Ryan turned toward her, a welcoming smile on his face, but reproach in his eyes. Olivia recognized immediately that she’d committed a faux pas by being late, but this wasn’t the time to worry about it. She pasted a matching smile on her face and entered the room.

“Here she is. Logan, this is Olivia Dane, the attorney who will be the lead on your case. Olivia, Logan Graham.”

Logan rose, and she felt his eyes on her as she walked into the room, praying he wouldn’t say anything. As much as she wanted to look away—to run away—Olivia knew she couldn’t. But there was a tiny part of her that fluttered alive as she looked at him, her breath catching in her throat.

He was wearing a dark suit and tie, and a crisp white shirt. Even conservatively dressed, he exuded the charm and charisma of a rock star. And, she had to admit, the latent sexuality that had drawn her in before was still there, just beneath the surface.

He extended a hand and she took it, the touch of his skin against hers making her heard beat faster.

“It’s nice to meet you, Olivia.” His voice was low, and he held her hand a moment longer than necessary. She did nothing to pull away, even as she knew she should. Everything else in the room faded away as she looked into those dark eyes. Finally, she found her voice.

“Yes. Nice to meet you as well, Mr. Graham.” She hastily pulled her hand away and took a step backward, hitting the edge of the table with her leg. She heard a noise behind her and recovered enough of her composure to introduce Melissa. “...my paralegal. You’ll be seeing a great deal of her as well.”

Logan turned to Melissa, smiling and shaking her hand briefly. She looked a little star-struck, gazing up at Logan with parted lips and wide brown eyes. Olivia coughed softly in an effort to get her attention. Ryan stepped forward into the breach.

“Shall we get started?” He looked at Olivia, an eyebrow cocked. She gave him an equally puzzled look and a brief shrug of her shoulder.

Melissa had apparently remembered that she was actually working and hurried to take a seat next to Olivia across the table from Logan. Ryan took his accustomed place at the head of the table, the case file open in front of him.

“Okay,” he began. “A brief history. Logan is the lead singer in a band called Revival. His complaint is against his manager, Jack Ashton. Do you want to explain in your own words the basis of the suit, Mr. Graham? Why do you want to pursue action against Mr. Ashton?”

“Ashton’s been Revival’s manager since we were playing little pubs in Glasgow, trying to get noticed. He’s the one who got us our first major contract. Back then, he wasn’t any bigger than we were; we pulled each other along.” Logan shifted uneasily in his chair. “But when we hit it big, things changed. My band mates and I, we were happy to finally be paid in money instead of pints. But Ashton wanted more. He convinced me to try for a solo album; it did well, but my heart is with the band. I’m not looking to go it alone. The problem is, Ashton has started driving a wedge between us. Pushing me toward something I don’t want.”

He hesitated and Olivia caught up with taking notes, her head still down. She didn’t want to stare too long at Logan, paranoid her cheeks would flush and he’d say something about it.

“And then the money started disappearing.”

Olivia, looked up at Logan at the change in his tone. He was impassioned when he talked about his band, but his voice grew suddenly cold at the mention of the missing money.

“And that’s the reason you want to bring the suit against him?” Ryan asked. “For the embezzlement?”

Logan shrugged, shifting again. “Yes. He stole the money from me, from the band. And he should be held accountable for that. But...”

“You want your band mates back.” Olivia’s voice was low.

He nodded. “Aye. I do. I miss them and the music we make together. This tour has been torture: four guys on stage going through the motions and trying not to bash each other’s brains in. Truth be told, while I don’t mind making actual money, those months we were getting paid in pints were some of the happiest times I’ve ever had. It was just us, playing our music and making people happy. There’s no living to be earned by that, but we had each other. Ashton took that away, and that’s worth a great deal more to me than the money he stole.” Still looking at Olivia, he spread his hands on the table in a gesture of despair.

Olivia smiled. Logan returned the expression, but there was pain in the curve of his mouth. Something in her let go, then, a tiny part of her irritation with Logan dissolving. She was struck by his honesty, by the earnest way he spoke. By his integrity. And, more than that, by his simple desire to get back the moments in his life when he had been happy.

Maybe she had misjudged him. Jumped to conclusions. But it was still just a one-night stand. And you’re his lawyer now. Nothing more.

Ryan coughed, and both Logan and Olivia turned to him. “I think it might be helpful if you continued your meeting with Olivia alone. She can do the rest of the initial intake for the case, get some hard facts. I’ll leave you two alone.”

