“What? I’m not trying to insult him.”
“Babe. When you describe sex with a guy, he wants to hear shit like ‘beast in bed,’ ‘he owned my vagina,’ or ‘I couldn’t walk for a week from the magic of his rock-hard co—’?” Her widening eyes tell me I should stop right there. “You hear what I’m sayin’, right? ‘Acceptable’ and ‘pleasant’ would shrink some serious balls.” That said, thanks for the favor, Howie, ’cause you made me look that much better.
Tess rests her head against my shoulder, drawing circles with her fingertips along my chest. “To be honest, that’s one of the reasons I ended our relationship. We didn’t connect like I wanted to.” She hesitates, like she doesn’t want to say anything more, but then bites out more than I expect. “For some reason, this isn’t the case with you. You’re sexually freeing.” Her hand stops moving. “But I’m sure you’ve heard that before.”
“No,” I confess. “Mostly, I hear the examples I just mentioned.”
I meant it to be funny, but this time Tess isn’t laughing. Her voice develops that hint of sadness it usually carries, and it bothers me more than it should. “I know you’re used to getting a lot of attention from women,” she says. “And I know you have a lot of experience. But my experiences are few, as are the men I’ve cared for.” She sighs. “I don’t want to be used, Curran. And I won’t be.”
“I’m not trying to use you,” I tell her truthfully.
“Then don’t,” she says. Her warm breath teases my skin as she thinks things through. “I’m not asking you for a commitment, only honesty. The reason I’m clean is because aside from my time with you, I’ve been really careful.” She lifts her head. “If you want to be with someone else, that’s your right. I don’t need details, or names, or anything. I just need you to tell me.”
My fingers stroke her lower back. “You won’t be mad if I’m with someone else?”
“No. But I won’t welcome you back in my bed, either. There are a lot of things wrong in my life, Curran. I don’t want you to be one of them.”
Chapter 12
Tess
“What about the paperwork to the judge?” Declan asks as he continues to sort through his notes.
I scroll through my iPad. “All sent, all received.” I finish reading through Simon’s email. “His law clerk is reviewing everything now. He assures me that he’ll have a trial date for you this afternoon once the judge wraps up his sentencing.”
Declan’s stance relaxes, but only slightly. The Montenegro case is proceeding full speed ahead. We’re holding his second, and one of his hit men, on charges varying from narcotics distribution to murder. Their hearings will have to wait. But Montenegro’s can’t.
If Montenegro’s men don’t help put him away, Declan is determined to make them pay. Yet even with their help, this case won’t be easy. Montenegro is cunning and has covered his tracks well. But that doesn’t mean he’s safe against Declan.
Declan is known as “the lion” among the other DAs, and by the looks of it, that lion is readying to go after his prey. I put my iPad away and sort through the files he needs to review. Our current issue is that we still have nothing on the third in command.
Declan leans back in his chair, appearing lost in his thoughts, but then his expression changes and he smiles. “I almost forgot.” He reaches into his drawer and pulls out a flip phone, then slides it across the desk to where I’m sitting.
“What’s this?”
“Curran said you didn’t have a cellphone.”
I try to brush off the remark. “Oh, I can’t afford it. Tuition, rent—everything seems out of control.”
Declan scoffs. “Tell me about it. Even with all the aid I received, I’m still paying my law school tab.” He motions to the iPad. “Do you at least get text access on that thing?”