Lovers in law Read online

  And at that thought, I was lost.

  The need to touch, feel and drink Radford in overpowered me. His mouth wasn’t enough. I wanted him naked, exposed and breathless underneath me while I tasted every inch of that hard, sexy body of his.

  Slipping my hands inside his jacket, I tugged his shirt free and slid my hands up inside. His skin burned my palms as I traced the unfamiliar shapes of his spine and muscles with my fingertips, liking what I found.

  This man was built of steel and fire – huge and broad, dwarfing me and making me feel vulnerable and dainty in his arms. My nails scraped down his sides and he squirmed against me, dipping down slightly so his cock pushed hard against my pubic bone, sending shivers down into my clit. I cried out and my nails dug further into Radford’s back

  At my touch, Radford moaned and pulled my body tighter against his, blurring the line between us until we merged into one. My hands on his naked skin inflamed him and his mouth left mine to ravage my throat again, greedy for me. He pulled my blouse aside to lay a trail of kisses along each collar bone, his day’s stubble scratching my tender skin to the point of ignition until I was gasping and pulling his head down harder against me.

  My fingers fumbled with his shirt buttons, clumsy in the darkness and shaking with longing. I got them undone and pulled his shirt wide open so I could spread my fingers across that dark hair I’d been fantasising about for days.

  He was gorgeous – absolutely, unimaginably gorgeous – and I whimpered with desire. Radford was hot to the point of meltdown and I wanted him more than I’d ever wanted any man. What’s more, I couldn’t wait a moment longer.

  But I was past the age of having sex in draughty doorways.

  “Let’s go back to chambers,” I gasped, knowing the building would be deserted and we’d have the place to ourselves.

  But Radford shook his head and pulled away, leaving glacial trails where his lips had been. “I can’t,” he sighed close to my ear as he buried his face in my hair.

  Not willing to take no for an answer, I reached down between his legs where my hand cupped his heavy balls and the base of that huge, hard cock. “I think you can,” I argued, increasing the pressure on his cock and starting to move my hand up and down it.

  Radford gave a deep, throaty moan and yielded to my fingers, his hips picking up their rhythm. both hands now clutching my bum and pulling me against him.

  My pussy swelled and ached with the need to have that gorgeous cock inside me and I begged once more to go back to chambers. Our desire might not survive a sterile taxi ride across the city to his apartment but the short walk to his office wouldn’t be a problem.

  “No,” he repeated, but more forcefully this time as he grabbed my wrist and stilled my hand. “It’s a bad idea.”

  “No it isn’t.”

  I began to wonder whether he’d kissed me just to prove how much I wanted to break my golden rule. But I sensed it wasn’t a game to him either.

  “Look, I know I said I wanted to wait,” I went on, slipping my hand back inside his shirt and running a fingernail down his back. Radford squirmed against me and that deep, throaty sigh came again. “But I’m having a lot of trouble keeping my hands off you.”

  “Me too,” he said, stating the obvious. “I can’t remember the last time I wanted a woman this much.”

  “So what’s the problem?” I laid a trail of feather-light kisses along the underside of his jaw and felt the rumble of a contented moan against my lips.

  He kissed me again. Slowly and passionately this time, absorbing me into him and wiping away the last shred of doubt I might have had about sleeping with him.

  I leaned against him, lost to the world around us, only conscious of the perfect way our two bodies fitted together, as if they were meant to be in that position for ever.

  “You can’t say you don’t want me,” I said when his lips finally left mine. “Your body’s saying something different.”

  He gave a soft laugh in the darkness, tightened his arms around me and pulled me in close again.

  “I’m saying no because I don’t want the first time between us to be a quick bonk on top of my desk,” he said, taking me completely by surprise. “I want a bed. A locked door. All the time in the world to undress you slowly and kiss every inch of your sexy body. I want to look at you. Taste you. Feel you. And hear you scream my name when you come. That wouldn’t happen in chambers.”

  “Then let’s go to your apartment.”

