Legal Heat (21 page)

Mark drummed his fingers on the counsel table at the front of the courtroom.

He had exhausted every avenue at his disposal, pulled in favors, even visited some very old and unsavory friends, but he couldn’t find Jimmy Rider. James had refused to help him. Apparently Jimmy was a person of interest in an open case and James had warned Mark away. But Mark couldn’t let it go. He couldn’t sleep knowing Jimmy was still walking the streets. If James hadn’t arranged for the police check at Katy’s house, he would have been outside her home every night.

He looked down the center aisle but the heavy doors were still shut. A few lawyers and court watchers chatted at the back of the courtroom. He tried to focus on the papers in front of him but his mind kept drifting to Katy. Breaking it off had been the right decision. The surge of protective anger that had almost overwhelmed him when he had seen the bruises on her neck had been the wake-up call he needed. He had fallen too hard, too fast. It had to end before someone got hurt.

A rush of cold air hit his neck as the door opened behind him. He turned to look. No posturing today. He needed to see her. Make sure she was okay.

His eyes widened.
What the hell is she wearing
?

Mark leaped from his chair and left the counsel table, moving to intercept Katy before she made it to the front of the room. Every male in the courtroom had to be ogling her as she sauntered down the aisle. The judge would sanction her for…what? Being so damned sexy he could barely breathe?

Katy didn’t spare him a glance as she walked toward him, her hips swaying in her too-short, too-tight pencil skirt and stiletto heels. Her fitted jacket hugged every curve of her lush body and the plunging neckline of her white shirt highlighted the full, round breasts he couldn’t get out of his mind. Her hair fanned out in a silken sheet across her back. No ponytail today. Totally indecent. He wanted to grab her and hustle her outside, or better yet, throw his jacket over her and cover her up.

“Katy. Stop. You can’t go…”

She stared through him and sidestepped his outstretched arm. After dropping her books on her counsel table, she walked up to the bench to give her details to the court reporter.

How had he missed Tim at the front of the courtroom? He should have been blinded by the shock of red hair.

Mark sat down and watched Tim’s shifty eyes slide down Katy’s chest as she leaned over to sign her name. If Tim so much as laid a finger on her, he was going to grab him and shove him through the nearest wall. Katy leaned forward to whisper in Tim’s ear and her skirt hiked up high enough for Mark to catch the flash of a red garter strap.

Hell. Why couldn’t she have just worn pantyhose? Was she deliberately trying to distract him? He shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

“All rise.”

Katy returned to her table and they stood when the judge entered the courtroom. The proceedings commenced and Mark dropped into his seat, grateful for the cover the table provided.

Katy remained standing and outlined her application for Hi-Tech to produce all relevant documents. She railed at Mark and Hi-Tech for ignoring or rejecting her previous requests and was warned by the judge to tone down her remarks.

Confident, articulate and damn sexy, she talked the judge through the documents and cases with dizzying speed. Impressive. Especially for an associate. If she hadn’t been arguing against him, Mark would have hired her on the spot.

While the judge sifted through the file, Mark’s mind drifted into his favorite fantasy. He imagined her on the judge’s desk, her skirt hiked up, her lacy garter belt exposed, her shirt unbuttoned, bra off, soft creamy breasts awaiting his pleasure. This time he took the fantasy a step further, laying her back on the judge’s desk and running his tongue…

“Mr. Richards, do you have a response?”

You bet I do.

Mark jerked back to reality and shifted his trousers to hide his
response
. The judge waited. Katy waited. Everyone in the courtroom waited for his answer. He recovered his composure, grabbed his file and spent fifteen minutes in arguments, ensuring Steele’s money was well spent. By the time he reached the end of his submission, Katy was visibly fuming.

“They are hiding documents,” she spluttered.

Mark ground his teeth. “My client’s representative assures me Hi-Tech has no relevant documents that have not already been disclosed.”

The judge shuffled through the papers. “If there were relevant documents, Mr. Richards, where would they be located?”

Mark grimaced. The judge had clearly decided against him. “I believe all Hi-Tech’s documents are at the head office on Broadway Street.”

The judge smiled at Katy. “I agree with Ms. Sinclair. I find it difficult to believe there are no other documents pertaining to the plaintiff’s dismissal. I’m going to rule that all the documents requested by Ms. Sinclair be produced within seven days of today. If that does not happen, then Ms. Sinclair may apply to attend at Hi-Tech’s premises for a document inspection.”

Mark slammed his file closed. The judge had been way too lenient with her. Anyone else would have seen right through her fishing expedition.

“Anything else, Ms. Sinclair?”

Katy shot Mark a sideways glance and for the barest second he caught the hint of a wicked smile. “Your Honor, the defendant’s amended pleadings are high-handed and the allegations are outrageous. Libel? Theft? Interference? It is a waste of the court’s time and our clients’ money to bring a case against the plaintiff. Defense counsel knows perfectly well my client does not have five million dollars to satisfy the damage claim, especially since his client is the one who fired her. I move to strike the amendment.”

Adrenaline rushed through Mark’s veins. Nothing fired his blood as much as a good courtroom scrap.

In response to Katy’s motion, he argued that his client had a reputation to protect, no matter how impoverished the perpetrator of the alleged libel. Further, Hi-Tech could lose billions of dollars if a competitor got access to the highly confidential information Saunders had allegedly stolen from the company.

The judge agreed.

Mark glanced over at Katy. He expected disappointment, maybe anger or resentment. She had just lost a major point in the hearing. Instead, she tossed her hair and gave him a wink. She clearly wasn’t done with him yet.

“Anything else, Ms. Sinclair?”

“Yes, Your Honor. An application to depose a witness.”

Mark frowned and sucked in his lips. An ambush.

