Legal Briefs (Lawyers in Love)

Praise for The Law of Attraction

“Between the characters’ banter, the preposterous “fixes” that Gabrielle manages to coax her best
friend Jess into, and the underlying theme of a blossoming romance that I was completely and utterly
pulling for, my verdict is that there is clear and convincing evidence that “The Law of Attraction” is
THE stand-out romantic comedy of 2013! I cannot wait for the sequel.” ~ Cindy Meyer of The Book
Enthusiast

“This book is laugh out loud funny. Fans of Janet Evanovich will get a kick out of this book. There is
sweetness and steam and a whole lot of I Love Lucy moments. I cannot wait for the conclusion in The
Home Court Advantage.” ~Donna Antonio of In My Humble Opinion

“The banter in and out of the court room was hilarious and the sexual tension was just there. They
only part that I didn’t like was “it ended”. I wanted MORE.” ~Mayas of Reading by the Book

“The Law of Attraction’ has it all - romance, hot sexxx, humor, a sex ring scandal, and great friends!
A great read and a must add to your to read list. We can’t wait to read Part II. N.M. Silber has
definitely been added to our Must Read Authors List! Absolutely loved the book!” ~556 Book Chicks

“The characters were loveable and you just want to see them get what they want. Once I started
reading I could not stop and ended up reading it in one sitting.” ~Joy Whiteside of Book 2 Book

“If you like to read a book that has a fun love story with lots of humor (who doesn’t?) then you NEED
to read this book!” ~Angela’s Smexy Book Reviews

“The Law of Attraction has more to it than just humor and sex, it also has some mystery to it as well.
Even now thinking back while typing this has me snorting at parts of the book.” ~My Secret Romance
Book Reviews

“I am pretty impressed by what I have seen so far and I can’t wait until the second book is available.
The Law of Attraction has some great lol moments and stars a very sweet and fun couple.” ~Fiction
Vixen

“I LOVED this book. Hardcore, super duper, would recommend it to anyone, marking it as a favorite
kind of love. It’s cute, adorable, lovely, sexy, panty-melting, heart-warming, laugh-out-loud
goodness.” ~Angie Lynch of Smut Book Club

“Gabrielle is the type of heroine I like to read; she’s funny, sweet, devoted to her friends and her
crazy family. Braden is charming, hot and boy when they tear up the sheets I needed a fan to cool me
off. They were H-O-T!!” ~Rachel from We Love Kink

“This book was laugh-out-loud funny, sexy, and there was even some mystery and suspense. With a

Praise for The Home Court Advantage

“This is a MUST read.” ~Mayas Sanders, Reading by the Book

“They’re sexy as hell and the crazy antics are laugh out loud funny.” ~Lori Lockie, 50 Shades of
Gabriel’s Crossfire Unscripted Destiny Book Club

“It was one of those books that I couldn’t read in public because I never knew if I would be biting my
lip from the sexy scenes or rolling around on the ground laughing.” ~ Tricia Santos, Romance Addict

“Make some popcorn, grab your favorite beverage, and settle in for an entertaining read that will
leave you wiping away tears of laughter (and even a little tenderness) to the very end.” ~Cindy
Meyer, The Book Enthusiast

“Author N.M. Silber knocked it out of the park again! This book is not only hot but hilarious with a
side of drama.” ~ i love lady porn

“Much like the first book, The Law of Attraction, The Home Court Advantage has funny stories of
Gabrielle and Braden going head-to-head in the courtroom, which really make for some good sexual
tension build-up.” ~Angie Lynch, Smut Book Club

“Braden and Gabby are quite the dynamic duo in and out of the court room and their friends make
them even better. I can’t wait for the next installment in this series!” ~Michele, Dirty Hoe’s Book
Blog

“I loved this book. I loved everything about it. I love the characters. It is an amazingly fantastic book.
There is nothing about this book I didn’t like. You have to add this to your “TBR” list.”
~Purpinkroses Book Corner

“The book moved along at an amazing pace, you cannot help but fall in love with the characters and
had a very entertaining story that will keep you interested from the very beginning till you get to the
last word on the last page.” ~Joy Whiteside, Book2Book

“The sweet side of their relationship and love life continued to mix with the hot and heavy, and that
created just the right environment to keep my attention and the pace progressing.” ~Jenny, Book
Sojourner

“Ms. Silber writes one hell of a romance. If you were lucky enough to read the first book then you’ll

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This book contains material protected under International and Federal
Copyright Laws and Treaties. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited. No part
of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical,
including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without
express written permission from the author / publisher.

Mendelssohn Levy Publishing

Philadelphia

http://mendlevypub.com/

First Mendelssohn Levy eBook Edition April, 2014

First Mendelssohn Levy trade paperback edition, April, 2014

Content Editing by:

Julie Lindy

Third Eye Editing

www.editingforindies.com

https://www.facebook.com/thirdeyeediting

JulieLindyEditor@gmail.com

Copy and Line Editing by:

Julie Roberts

Plain English Editing Services

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isillote1@gmail.com

Formatting by:

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NOTICE: This is an adult contemporary romance novel and contains explicit descriptions of
sexual acts and mature language. It is intended for readers over the age of eighteen.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are products of the
author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or
persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Silber, N.M.
Legal Briefs / N.M. Silber – 1st edition
ISBN 978-0-9895984-6-0 eBook edition
ISBN 978-0-9895984-5-3 Print edition

Prologue

September – Bucks County, PA

Six people out in the woods … How would I do him in, bear trap, falling tree, maybe killer bees? I
imagined a few different scenarios to amuse myself. I was a writer, in a cabin that would be a great
setting for a mystery novel, lying awake in bed in the middle of the night. My friends, Jess and
Cameron, were done with their happy couple sex in the bedroom next to mine, but an hour later, I was
still staring at the ceiling. It’s not that the bed wasn’t comfy or the room cozy. The sheets were soft
and the down comforter was warm. The whole place smelled like pine trees and apples. It was his
fault I couldn’t sleep.

Braden, one of his closest friends, and Gabrielle, one of mine, were planning to get married.

Adam Roth and I were going to be stuck with each other until death did us part, and it just might be a
violent death for one of us. It wasn’t our mutual animosity keeping me awake, though, but rather
something much more disturbing. For reasons I couldn’t begin to fathom, since the summer, I had
actually been intensely, physically attracted to the bastard, and sensing it like only a seasoned player
could, he had decided to amuse himself with me.

I sat up and punched my pillow a few times again, lying back down and turning on to one side and

then the other, kicking the sheets and blankets around restlessly. One thing I did know, was that I was
never going to fall asleep just lying here thinking, so I decided to get up and go look for a book in the
living room. There was a shelf full of them there. I should be able to find something to distract myself.

I had forgotten to pack a robe, and I was only wearing a short satin button-down nightshirt, but I

figured everyone was asleep by this time anyway. I just slid on my slippers and crept down the hall. It
was a little chillier out there, and I wrapped my arms around myself to keep warm. I saw a dim light
ahead  and  heard  a  crackle  and  snap.  As  I  entered  the  room  I  smelled  the  wood  smoke  from  the
fireplace  which  was  still  smoldering.  The  room  was  in  shadow,  but  the  fire  created  just  enough
illumination  for  me  to  see.  I  went  over  to  the  bookshelf  and  started  browsing,  when  a  voice  from
behind me caused the hair to stand up on my arms and gave me adrenaline-induced pins and needles
down the back of my neck.

“Couldn’t stay away from me, Adler?” Adam asked, sounding a little drunk. I spun around and

saw him sitting in the semi-darkness, still fully dressed, and holding a glass of scotch in his hand. My
stomach fluttered and I could feel my heart starting to pound.

“Jesus! You scared me, Roth. What are you doing up?” I asked in a shaky voice, expelling a heavy

breath and pulling another one in. I hugged myself tighter.

“It’s no fun listening to Braden get laid.” His voice was smooth and seductive, nothing like the

sarcastic tone he usually adopted when speaking to me.

“Yeah, Cam and Jess were tearing up the sheets too, although they’re finally done.” I turned back

toward the shelf, trying to ignore the powerful desire to go over and touch him. I wanted to touch him
all the time now when I saw him, and I had never been a touchy-feely person.

“I guess that just leaves us, Adler,” he said in a sultry voice and I turned back around slowly,

giving him an incredulous look.

“You must be kidding, Roth. We can barely tolerate each other.”

“We had a moment this summer.”
“After drinking too much alcohol while sitting in the sun.”
He got up from the sofa where he was reclining, put his drink down, and began walking toward me

slowly. My stomach flipped over and my heart started really slamming in my chest but I stood still
and didn’t look away. He stopped inches away, and leaned an arm against the bookshelf behind me. I
swallowed hard. He was so close I could feel the heat from his body.

“The way I remember it was that I said I was going in for a nap and a few minutes later, you came

inside too. My door was open and I saw you in the hall. You were wearing that sexy little pink bikini
and your hair was still damp.” His eyes dropped to my body and traveled slowly downward.

“I remember, Adam, okay?” I felt my skin starting to flush and I had to concentrate on controlling

my breathing.

“You said, ‘I thought you were napping’,” he went on. “I said, ‘No, you didn’t,’ and you called me

an arrogant asshole.” He paused to give me a lazy, sexy smile. “But you didn’t go into your room,
Lily.”

“We were talking,” I said, fighting to keep my voice steady. I felt that pull again now, the urge to

touch him was so strong, I dug my nails into my sweaty palms so I wouldn’t do it.

“I knew by the look in your eyes how much you wanted me.”
“You’re still an arrogant asshole,” I shot back. There was more desperation than anger in my

voice, though. I felt out of control, like I was plummeting off the side of a cliff. I wanted to give in to
my desire so much that I was starting to tremble.

“And you could tell how much I wanted you too.” His eyes went to my lips, which were slightly

parted as quick little pants escaped them.

“Nothing happened, Adam,” I reminded him in a throaty voice.
“Something happened, Lily. We were about two seconds away from fucking each other

unconscious, when Gabrielle came up the steps.”

He reached out to bury his fingers in my hair and tilt my head back further, pulling me toward him

and lowering his mouth toward mine. I closed my eyes, feeling hot and dizzy. I felt his warm breath
on me and smelled Scotch as I parted my lips further in anticipation, waiting and wanting to taste it
too.

Suddenly, there was a sound out on the deck …

Chapter One

November - Philadelphia

“What are you thinking about while you’re pretending to listen to me?” My friend Bruce’s comment
snapped me out of my reverie. The lights and pounding music of the club had combined with the
alcohol to make my head feel a little fuzzy and I had let my thoughts wander.

“That weekend out in Bucks County when Adam and I wound up chasing after that intruder we

heard out on the deck. It made me paranoid. I keep triple checking my locks now.” That was half true,
at least. I had been thinking about that weekend, but the moment stuck in my head was the one right
before we heard something out on the deck, the one when Adam had almost kissed me.

“It’s not a bad idea in your case. Tell me again why you live in the ghetto,” Bruce said, being his

usual snarky self.

“Because a law librarian’s salary isn’t much to live on already, and I have the added cost of

publishing my own books. At least the erotic romance novels are selling well.”

“You don’t think your parents would help you out if they knew you were living there?”
“They want me to use my law degree to be a lawyer, not a law librarian and part-time smut

peddler. They’re really into ‘tough love,’ especially the tough part. Let’s talk about something nicer,
which would be just about anything.”

“Okay, thinking about your boy again, huh? What’s it been, a month now since you’ve seen him?”

he asked. I sighed and rolled my eyes. Except for that.

“Yeah, I saw him at Gabrielle and Braden’s wedding, but we didn’t talk. It’s for the best. I should

just forget about it. We probably couldn’t even handle hooking up. We’d fight over who got to be on
top.”

“You’re not going to forget about it. Don’t think I haven’t noticed that the main characters in your

latest novel, Touch, were a tall, dark and handsome guy and a curvy, brunette with big brown eyes. I
wonder who that could be.”

“There are lots of people who fit that description.”
“That’s just the beginning of the similarities. You want me to go on? It doesn’t take Freud to figure

it out, sweetie.”

“So maybe I based one of my erotic novels on my own sexual fantasies. It doesn’t mean I should

try to make them reality. This attraction is just physical, and it will pass. Eventually.”

“Whatever you say. Speaking of hot guys, check out that cutie on the dance floor. He knows how to

move. He’s probably great in bed.”

“Does Jason know you check out other guys?”
“We’ve been together for seven years, Lil. He knows who I come home to every night.”

“Is that true about dancing?” I asked. “That guys who can dance are good in bed?”
“Think about it, rhythm, hip movement …”
Hmm, I could use some rhythm and hip movement. I hadn’t had sex in a couple of months. The guys

I had been dating were nice, but I wanted someone who stirred something up in me. I snorted to
myself when I thought about that observation. I should just sleep with Adam. He certainly stirred
something up. Usually, it was fury.

As if my thinking about him had caused him to appear, when I was on my second Apple Martini,

Bruce’s gaze became riveted by something over my left shoulder.

“Uh oh,” he mouthed.
“Uh oh what?” I asked, nervously. Anything that followed “uh oh” couldn’t be good.
“Your boy is here.”
“What’s he doing?” I asked, pretty sure I didn’t want to know, and unwilling to be caught looking.
“I don’t think you want to know,” he answered, confirming my suspicions.
“Wonderful.”
I slurped my drink and began planning my escape. I knew why Adam came to these places and the

last thing I wanted to see was him picking up some other woman, but I didn’t want him to see me
sneaking out either. God, I missed the days when we just hated each other. I sloshed down even more
alcohol. If I couldn’t make it out of here, maybe I would be lucky enough to have a blackout.

“Interesting…” Bruce said, apparently analyzing whatever Adam was doing. I was tempted to

look, but I told myself not to do it. I wanted to know, though. I had to admit Bruce was usually on
target with his observations.

“Tell me,” I said resignedly. “It’s better that I hear it. It’ll help me regain my sanity.”
“Some blonde’s hanging all over him. She’s practically shoving her tits in his face.”
“What’s so interesting about that?” I asked, wondering if I had done something awful in a past life

to deserve this.

“He keeps looking around like he wants to leave, but she keeps putting her hand in his lap. She

may actually be rubbing his dick. I guess that’s one way to get his attention.”

“Classy,” I said, feeling my stomach starting to roil. “I’m the one who wants to leave.”
“Not yet you don’t, sister! Come on!”
“Come on where?”
“To the dance floor, of course!”
He yanked me out of my seat and I followed along obediently, although I really couldn’t tell you

why I did. Bruce just had a way of compelling me to do things. The pounding music was starting to
give me a pounding headache and I had a feeling that if any more lights flashed in my eyes I might go
blind. I really wasn’t in the mood to shake my booty, but Bruce wasn’t going to take no for an answer.
As soon as we got out onto the floor, he started channeling his inner boy band, busting out all of his
fanciest moves.

“What are you auditioning for?” I shouted at him over the music.
“One of us has to catch your boy’s attention and you’re moving like you’re in a body cast,” he

shouted back, swiveling his hips like Elvis in the early days. “It’s too bad Jason was on call tonight.
If he were here, we could have gotten really raunchy.”

“I don’t know that having a threesome under the disco ball would exactly set me apart from his

current companion.”

“She’s not his companion anymore. He must have ditched her. He’s sitting by himself.”
“Are you sure that she’s not just blowing him under the table?”
“I just love your girlish charm,” he yelled back at me.
“I feel the same way about you,” I responded. Hearing that he had changed his mind about his little

friend cheered me up and I found myself loosening up a bit. At least I could probably get out of there
before he found one he liked better. Now, if I could just get Bruce Travolta to leave the dance floor.

“I think you have an admirer,” Bruce shouted a few minutes later.
“I have many admirers,” I joked.
“This one is a tall, dark and handsome prosecutor.” Suddenly, he backed up and practically

doubled over laughing.

“Are you choking on something? Because I don’t remember any of that Heimlich shit from Girl

Scouts.” He punched me in the shoulder, still laughing hysterically. “Ouch! What the fuck is wrong
with you?”

“Come on, Lil. Will you try to look like you’re having some fun, for Christ’s sake?” he

shouted/growled through his self-induced mirth. He grabbed my hand and spun me around twice. Not
a great idea after two rapidly consumed apple martinis. I wound up facing the other way, and when
the room stopped spinning too, I looked up and saw Adam reclining in a chair at a table not far from
where we were, with an amused look on his face. He smiled and waved. I furrowed my brows and
Bruce yanked me back around, nearly dislocating my shoulder in the process.

“Why didn’t you wave back?” he demanded with a maniacal smile. He was so intent on looking

like he was having a blast that he was now dancing like a muppet.

“Because he’s laughing at me. Will you stop that? You look like you’re having a spasm.

Someone’s going to call the paramedics.”

“He’s not laughing at you. Well, maybe a little, but not in a mean way. More in a ‘she’s pretty

adorable’ way. I’m telling you.”

“I’m not adorable,” I said, feeling unreasonably irritated. “Chipmunks are adorable. I’m

empowered.” You keep telling yourself that, Lily, I thought.

The truth was that while Adam might be laughing at Bruce, he probably wasn’t laughing at me.

Jason, who had put himself through college as a Chippendale’s dancer, had been teaching me all
kinds of sexy moves, and I could seriously shake my pom-poms when I wanted to. At the moment, I
was doing things with my hips that would have made Shakira jealous.

“Since you’re so liberated, I guess you don’t care that he’s seriously checking you out now!”

Bruce the muppet yelled, while executing a move that looked kind of like those double axels that ice
skaters did.

“What do you mean, seriously? Not that it matters!”
“I’ll give you ten to one that he’s picturing you naked underneath him moving like that.”
“He probably pictures every woman that way,” I said dismissively, while my less-empowered,

inner-girlie girl secretly beamed.

“Not if that other chick was any indication. She was practically jerking him off, but he looked like

he was thinking about what socks to wear tomorrow. I think you’re making him hard from thirty feet
away, though.”

“Maybe he’ll give the blonde a second chance to service him in the men’s room.”
I was starting to enjoy the idea that Adam was watching me move, and I began to let Bruce engage

me more so that he could stop throwing himself all over the floor like a death scene in a silent movie.
Seeing that I was loosening up, he changed tactics and began saying hilariously obscene things about
the other patrons of the club around us. By the next song, I was a bit sweaty, but laughing and dancing
in a fun flirtatious way with Bruce who, thank God, had finally started acting like a normal human
being again.

“After this song, we’ll walk back to our table past him!” he shouted. “Stop and say ‘hi’ and try not

to look like you’re having a colonoscopy.”

The song ended and Bruce started fanning himself like a Southern Belle and acting more

effeminate than I had ever seen him act before. Ever. Give me a break! This performance deserved an
Academy Award. He practically skipped off the dance floor. So much for normal. I sighed, steeled
my nerves and walked in Adam’s direction.

“Lily, fancy meeting you here,” Adam shouted with a smile. I tried to figure out if there was an

insult in there somewhere. Maybe I hadn’t heard him well enough.

“You’re not going to call me Lilith like you usually do?” I asked suspiciously. Adam was fond of

calling by the name of the mythical queen of the demons.

“Feeling succubus-like this evening?”
“Perhaps some other time,” I yelled back and he actually laughed.
“Hello! We haven’t formally met but I’ve seen you in the library. I’m Bruce,” Bruce said, holding

his hand out to Adam like he expected him to kiss it. “Lily is keeping me company while my partner,
Jason, is on call at the hospital.”

“In case you didn’t catch that, Bruce was telling you that he’s gay. I wouldn’t get your hopes up,

though, because he and Jason are a very happy couple.”

Bruce scowled at me and then rolled his eyes. “Would it kill you to be a little friendlier, Lil?” he

demanded, putting his hands on his hips and giving me a pouty face. Suddenly he was Bette Davis. I
had never seen him act like this before. Where was he getting this shit?

“What?” I sputtered, feeling appalled. “If you think that wasn’t friendly you should hear the things

he’s said to me!”

“Well, he didn’t say any of them tonight. I think you should apologize.” My mouth literally popped

open, but Bruce just continued to give me his most reproving look. I sighed.

“I’m sorry I was unfriendly,” I shouted. I mentioned how Bruce could compel me to do things,

right? Sometimes I wondered if he had mind control powers.

“I accept your apology,” Adam answered, looking like he was trying not to laugh. I wondered if

the busses were still running so I could throw myself under one. Bruce took his cell out of his pocket
and read a text message.

“Oh shit! Jason got called in and I have his keys. I have to run. Let me call you a cab.”
“It’s okay. I can call one.”
“I’ll take you home,” Adam cut in. I looked at him in shock. Bruce looked at him with glee and

beat it out of there so fast he practically left a dust cloud in his path. He was gone before he could say
“beep beep.” Adam was taking me home. Oh God.

Chapter Two

I wasn’t really sure what to do next. Was I supposed to return to my table and track him down again
later when I wanted to leave? Should I join him at his table? What if his blonde was just in the
bathroom or something?

His eyes slid down my body and that same, not-so-liberated, inner part of me clapped with glee

that I had decided to make an effort to look good that night. And I did look good, damn it, not at all
like the mousy librarian Adam saw me as. I had on black form-fitting pants that flattered my figure,
tucked into black high-heeled boots and paired with a scoop-necked knit top in a deep shade of
purple that I liked. I didn’t shrink back at all under his gaze. In fact, I cocked an eyebrow and gave
him my best smirk.

“See something you like?” I asked sarcastically.
“I don’t know. Your clothes are in the way. Why don’t you sit down and join me, or would you

rather stand there all night?” he shouted. He was dressed in an olive button down and black trousers,
looking much too sexy. I tried not to think about how much I wanted to run my tongue along the stubble
on his jaw.

“I thought that maybe your companion would be returning,” I answered, hiding my desire behind

an unfriendly look. Bruce wasn’t here to take his side anymore.

“Who?” he asked.
“Your friend, the blonde dairy state.”
“Oh, her? She wasn’t my companion. Although she would have liked to have been,” he replied and

smiled smugly, looking back up to meet my eyes again. I wanted to kick him.

“Well, I don’t want to get in the way of whoever the lucky lady may be,” I retorted but I sat down

next to him anyway.

“Be nice to me and maybe you’ll get lucky,” he shot back. The look of fury on my face must have

amused him because he burst out laughing. Well, if I wanted someone who created a reaction in me, I
certainly got my wish.

“You’re too good to me, Adam,” I said dryly.
He took me by surprise by leaning in close to me and speaking directly into my ear. As I inhaled

deeply, I knew I would be buying some Acqua Di Gio to spray on my pillow for those moments of
personal exploration with my big girl toys.

“Do you want me to be good to you, baby? Because I could make you feel really good.”
The bastard was obviously going to amuse himself by trying to get me all flustered. His breath felt

warm  against  my  neck,  and  it  sent  shivers  down  my  spine,  but  I  concentrated  hard  on  keeping  my
breathing  steady.  He  pulled  back  and  I  saw  that  he  was  watching  me  very  closely.  Even  though  I
could  feel  the  heat  in  my  face,  I  wasn’t  going  to  give  him  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  how  he  was

affecting me, so I steadied my nerves and leaned in to answer him in exactly the same way.

“You’re such a player, Adam. I’ll bet that line works with all the little club girls, doesn’t it?” I

taunted in a throaty voice.

I made sure that my lips grazed his ear as I pulled back, looking him directly in the eye. He wasn’t

the only one who could break out some sexy. I knew it was probably a very unwise decision, but this
was an example of his bad effect on my good judgment.

I could see desire in his expression and I knew that I had gotten to him. Our gazes locked for a

moment or two, neither one of us willing to back down and look away. Then he leaned in again, and
this time, he also placed his hand lightly on my thigh. I felt the warmth through the fabric of my pants,
and my muscles immediately tensed up. By now, my heart was beating in time with the fast dance
music.

“Maybe I should challenge myself more.” He didn’t pull back like he had before. Instead, he

waited there for me to respond. I turned my head slightly so that I could oblige him.

