Quarantine Pet - His Pet

“Ah, and here’s Jack,” William said as I entered the conference room for the second time that day. “Jack Harris, this is the new team: Lionel Gruber, Mark Vesper, and Sandra Jones.”

Nodding to each person, I gave the first two the kind of glassy-eyed stare I reserved for most of my clients — the I’m-paying-attention-but-not-too-much look. Then, when I looked at Sandra, my whole world changed.

In that instant, her doe-like eyes spoke to me. She was a petite redhead, curvy, and top-heavy with a heaving bosom that was stuffed into a five-thousand-dollar business suit. Her look was finished off with perfectly manicured nails and wavy hairdo. The new lawyer was stunning with alabaster skin and bright brown eyes that said, “You’re the only person in the world that matters right now.”

I felt that bolt of lightning or Cupid’s arrow.

“Sandra,” I smiled. “That’s a pretty name.”

Instantly, I could sense that I had already given the game away. Dan cleared his throat, and William immediately spoke up. “Sandra is actually a cousin of ours, Jack,” the oldest Davies brother informed me. “She’s not just a member of the firm, she’s family.”

I got the message loud and clear. Sandra Jones was off-limits with a capital “O”. None of that mattered, of course. Does anything matter when you’re in love? Or lust? Or whatever this was.

Whatever was happening, for the first time in a long while, I felt awake and alive. Sandra was something else. A red-headed bombshell with grace and poise. The best part about it, she was another lawyer too. I wouldn’t have to give her the spiel about my late nights. She already knew the score.

The meeting unfolded with the usual dance. If this merger was going to happen, then we needed to spend days going over the assets. At someone point, Sandra mentioned that she had personally compiled a list, and I made my move.

“Sandra and I should probably get together,” I offered. “I have some extra space in my office. I’ll have another desk brought in.”

William and Dan looked at each other. It was a reasonable request. It would seem weird to turn me down.

“Sure, Jack,” agreed Dan as he glared at me. “I’m sure that would work out fine. I know everyone involved will handle themselves in the most professional manner.”

Again, it was another subtle warning from the Davies Brothers. Bang this chick, and you were out was about the size of it. Maybe it was her. Maybe it was the challenge of putting one over on my bosses, but I didn’t care. I hadn’t felt this good about anything in weeks.

“That sounds good,” murmured Sandra with downcast eyes. “What sort of desk will you provide?”

“Only the best,” I promised. “Something nice. Wood. I think you’ll enjoy it.”

“Well, I’m not there to enjoy myself, but thanks,” she said innocently with a slight smile.

I couldn’t help but think, “No, Sandra. I intend for you to enjoy yourself.”

With the meeting over, I headed back to my office. I was feeling energized. I needed a workout and some dinner.

Kelton noticed the change in energy. “What’s up with you? First, you depress the crap out of me, and now you’re practically dancing in here,” he noted.

“Order up a desk for another lawyer. Something nice. Antique. Wood,” I instructed. “Make sure it’s up here by morning, okay?”

“Sharing an office? With who?”

“You’ll meet her soon,” I promised.

“Oh, no, Jack,” Kelton chastised. “The brothers don’t like when you —”

“Sh-sh-sh, hush, Kelt. Hush,” I ordered. “The brothers aren’t going to know. Besides, this is the woman of my dreams.”

“Really? You meet her for twenty minutes, and that’s it?”

I put a hand on his shoulder. “That’s it, buddy. Now get me that desk.”

Chapter Two – Sandra

I had heard about Jack Harris and read about him on the socialite websites about Manhattan. If being a sexy, eligible bachelor was a stock, Jack would’ve been Apple. There was something about his presence. He was charismatic with a stylish suit and movie star good looks. One would be reminded of a young George Clooney or maybe a Brad Pitt with dark hair. He smelled great too. I couldn’t place the cologne, but it was musky, understated, and expensive.

I mean, if you were putting together an ad for a lawyer TV show or just a fashion shoot for lawyers’ clothes, you could do a hell of a lot worse than Jack Harris in that meeting! Honestly, I had to keep myself from swooning since he was so hot. Professional, right? God! How embarrassing would that have been?!

Manhattan Law Review had covered some of his cases. He had sued some of the biggest names in the Big Apple and lived to tell the tale. Once, he even won a lawsuit against the City after a Manhattan socialite got ticketed for not picking up her dog poop, of all things. Not only did Jack fix it so that she wouldn’t have to pay the fine, but the city also had to pay her for harassment and spending thousands retraining the cops to “better serve the community.”