Lindsey jumped as the hot liquid splashed her skin and seeped into her dress. “Great! Just great.” She reached for a tissue in the top desk drawer. “Figures,” she mumbled grumpily. “Bad day, bad luck, bad everything.”
She blotted at the moisture on the silky material for a moment and then dropped her elbows to her desk, letting her face fall into her hands. She needed a minute. It had been a long night of no sleep, her thoughts and emotions raw from her argument with her father. Sighing heavily, she yanked more napkins from the drawer and stood up. Tugging at her dress, she lifted the damp cloth away from her skin.
“Need some help?” A deep, masculine voice came from nowhere, it seemed. Lindsey jumped yet again, one hand flying to her chest.
She looked up to find Mark Reeves standing in the doorway. Her eyes went wide at the sight he made. Sexy, powerful, and far too attractive for Lindsey’s comfort, he seemed to fill the room with his presence. A warm awareness danced along her nerve endings. This man got to her without even trying.
She had forgotten what it was like to have sex—until now. Mark sent vivid, not-so-pure thoughts, racing through her mind. Just being near him seemed to remind every inch of her body what she had been missing the past few years. She wasn’t immune to her carnal needs. They just hadn’t been stimulated.
Until now.
He wore a well-tailored blue suit with a powder blue tie. In some cases, a suit made the man. In this case, the man definitely made the suit. Looking like something out of GQ magazine seemed to come natural for him. Only he was flesh and blood and standing in her office. He was like a piece of Godiva chocolate, perfectly wrapped, and she was quite certain, even sweeter unwrapped.
“I take it I pass inspection?” he said, leaning a shoulder against the doorframe. The amusement in his voice made her eyes dart to his face.
A tinge of red filled her cheeks. Busted. Damn. Chewing her bottom lip, she tried to muster up a good response. What was it about this man that made her lose good sense? Trying to sound as normal as possible, she grasped for words but faltered. “Sorry, you look so, so . . .” she paused, wondering why she had forgotten how to use the vocabulary she had spent years of schooling to develop. Where was the cool attorney who could ice an ice princess in the courtroom?
Mark raised an inquiring brow, a challenge twinkling in his eyes.
She cleared her throat. “Different,” she finished. “I didn’t mean to . . .” She paused again. To, what? Dream about seeing you naked? Admire your hot body? What, Lindsey?
He laughed softly. “I didn’t mind.”
* * * * *
Any apprehension Mark had felt about coming back through the doors of Paxton was gone the minute he saw Lindsey again.
She needed him.
For some insane reason, that really mattered. There was simply something about her that called out to him. He’d seen the torment in her eyes when he’d watched her from the door. Before she had ever known he was there.
His eyes traveled her body in a slow inspection. Soft white skin peeked out of her black dress in perfect contrast. Even the dark smudges under her eyes couldn’t hide the perfection of her complexion. Her dress was simple, but a woman like Lindsey didn’t need a lot of frills. The soft material fell over her slim waist, accenting her luscious curves.
She was gorgeous, plain and simple. But her appeal came from inside out. His eyes moved back to her face. She was blushing. How many women, who had seen the things Lindsey had seen, could still blush? A woman with many facets, he thought, and he would love to unfold each and every one of them.
“What are you doing here?” She asked the question and then averted her gaze, feigning all-consuming interest in her already mopped-up dress.
He was making her nervous. “I was invited, remember?” He sauntered towards the middle of the room, watching her, trying to decide how to approach her. She was on edge, ready to attack.
“You declined,” she said in a clipped tone. Swiping the tissues at her dress one last time, she tossed them into the trash.
“I’ve changed my mind,” he said as he propped himself on the arm of a chair directly in front of the desk, remaining at eye level with her.
Lindsey’s eyes jerked up to his face, her eyes narrowing. “Why?”
He chuckled softly. “You get right to the point, don’t you?”
She just stared at him with those amazing green eyes. Damn, this woman got to him. He let one brow inch upward. “I thought this is what you wanted?”
Suspicion clouded her gaze. “It was,” she agreed reluctantly. “But you made your position abundantly clear. You said you wouldn’t come back, period. You don’t strike me as a man who changes his mind without good reason.”
“I guess that means I have a good reason.”
She rested one hand on the desk, palm down, peering at him with intent. “Which is?”
She killed him. In a good way. She practically begged for his help, and now she demanded to know why he offered it. “Does it matter?”
There was a brief silence as she thought about his question. “Yes, I think it might.”
He was here for her, plain and simple. She wasn’t ready to hear that anymore than he was willing to say it. “My reasons are my reasons. You have what you wanted. I’m here, aren’t I?”
He was attracted to Lindsey, but his reasons for being here were so much more immense. The shadows and fear he’d seen, still saw, in her eyes, had haunted him for days. She wouldn’t like that, he was certain.
Lindsey’s eyes narrowed. “Yes, you are, aren’t you?” Uneasiness laced her tone. “You were adamant you wouldn’t come back to Paxton. Make me understand your change of heart.”
Mark was careful to keep his expression blank. Lindsey didn’t want to need anyone. But she needed him. He didn’t know why he knew this. He just did. He also knew she wouldn’t take his help if he made it seem as if he thought she was weak.
Giving her another reason seemed critical. A strategy formed in his mind. “Okay, if you must know, I care about my reputation. After some thought, I’ve decided the link between me and this place could hurt my consulting business, if I don’t step in and get it under control.”
He gave himself a silent pat on the back for giving her such a damn good excuse.
She gave him a measuring stare. “So you’re here to protect your reputation?”
“Right.”
“So you’ll take the firm back?” She seemed skeptical.
He gave her another single, cool nod. “Under certain conditions.”
She sat down behind the massive desk, as if she wanted the barrier between them. “Ah.” She gave him a knowing look. “I figured there was a catch.” Her arms crossed in front of her body as she leaned back in her chair.
Waiting.
He arched a brow. “Did you now?”
He saw a flash of frustration in her eyes. “Mark, please don’t play games with me. I can’t take games right now.”
His eyes softened. He loved hearing her say his name. Everything male in him wanted to grab her and pull her into his arms and tell her everything would work out. But that wasn’t what she needed. She needed help getting Paxton back in shape, and she needed help bringing her life back in order. “Here is what I’m willing to offer. I’ll come back.” He let his words linger in the air for several moments before adding, “But for no longer than six months.”
Lindsey started to object, but he held up a staying hand. When he knew she was listening again, he continued, “I will mentor you to take back over the firm. A lot has changed since you were last here. We’ll rebuild it together, and most importantly, I’ll help you with the Williams case.”
She sat up, hands on the edge of her chair, anger in her tone. “I don’t want to be mentored for a job I don’t even want,” she blurted quickly, her face filled with exasperation.
He looked at her, completely unscathed by her declaration. He had expected as much. “Look Lindsey, if you choose to leave after the six months, that’s your choice. This way you’ll know what you need to know to pass along the gauntlet. And don’t forget, you’ll have Williams behind you by then.”