A Legal Affair

Chapter Six

It was strange to wake up with a man in her bed, his strong arm draped over her, his hand resting on her belly. Cozy. That’s the word she was searching for. It was cozy and warm and she didn’t want to move. Only the fact that she had to work today, had appointments she couldn’t change, made her grope for the side of the bed.

Gill wrapped his arm around her, pulling her back toward him. Neither of them spoke as he grabbed a condom and sheathed himself before slipping easily inside her.

Alicia was sore from the night before, but didn’t want to stop. He rocked them gently, their bodies undulating to a slow, but steady rhythm. Unlike their lovemaking from the night before, which had been intense and passionate, this was slow and sensual, but no less mind-shattering.

Her breath hitched and she sighed as her nipples tightened. Alicia felt no rush, no sense of impatience. She simply rode the soft waves of pleasure until her orgasm washed over her.

Gill tightened his arm around her, emitting a soft groan as he came. Alicia snuggled closer, content to just lie in his arms until the alarm went off on her radio, reminding her that she had to work.

She managed to crawl out of bed and drag herself into the shower, and was almost finished when Gill joined her.

“Good morning,” he rumbled, dropping a quick kiss on her mouth before he grabbed the soap and began to wash.

She tasted barely suppressed passion on his lips, but knew she was too sore for them to make love again. Plus, it was a bit disconcerting to be sharing a shower with him. It was a new experience for her, but one she thought she could get used to.

She finished rinsing her hair and stepped out of the shower, leaving him standing beneath the hot spray. She quickly blew her hair dry, applied her makeup and dressed, choosing a burgundy suit out of the closet this morning. The pants were wool and warm, and she wore a cream-colored turtleneck beneath the jacket. It wasn’t much, she acknowledged ruefully, but it was her professional armor.

Her normal staid self disappeared whenever Gill was around, leaving a carefree woman in her place. It left her feeling uncomfortable and slightly vulnerable, and she’d need all her confidence this morning. They had to talk before either of them left the house.

Alicia still could barely wrap her head around the fact that Gill had made love to her two more times after they’d cleaned up the mess and made it to her bed last evening. She smiled and shook her head.

As she made her way to the kitchen, she wondered what she was going to feed Gill for breakfast. Removing her jacket, she tossed it over the back of a chair before pushing up the sleeves of her sweater.

Coffee was the first order of the day. Grabbing the carafe, she filled it with water and poured it into the coffeemaker. She spooned coffee into the paper filter before flicking on the switch. The machine began to gurgle almost immediately.

Satisfied, she opened the refrigerator door and rummaged around, pulling out some vegetables. She dug out the chopping board, and then began to dice fresh green bell peppers and mushrooms for an omelet. As she worked, she could hear Gill in the bedroom getting dressed.

The knife she was using to chop vegetables came to rest against the cutting board as she stared out the window.

No doubt about it, Gill Baron was great for her sex drive. She’d had no idea that sex could be so intense or so fun until she’d met him. All her other relationships paled in comparison.

That was what scared her the most. Gill could hurt her. Not physically. Never that.

But emotionally was a whole other story. Oh, he wouldn’t mean to, but it was inevitable.

The fact that she’d slept with him last night proved that she was already emotionally involved with him. And that wasn’t good.

Gill wasn’t here permanently. He was just passing through, and whenever he was ready, he’d leave. In the meantime, Alicia had not only her heart to worry about, but also her reputation. It might seem foolish to someone from a big city, but the success of her business not only depended on her skill as a lawyer, but in keeping her reputation spotless as well. This was a conservative town where a lot of folks still weren’t comfortable with a female lawyer.

Whatever the reality of the situation, the underlying truth was she wanted to be with him, wanted to spend whatever time they could together, for however long he was in Jamesville. What a tangled state of affairs.

She sighed, watching a lone robin settle in the tree branches. Snow clung to the bark, but the little bird didn’t seem to mind as it pecked at the seeds in the birdfeeder.