“Why start now?” I was so close, I was sure that he could feel me smile. He moved his head

slightly in response and the stubble on his jaw rubbed against my cheek, making me shiver again.
Obviously, he noticed.

“Are you cold, Lily? I could warm you up,” he said seductively, brushing his soft lips over the

skin that his beard had just made tingle. My breath caught and I swallowed hard as his fingers began
gently stroking my thigh.

I was preparing a snarky comeback when I sensed movement beside me. I sat back and looked

over at Mark Patterson from the Defender Association, who was at that moment sitting down next to
us and placing a beer down on the table.

He was a very sexy guy too, with a little bit of edginess, a naughty boy charm and gorgeous gray

eyes. Supposedly, he was a really good lawyer, one of those public defenders who really believed in
what he was doing. If he weren’t one of Adam’s closest friends, I would be tempted to flirt with him
myself. I certainly wouldn’t have kicked him out of bed.

“Don’t let me interrupt,” he said, looking absolutely cheerful as he leaned back in his chair and

raked a hand through his light brown hair.

“But yet, there you sit interrupting,” Adam replied sarcastically. Mark laughed and took a swig of

his beer. He didn’t look like he was planning to leave, which was fine by me.

“You’re not interrupting,” I replied as I removed Adam’s hand from my leg.
“So, Lily, how’s the writing been coming along?” Mark asked with a smile.
“It’s been great. I finished up another legal thriller and I recently published an erotic romance

that’s been doing really well.”

“Well I’d be happy to help you with research.” Was he flirting with me?
“For the courtroom scenes, of course,” Adam said sarcastically.
“Of course,” Mark agreed.
I looked from one to the other suspiciously. I didn’t quite understand what was going on here, so I

decided to take control of the conversation by changing the subject.

“The friend who gave me a ride here had to go take his partner to work, so Adam offered to drive

me home, but I was about to tell him that I could take a cab. You wouldn’t want to be at my place at
night,” I added, looking at Adam.

“Why not? Do you steal the covers?” It was Mark who responded, and there was no missing the

flirtatious tone of his voice this time.

I sensed Adam tense up beside me. What in the hell was all of this about, I wondered? It felt like

they were competing over me, but I couldn’t picture either one of them caring that much. After all,
there were at least a dozen women there who would be willing to fall to their knees for them at a
moment’s notice.

“I meant you wouldn’t want to be driving near my apartment. I live in Newbold, but close to Point

Breeze,” I answered. “He’s probably put some of my neighbors in jail and you’ve probably gotten a
few out.”

“I live in South Philly too, in Bella Vista,” Mark said. “I could give you a ride.” I watched as he

gave Adam an almost wicked grin.

“You do?” I asked, surprised.
“So do I, in Queen Village,” Adam cut in, giving Mark a very unhappy look. “And I feel like

getting out of here anyway, as opposed to Mark, who seems to be enjoying himself.”

“Adam’s obviously very concerned about me having fun,” Mark said with barely contained mirth.

Adam glared back, clearly not amused.

“Uh, okay, then,” I said looking at them both strangely. “Thanks, I guess. My back is starting to hurt

from dancing in these heels.”

I stood up to stretch, arched my back and rubbed my neck to try to get the kink out. I sighed and

looked down to find Adam was watching me intently. Mark, in turn, was watching Adam with a
highly amused grin.

“You know, Lily, I’ll even bet that Adam would be nice enough to rub your back for you if you

wanted him to.”

“He’s already reached his quota of nice by giving me a ride. Why are you being so nice to me

anyway?” I asked suspiciously.

“Our friends are married to each other now. We should try to be friendly.”
“Fine, you show me your friendly and I’ll show you mine,” I said cynically. “I’m ready to go

whenever you are.” Adam stood up and threw some money down on the table.

“We’ll talk tomorrow,” he said, smiling at Mark.
“I’m sure we will.” Mark laughed. “Bye, Lily.” He gave me that cute naughty smile again. Funny

how both of them were ladykillers but so different in their approaches. I just nodded and smiled back.

“Come on, let’s get your coat,” Adam said, throwing Mark one last irritable glance.
As we left and walked down the hallway toward the coat check, he placed his hand lightly on my

lower back. It was a perfectly innocent gesture, but it sent a bolt of electricity coursing through me,
making me jump and breathe in sharply as goose bumps formed on my arms.

“I’m sorry. My back is just sensitive,” I explained sheepishly.
“It’s that sore?” he asked, almost looking concerned.
“Not sensitive bad,” I explained, feeling even more embarrassed. “Sensitive good.” I looked away

so that he wouldn’t see me blush. Why in the hell did I always blush so much with him? I wrote dirty
books, for crying out loud. Nobody else made me blush.

“I see,” he said, and put his hand on my back again, this time trailing his fingers up and down my

spine as we kept walking. I stared straight ahead, doing my best to hide the fact that he was getting me
excited. Bastard.

He led me to his car, a nice little Saab convertible, and held the door open for me. I tried not to

swallow hard or breathe too quickly as he slid into the driver’s seat next to me. It was completely
ridiculous that lately his proximity would affect me so much. We had known each other since we
were four! This was Adam! I could smell his cologne again and I was becoming a big fan of Giorgio
Armani.

I told him my address, trying to sound calm and cool, and he pulled out into traffic. The engine

purred and the dashboard looked like it belonged in a 747. The music came on and I was amused to
hear Pitbull singing Mr. Right Now. It occurred to me for the first time that Adam had good taste. He
was obviously financially comfortable these days too, driving a nice car and living in the best
neighborhood in South Philly. Oh well, I was suffering for my art.

I snuck a few looks at him as we rode in silence for several minutes listening to music. He had

grown up from being one of the cutest boys in my class, to being devastatingly handsome. His hair
was such a dark brown it was almost black, and even though it was cut short, it had a slight curl to it.
He had eyes like warm chocolate and his dark lashes and eyebrows showcased them perfectly. I was
especially fascinated with that light stubble he always seemed to have on his chin. I imagined that it
appeared five minutes after he shaved. I realized then that I had been subconsciously rubbing my
cheek, and I clutched onto my seat. It didn’t make any sense that I could feel such a strong physical
desire for someone who aggravated the hell out of me, but I had given up on trying to make sense of it.

“Why didn’t you just move in with Jessica when Gabrielle and Braden got married?” he asked

finally, after we had been riding in silence for several minutes.

“Her lease is up at the end of the month and she’s moving in with Cameron.”
“Why don’t you have a boyfriend to move in with? You’re good-looking.” I noted vaguely that he

had just complimented me, possibly for the first time ever.

“Thanks, but I’m not going to date somebody just for a place to live. I want to be with someone

who makes me feel something,” I glanced over at him. I was just about to ask him why he cared when
we pulled on to my block.

“Which building is yours?”
“Up there on the right.” I pointed and reached down to get my purse off the floor.
“Do your parents know you’re living here?” he asked. I realized the question made sense. We had

grown up together and he knew that my parents could afford to help me out.

“They figure that if I want to follow some pipe dream of being an author, I should finance it

myself.” I tried not to sound too bitter, but I’m not sure I succeeded.

“I see,” he replied, and thankfully let it go. He parked and shut off the engine.
I looked up and down the sidewalk nervously. I knew there had been some robberies in the area

recently. I could make it to my building’s outer entrance from here in about five seconds. Getting it
open might take five minutes, though, unfortunately. It was an old apartment building and the lock on
the front door was sticking lately.

“You can just drop me off,” I said distractedly, preparing to make the door dash.
“Are you nuts?” He was obviously preparing to walk me in, and as images of Adam in my bed

floated through my mind, it occurred to me that I probably was.

Chapter Three

I looked around quickly, opened the door, and hopped out. Adam was beside me in a second. I tried
to open the front door with my key, but as usual, it stuck and I had to jiggle it while we stood out on
the sidewalk like sitting ducks. At that moment, I was grateful he had stayed with me. Finally, the lock
clicked and we made it into the entry. I got my key for the inner door lock ready, but before I could
insert it, R. Nardo, the guy who lived in the apartment next to me, came bursting through, nearly hitting
me in the face with it. He rushed past and out the front door without a backward glance, let alone an
“excuse me.”

“You’ll have to tell me what charm school you went to,” I called after him.
“Don’t get mouthy with the locals, Lilith. You’ll wind up getting capped and then who’s going to

keep me amused?”

A guy in a ripped green army jacket and knit watch cap came down the stairs. Like most of my

neighbors, I knew his initial and last name from his mailbox, M. Kazinski, but I also knew that people
called him ‘Scratch’ for some reason. At least I had heard people out on the sidewalk call him that. I
was pretty sure that I didn’t want to know why. He looked up, and seeing Adam and me, put his head
back down and pushed past us without a word.

The elevator was broken again, as evidenced by the seemingly permanent ‘Out of Order’ sign. At

least the four flights of stairs kept me in shape. Unfortunately, a light was burned out in the stairwell,
making it pretty creepy. We had just gotten to the second landing when another figure came flying
around the corner. This time it was the guy who lived across the hall from me.

My building was filled with weird people, but U. Hu was probably one of the weirdest. He was a

short Asian man of indeterminate age. He was always dressed head to toe in black and he was always
lurking somewhere or darting around. I often saw him moving large packages and boxes in and out of
his apartment late at night. He sailed down the steps past us, nearly knocking me over in the process.
Adam grabbed me in the nick of time.

“What in the hell was that, a Ninja?” he asked, looking over the railing.
“That was U. Hu, my neighbor,” I said breathlessly, still feeling the pins and needles from the

adrenaline rush.

“You who?”
“The letter U and H-U. That’s what’s on his mailbox, anyway.” As we approached the third floor

the angry voices of the people in apartment 301 traveled down the stairs.

“Yo Regina! You want some kind of friggin’ Prince Charming!”
“Prince Charming? Give me a break, Mario! I would settle for a guy who picked his friggin’

underwear up off the floor!”

“I call them the Sopranos,” I said to Adam as we reached the landing. The door to 302 suddenly

flew open then and I heard a shriek, “Will the two of yous keep it down already?! You’re given’ me a
fuckin’ headache!”

“Donna?” I called.
“Hey, Lil. Is that you, honey?”
I wasn’t really sure how old Donna was, forty, maybe even fifty? Let’s just say she was a bit past

her first bloom, but in her younger days, she had allegedly been a famous beauty and had once held
the coveted title of Miss Philly Cheesesteak. She walked out into the hallway. Donna often had a little
nip in the evenings. Dressed in a pink terrycloth robe with a henna red wig in wild disarray, her
mascara on her cheeks and her lipstick on her chin, she looked like she had been nipping for a while
that night.

“How are you doing, Donna?” I asked, trying to be nice. She was after all, one of the friendliest

neighbors I had. In fact, she was really friendly, especially to men. I had a feeling that’s how she
made a living these days.

“Who’s the cutie pie?” she slurred, leering at Adam.
“This is Adam, my uh …Adam.”
“Well, hello there Adam my Adam,” she said flirtatiously. “Then she turned back to me with a

conspiratorial smile. “I’m glad you finally found yourself a man, honey, and this one looks like he
could make ya holler. Couldn’t you baby?” She winked at Adam and hacked out a three-pack-a-day
cough.

“I’ll make sure she doesn’t holler too loudly.” I turned and gave him a deadly look.
“Ha! Ha! Ha!” she cackled. “He’s funny too. Too bad I got company comin’ or maybe I’d even

come up and join yous!” She wiggled her drawn-on eyebrows suggestively.

“Well, okay then.” I smiled. “Have a good night.” I needed to not picture that. Ever.
“Good night, honey. Make sure he lets you go cowgirl!” I heard her smoker’s cough/laugh echo as

she turned around and returned to her apartment.

“I sure will. Take care,” I called after her. We hadn’t gotten far when I heard the clunk of combat

boots on the stairs and I knew Vixen, the tattoo artist with the nasty disposition, was on her way
home. Just then, the Sopranos started yelling again.

“Hey! Can I get some friggin’ privacy, Mario?”
“Fuckin-A, Regina, why don’t you lock the friggin’ bathroom door?!”
“Hey!” came the shrill scream from the stairs as all five feet of Hurricane Vixen touched down.

She was a real cutie with dreadlocks, her face pierced with about fifty pounds of metal, and more ink
on her body than in the Sunday edition of the New York Times. “Are those two fuckheads fighting
again?”

I didn’t answer. It seemed like a rhetorical question. As we watched, she stormed up to the

Sopranos’ door and banged hard enough to make me wonder if she might put her fist through it. It flew
open and there stood Mario himself, in all of his glory. Dressed in a wife beater t-shirt and greasy
jeans that didn’t quite make it over Mount Beergut, Mario had as much hair on his chest as on his
head.

“Yo! What you want, you nasty twat?!”
“What do you think I want, asshat? Shut the fuck up or I’m callin’ the cops again!”
Mario slammed the door in her face and she kicked it with one combat boot-clad foot, flashing us

her faux leopard-skin G-string in the process. I turned and moved on. I could feel Adam trying not to

laugh behind me as we climbed up the final flight of stairs. When we made it to my floor, I noticed a
light bulb was also out in the hall now.

“Nice ambiance,” Adam commented. “Sets the mood for a mugging perfectly.”
“You’re a prosecutor. You have crime on the brain.”
I noticed movement up ahead, and to my surprise, I saw a tall guy I didn’t recognize opening up the

door to 404, which had been vacant. I hadn’t realized anyone had moved in. He turned around, and
seeing us, he put his head down quickly, opened his door and dove inside, slamming the door behind
him. He would fit in here just fine, I decided.

The door next to his opened and out walked Herb, who was a customer service representative for

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transit Authority, as he liked to inform people on a regular basis.
Herb was short, with glasses, auburn hair and pale skin. He was pretty nondescript other than that, the
kind of guy nobody would notice. I was fairly sure that’s why SEPTA had hired him for customer
service. I’m not sure, but I think Herb had a crush on me.

“Hello, Lily, how are you this evening?” Herb asked with a smile.
“I’m fine, Herb. How are you?”
“Well, the Trenton Line had signal problems and didn’t get on time to coordinate with New Jersey

Transit, so there were some irate customers tonight.”

“Irate customers on SEPTA? When does that ever happen?” I teased.
“Oh! It happens all the time. You would be amazed!”
“I was kidding.”
“Oh, right! Ha!” He snorted. “Is that your boyfriend?”
“Nah, I just picked her up at a club,” Adam answered and I gave him a deadly look.
“Adam and I grew up together,” I said in an acid tone.
“Old friends, then, have a good night!” He turned and went back into his apartment.
I slid my key into the three deadbolts and the lock and let us in, flipping on the lights as we

entered. We had finally run the gauntlet and made it to safety.

“What a fun building!” Adam said, turning to me.
“It’s not that bad,” I said defensively.
“Not that bad? You have to stand out on the street like a target to get the front door open,” he

pointed out. “The elevator is broken and your stairwell is dark. So is your hallway, for that matter,
and this really is a rough area. I just prosecuted a guy for an attempted murder that took place a block
from here.”

“Thanks, Adam. I really appreciate you telling me that. I’ll sleep so much better tonight.”
“I’m not even going to get into your neighbors. It’s going to take some therapy for me to forget

about Donna. Or at least some really good Scotch.”

“Yeah, let’s never talk about that,” I said, grimacing. “Since you’re here, is there anything I can

offer you?”

“Is sex one of my choices?” he asked, looking around.
My apartment wasn’t much, but I liked it and it was spacious for the price. It was filled with

books and vintage furniture from the forties that I had found at various second-hand shops. I imagined
that it had a sort of film noir look, and so the centerpiece was a large reproduction of an old movie
poster from The Big Sleep that I absolutely loved.

“Your choices are coffee or tea,” I answered, taking his coat and hanging it up on a peg next to

mine by the door.

“If that’s your final offer, I’ll take tea.”
“I’m not rushing you, but you may not want to leave your car parked out there too long,” I said, as I

headed into my kitchen to scrounge up some tea bags and put the kettle on.

“The drug dealers around here have fancier rides than that. You don’t have a car?”
“I do. It’s an old beat-up Ford Fiesta, though, so nobody would want to steal it,” I called back,

turning the stove on and filling the kettle.

“Good thinking!” he teased.
“Yeah, okay. When I’m a famous author I’ll buy a new car. Hopefully, then I won’t be living in

…”

“A tenement? War zone? Nuthouse?” he broke in.
“This neighborhood.” With the water set to boil, I returned to the living-room. He was looking at

the pictures hanging on my wall. There weren’t many, just one of Gabrielle and me in law school and
a couple with friends from further back.

“You might as well sit down,” I offered, trying to be polite. It felt very strange to be having tea

together after that intense flirtation earlier, but everything about our relationship was strange these
days. He walked over and sat down in the chair across from the one I had taken.

“No boyfriend, no family around here, no roommate. Don’t you get lonely, Adler?”
“Weren’t you the one who once tried to have me voted, ‘Most Likely to Die Alone’?”
“Oh yeah! I forgot about that.” He laughed. “So, what are you writing now?” he asked, changing

the subject. He was looking off to the corner that I called my ‘writing nook’. It was a little alcove
where my desk and laptop sat surrounded by bookshelves.

“I’m starting another erotic romance novel,” I replied.
“I still can’t believe you write romance novels.”
“Why does it shock you so much that I would be able to come up with a sexy story? Do you think

law librarians don’t have sexual fantasies?” I snapped, exasperated. “I’m a healthy adult woman.”

“You’re also a very challenging woman,” he replied.
“Some men like a challenge.”
“As I said, perhaps I should challenge myself more.” He looked at me intently, and my heart

started hammering again, but I made myself hold his gaze.

“And as I asked, why start now?”
“Why do you think we’ve always fought?” he asked, surprising me. There was something in his

tone of voice that I couldn’t decipher and he had an odd expression on his face.

“Because you licked my Fruit Roll-Up, put paste on my chair and locked me in the boys’ bathroom

on the first day of preschool, you bastard.”

“You started it. You put glitter in my hair, wench, but I’m not talking about that. Like since

puberty, why do you think we’ve always fought?”

“Because I didn’t flirt with you like the other girls did.”
“It wasn’t just that you didn’t flirt. Why did you dislike me so much?”
“Because you were so mean to me.”
“I was mean to you because you disliked me so much. Do you think …?”
The tea kettle began whistling at that moment, interrupting him, and thus providing me with an

excuse to retreat for which I was thankful. This conversation was starting to confuse me. I hopped up

Chapter Four

Unfortunately,  my  reprieve  was  short-lived.  He  followed  along  and  as  I  dug  out  some  tea  bags  he
walked  over  to  stand  behind  me  and  lightly  put  his  hand  at  the  small  of  my  back,  making  me  jump.
“You’re  never  going  to  stop  touching  my  back  now,  are  you?”  I  asked,  trying  not  to  squirm  with
pleasure.

“Only if you ask me to.” He paused for a second. “I don’t hear you asking,” he noted with barely

suppressed laughter.

“What is up with you lately? Aren’t you the same guy who once put Cheese Wiz in my sneaker?” I

asked, preparing some chamomile.

“That was Josh Lieberman.”
“Josh did that?” I asked, turning to face him with surprise. Bad move, he was inches away and he

looked delicious. I wanted to do a taste test.

“Well, I paid him to do it,” he admitted, eyes fixed on my lips.
“You bribed Josh Lieberman to torture me?”
“Is it my problem the man could be bought for a pack of Skittles?” he asked, locking gazes with me

and looking as hungry as I felt.

“You’re unbelievable.”
“Just in bed,” he said, smirking. “Well, okay, in court too.”
“How do you want it?” His startled look was my reward. “Your tea?” I finished with an innocent

smile.

“Just like it is.”
“No sugar?”
“I don’t like things that are too sweet.”
“Go sit down and I’ll bring it with some tea biscuits. I might as well feed you, I suppose, since

you did give me a ride.”

“I’d be happy to give you a ride whenever you wanted,” he answered and returned to the living

room. I wondered if it had been a genuine offer or a double entendre. I had a feeling that my Fiesta
would be coming to an end soon. Ole´. I put two cups of tea on a tray and found some scones that
were probably still edible.

When I came back into the living room, rather than sitting and waiting, he was examining a

bookshelf in my writing nook. I stopped in my tracks and held my breath. I hadn’t told him my pen
name because I hadn’t wanted him to read my sexual fantasies in book form, especially since, lately,
he was the star. I saw him tilt his head to the side and pull a book off the shelf. Oh shit. Why hadn’t I
chosen a better pen name?

“An erotic romance by Lilah Alden,” he said, a smile slowly forming on his lips. “You know, I’m

sure it’s purely coincidental, but Lilah Alden sounds a lot like Lily Adler.” He looked up at me
triumphantly.

“Would you like me to autograph it for you?” I asked, trying to sound nonchalant as I walked over

and put the tea tray down on the coffee table, before it shook out of my hands.

“Will you write something dirty?” He laughed.
“I’m sure I could work in the word ‘fuck’,” I replied and he laughed even harder. I sat down and

helped myself to my tea, pretending that I wasn’t freaking out.

“Touch, huh? And where can I purchase this great piece of literature?” He brought it with him as

he came over and sat on the love seat across from me.

“Just take it. I know how much you’re dying to make fun of me.”
“That’s not why I want to read it,” he said very seriously.
“Then why are you so eager to read a romance novel?”
“Because it’s sexy and you wrote it,” he said. My stomach did a back flip. One thought and one

thought only screamed in my brain; ‘Oh no, please God. A physical attraction is bad enough. Please
don’t let me be falling for Adam’.

Not knowing how to respond, I looked away nervously, noticed that I had forgotten to close my

curtains when I came in, and went over to do it. Because it was darker outside even with the
streetlight, all I saw was my reflection in the glass until I got there, but I decided that I had better take
a quick peek out the window to make sure nobody had stripped Adam’s car.

Cupping my hand above my eyes and peering through the glass, I saw that the Saab was still there

and intact, and I was about to look away and step back when something in the building across the
street caught my eye. The window directly across from me revealed a room in semi-darkness with a
shadowy figure just standing there, completely still. It felt like someone watching me and it creeped
me out, so I backed up and closed the curtains quickly. Adam must have noticed my reaction, because
he got up and walked up behind me.

“What’s the matter?” he asked, making me jump.
“Nothing,” I said, feeling foolish. “I just thought maybe I saw someone watching me from the

apartment across the street but it was probably a mistake.” He pulled the curtain back again and took
a look himself.

“I don’t see anybody,” he said, peering out. I checked again too and the figure was gone. “You’re

just getting all flighty because of that burglar we chased out in the woods. While I agree you should
be careful around here, don’t let your imagination run away with you.”

“Yeah, okay. Well, stop telling me how I’m taking my life in my hands living here, then.”
“Speaking of the local crime rate, I guess I should get going before somebody really does boost

my car. You going to your Girls’ Night thing tomorrow?” he said, walking over to the door and
grabbing his coat off the peg.

“Gabrielle and I are just going to hang out with Jess. Beth is out of town.” I went over to let him

out, and stood there, suddenly feeling amazingly awkward and almost shy. What did I want, a freaking
goodnight kiss? Snap out of it, Lil!

“I’ll be at Braden’s. If you get a ride there, I’ll give you a ride home. Then maybe your car will

last another ten miles.”

“Okay, thanks. It has been making some weirder noises than usual lately.”
“Give me your number so I can call you when I’m coming to pick you up.”

Chapter Five

“Fuckety-fuck! Get in here, honey and tell us what happened with Captain Ego!” Jess exclaimed
excitedly the minute I walked through the door.

“How did you know?” I asked with surprise. I had only texted her a quick confirmation that I was

coming. I was saving that bit until I got here. I was in such a good mood that I had splurged and taken
a cab so that the bus wouldn’t ruin it.

“Mark told Braden,” Gab explained. “I overheard part of the conversation and I made Braden tell

me everything.”

“You made him tell you?” I asked, cocking an eyebrow inquisitively.
“She has ways,” Jess chimed in. “And don’t think he didn’t enjoy the interrogation process,

honey.” She smiled knowingly.

