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Ryan shook her head, her lips twisting into a smile. “He surely does. Why not, when he gets the best of both worlds?”
“You think that’s what that is? That being with one person is somehow less?”
“No. No,” she repeated softly, her changeable eyes drifting over my face. “I think if it’s the right person, there is nothing better than a bond of fidelity.”
I covered her hand with mine. “I agree. Which is part of why I want to do something different. I’m tired of listening to people who claim they once loved each other rip each other apart. Even worse is when things matter more than human beings.”
“Says the man with a six-figure crotch rocket.” She scraped her nail over the center of my palm, letting me know she was teasing.
But she wasn’t, not deep down. At the very least, she didn’t trust people with money. From her comments, her mother had questionable taste at the very least, and she’d probably known some real doozies.
“I didn’t have much else before. Making financial goals and pleasing my clients were my only benchmarks.”
“Sounds stimulating.”
“It wasn’t. At all. Why I need a change. I don’t want to turn into my father, rationalizing shitty behavior.”
She remained silent and let me get the rest out.
“I definitely don’t want to forget what it’s like to help people. To me, that’s the only good reason to be a lawyer. And helping Mary Donnelly sock it to her husband by taking him for everything he’s worth plus the toy poodle isn’t at all what I had in mind.”
“You actually care about people,” she said slowly, as if she could scarcely believe it.
I tugged at the tie on my sleep pants. “I know that’s considered a liability in my line of work, but yeah, I do. So many people don’t have a way to get excellent representation. I can do that for them. I don’t need the fucking money.”
Her smile unfurled warmth through my chest. “And you’re the best.”
I didn’t preen. Much. “I’m very good. And it matters to me.”
“No one is more thorough than you. I know that without a doubt.” She curled her fingers around mine. “Your files are scarily in-depth. I’m pretty sure you know all about your clients down to their shoe sizes.”
“A good lawyer finds out everything he or she can about a case. Surprises mean potential future obstacles. If I know what could trip us up later, I can put together a strategy.”
“PMS is never without a plan.”
My ears heated. “Fail to plan, plan to fail.”
Smoky stood up and bumped my hand—the one cupping Ryan’s. I thought he was looking for me to pet him until he showed me his rump and arched up to rub his head against Ryan’s neck.
I laughed. “Possessive sod.”
“Can you blame him?” She snuggled him against her chest.
“Considering where he’s hanging out right now? Nope.”
She shook her head. “Incorrigible.”
I scrubbed my hands through my hair. “I have to get moving. We have to get moving. First, we need a shower.”
“Do we now?” She lounged against my pillows in a patch of sunlight with the cat in her arms, completely at ease with her nudity. “Anything else you think I need, sir?”
A block wedged in my throat. I was the one who needed a hell of a lot.
More and more with each passing moment.
“Yes. You need me to wash your back.”
Her dark eyebrow spiked. “So, you’re planning on taking the rest of the day off entirely, hmm? Don’t think you won’t have to remit my paycheck if you keep me away from my desk through dubious means.”