Sometimes she wished she were like that little bird—free. But reality waited just outside the door and she couldn’t stay tucked away inside her home forever.

Strong arms slid around her waist and she leaned back against his chest.

“You’re deep in thought this morning.” His sleep-roughened voice was deeper than usual and it sent shivers all the way to her toes. His fingers absently traced the waistband of her pants.

“I was just watching the bird.” Determined to get through this, she stepped closer to the counter and began to chop the rest of the mushrooms.

Gill sighed and dropped a kiss on the top of her head before stepping away.

“Anything I can do to help?”

“You can pour the coffee if you’d like.” The pot she’d started had finished brewing.

She hadn’t slept much last night and was going to need the caffeine boost to get through the day. She tried not to think about why she’d hadn’t slept, but heated memories slipped into her brain, teasing her.

Gill opened the cupboard door and took down two mugs. The fact that he knew where to find them was almost startling. But he’d helped her with the dishes last night, drying them all and stacking them away while she’d mopped the remains of their dinner from the floor.

She broke eggs into a bowl and beat them as he poured coffee. He looked so strong, so masculine as he went about the mundane chore. His shirtsleeves were turned back several times, revealing his muscular forearms. His hair was still damp from the shower and a lone lock fell against his forehead.

He looked right at home in her kitchen, as if he belonged here. Alicia dumped the vegetables into the egg mixture, added some milk, and a dash of salt and pepper before stirring vigorously.

Gill took a sip of his coffee and she watched the thick column of his neck as he swallowed. Her inner muscles clenched. Boy, she had it bad if watching him drink coffee could turn her on.

“You want sugar or milk in yours?” He laid his mug aside and reached for the other one.

She nodded. “One sugar, please.” God, how awkward did she sound? She could feel the tension mounting inside her.

Still, Gill acted as if nothing was wrong. He added some sugar and stirred before handing her the mug of steaming coffee. She took it gingerly, making sure their fingers didn’t touch. Just having him this close to her was already making her sweat.

“Do you want me to make the toast?”

“Sure. That would be great.” Gulping a mouthful of coffee, Alicia almost choked on it. She coughed as Gill thumped her on the back several times. She held up her hands.

“I’m okay,” she managed to get out between coughs.

Totally mortified, Alicia turned back to the stove and began to cook the omelet. She poured the entire mixture in a large skillet and let it bubble and sizzle. When the edges were brown, she flipped it. Gill worked quietly in the background. She heard the pop of the toaster, the scrape of the knife across the bread as he buttered it, and the clink of glass as he put the plates on the table.

By the time she cut the omelet in half and scooped it up onto their plates, she had herself under control again. She had no idea why she was so nervous around Gill. No, that wasn’t quite true. He made her nervous because he knew her better than anyone else did in this town. He’d seen past the competent, business-like façade to the diehard romantic beneath.

She placed the pan back on the stove before sliding into her chair. Gill had everything else already there, including her mug of coffee and a small glass of orange juice.

“Thanks for breakfast. This is great.” Gill cut a piece of the omelet and popped it in his mouth.

“You’re welcome.” She busied herself with her own meal, making herself eat. She was sure it tasted good, but it felt like sawdust in her mouth.

Silence surrounded them, neither of them interested in polite chatter. Alicia ate as much as she could manage, and then pushed her plate away.

As if he’d been waiting for her signal, Gill laid his fork across his plate and leaned back in his chair. “Want to tell me what’s going on this morning?”

Alicia felt her hackles rising. “What do you mean?” Immediately, she felt foolish for all but jumping down his throat. He’d only asked her a simple question, and there was no doubt that she wasn’t herself this morning.

Gill sat forward, reached across the table and took her hand in his. Her smaller hand was almost lost in his, yet his grip wasn’t tight at all. The man was very aware of his own strength. “I know something is bothering you this morning, sugar. You want to tell me what it is?” His gaze searched her face as if hoping to find the answers there.

Normally, Alicia didn’t like it when a man called her by some pet name. But the way Gill called her “sugar” made her insides flutter. He made it sound sexy.