“I’ll bet.” I laughed. “The way Braden looks at Gab is enough to make me blush.”
“I’m going to work hard on finding out what Adam had to say about it tonight,” Gabrielle said with

a look of happy anticipation. “It’s the least I can do.”

“She’ll go to the mattress for you, honey.” Jess laughed, taking a sip of wine.
“So, what inside information were you able to get me, Mata Hari?”
“Well,” she began, leaning forward conspiratorially, “last night, when Mark decided to have a

little fun and flirt with you, Adam got really jealous, and neither Braden nor Mark can ever remember
Adam getting seriously jealous over any woman before.”

“Braden said that Adam officially invoked the ‘Guy Code’,” Jess jumped in, reaching over and

grabbing my upper arms like she was going to shake me senseless.

“The ‘Guy Code’?” I asked curiously, while gently extricating myself from Jess’s death grip and

retreating out of range.

“Adam called Mark this morning and told him that he was finally thinking about possibly asking

you out on a date,” Gab explained. “That’s an implicit directive not to flirt with you.”

“He was thinking about possibly asking me out? What is that, like calling dibs on me?”
“It’s better than peeing on you, honey,” Jess replied, smothering a Triscuit with Port Wine cheese.
“Yeah, well, I wouldn’t hold your breath. The evening that he slept in my room after we chased

down the burglar, the one thing he said before he passed out was, ‘I’m not ready’.”

“That was two months ago. I don’t suppose you want to take the bull by the horns, huh?” Gab

asked, pouring some more Chianti into her glass.

“My parents never liked me very much. I have rejection issues.”
“The problem is, so does he,” Gab said.
“Adam has rejection issues?” I asked incredulously. “Why in God’s name would Adam have

rejection issues?”

“Same reason you do, because of his family,” she answered.
“Are you kidding? Adam’s the baby of his family and the only boy. His three older sisters adore

him. His mom thinks he’s a walking miracle.”

“Exactly,” Gab replied. “Which is why it has always seemed natural for other women to adore

him. But you’ve always been different. He isn’t sure of you. You might turn him down and his ego
couldn’t take that.”

“Even if we did date, the minute we had sex it would stop being a challenge and he would get

bored.”

“You challenge him in other ways,” Jess responded.
“And he wouldn’t get bored in bed either. Just let him read your books,” Gab added.
“He saw them in my apartment and figured it out. I let him keep a copy of Touch.”
“The one where you two are the characters?” Jess asked.
“They’re not us,” I insisted.
“The biggest obstacle is that the two of you have never really communicated with each other

well,” Gab noted, “but you’re both attorneys. You can always negotiate.”

“What, like a plea bargain?” I asked.
“Think of it more like a contract,” she replied. “Braden and I started out with a negotiation. It just

turned out to be a bit easier for us.”

“A bit? You were happily married within three months of your first date. Adam and I have been

battling for twenty-three years.”

“I’m telling you, you got this, Lil,” Gab said, looking me straight in the eye.
“I think so too,” Jess said, waggling her eyebrows and taking a sip of wine.
“You need to be around each other more, though,” Gab said. “You have that annual law librarian

party at O’Malley’s on Friday, right? All of us usually stop off there after work on Fridays. Come and
hang out with us afterwards.”

“We’ll make sure he takes you home,” Jess added
“You may not have to. He offered me a ride whenever I wanted one. In fact, he’s supposed to give

me a ride tonight.” Jess and Gab exchanged excited looks. “You seem to be enjoying this quite a bit.”

“Well, first and foremost we want you to be happy,” Gab explained.
“But you have to understand, honey, the thought of Adam smitten, brings us a great deal of pleasure

for many reasons.”

“So, how long will Beth be gone?” I asked, changing the subject to another close friend who

usually joined us for these Girls’ Nights.

“A few weeks,” Gabrielle replied. “Since she’s going to be in charge of the non-profit side of the

legal clinic Braden and I are starting, we have her down in D.C. observing a similar practice. She’s
staying in her family’s townhouse down there.”

“It’s nice to have a parent who’s a senator,” Jess noted.
“It’s nice to have a parent you can stand to be around,” I added dryly.

Time flew by quickly and my phone rang in the middle of a giggling fit that Gabrielle brought on

telling me stories about her former clients. When I saw the name, adrenaline shot through my body
and I got butterflies in my stomach. I told myself to get a grip and remember that this was the same guy
who had answered “Lily Adler” when our ninth grade Biology teacher had asked him to name an
asexual organism.

“I assume that’s you, Adam, since I don’t know anyone named ‘Phone Sex’.”
“I liked your book.”
“You finished it?” I saw my friends look up and make all kinds of excited faces.
“You know, I’m sure it’s purely coincidental, but your main characters look a lot like us,” he said

smugly. I rolled my eyes.

“Are you calling to point that out to me?”
“No, I’m calling to tell you I’ll meet you in the lobby in five minutes.”
“Okay, thanks.”
“Bring Gabrielle down with you. We’ll bring Cameron and arrange a trade.”
“We’ll be there,” I answered and ended the call, looking up to see my friends smiling at me

gleefully, just like Bruce last night.

Gabrielle and I said our goodbyes to Jess and got our things together, heading for the lobby. She

went over to chat with her former doorman, so I picked up a copy of the Metro, a free newspaper, and
stood leaning against a wall. I started to read the coverage of a big mob trial that was about to begin.
Apparently, the government had some important witness who could put the favored son of a famous
South Philly crime family behind bars.

My concentration was broken a couple of minutes later when I felt a hand at the small of my back.

My jacket was thin, and so even over the top of it, it felt nice. I smelled Acqua di Gio and a warm,
excited feeling filled me up inside.

“Well, if it isn’t Lilah Alden, erotic novelist.”
“So you liked my book, huh?” I asked without turning around.
“I couldn’t put it down.”
“I assume you can read with one hand then,” I joked.
“You have a dirty mind, Ms. Adler. I like that in a woman.”
“I’ll bet.” I laughed.
“Reading about the Moretti trial, I see. They’re talking about doing some of the related cases in

Common Pleas. I’m hoping they’ll assign me to one of them.”

“Couldn’t that be dangerous?” I asked, trying not to sound like I cared as much as I did.
He rested a hand on my hip and leaned in so close that I could feel him smile against my ear.

“Why, Lilith, are you worried about me?” he asked in a quiet, sultry voice. I pulled in a deep breath
and steadied my nerves. Then I folded my paper and spun around quickly, so that we were literally
toe to toe. I looked up at him and gave him my best cocky smile.

“If anything happens to you, I’ll have to start driving again. Let’s go, Phone Sex.”
Cameron must have already gone upstairs, and Gabrielle and Braden were probably halfway to

bed by that time. They were a very passionate couple, even for newlyweds. We stepped out into the
November night and I pulled my thin coat around me more tightly. Adam must have noticed, because
he put his arm around my shoulders and pulled me close to him. I looked up at him with surprise. “It’s
cold and that jacket can’t be very warm,” he said in answer to my silent question.

“Thanks,” I mumbled and snuggled up against him closer. It didn’t help all that much, but Lord, he

smelled good.

His car was only about another block away, and so we were out of the cold in minutes. We got in

and he started the engine, letting it warm up for a minute. The Black Keyes started singing Lonely
Boy, and he turned it down.

“What’s that perfume you’re wearing?” he asked, looking over at me.
“Coco Chanel. It’s one of the things I splurge on so that I can still feel like a girl.”
“You’re a girl. Trust me.” He glanced at me again and his eyes dropped to my body for just a

second before he looked away. “What else do you splurge on?” he asked, as he pulled out into traffic.
I became hyper aware of how close he was in the enclosed space of the car. Now that he had put his
arm around me, all I could think of was how much I wanted him wrapped around me again.

“Not that much, some cute shoes, some pretty lingerie. Everything else goes to my books,” I

answered, feeling distracted.

“Can I read the rest of them?”
“You actually want to?” I asked, surprised.
“I like good smut,” he said with a smile. Feeling emboldened by the praise, I decided to take a

chance.

“If you meant it about giving me a ride, and you’re going to be at O’Malley’s on Friday, maybe I’ll

take you up on it,” I said, casually. “I have to be there for the annual party for law librarians, and Jess
and Gab asked me to hang out afterwards.”

I was doing my best to seem completely nonchalant, but meanwhile, my stomach felt like a tight

bundle of nerves, and if my heart beat any harder, I was going to break a rib. I couldn’t remember the
last time anyone had made me feel this way.

“A holiday party for law librarians. Sounds pretty wild,” he joked.
“Last year Bruce and I were almost comatose by the end. It doesn’t help that because it’s an

officially sponsored event they won’t serve alcohol.”

“Why do they hold it in a pub then?” he asked, furrowing his brow.
“I can only assume it’s some kind of cruel joke,” I answered.
“Well, in answer to your question, yes, I’ll give you a ride. It’s my civic duty to keep a beaten up

Ford Fiesta off the roadways.”

“I probably would have just taken the bus.”
“The bus? Why don’t you just wear a ‘mug me’ sign?”
“When I’m a famous …”
“Yeah, yeah. I know, Hemingway.”

Chapter Six

Soon he was parking. We went through the ritual of the sticking front door, the broken inner door.
When we got inside, I saw M. Davis, the elderly man from the second floor, come down the stairs. He
seemed like a sweet old guy. He looked at Adam and did a double take.

“Hey, I recognize you!” he said to Adam and came over to us like he had found an old friend. I

thought maybe they knew each other socially or something.

“I recognize you too,” Adam answered, a smile slowly forming on his lips.
“Yeah, you weren’t the fella who was prosecutin’ me, but you were there with him. I’m

Maximillian Davis!” He smiled at Adam, who was now grinning from ear to ear.

“Right, Mr. Davis! You were the gentleman who committed all the moving violations on your way

to make a booty call.” I must have looked shocked, and Adam must have seen it in his peripheral
vision, because he almost lost it.

“You do remember! My Viagra had kicked in, but I didn’t know how long I had!” I could see

Adam struggling not to laugh, and I knew that he wanted desperately to look at me, but that he couldn’t
do it without cracking up.

“Ms. Adler here, is close friends with your former lawyer.”
“Oh, I remember her! She was a cutie pie and, oh boy, she was feisty! I think that other prosecutor

had a crush on her,” he said with a knowing smile. “Bet you guys get all the cute lady lawyers, huh?”

“Ms. Adler, also a lawyer,” Adam answered, practically overflowing with amusement as he

implied that he was ‘getting’ me. I wanted to strangle him.

“Nice to meet you,” I said evenly. He finally turned to me and the ‘sweet’ old guy proceeded to

check me out!

“The pleasure’s all mine, cupcake. If she’s as feisty as her friend, I’ll bet she keeps you busy,” he

said, giving Adam a wink and an elbow.

“Oh yeah! She gives me a workout, man,” Adam said with a smirk and I glared.
“I need to get upstairs,” I growled through gritted teeth. “Now!”
“You know how it is when they’re in the mood,” Adam said, barely containing himself. I gave him

a homicidal look and stalked off. He followed cheerfully.

“Have fun! Let me know if you need to borrow some Viagra!”
I fumed and stomped up the steps as the chuckles of my dirty old man neighbor disappeared in the

distance. When we got to my apartment door, I unlocked it with a huff, threw it open and turned to
Adam angrily.

“Will you get in here?!” I growled.
“I’d love to come in for a while, thanks,” he replied with a smile. As soon as he was inside I shut

the door with a bang behind him, spun around, and faced him furiously.

“Do you have to imply to everyone in this building that we’re sleeping together?” I demanded,

marching up to stand toe to toe with him and giving him my best irate glare.

“I didn’t say anything to the guy from the charm school, the Ninja or the Sopranos,” he answered

defensively.

“You promised Donna that you wouldn’t make me holler too loudly,” I seethed.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you valued her moral judgment so highly.” He didn’t look sorry. He

looked extremely amused. Bastard!

“I just prefer that you not tell people who you just met that I give you a workout.”
“I’ve met him before.”
“Would you say that kind of stuff if we really were sleeping together?!”
“That’s an interesting point. Maybe we should explore that.”
“Do you want to fuck me, Adam?”
“Is this a trick question?”
“Just answer!”
“Yes?”
“Then may I suggest that you consider employing a new strategy? Like treating me with respect,

and eventually, maybe even asking me out on a fucking date?!” It’s amazing what anger can do to help
one overcome fear of rejection.

“Would you agree to go out on a date with me if I asked you?”
“If you promised to genuinely make an effort to treat me with respect!”
“So does this mean I make you feel something?” he asked merrily.
“Yes! Enraged!” I narrowed my eyes and glowered at him.
“You’re really adorable when you’re all worked up like this, you know.”
“Bunny rabbits are adorable! I am passionate!”
“See, I do make you feel something besides rage,” he pointed out with a satisfied smile. “We have

chemistry.”

“So does an H bomb.”
“Look, I realize this is crazy.” He laughed. “Really I do, trust me, but what the hell. Adler, do you

want to go on a date with me?”

“Okay,” I said hesitantly. “But we should start with the socializing together at O’Malley’s on

Friday.”

“Pre-date socialization. I’m down with that. And if we manage that without bloodshed, you want

to have an actual date on Saturday?”

“Well, um, there’s this author party thing on Saturday night at that club, Inferno. Fiery Ladies and

Red Hot Books? Inferno? Get it?” I looked at the ceiling. “Anyway, I’m supposed to go as Lilah
Alden. I was thinking about having some fun with it, since I’m an erotic novelist. I was, you know,
going to dress kind of sexy and …”

“Hell, yes! I want to go.” My gaze flew back to him.
“You do? Oh. Uh, okay.” This conversation was so surreal that I felt like I was on the verge of

having an out-of-body experience.

“See, we’re getting along better already. You should have asked me if I wanted to fuck you a long

time ago.”

“Are you trying to make me kill you?” I glared at him for a moment, but as he stood there smiling

at me, suddenly I couldn’t help it; slowly, I smiled too.

“Goodnight Adler, make sure you dream about me. Your fans are probably looking forward to a

sequel,” he said, turning and heading back toward the stairs.

“Goodnight Roth,” I called after him. “Try not to wake the neighbors when you holler my name in

your sleep.”

I watched him disappear down the steps and went over to the window to surreptitiously watch him

get into his car and drive away. Then, and only then, I allowed myself to freak out a little because, oh
my God, Adam and I – Adam and I – were going to go on a date! It was so weird but it was so …
stirring.

Monday when I got home from work. I saw the new neighbor coming out of his apartment. To my

surprise, he made eye contact with me and smiled.

“Hi there, Dan McGuire, 404. Nice to meet you,” he said, approaching me. I shook his

outstretched hand and smiled back.

“Lily Adler, 401. Likewise,” I answered pleasantly.
“Hey, have you had problems with the lock on the front door?”
“Yeah, it sticks and you have to jiggle the key. I’ve been telling the landlord about it. This is a

rough neighborhood and we shouldn’t have to stand out on the street like that at night.”

“Well, at least you have some friends in law enforcement. That guy you were with the other night’s

a prosecutor, isn’t he?”

“Yes, he is. Do you know him?” I wondered, uncomfortably, if he had also met Adam in a

professional capacity, like Mr. Viagra on the first floor.

“No, I heard you mention it the other night, and I think I may have seen him in the criminal courts

building. I’ve been there on job related stuff.” He smiled. “Well, see you around.”

“Right.” I nodded and he walked past, whistling as he headed for the stairs. Before I could get the

deadbolts open on my door, Herb poked his head out of his apartment.

“Hey, there, Lily! How was your day?” he asked with a big smile.
“Fine, Herb. How was yours?” I inquired politely and mentally prepared myself for the

Philadelphia mass transit update.

“Oh, it was a rough one!” He sighed, shaking his head. “There was a breakdown on the R5

Malvern line and passengers had to disembark by jumping off the back of the train. It was a pretty
windy day, and there were some very unhappy female passengers in skirts, I’ll tell you.”

“Sorry to hear it. Hey, that new guy in 404 seems nice.” I was hoping that maybe Herb would

befriend him and strike up conversations with him more often.

“Oh, Dan McGuire? He seems nice, but I think he’s a little odd.” Herb gave me a conspiratorial

look. “Do you know anything about him?”

“Odd?” He was kidding, right? “Um, no. I’ve never met him before. He just introduced himself

now.”

“Did I hear him say that your friend from the other night was a lawyer?”
“Adam? Yeah, he’s an assistant district attorney.” Just in case Herb might have a crush on me, I

thought it a convenient time to cool it. “He and I actually decided to go on a date after all.”

“Oh really? Well, that’s great! Has he recognized any criminals in our building?” he asked,

sounding nervous. I didn’t want to upset him over a geriatric booty caller, so I decided not to mention
Mr. Davis and his Viagra joyride.

“No. He was just here to see me and no … no criminals.” I smiled.
“Phew! Well, that’s good to know. I don’t know if you were aware, but there’s a lot of crime in

this area, even supposedly some Mafioso types,” he said in a whisper, like he were sharing a big
secret that that there were mobsters in South Philly.

“Oh, well. I’m careful. I just mind my own business, you know.”
“Good plan. You can never go wrong minding your own business.” I was surprised to hear the

shadow of an almost menacing tone in his voice. Clearly, I needed to eat something before my brain
stopped working.

“Uh, well, I’m going to go in now. I haven’t had anything to eat since noon and …”
“Oh go ahead! We’ll chat soon.” With that he ducked back inside and shut his door. At least he

was friendly. It could be worse. I could live one floor down with Vixen, Donna and the Sopranos.

As I unlocked my door, I wondered how a seemingly normal person like Dan McGuire had wound

up living in this building. I went into my apartment and began my nightly routine, flipping on my
lights, hanging up my coat, closing the drapes, changing my clothes, making a quick dinner and
switching on the local news.

A reporter was talking about the Moretti mob trial. They flashed to a picture I recognized,

assistant U.S. attorney, Jacob Sachs. Jacob and I had dated for a while back in law school. He had
dark good looks and a ton of cocky swagger. That is, he looked a lot like Adam. The two of them
could be brothers. At twenty-nine, Jacob was young to be a federal prosecutor. It attested to his
intelligence and his confidence. He had both in abundance. Especially the confidence.

I couldn’t concentrate on what they were saying, so I just checked my email, and then turned my

attention to the ‘red hot’ book I was writing. After I put in a few hours of work on it, I shut down my
computer for the night. I thought briefly about how long it had been since I had looked forward to the
weekend so much, and smiling, I headed off to bed where I broke out the Acqua di Gio and my big
girl toy for inspiration. Even erotic romance novelists had to do research.

The rest of that week seemed to drag. It didn’t help that Bruce had taken it upon himself to give me

dating and relationship advice. By Wednesday afternoon, I was harboring homicidal thoughts, but he
didn’t seem to notice. If he reminded me one more time about the importance of moisturizing nightly, I
was going to throw him down an elevator shaft. I must have some really shitty karma.

Thursday evening when I schlepped myself, mentally exhausted, back to my apartment and checked

my  mailbox,  I  saw  that  a  letter  for  my  friendly  neighbor,  R.  Nardo,  had  been  stuck  in  my  box  by
mistake. I had a feeling that R. Nardo and I would never find ourselves sitting around trading gossip
over  coffee.  I  didn’t  really  care,  though,  since  I  didn’t  really  feel  like  socializing  with  any  of  my
neighbors.  This  was  a  very  strange  building.  It  turned  out  the  R.  on  his  mailbox  stood  for  Ray,
incidentally.

I considered just leaving the letter on top of his box, but then I figured that since he lived right next

door,  I  should  maybe  just  slide  it  under  his  door.  I  climbed  the  four  flights  of  stairs  and  walked  to
402, R. Nardo’s apartment. I was  just  about  to  bend  down  and  slide  the  letter  underneath  when  the
door  swung  open,  nearly  giving  me  a  stroke.  I  got  pins  and  needles  in  all  my  limbs  and  my  heart
pounded like a jackhammer. I glanced up and saw R. Nardo standing there staring directly at me. Up
close,  I  could  see  that  he  was  a  tall,  gaunt,  swarthy-looking  guy  with  coal-black  eyes  and  a
pockmarked face. What a looker.

“Um, I got this in my mailbox by mistake. I live next door.” I held out the letter. He reached out

and took it and without a word closed the door in my face. What a dickhead. I should have just left it
on top of the mailbox — or in the trash chute.

I walked back to my door and dug out my keys. I was about to open it when U. Hu climbed in

through a window, carrying a camera. We were on the fourth floor and there was no fire escape by
that window. What, was he out on the ledge snapping pictures of the alley? He darted past me without
a word and entered his own apartment, shutting the door with a bang. At that, R. Nardo’s door
suddenly flew open. He looked around and seeing me, slammed it again. Adam was right; I had to get
out of this place.

Chapter Seven

The next day I wore a stylish, cream-colored knit dress that hugged my curves and ended just above
my knee. I also wore my brown leather knee-high boots with the four-inch heels. It was one of my
favorite outfits. I put my long wavy hair up into a high ponytail and did my make-up carefully. How
ironic that I was going through all this trouble for a guy who I had once accused of having as much sex
appeal as damp socks. The morning was busy enough to keep me distracted, but I was nervous and
fidgety all afternoon and Bruce, as usual, wasn’t exactly helping.

“You’ll be hungry. Eat something so that your stomach doesn’t sound like a garbage disposal.

You’ll need to eat something so you don’t get falling down drunk later anyway. For God’s sake, just
don’t get ketchup on that dress or food stuck in your teeth or anything.”

“Is this advice or are you still working through your anger at not having gotten that Malibu Barbie

for your eleventh birthday?” The generous tips from Bruce, the romance guru, kept rolling in.

“If he gives you the smoldering look, like the one he gave you at the club, make sure you don’t

glare back at him like he just stole your parking space. Okay, see? You’re glaring. Just so you’re
aware.”

By six o’clock, I was standing at the punch bowl, with Jane, the head librarian, and Rochelle, her

sidekick, who were busy discussing recipes for turkey stuffing and a method of making ‘completely
adorable’ centerpieces for the Thanksgiving table out of toilet paper rolls and construction paper.
Bruce was distracted, texting Jason about what romantic surprises he had in store for him later.

I stood there, following his advice, munching on salty nachos and saltier cocktail weenies,

washing them down with copious amounts of fruit punch. At least the punch didn’t taste like week-old
Kool-Aid. In fact, it was pretty tasty, and I quickly downed about half the bowl by myself to avoid
turning into human salt lick.

Jane made a whispered comment at one point about her husband always wanting ‘fellatio’. Jane

derived her entire sexual vocabulary from her sixth grade health class. I imagined her in the throes of
passion screaming, “Insert your penis into my vagina more forcefully. I’m going to achieve orgasm!” I
snorted with laughter and backed into a table, knocking over a stack of cups. I cracked myself up
sometimes. Bruce finally looked up from his sexting and stared at me and then glanced at the punch
bowl, first in a confused, and then a worried, and then an ‘oh shit’ way. He quickly came over and
pulled me off to a corner away from everyone else.

“Lily, sweetie, how much punch did you have?” he asked with a smile.
“A lot. You told me to eat and everything here is salty. Why?”
“Okay, now don’t get mad at me …”
“I hate it when you start sentences like that.”
“Because I didn’t want you to be nervous, I figured I would add a little nip tip to it.”

“How little?”
“A bottle of spiced rum.”
“Oh my God!”
“And a bottle of cinnamon schnapps.”
“What?! Bruce, I drank half of the fucking bowl! I don’t feel drunk though.”
“It hasn’t been that long. It’s probably just hitting you now.”
“Oh great, I drank it fast too. Shit. You had better just take me home to sleep it off.”
“You can’t leave! Your boy is expecting you to socialize with him. It’s only six-thirty. You’ll have

plenty of time to sober up. Just sit there quietly and smile until you do.”

“You had better at least warn my friends.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll explain to them what happened and ask them to just keep an eye on you until

your head clears. They’re definitely going to be here, right?”

“Yeah, I spoke to Gab and Jess this morning. In fact, they should be here by now.” I was starting to

feel woozy and my words were a little slurred. “You’ve met them. You know what they look like. Go
tell them.”

