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  I tweak the last button on my shirt and pull the loop of my tie over my head, fitting it underneath my collar. As I tighten the knot up to my neck, I tell her, "I have to get admitted to Utah, and we'll need to file an Answer to the Complaint. I'll do a background check on this Brian Merrill and his wife, and I'll reach out to their attorney to see what they really want. Maybe a quick settlement will make this go away."

  "No," Macy says quietly. "I mean... where do we go from here?"

  My head snaps her way, and I study her face carefully. Her eyes are wide and brutally challenging, chin tilted upward. She holds my stare without blinking.

  "What do you mean 'where do we go from here'?" I throw back to her.

  "I want us to keep fucking," she says simply.

  Snorting, I pick up my jacket and shrug it on. Shaking my head slightly in bemusement, I walk back toward my desk. "Are you always that blunt?"

  Macy gives me a sweet smile. "Would you rather I sugarcoat it with coy looks and vague innuendo?"

  "No," I answer her truthfully as I lean back in my chair to appraise her. "I appreciate honest talk. But we can't keep fucking."

  She blinks in surprise. "Why not?"

  "Because I'm going to be representing you in this lawsuit. It would be unethical for me to have sex with you at the same time."

  Snickering, Macy tilts her head and shoots me a condescending look. "Saint Cal."

  "Mock me all you want," I grit out. "But my law license is too important. And while you are the most fantastic of fucks, Macy... you're not so phenomenal I'll risk my career for you."

  I expect her to be offended, but instead, she laughs. Those beautiful, full lips peel back and white, sparkling teeth dazzle me as she chuckles. "I'll have to admit, as far as excuses go for turning me down, that's actually a legitimate one. And while I know I'm pretty much made of awesome in the sex department, I agree... you can't do something that would put you at risk."

  Now I'm the one that blinks in surprise at Macy because I didn't think she had an empathetic or selfless bone in her body. I sort of expected her to selfishly demand I continue to service her with my awesome cock while bearing all the risk.

  "Let me ask you something," she says while crossing one leg over the other. It makes my dick start to twitch because it's too reminiscent of those same exact actions that inflamed me not so long ago. "If this case wasn't an issue, and you weren't representing me, would you keep seeing me?"

  Hmmm. Now that's a damn good question.

  Twenty minutes ago, I'm pretty sure the answer would have been a resounding "no" because I had reasoned in my mind that just one more round of casual sex would be okay.

  Would be safe.

  But see... the problem now is that Macy has inched her way under my skin. She harbors secrets and sadness that bring out the inner knight in me. I want to expose them and figure out what makes her tick. And she clearly wants something from me, and it's because this is different between us.

  The question is... can I continue fucking her without letting my heart get tied up?

  Can I investigate the mystery of Macy Carrington, all while receiving the benefit of some amazing sex, and keep myself protected? Particularly when I know her heart would never get tied up?

  I have no clue, but I've always been a bit of a gambler. "It's a moot point," I say casually. "But yeah... I'd want to fuck you again if this case wasn't an issue."

  "Good," she says primly as she stands up from her chair and shoulders her purse. "I'll get another attorney. Let's get together tonight, and then... well, you can do whatever you want to me."

  My cock likes the sound of that a lot and immediately starts to thicken at the prospect. But I'm standing from my chair and walking toward her, denying this ludicrous idea. "What the hell, Macy? You can't get another attorney. You need me on this."

  She turns and gives me a quick smile. "No, I don't. Any attorney will do, and I'd rather we kept screwing each other."

  I don't fail to notice her choice of wording. Not "dating" but "screwing" each other.

  My hand reaches out and I thread my fingers through hers, pulling her to me. "I don't understand what's going on here."

  "What's to understand?" she asks as she steps in closer to me. Her free hand comes up and fingers the edge of my collar. "You and I are attracted to each other. We have amazing chemistry. I want to experience it over and over again until it runs dry. I don't want to waste time and I want you now, so I'll get another attorney. It's as simple as that."

