Legally Bound (6 page)

Chapter Ten

“D
ad, are you sure this plan of yours is going to work?” Marcus asked.

“Have I ever failed at anything, Son? I know my boy and I know Paige,” James said with a satisfied grin. “It will be perfect.”

“I hope so, he’s been getting on my nerves lately,” Sam chuckled as he took a drag of his cigar.

“Love will do that to you,” Marcus said with a mischievous smirk and a sad distant longing in his eyes.

~B~

“You look lovely dear,” James Mairettie crooned as he pulled Paige into a hug and kissed her on the cheek.

“Thank you James,” Paige beamed. She really respected Mr. Mairettie. It saddened her that she would be leaving the firm behind. She really thought he would make her a partner someday.

“I’m so happy you could accept my last minute invitation Paige,” Mrs. Mairettie said with a bright smile. She was dressed in an elegant off the shoulder cream cocktail dress. Mrs. Mairettie looked great for her age. Paige could see where the boys got their long lashes and smoky grey eyes.

“Oh, thank you for inviting me. I know I will still have to work but sometime away will be great,” Paige smiled broadly.

She was surprised when she received the call from Mrs. Mairettie inviting her to go with the family to their home in the Bahamas for two weeks. She considered declining but Mrs. Mairettie said James insisted she not take no for an answer. Paige wondered if Bobby told his father she was thinking of leaving the firm and this was ploy to get her not to leave.

“Oh sweetheart, call me Minnie. You are as good as my daughter. It’s been much too long since you have come to spend time with me and James. We must have some girl time during this trip. I have a room ready for you this evening. We’ll be flying out first thing in the morning,” Mrs. Mairettie chimed.

“I’m look forward to it Minnie and thank you for inviting Camille on my behalf.”

“Oh it was a pleasure. Bobby works that poor thing much too hard and she was happy to get a respite from the little ones,” Minnie laughed.

“Yes, well it is a shame he won’t get to take a break himself,” Paige said to be polite but she really was relieved when Minnie told her he would not be joining them.

“Oh,” Minnie cooed and clasped her hands. “I have wonderful news. Bobby was able to clear things up. He’ll be joining us after all and he is bringing his best friend along. You’ll love Nathaniel he is a dear and quite handsome.” Minnie winked at Paige.

“Oh,” Paige said as her smile fell. She wondered what Bobby would think of his mother trying to set her up with his best friend. He has been sending her flowers daily and they have the same argument via text after each time. He wants to take her to dinner. She wants nothing to do with him.

“Speaking of the devil,” Minnie cooed.

“Hello Father,” Bobby said shaking his father’s hand then giving him a hug.

“Hello Son,” James nodded.

“Hello Mother,” Bobby crooned and leaned in to hug and kiss his mother’s cheek.

“Hello handsome,” Minnie beamed up at her son.

“Hello Paige,” Bobby said smoothly with a sexy grin leaning in to brush his lips against her cheek. “You look ravishing as always.” He whispered next to her ear sending a shiver up her spine. “We’re you ladies talking about me?”

“Oh no dear,” Minnie said with a mischievous smile. “We were talking about our dear Nathaniel here. I was telling Paige how handsome he is. I think they’ll get along quite nicely on your little trip.”

Bobby stiffened. He eyes flickered between his mother face and Paige’s. Paige looked at the tall man standing next to Bobby and he was gorgeous. Tall dark and handsome, were the words that came to mind. Nathaniel was just a few inches shorter than Bobby but still over six feet tall. He had dark brown skin and silky smooth short black waves. His full lips were in perfect proportion with his nose and his oval shaped chocolate brown eyes.

Black best friend interesting
, Paige thought to herself. Sexy black best friend at that, his black suit was tailor made and fit like a second skin around him muscled legs and arms. Definitely not hard on the eyes, two weeks looking at him would be no hardship.

“Bobby you’re being rude. Introduce Nathaniel to our Paige,” James said with a grin.