“Fine, I’ll just mention you got a little drunk …”
“Because you convinced me to eat salty food and then spiked the punch without telling me. Not to

mention you were too busy sexting to notice me chugging it!”

“Now, there’s no need for finger pointing. Just pull yourself together and try to look sober.” With

that bit of sage advice, he went off in search of Gab and Jess.

I straightened my skirt, shoved a few loose tendrils of hair behind my ears, stood up straight and

attempted to appear and act as sober as possible. Bruce came back in accompanied by Gab and Jess
who were looking at me like they thought they might find me dancing on a table.

“Lily, are you okay?” Gabrielle asked, checking me out a bit dubiously.
“I’m fine. I don’t feel that drunk and I’ve got time to sober up. It’s only …” I squinted at my watch.

Why couldn’t I make out the numbers on this damned thing?

“Honey, that’s a bracelet,” Jess said. “Your watch is on the other wrist.”
“Oh! Right!” I laughed. “It’s um, eight-thirty? Wow.”
“That’s six-forty, Lil,” Gabrielle pointed out.
“Your boy is out there, by the way,” Bruce broke in impatiently. “He’s sitting with the

prosecutors, though.”

“We usually start these evenings along company lines,” Gabrielle explained. “My husband is over

there with him, but they’ll both be over to join us soon.”

“Adam was in a really good mood today,” Jess offered with a smile. “In fact, he’s been in a good

mood all week. I can’t remember the last time that happened.”

“Thank you for telling me that! Have I told you lately that you guys are just wonderful?” I asked,

getting all choked up for some reason. “I love you so much!”

“Oh Lord,” Gabrielle said, giving me a funny look. “She’s going to need some coffee.”

I said goodbye to Bruce, who was getting the hell out of there and home to his sweetie before I

decided to kill him. Then we went through the door to the main pub area, and the bright lights, crowd
and music assaulted me at once. Okay, now I felt really drunk. Jess and Gabrielle flanked me while
gently guiding me in the right direction.

I pushed my shoulders back, held my head high and began to walk confidently and steadily toward

their table. Unfortunately, I caught my foot on a chair and quickly disappeared beneath the heads of
the crowd as I landed flat on my ass on the floor. Jess and Gab dove down to haul me to my feet and I
brushed myself off and stared at the offending chair leg like it had tripped me on purpose.

“Are you okay, honey?” Jess winced.
“I’m fine. Don’t worry. I just need to sit down.”
“Well, why don’t you wait until we get to a chair, Lil,” Gab suggested. They helped to guide me

over to their table where Mark and Cam stood up as we approached.

“Are you okay, Lily?” Cam asked politely as he and Mark sat back down. Suddenly, I felt the need

to explain this foolish mix-up.

“Bruce spiked the punch and didn’t tell me,” I said, slurring my words noticeably. “He also told

me to eat lots of snacks, so I wouldn’t get drunk later. The snacks were really salty, though, so I kept
drinking the punch. That’s kind of ironic, don’t you think?” I asked with a giggle and a hiccup.

Once I started giggling I couldn’t stop and I got dizzy, so I attempted to sit down. Unfortunately,

there wasn’t a chair where I thought there was, so I hit the ground a second time. Everyone got up to
help me, but I quickly pulled myself up using the edge of the table.

“I’m good!” I said, trying to sound casual.
Then everyone offered me their chair, but I didn’t want to displace anyone, and I told them to

please sit back down. I noticed that there was an empty chair on the other side of Mark, and I decided
that would work, so I started to climb across his lap to get to it. At the time it seemed to make sense.
After all, it was the shortest path between the two points.

“Uh, Lily!” Gabrielle said, sounding panicked. “You know that’s Mark, right?”
She startled me and I paused halfway across, sliding down with a thunk, my knit dress allowing

enough give for one leg to rest on each side of him. That left me straddling him with my skirt riding up
to mid-thigh.

“Yeah, hi. Excuse me please,” I said, my face about two inches away from his as he looked at me,

appearing stunned. “I’m just going to go sit in that chair next to you, okay?”

“Uh, sure,” he said with a friendly smile. I started squirming around trying to pull myself up again,

and he gasped a little and put his hands on my ass. “That’s good,” he said huskily and gave me a
slightly dazed look and a very friendly smile. Just then another pair of hands grabbed my waist and
lifted me back up to my feet.

“Here, let me help you,” Adam said, pulling me against him tightly.
He maneuvered us around the back of Mark’s chair and then pulled over a second empty chair

from the next table. He sat me down on one and took the other one himself, keeping his arm around my
waist and his hand firmly planted on my hip.

“Well, that was interesting,” Braden, who had joined us, said to Adam.
“Yeah, thanks for helping,” Adam said, glaring at Mark.
“I didn’t want her to fall.” He looked very amused as he poured himself a cup of beer.
“You heard what happened. It’s not her fault,” Gabrielle said emphatically.
“I didn’t say it was her fault,” Adam replied, giving Mark another dirty look.

“She surprised me! I would have helped her get there,” he said defensively.
“Well, she’s there now and Adam’s got her,” Braden broke in. “So, let’s move on.”
“It’s nice to see you two getting along so much better after all this time,” Jess said, looking highly

amused as Adam pulled me closer to him.

“He licked my Fruit Roll-Up.”
“Licked your what?” Cam asked with a startled laugh.
“Need I remind you again about the glitter incident?”
“That was an accident,” I said, looking up at him. Wow, he was hot. I just stared for a few

seconds and enjoyed the view.

“Yeah, well I accidentally licked your Fruit Roll-Up too,” he answered, looking back down at me

curiously.

“Just because I didn’t throw myself at you like Shari Edelstein.”
“In preschool?” Cam asked, sounding confused.
“They’ve moved on to Junior High,” Gab explained helpfully.
“Are you jealous?” Adam teased. “Because I’ll be happy to make it up to you.”
“I’m not jealous of Shari Fucking Edelstein,” I muttered angrily.
“Really? Because you sound jealous,” he said with a smirk.
“Who in the hell is Shari Edelstein?” Mark asked.
“Some chick I made out with at my Bar Mitzvah,” Adam answered, finally looking amused. “She

slapped me when Lilith, here, walked in on us and caught me feeling her up.”

“At your Bar Mitzvah?” Braden laughed. “Like when you were thirteen?”
“Lily and I share a long and sordid past, beginning with the glitter incident. Even though she’s not

jealous, she’s obviously carrying around a deep, inexplicable hatred for some chick I made out with
in a stairwell fourteen years-ago.”

“Inespic explic espic? She was a total fake! You don’t act like you’re all offended just because

you get caught with a guy’s hand on your tits.”

I broke away from Adam and leaned forward quickly, making a sweeping gesture for effect, and

nearly knocking over the pitcher of beer. Luckily, Mark had very quick reflexes. Then I leaned on the
table, knocking over several empty cups, as Cam and Braden swept several full ones out of the way in
the nick of time.

“If I had known that you were so open-minded, I would have felt you up in the stairwell instead,”

Adam said, grabbing my waist with both hands and hauling me back against him before I fell out of
my chair. He wasn’t just holding my waist with one arm anymore. Now I smooshed up against him
and he had both arms around me. Hey, this was pretty nice. His muscles were hard and he was as
warm as a furnace.

“What was with the showgirls, by the way?” I asked. He was holding me so closely now that I had

to twist around in his arms to talk to him. Now my legs were pushed up against his and our faces were
only inches apart. His breath didn’t smell like beer, though. It smelled like peppermint. Mine
probably smelled like a Tijuana gutter.

“She was a showgirl in Junior High?” Cam asked, still looking confused.
“Not her. She’s talking about the act I put on at my Bar Mitzvah. It was obviously a more

significant day for her than it was for me.”

“He sang ‘I Did It My Way’.” I rolled my eyes.

“Yeah, well, I seem to recall someone quoting Martin Luther King’s ‘I Have a Dream’ speech at

her Bat Mitzvah. No delusions of grandeur there.”

“Nobody appreciates intelligence. They all want the girl with the big rack.”
“For your information, you have a big rack,” he said, eyes dropping to my chest “And if it makes

you feel any better, I can tell that yours are real.”

“No way! See, I told you she was a fake!” I poked him in the ribs.
“Hey! I can understand your desire to touch me, but be careful.”
“I have to tell Marcy Kaplan!” I sputtered gleefully, twisting back around. The news that Shari’s

famous tits were made of sweat-socks would make every girl in our class who Shari had maliciously
filled with adolescent angst feel vindicated.

“Isn’t Marcy Kaplan in the Peace Corps now?”
“How do you call Africa?” I asked, picking up someone’s cell phone from the table.
“Why don’t you email her later?” Adam asked, removing the phone from my hand and handing it to

Mark, who pocketed it tactfully.

“I feel like we should email Shari and tell her we’re on to her,” Jess said with a laugh.
“She used to brag about how all the guys wanted her. She made us all feel, inada, inada, not good

enough.”

“I think you need to resolve this Shari Edelstein thing,” Braden joked.
“I’ll tell you what, when I take you home tonight I’ll feel you up in the stairwell and then maybe

you can finally let it go,” Adam said, actually turning me toward him again so he could look at me.

“Don’t you think you should ask me if I’ll let you take me home?”
“You asked me to take you home, you lush. I believe that was the night you informed me that if I

wanted to fuck you I should ask you on a fucking date.”

“Good for you, honey!” Jess chimed in.
“This wasn’t the date was it?” I asked, suddenly panicking.
“No, this was the pre-date socialization. I can’t wait for the date!” He laughed.
“You’re taking Adam to that author party tomorrow, Lily, remember?” Gab asked.
“Yeah, that’s right! It’s going to be fun! I get to be a bad girl!” I joked, and giggled, looking over at

her with a delighted smile.

“Because she’s going as Lilah Alden!” Gab exclaimed, suddenly. “Oh God. I just told everyone

else your pen name, too.”

“Don’t worry, baby,” Braden reassured her. “Adam told us days ago.”
“Yeah, I’ve already read two of her books,” Cam agreed, earning a raised eyebrow from Jess.

“They were good! Very … uh, romantic,” he said, giving her an innocent smile.

“Yeah, I’m thinking this might be a good time to make our exit,” Adam said with a laugh.
“Alrighty then!” I said, trying to stand up on unsteady feet and promptly falling back onto Adam’s

lap.

“There, now she sat on your lap,” Mark informed Adam with a smile.
“Do you need some help, man?” Braden asked.
“If you want to grab her coat,” Adam said, adjusting me on his lap. I wondered if I was crushing

his man toys. Actually, if I wasn’t mistaken, everything seemed to be in working order. Oh my, I must
be a sexy lap sitter.

Gab and Jess got up and came around to help me up into my jacket, while Adam stood up and

quickly put his coat on and got his keys out. Then wishing everyone a good evening, he came over and
put an arm around my shoulders and helped me out.

His car wasn’t far away and he opened the door and helped me inside. I slumped into the seat and

started looking around for the seatbelt but he beat me to it, reaching over and strapping me in. As he
was leaning over, I put my arm around him and pulled him toward me. Then I leaned forward, and
burying my nose against his neck, inhaled deeply.

“You smell nice,” I said thickly.
He froze for a second and I could feel his breathing quicken. Then he turned and leaned in to

nuzzle my neck, breathing in deeply and sighing. I could feel his beard and his lips and his warm
breath against my sensitive skin and my lady bits got all warm and tingly. I got the distinct impression
that he would have liked to have stayed there longer, but he pulled away.

“So do you,” he said in a husky voice. “I could smell your perfume in here after you left the other

night and it drove me nuts all the way home.”

He went around to the driver’s side and slid in beside me, pausing and looking at me and shaking

his head.

“I don’t even know if you’re going to make it up the stairs,” he said with a laugh.
“You might have to help me.”
“Might have to help you? You mean I might have to carry you.”
“I’m sorry I’m drunk.”
“It’s not your fault.”
“I’m sorry I crawled across your friend.”
“That wasn’t really your fault either. He could have helped you over there a lot faster and without

putting his hands on your ass.”

“Now you sound like you’re jealous,” I teased.
“I’ll let you reassure me when you’re sober.”
“Can I touch you?” I asked coquettishly. I knew I was being naughty, but I didn’t really care very

much at that moment. Okay, I didn’t care at all.

“That depends on where you want to touch me,” he answered with a startled laugh, glancing over

at me. I liked that I had surprised him with my flirting.

“Where do you want me to touch you?” I asked with a giggle.
“Okay, God. This is a test, right?” he asked, glancing up and sounding kind of desperate.
“I was kidding. I just wanted to touch your beard. Your five o’clock shadow kind of fascinates me

for some reason. Do you shave every morning?”

“Yes, that’s a good touch. And yes, I shave every morning. My beard just grows fast.”
“Okay, thanks,” I said and reached out to gently brush the backs of my fingers along his jaw. “It

feels prickly but your skin is so soft at the same time.”

“That feels good,” he said, swallowing and leaning into my touch. “Your hands are soft.”
“You can thank Bruce for that.” I giggled, tracing the line of his sideburn lightly. “I can hardly

remember what you look like clean-shaven now. I guess I’ll have to check you in the morning
sometime,” I teased, as I traced his jawline with the tips of my fingers.

“Jesus, Lily.” He let out a slightly ragged breath. “You drive me so crazy sometimes.”
“What did I do now?” I asked defensively, pulling my hand back.
“Not crazy bad, crazy good. Touching time is over now, though. I need to think about baseball for

Chapter Eight

“Where are we?” I asked a few minutes later. Even in my drunken state, I knew that my building
didn’t have a parking garage.

“Somewhere with a working elevator,” he said, shutting off the engine and turning to me. “You are

about to become the only woman, other than my mother and sisters, who has ever seen my apartment.”
He got out and came over to my side, opened the door and reached across to unbuckle me. As he did,
I couldn’t resist, I reached up and ran my fingers through his hair. It was so thick and soft. He froze
and breathed in deeply, closing his eyes for a second.

“It’s your goal in life to torture me, isn’t it?” he asked hoarsely, moving again to unfasten my belt.

He put an arm around me and helped me to my feet.

“I could make you feel really good, baby.” I repeated his line from the club with a giggle.

Suddenly, however, anxiety reared its ugly head. “What’s going to happen if I’m not a challenge
anymore? I don’t need any more rejection, Adam. I get plenty of that from my family.”

In vino veritas as they say. It didn’t really sink in at the time that I had just voiced my deepest pain

and fear in a parking garage to a guy who had once intentionally left deli meat in my gym locker over
winter break.

“You, Ms. Adler, will always be a challenge. And allow me to repeat, I’ve never brought a

woman to my apartment before. Perhaps when your brain is no longer pickled, you’ll find some
significance in that.”

The elevator arrived and he helped me in, slid a card and pushed seven. I turned around to face

him. I wasn’t done yet! Oh, no siree Bob! I was on an In Vino Veritas Roll, baby! I probably would
have confessed to anything at that point.

“Do you know why the characters in my book look like us?”
“Pure coincidence?” he asked with a smile.
“Because I was fantasizing about us doing all those things together when I wrote it.”
“Are you trying to make me cry?”
We arrived at our floor and he helped me out and to his apartment. He unlocked the door and

flicked on the lights, helping me out of my coat. Thankfully, my head was finally starting to clear a
little bit. I took a quick look around and saw a tasteful, understated, masculine atmosphere.

“This is nice, Adam, no empty pizza boxes, no neon beer signs. Why haven’t you brought other

women here?”

“Because this is my private space, and bringing someone here is an act of intimacy. Do you feel

like you need to puke? If so, I need you to step away from the suede couch.”

“Well, that started out really nicely,” I said, rolling my eyes. “No, I’m not going to puke.” I sat

down on the suede couch and he came in to where I was sitting and handed me a glass of iced water.

“I’m going to go find you something to change into just in case,” he said, walking off somewhere.

He was back a couple of minutes later holding a T-shirt with a picture of McGruff the Crime Dog on
it. He was kidding, right?

“I’ll bet you get lots of tail with that one,” I said, and promptly broke into a snorting giggle fit. I

really did crack myself up.

“I got it at a law enforcement training thing,” he said defensively. “It’s pretty long. It should cover

everything you need to cover.”

“You don’t want to see my lady bits?” I teased.
“Not on a night when I can’t get better acquainted with them,” he answered, looking pained. “Just

for the record, while I may wind up touching myself, I have no intention of touching you while you’re
in this condition.”

“Just as well. I would prefer to be fully aware of what you were touching. Where should I

change?” I asked, managing to remain standing. That was progress.

“The bedroom’s through there.” He pointed to a door at the end of a short hallway.
“Okay, so if you need me I’ll be naked in your bedroom,” I teased in a flirty voice.
“Maybe I should come along to watch so I can catch you if you fall down on the bed.”
He won that round. I backed down and went off to change. The lights were on already, and I saw

that, like the rest of the apartment, Adam’s bedroom had a modern, masculine feel and was stylishly
done in black and gray. I looked around curiously. There really wasn’t all that much personal about it,
though. It was a guy’s bedroom. Hmm. I would be the first woman to sleep in his bed. I liked that. It
looked comfy and soft, and the pillows probably smelled like him too. Oh, man, stop it, Lil. You
don’t know how to think about baseball!

I tore my eyes away from the bed and glanced around the room one more time. He seemed pretty

neat. No underwear on the floor. I wondered for a second what kind he wore. I had a feeling he was a
boxer briefs guy. I was almost tempted to peek, but I decided it would be more fun to find out by
unwrapping his package, than digging through his dresser.

I quickly slipped out of my dress, bra and stockings and folded everything neatly onto a chair, my

first hint that I was starting to sober up a little. Adam’s T-shirt smelled a little like him, and I inhaled
shamelessly as I slid it over my head. It did, in fact, cover my lady bits, ending at mid-thigh. His
comment about torturing him floated back to me as I looked at myself in a mirror guiltily. I was pretty
scantily clad, but I figured, what the hell, he had seen me in a bikini; how stimulating could a McGruff
the Crime Dog T-shirt be?

From the look on Adam’s face when he turned around and saw me, it would seem that McGruff

could be more stimulating than one would think. He made a noise that sounded suspiciously like a
groan as his eyes dropped to my body.

“Would you mind getting my iPad out of the bedroom?” he asked thickly.
“Why didn’t you ask me that when I went in there?” I turned and walked back down the hall. Then

it dawned on me. “You only asked so you could stare at my ass, didn’t you?” I called over my
shoulder.

“And it’s a lovely ass, I assure you,” he called back. When I came back in with his tablet he

appeared highly distracted.

“Are you okay?” I asked uncertainly, handing it to him. His eyes looked kind of glassy.
“I have to take a shower,” he muttered, putting the tablet down on an end table. “There’s food if

you want to eat something or I can make you something when I’m done if you want.”

“You cook?”
“Yeah, I cook. Why?”
“I figured your mom and sisters probably doted on you.”
“And what, they show up and cook for me now?” His eyes dropped to my legs again. “If you’ll

excuse me, that shower is becoming an urgent matter.”

He grimaced, adjusted his suit pants, and walked past me to the bathroom, closing and locking the

door behind him. I wandered back into the living room and found the remote to the TV. After scrolling
through numerous channels I found an old Monty Python movie. I took a sip of my water, tucked my
legs up underneath myself and settled in to watch and continue the sobering process. I heard the
bathroom door open a few minutes later and I turned around in time to see Adam walk out with a
towel wrapped around his waist. Oh my.

“See something you like?” he called out.
“I don’t know, there’s a towel in the way,” I answered and I thought I heard him laugh as the

bedroom door closed.

When he came out a little later, he appeared much more relaxed, dressed in gray sweatpants and a

Georgetown Hoyas T-shirt. He looked sexy like that too. Jesus, he looked good to me in everything
these days. I wanted to cuddle up with him, which was really weird, because I had definitely never
been a cuddler. Must have been the booze. I might have sustained brain damage. Instead, I scrunched
myself tighter into the corner of the sofa and hugged my waist.

“Do you want to watch The Meaning of Life with me? I know the words to all the songs.”
“Is that a threat?” he asked, and I actually laughed myself. “I was going to make myself an omelet.

Do you want one?”

“Okay,” I answered, feeling inordinately pleased. Having someone cook for me was a rare treat.

Actually, having company at this time of night was a rare treat these days. Ten minutes later he
brought two plates out and we dug in.

“Well, there you go, Adler, you’re literally the first woman I have ever cooked for.”
“Mmm. This is good, Adam. I didn’t realize how hungry I was. All I’ve had since lunch were

nachos, cocktail weenies and a bottle of spiced rum.”

“I hate that health food shit,” he joked and I snort laughed, which then made him laugh too. Not

long after that a musical number came on and I sang my heart out.

“So there you go, Roth. I’ve never serenaded a guy before.”
“And the song you pick is Every Sperm is Sacred. You’re an interesting woman, Adler. What are

you doing over in that corner anyway? Get over here.”

“Why? You afraid my fat ass will tip the couch over?” I joked.
“First, of all, your ass is not fat. Trust me, I’ve examined it closely on more than one occasion.

Secondly, I’m a boy and you’re a girl, and we’re watching a movie together. I know you were a
teenager once, because I was there, so you must know the drill. Come over here and sit next to me.”

“Well, how could any girl resist that kind of sweet talk?” I teased, and moved over to the middle

of the couch where Adam slipped his arm around me. “Hey, I thought you weren’t going to touch me.”

“Allow me to clarify. I’m not going to touch anywhere that could possibly make either one of us

come, and while I’m good, I don’t know if even I could get us there by touching your shoulder.
Although, I’d be willing to try some night when you’re not smashed.”

We watched the rest of the movie like that, although Adam swore that I was making his ears bleed

at every musical number. And finally, the credits rolled.

“I love that movie,” I said when it ended.
“You would never know,” he replied dryly and I poked him in the ribs. “Hey, watch it. My ribs

are sensitive.”

“So, you want to make out?” I teased.
“Oh-ho God!” he said in a pained voice, throwing his head back against the couch.
“What? I know I probably smell like a bar but am I that foul?”
“Foul?! Are you fucking nuts? Do you have no clue? I have to take a shower,” he said in a tense

voice, getting up and heading for the bathroom.

“You just took one.”
“I need another one. I’ll be back in a few minutes.” I took our plates into the kitchen and washed

everything up. By the time I was done, he was coming back out. It was getting late and I was getting
tired.

“I’m sleepy,” I said, yawning.
“You look it. I’ll go grab a pillow and a blanket for out here and you can have the bed.”
“You can sleep with me if you want,” I said casually. The fact was that I really did want to sleep

with him. Something about the thought of it made me feel warm and safe. He tensed up, though, and
looked at me a little desperately.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea. I wouldn’t be able to sleep.”
“You slept with me that night in Bucks County.”
“I was completely exhausted that night. Under most circumstances, though, I find it hard to doze off

next to half-naked women who I want to bang.” With that, he went off to search for an extra blanket
and pillow.

“Do you have an extra toothbrush?” I called out, heading for the bathroom.
“Use mine.”
“Use yours? That’s kind of gross.”
“Is the thought of my tongue in your mouth gross too? Because that could have an impact on our

romantic relationship.” I guess he had a point there.

I went into the bathroom, washed my face, did everything else that half a bowl of rum punch and

three glasses of water made necessary, and then contemplated his toothbrush. Fuck it, I was going for
it. I brushed my teeth and headed for the hall. I saw him lying on the sofa, punching a pillow to soften
it up and I wandered in to say goodnight. Okay, and to ogle a little because he had taken his shirt off
again and his body was beautiful.

“Goodnight,” I said, trying not to stare. I wasn’t succeeding very well and the amused look on his

face told me that he had noticed.

“Goodnight,” he said, trying not to look at my boobs bouncing around jauntily under McGruff as I

moved. He wasn’t succeeding too well either, I might add.