  Shaking my head, I murmur, "It's not as simple as that. You don't do relationships, so what exactly would this be?"

  "You're right, I don't do relationships," she says while wrinkling up her nose. It's adorable and makes me want to kiss it. "This is just sex. Casual and hopefully frequent sex. We get our rocks off. Nothing more."

  I release her hand and step back from her, scraping my fingers through my hair while my mind whirls.

  Casual sex on a constant basis with her?

  This has me extremely curious now.

  "Would you be monogamous?" I ask skeptically, knowing she'll probably wrinkle her nose up in distaste again over that word.

  Instead, she surprises me with an affirmatively quick nod of her head. "Of course. As I know you would be."

  Damn... she has so much more faith in me than I have in her, and that makes me feel a little guilty. Still, this is Macy we're talking about, a woman who notoriously jumps beds as frequently as fleas jump dogs.

  "What would we tell Mac?" I ask her, because this is frankly my biggest worry. "She'll want to know why I'm not representing you. She'll think this is my fault because I was against doing this at the start."

  A small flicker of pain sparks in Macy's eyes, but she shakes it off. "I don't want Mac to know about us."

  "I can't keep something like this from her. We're partners. We're always honest with each other. And besides, she's your best friend. Why wouldn't you want her to know?"

  Macy's eyes go warm and fill with undeniable love. The effect is so transformative on her face that it actually steals my breath away. Macy Carrington is lovely as is. When she's riding my cock, she's stunning. But when you can see love on her face, she is beyond description.

  "Mac is my best friend," she says with a soft smile on her face. "I'm closer to her than any other being on this planet. She knows things about me that I wish she didn't because I don't like the burden they put on her. But in this instance, I want to keep this just for myself. It's new for me, and I want to make my decisions about this without any outside influence or guidance. And trust me... Mac will have tons of advice to give me if she were to find out."

  And again... another small clue is revealed to me.

  Mac knows things about Macy that are so dark, they're an actual burden to carry.

  "So let me get this straight," I say as I step in closer to Macy, wrap my hand around the side of her neck, and stroke her jaw with my thumb. "You want to keep a sex-only relationship going with me, we'll both be monogamous, and no one can know. Is that the gist of it?"

  She nods, her blue eyes clear in their acceptance. But then, she amends, "Until either one of us gets tired of the other."

  Yeah, I cannot ever imagine me getting tired of having sex with Macy. I'm already addicted to it, and I've only had a few hits. She has the magical ability to suck me in deep to where I may never be able to claw my way out.

  But I do believe there will come a time when Macy will want out of whatever the hell this is between us. She's a self-admitted commitment phobe. She's always looking for the next sexual rush, and while there is no denying what flashes hot between us is unique and probably without replication, I'm going to eventually drive her away.

  Because I'll want more from her than she's willing to give.

  This has disaster written all over it but rather than tell her these feelings, I decide to opt out in a more cowardly way.

  I release my hold on her and step back, shoving my hands in my pocket
s. "I'm sorry, Macy. This can't happen while I'm representing you, and you need me to represent you. While you are tempting beyond imagination, I can't compromise my legal ethics."

  Macy lowers her gaze to the floor and nibbles on her lower lip. I feel like I may have hurt her feelings and while my nature and inclination is to pull her into my arms and hug her, I keep remarkably still and detached. If I touch her again, I will definitely compromise my own morals.

  When she looks back up at me, that beautiful lip pops free. She crosses her arms over her chest and tilts her head to the side with a shrewd look. "How long is this case going to last?"

  Pulling one hand out of my pocket, I rub the back of my neck before giving a slight shrug. "If it goes all the way, months. But if we play hardball, or offer a quick settlement with a confidentiality clause, weeks perhaps."

  Macy then smiles at me. It's bright and sunny, her blue eyes sparkling. She gives me a wink and turns away. "I can do weeks," she says over her shoulder. "Not months, mind you. But weeks."