“Oh yes, excuse me,” Bobby cleared his throat. “Paige this is my best friend, more like a brother, Nathaniel. Nathaniel this is the woman I was tell you about,
my
Paige.” Bobby said the last part with emphasis on the my.

“Paige, it is a pleasure to finally meet you. I hear you keep this guy on his toes in the office. However, I do believe he did forget to tell me how beautiful you are,” Nathaniel said in a rich velvety voice.

“It’s nice to meet you. I wouldn’t expect him to tell you such things. We have a strictly working relationship,” Paige said pointedly.

“Working relationship or not, it would be impossible to miss how beautiful you are Paige. I think I left out that detail to keep Nathaniel from coming to hang around the office,” Bobby said as he stared into Paige’s eyes.

“Well there’s no keeping the cat in the bag now. Nathaniel, why don’t you take Paige out on the dance floor? I’m sure she will find you just as charming as I do,” Minnie beamed.

“Mother, I don’t think you should be matchmaking. Paige is a beautiful woman she can find her own dates,” Bobby said trying but failing to hide the tension in his voice.

“Oh nonsense,” Minnie waved Bobby off.

“If you don’t mind Nathaniel, I would love to dance,” Paige said shooting Bobby a smug grin.

“Call me Nate or Nathan,” Nathaniel said holding out his arm to Paige, “I could never refuse a beautiful woman.”

Bobby stood watching them make their way to the dance floor with a scowl on his face, lip pressed, cheeks red and brow furrowed. It was driving him mad to see any man with his hands on Paige even his best friend.

She looked absolutely breathtaking tonight in a black backless dress that molded to her perfect curves and stopped just above her knees show off her shapely sexy toned legs. Her hair was up tonight in an intricate curly style. He wanted nothing more than to let it down and run his fingers through it.

The platinum heels on her feet were sexy and thought provoking. Thoughts he was sure he shouldn’t be having standing next to his folks. He shifted hoping to rearrange himself but if he didn’t stop looking at her nothing was going to help.

Bobby was well aware of how good looking his best friend is and how the women love to flock to him. He’s noticed the way Paige looked Nathaniel over and she didn’t seem to object to him at all. This was not what he was expecting tonight.

Knowing that he was going to spend two weeks on an island with Paige and his family had him excited and he was looking forward to tonight and the upcoming trip. Seeing Paige in Nate’s arms only deepened the frown on his face because he had unwittingly invited his good friend to join them not thinking of the competition he was causing for himself.

“I think they make a beautiful couple,” Minnie chimed.

“He’s not her type,” Bobby bit out.

“I think she looks interested,” James grinned.

“Looks can be deceiving,” Bobby grumbled.

“Well what has gotten into you,” Minnie asked placing a hand on her son’s cheek and looking into his eyes.

“Nothing mother,” Bobby sighed. “I see some people I need to greet. I’ll see the two of you later.” Bobby kissed his mother’s cheek before turning to cross the room where he could get a better view of Paige.

When Bobby walked off Minnie turned to her husband and smiled. “You were right, he is completely smitten by her,” Minnie snickered.

“Yes, and you my dear wife, are quite the minx. I believe you have set my plan in motion quite perfectly,” James said with a broad smile and held out his hand to escort his wife to the dance floor.

~B~

“So you are the infamous Paige Kemble,” Nathan crooned. “You’re a lot smaller than I thought you would be considering your large repetition.”

“I’m not sure if that is a complement or not,” Paige laughed. Nathaniel was more than attractive. She just didn’t feel the sparks she always felt whenever a certain someone else was around her.

“It indeed is a complement. To impress James Mairettie is a feat in itself, but to also capture the eye and attention of Bobby Mairettie, you must be one spectacular woman.”

“Interesting, I can only take credit for one of those achievements,” Paige said in a small whisper Nathan just managed to hear.

“Modest are we,” Nathan chuckled.

“Why don’t you tell me something about yourself?”

“What would you like to know?”