“If you need anything I’ll be in there,” I said glancing off toward his bedroom.
“It’s my apartment, I’m sure I can find whatever I need.” He gave into temptation and let his eyes

drop for a moment to my body. “Whatever I need that it would be appropriate for me to have tonight,”
he added, sounding frustrated. He grabbed his iPad from the end table, and settled in to read.

“What are you reading?” I asked curiously.

“Espionage thriller.”
“Ah, I thought you wanted to read the rest of my…”
“I do want to read them, but I couldn’t handle that tonight with you here and half naked. I might

forget my rules about women who have been drinking to excess. Now go get some sleep, because
you’re getting me hard again, and if I practice any more self-love tonight, I might get carpal tunnel.”

“You mean you were…” I must have looked surprised.
“What did you think, I was just really hygienic?”
“I thought maybe you were taking cold showers,” I admitted.
“Hell, no. I don’t waste God’s gifts.”
I didn’t know how to respond to that, so I just wished him goodnight again and headed off for the

bedroom. I slid under the covers and snuggled down. I was just drifting off when I heard a knock at
the door.

“Yes?” I called out in a thick, sleepy voice.
“Are you decent?”
“Depends on who you ask,” I replied. The door opened and Adam, pillow and blanket in hand,

stood there.

“I can’t sleep out there either. I might as well not be able to sleep in my own bed.”
“So, what do you want, an engraved invitation?” I asked, stretching out languorously like a cat,

and turning over on my side.

He came in and returned his pillow to the bed, tossing the blanket on a chair. He walked around to

my side of the bed and shut out the light, as I obviously was starting to drowse. Then he slid in beside
me and laid there quietly for a moment, before speaking out in the dark.

“Okay, here’s the deal, Adler, I want to put my arm around you. Am I going to sustain bodily

injury?” he asked.

“Are you putting it around my neck? If not, then you’re probably safe.”
“Just for the record, I’ve never felt the urge to spoon with anyone before.”
“Just for the record, I’m tired.” I felt him move over and lay behind me, draping his arm around

my waist. I snuggled back against him. It was the nicest way I had ever fallen asleep.

Chapter Nine

Against all odds, I slept soundly. At some point, I was having a very vivid erotic dream about Adam.
We were making love slowly, and I was enjoying the feeling of his warmth and his weight on top of
me.  Suddenly  a  buzzer  went  off  in  my  dream  and  we  both  stopped  moving  and  looked  around  in
confusion. I couldn’t figure out where the sound was coming from, but I wanted it to stop. It wouldn’t
stop,  though,  and  little  by  little,  I  began  to  shed  the  layers  of  sleep  as  consciousness  rose  to  the
surface. I sensed pressure and movement against my body, and as my eyes fluttered open, I realized
that  I  was  sleeping  on  my  back  with  Adam  draped  over  me  like  a  blanket,  one  arm  and  one  leg
encompassing me protectively and his weight partially resting on me.

“Adam?” I said sleepily. “What’s that sound?”
“Door buzzer,” he answered, groggily. Suddenly, something must have occurred to him, because

he shot up in bed and grabbed a bedside clock. “Oh fuck!” He vaulted out of bed just as I heard
voices in his living room calling him.

“Adam! Are you still asleep? Get up! We’re going to be late!”
“Is that your sister, Sarah?” I asked, stunned.
“It’s probably my whole fucking family,” he answered, looking panicked. “My cousin’s Bar

Mitzvah is today and they were stopping by to pick me up.”

“Oh God. This is awkward.”
“It’s more than awkward. I’ve never had a woman stay over here before, let alone a nice well-

educated Jewish girl from my neighborhood. They’re going to start planning our wedding.”

“Adam, don’t worry,” I answered, trying to sound reassuring. “I can just wait until …”
“Adam, do you have company?” It was another of his sisters, Abby, the one closest to us in age.

She sounded both amazed and amused.

“I’ll be right out. I’m running late. Hold on!” He started searching frantically through a closet and

pulled out one of his suits. “Quick! Get dressed!” he ordered.

“Adam, just go and …”
“Too late. Abby knows you well enough to recognize your voice and she’s not stupid. I think

you’re my date for a Bar Mitzvah.”

I got up quickly and immediately found my clothes. Without even thinking I grabbed my bra, turned

my back to him and pulled his T-shirt over my head, thus giving him a clear shot of my ass in my
pretty pink silk and lace undies. I wasn’t sure if he was looking, though. I heard a groan. He was
looking.

“Mind your own business,” I chided over my shoulder and got my bra hooked, grabbing a stocking

and sitting down on a chair to put it on.

“Just tell me when it’s okay to look,” he said, sounding stressed.

“Okay,” I answered and he turned around, giving him a clear shot of me sitting in my bra and

panties easing a thigh high stocking up my leg.

“Oh fuck,” he moaned, sounding miserable.
“What are you doing?” I demanded.
“You said okay.” His eyes were fixed on my legs and his appreciation was evident from across

the room.

“I was acknowledging your request! Adam, you’ve got a, um, an issue,” I said, glancing down at

the impressive bulge in his sweat pants.

“Oh shit, this isn’t happening,” he said, starting to pace.
“Adam, just get dressed and think about baseball or something,” I hissed.
“Adam, honey, it’s getting late.” It was his mom. Apparently, hearing your mom’s voice can work

even better than thinking about baseball.

“We’re coming!” he called back.
“Did he say we?” his mom asked someone in a quieter voice.
“I knew he wasn’t alone!” Abby said. “I could swear I heard Lily Adler.” I felt my face turn

crimson as I slid my dress over my head.

“Lily? Really?” His mom sounded like someone had just told her that she had won the Powerball

drawing. I saw Adam roll his eyes.

“You have to admit, there is something kind of humorous about this,” I said, sliding on my heels

while Adam tied his tie in the mirror.

“Yeah, for the first time in my life, I’m getting caught by my sisters and I didn’t even get laid.

That’s just fucking hilarious. Where do you want to go on our honeymoon by the way?”

He gave his suit jacket a final tug and finger combed his hair. I grabbed my purse and ran over to

the mirror beside him and quickly dug out some lipstick.

“I just have to throw some make-up on.”
“We don’t have time for that.”
“I’m an expert. Watch.” He stood there and watched with fascination as I managed to apply my

make-up in three minutes flat.

“That was amazing. I will point out, though, that you look hot even without make-up.” I paused and

looked at him, feeling inordinately pleased.

“Thank you,” I said and smiled. He smiled back and we shared a quick moment.
“We had better go.”
Adam threw open the door and I tried to not look like I was doing the walk of shame through his

living room. He strode out of his bedroom like nothing was amiss and I followed apprehensively in
his wake with a friendly smile fixed on my face.

“Mom, Dad, Hannah, Sarah, Abby, you remember Lily Adler.”
“Hi, how are you all?” I asked, trying to sound casually upbeat. The Roth family looked at me like

they were witnessing a miracle. Maybe they were.

“You’re in Adam’s apartment. Where he lives,” Sarah began, looking dumbfounded.

“Oh my God, Adam’s having an adult relationship with a woman,” Hannah added.
“Didn’t the two of you used to fight all the time?” Abby asked with a look of delighted confusion.

“Don’t you remember? They used to fight all the time. That’s so cute!”

“We’re going to be late,” Adam said, ignoring his sisters. Suddenly, his mother seemed to recover

from a state of shock.

“David, it’s Lily Adler!” she said urgently to Adam’s father. “From our neighborhood. From our

synagogue. Lily is here in Adam’s apartment and he’s taking her to the Bar Mitzvah.”

“I see that, Deb,” Adam’s dad answered and put his arm around his wife – possibly to hold her up.

He seemed to take all of this in stride. Dave Roth was a very easy-going guy.

“I remember the ‘caution, oversized ego’ sign you put on Adam’s back that one time.” Abby

laughed. “That was so funny.”

“Yeah, that was hilarious,” Adam said, grabbing our coats out of the closet.
“I’m so happy to see you, Lily,” Mrs. Roth said, looking like she was on the verge of tears.
“It’s nice to see you too, Mrs. Roth.” I wasn’t sure what else to say.
“I think Mom’s going to be working the room with this news,” Sarah said with a smile.
“I think she’ll just have the rabbi make a formal announcement,” Hannah added. “A reception

sponsored by the family will be taking place back at the Sheraton and Debra Roth would like
everyone to know that her son is dating a nice Jewish lawyer.”

“Okay, who’s driving us?” Adam asked.

Chapter Ten

The Bar Mitzvah was, well, a Bar Mitzvah. In other words, we spent our time listening to a thirteen-
year-old talk about ‘being a man’ just before thanking every person he had ever met. Then we went to
a party, ate rubbery chicken and talked to strangers who Adam might possibly have been related to.
After lunch we watched paid dancers in ugly leotards boogieing down with middle-aged Jews to the
entire catalogue of The Village People and a fake Spanish version of the Macarena. Then we drove
home. Just like every Bar Mitzvah.

“At least your parents didn’t try to book the rabbi for our wedding.”
“That we know of. Don’t accept any invitations from my mother without getting all the details

upfront. I noticed that she managed to get your cell number.”

“Your Aunt Grace is not aptly named. I think she was body-spelling YMCA wrong.”
“She was spelling it in Hebrew,” he joked.
“Thanks again for not making me do the limbo, by the way.”
“I’m going to make you do it naked later.”
“Oh, you think so, huh?”
“Hell, yeah. You and I are going to have some real fun tonight, Adler.” Butterflies took flight in my

tummy when he said that and I had to concentrate to keep my breathing even.

“One step at a time, Romeo.” I laughed nervously. “So far our great romance has included me

getting drunk and us going to a Bar Mitzvah together.”

“Hey, I’ve been doing a very good job, if I must say so myself. I brought you to my apartment. I

cooked for you. And I respected you enough to not touch you, even though I had to take three
showers.”

“Three?” I asked, confused.
“You were asleep.”
“It’s still light out. You can just drop me off,” I said as we approached my building. He pulled

over and parked. “And you have been doing a good job, Adam,” I added. He turned to me, and
suddenly the air was thick with sexual tension. His demeanor was as calm as ever, but I was aware
that he was breathing more rapidly than usual. I, in turn, could feel my skin becoming flushed and my
mouth becoming dry. His fingers tightened on the gearshift, as I maintained a death grip on my purse,
and I knew then that we were both struggling with the urge to touch each other.

“So, what time should I pick you up?” he asked. I could hear a note of strain in his tone. We so

clearly wanted to jump each other. If I didn’t get out of this car we might be spending the rest of the
weekend in bed. If we made it to bed.

“Nine-thirty?” I answered, taking a deep breath and dry swallowing.
“Nine-thirty it is. You bring your bad girl and I’ll bring my player and we’ll let them tangle and

see who comes out on top,” he said in the same seductive voice he had used that night in the club.

“Yeah, well, you better be ready to rumble, player, because I like to be on top,” I said with a

smile as I got out and walked toward my door with a little extra swing in my hips.

He waited while I opened the front door and went in, then he drove away. I walked into the foyer

with a huge grin and immediately encountered Mr. Davis and the Fed Ex guy. Mr. Erectile
Dysfunction signed for a package wrapped in a plain brown wrapper, and winked at me as I walked
past. I gave a small wave and then climbed the four flights, passing by the Sopranos who, shockingly,
were fighting again, and Donna, who was loudly faking an orgasm. Home Sweet Home.

As I headed down the hall to my door, I passed R. Nardo’s apartment, and suddenly his door flew

open and his head popped out. I let out a startled yelp and put my hand over my racing heart. Seeing
me, he slammed the door closed again. I had to find another place.

I got my door unlocked and took off my coat. It was dark inside so I flicked on the lights.

Suddenly, something struck me as wrong. It was dark. The curtains were closed. I never left the
curtains closed. I knew my habits. Someone had been in here. Then something really frightening
occurred to me. What if they were still here?

I started to panic, thinking maybe there was a burglar in here or something. I thought about leaving

and finding somebody to check the place out with me, but then I told myself that I was being
ridiculous, that nobody was here, and besides, I had been handling things myself since I was a latch-
key kid. There really wasn’t anywhere other than the bedroom, the bathroom or the closet for them to
hide. I grabbed an umbrella and made my way over to the bathroom first. I took a deep breath, and
tried to steady my shaking hand as I reached out for the knob. I silently counted to three, holding the
umbrella in the other hand like a club.

One, two, on three, I yanked the door open and saw … absolutely nobody. I released the breath

and put my hand over my slamming heart. Then I forced myself to walk in and approach the tub.
Willing myself to reach out, I grabbed the vinyl shower curtain, steeled my nerves, and ripped it back
like Norman Bates going after Janet Leigh. Shrinking back quickly, umbrella poised at the ready, I
saw … nothing but some soap scum. Yuck. Needed to get some scrubbing bubbles on that.

Okay, onward to the bedroom. The door was already open and I didn’t see anyone but that didn’t

mean that somebody wasn’t hiding in there. I crept in and tiptoed over to the bed. Crouching down, I
threw up the quilt and peered underneath … at nothing but shoes and dust bunnies. Jesus, I really
needed to clean this place. I sighed with relief, but reminded myself that the search wasn’t over.

I let out another ragged breath and stealthily made my way over to the closet next. I went through

the same ritual again. This time, when I yanked the door open, though, something came crashing
toward me! I screamed and starting whacking wildly with the umbrella. I wasn’t even aware of what I
was doing in my Berserker-like frenzy until I looked down at the ground in front of me. That ironing
board wouldn’t be assaulting anyone else. I literally doubled over while I caught my breath. Then I
picked up the offending ironing board, which had come loose from where it was hanging on the back
of the door when I had yanked it open.

I was about to just chalk everything up to a rare moment of forgetfulness, when I noticed

something, the faint smell of spicy cooking. I hadn’t smelled that in months. Usually it only wafted in
here when … I spun around toward the living room and looked up at my ceiling fan, which was turned
on. In November.

I didn’t want to stay there alone anymore no matter how brave I told myself I was. I had to call

someone. First I considered calling Adam, but I figured he would think I was nuts. Then I thought
about calling Gabrielle or Jess, but they would probably mention it to Braden or Cam, who would tell
Adam, who would think I was nuts. That just left…. Oh shit. I sighed and picked up my phone.

“Explain this to me again,” Bruce said, sounding confused. “You think someone broke into your

place because you smelled spicy cooking and your drapes were closed?”

“I could only smell the cooking because my ceiling fan was on!”
“So?” he asked, like he just didn’t get it. I threw myself down on the sofa in exasperation. How

many times did I have to go over this with him?

“So, it’s November!”
“People put their ceiling fans on in November.”
“I don’t!” I wanted to strangle him.
“You really should, you know. It helps distribute the heat.” I wanted to strangle myself.
“Would you listen to me?! Someone was in my apartment. I never shut the drapes when I go out

and I don’t put my fan on in November because it makes me cold!”

“Okay, calm down! Was anything missing?”
“No, I don’t think so. I don’t have many valuables but my laptop was still here and so were my

iPod and my TV. I don’t have enough cash to keep cash around and I don’t have any really good
jewelry.”

“Stop. You’re going to make me cry,” he broke in. “The laptop would have been worth something.

You’re saying someone broke in just to close your curtains and turn on your fan?”

“I don’t know! Maybe they broke in to try on my high heels or fondle my underwear!”
“Okay, you need to get the locks changed. I don’t know if you can get anyone out there at this time

on a Saturday but you’ll be spending the night with your boy anyway.”

“It’s a first date. I mean, I’m not sure …”
“Oh come on! Who do you think you’re talking to here? You two aren’t are going to the Junior

Prom. You’re getting laid, honey, and I suspect, very well. I hope you remembered all my advice. If
not, there’s still time to moisturize.”

“Although there is a distinct possibility that we might spend the night together, I’m not moving in

with him, so as of tomorrow morning, I need to have a plan. Is changing the locks enough? Can’t
people pick locks?”

“Well, why don’t you ask the prosecutor who you’ll be riding tonight? He would know more about

lock picking and panty fondling than me.”

“Because I don’t think he would believe me. He would think I’m nuts or histrionic. He sees me as

a confident, sexy and desirable woman now. I don’t want him to see me as some wacked out drama
mama.”

“What is wrong with you? Just explain to him what you explained to me.”
“And you yourself are convinced that I’m not imagining things?”

“Well ….”

“See! I’m going to find a locksmith who works Sundays. Can you please come over here so I’m

not completely alone? I would come there but I need to get ready to go out later.”

“Okay, fine. I’ll be over in a little bit. Keep the phone close by until I get there.”
“So, I can call for help?”
“That too, but I may need you to order take-out.”

“Somebody is getting a Bed, Bath & Beyond gift card for Hanukkah,” Bruce said, looking around

like Couturier at K-Mart.

“What’s wrong with it?” I looked around defensively.
“What’s wrong with it? Honey, just because you got it at a garage sale doesn’t make it shabby

chic.”

“Oh cut it out! What is it with you turning into a walking gay stereotype lately?”
“I’m not turning into a stereotype! I was always a stereotype. I just hid it before.”
“Great, if my intruder comes back you can just bitch at him until he’s suicidal.”
“Don’t you have go get trampy or something?”
“I have time yet. He’s not coming until nine-thirty.”
“Nine-thirty? Jesus. I hope you have cable.”

Chapter Eleven

Bruce bought us pizza. Although I didn’t actually have cable, he lucked out, because I was willing to
watch both Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune with him. Afterward, there was a Saturday Night Live
Prime Time special to keep him amused and I went off to take my shower. I went the whole nine
yards with getting ready. I went with the assumption that Adam would be getting me naked, a thought
which was still making me a little dizzy with anticipation.

I had been assembling my “Lilah-look” for a while. I had found a black lace cocktail dress in a

clearance sale last year at the end of the season. It was hot. It was cut about three inches above my
knee and it had long sleeves and a V-neck front. The best part, though, was that it had a cut-out back.
The thought of Adam’s fingers on my bare skin gave me chills. The bra was built into the dress, but I
been saving some pretty black lace panties to wear with it, along with some good black thigh-high
stockings with a seam up the back. I had also found a pair of black suede pumps with five-inch heels
at an outlet store.

These were the nicest clothes I owned. Lilah had style. It took nearly two hours, but the end result

almost stunned me. I felt like a sexy Cinderella. The woman staring back at me from the mirror had
big loose waves in her hair, black smoky eyes, dark red lips. You know, I cleaned up pretty nicely. I
went out to the living room and when Bruce saw me the expression on his face said it all. I must have
looked good; I had finally impressed Le Bruce.

“Lily! You look fabulous!”
“Really? Thanks!”
“Oh! My little girl is all grown up!”
“Bruce, you’re three months younger than I am.”
“Just remember, darling, don’t let him rip the dress! The stockings, the panties, ok, but not the

dress. Now, are you all nice and waxed?”

“Bruce!”
“Did you put a dab of perfume behind your knees, between your boobs, and on your wrists, neck,

and elbows?”

“Elbows?”
“Get it!”
Fifteen minutes later, even Papa Bruce was satisfied. Adam called to tell me he was parking and

my nerves immediately kicked in. Bruce planned to go down and let Adam in on his way out, and I
would do my best to seem calm, cool, and collected when he came up to get me. Before he left, Bruce
managed to give his first useful talk ever.

“Listen, Lily, I’m not kidding when I say you look amazing. Tonight you are the adventurous

woman who wrote those hot, sexy, stories, and the man who is coming to take you out, wants you.

You are powerful tonight, my dear, do not forget that.”

“Wow. Thanks, Bruce!”
“And don’t get drunk this time.”
“Goodbye, Bruce.”
He left and I willed myself to believe everything he had just told me. When I heard Adam knock

on the door a minute later, it was my inner-Lilah who went over to answer with a swing in her hips
and bounce in her step. I yanked the door open with my best confident, sexy smile.

He had his overcoat on, but I could see how fine he looked. He was all scrubbed and closely

shaved and he smelled amazing. We just stared silently at each other for a few seconds.

“You’re gorgeous,” he said finally, and the expression on his face told me he meant it.
“Thanks. You’re not so bad yourself.”
“This is going to be an incredible night.”
“Did you make sure to tell all my neighbors on the way up?” I teased.
“If we don’t go now, they’re going to find out on their own,” he said in a low, sexy voice that sent

a rush of heat straight to my lady bits.

“I’ll get my coat,” I said, feeling a little dizzy again. As I turned to walk away I heard him whistle.
“I love the back and the seams. Baby, those almost break my heart.” I looked over my shoulder

and gave him another sexy smile. He followed along behind me and when I got my coat out he took it
from me and helped me into it. I glanced around a little apprehensively. I was nervous about leaving
my few valuables behind.

“Maybe I should bring my laptop.”
“Why? Do they expect you to actually write a book while you’re there?”
“No.” I took a deep breath, and suddenly, it seemed stupid not to say anything. “I had the feeling,

earlier, when I came home, that somebody had been in my apartment.” There I said it.

“Why did you think that?” Adam asked, looking at me intently and tightening his grip on my arm.
“My curtains were closed, even though I always leave them open, and the fan was on, but I never

put it on in cold weather.”

“You really should. It distributes the heat.”
“I know! Adam, I think someone was in here!”
“Nothing was missing or damaged?’
“No,” I admitted.
“The door was locked?”
“Yes, and the locks look fine, but Adam, I know my habits.”
“Okay, maybe it was the landlord, or a maintenance guy. Why would anyone else put the fan on? It

must have been someone checking the wiring or something.”

“You may be right. It’s never happened before, but it’s possible,” I acknowledged.
“That’s probably the answer. Why don’t you call your landlord tomorrow and verify it? Is that

why Bruce was here, by the way, because you were scared?”

“Scared is a strong word, uncomfortable maybe.”
“Why didn’t you call me?”
“Because you had just dropped me off …” I sighed and opted for the truth. “And I figured you

would think I was crazy or being dramatic or something.”

“Since when do you care what I think?” He laughed and I looked up at him, probably a little

miserably, because the look he gave me was warm and amused. “Come on, Lilah or we’re going to be
late.” He put his arm around me and we left.

Adam was being exceptionally polite, opening doors, helping me into the car. I liked it a lot. I

made a decision not to censor myself. I got to be a bad girl that night, and I was going to enjoy it
without letting self-consciousness get in my way. So, when he tested the waters by asking me to tell
him more about my novel, I didn’t shy away.

“When did you write that book, anyway?”
“I started it this summer and it just flowed. I was done within a couple of months. I’ve never

written one that quickly before.” I paused and glanced over at him. “Was there anything, in particular,
that you liked?” I asked curiously and I saw him smile.

“The fact that the main characters looked like us.” He laughed.
“I meant …”
“I knew what you meant,” he broke in, taking a deep breath and blowing it back out again before

going on. “This will probably sound weird,” he started, sounding embarrassed, eyes fixed on the
road, “but my, uh, encounters are very casual, and so it’s pretty much the same routine, I go down, she
goes down, we have sex, I thank her and I leave. There’s no sensual massage or bathing together or
anything like that. I liked that. It was really, you know, erotic.”

He sounded very uncomfortable, which was understandable. He wasn’t just admitting that he liked

the idea of sensuality, he was admitting that he liked the idea of sexual intimacy. His honesty, and his
willingness to share that, excited me almost as much as his answer – almost.

“You liked it when I touched your face?” I asked.
“Yes,” he answered quietly but firmly.
“I liked it too,” I said simply.
“Is that … I mean, is that how you usually …”
“Sensual touching and massage? No actually. I’ve read about it, and talked to people about it, but

I’ve never really felt comfortable enough with someone to explore it. I would like to though.”

“Me too.”
I could see by his look that he was thinking about it, and I was feeling almost high with

anticipation and the knowledge that he wanted me. There was something weighing on my mind,
though, that kept encroaching on my happiness. I needed to hear him tell me it would be more than
tonight, and I also needed to know if there would be other blondes in other clubs who I would have to
share him with. I was worried that the answer was going to be ‘yes,’ and I was seriously scared that
my answer would still be ‘yes’ too.

