Undisclosed Desires (5 page)

“I love the way you negotiate.” She licked
his cheek and then hoisted herself into the driver’s seat. Hand on the lever,
she jerked the seat forward and started the VW. Antonio reached over, placed
his hand over hers on the gearshift and twined their fingers together. Their
eyes met and silently they stared at each other for a moment before she
directed her eyes to the road and pulled forward.

Déjà vu was a bitch.

Grace woke the next morning stretched out
naked with her body half under Antonio’s, his soft snores in her ear. The
coverlet and blanket had been lost to the floor in the midst of their passion,
and the sheet was twisted around her foot. For a moment Grace had basked in the
unbridled joy that filled her. This bed, this man created all the paradise
she’d ever need in this life or the next.

But then the same old doubts began to
intrude. She knew she should awaken Antonio. She should try to talk about what
had happened between them so she could figure out what it all meant. But what
if he obviously hadn’t intended anything other than to comfort his friend, a
friend he pitied for her unrequited love? Oh no. She didn’t feel strong enough for
that. Then a glance at the clock on his nightstand gave her all the excuse she
needed. It was already eight a.m. Being late for work would be grounds for
firing on the most casual of days but with her workload…

As soon as she stepped off the elevator
and into the office foyer, senior partner Brackman’s assistant informed Grace
she was wanted in his office. Without even putting down her briefcase or coat,
she rushed to see him. The Nelson case went to trial in just four days. There
must have been an urgent development.

Grace knocked and opened his door in one
movement. “You wanted to see me?”

“Yes, come in,” Brackman said, glancing up
while he signed correspondence. His face twisted in a grim frown. “I hear you
made a spectacle of yourself last night in public at Finnegan’s.”

Larry Carson. That troll had probably
called him from the bar last night to tattle.

Grace breathed in deeply and all fear of
this bully fell away. “My private life is none of your business, Mr. Brackman.”
With deliberation she straightened and met his gaze squarely. “I resent being
called in here like some naughty child to be disciplined.”

“You kissed another lawyer from this firm
in public.”

If only he knew what else they’d done in
public. Carson apparently hadn’t seen any of that. But at this point she didn’t
care if he’d seen them having sex on the VW, she wouldn’t be victimized at this
law firm one more day.

“So I kissed someone,” she said. “So
what?”

Grace turned to go and then turned back.
“By the way, I’m settling the Nelson case. The client wants a settlement and it
will give us the best result in my opinion.”

His face reddened with anger. “I told
you—”

“Yes, I know what you told me. But you
assigned the case to me. If you don’t like my legal strategy, then take the
case back.”

“I’ll be speaking to the other partners
about releasing you from employment this afternoon,” Brackman sputtered with
bluster.

“If the price of working here is that you
are allowed to trample on my personal rights and try to force me to violate my
ethical obligation to do what’s best for the client, then I’m not paying it.”
After the statement, the exhilaration of freedom coursed through her. She’d
finally stood up for herself. “Out of curiosity, are you bringing Antonio in
here to be berated too?” she asked.

Her question seemed to shock him and his
eyebrows arched. “No,” he said. “But you’re a woman and if any client saw that
display…”

“Oh, so the standard is different for a
woman attorney at this firm.” She gave a firm nod. “Good to know. The other
partners might be interested in this double standard you’re talking about.”

“That isn’t what I said,” Brackman
stammered as he rose from his chair. “I didn’t say there was a double
standard.”

“Really? That was what I heard.”

Grace spun on her heel and barreled out of
Brackman’s office and came face-to-face, chest-to-chest with Antonio.

“You,” she said.

“Yes, me,” he said, seizing her arm. “And
you are coming with me. I’m not letting you get away with running this time.”
He dragged her to his office and closed the door, shutting them in before he
released her.

“I don’t know what you’re so furious
about,” she said.

