Heat filled my face as I remembered how he’d made me come twice before he’d thrust into me and spilled after only three pumps of his hips. I loved how out of control he was, how he couldn’t contain himself when he was inside me. My inner muscles might have been protesting the harsh overuse, but the rest of me felt more alive than ever before.
Mom wasn’t in the kitchen where I expected her to be. That gave me a moment to collect myself a little better and eat a slice of toast before going in search of her. I found her outside, walking back from the shed where the landscaper had an office. Smelling the roses she must have gotten from the talented gardener who kept the surrounding grounds immaculate, she didn’t see me at first.
“Good morning,” I greeted, and she lifted her head, offering me a warm smile.
“Good morning, honey. Did you sleep well?”
Hoping I didn’t blush and give away what I was thinking, I nodded. “How is Miss Lindy?”
Her smile faded, replaced by a mixture of concern and grief. Miss Lindy was her best friend, and I knew she was worried she was going to lose another person she cared about. My mom didn’t get emotionally attached to many people because she had lost so many throughout her life.
“It was a rough weekend. I spent last night at her house as well. When I left this morning, she was starting to feel a little better.” She walked up the back steps and offered me the flowers. “Arrange these for me, please. You do such a lovely job. I’m going to take them over to Lindy with some soup for dinner.”
Taking the flowers, I followed her back into the kitchen. “What else can I help you with today?” I asked as I carried the flowers to the sink.
“I usually take care of Judge’s room on Mondays,” she said as she started making a list. “You know he’s not untidy, but the shower will need a good scrub. He doesn’t like anyone else in there or his office, but I’m sure he won’t mind you changing the sheets and cleaning the bathroom.”
“I do mind,” he announced as he entered.
My eyes flickered over to him, and I tried not to lick my lips at how good he looked in a suit. Not even half an hour ago, I’d left him naked in his bed. The sight of him struggling to catch his breath while he lay on his back, his cock still covered in a mixture of our releases, had nearly tempted me to crawl back in beside him.
It was a good thing I’d started on the pill when I’d first gotten to college. Between the stress of school and missing my life back in Virginia, my periods had begun to get the best of me. After the second month of cramps so bad I could barely drag myself to class, I’d seen the doctor and gotten on birth control in hopes of helping. Thankfully, it had, and now we were covered.
“Oh?” Mom lifted her gaze from her list. “Ellianna is just as capable of cleaning and being discreet as I am, Judge. And you don’t like when any of the other girls go into your room or office.”
“My office doesn’t need anything done to it,” he said, crossing to the coffeepot and pouring himself a mug.
It was a chore to keep my head down and not tremble when he brushed against me as he walked past me to the table where his breakfast was waiting. He picked up a bagel, layered on a few slices of turkey bacon, which he made a face at, and then added a drizzle of sriracha. “I’m running late.”
“Will you be eating dinner at home?” Mom asked with concern. “Or will you be making other arrangements?”
“I’ll let you know,” he told her, sounding distracted.
I tightened my fingers around the stem of a rose, only to yelp when a thorn cut into the palm of my hand. Dropping the flower, I lifted my hand to examine the already bleeding wound. Judge grabbing my wrist startled me. He’d been across the kitchen only moments before, but now, he was bending his head over my hand, his index finger carefully brushing over my palm as he frowned at the injury.
“Mabel, do we have a first aid kit down here?” he called over his shoulder.
“Aren’t you late for court?” I reminded him when my mother walked out of the room to grab the kit from the mudroom.
His brown eyes were glassy when he met my gaze. “Does it hurt?”
“I’m fine, Judge.” I tried to pull my hand away, but he only tightened his fingers around my wrist.
Turning on the faucet, he guided my hand under the water and gently washed the wound. “I don’t want you cleaning today. It will irritate the cut.”
“I have gloves I can wear,” I argued.
“Mabel, Elli isn’t to clean today,” he announced as my mother reentered the kitchen. “If the other two girls can’t handle the load, then we should hire a few more.”
“I’m here to work,” I gritted out, trying not to whine when he swiped an alcohol pad over my hand.
Bending his head again, he blew on the sting. “If you want to work so badly, come to the office and intern with my clerk. It will be more useful for your education, and you can put it on your law school applications.”
“Great idea!” Mom gushed before I could turn down the offer.
Extracting a bandage from the box, she handed it to Judge so he could put it on me after smearing a little ointment on the pad. “Honey, I have the house covered even with Patricia on vacation. To be honest, I didn’t really need your help this summer. I was just looking for an excuse to have you come home. I’ve missed you so much.”
“Mom—”
“Don’t argue with your mother,” Judge admonished, smoothing his thumb over the adhesive to make sure it was secure. I tried not to notice when his touch lingered. “Get changed and come to my office. I’ll let my staff know to expect you. At lunch, I will get you settled.”
“Fine,” I huffed.
“Don’t be so ungrateful, Ellianna,” my mom chided. “This is a great opportunity. “
Judge smirked down at me. Seeing the predatory gleam in his eyes, I tried not to shiver. “I’ll send my driver back to pick you up.”
Chapter 23
Judge
“Objection,” the prosecutor said, getting to her feet. “Leading the witness.”
Inhaling slowly, I tried to hide my irritation that I still had half an hour until lunch. I’d had to go straight into court as soon as I got to work. I had a strict no-phones policy in my courtroom, so I couldn’t just pull mine out and text Ellianna to see if she’d gotten to my office yet and was settling in.
That was the fifth objection in as many minutes, and rightfully so. They weren’t novices, but some judges would let a lawyer get away with certain things if they played dumb. I wasn’t one of them.
“Sustained,” I gritted out, telegraphing my dissatisfaction with a look at the defense counselor.
“But, Your Honor—” The man tried to argue at my ruling.
“Sustained,” I repeated, cutting him off before he could make some kind of stupid excuse and piss me off. Sometimes it was work to remain impartial, but I did it. No one could question my judgments, even if they’d tried on appeal plenty of times. I’d never had a ruling overturned. “Next question.”
Ten questions, three more objections, and thirty-six minutes later, I called recess for lunch and stood. Without waiting for my bailiff, I left the courtroom through my private door. Trying not to sprint down the corridor to my office, I kept my strides even until I reached the door.