“Do you think Georgia would be interested? In you, I mean.” He pointed at me. “Given that she doesn’t know you that well yet and we’ve not had time to tell her anything.”
“I’m not that bad!”
He grinned again. “Marie’s always said we could look at a dowry for you. You know, we talked about it when you moved in with me and Vic; that one way to get rid of you would be to marry you off. Maybe we need to see if Georgia would be interested in a business transaction…”
I picked a glove back up and launched it at him.
Max cackled.
“I can’t take her out.”
“Why not?”
“Because we share the same office. She has a kid. Everyone would automatically think I’ll fuck it up.”
He shrugged, putting the towel around his neck. “You can swap offices. Why’s the kid an issue as long as you don’t fuck her about? And only you think you’ll fuck it up, Seph.” He sounded serious now, which was worrying.
“I’ve known her three weeks.”
“You sleep with women you’ve known less than three hours.”
True. “Why are you encouraging this? Shouldn’t you be doing the opposite?”
“Because I’ve seen the moon eyes you’ve been making at her. And I’d love for you to ask her out and her to say no, I’ll be honest.”
“Thanks.”
He laughed. “Kidding. But if you keep gazing at her like Vic does at me, you’re going to drive yourself – and the rest of us – mad. I know you’ve stopped sleeping with any female with a pulse, Seph, but actually dating someone, getting to know them – that’s different.”
“I just don’t want to be distracted from work,” I grumbled, feeling that yet again I’d gotten something wrong.
“You’re already distracted. And only working isn’t the life that you want. Ask Jackson, Killian, Owen, Eli – hell, me. My hobby away from work was lecturing until I met Vic.”
I looked away from him, knowing he was right and hating it.
“I can’t ask her out, Max. I get what you’re saying about dating someone, but it can’t be someone I work with. If I fuck it up, it’d be disastrous.”
Max shook his head hard enough to spray me with his sweat, which was pretty damn disgusting. “Whatever. I need a shower.”
I couldn’t agree more.
One of theexpectations of being a partner in a law firm was that you brought work in. That meant socialising and networking with potential clients, either taking them out on your dime, or being taken out.
Tonight, we were being taken out. It was a Wednesday, so we still had work in the morning, which meant no one would be taking too much advantage of the free bar, unless they’d had the sense to book the morning off, or arranged meetings for later on.
Lomax Taylor was a large, growing accountancy company who were courting a few law firms so we’d throw work their way. It was a standard function room in a hotel with a three-course meal, speaker and a band. Already I could see a couple of the trainees we’d brought with us getting flirty with people they’d just met, pretty much expected for something like this.
Less than a year ago, I’d have ended the night in a hotel room with a woman. Tonight, I was channelling Jackson; all business, all professional, no play.
There was just one problem. The redhead who was sitting next to me, her hair curling down her back, the plunging neckline of her fitted dress a magnet for my eyes that I was desperately trying to fight.
I was fucked.
Fucked. Fucked. Fucked.
“How long have you been at Callaghan Green, Georgia?” The man sitting on the other side of her asked. He was around the same age as us and didn’t have a wedding ring on. I’d caught him eyeing up Georgia’s tits twice already and only the good angel on my shoulder had stopped me punching him in the face.
“This is my third week,” she smiled at him. “How long have you been at Lomax Taylor?”