She forced herself to pull her hand away from his, clasping her fingers together at her waist. It was either that or she’d probably reach out to him whether she wanted to or not. Gill made a mockery of her self-control.

“I’m not sure last night was a good idea. But…” She continued when he started to interrupt. “It happened and I’m glad it did.” There was no way she could lie about that.

“The fact still remains that an affair could hurt my reputation. This isn’t the big city and the community’s faith has already been shaken by one lawyer.”

“What we’re doing isn’t criminal or illegal.” She could hear the tension in Gill’s voice. His steel-blue eyes were cold and forbidding.

“No, it’s not.” She picked up her mug and took a sip before carefully placing it back on the table. “However, that won’t matter to some folks.”

“So what are you suggesting?” Gill crossed his arms across his chest and glared.

“And don’t even think of telling me you don’t want to see me again, because I won’t believe it. Not after last night.”

“No,” she agreed. “That would be an insult to both of us.” Alicia licked her lips, her mouth dry. She resisted the urge to reach for her coffee mug again. “The only way this will work is if we keep it quiet.”

Gill uncrossed his arms and shifted in his chair, his eyes never leaving her face.

“What exactly do you mean?”

“We need to act professionally outside these walls. If we’re having an affair, we need to keep it quiet.”

“Do you really think that’s possible?”

She closed her eyes and shoved all her doubts aside. “I don’t know.” Her eyes flew open when she heard his chair being shoved back. Gill loomed over her, hands on his hips.

“I understand what you’re saying. Really, I do.” He shoved his fingers through his hair, leaving some of it sticking out to the sides. “But I think that you’re making too much of it. This isn’t the dark ages. Your personal life has nothing to do with your professional one.”

“You’d think so, wouldn’t you?” Alicia knew the gamble she was taking even if Gill didn’t. She was risking everything she’d spent years building by being with him. But it was worth the risk. Even though their relationship wouldn’t last long, it was worth it. Gill made her feel more alive inside than she’d felt in years. She hadn’t realized just how dead she’d felt until they’d spent that night together after leaving the wedding. With him, she was more herself than she’d ever been with any other man.

“If you want to keep this private between us, that’s fine. For now.” He reached down and pulled her out of her chair, his hands warm and sure on her shoulders.

She appreciated that he wasn’t dismissing her concerns, but was trying to understand. Alicia was simply being realistic. Gill didn’t live here and she did. He’d be leaving eventually and she’d be left to deal with the aftermath. It would be hard enough to see him go without having to deal with professional problems on top of it.

“So we agree.”

“Whatever you want, sugar.” Gill slid his hand down her back, pulling her closer.

She could feel his erection nestling against her stomach. His other hand cupped her neck, his thumb pushing her chin upward. “Whatever you want,” he repeated as he leaned down to kiss her.

Gill’s body was vibrating with barely suppressed emotion. He didn’t know if he wanted to hug Alicia or shake her. He settled for kissing her. Their lips met and the familiar fire shot through him. This woman was his, no doubt about it. Her every move, every touch, set his body on fire, but she did so much more. Alicia made him long for things he’d never had—a home, a family, a tomorrow. He thought he’d lost his need for those things years ago. His career as a big city cop had left him empty inside. Since coming to Jamesville and meeting her, that had changed.

Gill found himself thinking how nice it would be to have a house instead of an apartment. A place to really live instead of one that was meant to store his clothing and give him a place to sleep in between shifts at work.

When he’d awoken with Alicia in his arms this morning, he’d felt complete for the first time in his adult life, as if he’d been simply waiting all these years to find her.

Making love to her this morning had rocked the foundations of his world. Last night had been about sex and need. This morning had been about caring and connection.

God help him, he was already half in love with her. And what was he going to do about that?

His musings were interrupted when Alicia deepened their kiss, pressing her tongue past his lips. He groaned, his hand sliding down to cup her ass. She had a fine ass. A first-class ass. He palmed the mound, squeezing gently. She moaned and his cock jerked in response. Damn, he was as hot as an eighteen-year-old boy around her.

