The reminder that I’ll have to face him at work tomorrow makes me cringe.
I head back into the bar to let Mina know I’m leaving, not ready to discuss any of this with her yet. Luckily, she’s deep in conversation with the hot bartender and lets me go with a quick hug and kiss on the cheek.
My Uber arrives, and I go home, spending the rest of the night questioning everything.
The butterflies in my stomach when I think about our kiss, the dread I feel when I think about the implications it could have on my job, and nothing but nausea when I think about how I’m supposed to act normal around Nash tomorrow.
The gravity of what I’ve done gnaws at me as the hours tick by. Why didn’t I say no? How could I be so careless? And on my first day of work, no less. I’m behaving as if I have nothing to lose when, in reality, I could lose everything.
Chapter 4
Iarrive at the office early the next morning, hoping to get as much work done as I can without Nash’s eyes on me. My focus should be on working my cases instead of thinking about how to handle this situation I’ve been thrown into.
Plus, thanks to Mina and her martinis, my head is pounding. As if she can read my mind, I get a text.
Mina
too many martinis
you’re telling me
I attempt to focus on the stack of documents in front of me, letting my eyes scan the pages in hopes they will draw me in.
Corporate liability.
Interrogatories.
Deposition transcripts.
These are the things that should occupy my mind.Yet, the memory of Nash’s mouth on mine refuses to fade, tugging at my thoughts and making it impossible to concentrate fully.
Movement through the glass catches my attention as James and Nash enter the office floor, one after the other. My pulse quickens.
James turns into his office while Nash veers in the opposite direction, carrying two coffees. I already know one of those is for me, and in a moment, I’ll have to address what happened last night head-on.
Nash catches my gaze through the glass before entering my office with a knowing smile on his face, like he’s thinking about our secret. As he hands me my coffee, I decide there’s no better time than now to end this.
“We need to talk,” I say abruptly. “We can’t do this.”
“I can’t get my attorney coffee?” he asks, feigning innocence.
“You know what I mean. What happened last night. It…shouldn’t happen again.”
He leans on my desk, crowding the space between us. Part of me revels in his attention, the way he seems to focus on me with such intensity. The other, more professional part feels a cold knot of anxiety in my stomach.
“You know, Avery…” he starts.
Vanessa’s appearance in my office doorway steals my focus. She steps fully inside, her eyes like needles as they flit between Nash and me. Nash doesn’t wither under her scrutiny, but something about the tilt of his mouth shifts from cocky to guarded.
He stands, coffee mug still steaming in his hand, and brushes past Vanessa.
The heat Nash left behind is swiftly replaced by her icy stare.
“Attorney Sterling wants to see you in the conference room.”
“Right. Thank you.”
She turns to leave my office, and I quickly grab my notepad and pen, following her out.