Katy smiled. “Gotcha,” she mouthed at him.

Mark shot out of his seat. “I wasn’t given any notice of this application.”

“I apologize, Your Honor,” Katy said. “I only just found out the witness intends to leave the country on Saturday and, as a result, it is a matter of some urgency. His name is Martin Kowalski. He is a former employee of the defendant.” She outlined the importance of the witness’s evidence and handed Mark a bundle of papers.

“Mr. Richards, have you any objection?”

Mark tapped his foot. He would have to be on guard not to underestimate his little wildcat in the future. “I’m not in a position to take instructions from my client. I respectfully request an adjournment to consider the application further.”

The judge huffed. “I’m going to make the order. I don’t see how justice would be served by taking the risk that the witness leaves before an order can be made.”

Katy beamed. Mark tightened his lips and drummed his fingers on the desk. Steele would be less than pleased, but there was nothing he could have done to prevent the ambush.

The judge rushed out of the courtroom, no doubt annoyed his afternoon hearings had all overrun and it was now well into dinner time. Mark followed Tim and the court officials out the main door. The court watchers had been ushered out an hour earlier when the courthouse officially closed for the evening. He waited for Katy to join him, but when she didn’t appear he headed down the hallway to the security desk.

Time to call in a favor.

Chapter Twelve

Katy froze when the courtroom door cracked open and a rush of cool air sailed down the aisle and up to the judge’s desk where she sat in guilty splendor.

“I see someone has delusions of grandeur after her impressive performance this afternoon,” Mark said from the back of the courtroom.

Katy sagged back in the huge, red leather judge’s chair. “Oh God. I thought you were security or one of the sheriffs.” She took a deep breath to try to slow her racing heart. “I heard a rumor that someone was caught sitting at a judge’s desk and the judge sent him to jail for contempt of court.”

“Then you’d better hope I don’t report you.” Mark walked down the aisle toward her. His Italian leather shoes thudded softly on the plush red carpet. He stopped at the counsel desk at the end of the aisle, loosened his tie and rolled up his sleeves. Was he looking for another fight?

For a long moment they simply stared at each other.

“I was drafting the order for you to sign, and when I realized I was alone, I thought I’d try it out.” She waved her hand over the judge’s desk and gave Mark a guilty smile.

“We’ve all been up there at some point, although most of us do it when we’re junior associates.” Mark’s eyes crinkled with amusement. “But unlike the rest of us, you’ve been caught.”

Katy’s lips quirked into a smile. “What do you think the judge will do with me?”

Mark approached the bench with slow, deliberate steps. “Well, for starters, he wants you out of his chair.”

Katy’s stomach flipped and tension curled around her, stealing her breath.

Mark held out his hand and when she took it, he pulled her out of her seat and took her place.

“I suppose you’ll need to question me to ensure I have a fair trial. Do you want me in the witness box?” Katy motioned toward the padded seat in the wooden box beside the judge’s desk.

Mark curled his hands around her hips and motioned to the desk in front of him with a nod of his chin. “I want you right here where I can see you.”

“I thought you said this wasn’t a good idea.”

“I changed my mind.”

She shook her head. “You can’t have it both ways. You’re going to get us both in trouble.”

He lifted her easily and seated her on the desk facing him. “I’ll prepare the papers to withdraw as counsel as soon as we leave.”

She bit her lip and gave him a pained look. “You said something similar last time and then you didn’t follow through. I can’t—”

“Shhh. Let me explain.” He traced lazy circles up her inner thighs, sending shivers of need straight to her core.

“The minute you walked into the courtroom, I knew I had made a mistake. I shouldn’t have second guessed myself. I want you, Katy. I want to get to know you. Now. Two years is too long to wait.” He nipped her earlobe and feathered kisses down her neck. “Tell me you’ll give me another chance.”

“I don’t think this is appropriate behavior for a courtroom,” she whispered, knowing that despite the risk, she wasn’t about to jump down and walk away. Unlike Steven, who had made it clear she wasn’t enough for him, Mark made her feel wanted. Desired. And in that moment she wanted nothing more than to let herself go. She had never known a rush like the heady sensations he coaxed from her body. And damned if she wasn’t going to seize this chance to do something to fill the ache in her soul.

“Definitely not.” His voice was thick with desire. “You’re wearing far too many clothes.”

Katy shrugged off her jacket. “What if someone comes in?”

“No one is coming in. I have a friend in security who owed me a favor. He’s got his eye on the door until his next shift. We have about forty-five minutes.”

“I hope he’s a good friend. You’re putting both our careers in his hands.”

He rested his hands on her knees. “I wouldn’t take a risk with you.”

Katy laughed softly. “What’s this if not a risk?”

“This is you opening for me, sugar.” He gently pressed her knees apart.

Lust, raw and ragged, tore through her body, burning away her inhibitions. She braced her hands behind her and parted her legs as far as her skirt would allow.

“That’s my girl,” he growled deep and low.

Katy sucked in her breath. She had never imagined such condescending words could be so fiercely arousing.

He traced his finger down her throat to the cleft between her breasts. “There are special rules in my courtroom,” he murmured. “First, there is to be no touching the judge. Your hands will stay on the desk at all times. Is that clear?”

Katy gave him a wicked grin. She sat up and pressed her hands against the cool, smooth cotton of his shirt, then slid them up and over his rock-hard pecs to encircle his neck. “So I can’t do this?”

He pulled her hands away. “No.”

“And I can’t do this?” She circled his narrow waist and pulled him between her legs, pressing her breasts against his taut chest.

Mark disengaged her hands. “Definitely not.”

Her gaze drifted down below his belt and she stroked a finger along the erection clearly outlined beneath the thin wool of his trousers. “What about this?”