Taming the Beast

“Are you prepared to discuss sentencing options, Attorney Abbott?” said the Judge.

“Yes, your Honor,” Jeremy replied. I refused to look at him, but his voice was like silk dragging along my skin. Goosebumps rose up on my arms as I recalled that same voice tell me last night that I was beautiful, and begged me to say his name while he was inside of me. I was trying so hard to keep my composure, but it was difficult when the memories of last night flooded over me.

“What is your recommendation?” asked the Judg

e.

“Each ticket is $20, so with 374 of them that would be $7,480,” Jeremy said, and I finally did look at him then. He continued, “In addition, there are court fees of $120, and late fees of $560, for a total of $8,160. When Mr. Davis pays that in full, the prosecution will agree to release him.” I stared at Jeremy in disbelief, all memories of last night swept away by anger.

“Holy hell, Rose. What am I gonna do?” Matt whispered. I gave his hand a reassuring squeeze.

“Your Honor, please,” I said. “My client isn’t a man with that kind of money lying around. He needs to be out on his lobster boat, not stuck in jail over parking tickets.”

“With all due respect to my fellow counsel,” Jeremy interjected, and my eyes narrowed at the ‘with all due respect’ part, as that was just a nice way of saying ‘You’re an idiot’, “it is not the court’s concern whether Mr. Davis is capable of paying what he owes to the town. He chose to accumulate the parking tickets, and the total is $8,160.”

“With all due respect to my fellow counsel,” I said, as I glared at Jeremy and then faced the Judge, “my client will not be able to pay that amount unless he is working, your Honor. Surely, Mr. Abbott is capable of understanding that.”

“I understand everything just fine, Ms. Brennan,” Jeremy said, and the courtroom hushed as we looked at each other, locked in combat, when just hours earlier we had writhed around naked together.

“Ahem. All right, then,” said the Judge after a long silence. “It would appear that Mr. Davis cannot pay the full $8,160 at this time. Is that correct, Mr. Davis?”

“Yes, your Honor,” said Matt.

“I suggest a payment plan for the defendant to pay off the full amount, monthly over the next 24 months with 3% interest. Does that sound acceptable to all parties?”

“Yes, your Honor,” I said.

Jeremy said nothing. I turned and glared at him again, unable to believe what an asshole he was being. “Yes, your Honor,” he finally agreed.

“Fine. The defendant may make the first month’s payment today at the clerk’s office, and be released on his own recognizance.” We all rose as the Judge left, and the volume of voices in the courtroom rose to epic proportions. I told Matt I would call him later today to check on him, and I gathered up my papers, refusing to look at Jeremy.

I was pissed at the way he had just acted now, but in a way I respected it because it was good lawyering. What I didn’t respect was that obviously he knew last night that we would run into each other at some point, and he hadn’t warned me about it. As soon as he knew I was a defense attorney, he knew that this situation would present itself. He should have warned me. And he had made it seem like he was here just to visit.

I shoved all my paperwork into my briefcase and left the courtroom as quickly as possible, not caring that people watched and noted that I was essentially fleeing the scene. I needed air before I had a public meltdown, so I went outside and was jogging down the steps when I heard, “Rose! Wait a second.”

Chapter 6

Fuck, I thought. I couldn’t run from him and make him think I was afraid to talk to him. I stopped and turned around, watching Jeremy walk down the steps toward me, looking like a model out of GQ. This whole situation was ridiculous. Was he going to tell me he had fun last night, but that’s all it was?

Because I didn’t care.

I was on the sidewalk and he stopped on the bottom step, which made our height difference even larger. I walked up two steps so we were at eye level, and took a small measure of pride in my resistance to him. He smiled then, and I was struck by how handsome he really was. I went on high alert. What did he want?

“You’re going to leave without properly introducing yourself?” he said with a twinkle in his sexy blue eyes, which only irritated me further.

“Introduce myself? I think you have things twisted. You already knew who I was. It was me that was in the dark as to who you were,” I said, the sound bitter to my own ears, even though I tried so hard to act nonchalant.

“So, that means we can’t have any level of civility? Even after last night?” he added softly, while he stood only a foot away, and that powerful pull started to entangle us again.

I studied him without responding. The sun had kissed his brown hair with some lighter caramel streaks in the front. His skin was slightly tanned, which I hadn’t noticed last night in the dark, and I realized that I could feel the heat emanate off of him. I looked directly into his eyes and a shiver ran through me to my toes.

Damn shivers.

Our eyes locked, his blue eyes just as compelling in the daylight as they had been in the dark, and just as brutal to my defenses. I couldn’t look away, but apparently he could because suddenly his gaze was on my lips. I watched him stare, and without thought of the consequences I slowly took my bottom lip between my teeth. Why would I try to antagonize him when I wanted him to leave me alone?

Run away, Rose.

He looked back up into my eyes and my heartbeat doubled. His gaze was intense, and he no longer looked amused. He looked turned on and sexy, and I realized that I was turned on, too. He grabbed my elbow and pulled me down onto the sidewalk, propelling me around the corner of the courthouse into the alley.