He slid the case file across the Olivia, and he and Melissa left the room, though the other woman cast a glance back over her shoulder at Logan as she followed Ryan out. When the door closed behind them, Olivia sat back in her chair, arms crossed over her chest. What the hell just happened?

Logan leaned forward.  “It’s good to see you again, Olivia.” He smiled, then, as she continued to stare at him silently, growing serious. But she noticed that the smile never really left his eyes. “I get the feeling you’re not so happy to see me, though.”

“Why should I be?” Olivia glared across the table at him. “You took advantage of me when I was at my lowest. I was emotionally compromised. And drunk on that hateful Macallan of yours.” She was surprised by the sharp edges on her own voice. She took a deep breath, smoothed them out. “We had a one-night stand. Nothing more. And now I’m your attorney. So the only option is to put that time behind us, because it’s definitely not going to do you or your case any favors if people find out what happened.”

“Olivia...” Logan’s expression tightened. “I don’t sleep with women too drunk to say yes. You were there. A bit hazy around the edges, maybe, but so was I. You were absolutely there with me.” He stepped around the table, and took the seat next to hers, leaning in closer. His knees brushed against hers. “Listen to me, Olivia. That may have been a one-night stand to you, but it was much more than that for me. I meant what I said in my note; I had every intention of calling you, of seeing you again when I came back to New York. But this shite with Ashton exploded in the middle of the tour. It’s taken all of my time and energy to hold the band together long enough to perform every night. It’s been driving me crazy that I haven’t called you. You’re all I’ve thought about since that night.” He reached out and laid his hand over hers, and the touch of his fingers on her skin sent a not wholly unwelcomed tingle through her body.

Watching Logan closely, Olivia saw what she hoped—wished, maybe—was sincerity in his face. In his voice. She wanted to believe him, if only because it made her look less like an idiot throwing herself at a stranger, and more like maybe this could be the beginning of something between them.

But he was a client. And she couldn’t risk her career for him, no matter how good he looked with that earnest expression. “Logan... This, um, whatever it is, or was, it’s... We can’t right now.” She slowly pulled her hand from his, not missing the hurt look that briefly clouded his gaze. “Let’s concentrate on the case for now, okay? That’s the real reason you’re here. Not me.” She picked up her pen and pulled her legal pad closer.

“It’s both.” Logan tilted his head, a frown crossing his face. “I asked for you, you know. You’re the only one I trust with this, and not just because we had a one-night stand. You have an excellent reputation. Marshall wanted to represent me himself, but I insisted it be you.”

Olivia tapped her pen on the table, frowning. Ryan had said nothing about Logan’s request. Nothing was making sense. The only solid thing she had to hold onto at the moment was the case, and even that seemed nebulous. She closed her eyes briefly and took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts. “Okay. First, let’s get started on the case. That’s here, in front of us. Something tangible. We can sort out the rest later.”

Logan smiled. “Later. I guess I can deal with that.”

Despite her worry, Olivia found herself smiling back at him. Logan was nothing if not charming and charismatic. That she remembered all too clearly from their night together. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad after all.

She shook her head. Concentrate, Olivia. You’re working here, not planning a date.

They spent the next hour going over the details of Ashton’s tenure as Logan’s manager, the relationship between Ashton and the band, and Logan’s solo career. She’d filled several pages of her legal pad with notes before she was satisfied.

Olivia finally tossed her pen on the table, sitting back in her chair, and glanced over the case file. “I think we have enough to get started. I’ll have Melissa send you a list of documents you’ll need to produce, and we’ll need to contact Ashton’s legal counsel.”

She absently rubbed her left hand, easing the writer’s cramp she always got from gripping her pen. Logan reached out, taking it in his, and gently massaged her palm with strong fingers. This time she didn’t pull away. Didn’t want to pull away. She closed her eyes, leaning her head against the back of the chair.

His touch felt right. It shouldn’t have, but it did. Here, in the bright light of day, after listening to his solemn recital of Jack Ashton’s business dealings, she somehow felt closer to him than she had during their night together. You’re supposed to be angry with him, she reminded herself. Not enjoying this. And you can’t sleep with a client.

She opened her eyes, watching him as he concentrated on her hand.

“Have dinner with me tonight,” he said, still looking down, his touch sliding over her bare ring finger. “No pressure. Just to talk. Call it a business meeting, if you must.” He looked up, then, with a grin. “Although I’d rather it be more than that. I want to talk about anything except Jack Ashton after all this.”

