If Lexi were to have any hope of resisting him, her will would have to be stronger than his.
Much stronger.
Otherwise, she was in for a world of heartache.
Chapter 7
“This is Valerie Becker, reporting to you live from the Court of Appeals as we gear up for the fifth day of testimony in one of the biggest whistle-blower trials the state of Georgia has ever seen. The defense’s star witness is expected to take the stand today to…”
The woman’s excited voice droned on as Lexi hurried past the buzzing crowd of reporters and cameramen gathered on the courthouse steps. She was running late thanks to traffic, which had been even worse than usual that morning.
As she’d stewed in her car, inching along at a maddening crawl, her insides had churned at the thought of seeing Quentin for the first time since they’d shared that explosive kiss at her house nearly a week ago. She’d been so shaken by the kiss that she’d seriously considered not showing up for any part of the trial. But Quentin was her best friend, and this was one of the biggest cases of his career. No matter what had recently transpired between them, she knew how much he’d appreciate having her there to root him on. That’s what friends were for.
Once inside the courthouse, Lexi passed through a metal detector and another security checkpoint before making her way quickly to the courtroom. As expected, it was packed, filled with spectators who’d been lured by the prospect of watching a corrupt health-insurance company get its comeuppance.
Standing in the back of the noisy courtroom, Lexi scanned the crowd, hoping against hope that she’d find an empty seat near the front. But after several moments she heaved a sigh of disappointment, knowing she’d have to settle for sitting all the way in the back.
As she moved to claim a spot before even more people arrived, she spied a man rising from his seat near the front, just three rows behind the plaintiff’s table. She watched as he strode briskly down the aisle, his expression alarmed as he spoke into the cell phone pressed to his ear.
Seizing the opportunity, Lexi made a beeline to the recently vacated seat before someone else beat her to it. Once settled, she trained her gaze on the plaintiff’s table. Her pulse quickened at the sight of Quentin, who was conferring with one of his associates from the law firm, their heads bent close together.
Lexi stared, her eyes tracing the line of Quentin’s strong profile to follow the path of his broad shoulders beneath an expensively tailored dark suit. Her belly clenched at the memory of clinging to those shoulders as she and Quentin devoured each other’s mouths. She’d wanted him so damn bad. If she hadn’t come to her senses and pulled away when she did, there was no telling—
“All rise!” the bailiff called out, interrupting Lexi’s reverie—and not a moment too soon. “The Honorable Judge Clayton Greer, presiding.”
Everyone in the courtroom stood as the tall, gray-haired judge emerged from his chambers and took his seat on the bench. His eyes went immediately to Quentin, who was buttoning his suit jacket and smoothing a hand over his silk tie. Meeting the judge’s austere gaze, he smiled—a slow, lazy smile that hinted at his irreverent nature.
The judge frowned and shook his head slightly, no doubt wondering for the millionth time what he’d done to land Quentin—a relentless troublemaker—in his courtroom.
Lexi grinned wryly to herself.I feel your pain, Judge Greer. Believe me, I do.
Quentin was facing a formidable adversary.
It wasn’t the presiding judge, a grizzled relic whose jaundiced glare made it clear he was no fan of Quentin’s. And it wasn’t the team of smug, high-powered lawyers smirking at him from the table across the aisle.
No, the adversary Quentin faced was fear.
Lexi refused to be with him because she was afraid. She was afraid to jeopardize their friendship. Afraid to trust him. Afraid to get hurt.
So somehow he had to find a way to help her overcome those fears so they could be together. It would definitely be a challenge.
But when had Quentin ever backed down from a challenge?
“Your cross, Mr. Reddick.”
Quentin glanced up from the “notes” he’d been furiously scribbling during the defense attorney’s direct examination of their star witness. He’d actually been doodling on his yellow legal pad. Depending on the opposition, he often pretended to take copious notes during witness testimonies. It gave him the appearance of being scattershot, not well prepared. Distracted, even. In reality, he’d heard every word spoken, deciphered every subtle nuance of the witness’s voice.
And he knew where he’d launch his attack.
Quentin slowly rose from the table. He never rushed his cue. So he hitched up his pant leg, propped one foot on his chair and proceeded to tie his left shoe.
A wave of chuckles and guffaws spread across the packed courtroom. At the defense table, someone groaned in disbelief.
Quentin hid a wicked grin.
Glancing up from his task, he felt a jolt of surprise when he saw Lexi seated three rows back. After the way they’d parted company last week, he hadn’t expected her to show up for any part of the trial. He was deliriously, ridiculously happy to see her.
When their eyes met, she grinned and mouthed,Go get ’em.
