Home Is Where the Heat Is (35 page)

“I never fucked a juror. Judges, clients, witnesses…. You’re the only juror-screwer in this room.”

She frowned and crossed her arms. “That’s not the point, damn it.”

He tilted his head to match his lopsided smile. “I’ve never heard you swear before.”

Oh fuck, not now.
“I only swear when I get really excited.”

“I got you excited?” He laughed and rubbed his hands together like a gloating super villain. “No, you started swearing after you told me about your weekend adventure. Wow, it still gets you going.”

Her heart pounded and her lower abs fluttered. “Yes.” She closed her eyes and recalled the image of her naked body tangled between JT and Kurt, letting the carnal rush propel the question she’d been dying to ask Alex since she got back from Vegas. “And I wanted to know… do you think maybe, somehow, I could keep it going?”

His humor disappeared and his mouth formed a flat line. “I have no idea.”

What? Her expert witness refused to testify. “You’re doing it.”

He shrugged. “I can’t advise you on this.”

“Are you kidding me? You give advice for a living.”

“Legal advice in which I have years of training and experience. Relationships are still a mystery to me. I gotta take it one day at a time, and what works for me may not work for anyone else.”

She threw her hands up. “Well, shit, you’re useless.”

His smile returned. “Go home. Take the next couple of weeks and clear your head. Don’t screw anyone, and then maybe you’ll figure out what you want.” He stared straight at her, his eyes turning serious. “You need to decide if the benefit is worth the daily struggle. It takes a lot of hard work to maintain that kind of relationship—a lot. You’ll have problems you never imagined.”

Struggle? Their one-night fling had been a wild ride, but what would happen to the thrill when they encountered everyday obstacles?

Alex had turned and focused on his computer, closing the conversation, and cutting off her only source of information. She peeked at the clock on his desk. Almost two o’clock.

“Go home now?”

“Yeah. Call your mom from the office phone to make it look like you have a reason to leave immediately. I’ll take care of the rest.” He tapped at his keyboard, filling in a leave of absence request with her name.

Claire looked away. Plausible deniability—another phrase Alex had taught her. “I had no idea you were so evil.”

“Just the tip of the iceberg, babe.” He glanced up from typing and winked at her.

Back at her desk, she picked up the phone, but her mom didn’t answer so she left a short message. “Hi Mom. Just wanted to call and say I love you.” She probably wouldn’t call back, but Claire had bigger things to worry about.

Unfinished work lay on her desk, but she ignored it, grabbed her raspberry M&Ms and stuffed them in her purse. She left her cat mug and the photo of her and her sisters, marking her territory—she’d be back.

The new printer hummed and Alex rushed out. “Sign this before you go.” He swiped the completed form off the tray and handed it to her.

“You don’t do forgery?” She snatched a pen off her desk and scrawled her name at the bottom of the page.

He cleared his throat but didn’t respond.

“Thank you.” She gave him the document and stepped back, looking in his eyes as he nodded.

“You’ve always been there for me. I know what it’s like to try to sort out a complicated relationship. I hope this helps.”

She hugged him quickly, then darted out the door before tears could drip down her cheeks. The elevator doors slid closed behind her, and she dabbed her eyes.

Joan Turner, the district attorney, touched Claire’s shoulder. “Are you okay?”

She bit her lip and stared at the big boss. Lying to the woman who could send her straight to a judge made her knees tremble, but she’d already signed the false leave request, so she bore down on her lip and brought fresh tears. “Family emergency.”
Sniff
. “I’m going home.”

A sympathetic frown curved Joan’s lips. “Let me know if there’s anything I can do.”

Claire nodded and dashed off the elevator as soon as it stopped. Should she say goodbye to Kurt? No, that would make her emergency departure look suspicious.
Damn, Alex
is
a bad influence.
She’d call him later to explain. Right now, she needed to find JT and tell him she wanted him back.

Only him?
You’ll have problems you never imagined.
Could she live like that? She wanted stability and security. Since she’d met JT, her life had become one chaotic event after another. Adding Kurt to the mix would send things totally out of control.

But Kurt had been steadfast through it all. Maybe he could give her the solid relationship she craved.