  One passionate kiss made me throw my golden rule out of the window so I was certain Radford could reignite the spark once we reached his place.

  But again he shook his head.

  “At the risk of sounding boring, I have an early start tomorrow.” The kiss he planted on my lips was far from boring however. Quite the reverse. “I’m in Norwich for two days and I’m leaving at six in the morning. I need a good night’s sleep.”

  Sleep definitely wouldn’t be on the agenda if I got Radford alone. I’d be too busy working my way through the sexy tricks manual to close my eyes.

  “You’re right,” I laughed. “It does sound incredibly boring.”

  “But true.” He pushed my hair back from my face before kissing the tip of my nose. “Plus, you’ve had half a bottle of wine. I wouldn’t want you telling everyone I got you drunk and took advantage.” He was only half joking, I could tell.

  “I doubt there’d be enough evidence for a conviction.”

  “But even so, you’ve already told me you want to wait until the end of the case. If you’re going to sleep with me, I want you to make the decision with a clear head.”

  As if having Radford within ten yards of me didn’t confuse things enough.

  “Okay,” I agreed, pushing my hands up inside his shirt once more to double check whether his abs really were that well defined. They were. And then some. “We should continue this conversation on Friday night.”

  “What? Across the dinner table?”

  “Make a change from talking about building negligence.”

  He laughed and went to refasten his buttons but I knocked his hands away. One last time I pushed the shirt aside and licked along the dent between his pecs. My tongue picked up the vibration of a soft sigh and I wished I dared drop to my knees and take that magnificent cock in my mouth.

  How the hell was I going to resist this man for two hours at a stretch, let alone two whole months?

  When we stepped out of the doorway, I expected Radford to walk a little apart from me but he held my hand while we strolled through the dark alleyways, only letting me go once we reached the main road. We arrived at the entrance to the Tube far too quickly for my liking. I was desperate to prolong every last second of the evening and couldn’t bear to part from him so soon.

  “I should let you go,” I said, a voice inside me still praying that Radford would change his mind and invite me back to his apartment after all. “I’ll see you on Friday.”

  Radford jammed his hands in his pockets and gave me that slow, sexy smile of his. “I’d kiss you goodbye but…”

  He didn’t need to explain. We didn’t want someone from the wine bar starting rumours because he’d seen us snogging at the Tube station. Not that it would have been innocent, you understand.

  “Safe trip,” I said instead. “Ring me if you have any thoughts on the case.”

  “I doubt I’ll be thinking of anything except but the taste of you,” he admitted. “If I lose the case in Norwich, I’ll blame you.”

  An unoccupied taxi cruised along Embankment and Radford hailed it. “Don’t make any quick decisions,” he warned. “Take your time. I don’t want us rushing into anything and have you regret it.”

  As the taxi pulled away from the curb I doubted I’d regret anything I did with Radford. I’d only ever regret the things he didn’t let me do.

  Okay. I know what you’re thinking but just let me explain. Here I am, supposed to be chasing up expert testimony on building defects but instead I’m in the beau
ticians having a full top to toe.

  If I were actually doing what I’m paid for, I’d be ploughing my way through dusty old law books right now, not having a manicure, pedicure and full wax. I’m not saying anything’s going to happen with Radford tonight but a good lawyer knows it’s best to be prepared.

  However, a lawyer considering behaving very badly indeed also knows that having a honed, toned and moisturised body is the best insurance in the world.

  All I needed was a dress to knock his eyes out, the courage of my convictions and probably a glass of champagne or two.

  The rest would be up to Radford.

  Seven-thirty saw me dressed up to the nines and hailing a taxi to take me to The Savoy. I’d found the perfect dress in Selfridges – a little black number with a plunging neckline and a short skirt that managed to look both classy and dirty-sexy at the same time. It could have been made to measure, clinging in all the right places and fitting perfectly. So perfectly, in fact, that every pair of panties I tried on left a visible line, even my almost-not-there, transparent black lace ones.

  I’d had no option but to leave them off altogether.