Logan had stopped massaging her hand, but still held it, drawing slow circles on her palm. She wanted to still be mad at him, but she couldn’t hold onto the anger. He was here, in the flesh, apparently sincere and honest in his intentions toward her. And, apparently, still able to kindle a flame inside her with the merest touch of his hand on hers, even in the staid environment of the conference room. She sighed.

“Okay. Dinner. But that’s all. And no Macallan.” She flashed a smile at him to let him know she was teasing. Mostly. “I think it’s some kind of... secret Scottish magic.”

Logan shook his head, the corners of his mouth turning up in a roguish grin that made his eyes brighten. It was infectious. She rolled her eyes, but her own smile deepened in response. “Aye. You discovered my secret then. But I’ll not ply you with Macallan tonight. I’ll let you order your own drinks and try not to influence you unduly.”

Olivia laughed. “Fine. Dinner tonight, then.”

There was a knock at the door and Olivia swirled her chair around to find Ryan on the other side of it. He stopped abruptly on the threshold, looking back and forth between Logan and Olivia. A muscle twitched in his jaw. She felt Logan’s grip tighten on her hand as an undercurrent of tension sprang up in the room.

Then Ryan smiled, his face relaxing, and the tension was gone. He walked the rest of the way into the room, resting his hands on the back of a nearby chair. “I see you’re done with the initial interview, Olivia. I’ll need to meet with you so we can formulate our initial game plan.”

Olivia realized Logan was still holding her hand, and she extricated herself from his grasp, pushing away from the table. The look on Ryan’s face had startled her. It was an odd mixture of anger and what she thought must have been jealousy. But it had been replaced so quickly with his smooth professional demeanor that she wasn’t entirely sure what she had seen.

Gathering her legal pad, she rose from her chair. Logan stood as well, and she felt his hand on the small of her back, a warm, solid pressure. Or was it him staking a claim?

“Yes. We’ve finished for now.” She turned to Logan. “I’ll have Melissa contact you about the documents and I’ll be in touch in a couple of days.”

She saw Logan’s brows pull together and held his gaze a moment longer. “Why don’t you give me your contact number as well, so I’ll be able to reach you if I need anything before that?” She took a business card from her pocket and slid it toward Logan.

He took her pen and scribbled across the back before returning it to her. She glanced down at it, recognizing the name of a restaurant and a time put down along with the phone number, then tucked it into her pocket.

Ryan inserted himself between Logan and Olivia, sliding his arm around Logan’s shoulders and ushering him toward the door. “Let me walk you out, Mr. Graham.”

“It was nice meeting you, Ms. Michaels,” Logan called over his shoulder.

Ryan turned back. “Olivia, meet me in my office and we’ll see where we’re at.”

Olivia nodded. She followed the men out of the conference room. Ryan steered Logan toward the elevator, deep in conversation. Instead of heading to Ryan’s office, Olivia took the stairs to her own floor, slipping into her office and closing the door. She fished the card out of her pocket and counted to a hundred, then the dialed the number. It rang once and she heard Logan’s voice on the other end.

“Are you alone?” she whispered, and instantly felt silly.

Logan laughed. “Seems he was in a hurry to have me gone. Will you meet me tonight, then?”

“Yes. I’ll be there at eight. But I have to go now. I’ll see you tonight.” She hung up, gathering her legal pad, and headed back up to Ryan’s office.

“There you are.” Ryan was at Lori’s desk when she came around the corner. “Come on. We’ve got things to discuss.”

He motioned Olivia into his office, closing the door behind her. She took a seat and opened her notes.

Ryan sat down across from her. “First, let me start by saying we’re not getting off on a good foot here. I’m not sure I was clear earlier, but I’m going out on a limb here by giving you this case. The other partners don’t feel you’re ready for this and, frankly, after your actions today, I think I might agree with them.”

Olivia felt as though someone had thrown cold water in her face. “I’m not sure what you mean, Ryan. It was your idea to give me this case, wasn’t it?”

“Yes. Based on your performance here, particularly in the Fontaine case. But today, between your arriving at the meeting late and your inappropriate behavior with the client, I have my doubts.”

Ryan stood, moving around the desk toward her. He sat on the edge, blocking Olivia from standing. He seemed to loom there. She felt pinned in her chair, trapped as he leaned in toward her, his face close to hers.

“Same page, remember? I’m going to have a hard time explaining your behavior to the other partners.” He paused. “Unless we can come to an understanding...” He reached out, his fingers beneath Olivia’s chin, tilting her face to his. Her breath caught. Before she could react, his lips were on hers, hard and insistent. She tried pulling away, but his fingers gripped her hard, holding her fast.