Her phone rang as she walked into the house. She grabbed it, but the call had already gone to voicemail. She waited for the notification and checked the message.

“Hey Claire. It’s Erica. Mom called me. She got a message from one of us, but she can’t tell who.” Claire practically heard her sister roll her eyes. “Anyway, she’s can’t be bothered to call all of us, so I thought I’d check with you and Hannah. Hope you had a Merry Christmas. Bye.”

Typical.
Her life was imploding and her family said, “Merry Christmas” two weeks late. JT spent holidays with his sister and her family, but Claire’s sisters didn’t make the effort anymore.

What would it be like to have a family again? She missed that warmth, that comforting affection. JT’s only family connection came from his sister. They shared that need. Could they have that with Kurt? Or would the unacceptable relationship cut them off from their loved ones? She’d seen how lonely Talia got at Christmas. Alex had confided to Claire that their New Year’s trip had been a distraction. JT said his sister was the only woman who hadn’t given up on him. Could she ask him to give her up?

No. She had to choose one. And she knew who she wanted. Without a doubt. She grabbed her phone and stuffed it in her purse then searched for her car keys. This message needed to be delivered in person.

Chapter 29

Malcolm and Zoe unleashed their full arsenal of bribes and blackmail to convince their uncle to stay, and JT nearly gave in, but something drew him home. He’d had to promise them a whole weekend of flying lessons to get out the door, and he chastised himself all the way back.
You’re a fool. She’s not waiting for you.

He pulled into his driveway and nearly skidded into the beige Honda parked in front of the garage.
It’s not her. It’s probably another reporter.
The news media had been badgering him all day long, pelting him with questions and accusations. He hopped out of his truck and debated approaching the car.
It’s not her. Why would she come back?

He grabbed his house key and headed for the front steps.

A car door slammed and high heels clicked on concrete. “JT!”

He turned and his heart shot to the stars. “It
is
you!”

Claire ran across the snowy sidewalk and slid into his arms. Her hair spilled into his face as he lifted her up and spun around. She kissed him, wrapping her body around his—warm and snug—part of him forever.

He put her down but the heavens kept spinning. “I missed you.” His breath frosted on her cheek.

Her unbuttoned coat gaped open, and she pressed close to him. “I knocked on your door, but you didn’t answer. I called you, but it went straight to voicemail.”

“I had to turn my phone off.”

“I sat in my car and waited. For hours.” A shiver rattled her frame, and she tugged on his jacket collar as she looked up at him. “But I wouldn’t leave. No matter what. I told you not to come after me, so I’m here for you.”

Fuck me with a devoted heart.
She’d come back—and she’d stuck around when he hadn’t been there.
How lucky am I?
The weight of worthlessness crumbled away, and hope filled his empty life. He crushed her against his aching chest, daring to believe he might be worthy of her.

Until she stepped back and punched his arm. “Where the hell have you been?”

“Ow.” He rubbed his throbbing bicep. “I’ve been….” Arrested, fired, stalked. She didn’t know? “Have you seen the news?”

More shivers shook her. “No. I haven’t actually, but I read the case file.”

How did she find that already? “Oh shit, your boss is prosecuting me?”

She nodded.

The cold outside seeped into his newly warmed heart. “Are you assisting him?” That had to be a conflict of interest. He pulled her close again and rubbed her trembling shoulders.

“No. He kicked me off the case.” A slight smile kissed her frosty cheeks, but her eyes dimmed. “Then I told him how we met, and he suspended me without pay for two weeks.”

He pushed back and searched her eyes for anger or resentment. The reality of what he’d done smacked him in the face. If she hated him for it, he wouldn’t blame her one bit. “Why’d you do that? All this time you were so afraid of him finding out.”

But her shivering stopped, and her gaze held steady. She stood in his grasp, but she could’ve easily run away if she wanted to. “I was trying to protect you. I thought he could help, but he has to do his job.” A deep sigh escaped her, and her face brightened. “Now I don’t have to live in fear. I just need to figure out how to pay my rent.”

