To take her mind off the situation with Justin, she focused on learning as much as she could about the appellate court judge. Nakia left the office after advising Justine’s secretary that she was spending the rest of the afternoon in the library. She knew that the secretary assumed that she meant the extensive law library at the firm, but Nakia didn’t correct her assumption. She grabbed her gym bag from her desk, slipped into the lady’s room, and came back out a few moments later unrecognizable to her coworkers. Her disguises were always appropriate to the task at hand, and today she needed the judge and his people to think that she was a vagrant. It was amazing the things that people did and said around a homeless person.
Chapter Six
Almost a week later, Nakia had an extensive dossier on the judge, and she knew this was about to get ugly, real fast.
“Where did you get this?”
“Does it matter?” Nakia hesitated because she’d never gotten that question from Justin before.
He continued reading the file. “I wouldn’t ask if it didn’t. Our investigative team would’ve warned us that they were going into mob territory.”
“Mob?” Nakia squeaked.
“Yeah, mob. Who did you think Baldacci was?” He looked up at her then. “Tell me that you didn’t go into these places.”
“I didn’t go into those places,” she repeated obediently.
He was quiet for a long time before muttering under his breath.
“No one saw me! I don’t understand why you’re not happy about the information I found. The judge will be finished if this information gets out there.”
“I don’t ever want you to put herself in danger like this again. I can’t put you in danger again.”
His voice was low and urgent. If she weren’t sitting so close to him, she wouldn’t have heard him.
“This isn’t your fault.”
“Colt and I will deal with this going forward.” He ignored her statement. “No one else in the firm needs to risk their lives.”
“What about Linda and her children?”
“Don’t worry, we’ll get Linda and the kids secured before moving on the judge. You’ll be working on the acquisitions with Sandra for the next few weeks.”
“But—”
“Nakia, this is not up for debate.”
“Jay, don’t do this to me. I can take care of myself. Please don’t exclude me on this.”
“Do you understand how much danger you’d be in if Baldacci or this judge find you snooping around their little project? This isn’t fun and games. These guys are fuckin’ dangerous.”
“I know how to be careful, and I never go into those places as myself.”
“Don’t say another word! My God, you’re scaring the crap out of me right now. I don’t know whether to lock your ass up or spank you!”
“Well, since you’re my boss and not my man, the worse you can do is fire me.”
“So, you think I need a label in order to keep you safe? Or to care about you?”
“No, but I need a label. I don’t know where I stand with you. One minute you’re my overbearing boss, and then the next, you’re acting like my man. Make up your damn mind, Jay.”
“Nakia—”
“No, Jay, I get it. And I’m sorry, but I must be difficult about this. I want to help bring these guys down.”
“Don’t. You want a fuckin’ label? As your boss, I’m telling you to work with Sandra.”
“What if I want to work with Robert?” Nakia knew she was playing with fire now. Robert made no secret that he was into her. In fact, he made it a point to come to the gym whenever Nakia was there. And because everyone thought that Justin was simply being an overprotective boss, he ignored Justin’s presence and flirted outrageously with her.
“I’m not fuckin’ around, Nakia. Don’t mess with the mob, and for damn sure stay the fuck away from Robert.”
“Anything else you’d like to dictate in my life?” She didn’t try to hide her irritation.
“As long as you’re alive and safe, I’m good. Colt and I will bring them down, I assure you.”
She tried to retrieve her file from his desk, but he picked it up and held it away from her.
“I’m going to hold on to this because you won’t be needing it anymore.”
“That’s mine, give it back.” She moved around his desk and advanced on him.
He held the file in one hand behind his chair and held his other palm out to keep her at a distance.
“I don’t see why you need my file.” She was getting more pissed by the second. Knowing that he wouldn’t want to touch her, she threw herself on him and tried reaching for the file.
Justin laughed, and then he groaned as she was practically draped over his lap and chest. “Are you serious? You’re not getting this file, so behave.”
To his credit, Justin still didn’t touch her, not even to push her away.
Nakia ignored him and kept trying to reach for the file. Unfortunately, her fitted pencil skirt rode up her thighs as she straddled him, and her breasts were crusted against his chest. She refused to give up and, instead, wiggled and twisted trying to get the file from his hand. Despite his throaty, “For God’s sake, Nakia,” she didn’t stop until his large palm gripped her ass tightly and he muttered harshly, “Stop!”
Only then did she realize that her hips were provocatively aligned to his steely, pulsing shaft. Her breath hitched with a need she hadn’t realized she’d been stoking. Already she was throbbing and wet. Her nipples were beading, stabbing into his broad chest.
“Shit,” she hissed. “I’m sorry.” She was saying it, but she didn’t stop slowly rolling her hips to abrade against the hardness wedged between her thighs. He felt too damn good against her sensitive flesh for her to resist. “I know I should move, but I don’t seem to have the energy in my legs to stand.”
“You’re killing me, Nakia.”
“I’m still pissed with you, Jay,” she murmured throatily, trying her best not to melt against him with his palm on her ass. “You’re so damn frustrating.” She didn’t want him to know that she was frustrated with more than his taking her off the judge’s case.
He tightened his palm on her, and they both moaned at the more explicit contact.
“This can’t…” he started and then hissed as she reached up and melded her lips with his.
A kiss, which, though started with a simple meeting of the lips, quickly eviscerated every thought in her head and detonated every nerve ending in her body. She curled her fingers in the short strands of his hair and angled her head to deepen the kiss.
Justin pulled her tighter against him and kissed her as though starved. And just as fast as the kiss started, he ended it by wrenching his lips from hers. “Don’t,” he whispered hoarsely when she tried reaching for him again. Clasping her at the waist, he lifted her off his lap.