After throwing away the condom, I picked up one of her heels that had fallen off and held it out for her.
Her curls were tousled all over her head, so I smoothed them back into place. As if she was returning the favor, she refastened my zipper and fixed the collar of my shirt.
Then the two of us stood staring at one another. I had no idea what the fuck just happened, and only a part of me liked it. The other half loved it.
“You need to get back to work.” I tugged at the ballet slipper charm around her neck. “You still owe me that Brownstein report, demotion or not.”
“You told me it wasn’t a demotion.”
“I took a page out of your book and lied.” I rolled my eyes and stepped back. “Get back to work.”
“Fine, Mr. Hamilton.” She smiled and headed for the door.
“And when you come back,” I added, “just leave my afternoon coffee on that bookshelf and walk out. Don’t come anywhere near my desk and don’t say anything to me.”
“Why not?”
“Because I’ll fuck you again if you do.”
She blushed and stepped out of the room.
The second she was gone, I fell back into my chair and shook my head.
Twice in less than twenty four hours? Jesus...
I pulled up my latest case file, but I couldn’t bring myself to read it. All I could think about was Aubrey.
I’d felt something like this before, and I knew it would lead to nothing but despair. What I felt was nothing deep, nothing all-encompassing—yet, but it was real, and there was nothing I could do to stop it.
I’d built the last six years of my life detaching myself from any chance of having feelings for someone else, refusing to build any friendships, but Aubrey had snuck by my impenetrable doors somehow. And not only had she snuck by, she’d done it with lies, something I would never allow from anyone else. Something that would make me immediately discard her and never think of her again.
I had absolutely no idea how to handle this. This was uncharted territory and I had no idea where to sail next.
Sighing, I picked up my case file and forced myself to read the first few pages so I could get a grip on myself. Before I knew it, I was lost in my work, and the only thing on my mind was how I was going to convince a jury to believe my latest client’s bullshit.
Before I could call the lead prosecutor and ask what he was offering in exchange for a plea deal, I felt something hot splashing into my lap.
My goddamn coffee.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” I dropped my papers to the desk, glaring at a red-faced Aubrey. “Did you just throw that into my lap on purpose?”
“I did.” She nodded, and I realized there were tears in her eyes. “Bringing you your coffee is my job, right?”
“Are you fucking bipolar?”
“No, I’m just a liar like you said. I’m actually just like you, but at least I can admit when I haven’t told you the truth, at least I have a reason.”
“Excuse me?”
Tears fell down her cheeks. “You have a visitor at the front desk.”
“Is it your replacement?” I asked dryly. “Because I swear to God, if these stains don’t come out of my pants—”
“It’s your wife.”
***END OF EPISODE ONE***
Acknowledgments
First and foremost, thank you Tamisha Draper for being the amazing and wonderful powerhouse that you are. You answer my endless phone calls (much to your husband’s dismay LOL), read my books over and over again, and even force me to sit down and write sex scenes when I say things like, “Would the readers really hate me if I just faded all of these sex scenes to black? No, really. Would they? They’d still love me, right?”
I don’t know of anyone who would willingly work so tirelessly—anyone who would spend fifty plus hours a week working on a career that is not her own, in exchange for next to nothing...
I’m actually crying while writing this because I honestly don’t deserve to have a friend as great as you. You go above and beyond with every single book I write, and you push me to make sure that each one is ten times better than the last. (If I ever make it, I swear I will find the best way to pay you back. I fucking promise.)
Thank you to all of my blogger friends that I’ve made so far—Bobbie Jo Malone Kirby (Why do you pick such EMOTIONAL books?! LOL), Kimberly Kimball, Stephanie Locke, Lisa Pantano Kane, Michelle Kannan, and COUNTLESS more! (If I left someone out, I am sooo sorry! And hey, I self-published this, so I can easily re-upload it with your name here LOL...Seriously though, I can...)
Thank you to Evelyn Guy for the final proofreading work...I noticed you didn’t write much in the sex scene parts...LOL
Thank you to my mother, Lafrancine Maria, for letting me read this book to you aloud. Can’t wait to see your face when I read book 2!!!
Last and NEVER EVER least, thank you to the best readers in the world! I really do love you more than you’ll ever know!! (Or, as you know me to say, I. Fucking. Love. You.) So, question. How do you like Andrew Hamilton? Do you think he gives Jonathan Statham a run for his money? LOL
Fucking Love You,
Whit
Letter to the Reader
Dear Incredible Reader,
Thank you so much for taking time out of your life to read this book! I hope you were thoroughly entertained and enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
If you have any extra time, PLEASE leave a review on amazon.com, B&N.com, goodreads.com, OR send me an email (whitgracia@gmail.com) so I can personally thank you :-)
I’m forever grateful for you and your time, and I hope to be re-invited to your bookshelf with my next release.
Love,
Whitney Gracia Williams
**Book #2 in the Reasonable Doubt series**
She lied to me...
She betrayed the one rule that I'm most adamant about: Honesty. Complete and utter fucking honesty.
I really wish she was someone else—someone who didn't have the ability to make me feel, someone I could easily discard like the hundreds of women before her.
She isn't.
I'm drawn to her like I've never been drawn to a woman before—completely captivated by the very sight of her. But unfortunately, with my past slowly re-surfacing for all of the world to see, I'll have to find a way to let her go.
She can never be mine.
COMING SOON.
More works by Whitney Gracia Williams:
Twisted Love (2014)
Wasted Love (Winter 2014)
Reasonable Doubt #1-3 (April 2014)
My Last Resolution: A Novella (January 2014)
Mid Life Love: At Last (October 2013)
Mid-Life Love (June 2013)
Final Take (Jilted Bride Series)
Take Three* (Jilted Bride Series)
Take Two* (Jilted Bride Series)
Captain of My Soul: A Memoir (July 2009)
*These books were pulled from publication, but will be re-released in the coming months.
You can keep up with Whitney and the travels of her non-matching socks at http://www.whitneygracia.com
To be a part of the mailing list and be notified of release dates and special offers, email whitgracia@gmail.com with “Mailing List” in the subject heading.