Alina
“OH MY GOD!” Daria exclaimed, fluffing her hair while checking her reflection in the screen of her phone. “He’s walking over here.” Straightening in her seat, a huge smile wafted across her face, and I knew Max was only a few feet behind me. I could feel the heat from his body, even though the mere notion of such a realization was absurd.
I watched as my best friend’s eyes devoured the approaching man, raking up and down his body more than once, and being none too subtle about it either. When his warm breath hit my neck, the shiver which followed made me twitch. He laughed, the deep tenor of the sound flitting through my eardrum and making me shiver once more.
“Alina,” he greeted, still standing behind me. I risked a glance at Daria and saw her stunned expression.
“You two know each other?” she asked to no one in particular, her curiosity bouncing back and forth between Max and me.
“I have the pleasure, yes,” Max affirmed, finally taking another few steps until he was beside our table, in full view. He was wearing the same dark gray suit he wore to the office, every line of the material fitting him perfectly. I knew that only because I’d captured a glimpse of him as he re-entered the building after lunchtime. He hadn’t seen me because I’d rushed off and jumped into the elevator at the last second before the doors closed. The last thing I needed was to be alone with him again. Not only did he serve to confuse me on all levels, but Chris had expressed his feelings on me spending any alone time with the man. It was the topic of our conversation when he took me to lunch after finding me in Max’s office.
Of course, I would never admit to Chris that from the first night I met the newest addition to the firm, I couldn’t get him off my mind. He annoyed yet intrigued me. He’d been inappropriate yet tested me. He was infuriatingly arrogant yet charming.
Maxton Colter was every contradiction.
He extended his hand to Daria in greeting, exchanging names, the delight on her beautiful face obvious as she placed her palm in his. He kept his eyes on her briefly before turning to face me, placing his warm hand on my shoulder and giving me a slight squeeze. “Nice to see you again.”
“You too,” I responded, my breathing suddenly becoming shallow. I flicked him a quick smile before staring at the glass I was holding, trying to concentrate on anything other than the way he made me feel.
Nervous.
Excited.
Hopeful.
Wary.
“Won’t you join us?”
I whipped my head up to glare at my friend, my nerves taking flight and making my stomach all sorts of queasy. I had to say something and quick before he pulled up a chair.
“I’m sure Max has better things to do. Don’t you?” I risked a look at him and got lost in his piercing stare. Thankfully, only for a moment, though.
“Nope.” He was already hauling over a chair before he’d finished his one-word answer. Placing a stool directly next to me, I saw Daria’s suspicion as she looked between us. She then grinned when I tried to move my chair over.
“So what do you do, Max?” Daria asked, leaning in as if he was about to tell her the juiciest secret. Her cleavage was on full display and when I saw him look at her breasts, albeit only for a split second, annoyance rippled through me. I had no right to be irritated, but I was nonetheless. Daria was a beautiful woman with wavy blonde hair and the prettiest pale blue eyes. It was easy to understand why Max would pay her attention. Or maybe I was only being self-conscious because he had me all twisted up inside.
“I’m a lawyer.”
“Oh, like Alina.”
I interjected into their conversation, keeping my eyes on Daria and away from Max. “He works at the same firm. He took Geoffrey Paulson’s position.”
“Oh.” Daria’s frown at the mention of Geoffrey piqued Max’s interest. From the corner of my eye, I saw his shoulders tense.
“That’s the second time I get the feeling this Geoffrey character was . . . not liked?”
Without thinking, Daria blurted, “You can say that again.” At least she had the decency to look apologetic about her outburst, although my leg was already in full range of motion, kicking her under the table on reflex. Or at least I thought it was her leg.
“Ow,” Max shouted, his hand disappearing under the table and rubbing his shin while looking at me in utter shock. “What the hell, Alina? Those shoes are lethal.”
“Sorry.” I darted a warning look at my friend before giving Max a tightlipped smile. As his mouth parted, no doubt to inquire about a man I wished to never discuss, I hurriedly asked him a question to divert his train of thought. “How are you settling in at work?”
He locked me in a stare for several seconds before tilting his head and answering. “Just fine. Getting up to speed with the inner workings of the firm. Becoming familiar with my caseload. You know, that sort of thing.” His fingers tapped the top of the table, the whole while keeping me pinned in place with a glance.
“Yes, I saw you with Amber Sotter the other day. Is she yours?” I’d meant to ask him about her when I was in his office, but he’d distracted me, as was becoming the norm.
“She’s not mine.”
“She’s not your client?” All I could think about was why he was with her in the lobby if she wasn’t his client. It wasn’t a rare scene to see celebrities on the job, a large handful of them being represented by our firm.
“Yes, she’s my client.”
I tilted my head, my lips pursing. “I thought you just said she wasn’t.”
“You asked if she was mine and I said she wasn’t.”
“Semantics.” I raised my hand to signal the waitress and placed an order for another drink when she approached.
“How many have you had?” Max asked, leaning closer and jumbling any formidable thoughts that dared to formulate inside my head.
“That’s my business.”
“Don’t you think you should take it easy? It is a work night after all.”
“It’s Friday,” I corrected.
“What? You don’t work on Saturdays like the rest of us?” He smiled, looking innocent enough, but I knew he was trying to goad me.
“Not usually.” I huffed and downed half of my refill as soon as the waitress placed it in front of me.
“Am I missing something?” Daria suddenly interjected, narrowing her eyes at both of us. I’d almost forgotten we had company.
“No,” I replied, suddenly aware Max had moved his seat closer, so close his thigh brushed against mine.
Heat bloomed all over my body, and there wasn’t a damn thing I could do about it without drawing unnecessary attention to myself. From Daria and from Max.
As if sensing my unease, Daria peppered Max with questions, and for the next half hour, I learned a lot more about the man who had consumed my every thought.
He was originally from California, moving to New York for a job at the firm.
Divorced.
No children.
Younger brother by two years, who I’d briefly heard about, and his parents were still happily married, traveling the world since their retirement.
The entire time he spoke, I become covetous, wishing I was the only one present to hear all his personal information.
I’m truly fucked.