Legal Briefs (Lawyers in Love) (18 page)

I leaned back against the pillows and he crawled between my legs, positioned himself at my entrance and sunk down into me, bracing himself with his arms. He began rolling his hips and I wrapped my legs around his waist, scraped my nails against his back, and enjoyed the look of ecstatic pleasure on his face. I knew he was very close but that he might try to hold on to make me come again. I wanted him to find relief too, though.

“Mmm. Come on, baby,” I urged, squeezing my legs and my inner muscles tightly around him. “Come for me.”

That was all it took to send him over the edge. He said my name with a groan, shuddered and went still. He stayed there like that, looking at me intently for a couple of seconds and then collapsed beside me, pulling me into his arms. We lay there catching our breath while he played with my hair and I traced his jawline with my index finger. After a few minutes of quiet cuddling, I started talking to him. First I told him how great the sex was, but then there was something I was curious about.

“What did Jacob want to talk to you about?”

“And why are you thinking about him?”

“Because he was talking to
you
.”

“He asked me if it was casual between us or more than that.”

“What?” I asked in surprise, sitting up to look at him. “I thought he was talking about law related stuff. What did you tell him?”

“I said I was just using you for sex.” I glared at him and he started laughing. “What do you
think
I told him?”

“Well, what business was it of his, anyway?”

“That’s what I said; ‘not that it’s any of your business, but it’s more than casual’.” I felt a thrill shoot through me hearing Adam say those words.

“What was that little exchange between you two at the end, when he said maybe you would get to prosecute one of the cases?”

“I think that without explicitly asking, and thus making me his agent, he was hinting that anything I might observe while I’m here that might help him, could also be of help to me. Actually, I’m pretty sure that’s why he asked me if we were more than casual, because he wanted to know if my increased presence here at your place would raise any suspicions.”

“So what, he wants you to help him figure out if somebody in my building is involved in a possible hit on a witness? Adam, you’re a prosecutor, not a cop.”

“I’m able to observe and I know the Rules of Evidence. Besides, nobody would question me being here. They’ll assume I’m here to make you holler.” He said, tickling my ribs a little. “If they put somebody in here right after the Dan McGuire thing, it could tip their guy off.”

“Adam, if this guy is really involved in something like that, you would be in danger. I’m not going to let you do that just because you might get an interesting case to challenge you.”

“Lily, I don’t think you quite understand. This isn’t just a chance to challenge myself. If I successfully prosecute one of these cases, it could be very important for my career. There’s a bigger issue, though. If the guy in the devil suit heard McGuire tell you something he shouldn’t have, you could be in danger.”

“Well, so then, I’ll get out of here. I’ll find someplace else.”

“Lily, it might not matter. It’s not they couldn’t find you in another apartment. In fact, Sachs might want to put you under federal protection …”

“It’s not like I actually witnessed a crime or McGuire gave me anything,” I said, feeling anxious. I knew that going into protection could mean being shipped off somewhere – without Adam. “Promise me you won’t do anything stupid or risky.”

“I won’t do anything stupid or risky.”

“Adam, I’m serious. Don’t make me kill you myself.”

“Just relax, Adler. I’m not going to get myself killed. It wouldn’t be fair to you now that you’ve finally experienced great sex.” I rolled my eyes and he laughed.

Sometime during the night I woke up and reached for Adam. All I found was empty bed. I panicked. He wouldn’t actually leave, would he? I got up and threw on a robe. I padded into the living room where in the darkness I was able to make out Adam’s form standing at the door looking through the peep hole. I walked up behind him.

“What are you doing?”

“Jesus!” He jumped and spun around. “You want to give me a fucking heart attack?”

“No. I just want to know why you’re messing around with my peep hole in the middle of the night.”

“You liked it when I was messing around with your peep hole earlier,” he said lasciviously.

“Adam, you promised you wouldn’t do anything,” I growled.

“I promised I wouldn’t do anything stupid or risky. Looking through a peep hole when I heard somebody in the hall, wasn’t stupid or risky. By the way, I want you to call your landlord tomorrow and verify it was a maintenance guy in here the other day.”

“I’m sure it was.”

“Look, you’re worried about my safety? Well, I’m worried about yours, so don’t argue with me. Promise me you’ll do it.”

“Okay, I promise.”

“If it turns out it wasn’t a maintenance guy, maybe you should move. I’ll come and stay with you until you figure something out.”

“Why wouldn’t I come stay with you?”

“Because, I can have Abby apartment sit for me, and maybe I’ll see something important while I’m here. It shouldn’t take too long to find another place.”

“I don’t know, Adam. We just started this. That would be like moving in with each other after one date. Not even Gabrielle and Braden did that.”

“It would be temporary and we’ve known each other since we were four. It’s not the same.” I was just about to argue the point further, when I heard a noise out in the hall. Apparently, Adam heard it too because he was back at the peep hole.

“What’s going on?” I asked, trying to look over his shoulder, like that would have worked.

“Shh! It’s the guy from next door, the charm school guy who almost smashed you in the face that night when we were coming in.”

“R. Nardo. What’s he doing?”

“He’s walking down the hall. Which was one was McGuire’s apartment?”

“Four oh four,” I answered, nervously.

