KRISTI GOLD - The Law of Attraction

“That depends on party politics. They could decide someone else would make a more appropriate candidate.”

“They would be crazy not to consider you.”

“I don’t have a wife and kids, so that could be a determining factor.”

She toyed with the hem of her skirt, drawing Daniel’s attention. “Oh, I don’t know about that. As a bachelor, I’m sure you would garner the female vote.”

“Would I get your vote?”

“That depends. I have yet to see you in action.”

“Do you mean in a courtroom?”

She sent him a sly, sexy smile. “Of course that’s what I meant.”

Damn. “If it’s okay with you, I’d like to move off the topic of work.”

“Fine by me,” she said. “Tell me about your family.”

That was one conversation he preferred to avoid, but out of courtesy he offered, “I have a brother and two sisters.”

She took another drink of the wine and then set it down on a coaster on the end table. “What about your parents?

He figured she’d ask that next and he planned to keep it simple. “Both dead.”

She gave him a sincere, sympathetic look. “I’m sorry, Daniel. I didn’t know that. What happened?”

“A car accident about seven years ago.” Enough said. He shifted toward her and draped an arm over the back of the sofa. “What about your family?”

“I’m an only child. My mom and dad live in a small town in West Texas.”

When he noted the hint of sadness in her voice, he asked, “Why aren’t you with them?”

“Well, because the drive takes me nearly a day and I would have had to turn around and come right back home. I did spend Christmas with them, though.”

“Sounds like you’re a close family.” Something Daniel had a hard time fathoming in light of his bitter past.

“Very. They’re absolutely the best. We didn’t have a lot of money while I was growing up, but it didn’t matter. I had everything I needed and a lot of love.”

Something he couldn’t even begin to relate to. He’d had the material objects because of his banker father, but the man had been bankrupt when it came to love. Daniel opted to keep the conversation focused on her. “I bet you were a cheerleader in high school.”

She let go a terse laugh. “Hardly. I didn’t have adequate pom-poms.”

Don’t do it, Fortune. But he couldn’t prevent his gaze from drifting to her breasts before he went back to her blue eyes. “I don’t see anything wrong with your pom-poms.”

A slight blush stained her cheeks. “Thanks, but I wasn’t the cheerleader type. I was the studious type. I concentrated on making the grade instead of the usual high school stuff like sports and dating, that kind of thing.”

“You didn’t date?”

“Not really. Not until college, and even then not that much. I was bound and determined to be the best law student ever. I graduated with honors.”

“Then you went to work for Gailey and Breedlove.”

“Yes. They recruited me.”

Daniel prepared to ask something he’d wanted to know for a while now. He’d heard some speculation about her departure, none that he’d been able to verify. “That’s a pretty prestigious firm. Why did you leave?”

“It’s a long story, but basically I found that the justice scales were tipped toward those who had the money and means to pay for a good defense. That’s why I decided to strike out on my own and try to do my part to make things more balanced.”

Not the version he’d heard, but he’d settle for her explanation without pressuring her for more. “That’s why you signed on to serve as a public defender?”

“Yes, but I want to eventually concentrate on general law instead of criminal law, providing good counsel to those who have the need but not necessarily the money.”

“How do you expect to make a living at that?”

“Actually I have a few cases that could prove to be lucrative—provided I win. Just nothing up-front until they’re settled. But I’m getting by.”

“And I suspect you’re working your ass off.”

She patted her hip and smiled. “Believe me, it’s still there.”

“I’ve noticed. And I’m glad.”

She looked somewhat self-conscious as she twitched on the cushions. “By the way, how is Jim Krauss in court?”

For a moment he wondered if she had a thing for his colleague. Nah. The guy was about as boring as they come. And married. “He’s fairly good. Why?”

“I’m wondering what I’ll be facing during the Massey trial, if it goes to trial.”

“I thought we weren’t going to discuss that,” he reminded her.

“Just curious.”

“Krauss better be at his best since you’re damn good.”

“How would you know?” she asked. “You’ve never really come up against me.”

The images the comment evoked had every muscle in his body coming to attention. “True, I haven’t. But I’m sure we’d both enjoy it immensely.”

“You’re certainly confident, Counselor.”

“Remember, it’s Daniel tonight, and you’re not all that short on confidence either.”

“No. I’m just short.”

“Your hell-on-wheels attitude makes you seem a lot taller.”

She laid a hand above her breast. “Attitude? I don’t have an attitude.”

“Yeah, you do, Counselor.”

“It’s Alisha,” she said, throwing his words back at him. “And you have to have a little bit of an attitude in this business to be taken seriously, especially if you’re a woman.”

He gave her a long glance from face to feet, pausing in between. “Believe me, it’s more than obvious you’re a woman, attitude or no attitude.” When he moved closer and pushed a wayward curl from her shoulder, she immediately tensed. “Relax. I’m not going to jump you.”

“Do you think I’d be here if I really believed you would?” she said without looking at him.

“Something’s making you nervous.”

“Okay, I admit it, being here with you makes me nervous.” She sent a quick glance his way. “Are you happy now?”

He could think of several things that would make him happy. Having her nervous wasn’t one of them. “I’m strung a little tight myself.”

That brought her attention back to him. “The iceman nervous? The prosecutor who prides himself on being totally in control?”

God, he hated that whole “iceman” thing. “Believe me, I’m not always in control.” Right now his control was in jeopardy. “And under certain circumstances, I’m definitely not the iceman.”

“You could’ve fooled me. I’ve never seen you look the least bit on edge.”

“Maybe you haven’t been looking hard enough. Or maybe you just don’t want to see it because around you I’m always on edge.”

“Around me?”

Time for the truth, regardless of the consequences. “Yeah. Every time I’m near you. Don’t pretend you haven’t noticed this thing between us.”

“What thing?” Her sudden inability to look at him contradicted her denial.

“The one we’ve been skirting for the past few months.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Okay, have it your way. I’ll spell it out for you.”

“Please do.”

When Daniel inched a little closer, this time Alisha didn’t move. In fact, she felt as if her bottom had been bonded to the cushions or perhaps she was simply mesmerized by his aura.

“I noticed you for the first time last year, while you were still working for Gailey and company,” he said. “But I also noticed you were with Troy Moreau most of the time and I sensed something was going on between the two of you.”

He had that one nailed. “We worked together quite a bit.” The truth. “Nothing more to it than that.” A lie.