“Oh yeah?” he asked, red-faced. “You left
me stranded at home without a car. Mine’s at Finnegan’s. Remember?”

“Sorry.” She hadn’t remembered that.

“But worse than that you left my bed
without a word—again. You treated us as if we were some sleazy one-night
stand.” Antonio stormed to her and grabbed her by the shoulders. “We’re in a
relationship,” he said, shaking her. “Is that clear?”

“Yes.” Happiness burst inside Grace and
she smiled. He really did want her. Antonio wanted her. She would have the
affair of a lifetime. Even if he didn’t want her forever, she would make this
be enough. To have him even for a short time would be everything. “I thought it
was pity.”

“You think pity could make me come three
times in one night,” he said, shaking his head. “You’re crazy. Incredibly hot,
brilliant and loving but crazy.”

“Brackman would probably agree with you
about now regarding the crazy part.” Grace told him about the argument she’d
had with the senior partner.

“Maybe we should both resign from this
place and hang out our own shingle together,” Antonio offered.

The fact that he wanted more than an
affair sent a thrill through her. “You want to be partners?”

“Absolutely. I have some money saved.
Enough to set us up.”

“I can’t believe this,” she said, putting
one hand to her head. Everything had moved so fast, she felt dizzy.

“Why not?” he asked. “Aren’t my feelings
about you shamefully obvious?”

“No.” Her eyes widened with shock.
“They’re not. What feelings, precisely?”

“Anyone with eyes knew I fell in lust the
moment I first saw you.”

“Why didn’t you say something?”

“You were wearing another man’s ring, and
I didn’t feel right about making a move. I thought friendship was all I would
be allowed to have and it killed me. That’s why I got so drunk the night of
your bachelorette party. Then, when you announced the engagement had been
called off, I felt jubilant and horrible for being happy when you had been
devastated by that jerk.”

“But why did you pretend you didn’t
remember us having sex?”

“You left while I slept. I thought you
were ashamed of what happened. I thought you wouldn’t have slept with me but
for the alcohol, and I got scared. Scared you’d never want to have anything to
do with me again if I acknowledged what we’d done together.”

“You thought I’d reject you?” Grace knew
her voice sounded incredulous. “What woman would be crazy enough to reject
you?”

“You’d be surprised,” he said. “All the
girls who want you don’t matter at all if the only one you care about doesn’t
seem to.”

“But—” Then his words registered.
“You care about me? Really?” What did that mean? Grace knew he cared about her
as a friend. “But—” she began only to be interrupted.

“Shhhh.” He stopped her words with a
finger to her lips. Then he removed his finger and replaced it with his soft
lips in a quick but sensuous kiss before pulling back. “Since you seem so
doubtful, let me put this in terms you’ll understand, with a question.” He
kissed her again, this time slanting his lips over her and deepening it. His
tongue played delightfully with hers before pulling back.

What was that again? “What’s the
question?” she asked breathlessly.

“Why did the chicken guy kiss the chicken
girl?”

“Isn’t a guy chicken a rooster? Besides, I
don’t think chickens can kiss,” she pointed out. “They have those beaks
and—”

“Don’t be such a lawyer. Just go with it,”
he admonished, shaking her a little. He planted another quick kiss square on
her lips.

“Mmmm, Okay.” She licked her lips as if
savoring the taste of him. “Why did the chicken guy kiss the chicken girl?”

He leaned his forehead against hers and nuzzled
her nose with his. He gently pressed his lips to hers. “He kissed her because
the chicken guy loves the chicken girl, of course.”

Long seconds passed before his words
registered. Then a slow smile expanded from her heart to be reflected on her
lips. “Lucky chicken girl,” Grace whispered.

# # #

**Thank you for
reading
Undisclosed Desires
. If you
enjoyed it, I hope you will post a review at Amazon.com. And if you would like
to know more about me, please visit my websites at
http://www.patriciamason.net
and
http://www.prmason.net
You might find out
about freebies there.

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