  I now know why they call it going commando – because any woman who leaves the house without her knickers is going to spend the entire evening either battling her libido or fighting off men.

  At the end of the night, when I took off my dress, all I’d be wearing would be sheer, black hold-ups, a pair of high heels and an encouraging smile.

  Argue your way out of that one, Radford Byrne.

  The taxi dropped me at the hotel just before eight and I went inside in search of the clients. The maitre d’ escorted me to their table, telling me on the way that Radford had left a message saying he was running late. I couldn’t help but be disappointed. My dress and I had wanted to make a big entrance.

  Instead, I had to meet the clients single-handedly and, as soon as I laid eyes on one of them, I knew it was going to be a hard work evening.

  I’ve already said how good I am at reading men’s body language, and I saw instantly that Daniel Greene had trouble written all over him. As the son of the major shareholder, he was loaded, passably handsome and had a huge sense of entitlement. Interest sparked in his eyes the moment we were introduced and, when he sat me down next to him, I guessed I’d spend the entire evening fending him off.

  I wasn’t wrong.

  Somewhere back in Daniel’s family tree there must have been an octopus because the man had more hands than I could count. If it wasn’t an arm around the back of my chair while he plied me with drink, it was a quick pat on my thigh, fingers on my bare neck or rubbing his hand up and down my forearm. That was without factoring in the perpetual footsie under the table and the suggestive comments dropped into my lap as he stared down my cleavage.

  The more he drank, the more lewd and disgusting he became but I could hardly walk out on such an important client. The other men around the table didn’t notice, or chose to ignore his behaviour, so I was on my own until Radford arrived.

  Usually I can handle myself around pushy men but there’s a huge difference between giving someone the brush off in a bar and fighting off an important client who thinks you come free with the rest of the legal package.

  Eventually, when his hand slid up my thigh, I had to resort to the old wine glass trick and elbowed my drink right into Daniel Greene’s lap.

  “Oh, my God. I’m so sorry,” I said, jumping to my feet and backing away as he mopped his trousers dry. “How clumsy of me.”

  He handed me his napkin with a lopsided, slightly drunken grin. “You can dry me off, if you like,” he said, standing up and pointing to his groin. “Fair’s fair.”

  I laughed and did a quick stock take. Daniel Greene had been standing right at the back of the queue in the trouser-bulge department. Had he had Radford’s size of package, he might have been in with a chance but, without meaning to sound crude, Daniel’s wasn’t worth a second glance.

  By now waiters were milling around, changing the table cloth and finding a replacement chair, while I stood off to one side planning how I was going to manoeuvre myself into a different seat away from Mr Tentacles. I was just wondering whether I could get away with pleading a migraine when I heard Radford’s voice in the distance and turned to see him walking towards us across the restaurant.

  Undignified as it was, I swear my mouth dropped open at the sight of him in a dinner suit.

  Give up, Daniel, I wanted to say. The competition’s just arrived.

  I know expensive tailoring when I see it and Radford’s suit looked like it had been air brushed onto him. The black jacket accentuated his broad, powerful shoulders and hugged his moulded torso. His trousers skimmed over his solid thighs, the dark fabric unable to diminish their strength and power. The crisp, white shirt emphasised his clean-shaven, chiselled jaw line, while the bow tie made me imagine he’d been gift wrapped. Just for me.

  Eat your heart out, James Bond.

  Radford Byrne was double-oh-heaven and most definitely licensed to thrill.

  It was all I could do to stop myself sinking to my knees and giving him a blow job there and then, clients or no clients.

  Radford’s sharp blue eyes took in the wet patch on Daniel Greene’s trousers before they flicked across in my direction. I raised my eyebrows, as if to say, don’t ask, but I think he’d weighed up the situation in a moment. He held out his hand to the chief shareholder and apologised beautifully for being late.

  “My case overran,” he said. “And then the traffic was appalling coming back. It seems I’ve missed all the excitement.”