“I think that’s the door he’s standing in front of. He’s listening,” Adam paused for a minute. “I guess he didn’t hear anything. He’s going back to his place.”

“Well, that’s creepy,” I said, hugging myself and wondering if Adam and I had an audience earlier when I was doing my rodeo show.

“Maybe he thought he heard something like a groan or a cry.”

“Or maybe he’s a pervert,” I suggested alternatively. Just then we heard another noise and Adam returned to his post.

“Is it R. Nardo again?” I asked curiously.

“No. This time it’s the Ninja. Doesn’t anybody in this place sleep?”

“U. Hu is out there now? What’s he doing?”

“He’s looking around furtively, and now he’s walking down the hall … and listening at the door of four oh four. They must have heard something.”

“Well, whatever it was, we didn’t hear it, and don’t even consider trying to go out there yourself to take a turn eavesdropping.”

“I won’t. At least not tonight.”

“Adam,” I said in a threatening tone.

“Don’t worry. Come on, let’s go back to bed. Now that Gabrielle has moved to appeals, I have to face Mark in court, and he’s a bit more aggressive. If I don’t get some sleep he’s going to kick my ass tomorrow.”

Adam and I did manage to get up early for work the next day, although both of us were double fisting the coffee. He dropped me off at the library, and I agreed to let him bring me home. Jane, the Health Class Sex Talker, was the head law librarian, and she usually stayed until six, so I volunteered to help her lock up, since Adam worked later than I did. That part worked out well. When he dropped me off and walked me into my building, though, things kind of broke down a little.

The problem was that he stopped to chat with every one of my neighbors that we encountered. For example, there was a big Russian guy named Yuri, who lived on the second floor, and bore a striking resemblance to Lurch from the Addams family. I don’t judge people on looks though. It was more the fact that he had the demeanor of a KGB agent that turned me off. He obviously went to the same charm school that Nardo did, but somehow, Adam managed to engage him in conversation about local sports bars while I stood, shifting my weight impatiently from foot to foot and thinking about how much I wasn’t writing at the moment.

Then we ran into that sweet young thing, Vixen from the third floor. I had never heard her say a pleasant word to anyone, but within minutes she and Adam were laughing like old friends. How did he do that? Before I knew it, he was telling her somewhat raunchy stories about some of the cases he had seen in court. She just loved those. At least he didn’t mention our sex life. We did, finally, make it to my apartment, but not until after another disturbing conversation with Donna that included many obvious references to a threesome.

“What in hell are you doing?” I asked as soon as we got inside.

“What do you mean?”

“What do I mean? What, are you running for office? What’s with your sudden interest in socializing with the residents of the nuthouse?”

“I’m just being friendly. If there’s something going on in your building it wouldn’t hurt to get to know your neighbors. You’re not jealous, are you?”

“Jealous?! Are you out of your fucking tree, Tarzan? Who would I be jealous of, the drunken cougar who turns tricks, or the chick who looks like an extra from Hellraiser?”

“I just don’t know why you’re getting so upset because I was nice to somebody. I’m a nice fucking guy.”

“Nice? You sold my gym clothes. You tried to sell my cat!”

“In
tenth
grade!”

“And
a week
ago you were telling me my neighbors were nuts. I know why you’re doing this, Adam. You’re trying to find the Fox. Well, not only is it unlikely that you’re going to unmask a hit man with a friendly chat, but you
promised
me you wouldn’t do this.”

“Lily, if you’ll recall, I was friendly to Mr. Viagra and Ms. Cougar even before all this shit happened. You’re being paranoid!”

“You knew Mr. Davis already and Donna talked to you first!”

“Okay, look. I don’t want to argue about this, because first of all, it’s stupid, and secondly, I’m starting to get turned on and I have to get some sleep tonight or Mark’s going to kick my ass all over the courtroom
again
tomorrow. He just loves the fact that we’re dating, by the way.”

“I have to do some serious writing anyway.”

“Will you let me bring you home again tomorrow night?”

“Okay, I guess, but let’s limit the neighborliness.”

“Whatever you want, Lily. I’m going to kiss you now, and then we’re going to stop kissing and I’m going to leave.”

“Who are you trying to convince?”

“Get over here, you nutty broad,” he said and pulled me into his arms, giving me a sweet, lingering kiss that left me wanting more.

“You know that I’m just …”

“Stop,” he interrupted. “Did you call your landlord?”

“No. I forgot,” I admitted.

“Lily! You promised me you would do that.”

“I will. Tomorrow. I swear.”

“If not, I’m moving in here no matter what. You hear me?”

“Yeah, I hear you,” I said, looking away. He took my chin and directed my gaze back to him, looking me very intently in the eyes.

“I hope so, because all the stuff you’re feeling? I’m feeling that too.” We stared at each other for a moment in a silence that felt heavy with all that we weren’t saying. “Don’t make me tie you to my bed, Lilith,” he added, with a small laugh, purposely breaking the spell. With that he turned and left.

I closed and locked my door behind me, leaning against it, and eventually sliding down to the floor like a snowball against a brick wall. I buried my face in my hands and tried to sort what I
was
feeling, scared, elated … frustrated. Adam had me tied up in knots, as usual.