Tempted (A Player Brother Romance Book) (A Standalone Novel) (Player Brothers Book 1) (13 page)

"Um, Kelsey..." I began.

She laughed and held up her hand with her palm towards
me.

"Don't worry, Blair," she said. "I'll
go pick up your mom. I'll explain everything,”

I exhaled in relief. Just before I stepped into the
bathroom I called after Kelsey who had headed to her room to change.

"Don't explain too much!" I said.

I was met with the sound of her laughter. I shut the
door and started the water, letting it warm up as I undressed. My mind began to
wander over the events of the last twenty four hours. There was a point
somewhere in which I could have changed the course of things.

I could have said, let's call it a night.

Maybe after dinner, instead of agreeing to a walk on
the beach.

Maybe when I stumbled and almost twisted my ankle.

Maybe even after we had had our drink at his place.

I imaged that happening, exactly as it should have.

I would have set my glass down on the table and said.
"We have an early morning. We should really call it a night."

Then he would have nodded, perhaps with a glimmer of
regret on his face. But then he would have taken me home. Maybe, worst case
scenario he would have kissed me good night, before I exited the car. I would
have gotten a good night’s sleep. He and I would still be friends, (and only
friends!), and most of all I would be fully prepared for this case.

And my mother, what did it say about me that I had
forgotten about my very own mother. She would understand of course. I should
have called her when the dates were rescheduled. I should have postponed our
visit.

I stepped into the shower and let the warm water wash
over me. I wish more than anything that I could turn back the clock and erase
the events of last night.

Why
had I
not stepped away, I
wondered.

Why had I agreed to a night cap?

I knew the answer.

I knew the truth.

Aiden had been right. I was attracted to him, despite
myself.

It had been me who had kissed him. It had been me who
had instigated the whole scene. I never stopped him. Even now thinking back
over the events I realized that underneath my anger, underneath the fury and
confusion ran a vein of a much more powerful emotion.

I wanted him.

I had only had one other boyfriend in my life, back in
college, Alex Marsden. He and I had dated through college and into law school.
There had been some fleeting talk about marriage even. Eventually he had broken
up with me because he said that I was too consumed with my studies, and he
suspected that nothing would change once I graduated. Until last night he had
been the only man I had ever slept with.

In retrospect, I realized that Aiden was much more
talented in this arena. Alex had been right. When he had broken up with me I
thought I should have felt more upset than I did, but the truth was I had been
mostly relieved. The nuances of trying to fit in a romantic relationship
between classes and internships, made for a stressful dynamic. I had canceled
more dinners with him than I had gone to. He had been right that I wasn’t in
the right mindset for a serious relationship. I had tried to part ways amicably
but he was too offended and we lost touch.

I thought for sure that I had answered the question of
whether or not I would date, anyone ever. Yet here I was, years later having
slept with my best friend from childhood, who had never so much as expressed a
curious interest in me.

Where would I go from here?

At least the sex was better with Aiden than it had
been with Alex, I thought as I stepped out of the shower, reaching for the
towel. When faced with a situation such as this in the past, I would have
normally talked it over with Aiden, but then again, back when Aiden was in my
life I would not have been faced with such a situation.

I had been the quintessential book worm, not
interested in dating and not many interested in dating me, either. I turned on
the hair dryer and ran the brush angrily though my wet tangled hair. Regardless
of everything falling into shambles there wasn’t denying that I had to be in
court soon. I needed to clear my mind for now and focus on getting ready.
 

Chapter
Six

The atmosphere at the courthouse contained a strange
electric energy. Aiden had already arrived, and we waited with the senior
partners in the small room for the bailiff to come and fetch us. A whole new
jury pool had been summoned and we had to wait while they all went through
intake in the main hall.

Our team included myself, Aiden, Mr. Mahoney and Ms.
Klein and we sat in the small chamber off of the courtroom. We had gathered in
the lobby, and I had hoped desperately that the hangover I felt didn’t appear
so readily on my face as I felt that it did.

I didn’t speak to Aiden except the usual pleasantries
so as to not arouse suspicion from the partners of unprofessional behavior. We
waited without much discussion. I pulled out some papers from my case and
reviewed them while we waited, more for the sake of having something to do,
rather than needing the actual review. I also knew that once we went to the
courtroom for jury selection, Mr. Shaw would join us and the trial would start
later that day depending on time. For now we just had to wait.

"Are you both feeling good about the opening
statements?" Ms. Klein asked after a moment probably speaking to fill the
silence.

"I do,” Aiden replied. "I’m definitely ready
to get started. What do you think, Blair?"

I had largely ignored the discussion trying not to
have to talk to him unless necessary. I glared at him before I placed a
pleasant smile on my face turning towards Ms. Klein.

"Um, yes. Fine," I said, glancing up from my
document. I realized I may have seemed stand offish, so I raised my eyes more
fully. "I feel quite confident in our case. I too am anxious to get
underway."

I returned to my review, forcing myself to focus on
the words in front of me, refreshing myself on what I had prepared. In my
periphery I could sense Aiden's eyes on me. I tried to ignore him, but I couldn’t
help but think about the competition between us.

In our efforts to outdo each other we had somehow
managed to play off of each other’s strengths, each of us trying to outdo the
other. We had built a very strong case in the end. I tried not to let my mind
wander to the events of last night, but being in such close proximity with
Aiden, seeing his hands and his eyes, the scent of his beachy cologne didn’t
help matters.