“Adam, this isn’t the only time that we’ll be …?”
“No,” he said before I could even finish, giving me a serious look. I took a deep breath.
“And will you still be going out and …?”
“Just you.”
“Really?” My pulse rate shot up exponentially and a slightly stunned, very relieved sense of joyful

excitement spread through me. I actually got goosebumps.

“What, you didn’t think I anticipated that request? Why do you think it’s taken three months to ask

you on a date? I wanted to be ready.”

“I just didn’t know if you would agree to it. Hell, I didn’t even know if you would consider it.”
“Then you underestimate yourself.” That startled me so much my breath caught.
“You know that I probably would have been willing …”
“Just you, Lily. Give me your hand,” he said, taking one of his off the wheel and glancing quickly

at me.

“Why?” I asked suspiciously.
“Because I want to arm wrestle. Because I want to hold it, you nutty broad. Why do you think?” I

reached out and grabbed his hand and he squeezed mine gently. His was so much bigger it covered
mine completely and it felt warm and strong.

“To be honest, I’ve never really done a lot of this affectionate stuff. My relationships have been

mostly monogamous, but in some ways, they haven’t been all that different than your encounters,” I
admitted. “I like it with you, though. Maybe because we’ve known each other a long time, or maybe
there’s just something … I don’t know.”

“I’ve never been touchy feely either. I guess I like to touchy feely you, though,” he joked. Five

minutes later we were parking at Inferno.

Chapter Twelve

Inside we checked our coats and I saw that Adam was dressed head to toe in black, black suit, black
shirt, black tie, and he looked sexy as hell. I took a good look at his closely shaved chin and I saw
him smile.

“Don’t worry. The way my beard grows, it’ll probably be back by the time we leave.” He offered

me his arm and escorted me in the direction of the main club.

“We’re supposed to go to a private reception first where fans who bought tickets can come in and

have their books signed. Afterward, we’ll go out and dance and socialize.”

“I’m looking forward to dancing with you. I’m going to get a little closer than Bruce did, though,”

he said, smiling down at me, and I happily remembered Bruce’s comments about guys who could
dance.

I hadn’t been to this club before, as it was pretty new. It wasn’t all that exciting, just your usual

trendy hangout. There was the standard dance floor, D.J. station, huge bar area and lounge-type
seating with lots of small tables and booths lining the walls. It was nice enough but nothing special. A
young woman dressed in a devil costume met us at the entrance and escorted us through a set of
double doors at the back, that I wouldn’t have seen if she hadn’t shown us.

As soon as we were out of the main dance club area, I saw a change in atmosphere. Back here, no

expense had been spared to recreate the feeling that one was descending into something decadent, and
likely debauched. The walls of the hallway in front of us were brick and arched overhead. It felt like
we were entering into a Gothic mansion, or possibly, a medieval dungeon. She led us to another set of
doors, these two with large brass rings for handles, and then we passed through them into Hell.

Before us was a large, opulently decorated, private room. The walls were paneled in what looked

like  ebony,  and  elaborate  brass  sconces  held  what  appeared  to  be  actual  torches  at  first.  I  saw  on
closer  examination,  that  they  were  clever  electric  reproductions,  but  they  threw  wavering  shadows
just like real flames. There were also large reproductions of famous scary paintings like Fuseli’s The
Nightmare  and  Bouguereau’s Dante  and  Virgil  in  Hell .  Cute  place.  Tables  made  of  dark  wood,
roughly hewn, but heavily lacquered, were set up along the walls. Behind them sat chairs upholstered
in rich-looking blood red velvet. The centerpiece of the room, however, was a huge golden statue of a
dragon with red jeweled eyes. It sat in the middle of a stone well-like structure that was filled with
something that looked like lava. Again, though, I realized it was an optical illusion. Adam and I just
stood there for a second, taking it all in.

“Wow, Lilah, you’re into some funky shit,” he said finally.
“Well, this is different than the book signing I did at the Marriott,” I noted.
The one thing that did make it slightly less creepy, was the fact that normal-looking people were

milling about among the devil costumes of the waiters and waitresses. I saw another woman approach
us with a friendly smile. This one was holding a clipboard.

“Hi, I’m Angie from …”
“I recognize you!” I said excitedly to the friendly book blogger who I had chatted with online

many times. “I’m Lilah Alden. It’s nice to finally meet you in person. This my uh, my date, Adam.”
Why did that feel so incredibly weird to say out loud?

She and I chatted for a few minutes and she pointed out some other people in the room. There

were many who were familiar to me, authors from around the area. Angie also pointed out a guy over
in the corner with an attractive brunette on his arm. The guy himself was good-looking in sort of a
slick way.

“That’s Tony Amato. He owns this club. He offered us the room for free. His girlfriend, Roxanne,

there, is a big romance fan.”

Someone gestured to Angie and she went over to greet a new arrival. I recognized Katherine

Rhodes, a local author who wrote BDSM erotica. I turned to Adam and saw him staring intently over
in the direction of Tony and Roxanne.

“Something interesting about them? Besides their taste in décor I mean,” I asked.
“Just wondering why he’s looking so happy-go-lucky when his cousin is about to stand trial. There

are rumors that the government has a witness who can put not only Moretti, but half of his family
away. I wouldn’t be surprised if Tony boy over there didn’t have his fingers in a few questionable
pies.”

“Great. You’re saying that we’re at a party, obviously thrown by the Marquis de Sade, and it’s in

a club owned by a guy in the mafia?”

“A club owned by somebody in the mafia? Who ever heard of that? But I’m sure Mr. Amato over

there is an upstanding businessman,” Adam said sarcastically. “Who’s that other dude over there, by
the way? He seems to be drawing a crowd.”

“That’s Sebastian Romano who wrote Paradise Unbound.”
“He’s one of the ‘Fiery Ladies’ who writes hot books?” Adam joked.
“They probably named the event before they realized he was coming. He’s supposedly really

reclusive. For the record though, men have written erotic books before. Look at D.H. Lawrence,
Nabokov, and Henry Miller …”

“Yeah, well are we talking Lady Chatterley’s Lover , Lolita and Tropic of Cancer or are we

talking Fabio, the Pirate Who Ripped My Bodice?”

“Did I write Fabio, the Pirate Who Ripped My Bodice? This is a party for modern romance

novelists; there are no ‘hot loins or heaving bosoms’ in our books.”

Just then Tony Amato got everyone’s attention. He thanked us, and invited us all to grab a glass of

champagne so we could toast before we let the fans in to have their books signed. He explained that
he and Roxanne would like to come by and personally say ‘hi’ as well. Cocktail waiters and
waitresses dressed in devil costumes, with masks covering their faces, made their way around the
room with the booze.

As we got our champagne flutes, Adam put his hand on my bare back and began lightly brushing

his fingers up and down. I breathed in quickly and closed my eyes for a second as waves of
pleasurable anticipation flowed through me. I looked up at him, with what I was sure was a lust-
dazed expression, and I could see the satisfaction it gave him to be able to make me look at him like
that. I pulled him down to whisper in his ear.

“Are you bored?” I asked.
“Not at all,” he whispered into mine. “Actually, I was just thinking about all the things I want to do

when I finally get you alone.” My heart started tap dancing in my chest and I got pinprick tingles all
over my body.

“Well, I’m bored, so tell me,” I whispered back throatily. He put his mouth close to my ear again,

and his warm breath made me shiver as he continued lightly tracing paths of hot and cool sensation up
and down my spine.

“I’ll start by undressing you slowly, until I can see and touch and taste every inch of you. Then I’ll

lay you down on the bed. I’ve imagined so many times how beautiful you’ll look lying there waiting
for me.”

“Okay, don’t tell me,” I said, swallowing hard and feeling my skin becoming flushed.
Tony raised his glass and toasted all of the authors who ‘got Roxanne hot and kept them up all

night.’ How sweet.

“I’ll bet you didn’t know I got Roxanne hot,” I joked, nervously.
“Roxanne and I have something in common,” he replied in a sultry voice that almost melted my

pretty little black lace panties.

“Well, I guess I’ll have to keep you up all night too,” I said with a flirtatious smile.
“I hope you don’t have to walk anywhere tomorrow,” he teased and I felt dizzy.
“I was planning just to stay in bed,” I teased back. Being Lilah Alden was a hell of a lot of fun,

incidentally. Sexy flirting was something Lily Adler, law librarian, didn’t get to do all that much.
“Did you say your ribs were sensitive?” I slid my hand under his jacket and dragged my fingers along
his side.

“Ah! Yes,” he said, taking a deep breath and gently removing my hand. “Okay, I promise that later

you can touch me anywhere you want, but for right now let’s not cause me to get into an embarrassing
state.”

We were invited to go and find our tables at that point. I saw that someone had made a place card

with my author name and the cover to my latest book Touch. At this party, the fans would be bringing
their own copies. I just had to sit and sign them. Adam and I went over and took a seat at my table as
the doors were opened to the readers.

For the next hour I greeted people, smiled, and signed books. The atmosphere got much less

Transylvania-like as the room filled up. Frankly, I was surprised by how many people came to my
table. It still didn’t quite sink in that I had actual fans. Adam, of course, couldn’t just sit there and be
quiet.

“Would you mind if I asked you a question, Ms. Alden?” one reader asked hesitantly. She and her

friend looked like they were in their early twenties, and they both seemed kind of shy.

“Not at all, go right ahead.”
“Well, it’s kind of embarrassing.,” she glanced quickly at Adam and blushed, “but we were

wondering, do you actually research the erotic stuff, or do you just make it up?” She giggled a little
and blushed even more, glancing at her friend who looked just as uncomfortably curious. Before I

could answer, Adam jumped in.

“I’m Ms. Alden’s research assistant, and I can assure you that hours and hours of in-depth study go

into the making of each and every erotic scene in her books. We spare no detail. For example, every
sexual position is thoroughly tested and approved for such factors as balance, flexibility, and pleasure
potential.”

I kicked him under the table as my shy fans looked at each other and giggled hysterically, both

turning a shade sort of resembling puce. That was just the beginning, though. Ten minutes later, a
crowd was gathered around my table.

“Yeah, the shower scenes are really tricky. You have to make sure that you have the positioning

just right, or you could be injured,” he explained to the ten women or so, who were listening raptly as
I sat there, caught between being amused and pissed off. “And you know, it’s hard for her to get the
details down, because obviously, you can’t have electronics in there, and the paper gets wet, you
know?” I rolled my eyes.

“You’re such a bullshitter.” I laughed when there was finally a lull at what had become the most

popular table in the place.

“Hey, I fully intend to help you make sure that all of the sexual details in your books are accurate.

It’s the least I can do.”

“How kind of you.”
“I can see how important your books are to you by how you light up when you talk about them.”

His comment took me by surprise and I was even more pleased when he reached out and took my
hand, gently rubbing it with his thumb.

“I love writing. It’s one of the most important things in the world to me. You were an English

major in college, weren’t you?” I looked up at him through my lashes, feeling almost bashful myself
for a moment, although I’m not really sure why.

“Yeah, I figured I spoke it pretty well,” he joked.
“Quote something you like for me and I’ll see if I can guess what it’s from.”
He looked up for a minute and I could see he was thinking. Then he looked back at me and stared

deeply into my eyes.

“Here I am back and still smoldering with passion, like wine smoking. Not a passion any longer

for flesh, but a complete hunger for you, a devouring hunger,” he said without hesitation.

“Letter from Henry Miller to Anais Nin,” I said, feeling a lump form in my throat. Even though I

knew Adam was a lot deeper than he let on, it always surprised me when he let me see it. Just then
Tony and Roxanne made their way to our table.

“Ms. Alden, I’m huge fan,” Roxanne gushed. Up close I could see she was probably in her mid to

late thirties, but her make-up was very skillfully applied, so you would never know it if you just
glanced at her. I noticed because she was staring at me intently. Actually, she was staring so intently it
was kind of making me uncomfortable. I tried to make conversation so I would feel less awkward.

“Did you have a favorite book of mine?”
“Yes,” she said breathlessly, looking excited. “I liked your second book, Fire. The one where the

girl in her twenties is seduced by the older woman.” She gave me a significant look. I had to wonder
… nah … she was a gangster’s moll. The gangster in question was busy checking out one of the
waitresses.

“Fire, huh? What a shocker,” I muttered. “I could mail you a signed copy of …”

“I have it at my place. Maybe you could come by sometime,” she said in a husky voice and ran her

tongue over her lips suggestively. Uh huh. Alrighty then.

“Well, uh, I don’t know if that would be possible, but I could send you another one if you want to,

um, give me your address.” I had no intention of stopping by, but I would send her a signed copy.
What the hell. No pun intended.

“I hope you don’t think I’m being too forward,” Roxanne said, placing her hands on the table and

leaning down closer to me. “I just found the idea, intriguing. I’ve never done anything like that myself
… before. I like your perfume, by the way.”

“Thanks,” I said with a nervous smile.
It wasn’t having a woman hit on me that was freaking me out, it was having a woman hit on me

while her Mafioso boyfriend stood two feet away looking oblivious. I wondered if he would see me
as a rival and I didn’t want to wind up floating in the Delaware. For the first time all evening, motor
mouth beside me actually sat there silently. He was no dummy. Thankfully, Tony grabbed Roxanne’s
arm and led her off and I breathed a sigh of relief.

“I think you really do make Roxanne hot,” Adam said with a smile when they left.
“Don’t be jealous. I won’t be doing any research with her.”
All of my fans were very sweet and lovely people, who complimented me kindly, making me all

warm and fuzzy. As is typical with society in general, though, there were a few odd birds in the nest.

“Hi, I’m Margie Peterman and I’m your biggest fan,” said the intense-looking young woman with a

picture of me on her T-shirt. Where in the hell did she get that? Seeing me looking, she offered up the
information. “I had it made from your author picture on Goodreads. Do you like it?” she asked,
sounding like she would throw herself into traffic if I said ‘no.’

“Um, yeah. It’s very nice,” I said reassuringly.
“I can quote every line of dialogue from every one of your books,” Margie said excitedly.
“That’s really cool,” I said with a smile. “I’m happy you liked them so much.”
“I’ve read each one of them sixty-three times.”
“Really? Wow.”
“I sleep with them under my pillow.”
“I see.”
“Can I touch you?”
Margie did eventually move on. Apparently, she was also a huge fan of Sebastian Romano. I

wondered if she had a picture of him on her underwear. As Margie left, a small smiling man stepped
up to my table.

“I am Pavel. I saw your picture on Facebook and I fell in love with you instantly.”
“I’m sorry Pavel, but she’s already spoken for,” Adam said, putting an arm around me.
“I’m very flattered Pavel,” I broke in, “but I’m afraid I’m not interested.”
“I see. Well, then, if you are in need of a top quality septic tank cleaning, I hope that you will

consider giving me a call.” He handed me a card that said ‘Pavel’s Septic Services. Take the stank
out of your tank.’ “Will you sign my bookmark?”

“Uh, sure.” I smiled and signed his bookmark, which happened to be for another author’s book, but

oh well. Pavel left. “Do you see now why I have a pen name?” I asked Adam. I heard Pavel tell the
writer at the next table the exact same thing, incidentally.

A few minutes later, we were all released to the main club area. We were given a special roped

off VIP section to sit in, but I had other ideas. I grabbed Adam’s hand and led him off to the dance
floor.

We got out under the lights where the Latin beat of the Pitbull song I Know You Want Me was just

beginning. What perfect timing. Adam grabbed my hips and pulled me tightly against him. I put my
arms around his neck and followed his lead. I found that I was able to read his body easily. I could
sense how he was going to move the second he began, and I was right there with him. In these shoes I
was much closer to his height, and our bodies lined up nicely.

He really did know how to move his hips, and he definitely had rhythm. The heat of the lights, the

beat of the music, and the sensation of his hips pushing against mine, was intensely sexual. The lyrics
of the song captured my naughty mood, and I sang the chorus to him flirtatiously as we danced. I think
he liked it. He was looking at me like he wanted to rip my panties off with his teeth. As the song
ended and Rihanna started signing, Cockiness, appropriately enough, he leaned down and finally
kissed me.

It was sweet and gentle at first, the lightest brush of his lips on mine, and then a little more, like he

was waiting to see if I would push him away. Instead though, I completely surrendered, and melted
against him. He gave it more ‘oomph’ and I opened my mouth to let him in. He immediately accepted
my invitation, and his tongue slid over mine and began to explore languidly. He tasted like warm, wet
cinnamon. It began as a slow and sensuous kiss, and built in intensity, as our tongues tangled together
and our lips became needier.

I quickly found myself getting highly aroused, my skin hyper-sensitized and a throbbing ache

developing between my legs. The feeling was clearly mutual. Believe me, it would have been
difficult to miss the fact that Adam was quickly moving toward that embarrassing state he had wanted
to avoid. He broke away and began kissing my neck, giving me chills.

“Maybe you should start thinking about baseball soon,” I teased.
“Or maybe we should go back to my place and take care of it another way.”
“I like your idea better,” I answered, and before the final consonant was out of my mouth, we were

off the dance floor and headed toward the coat check. “Adam, I just realized that I left my purse back
in that other room.”

“Do you want me to come with you?” he asked, but I knew that he was in as much of a hurry to get

out of here as I was, so I figured we should split up.

“No, I can get it. You just get our coats.”
“I’ll meet you back just inside those double doors,” he replied, heading off.

I found the Gothic reception room quickly. It was empty now, and the flames and shadows on the

walls didn’t add ambiance as much as creepiness. It seemed darker and I had to let my eyes adjust for
a second. My purse should be at the table where I’d been sitting. Unfortunately, it was at the other
side of the room from the door.

I steadied my nerves and told myself to get on with it already. Just because this place looked like a

dungeon in hell, and was owned by a guy in the mob, it didn’t mean there was anything to be nervous
about. I walked quickly over to my table, avoiding looking at the paintings on the walls. When I got

there, I looked around and saw it lying on a chair. I breathed a sigh of relief and grabbed it, turning to
leave, when I heard something off to my left, in the shadow cast by the dragon. It sounded like a
wheeze. My heart skipped a beat as I looked for the source of the sound, adrenaline coursing through
my body and lighting up my nerves like an electrical shock.

“Hello?” I called out a bit breathlessly, to nobody in particular. I started speed walking toward

the door, purposely circling to the right of Puff there, but before I had gone ten steps, a figure stepped
out of the shadows in front of me. I gave a startled yelp and jumped back, placing a hand over my
racing heart. “I just came for my purse,” I spluttered. “My date is waiting for me in the hall.” I looked
more closely then, squinting in the dim light. I knew that face.

“Dan McGuire, 404?” I asked, shocked to see one of my neighbors here. Well, this one anyway.

Vixen or Nardo might actually like this place.

“Lily Adler, 401,” he croaked out. Funny, I didn’t remember his voice being so rough. Maybe he

was sick. I noticed then that he was holding his side like he was in pain.

“Are you okay?” I asked hesitantly, taking a baby step in his direction.
“Something important. Need to tell you.” He staggered closer to me, and I took a giant step back

quickly. I didn’t really know Dan McGuire, 404, very well, and if he was hanging out here, you had to
wonder a little. He didn’t look like a romance novel fan to me.

“Is something wrong?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady and not look too freaked out. After

all, manners were manners.

“Tell Moretti prosecutor,” Dan muttered. “The Fox is in our building.”
“The fox? Um, Dan, you’ve been drinking, haven’t you?” Great. He was sick because he was

drunk off his ass, just what I needed right now.

“Drive,” he said with a cough. “Details on drive.” He looked like he was about to freaking fall

over. Why did these bartenders continue to serve people? One thing I did not want to do right now
was to listen to the story of why my neighbor was drunk, as Adam and I drove him home and carried
him up four flights of stairs.

“Uh huh. Well, actually, someone else drove me here, but we could call you a cab.”
I couldn’t help feeling a twinge of guilt. He really didn’t look good. I wondered if he might have

food poisoning, the way he was holding his stomach. His face was very pale and covered in sweat
and he was starting to shake. Suddenly, his hand fell away from his side, and I looked down and saw
what it had been had been covering, a dark stain that looked to be getting larger. Then I looked at his
hand and saw … Jesus Christ! It was covered in blood! That was fucking blood!

“You’re bleeding,” I gasped, like he hadn’t noticed the gaping wound in his side.
Now, some people might have tried to rush to his aid. I wasn’t one of them. He was coming

toward me like some kind of B movie zombie and I wasn’t a fucking medic! I tried to scream, but it
got stuck in my throat, and all that came out of my open mouth was an asthmatic-sounding wheeze. My
eyes were so wide open they probably looked like ping-pong balls. I started backing up, scared
shitless.

A series of events took place within seconds, but it felt like time was moving in slow motion. A

shadow with horns and a tail appeared on the wall in front of me. My heart tried to leave my body
through my throat. I spun around to the door where I saw a figure dressed in one of the costumes the
waiters had been wearing. In the next moment, everything went black.

Adam sat beside me, holding me in his arms, and rubbing my shoulder as I shook, on the verge of

hyperventilating. I had woken up and found him leaning over me, saying my name and rubbing my
wrists. I realized, then, that I must have passed out. He wanted to call EMTs but I insisted that I was
fine.

Angie, the author event coordinator was there, as were Tony and Roxanne. Everyone seemed very

worried and they kept asking me what had happened. Instinct, however, told me that it wouldn’t be a
great choice to tell a mobster I had seen a bleeding guy in his club, so I just told them that someone
had jumped out, startling me so badly that I had fainted.

Finally, I managed to convince them that I really was fine, and I was just over-tired. Tony,

Roxanne and Angie escorted us out of the building, and I remained silent about what had really
happened until we got to the car. As soon as we were strapped into our seats, I grabbed Adam’s arm
and told him everything, in a huge word vomit of information. He stopped me several times to get
more detail, or tell me to take a deep breath before going on.

“We have to tell the U.S. Attorney’s office,” I concluded finally.
“Tell them what? Your bleeding neighbor wanted them to know there’s a fox in your building but

the devil showed up and he left?”

“If it helps, I know the guy who’s the prosecutor on Moretti. We used to date back in law school.”
“Sachs?! You dated Sachs? The guy’s so arrogant, and he’s a player.”
“No! Really?! Arrogant and a player?”
“Not even I am that arrogant, and past tense, Lily. I was a player. I’ve been going out less and less

since this summer.”

“Well, when we were dating, he was only sleeping with me.”
“Oh fuck! Sachs has banged you and I haven’t. I think I really am going to cry.”
“Adam, it was years ago.”
“What could you possibly have seen in him?”
“Adam.” I rolled my eyes.
“I mean, other than the fact that chicks seem to think he’s good-looking?”
“Adam! If you must know, he reminded me of you!” I admitted irritably.
“That’s why you were attracted to him? Because he reminded you of me?”
“Don’t let it go to your head. Your ego is big enough already.”
“So, you did find me attractive before this summer.”
“Adam! I promise that we can fully explore our tempestuous history together another night. Right

now, though, my bleeding neighbor may have been kidnapped by the devil, and I want to go report it,
so we can go home and fuck!”

That seemed to work; within minutes, Adam had called his own office to discuss what had

happened. We were going in to file an incident report with the Philadelphia police. They would turn
it over to the U.S. Attorney’s office in the morning.

Chapter Thirteen

An hour later, we had filled out all the appropriate paperwork and we were back in the car as Adam
turned the key and the engine came to life. He paused and looked over at me.

“Well, this has been an interesting date.”
“Is it over?” I asked quietly, and in an instant, the sexual tension was back. We stared at each

other for one highly charged moment, during which my heart pounded like a jackhammer and all I
could think of was one word - “please.” Then with one fluid motion, we met in the middle of the car
and our mouths crashed together as we threw ourselves into a fiery, all-consuming kiss.

It was an act, not just of passion, but of desperation. He held me tightly against him, hands

traveling up and down my back deliciously. I buried my hands in his hair, holding his head firmly,
trying to reach every inch of his mouth with my tongue. This was more than a kiss; we were devouring
each other ravenously like starving animals. All of our pent-up frustration and need came flowing out
like a geyser. I could feel Adam’s heart beating against me. My spine was tingling, my nipples felt
tight and I had the sensation of hot lava flowing from my belly down between my legs. Suddenly, he
pulled back, leaving me panting.

