It was after seven, and the office was quiet. As far as I could tell, everyone else had gone home. For once, though, I wasn’t doing case work. I didn’t owe these bastards any more of my time. Ten fucking years of complete dedication, working extra-long hours, taking the tough cases, being on point every single day. And for what? To get passed up for the job they’d been dangling in front of me for years?

No, instead I was perusing the email offers from other firms I’d received recently. I’d gotten three offers just since the Delaney trial. I threw out any that weren’t in New York—I wasn’t moving—then began making a list of others that interested me, with plans on calling them this week to follow-up on their offers.

Jack and Dan had wasted no time in making their decision, or rather, finalizing their decision after the trial had ended. It was then I knew they had never been considering me for the position. They had been playing me all along. I felt so stupid.

A throat cleared, and I looked around my double-monitors to find Jameson standing in the doorway, his tie loosened, his suit jacket gone. I glared at him, and then turned back to my screens. Despite my revelation when I’d called Gabriel two days ago, I was still pissed at him. Still furious about losing to him. Still unwilling to admit I had feelings for him, to admit defeat. His partnership wouldn’t be made official for another few weeks, and, with any luck, I’d have a new job by then. I wasn’t going to answer to him, that would never work. Maybe after that, we could figure out a way to be together, if that was what he even wanted. Maybe he had been playing me, too.

“I’m surprised you're still here,” he said. “I thought for sure you’d stop working so many hours when you didn’t get promoted to partner.”

His condescension made me want to throw my stapler at him.

“Did you come to gloat some more? Because, really, you can fuck off. I don’t care about you or your partnership or this firm anymore. I’m actually looking for other jobs right this moment.”

“I didn’t come to gloat,” he said, his voice soft.

“Why did you come here then? I thought I made it pretty apparent I never wanted to speak with you again.” Jameson hadn’t moved from the doorway, casually leaning against it, his hands in his pockets.

“I actually came to tell you I turned down the partnership,” he said. I shook my head and looked at him. His eyes were hard to read from this distance, but he had to be lying.

“Now you’re just being an asshole on purpose,” I said, standing up from my desk. He shut the door and took a few steps toward me and shook his head.

“I’m not. I turned it down. I told Jack and Dan this morning.”

“Why?”

“I realized there is something I want more than being a partner at Hugh and Roscow,” he said.

“Did you get another offer?” Suddenly, I panicked, wondering if he was looking at offers from other places as well, and how many of the firms that had reached out to me had made him offers too—how many really wanted him instead of me.

“No, I’m not talking about another job, Olivia...” Jameson said.

“What are you talking about then?” I asked, confused and annoyed. If he wasn’t here to gloat and didn’t have another job, what the hell did he want? Why couldn’t he just leave me alone?

“I’m talking about you.” I looked in his eyes, but as usual, the deep blue gave away nothing; they were as tranquil and quiet as the ocean at midnight.

“What do you mean me?” It had been a long few weeks, and I wasn’t in the mood to play games with him, but the words coming out of his mouth weren’t making any sense.

“Olivia, I love you.” My heart started racing, and my knees went weak, as I sank back down into my chair and let his words wash over me.

“Are you sure?” I said the first thing that came to my mind. Jameson laughed and came around the desk. He took my hands in his and looked down at me.

“I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life. I should have told you weeks ago.”

“I thought I made you crazy?” I raised my eyebrow at him. This was completely unexpected; I had been caught completely off guard. Lust sure, like even, but love? I had never thought we were to the point of love. He laughed again.

“Oh, you do, you drive me completely mad every single day, but that’s one of the reasons I love you.”

“Really?” I asked again. “Is this a dream?”

“My God, woman, stop asking questions. I’m not lying or playing some sort of weird prank on you. I love you.”

“What about the partnership?” I looked up at him skeptically.

“It doesn’t matter,” he said. I snorted.

“Please, you and I both know that being a partner at a major law firm is the only thing we’ve ever really wanted, and now you’re just going to throw your chance away because you think you love me?”

“I don’t think I love you. I know I love you. I’ve loved you for weeks now, I was just too afraid to tell you. I thought the partnership was more important, but I was wrong,” Jameson said, kneeling in front of me. “When I told you I got the job, and I thought you hated me—”

“I did hate you,” I interrupted.

“When I thought you’d never speak to me again, I realized it wasn’t worth it,” Jameson continued. “I couldn’t stand the thought of never being with you again.”

“Oh, so this is just about sex?” I was still reeling, trying to wrap my mind around what he was saying.

“Oh, that’s definitely part of it, but no, it is more than just the sex. I love you, Olivia, all of you.” I looked at him closely, his eyes full of a light I had never seen before, and it made my heart melt.

“I have a proposal for you,” he said. I raised my eyebrow again but waited quietly. “Let’s open our own law firm.”

“Beck and Roberts,” I said, testing out the words on my tongue. “That has a nice ring to it.”

“I was thinking more like Beck and Beck,” Jameson said, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. Judging by the look on his face, I must’ve looked as shocked as I felt. I was quiet for a minute considering what he was saying.

“I think that is two proposals, Mr. Beck.”

“And you haven’t given me an answer to either one.” I leaned forward and kissed him.

“I’m going to need time to think about it,” I said seriously. “I need to weigh all my other options, as I have quite a few offers, you know.”

“For which proposal?” he asked.

“Both,” I lied. I squealed as Jameson grabbed my waist and pulled me down on the floor with him, crushing my mouth with a kiss.

“Well, that makes my decision a little easier,” I laughed when he pulled away.

“Don’t make me change my mind.”

“It’s too late now … I already know you love me just the way I am. You’ll never get me to change now.” I laughed again, the sound turning to a low moan as he kissed my neck.

“I do love you, Olivia, smart-mouth and all.” I thought about it for a minute, then let the feelings I had been hiding finally come to the surface.

“I love you, too, Jameson Beck.”