On my way back, I turned a corner to find Alexander and another barrister coming toward me. Fuck. I’d been trying to avoid Alexander. I couldn’t turn around and head back without looking like an idiot. It was unnerving. I lost control when he was around. Just knowing he was in the same building was bad enough. Somehow, he seemed to strip away my defenses and see right into the core of me.
I smiled but kept my head down, avoiding eye contact with both of them, but once we had passed each other, I couldn’t resist taking a glance over my shoulder at that tight ass. As I turned my head, my eyes caught his. Apparently, he was checking out my ass, too. It was hard enough to stay away from him without knowing he wanted me, maybe as much as I wanted him.
I was so totally fucked.
Twelve
Alexander
I came back from lunch to find a spreadsheet on my desk. Of course, I knew before I’d sat down that she’d been in my office. Violet’s scent had now almost permanently invaded my space. It was just stronger when she’d just been in. I found I rather enjoyed it. Since my wife and I split up, I’d worked harder than ever. My encounters with women had been fleeting and purely physical. And there was good reason. I understood there were things I was good at and things that I wasn’t. Women weren’t my strong suit. I never understood what they needed from me and I was sure I had nothing to offer. Keeping things physical meant I didn’t upset anyone; I didn’t send any mixed messages. My wife told me I always put my work first and it was true. I was good at the law. I understood it and it didn’t want more from me than I could give. The more I worked, the better I got at my job. The longer I was married, the worse things had become between my wife and me.
My concentration had been off since Violet had started. I’d hoped to fuck her out of my system, but that hadn’t happened. Just a glimpse of her in the corridor yesterday had my dick straining for more.
But enough. No more. I was here to work, to concentrate on what I was good at. This was an important year for me. My career could be made or broken with the next few cases I had lined up. I needed to be at the top of my game. And I’d hurt enough women in my time to know I could only ever bring Violet pain and disappointment.
I scanned down the spreadsheet, seeing the familiar names of cases and advice. Shit. There was a lot of stuff I’d not billed. I hadn’t realized that I’d let this get so out of hand. I picked up a pencil and began to work my way down the list. Violet had been clever in how she’d arranged everything, grouping all the similar work together and then estimating what the bill should be. It made it easier for me. I went line by line either ticking the amount Violet had suggested or putting a cross through it and writing in the figure it should be. If I finished this, hopefully Violet would have no need to bother me.
Despite being overwhelmed with work, I spent longer than I should have on the spreadsheet. I wanted her to have everything she needed. Partly so she’d have no reason to ask me for anything but also because I wanted her to be well thought of in chambers. She was intelligent, and although most clerks and admin staff were frightened of me, Violet certainly wasn’t. I enjoyed the way she gave back as much as I dished out. I liked her. Too much. Which was exactly why I needed her to keep her distance.
I ticked the last one off the list and went to find Violet. I needed to rip the plaster off, tell her straight that nothing more should happen between us and that we should keep our relationship purely professional. Better sooner rather than later.
I swung the door open and headed right toward the clerks’ room, nearly walking right into Violet.
“Vi—Miss King.”
She dipped her head and moved to the side, trying to pass me.
“Actually, I was coming to find you.” I held up the spreadsheet by way of explanation.
“Oh,” she said, scanning it. “You looked at it?” Was she not meeting my eye on purpose or was she really just enthralled by paperwork?
“I did. Can I have a word in my office?”
She narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips. “Okay,” she said.
I turned and opened the door.
“Close the door behind you, will you?”
The door clicked behind me as I headed to my desk. When I turned, Violet was still by the door.
“I think it’s best if I stay here.”
I rolled my eyes and sat on the corner of my desk. I might want her to keep her distance, but she didn’t need to act as if I were toxic waste. Jesus, this woman did nothing to flatter a man’s ego.
“I just wanted to give you your spreadsheet and suggest—”
She put her hand up to silence me. “I just want to keep things professional,” she said. “You over there. Me over here. The less we see each other the better. You can just email me if you need anything. Professionally, that is.” Her eyes trailed over the room, fixating on anything that wasn’t me. “As your assistant.”
This wasn’t how I’d seen this conversation going. I’d expected to have to explain myself, convince her that we needed distance.
“I agree,” I said, standing and thrusting my hands into my pockets. “We’re colleagues. I don’t think we should be blurring any lines.”
She looked at me for the first time since she’d come into my office. “Oh.” She nodded. “Good. Just what I was thinking.”
“I’m glad we’re agreed,” I said, not being able to stop a grin from tugging at the corners of my mouth. She’d clearly been expecting me to protest. I imagined most men did when she turned them down. Thank God she’d made this easy for me, for us both. We could be adults and now go about our jobs like nothing had ever happened between us.
“I’ll come and collect files when you’re in court or at lunch.”
I nodded. “Sounds sensible.”
“Any questions I might have, I’ll email you or leave a note in your office.”
“That’s fine.” She really did want to keep away from me and, despite me wanting the same just a few minutes ago, her need to keep away intrigued me. Did she find me so irresistible that she couldn’t trust herself to be around me? That was exactly how I felt about her.
“Good,” she said.
“Excellent,” I replied.
As she looked at me with those blue eyes and blinked slowly and deliberately, I wanted to unbutton her blouse and feast on her breasts. To shove my hand up her skirt and feel her silky pussy just one last time. She inspired a primal urge in me that I’d never felt before.
What was I thinking? She must be wielding witchcraft. There was no other explanation. Women didn’t get under my skin like this, didn’t ever hold my attention like Violet did. I cleared my throat and held out her spreadsheet. “So, if you’d close the door on your way out.”
She stepped forward tentatively and reached for the spreadsheet. “Thank you,” she said, our fingers touching. Her touch magnified my need for her, the desire to pull her toward me. I resisted, stepped back and watched as she turned away, a crease between her eyes as if she were thoroughly confused.
I looked up as the brass handle of the door squeaked. She glanced over her shoulder. “Goodbye, Alexander.”
“Goodbye, Violet.”
I turned back to my laptop. Back to my work—something I could easily navigate, the part of my life I knew I was good at.
Thirteen
Violet