“We can’t stay here. First of all there’s not enough room for everything I want to do to you, and

secondly, there are cameras everywhere and I don’t want us to become porn stars.” I nodded and he
put it in gear and backed up, thus beginning one of the most harrowing car rides of my life.

“Adam, aren’t you driving kind of fast?” I asked nervously as we weaved in and out of late-night

weekend Philadelphia Center City traffic.

“The speed limit here is flexible,” he answered tersely.
“Flexible? I’ve never heard of a flexible speed limit.”
“It’s something new they’re trying.” We turned a corner, tires squealing. Suddenly, up ahead I saw

a woman with what looked like a buffalo on a leash.

“Dog walker!” I exclaimed in a panic as he moved to the left. “Bicyclist!” I cried out as he moved

to the right. Suddenly, we were on the other side of the road. “Adam, I don’t think you’re supposed to
drive over those medians.”

“That’s just a suggestion.”
“A suggestion? Hey! This is a one way street!”
“We’re only going one way,” he answered, gripping the wheel.
“Adam, that was a red light!”

“It was yellow.”
“All those stopped cars you drove around didn’t think so. Bus!”
Somehow, we made it back to his place alive. I had a feeling Mr. Assistant District Attorney might

regret his liberal interpretation of Philadelphia traffic laws in the morning, but right now he had one
thing on his mind and it wasn’t moving violations.

“Adam! You need to go back and shut the car door or somebody’s going to rip off everything you

own!” I informed him as he hauled me by the hand toward the elevator.

“Okay, go and push the button so it will be here when I get back,” he ordered. I went to the

elevator and pushed the button. By the time I turned around again he was beside me. What was he, a
track star?

“Where did you leave your jet pack?” I asked, astounded.
The elevator doors opened and he practically dislocated my arm pulling me into the car. I wound

up with my back against the wall and Adam pressed against my front as we threw ourselves into
another torrid kiss. I grabbed his hair and he bit my lip and then sucked it. How hot is that?!

The doors opened on his floor and we stumbled out, somehow managing not to separate for even a

moment. We made it down the hallway to his apartment, bouncing off the walls like pinballs, our
tongues never leaving each other’s mouths. We were inside in seconds. Houdini never opened a lock
that fast. He finally broke away for a second.

“I know I said I would undress you slowly…” he began, out of breath. I stepped back, unzipped

my dress, yanked it off and threw it to the side. I stood there in my black panties, thigh-high stockings
and heels. He froze for a second. “Holy fuck! Oh baby, nice rack.”

We flew at each other so quickly and so hard that the impact looked like a NFL moment and we

literally fell over the top of the couch together, and still holding each other tightly and kissing
frantically we rolled off the side and hit the floor. Adam landed on top, of course.

“Are you okay?” he asked, sounding concerned.
“I’m conscious. Don’t stop.” He pulled himself up, though, helping me up with him.
“Let’s go to the bedroom or one of us is going to have a bad case of rug burn tomorrow.” He

pulled me by the hand behind him so quickly my feet barely touched the floor.

“You’re wearing too many clothes,” I growled as soon we cleared the bedroom door. I started

frantically trying to undress him.

“Careful with my tie! You’re cutting off my air flow.”
He kicked off his shoes and pulled off his socks and I went to work on the rest of his lower half as

he removed his jacket and shirt. I had his belt open and his pants around his ankles in no time flat. I
was right, incidentally, boxer briefs.

“Adam,” I panted. “I promise you, we can be sensual and erotic tomorrow. Right now, though, I

really just need you to fuck me.”

“I think this relationship is going well so far,” he said, breathing heavily, as he ripped my pretty

little black lace panties off. “I’ll replace those.” He urged me over to the edge of the bed and sat me
down, gently pushing me back. I kicked off my heels and propped myself up on my elbows so I could
look at him as he reached down and peeled off my stockings. He stepped back and let his eyes drag
over my bare body inch by inch. “Fucking gorgeous,” was all he said. Then he hooked his fingers
under the waistband of his briefs and the blood rushed out of my head. Apparently, other body parts
needed it more.

“Adam,” I muttered with awe, eyes fixed on the big, beautiful, surprise he had been saving for me.

“There’s so much of you to like.”

He gave me a cocky smile, (no pun intended), and let me take my time enjoying the view. Adam’s

not  really  the  shy  retiring  type.  Then  he  stalked  toward  the  bed  with  an  almost  predatory  look,  lay
down  on  his  side  next  to  me,  and  leaned  over  to  begin  gently  biting  the  sensitive  skin  of  my  neck
while  his  hand  skimmed  along  my  hip,  across  my  belly  and  up  to  my  aching  breast,  which,  to  my
delight, he began cupping and kneading.

My breath started coming in harsh little spurts and I threw my head to the side and ran my hands

over his hard pecs and abs, over his shoulders and biceps, his muscular back, his wonderfully tight
ass. It seemed like neither one of us could get enough. It was like we both wanted to touch each other
everywhere at once, like we only had a few minutes to explore everything we could reach.

As his warm skin and the smooth, hard, hills, planes and valleys of muscle slid under my

fingertips, I knew I was losing it fast. There couldn’t be a whole lot of blood left in my brain at that
point. He started trailing open-mouthed kisses along my jaw, reached over and took my hand, guiding
it to his cock, gently squeezing and letting go.

“Lily,” he groaned against my ear and trailed kisses downward to my collarbone.
I gently swirled my thumb around, spreading the moisture, and he began flexing his hips toward

me, and kissing my neck, my throat, and moving downward, he trailed light kisses along my
collarbone and then down along the sides of my breasts. My skin felt like it was on fire and I can’t
remember my nipples ever having been that hard or that tight before. He began stroking one rigid tip
with his tongue and white hot pleasure shot through my body. I moaned, arched my back and grabbed
his hair with my free hand.

“Yes, do that! Good touch! Good touch!” I gasped.
“Best rack ever,” he mumbled, pulling my rock-hard nipple into his mouth and sucking

energetically. I was stroking him slowly and his low groans created vibrations that were driving me
insane.

“Oh my God, Adam!” I whimpered and panted. “I never thought I would say this, but I love your

mouth.” He paused and laughed, his breath on my sensitive wet skin making me shiver. He moved to
the other breast and began biting and sucking even more vigorously, likely testing to see how I
responded. Let’s just say it was an enthusiastic response. I moaned and let go of his cock, wrapping
my legs around his waist and pushing my hips up, looking for friction.

“Not yet, baby. Believe me, I can’t wait much longer, but I want to taste you first.” Oh fuck, he

really just said that, didn’t he? Suddenly, he was sliding down onto his knees between my legs, which
were bent over the side of the bed. Jesus, he was going to …

“Oh my God!” I gasped. Suddenly, I was religious. When I felt that hot tongue on my clit, I swear,

I think I saw angels.

“Mmm,” was his only response, but it had quite an effect, both because the vibration felt

incredible, and the fact that he sounded like he was sampling something delicious was hot enough to
make me combust. He starting pushing his tongue in and out of me and my religious zeal increased in
volume.

“Oh God! Oh God! Oh God!”
“Oh, who?” he asked, pausing.
“Oh Adam?”

“That’s more like it.”
He began stroking my clit with hard little licks, and talk about going cowgirl, I grabbed his hair

and rode his face like a wild bronco. He slid two fingers up inside me and rubbed my inner wall,
quickly finding just the right place to make me nearly pass out. You know those experts who claim the
G-spot doesn’t really exist? Well, they obviously haven’t met Adam. Then he began sucking my clit
and pumping his fingers in and out and I think I may possibly have shredded his sheets at that point. I
felt the pressure building low in my abdomen and my muscles starting to tighten up. I knew I was
going to come any second but I wanted to feel him inside me when I did and not just his fingers.

“Adam! God damn it! Will you fuck me already?!”
“Very nice Ms. Romance Novelist.” He laughed as he stood up.
“Fine. Will you thrust your turgid manroot into my dewy petals?”
That made him laugh even harder. When he looked down at me lying there desperately wanting

him, though, he wasn’t laughing anymore. He looked mesmerized. “Jesus Lily, your skin is flushed.
Your lips are swollen. Your eyes are dark. You better believe I’ll fuck you, baby.” He went over to
his bedside table and grabbed a condom out of a drawer.

“You can forget that if you want,” I said, making up my mind on the spot. He paused and looked at

me questioningly. “I’ve only ever used it as back up, but I’m on the pill and I’m healthy. I’m assuming
you are?”

“Yeah, I get tested regularly, but I’ve never done that. I might not be able to last long.”
“We have all night. If you don’t want to, though …”
“Are you nuts?”
“Well then get over here and stop wasting God’s gift.” He tossed down the condom and came back

to me, looking very happy.

“I’ve been waiting for this for so long. I can’t decide how I want you first,” he said in a low

gravelly voice. “I know that I want to see your face, though.”

I let out a ragged breath. I felt hot and dazed, but I was very much aware of the throbbing ache

between my legs. I couldn’t wait much longer; I needed him inside me. I knew that I would come
quickly for him and the knowledge that within minutes he would be bringing me to orgasm made my
stomach clench with nervous excitement and anticipation.

He was breathing heavily and his eyes were hazy with lust. He reached down and started stroking

himself, staring at me raptly. I think it was the hottest fucking thing I have ever seen. I reached down
between my legs and began rubbing little circles around my clit.

“I think about you when I do this, Adam,” I said seductively. “I imagine that it’s your fingers on

me, your tongue, your cock inside me.”

“Lily,” he growled and sprung toward me. He hooked my knees over his arms, pushed my legs up

and back and staring deeply into my eyes, slowly slid into me until he was fully seated.

“Yes.” I gasped and moaned ecstatically as I felt him fill me completely. I guess he had seen

whatever he had hoped to, because he looked positively enraptured. What I had seen as he took me,
was a look of intense, almost stunned, pleasure and it drove me wild that I could make him feel like
that with just my body. We both held still for a second just staring at each other, and then slowly he
started to move his hips.

“Fucking amazing,” he said hoarsely, looking dazed.
“Please. So good,” I said in a voice so thick with lust and carnal pleasure I almost didn’t

recognize it.

“Touch yourself again,” he ground out and I reached down and began rubbing my clit again. His

eyes dropped down to watch and he began pumping his hips against me more forcefully, burying
himself in me over and over. “You think about me?”

“Yes,” I panted.
“I think about you too,” he rasped, sliding in and out of me over and over.
With him quenching my ache, and me madly fingering my clit, it was literally about two minutes

before I sensed the familiar pressure, then my muscles tensing again as I started feeling like I was
climbing to the top of a rollercoaster.

“Please! Adam! I’m so close!” I looked up at him desperately and we locked gazes as I felt the

bottom drop out and I went over the side, racing downward at top speed. My vision became
unfocused as my inner muscles shook, clenching and unclenching around him. I sensed him watching
me intently as I came apart beneath him. As my vision came back into focus, I could see powerful
emotion in his expression. He looked enthralled.

I just stared at him mutely, trying to collect my scattered thoughts. My God, he was so gorgeous.

His face was flushed and his hair was damp. I pulled him down closer and finally gave in to the
impulse to lick his jaw, loving the salty taste of his skin. He groaned and shivered a little.

My legs had fallen loosely apart and I wrapped them around his waist again, pushing up against

him and urging him on. Although he had to stop several times, we continued moving together in
perfect rhythm until I came again. Just for the record, I’m normally not one of those multi-orgasmic
chicks. As I lay gasping, still feeling tremors of my second orgasm pass through my body, he started
moving faster.

“Lily, oh, Lily. Fuck. I’m going to come so hard,” he bit out in a hoarse voice, and leaned down to

kiss me deeply, as with a final deep thrust he groaned into my mouth and went still. I felt him
convulse as he came inside me and then he collapsed on top of me. His weight, and his slick body,
and his hammering heartbeat, pressed against me, still kissing me, felt sublime.

We kept kissing as he rolled off onto his side, pulling me into his arms. And as he kissed me, he

gently rubbed my sweaty back and I combed my fingers through his damp hair. We laid there like that
just kissing and kissing before we finally stopped kissing and just held each other. We lay there
cuddling for quite a while. He drew circles at the base of my spine with his thumb and I gently
massaged his bicep and nuzzled against his chest. We didn’t say anything, but it didn’t feel awkward
at all. It just felt … right.

“Well, for someone who said he wouldn’t last, that was some pretty amazing sex, Adam,” I said

finally.

“You say that like you think we’re done. Now, I’m really going to wear you out.”
We spent the rest of the night working our way through the Kama Sutra with breaks to talk, laugh,

cuddle and doze. It was, without exaggeration, the most mind-blowing sexual experience of my entire
life to that point. We finally fell into an utterly exhausted sleep just before dawn, wrapped around
each other and holding on tightly.

Chapter Fourteen

I  was  dreaming  about  Adam  when  that  damn  buzzer  went  off  again.  I  heard  a  grumble  and  felt
movement  and  then  the  warm  heavy  object  that  had  been  covering  me  was  gone.  My  eyes  fluttered
open  and  I  looked  sleepily  at  the  breathtaking  sight  of Adam  naked,  his  hair  messy  and  his  stubble
returned. I wanted to lick him from head to toe but I had a sinking feeling I wasn’t going to get the
chance.

“O-ho shit! Not today! I just saw them.” His cell started ringing on the bedside table and he

grabbed it irritably. “What are you doing here? I know we always have brunch on Sunday, but we just
spent yesterday at a Bar Mitzvah together.” As whichever one of his sisters he was speaking to
replied, he dug a pair of sweats out of his drawer and started getting dressed, the phone cradled in the
crook of his neck. “Not that it’s any of your business, but yes.” There was a pause. “She doesn’t have
clothes here to wear to brunch. We went out last night.” He walked over to where I was still snuggled
under the covers. I sat up and his eyes raked over my bare torso. Clearly he would have preferred to
stay in bed. “We’ll order in from the deli. I’ll be right out.”

“I could go for a bagel,” I said with a smile as he hung up. He sat down beside me and leaned in to

kiss me gently on the lips.

“Good morning,” he said quietly.
“Good morning,” I answered, finger combing his hair.
“You might be able to find some clothing that won’t fall off your body in here. After we eat and

entertain them for a little while, we’ll come back to bed.” He leaned in again and kissed my neck,
giving me chills.

“Mmm, you better go now, or they’re going to be out in that hallway for a while,” I said with a

laugh. He sighed and got up to go let his sisters in.

I pulled myself out of bed and the slight twinge in my lady bits made me smile with the memories

of how I had spent the night. Adam was really wild and passionate in bed, but also extremely
generous and focused on giving me pleasure. I could see that it affected him when he watched me
come apart. Knowing that I could make him respond the way he had, also affected me. I actually felt
something more than physical during sex for the first time in my life, and it elevated the experience to
a whole different level. It was amazing, but also scary.

I found a pair of sweats with a drawstring waist and elastic around the ankles. Those should work.

I also found a Philadelphia Eagles sweatshirt and I threw it on and rolled up the sleeves. I could hear
Hannah, Sarah and Abby laughing and talking as I headed out to the living room.

“Hi Lily,” all three of them said in unison.
“Hi,” I answered, feeling a little embarrassed at my messy state. I’m sure I looked very freshly

fucked, and I hoped it didn’t creep them out too much that I was with their little brother. It seemed

like they were taking in stride though.

“We’re sorry we got you up … at noon,” Hannah teased, looking at her watch.
“I think this might be yours,” Sarah said, scooping up my dress from the floor where I had tossed it

the night before. I felt my face heat up.

“Okay!” Adam broke in, grabbing my dress and handing it to me. “Let’s order!”
We sat around while Adam’s sisters told me what was going on in their lives. The eldest, Hannah,

was a stay-at-home mom, and her husband had just made partner at his firm. Her little boy, Joshua,
was four, and she was pregnant with their second baby. Sarah, his middle sister, was finishing her
PhD and had begun dating a young professor. Abby, a fellow attorney, was doing some white-collar
criminal defense at her firm involving computer hackers that she found really interesting. Our brunch
arrived and while we sat around his table eating, Sarah brought up a new subject.

“So Adam, I guess your ‘Get out of jail free’ card has expired.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means you owe us about a thousand Jewish Life Cycle events,” she replied.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said dismissively.
“Oh shut up!” Abby laughed. “Adam, while we have attended every bris, every bar mitzvah, every

wedding and every funeral for years, you have managed to get a pass on at least half of them since
college.”

“But now you’re dating a nice Jewish lawyer,” Hannah said, practically glowing. “Mom won’t

worry that everyone thinks you’re a loser because you didn’t bring a date, and dad won’t worry that
you’ll show up with some chick you found in a bar the night before.”

“Keep your evenings free for the next week or so, Lily,” Abby said. “Our cousin Rebekah is about

to have a baby boy.” Uh oh. I knew what that meant – the ritual circumcision.

“Oh no way! No way am I going to a bris!” Adam said forcefully.
“Why not?” Hannah said. “It’s not like you’ll be the only guy there.”
“And not one male present won’t be cringing and wishing he could grab his crotch the whole time.

Going to Josh’s almost traumatized me. I can’t do that again. I can’t look at some infant lying there all
happy and oblivious and trusting …”

“Oh Adam,” Sarah said, sounding exasperated. “You don’t remember yours, do you?”
“I don’t care! At that moment, I’m sure I was highly pissed off.”
“We’ll make sure you have the details,” Hannah said to me with a smile.
Adam seemed very agitated and he looked like he was about to tell Hannah where she could stick

her details when his phone rang again. He went over to answer it and then went into the other room to
take the call.

“I hope you don’t mind too much, Lily,” Abby said. “Think of it this way, you’ll get to meet our

whole family.” I knew she was teasing but I actually didn’t mind. It may sound weird, but I had
always wanted to be included with the Roth family. Being an only child, I had watched longingly as
the kids laughed and joked together. Not to mention the fact that their parents seemed so warm and so
… not my parents. I would have loved to have gone home with them, even if it meant having to be
around Adam all the time, and that should tell you something.

“Yeah, well keep in mind that we just started trying out this dating thing. Adam and I tend to battle

a lot.”

“That’s because nobody else has ever been able to get him so worked up. I’ve always said that he

must be in love with you,” Hannah offered.

“I hope you didn’t say that to him, or you may have been taking your life in your hands.”
Adam came out of the bedroom then with a strange expression on his face. He put his phone down

and gave me a funny look.

“Lily, you know that report we filed? Well, some people want to talk to us about it. I told them we

would be there in an hour.”

“What report?” Hannah asked.
“I ran into a neighbor last night and he said something kind of odd that I thought I should tell the

police about. Is that who wants to talk to us? The Philly cops?”

“Yeah, along with some other people. Okay, women. I’ve fed you. We have stuff that we have to

do now.”

“Fine, just kick us out,” Sarah said, getting up and clearing up the table. Within ten minutes they

were ready to leave, and to my pleasure, after giving their brother a goodbye hug, they gave me one
too. As the door closed behind them I turned to Adam.

“What’s going on?” I asked suspiciously.
“Apparently, your ex wants to see you. Maybe he misses you. “
“Who, Jacob? Adam, we dated for a few months back in law school. He graduated and went off to

D.C. to work for the U.S. Attorney there. It wasn’t a big break-up or anything.”

“Sorry. It’s just that he and I get competitive sometimes. I think because people compare us a lot.

Some people even confuse us.” Something about that comment struck a chord.

“Really? They actually confuse you?” I furrowed my brow and tried to think back …
“Yeah, I’m not sure why. We don’t look that much alike.”
“My neighbor, the bleeding one? The first time I spoke to him, I mentioned the bad neighborhood

and he said at least I knew a prosecutor. I asked how he knew and he said he had to be in the criminal
courts building for his job.”

“Yeah? And?”
“I’m wondering now if it was you he saw or Jacob. He just said prosecutor and criminal courts

building. He didn’t say if it was the Philadelphia or federal court. Then last night he said tell the
Moretti prosecutor. Maybe he confused the two of you.”

“It’s possible I suppose. I’ll tell you one thing, if a federal prosecutor, about to begin a big trial, is

coming in to meet with us on a Sunday, he must be really interested in hearing about the fox in your
building for some reason.”

“Where are we meeting them?”
“At the U.S. Attorney’s Office and I think you’re a little under-dressed. I’ll take a quick shower

and change and then I’ll run you home so you can change before we meet with them.”

“You don’t want to shower together?” I asked with a flirty smile. God, I was such a little nympho,

wasn’t I?

“It’s not that I don’t want to. It’s just that it won’t be a quick shower then,” he answered, heading

off to the bathroom. “I’ll make it up to you later,” he called over his shoulder.

Chapter Fifteen

We sat in the conference room for about ten minutes before the door flew open and Jacob, dressed to
the nines and looking impeccable, even on a Sunday afternoon, came striding in with four other guys
in  suits  following  in  his  wake.  He  did  really  resemble Adam  a  lot,  or  at  least,  they  were  both  tall,
handsome  men  with  dark  hair  and  eyes.  While  they  were  both  also  very  intelligent  men,  though,
Jacob’s  personality  was  different  than  Adam’s.  He  was  more  serious  and  he  didn’t  have  Adam’s
quick sarcastic wit. As I looked at him, I recognized that while I had once found him sexy as hell, he
had never created the kind of reaction in me that Adam did.

Jacob took a seat at the head of the table, of course, while his companions spread out around him.

He had the air of a king presiding over his court and I started to understand how he would really rub
Adam the wrong way. Adam’s irreverence, in turn, probably drove Jacob nuts. He put the files he
was carrying down on the table in front of him, leaned back in his chair and looked up at me without
saying anything for a few seconds.

“Lily, it’s good to see you,” he said finally.
“Thanks, Jacob, you too. I understand that you know Adam.”
“Yes,” he answered without actually looking at Adam.
“Well, hello there Sachs. It’s always so nice to see you,” Adam said, brightly. I didn’t like the

feeling of tension in the room, and I didn’t have time for a pissing contest, so I got the ball rolling.

“My neighbor, the guy in the report, saw Adam and me together, and I think it’s just possible he

may have confused Adam for you,” I began.

I went through all of the details from the very beginning, mentioning how Dan said he had

overheard my comment and thought he recognized Adam. When I got to the details about what had
happened at Inferno, Jacob sat forward attentively.

“Think very carefully about his exact words, Lily.”
“He just said ‘tell the Moretti prosecutor the fox is in our building.’ Then, um, he wanted a ride.”
“He said ‘I need a ride’?”
“No, he said ‘drive.’ I think his exact words were ‘details on drive.’ I just figured he meant he

would explain why he was drunk on the drive home.” Jacob made eye contact with a guy off to his
left.

“He didn’t give you anything, Ms. Adler?” the guy asked.
“No, that was when I saw the guy in the devil costume and I passed out.”
“Tell me about your other neighbors,” Jacob said, sitting back again.
I sighed and started on the first floor with Mr. Booty Call. About half an hour later, I had given

him every last detail about every encounter I had ever had with the lovely folks who lived in my
building.

“Why are you so interested?” Adam asked when I was done. “You planning on paying her a

visit?” Jacob looked at him but didn’t answer immediately. I think he was considering what he could
say. Finally, he spoke.

“We’ve been concerned about the possibility of an attempted hit on a federal witness, and we’ve

heard rumors about someone called the Fox being involved somehow. It’s possible that Dan McGuire
could have been trying to pass on some information that would be of interest to us.

“What are you planning to do about it?” Adam asked.
“We’ll see if we can find McGuire and we’ll have agents watching the building.”
“When I’m there I’ll keep my eyes open,” Adam offered and Jacob seemed to consider that

carefully for a minute.

“Maybe you’ll even get to prosecute some of this,” he replied in a measured tone. The two of them

seemed to share some unspoken communication. It made me curious and a little apprehensive.

With that, it seemed that the meeting was over. Jacob nodded to his colleagues who got up and

left. He gathered his things to go, but he paused before getting up to leave.

