“Yeah, well, you’re the only lawyer who’s ever made me fantasize about demanding sexual favors in exchange for a plea bargain. Do you know how many erotic dreams I’ve had about nailing you in the jury room while court was in session?” he asked with a tense laugh.

“Yeah, I’m not really sure how I made all those months without breaking any laws. I remember I had this dream once that you were sitting up on the bench presiding as judge over a case and I was down on my knees …”

“Stop! Please! Baby, I’m begging you. I can’t take anymore. I’m approaching stage three here!” He plowed his fingers through his hair and started striding back and forth at an almost frantic pace. I had a feeling he was trying to redistribute the blood flow in his lower regions.

“We’ll be home in four hours,” I said. I tried not to think about what kind of condition I would be in by then, though. I had a feeling that I might be knocking him down again.

“Four hours. That’s what? Two hundred and forty minutes. Just to let you know, at two hundred and forty-one I’m going to need those panties off, baby.”

“I’ll take them off before I leave. It’ll save us a few seconds. I don’t think we have to go all the way to the bedroom either.”

“Hell, no. I’m going to nail you right there inside the front door.”

“I’m good with that,” I said with a nod.

“Sounds like we have a plan. Good working with you, counselor,” he said decisively. We packed up our briefcases and off to respective offices.

Thursday

IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS OF PHILADELPHIA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Commonwealth v. Blakey

“Officer Standish,” Braden began, striding up to the witness stand with his usual confident demeanor, “would you please describe the events that brought you here today?”

“On June third of this year I was traveling westbound on the Schuylkill Expressway when I noticed a gray Toyota Corolla following closely behind me. The driver seemed to be trying to catch my attention.” Officer Standish was a young guy and I noted that he looked very earnest.

“How so?” Braden asked. He had such a powerful voice. I loved his voice. Especially when he was talking dirty to me … okay, pay attention, Gabrielle! I shook my head to snap myself out of it.

“He was leaning out the driver side window shouting, ‘hey cop’.” Yep, seemed like he was trying to catch his attention all right. Brilliant deduction on Officer Standish’s part. He was going to make detective! Braden quickly glanced at me with amusement.

“What happened then?” he asked. Braden walked over to the prosecution table and put his hands down, leaning over, looking for some report, and the image of him leaning over me like that in bed flashed through my head. Concentrate, Gabrielle! Concentrate. He found his report and strode back to the witness.

“The Corolla pulled up alongside my patrol vehicle and the driver, defendant Wayne Blakey, called out ‘catch me if you can, copper’.” Copper? Oh great. A gangster wannabe - as in the 1920’s kind – driving a freaking Toyota.

“What happened next?” Braden asked.

“He pulled into the passing lane, cutting off another driver, and accelerated, weaving in and out of traffic in a dangerous fashion. I activated my lights and siren and began to pursue him.”

“He was trying to outrun a Philadelphia police cruiser on the Schuylkill Expressway?” Judge Channing cut in. “In a Corolla?!”

“Yes, sir. He began the pursuit himself. For no reason,” Officer Standish said very sincerely. He seemed genuinely baffled as to why someone would do something so incredibly stupid. He was obviously new to the force. Give him a few years.

“And then what happened?” Braden asked, tilting his head to the side in a really sexy way. In case you haven’t figured this out, I pretty much thought that everything Braden did was sexy. I was also, obviously, still feeling the effects of hormones in my system, because even though I usually wanted him, at that moment I wanted to rip his clothes off. I crossed my legs and pressed my thighs together.

“He committed approximately forty-two moving violations, which I could see, and refused to pull over so I called for back-up and continued my pursuit.” I looked over at Mr. Blakey who turned to me with a proud smile. Wow, bad boy here actually outran a cruiser in a Toyota. That was weirdly impressive.

“What was the outcome of this chase?” Braden asked. He glanced over at me and my tummy flipped. God, he was hot. I needed to see him naked very soon. Like right after this case.

“We managed to cut him off in several directions, essentially herding him toward a parking lot where fellow officers had set up spike strips. His tires were punctured and he came to a stop. We ordered him out of the vehicle with our weapons drawn and we cuffed him.”

“Did Mr. Blakey offer any explanation for his actions?”

“Yes, sir, he told us that he had always wanted to try that.”

“Were there any witnesses who gave statements describing the events that you just related?”

“Yes sir, uh, I believe one hundred and twenty-three? The parking lot in question was at police headquarters.” I looked over at Mr. Blakey and raised my eyebrows. He just shrugged and smiled.

Thankfully, Mr. Blakey’s case was the last of the afternoon. After holding all of the charges for trial and having his clerk schedule it, Judge Channing left the bench in his usual good mood. Jess and Adam had already left and the courtroom was emptying. I came over to the prosecution table where Braden was grabbing his files.

“So, you know, maybe we should discuss a deal,” I said.

“On that case? Don’t expect much,” he answered. “Hey copper? Who is he, Al Capone?”

“Give the man some credit. Anybody could outrun a cop in a Lamborghini. We could at least discuss it,” I said, hoping he would get the hint. He got the hint. Braden’s a bright boy.

“Did you want to discuss it right now?” he asked with a smile, packing his files into his briefcase and turning to face me, looking rather interested.

“Are you too busy?” I felt myself blushing and I realized that I was being coquettish, running my finger along the edge of the table and looking up at him through my lashes.

“Not too busy for your negotiation style.” He laughed. “Although I will point out that you were right when you said that we can’t keep doing this and we may want to save it until after a more intense case than that one.”