She’d done it for him. She risked her career and spent the afternoon freezing her ass off because he’d ignored a judge’s instructions and dragged her into his crazy life. “Jesus. I’m sorry I got you into this mess.” He wrapped his arms around her and pressed his chin on top of her head.

She snuggled into him. “I’m just glad he didn’t fire me or tell the judge. He should’ve done both.”

He stroked her hair, raking it over her shoulders and down her back. “We both got lucky.” She no longer feared for her job, and he held the woman he loved close to his heart. Even if she never loved him, he could spend the rest of his life touching her like this and be perfectly content.

She peeked up at him. “How is your being charged with arson lucky?”

Oh, that.
“I have no idea, but you’re here, so everything else can go to hell.” He cradled her cold pink cheeks in his hands and kissed her chilly lips.

She shivered against him. “Can we go inside? I need to tell you something, and my brain is about to freeze.”

That doesn’t sound good.
“Yeah.” He unlocked the door and ushered her in.

She stood shaking and rubbing her arms, staring at the family photos on his wall. A sad smile touched her lips as if she longed for something she couldn’t have.

“Can I take your coat?”

She nodded and handed it to him.

At least she’s staying… for now.
He hung their coats in the closet and followed her to the kitchen, where she turned to face him, still hugging herself. Her entire body quaked as she took a deep breath.

“I came here to tell you….” She blinked rapidly.

Oh God, this can’t be good.
He braced a trembling hand against the cold countertop. “What?”

“Where are my words?” She exhaled, puffing her hair from her eyes. “Oh fuck it. I love you, JT. I was looking for a man who could give me stability and security, and you brought me exactly the opposite. I’ve been on a roller coaster ride since the moment the judge forbade you to speak to me, but I love every fucking minute of it. I don’t want it to end. Kiss me. Kiss me now, damn it!”

His head spun as she grabbed his shirt and yanked him off-balance, kissing him hard and strong. No doubt, no reservation. He tried to pick apart what she’d said and make sense of it all, but he got stuck on ‘I love you, JT.’

He pulled back and gasped for breath. “I don’t deserve you. I haven’t earned this. I screwed up more often than not.”

“Shut the fuck up. Who cares?”

Her breathless curse blew away his last remaining doubts. “I sure as hell don’t. Maybe I’m not the guy you were looking for, but you’re exactly what I need, and I’m going to spend every single second proving we belong together.” To her and to himself.

She smiled and locked her arms behind his neck. “You already have.”

“It’s not enough.” He parted his lips on hers, giving her his tongue and his touch, but he ached to do more, to
show
her what she meant to him.
Say it, dumbass.
“I love you, Rebel. And I’m not going to let bad luck or our awful families determine our future. You’re my lucky charm.”

“Then you don’t need this.” She fished the chain from under his shirt and tugged the arrowhead up around his head.

“Not so fast.” He grabbed the dangling stone, but she held it firm.

“Prove it.”

He let go and let her whisk the chain away, freeing him from all the bullshit that had dragged him down for so long.

“Now you’re naked.” She stuffed the charm in her pocket.

He glanced down at his fully buttoned shirt and zipped jeans. “You’ve got some strange ideas about naked.”

“Yes, I do. Let’s explore them.”

***

Claire grabbed JT’s shirt and dragged him across the room. She meant to head down the hallway toward the stairs, but he shifted their momentum and they tumbled against the wall. His body pinned her, and being trapped by all that hard muscle felt so fucking good she abandoned her plans and let the moment play out.

“Here.” He groaned and maneuvered his erection between her splayed legs. “Now.”

She gasped as he ground into her. How could she have walked away from him? Her body lived for his touch. “I’m sorry I left.”

He smiled into her eyes. “I’m sorry I didn’t go after you.”

His lips touched hers, and she raked her fingers in his hair, pouring her heart and soul into that kiss. She belonged with him—no further questions, no basis for appeal, no other suspects. She pressed her hand on his chest, separating them for a breath. “I love
you
.”

JT blinked, tried to say something, then shook his head and swooped in for another kiss, squashing her hand on his pounding heart. He swept up her free hand and linked his fingers with hers, binding them together. His voice cracked as he pressed his forehead on hers. “I don’t know the words to tell you how much that means to me.”