  As she reaches her hand out for the door, I blurt out. "What are you saying?"

  She turns her body slightly to look at me. "I'm saying I want you. And you want me. I'll wait for a bit if you will. Until we can see if this case can be resolved."

  I can't help when one eyebrow rises in skepticism. "And what will you be doing in that interim?"

  Macy gives a husky laugh, turns all the way around from the door, and walks back up to me. Placing her hand on my chest, she gently strokes me through my shirt, and because I'm not wearing my t-shirt underneath, I can feel the heat of her pulsing through.

  "I expect I'll be giving my vibrator a good work out," she says in a low murmur. "I might even rename it Saint Cal."

  "What do you call it now?"

  "Thor," she says matter-of-factly, and as if that was the most stupid question in the world.

  My lips curve upward in amusement and I reach up a hand to tug on one of her golden-red locks that hangs artfully over her shoulder. "You're going to be celibate while you wait for this case to finish?"

  "For some weeks," she clarifies and gives me a soft smile. "I sort of get you're the type of man that would need that type of commitment."

  "I thought you didn't do commitment?"

  She gives a careless shrug. "I'm trying something new."

  "And you want the same from me?"

  Macy steps in closer and lightly presses her body into me. I find I like it. No... love it. Her soft curves naturally fit to me, and while I'm definitely turned on by it, I also find that it just seems... right?

  "Cal," she says with confidence. "I don't have to ask that of you. I just know you're the loyal type."

  Guilt races through my veins as I think about how disloyal I was to Matt, but I push that away. That's not who I truly am at my core.

  It's not, I remind myself again.

  I look down at her, her blue eyes earnestly filled with conviction. She's a mystery, but fuck... for some reason, I trust her right now.

  "So I'll represent you, we'll keep our hands off each other while your case is in progress, and we'll both be celibate?" I ask, just to make sure there's no miscommunication between us.

  "And when the case is over, we will put ourselves in orgasm comas with each other," she says impishly.

  "The plan has merit," I muse thoughtfully, and that causes Macy to throw her head back and laugh.

  And Christ... she's got a beautiful laugh.

  Why have I never noticed it before?

  "Before I officially become your attorney, and we take mutual vows of celibacy, there's something I think we forgot to do in the chronology of events that unfolded within this office today," I say as my eyes flicker across her face. I take in the soft swell of her cheekbones, the long lashes that make her eyes pop, and the sweetly sinful lips that have spent more time on my dick than on my mouth.

  "What's that?"

  I answer her with a kiss.

  Soft at first, and then deeper.

  She arches into me.

  Moans.

  Digs her fingers into my chest.

  Yeah, that's the stuff that's been missing. As much as I like getting down and dirty, I'm a man that likes intimacy. And there's no communion greater than when lips and tongue come together in a sweet, sensuous slide against one another.

  As I pull away, I revel in the fogginess of Macy's eyes... knowing that my kiss did that to her.

  And at this moment, even though this plan with Macy seems ludicrous, I know I'm doing the right thing.

  Chapter 3

  From the Diary of Macy Carrington:

  Dear Diary:

  It happened again.

  I was with Cal, and the experience was transcendental. I came twice... really hard, really fast. I was a fucking natural at it. Like I had been doing it all my life.

  I wanted to stay in his office all day and have him make me come over and over again.

  It was freeing.

  Felt so good.

  I'll never get used to it.

  Unfortunately, because Cal is representing me in this case, his ethics prohibit him from continuing to see me.

  Well, fuck me.

  Whatever.

  The point is that I had to make a choice. Did I want to continue on, spinning my wheels and getting short fixes to numb me up? Or did I want to take a chance that perhaps there is a person that can completely free me from my prison?

  I want to take the chance with Cal. I'm sure this amounts to nothing more than just really good sex, but I had to give him something he needed. I had to give him the promise of a commitment that I would remain celibate until this case was finished. That I would "wait" for him.

  I think I can do it.

  I think it will be worth it.