When he broke the kiss, he still held her. “I do want you to succeed, Olivia. And I think you know how to make sure that happens.” He smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “There’s a lot I can do for you here. Not just with this case. I can help you make partner.”

Olivia looked up at him, hoping she had somehow misunderstood. He leaned back, finally letting go of her chin, and calmly folded his hands on his leg.

“You...” Her throat was dry, and the words seemed to stick in it. “You want me to sleep with you to keep the case?” She pressed herself back into the leather chair, away from the heat of his body.

“Are you telling me that’s not what you want, Olivia? Because you’ve been making advances toward me, remember? In the bar. Here in my office. It isn’t just obvious to me, either. Lori even commented on your behavior.”

“What?” Olivia shook her head. “I didn’t—That’s not how it happened.” Her memories were fuzzy, but she was sure. “You kissed me!”

Ryan laughed softly. “You think anyone will believe you? I have an impeccable record, and a lot more years in this firm than you do. You’re in a vulnerable place right now... this big case just handed to you, and already your actions seem to be proving that you can’t handle it. Let’s just say we can help each other. You want something from me; I can give that to you. And I can make sure the partners don’t hear anything you wouldn’t want them to know. So really, I’m doing you a whole lot of favors here.”

“No.” Olivia tried to stand, but Ryan remained perched on the edge of the desk, not giving her room. “I’m not playing this game.”

“I think we should schedule some time to go over the file, don’t you?” She might as well have said nothing, for all the attention he gave her protest. He glanced at his watch. “It’s getting late. Almost quitting time. How about you go grab something to eat and come back later tonight. We could go over your notes.”

“No...” Olivia repeated, shaking her head again. Where was the man she’d known, the mentor she’d grown to trust? “Why are you doing this?” Her voice was barely a whisper.

“I want you to succeed.” Ryan smiled at her again and slid off the desk, opening the door to his office. “Think about it, Olivia. Let me know how you want to proceed.”

Olivia shuffled her papers together with shaking hands, dropping her pen in her haste to scramble up from the chair and get out of Ryan’s office. He bent to retrieve it, holding it out to her. She clutched her files to her chest and looked warily at it and his outstretched hand—the same hand that had held her chin in place as he kissed her. Ryan laughed and set the pen on the desk.

“We’ll start tomorrow, then,” he said. “I see you’re not in the right mind-set for my help right now. I want a willing partner on my team, not someone who’s indecisive.” He placed a hand on her back, guiding her toward the open door. For a brief moment, his fingers slid lower, running over the curve of her hip.

She was suddenly aware of the sounds of the office beyond his door, the others who were leaving for the day. Lori was standing at her desk with her purse in her hand, watching as Ryan and Olivia walked past her cubicle.

“See you tomorrow, Ryan.” Lori caught Olivia’s eye, a frown passing over her face. “Good night, Olivia.”

“See you bright and early, Lori,” Ryan answered. “We’ll have the Graham case to work on tomorrow, so you can plan for that.”

Olivia couldn’t bring herself to speak. She just nodded at the other woman, feeling frozen in Ryan’s grasp.

He walked her to the elevators. “You know, I’ve been thinking. We should use Lori for this case, not Melissa.”

Olivia opened her mouth, but Ryan went on before she could speak.

“She’s more experienced. And lately, well, Melissa’s been all over the place. She’s clearly ineffective when it comes to working with someone of Logan’s magnitude.” Ryan shook his head. “It’s sad. I thought she had promise.”

The elevator arrived, and Olivia hurried into the car, pressing the button for her floor. She wanted to slam her hand on the button that would close the doors, but it wouldn’t stop Ryan if he wanted to join her. Thankfully, he remained on his floor. She watched him disappear as she was sealed into the elevator, and finally took a deep breath.

What on earth had just happened?

Her hands were shaking. Olivia stared at them. They didn’t feel like a part of her body. The elevator dinged to announce her floor, and she stepped out as the doors slid open.

Melissa was already gone when she got back to her office. It was probably lucky. One less confrontation for the night. How was Olivia going to tell her that she was off the case? Her head was spinning. Numb, she sat down at her desk, her case file spread in front of her.

Logan’s case. “Oh, shit. Logan. Dinner.” Olivia glanced down at her watch. It was still early; she had time to get home, change out of her business clothes, and get a cab back to meet Logan. Concentrate on that for now.

Everything else would just have to wait.