“Well you know I’m a lawyer at the firm, what do you do?” Paige smiled up at Nathan’s handsome face happy he brought into the topic change.

“I made a great deal of money in real estate development and I dabble some in the family business, but now days I run my own internet company,” Nathan said proudly.

“Oh, that’s great,” Paige replied. “How is it to be your own boss?”

“Personal I love it, but it comes with a lot of responsibility and patience. I for one have patience and don’t mind a challenge here and there.”

Nathan was definitely a catch. Paige tried to will herself to feel something. His hands were large and warm on her back but it was just comfortable, nothing to write home about or to get her hopes up. His eyes were warm and invited you into him and the conversation but she wasn’t finding herself lost in the conversation as much as she would like to be.

“How long have you known Bobby,” flew out of Paige’s mouth before she had time to think.

“We meet in diapers and have been inseparable since. What can I say he needs me,” Nathan laughed a deep hearty laugh that made Paige laugh with him.

“He’s lucky then,” Paige said with a polite smile.

“I would say he is, to have found a woman like you he is very lucky,” Nathan grinned.

“Me, what would make you say that,” Paige said searching Nathan’s face.

“Now Paige, I was introduced as his best friend. I know everything about Bobby including some things we both wish I could forget,” Nathan gave a sexy grin and chuckled. “You’re the one he won’t let get away.”

Paige suddenly couldn’t look up into Nathan’s eyes. “It isn’t like that, he just wants to keep me from leaving the firm,” Paige murmured.

“You are underestimating yourself Paige,” Nathan said reaching to lift her face with the tips of his fingers and smiling down at her. “You are beautiful, intelligent and I for one am looking forward to getting to spend some time getting to be friends on this trip.”

“I think I would like that too,” Paige smiled.

“Bobby really is a great guy, so tell me why you won’t go out to dinner with him,” Nathan asked warmly.

“Because he scares me, on one level he is this jerk that I don’t trust and I just want to forget. Then on another, he is this sweet guy that loves his family and is great at his job,” Paige had no idea why she was giving such an honest answer. “He’s charming, good looking and whenever he is within a two yard radius my body reacts to him causing me to be a total mess.”

Nathan threw his head back and laughed. Paige playfully slapped his arm and laughed with him. It felt good to finally say it out loud.

In that moment, Bobby could no longer watch the two of them. Seeing Nathan touch her face so comfortably and watching the two of them laugh together was splitting him in two. He wanted things to be that easy between him and her. Bobby stormed over to the two in a blinding rage he couldn’t control the building jealousy.

“So there is still yet hope for my dear friend,” Nathan crooned. Paige stopped dancing and frowned up at Nathan. Nathan looked down at her and raised his brow.

“His behind me isn’t he?” Paige groaned.

Nathan looked over her head and a smile stretched across his face. He laughed again and looked back down at Paige. “Less than two yards away,” Nathan teased.

Paige pouted and tried to map out an escape route. Just then a large hand pressed to the small of her back and her body went up in flames. “May I cut in,” Bobby’s voice vibrated through her entire being.

Paige didn’t get a chance to protest. Nathan gave her a small bow and patted Bobby on the shoulder before turning to walk off the floor. Bobby wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her body flesh to his. Paige breath hatched at their closeness and her gazed locked in on his chest.

“Did you pick this dress with thoughts of driving me out of my mind this evening,” Bobby murmured against her ear sending a chill down her spine.

“Nope, I picked my dress without one thought of you,” Paige lied. Bobby crossed her mind a number of times as she dressed for this event.

Paige wondered if he would show up with a date, if she would be pretty? Would he like her dress, would it be enough to get his attention even if he had a date? Would he like her hair up or down? She was driving herself crazy with all the thoughts of Bobby and this engagement party.

“Um, I think we know each other well enough to be honest to one and other Paige,” Bobby replied with a sexy grin. He was spinning her around the room as their bodies swayed to the music like long lost partners, intoned to each other’s every move.