I felt my face grow flush even as an errant thought of
the feel of his mouth against my skin drifted across my thoughts.

Shit.

I had to get him out of my head.

On reflex I glanced over at him, and found him sitting
in a relaxed pose one arm resting across the back of the empty chair next to
him. He cut his eyes over to me and grinned when I lifted my head, prompting me
to immediately look back down.

We looked up when the bailiff came to the door. We all
expected him to summon us, but he had a different message for us this time.

"We have time for a bit of a break. The jury pool
is about ready. Once the pool is assigned they get a small break. If you guys
take half an hour now you should all arrive back at the same time."

"That's one thing you two will have to get used
to,” Mr. Mahoney said as he stood. "The ongoing grind of due process.
There's very little excitement to any of it. Most of it involves hurry up and
wait."

He smiled a bit at his own amusement, and if I hadn’t
thought myself mistaken I could have sworn that Ms. Klein nearly rolled her
eyes as they walked out the door together.

I decided just to head down to the break room in the
basement and grab a sandwich from the machine. I wasn’t in the mood to go
anywhere, but I hadn’t eaten yet either.

I headed to the elevator. Just before the doors closed
Ms. Klein stepped in beside me.

"Hi," she said with a small smile.
"Heading to the break room?"

"Yes," I said.

We had only ever spoken on a professional level so
far. I fiddled with the zipper on my bag, nervous to try and think of some way
to endear myself to her.

"How are you holding up?" she asked.

 
"Holding
up?" I asked.

"The first big case can be hard on a new lawyer,”
she said, giving me a kind look. "I remember how it was. You must be under
immense pressure."

I had a hard time imagining her ever feeling anything
but the cool confidence that she exuded at all times.

"Yes, it is a lot to take in," I said.
"But I feel pretty confident."

"As well you should. The two of you have done an
amazing job."

The elevator door opened and we stepped into the
basement following the Formica floor to the small break room. I pulled out my
money, slid it into the slot and punched in the number which produced the
chicken salad on white bread that would become my lunch.

I didn’t want anything too heavy considering how I
felt.

She opened her lunch bag and sat down at one of the
tables. I picked up my sandwich and walked over to her, feeling quite like the
girl in high school approaching the popular table.

"Mind if I join you?" I asked.

"Please,” she said.

I pulled up a chair and began to unwrap the white
paper around my sandwich. She carefully set out her meal, a small plastic bowl
of
udon
noodles and a small bag of crisp greens. With
precision she broke the lettuce leaves over the noodles and produced a pair of
plain bamboo chopsticks. I watched with fascination, while trying not to be too
obvious, as she set out the elements of her meal.

When she had finished, the place before her had the
appearance comparable to any restaurant setting. I tried to think of some way
to break the ice.

"So," I began. "Do you have any advice
on the business, from a woman's perspective? I've been curious to pick your
brain."

"Hmm,” she said thoughtfully placing her
chopsticks over the bowl. "That is a good question. I would venture to say
that you have figured part of it out already."

"I'm sorry?" I asked, nibbling at the edge
of my sandwich.

My mind raced at the idea that she might be
insinuating what I thought she was. I looked at her with a quizzical expression
trying to pretend that I didn’t understand.

She laughed in a lighthearted way.

"Please don't take what I say the wrong
way," she said. "But I have been in this business a long time, my
dear. This is a high pressure job. There is no doubt about that. The key is to
find the balance. We have noticed that you have an undeniable sense of
drive."

"Thank you, Ms. Klein,” I said sincerely.
"It means a lot that you have noticed. I have put everything I have into
my career."

"I’m sure that you have,” she continued.
"But you must be careful. The key is to find that balance."

"What do you mean?"

"You mustn’t forget who you’re,” she said.
"And why you got into the business in the first place. It is important not
to forget that."

"I see."

I turned my gaze down to my untouched food, knowing I
needed to eat but having no appetite whatsoever. My head still hurt a little
from this morning's hang over. The bite I forced myself to take barely had any
flavor, like sawdust in my mouth.

"Come on then." Ms. Klein reached out and
touched my arm. "Don't take it the wrong way. You’re doing a wonderful
job. Plus you’re being very professional about your extracurricular
activities."

I felt as if the floor had dropped out from under me.

"I'm sorry... my what?"

"Don't worry,” she insisted. "We've all
thought about dipping our pen in the company ink. As long as you keep it mostly
under wraps and don't let it affect your judgment, no one cares honestly."

It took me several horrified minutes to admit to
myself what she was saying.

She knew about me and Aiden somehow.

My face burned and I began to feel nauseous.

Shit.

Despite everything, I sat in stunned silence while she
finished her lunch, eating small delicate bites without paying much more
attention to me.

She finished her food, wrapping her empty bowl
carefully into the same bag that she had brought it with and tucked it into her
purse. She stood to go, pausing at the door of the break room.

Turning back to me, she said, "Between you and
me, the race is nose to nose right now, if that's what you want to know. If we
had to make the decision right now it would be impossible. It' would be an even
draw."

"Thank you Ms. Klein," I said.

With a conspiratorial smile she disappeared down the hall
to the elevator. I forced myself to finish my sandwich just to have something
on my stomach before heading back upstairs. The last thing I wanted to do was
to pass out during opening statements.