Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 108531 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 543(@200wpm)___ 434(@250wpm)___ 362(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 108531 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 543(@200wpm)___ 434(@250wpm)___ 362(@300wpm)
“Good arguments I didn’t get to use because the judge ruled in your favor without even hearing them,” she countered.
“That was a completely different case, baby.” He put his hands on her hips, drawing her in close so she had no choice but to look into those warm eyes of his. “That was all about property laws. This is different and you know it.”
“It’s lazy to use my arguments.” Her body was already warming up, and she was less annoyed with him when his hands were on her. “You’re spending all your time working on your new book.”
He stared down at her for a moment, a soft smile on his face, as though he liked what he saw. “I’m not working on the new one. I’ve put it on hold.”
That was news to her. “Hey, I’m almost done reading the last book. I need the next one in the series, mister. It’s not fair to keep your readers waiting.”
She’d been making her way through Armand Landry’s adventures. The night before, she’d finished the one where Armand had to solve the particularly vicious murder of his brother, Pierre.
“I’m not working on a new one,” he admitted. “But only because I’m revising. I’m going through The Man in the Black Hat and strengthening Shannon Wright’s character because I’m going to put her in every book as Armand’s love interest.”
It was her turn to smile. “Are you serious?”
He dragged her close. “I thought about it and you’re right. They spark off each other. I can see it now. Armand deals with the police in almost every book—I can replace those police officer side characters with Shannon and slowly grow that relationship into something good. Hell, I’m thinking at some point Armand will have to save Shannon from a killer and will be forced to confront his feelings about her.”
She snorted and didn’t care that it wasn’t a ladylike sound. “Like he would have to save Shannon. She’s a badass.”
“Oh, she needs saving,” he teased, his mouth swooping down to cover hers. “Just like you need saving. Come on, baby. Let’s go back to the apartment and I’ll save you real good.”
She was almost ready to give in because he was completely irresistible, until she heard the dainty sound of a woman clearing her throat, a polite but icy request for attention.
She turned and then practically jumped back from Quaid, because his mother stood beside the last row of benches. She was dressed in slacks and a vibrant green jungle-print jacket, with pearls around her neck just waiting to be clutched.
“Quaid, I was hoping we could talk.” Marian Havery had her eyes on her son, refusing to acknowledge that Jayna was even there.
Quaid turned his mother’s way, but not before threading his fingers through Jayna’s. “Of course. Jayna and I were about to go to lunch. We’ve got to be back in court in an hour or so. Will this take long?”
“Quaid, I need to talk to you about some family business.”
“Fine. You can join us for lunch.”
It was completely obvious to Jayna that his mother did not want her in this conversation. “I’ve got some work I can do. I’ll grab a sandwich back at the office. You need to talk to your mom.”
He frowned down at her. “Then you go and have lunch at the café and I’ll take my mother back to the office. After all, she’d like to talk about business.”
He leaned over and kissed her briefly before turning away.
He said nothing to his mother as she followed him out the door.
She couldn’t remember ever seeing Quaid so cold, and she wondered what was going on between them. He didn’t talk about his family, and certainly didn’t talk about the problems they had—despite the fact that he constantly pressed her to deal with her mom.
Yet when she asked about his family, he always distracted her.
She wasn’t sure if his problems with his brother were “the bastard slept with my girlfriend” serious or simply due to a regular sibling rivalry.
Her stomach rumbled. She was eating way more now that she had sex on a regular basis. All that physical activity made her hungry. She could go over her notes and try to turn this fiasco of a trial around. Maybe she should open another couple of buttons on her shirt and distract opposing counsel with her boobs.
She made her way out of the courthouse and into the bright light of day, the sun warming her.
She stopped and breathed in the spring air and the sweet scent of daffodils. They were blooming all around the courthouse.
“Hey, I finally get you alone,” a deep voice said.
Jayna turned, and her quiet lunch went all to hell.
* * *
• • •
Quaid opened the door to the office and allowed his mother to enter first, the habit of a man raised to be a gentleman.