  Love,

  Macy

  Chapter 4

  Before I can get my napkin unfolded and placed on my lap, Mac is milking me for information. "So how did it go with Macy this morning?"

  Apparently, Macy hadn't stopped in to see Mac after her appointment with me. I'm thinking she probably wanted to avoid Mac because she smelled like me. This caused Mac to be concerned and suspicious, because Macy shares everything with Mac, and I know she expected her to come in and tell her all about our legal strategy. I know this because Mac immediately buzzed my office and wanted to talk about it. Unfortunately, I was in the middle of some deep and heavy legal research and put her off until lunch.

  It's not that I couldn't have put the research aside to make time for Mac.

  It's that I didn't want to. I needed some more time to get the lies straight in my head, should Mac have any inkling as to what's going on with Macy and me. So I put her off until lunch, and now it's time to pay the piper.

  "It went fine," I tell her, and then quickly take a sip of ice water, hoping it cools the lie that just fell off my tongue. "Honestly, I don't think there's much of a case against her."

  "Is it going to be weird for you to represent her?" Mac asks with a sudden burst of concern for me. I'm wondering where this was when she first asked me to represent Macy.

  Shaking my head, I play it off. "Nah... I mean... we're friends, so it's not weird."

  "You and Macy are not friends," Mac says with a snort.

  I wince.

  I'm so not good at this lying shit.

  Nope. Not friends. That's for sure.

  We're more... fuck buddies.

  Yeah, that's it.

  But we're not fucking right at this very moment so that makes my dishonesty just a tad bit more palatable.

  "I mean because you and I are friends," I say to throw her off the trail.

  Mac ignores that comment but shakes her head, her brow furrowed with worry. "It was really weird she didn't stop in to see me after your meeting today. There's something going on with her, and I can't figure out what it is. She's hiding something, but I'm going to find out what it is."

  Oh, that's just fucking great because there's no doubt in my mind that Ma
c will eventually get to the truth. She's tenacious that way. Like a dog with a meaty bone. She won't give up until she's flayed open mine and Macy's secret and exposed it for all to see.

  It's on the tip of my tongue to just go ahead and spill the beans to her, but then I remember what Macy told me earlier. She told me that Mac knew dark and burdensome secrets about her. That means Macy isn't afraid to share. If she isn't telling Mac, she must think it will be something that will cause her friend angst. Probably because she would be pitted right in the middle of two of her closest friends if this went south.

  And let's face it.

  It's going to go south at some point.

  Because even though we really don't have anything going right this moment, we will eventually. And it will be great... for a while. But Macy is going to get tired of monogamy and will want to get back to her spice of life--bed hopping. I'm sure of it.

  "You're awfully quiet," Mac says, and then immediately narrows her eyes. "Did something happen between you and Macy?"

  Bile rises in my throat as I temper her curiosity with another well-placed lie. "No, not at all. She was well prepared for the meeting and gave me some great info to get started."

  "And she wasn't acting weird when you saw her?" she asks with a worried voice. "I just feel like she's hiding something from me."

  And that right there presents the perfect opportunity for me to try to figure out more about this cryptic and enigmatic woman.

  "Does Macy tell you all her secrets?" I ask in a mischievous, not nosy at all, way.

  Mac gives me a coy smile. "Yup. I know everything about my bestie."

  I lean across the table and give her a salacious grin. "Like what? Spill something juicy to me."

  Mac snorts and says, "No way, buddy. I'll take that girl's secrets to the grave."

  "Must be something really scandalous," I press her with a secretive whisper.

  A little bit of sadness creeps into Mac's smile, and she shakes her head. "No, not scandalous. But worthy of a secret all the same."

  My heart clenches slightly because I can absolutely see the burden that Mac is indeed carrying with this knowledge... whatever it is. Macy wasn't lying to me over the remorse she felt for putting it on Mac's shoulders.

  And now that I know Mac is probably suffering under the same weight as Macy, it's becoming almost imperative for me to know more.