CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Jacine
Tobias convinced the officers to let me into the room, and I sat on one side of the table with him as we waited for the officers to escort the guys in. My stomach fluttered with nervous anticipation. My father’s scolding should have set me straight on what exactly I’m supposed to do, and that isn’t falling into bed with any of these clients or our firm’s lawyer.
In a futile attempt to reassure me, Tobias patted my thigh under the table.
“It’s going to work out fine. Just stick to our plan. It will pull them into line.”
My foot pulsed despite the soft ballet shoes I wore. The place between my legs throbbed because there is only so much make-out interruptus a girl can take before the fire in her nether regions drives her insane.
Tobias proved wonderfully sweet, and supportive, and I wanted to hug him for standingat my back. But the problem is not what we did with each other’s backs but our fronts. I am uncomfortably aware that I’ve crossed another professional line. Putting my hands where they don’t belong on not just the firm’s lawyer but also my father’s best friend? How can someone with a Harvard Education screw up so badly in only two days?
Officers led Cole, Jersey, and Rory into the conference room. It wasn’t the usual room, but since Tobias wanted to speak to them at once, the officers put us in this larger room. The only proviso was that the officers had to handcuff the rockers to their chairs; which they did not enjoy. Too damn bad.
The door shut us in, and two stalwarts of the police force stood guard outside.
“When are we getting out of here?” said Jersey. He rattled his cuffs to drive home the point.
“Yeah, what are we paying you for?” growled Cole.
Rory’s lips upturned into a grimace.
“The judge warned you—”started Tobias. I laid my hand on his arm to stop him. He was right. I had this, and staring at the scuffed-up reprobates stirred a fire in me that wasn’t sexual. Mostly.
Is it wrong to get hot when the men you’ve been fooling around have cuts and bruises that announce they’ve been at battle? I found the dirt smudges on Jersey’s face entrancing. Cole’s bluish shiner made me wince, but it had a certain cachet that aroused my inner cavewoman. Rory’s road burn from contact with my driveway’s gravel made my stomach flutter.
I must be sick.
Or horny.
Or both.
God help me.
“You are not paying us for rescuing you from jail, but to make your antics endearing to the public,” I said acidly.
“Baby,” said Cole. “Don’t be mean.”
“Baby? Get your head out of your pants, Cole Kane. You can’t expect me to salvage your reputation every single time you screw up. What were you guys thinking?”
“Obviously, all we were thinking about is how fine you are,” said Jersey.
Tobias cleared his throat in warning.
“Focus,” Tobias growled. “We’ve got real problems to solve, and it’s not where you’ll get your dick wet next.” I wasn’t sure if he was talking like a lawyer or a man who saw these three as rivals for my affection. But it was my job to get this train to crazy town on track.
“Seriously, Tobias and I discussed whether or not to leave you in jail. It might make good press. I can see it now.” I drew a huge arc in the air with my hand. “We’ll call the concert Work Release. The fans will eat it up.”
“Work Release,” snorted Rory. “Where’d you get that idea?”
“Actually, it was Attorney Marshall’s.”
“Attorney Marshall,” Cole said as his eyes narrowed. “I thought he offered legal advice.”
“Oh he does,” I said in a breezy voice. “And other things—too.”
“Like what?” snarled Cole.
