“Objection,” the other lawyer protests again. “Irrelevant.”
“Is it really, Your Honor?” I ask the judge.
“Overruled,” she answers. “You may answer the question, Dr. Stadtfeld.”
“No,” Connor says. “They didn’t thank me.”
“But Kim did after she regained consciousness?” I fire my final question.
Connor nods. “Yes.”
I suppress a grin as I look at the judge.
“No further questions, Your Honor.”
I already know what the verdict is.
~
“What did I tell you, Doctor?” I finally let my grin out in front of my client as we exit the courtroom after winning the case. “There was no way you were going to lose.”
Connor gives me a smile of his own. “You’re just as good as they said you’d be. And just as tough. You ripped me apart and spilled my guts on that stand.”
“And yet I never saw you flinch.”
He chuckles. “I guess we doctors are good at hiding our fears.”
I suppose they have to be, so the patient doesn’t panic. Still, Connor did great.
I offer him a handshake. “It was an honor to represent you.”
“Oh, please.” He takes my hand and squeezes it as he meets my gaze. “The honor is all mine. How can I thank you?”
I don’t answer as I get lost in his eyes.
Blue. I always thought his eyes were gray, but looking at them now, they’re kind of blue. Not the same shade as Antonio’s and Leo’s – theirs is like a summer blue. This is more of a stormy blue. It’s still alluring, though.
Alluring?
“What about dinner and drinks?” Connor suggests.
Whoa. Is he asking me out?
I pull my hand away and ruffle my hair. “Drinks? Sorry, but I’ve decided to stay away from alcohol for a while.”
“Dinner, then?”
I touch my nape. “I’d love to, but as much as I want to go out and celebrate, my father just passed away, so…”
I don’t even know why I’m feeling nervous or making excuses. He’s just trying to thank me, right? Even if he’s asking me out, it should be fine since he’s technically not my client anymore. Besides, I did admit he was attractive. Yet here I am, trying to find a way out.
“I’m sorry to hear that.” Connor’s expression turns somber. “I didn’t know.”
“Thank you.”
“If I had known, I would have tried to get another lawyer,” he says.
I wave my hand. “That wasn’t necessary. Work helped to take my mind off things. And this win – I needed it.”
He nods. “Then I’m glad I was able to help. Still, I’d like to thank you, so let me know when you’re ready for a fancy dinner. I know a few great places.”
I’m sure he does. He’s probably taken his dates there before, too.
I shrug. “You don’t have to thank me, you know. I just did my job, which you already paid me for.”
“Wow.” He scratches his head. “I have to say I’ve never had such a hard time getting a woman to go out with me before.”
My eyebrows arch. So he was asking me out?
I blush. “Connor, I…”
Just then, his phone rings. After the call, he turns back to me.
“Sorry, duty calls.”
Of course.
“Go,” I urge him. “Save lives.”
He nods and runs off. I take a few steps after him, wanting to say more just to keep things from ending on such an awkward note. But what do I say? That I’ll call him when I’m free? That I hope we can still be friends? Both sound selfish, so in the end, I just stop and let out a sigh.
Just let him go, Jodie. You’ve lost your chance.
I’m already on my way to my car when I hear a taunting voice behind me.
“You really know how to decimate a man, don’t you?”
I stop in my tracks and bite down on my lower lip. Even without turning around, I know whose voice that is.
The devil’s.
I don’t know how he found out I’m here or what he wants from me, but I don’t care. I don’t want anything to do with him.
I grip the straps of my backpack as I keep walking. “You have some nerve coming near me after what you did.”
I swear I’m going to kick him in the balls if he comes any closer.
“What I did?” Leo snorts. “You were the one who threw yourself at me and begged me to fuck you.”
Every inch of my body goes still as my skin catches fire from embarrassment.
“What? Don’t tell me you were too drunk to remember.”
I face him with clenched fists. “Exactly. I was drunk.”
He grins. “You were still charming.”
Unbelievable. “You took advantage of me.”
“So you remember me taking advantage of you but not you taking advantage of me? That’s quite convenient, isn’t it?”
I draw a deep breath. No need to waste it when there’s no point arguing with a man who clearly has no morals.
“What do you want, Leo? Did you come here just to make a fool out of me? Because that’s your specialty, isn’t it?”