pitched voice.

“Very much, baby. Thank you for asking. Did you have fun with Jin and Zach today?”

He nodded enthusiastically. “I built you something today!” He ran to his small dresser and opened his “treasure box.” No one was allowed to go in it. I respected his need to have something that was his alone. Everyone needed boundaries, and I encouraged him. He put both his hands together almost as if he was praying. Then he came to me, put them right in front of my face, and slowly opened them.

In his tiny palms was a beaded bracelet. It was all mismatched colors of red, green, yellow, blue, and purple. “It’s a rainbow for you to wear. So you can always have a rainbow. I built it for my Mommy. Do you like it?”

I pushed back the tears from spilling and hugged him tight. “I love it so much. So much, Tan Man. Thank you.”

“Will you wear it to work tomorrow?” His innocent eyes stared into mine. He bounced with excitement. I couldn’t say no even though I didn’t want to wear it to work. Someone could say something, notice it. His eyebrows knit together as he waited for my reply. “You don’t like it?”

“Baby, I do. It’s just that work is …” His lip trembled, and it broke me. “Of course I’ll wear it to work.” I slipped it on my wrist, and he looked at it happily. “Fits perfectly. My very own rainbow. I love it.”

“I love you, Mommy.”

“I’ll always love you more Tan Man. I always love you more.”

***

For the first time in what seemed like years, I was looking forward to a date. Not just a quick meal and a shag. Today was an actual, ‘get to know you’ type of outing. The last time I’d given the dating pool a shot was when I’d taken out business tycoon and billionaire Aspen Reynolds, now Aspen Jensen. I’d hounded her for a date thinking I could bed the pretty blonde with little effort, and found that in the end I was attracted to her cunning intellect, business mind, and genuine kindness. I couldn’t add her as one of the many notches on my bedpost. No, she was a classy bird, and when I’d kissed her at the end of the evening, we both laughed. She had come to the same conclusion. We were never going to be more than friends. A love connection just wasn’t there. And that was that.

Since Collier and I’d entered the States, I’d done nothing but take a woman out with the sole purpose of taking her home for a quick fuck. It’s been my routine for the past five years, and recently I realized I’m bloody tired of it. The more I spend time around the Jensen’s and my brother and his girlfriend London, along with new friends Dean and Oliver, the more I realized how completely alone I was.

Yesterday when I met the reticent receptionist, I hadn’t planned on feeling an instant connection. It was as if the air that surrounded her was calm, cool, and inviting, like a tropical breeze on a deserted island. Being near her not only ramped up my libido to embarrassing proportions, but I felt a sense of rightness in her presence. My lifestyle had been nothing but hard and fast negotiations, quick settlements, and meeting client after client. It got worse when my brother and business partner Collier almost died a few months ago. In his absence, I’d had to take on the brunt of our caseload at Stone, Walker, & Associates. Collier was now back full-time in the office and happier than ever. He’d moved in his girlfriend, London Kelley, the sister to our client and friend Aspen Jensen. Collier being back gave me the extra time I needed to pursue my own interests. Right now, all I was focused on was a tall, brown-haired beauty.

I left the office in a rush ready to pick up Cami for our date. Hank Jensen’s receptionist. Christ on a cross the world was too small sometimes.

When I arrived, she wasn’t at her desk. I glanced at the clock, and it read eleven fifty. I was early. And then I heard it. Her laughter. Cami had opened the door to Hank’s office and was smiling widely. Her shoulders shook in laughter at what I could only surmise was Hank on the other side of the door. I was not prepared for how insanely beautiful she was as she stood tall and graceful against the doorjamb. Her skirt today was a couple inches shorter than yesterday and had a flirty ruffle at the bottom. It hugged her thighs in a sexy, yet professional, way. The blouse she wore was silk and slid along the curve of her breasts giving me quite the side view. They were large, but it was obvious she tried to downplay them. I respected that about her.

“Thanks, Mr. Jensen. I’m going to take lunch in a few minutes. Did you need anything before I leave?” She still hadn’t noticed me.

“Hank!” I heard my mate roar, clearly annoyed that she called him Mr. Jensen. I watched as she leaned her long frame against the door, presenting me her backside. She wore those sexy-as-sin stiletto shoes again. They were black and tall. My gaze slid from the tip of one spike along her dainty-looking ankle up her shapely calf, and then had to muffle a groan when that same leg came up and caressed the other one the way I wanted to. It was easy to imagine those long legs wrapped around my body, those shag me spikes digging into the tender skin of my arse as I impaled her against the nearest wall.