  By now everyone had taken their seats again, leaving my old place next to Daniel and one other on the opposite side of the table. Without hesitating, Radford pulled out the chair between two of Zeus Development’s directors and invited me to take it.

  “But Allie was next to me,” Daniel said. “We were having a lovely chat.”

  “Well you’ll have to make do with me for the rest of the evening,” Radford said, taking the seat beside Daniel and pouring them both a glass of wine. “I want to hear all about your new Aston Martin. After the drive I’ve had tonight, I’m thinking of trading up.”

  Once Daniel was safely embroiled in recounting every detail about his new car, Radford glanced across at me. I smiled and mouthed a silent thank you, relaxing now I was between two men who were more interested in my golf handicap than my bra cup size.

  Radford’s cheeky grin said, don’t mention it, and he raised his glass to me before turning his full attention back to Daniel.

  Much later in the evening, when I excused myself to freshen my lipstick, Radford followed me out of the restaurant and steered me into a quiet corner where we wouldn’t be overheard.

  “Are you okay?” he asked. “I assume Daniel Greene came on a bit strong.”

  “A bit!” I laughed at the understatement. “Hands everywhere and a filthy mouth. And not in a good way either.”

  Radford apologised sweetly. “He’s known for it. It’s why both of his wives left him and he’s a nuisance with the secretaries whenever he visits chambers. I’d hoped I’d be here to protect you.”

  I set his mind at ease. “Don’t worry. I can handle men like Daniel Greene.” It’s big, strapping, sexy hunks I have trouble with, I wanted to add. “I just didn’t know how rude I could be to an important client.”

  “It doesn’t matter how big the case is, he has no right to disrespect one of my legal team.”

  He sounded very proprietorial all of a sudden and I won’t pretend I didn’t like it.

  “Although you didn’t exactly give the guy a fighting chance,” he added, looking me up and down. “That dress is incredible. And after that kiss on Wednesday night, I’m having a lot of trouble keeping my hands to myself.”

  “Ah. About Wednesday,” I said, blushing wildly. I don’t normally do girlie blushes but I was actually slightly embarrassed about the way I’d wanted to drag Radford back to his chambers and bon
k him on the desk. “I got a bit carried away in the moment. I hope you don’t think I throw myself at every barrister I kiss in a doorway.”

  Radford smiled, igniting flames of desire in his deep blue eyes. I could have dived right in and floated for the rest of the night.

  “I’m very pleased to hear it,” he said. “But don’t apologise. I loved every moment of it. In fact, I was hoping we might chance upon another doorway again sometime soon.”

  Radford’s smile widened while he waited to see how I’d react. He couldn’t have made his invitation clearer had he written it in capital letters across his shirt front.

  As The Savoy catered to every heart’s desire, I was sure it had a doorway or two to spare. Not to mention a luxurious suite with the big bed and the locked door Radford had insisted upon. However, I didn’t want to give in too easily. If he wanted to take me to bed, he’d have to work for the privilege.

  “It’s difficult,” I said, playing for time. Despite my bravado and erotic fantasies, I still wasn’t absolutely sure jumping into bed with Radford was the right thing to do – no matter how much I wanted to. “This case is complicated enough without us mixing things up even further.”

  “Then let me simplify things for you.”

  Radford took a step closer and brushed his fingertips down my arm. He had me backed up against the wall, one arm resting beside me, blocking my escape route. Not that I was going anywhere.

  “You have a body made for sin and I’d say you’re no stranger to misbehaving,” he said, placing one finger across my lips when I tried to argue. “I know all the reasons why you don’t want to sleep with me – and I could probably quote you a few of my own. It’s insane. It’s reckless.”

  “It’s professional suicide for me,” I added.

  He pursed his lips as if he saw my point but didn’t want to agree with it. “Only don’t try and pretend you haven’t thought about it,” he warned. “My imagination doesn’t stop working once I get home and neither does yours, I’ll bet.”

  My blush confirmed it. I prayed he couldn’t count the multiple orgasms he’d given me in my imagination, or see the obscene fantasies flashing behind my eyes.