He forced himself to pull back. Alicia had to get to work and if she were late, she’d worry and maybe even start to question their relationship. He wasn’t pleased that she wanted to keep their relationship a secret, but it was a starting point. With enough time and effort, he’d be able to make her forget all about her worries. At least he hoped so.

Gill peppered kisses on her mouth and across her jaw. She was wearing a turtleneck sweater, which made it harder for him to get at her neck. It was probably just as well anyway. If he got started on her neck, they’d probably end up back in bed, or on the kitchen floor. He groaned as his balls tightened.

“Alicia.” He took a step back. “As much as I’d like to continue, didn’t you say you had an early meeting this morning?”

She appeared dazed for a moment, her lips were moist and red, her green eyes slightly glazed. Shaking herself, she wiped a shaky hand over her forehead. “I do.” She glanced at her watch. “I have to leave in five minutes if I’m going to make it.”

“You go and finish getting ready. I’ll take care of the kitchen.”

Alicia looked as if she wanted to say something, but changed her mind. Whirling around, she grabbed her jacket from the back of her chair and hurried from the kitchen.

The moment she was out of sight, Gill reached down and adjusted himself, trying to ease the ache in his groin.

Swearing under his breath, he gathered the plates, scraping the remaining food into the garbage before piling them in the sink. He took one last mouthful of coffee before regretfully pouring the rest of it down the drain. He’d get another cup just as soon as he got back to Patrick’s place.

That was another problem. He didn’t think Patrick would question where he was last night, but the man wasn’t stupid. It was only a matter of time before he figured it out.

Shannon, on the other hand, would probably start flinging questions at him the moment he walked through the door. He smiled as he filled the sink with soapy water. It was good to have friends.

By the time Alicia returned, he’d made quick work of their few dishes, leaving them to drain in the dish rack.

“I’m really sorry about this.” She checked her purse and grabbed her cell phone from the charger.

“No problem.” He followed her to the foyer, and pulled on his boots and coat. He grabbed her wool coat and held it for her, sliding it over her arms.

“Thank you,” she murmured.

“You’re welcome.” He kissed the top of her head. He wanted to do a heck of a lot more than that, but restrained himself. “I’ll see you tonight?”

She chewed on her lip and nodded. “Pull your truck into the garage. I’ll give you the remote.”

Gill nodded and Alicia visibly relaxed. He hated sneaking around. They weren’t doing anything wrong. He understood her mind-set about the situation, even though he felt she was overreacting. Still, he’d agreed to do things her way. For a while anyway.

They stepped outside and Alicia locked the door, her gaze darting to her neighbors’

homes. It was still fairly early and there didn’t seem to be anyone around. Alicia’s small home was situated at the end of a dead-end street, providing her with a certain amount of privacy. Still, if any of her neighbors looked out their window, they would see the two of them leaving together.

Gill might not have spent his adult life in a small town, but he’d grown up in one. If there was one thing he knew for certain, it was that secrets like this were almost impossible to keep. He’d do his best and hope that Alicia would eventually become comfortable with the fact that they were in a relationship, and would no longer care who knew about it.

She walked ahead of him, her boots tapping against the stone path as she hurried to the driveway. Gill followed her to her snappy red car, which was parked alongside his truck. The sporty vehicle and its hot color suited her. It was just another sign of the passionate woman hidden beneath the staid façade.

She unlocked her door and slid into her car. Gill waited patiently until she was settled before leaning closer. “Have a good day.” He thought about kissing her, but didn’t want to push his luck. She looked nervous enough as it was. Closing the door, he headed toward his truck and slid behind the wheel.

Alicia backed out of the driveway and started down the road. Putting his truck in gear, he followed her down the quiet street. She didn’t look back, didn’t wave or toot her horn as she headed to the downtown section of Jamesville. Annoyed, Gill took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He had to give her time to get used to the fact that they were in a relationship. Turning left at the next intersection, he headed toward Patrick and Shannon’s place.