“Roth, would you mind if I had a quick word with you? We’ll be out in a minute, Lily.”
“Okay,” I said, hesitantly, and went out to the hall. I found a chair and quickly texted Gabrielle. I

had decided just to stay in that evening and I wanted to let her know I wouldn’t be at Girls’ Night. I
promised to call her soon to fill her in on all the details of my weekend. Adam and Jacob came out a
couple of minutes later and Jacob said goodbye. As he headed down the hall I turned to Adam.

Before I could ask what that was about, though, he surprised me by putting his arms around me,

pulling me close and kissing my neck. “So, I was thinking we could just stay in tonight. I’ll stop and
pick up some things and then I’ll spend the night at your place.”

“We have work tomorrow, and I probably should do some writing tonight. Besides, we didn’t get

much sleep last night.” I think part of me was afraid of getting too used to his company. It would just
make me miss him and feel more lonely when he wasn’t around.

“So we’ll go to bed earlier.” He trailed light bite-like kisses up to my earlobe which he gently

began to nibble and lick. My nipples got hard and my skin heated up.

“Are you going to try to distract me with sex whenever I don’t agree with you about something?” I

asked, tilting my head back so he had better access to distract me.

“As a matter of fact, I am, and considering how good the sex is, and how often we disagree, you

may be walking funny from now on.”

“Shakespeare had nothing on you.”
“Would you rather I wrote you sonnets or made you see God?”

Chapter Sixteen

On the car ride back we listened to music, quietly. The fact that Pink was singing Try wasn’t lost on
me. I had begun to wonder about the significance of the songs Adam listened to. I knew that words
were as important to him as they were to me, and I didn’t think his choice of tunes was coincidental.
If he had been a teen in the eighties, he would have been king of the mix tape.

It was good that we could be quiet together. It was a comfortable silence rather than an awkward

one and both of us were obviously deep in thought. I was, frankly, trying to keep my head together.
Even though I prided myself on being tough and independent, I would be lying if I said this weekend
hadn’t overwhelmed me. Ironically, it wasn’t my bleeding neighbor, a potential hit man in my
building, or meeting with the assistant U.S. attorney, who I had seen naked, that was making me so
disconcerted. As usual, it was Adam.

For years, hell, for decades, we had been enemies. Then I had begun to question what my true

feelings for him had been all along. I had finally admitted the intense physical attraction I felt for him
didn’t just develop this summer. It had been there since Junior High. Now, since last night, though,
something much scarier and much more difficult to wrap my head around was starting to play on my
mind. What if it wasn’t just physical?

I had been a latch key kid. My parents were also highly critical and largely as emotionally absent

as they were physically absent. There’s no way that doesn’t affect a person. Intimacy scared me.
Rejection scared me. The idea that I might be in love with Adam, and that I might have been for a
very long time, terrified the shit out of me.

He had said ‘just you,’ and I believed that he meant to try. What if I wasn’t enough, though? What

if I was enough, but something happened to him? Thoughts of that little exchange at the end of our
meeting with Jacob still bothered me. I glanced up at him and felt a twinge in my belly and a strange
tightness in my chest. He was so beautiful and so sexy, but also so intelligent, so funny, and so
aggravating, so challenging. Adam was the only person I had ever known who made me feel so much.
He filled me up inside in more ways than one.

We picked up his stuff at his place and he surprised me again by taking me out to dinner. We went

to a place in Chinatown with great Moo Shoo.

“Why do we Jews love Chinese food so much?” he asked, dipping into some plum sauce.
“Because it’s a Christmas tradition,” I joked, sipping my tea. “You want to go with me to see that

show, Moo Shoo Jew that runs every Christmas Eve?’ It was a casual question, but my heart pounded
because Christmas was a month away, and I wanted him to reassure me we would still be doing this.

“Sure.” He smiled and I released the breath I didn’t realize I had been holding. “You know, once I

saw an Asian guy coming out of a deli and I thought I had gone through a wormhole into another
dimension,” he said and I giggled.

“You’re very pretty when you laugh,” he said, looking at me intently.
“Thanks,” I said, feeling almost shy. Oh Jesus, I could feel my face getting hot. What the fuck? I

was blushing again?

“Have you noticed that since we started having sex we haven’t fought?” he asked.
“Well, first of all, we started twenty-four hours ago. And secondly, your mouth’s usually full.”
“Yeah well, it’s good to know there’s a better use for that sharp tongue of yours,” he said with a

smile.

His question had sounded casual too, but I could hear a little note of something deeper beneath it. I

sensed that both of us wanted to say more to each other than we had so far. It would probably take us
a while to get there, though. You don’t battle somebody for twenty-three years and then trust them
with your heart overnight.

Later, back at my place, I sat down at my desk to write and he sat at my table and went over some

of his cases for the next day. When a couple of hours had passed, I sat back and stretched.

“Writing any good sex scenes over there?” he asked, looking up at me.
“Not at the moment,” I answered with a smile.
“Would you like some inspiration?’ he asked, giving me a seductive look.
“What are you going to do, get naked for me?’ I teased.
What I didn’t tell him, was that I was already getting inspired, because I knew what he had on his

mind before he even offered. I had noticed the occasional furtive glances in my direction, and after
only one night together, I could already identify the look he got in his eyes when he was planning all
the ways he was going to have me.

“Anything I can do to get your creative juices flowing.” He stood up, and began slowly walking

toward me. My tummy fluttered, probably warning my lady bits that they were about to take another
pounding.

“My creative juices, huh?” I turned toward him to fully enjoy the view.
“It’s the least I can do. By the way, I’ve heard that sex can improve one’s writing.” He leaned

against my desk and looked down at me in a way that let me know that my lady bits had gotten the
message.

“I don’t recall ever hearing that,” I said with a laugh. The anticipation was already lighting up my

nerve endings like a power grid and I felt myself getting goosebumps.

“Trust me, I have your best interest in mind.” His eyes raked over my body and my pulse rate shot

up. I wanted him so much, but I wanted to really blow his mind.

“Tell you what, if you really want to help me with my writing, why don’t you let me do some

research about sensuality with you?” I could see his breathing quicken.

“I’m yours to experiment on.” I stood up and took his hand, leading him off to the bedroom,

looking back over my shoulder with what I hoped was a sexy smile.

“So, I’ve been doing all this reading about how to stimulate the senses to increase arousal,” I

explained as he sat on the bed watching me move around the room. I found some candles, and as I lit
them, I spoke in a soft seductive tone. “These candles are scented. I read that scent affects the oldest

part of the brain, the limbic system. That controls emotion, memory … desire.” I looked up and saw
him watching me with a heat I’d never seen in his eyes before. “The scent of these candles is
jasmine,” I went on. “Jasmine is said to have the effect of making men sexually aroused.”

“I think it’s working,” he said thickly.
“I’m not going to rely just on candlelight,” I said dimming the lights just a little, “because I’ve

read that men are highly aroused by visual stimuli.”

“Oh, yeah. An entire industry exists for that very reason.”
“Women watch porn too,” I shared with a smirk.
“I think this relationship is going very well,” he said, expelling a rather ragged-sounding breath. I

knew I was driving him insane, and I have to admit that I loved every second of it. In fact, it was
making me incredibly aroused. I walked over to my music player and searched for what I wanted.

“Sexy music can really help to put you in the mood.” I hit a button and Rihanna’s Skin started to

play.

“For the record, I’m already in the mood, but this song is very hot.” I went to my bedside table,

found some massage oil and walked over to stand in front of him.

“I’m going to give you a massage with rose-scented oil. Rose …”
“Lily,” he said huskily, reaching out and pulling me toward him. I looked down at him and ran my

fingers through his soft, thick hair as he looked up at me hungrily. “I have a secret for you. There’s
one scent that turns me on more than anything.”

“What’s that?” I asked in a shaky voice as he pushed my shirt up and began gently nuzzling my

belly. My breath caught as I felt the scratch of his beard against my sensitive skin and a bolt of
tingling heat shot southward.

“The way that you smell when you’re aroused makes me so hard it’s almost painful,” he mumbled

against me, moving lower. “Your pussy smells absolutely divine.” He pushed my yoga pants down on
the side and licked my hip, making me whimper with pleasure.

“And you find that even more arousing than my perfume?” I asked, breathing hard.
“You have no idea,” he answered, pushing my pants lower. “And as for the smell of me on you,

that’s more than arousing. That’s primal.” He turned me slightly and gently bit the top of my ass. It
was so fucking sexy that my knees almost buckled.

“You don’t like all these sensual things?” I asked throatily.
“Of course I do.” He paused and looked up at me. “I told you that I liked the sensuality in your

book and I meant it. But you stimulate my senses more than anything else, and if I don’t get inside you
soon, I’m going to go out of my mind.”

“Well, I don’t want that to happen,” I said, swallowing hard and starting to feel lightheaded and

shaky  as  he  shifted  me  back  toward  him,  pulled  my  pants  down  even  further,  and  began  making
delightful  little  swirls  with  his  tongue  along  that  sensitive  place  where  my  leg  met  my  divinely
fragrant  pussy.  Speaking  of  which,  he  paused,  leaned  in  and  inhaled  deeply.  With  anyone  else  that
would have embarrassed the hell out of me, but with him it drove me wild.

“I promise you, baby, we’ll have that sensual night together soon,” he said thickly, looking up at

me again with lust-fogged eyes, “but right now, I want to go down on you until you ‘holler,’ and then I
want to hit that sweet ass until you can’t tell me what day it is.”

“Works for me,” I panted, pulling my top over my head and unhooking my bra.
He eased my yoga pants and my panties all the way down over my hips, and switching places with

me, he knelt in front of me and pulled them all the way off along with my shoes and socks. Looking up
and giving me a naughty smile, he hooked my legs over his shoulders and I laid back as he began
gently biting and sucking a trail up my inner thigh, making me gasp and squirm with delight. When he
buried his face between my legs, and began working me with his tongue, I said things that would have
made a sailor blush.

He went down on me vigorously while I grabbed his head, thrust my hips, whimpered, rambled

incoherently and finally came, moaning his name and shaking with pleasure. Then he ran his hands
over my legs gently to keep contact between us as I eased down from my orgasm.

When I finally recovered my composure a bit, he stood up, and quickly undressed. Yanking off his

briefs, he urged me to sit up and move forward so that I could return the favor. I was happy to comply
and I reached around and grabbed his ass, dragging my tongue up the length of his cock.

“Oh fuck,” he bit out. “Love that sharp tongue.”
I brought my hands around to help out as I really got down to work. He buried his fingers in my

hair and watched from above, looking drunk, as I enthusiastically gave him the best blow job of my
life. I wanted to make it great and I broke out every skill I had been researching for my naughty books,
using my tongue, my teeth, my lips and my hands to pleasure him. Truthfully, the experience was
probably turning me on almost as much as it was him.

I was rewarded with all of the wonderful sounds that he made, groaning, cursing and telling me

how hot I looked and how good I was making him feel. I felt powerful, and giving him that much
intense pleasure was amazing. By the time he was ready, he had given up the fight to keep still and his
hips were in sync with my mouth and hands. I could feel his muscles tensing and I knew he was right
on the edge.

“I’m going to come,” he growled and tried to pull back. The fact that I didn’t let him, may have

guaranteed me a place in his heart forever.

I thought we were done, silly me, but he was on his knees again quickly, driving me out of my

mind with his tongue again, and after a few minutes, stroking himself back into action. He had more
stamina than an eighteen-year-old. I had never seen anything like it, even when I was an eighteen-
year-old. He stopped and took my hand, pulling me with him to the top of the bed. Sitting with his
back against the headboard, he gave me another one of those lusty looks that made me ache to have
him between my legs.

“Come here, cowgirl,” he said in a voice thick with desire, and I crawled over, straddled him, and

positioned myself over his cock. He grabbed my waist, pulled me down, and slid home. That
sensation of him stretching me was exactly what I had been craving.

“You. Feel. So. Fucking. Good,” I ground out, sliding up and down on him as he guided my hips.

Thrusting my clit against him every time I came down was so insanely pleasurable, I almost couldn’t
handle it. As I rode him long and hard, the room was filled with the sounds of our heavy breathing, my
pleading and his swearing. He watched me slam down on him over and over, looking, frankly, pretty
out of it, and told me again and again how incredible I felt wrapped around him. I dug my nails into
his shoulders and my rhythm faltered as I felt myself getting closer, pressure building. My skin felt
like fire and ice from the sex flush and cooling sweat.

My leg muscles tightened and he knew. He looked up into my eyes intently as I felt the pull over

the edge, losing control as I finally came apart explosively, shaking, grasping, crying out and then
collapsing against him. I couldn’t think straight. All that I was aware of, was that I could feel our

hearts pounding together and that he was rubbing my back and telling me … what? That I was
beautiful. He told me I was beautiful.

He rubbed my back until I stopped trembling, and then he eased me up and had me kneel on all

fours. Positioning himself behind, he grabbed my hips, and thrust into me. He began moving faster and
soon he was hittin’ it so hard I could hear our skin slapping together. He stopped, pulled out, and
turned me around again. “Lay down so I can get on top of you. I want to see you when I come,” he
explained, breathing hard.

I leaned back against the pillows and he crawled between my legs, positioned himself at my

entrance and sunk down into me, bracing himself with his arms. He began rolling his hips and I
wrapped my legs around his waist, scraped my nails against his back, and enjoyed the look of ecstatic
pleasure on his face. I knew he was very close but that he might try to hold on to make me come again.
I wanted him to find relief too, though.

“Mmm. Come on, baby,” I urged, squeezing my legs and my inner muscles tightly around him.

“Come for me.”

That was all it took to send him over the edge. He said my name with a groan, shuddered and went

still. He stayed there like that, looking at me intently for a couple of seconds and then collapsed
beside me, pulling me into his arms. We lay there catching our breath while he played with my hair
and I traced his jawline with my index finger. After a few minutes of quiet cuddling, I started talking
to him. First I told him how great the sex was, but then there was something I was curious about.

“What did Jacob want to talk to you about?”
“And why are you thinking about him?”
“Because he was talking to you.”
“He asked me if it was casual between us or more than that.”
“What?” I asked in surprise, sitting up to look at him. “I thought he was talking about law related

stuff. What did you tell him?”

“I said I was just using you for sex.” I glared at him and he started laughing. “What do you think I

told him?”

“Well, what business was it of his, anyway?”
“That’s what I said; ‘not that it’s any of your business, but it’s more than casual’.” I felt a thrill

shoot through me hearing Adam say those words.

“What was that little exchange between you two at the end, when he said maybe you would get to

prosecute one of the cases?”

“I think that without explicitly asking, and thus making me his agent, he was hinting that anything I

might observe while I’m here that might help him, could also be of help to me. Actually, I’m pretty
sure that’s why he asked me if we were more than casual, because he wanted to know if my increased
presence here at your place would raise any suspicions.”

“So what, he wants you to help him figure out if somebody in my building is involved in a

possible hit on a witness? Adam, you’re a prosecutor, not a cop.”

“I’m able to observe and I know the Rules of Evidence. Besides, nobody would question me being

here. They’ll assume I’m here to make you holler.” He said, tickling my ribs a little. “If they put
somebody in here right after the Dan McGuire thing, it could tip their guy off.”

“Adam, if this guy is really involved in something like that, you would be in danger. I’m not going

to let you do that just because you might get an interesting case to challenge you.”

“Lily, I don’t think you quite understand. This isn’t just a chance to challenge myself. If I

successfully prosecute one of these cases, it could be very important for my career. There’s a bigger
issue, though. If the guy in the devil suit heard McGuire tell you something he shouldn’t have, you
could be in danger.”

“Well, so then, I’ll get out of here. I’ll find someplace else.”
“Lily, it might not matter. It’s not they couldn’t find you in another apartment. In fact, Sachs might

want to put you under federal protection …”

“It’s not like I actually witnessed a crime or McGuire gave me anything,” I said, feeling anxious. I

knew that going into protection could mean being shipped off somewhere – without Adam. “Promise
me you won’t do anything stupid or risky.”

“I won’t do anything stupid or risky.”
“Adam, I’m serious. Don’t make me kill you myself.”
“Just relax, Adler. I’m not going to get myself killed. It wouldn’t be fair to you now that you’ve

finally experienced great sex.” I rolled my eyes and he laughed.

Chapter Seventeen

Sometime during the night I woke up and reached for Adam. All I found was empty bed. I panicked.
He wouldn’t actually leave, would he? I got up and threw on a robe. I padded into the living room
where in the darkness I was able to make out Adam’s form standing at the door looking through the
peep hole. I walked up behind him.

“What are you doing?”
“Jesus!” He jumped and spun around. “You want to give me a fucking heart attack?”
“No. I just want to know why you’re messing around with my peep hole in the middle of the

night.”

“You liked it when I was messing around with your peep hole earlier,” he said lasciviously.
“Adam, you promised you wouldn’t do anything,” I growled.
“I promised I wouldn’t do anything stupid or risky. Looking through a peep hole when I heard

somebody in the hall, wasn’t stupid or risky. By the way, I want you to call your landlord tomorrow
and verify it was a maintenance guy in here the other day.”

“I’m sure it was.”
“Look, you’re worried about my safety? Well, I’m worried about yours, so don’t argue with me.

Promise me you’ll do it.”

“Okay, I promise.”
“If it turns out it wasn’t a maintenance guy, maybe you should move. I’ll come and stay with you

until you figure something out.”

“Why wouldn’t I come stay with you?”
“Because, I can have Abby apartment sit for me, and maybe I’ll see something important while I’m

here. It shouldn’t take too long to find another place.”

“I don’t know, Adam. We just started this. That would be like moving in with each other after one

date. Not even Gabrielle and Braden did that.”

“It would be temporary and we’ve known each other since we were four. It’s not the same.” I was

just about to argue the point further, when I heard a noise out in the hall. Apparently, Adam heard it
too because he was back at the peep hole.

“What’s going on?” I asked, trying to look over his shoulder, like that would have worked.
“Shh! It’s the guy from next door, the charm school guy who almost smashed you in the face that

night when we were coming in.”

“R. Nardo. What’s he doing?”
“He’s walking down the hall. Which was one was McGuire’s apartment?”
“Four oh four,” I answered, nervously.
“I think that’s the door he’s standing in front of. He’s listening,” Adam paused for a minute. “I

guess he didn’t hear anything. He’s going back to his place.”

“Well, that’s creepy,” I said, hugging myself and wondering if Adam and I had an audience earlier

when I was doing my rodeo show.

“Maybe he thought he heard something like a groan or a cry.”
“Or maybe he’s a pervert,” I suggested alternatively. Just then we heard another noise and Adam

returned to his post.

“Is it R. Nardo again?” I asked curiously.
“No. This time it’s the Ninja. Doesn’t anybody in this place sleep?”
“U. Hu is out there now? What’s he doing?”
“He’s looking around furtively, and now he’s walking down the hall … and listening at the door of

four oh four. They must have heard something.”

“Well, whatever it was, we didn’t hear it, and don’t even consider trying to go out there yourself

to take a turn eavesdropping.”

“I won’t. At least not tonight.”
“Adam,” I said in a threatening tone.
“Don’t worry. Come on, let’s go back to bed. Now that Gabrielle has moved to appeals, I have to

face Mark in court, and he’s a bit more aggressive. If I don’t get some sleep he’s going to kick my ass
tomorrow.”

Adam and I did manage to get up early for work the next day, although both of us were double

fisting the coffee. He dropped me off at the library, and I agreed to let him bring me home. Jane, the
Health Class Sex Talker, was the head law librarian, and she usually stayed until six, so I volunteered
to help her lock up, since Adam worked later than I did. That part worked out well. When he dropped
me off and walked me into my building, though, things kind of broke down a little.

The problem was that he stopped to chat with every one of my neighbors that we encountered. For

example, there was a big Russian guy named Yuri, who lived on the second floor, and bore a striking
resemblance to Lurch from the Addams family. I don’t judge people on looks though. It was more the
fact that he had the demeanor of a KGB agent that turned me off. He obviously went to the same charm
school that Nardo did, but somehow, Adam managed to engage him in conversation about local sports
bars while I stood, shifting my weight impatiently from foot to foot and thinking about how much I
wasn’t writing at the moment.

Then we ran into that sweet young thing, Vixen from the third floor. I had never heard her say a

pleasant word to anyone, but within minutes she and Adam were laughing like old friends. How did
he do that? Before I knew it, he was telling her somewhat raunchy stories about some of the cases he
had seen in court. She just loved those. At least he didn’t mention our sex life. We did, finally, make
it to my apartment, but not until after another disturbing conversation with Donna that included many
obvious references to a threesome.

“What in hell are you doing?” I asked as soon as we got inside.
“What do you mean?”
“What do I mean? What, are you running for office? What’s with your sudden interest in

socializing with the residents of the nuthouse?”

“I’m just being friendly. If there’s something going on in your building it wouldn’t hurt to get to

know your neighbors. You’re not jealous, are you?”

“Jealous?! Are you out of your fucking tree, Tarzan? Who would I be jealous of, the drunken

cougar who turns tricks, or the chick who looks like an extra from Hellraiser?”

“I just don’t know why you’re getting so upset because I was nice to somebody. I’m a nice fucking

guy.”

“Nice? You sold my gym clothes. You tried to sell my cat!”
“In tenth grade!”
“And a week ago you were telling me my neighbors were nuts. I know why you’re doing this,

Adam. You’re trying to find the Fox. Well, not only is it unlikely that you’re going to unmask a hit man
with a friendly chat, but you promised me you wouldn’t do this.”

“Lily, if you’ll recall, I was friendly to Mr. Viagra and Ms. Cougar even before all this shit

happened. You’re being paranoid!”

“You knew Mr. Davis already and Donna talked to you first!”
“Okay, look. I don’t want to argue about this, because first of all, it’s stupid, and secondly, I’m

starting to get turned on and I have to get some sleep tonight or Mark’s going to kick my ass all over
the courtroom again tomorrow. He just loves the fact that we’re dating, by the way.”

“I have to do some serious writing anyway.”
“Will you let me bring you home again tomorrow night?”
“Okay, I guess, but let’s limit the neighborliness.”
“Whatever you want, Lily. I’m going to kiss you now, and then we’re going to stop kissing and I’m

going to leave.”

“Who are you trying to convince?”
“Get over here, you nutty broad,” he said and pulled me into his arms, giving me a sweet, lingering

kiss that left me wanting more.

“You know that I’m just …”
“Stop,” he interrupted. “Did you call your landlord?”
“No. I forgot,” I admitted.
“Lily! You promised me you would do that.”
“I will. Tomorrow. I swear.”
“If not, I’m moving in here no matter what. You hear me?”
“Yeah, I hear you,” I said, looking away. He took my chin and directed my gaze back to him,

looking me very intently in the eyes.

“I hope so, because all the stuff you’re feeling? I’m feeling that too.” We stared at each other for a

moment in a silence that felt heavy with all that we weren’t saying. “Don’t make me tie you to my bed,
Lilith,” he added, with a small laugh, purposely breaking the spell. With that he turned and left.

I closed and locked my door behind me, leaning against it, and eventually sliding down to the floor

like a snowball against a brick wall. I buried my face in my hands and tried to sort what I was feeling,
scared, elated … frustrated. Adam had me tied up in knots, as usual.

Chapter Eighteen

Tuesday and Wednesday went pretty smoothly, and I was starting to feel rather optimistic. Thursday,
Bruce and I chatted in the break room before he left at five.

“How can you stand to be here alone with Jane?” he asked.
“Shush! She’ll hear you and that’s mean. I know that she can be a little annoying…”
“Annoying? She’s a prude and a homophobe and Rochelle is her Mini Me.”
“She’s a small town person who’s really religious. I wouldn’t expect her to be all that progressive

when it comes to certain issues. She thinks I’m a harlot who writes porn. Just ignore it and let her
continue to think that both you and I are going to Hell in a hand basket.”

“Well, we probably are, but at least we’ll be in good company. Jane’s personality is only one

issue, though. You should be careful staying here to lock up after what you saw this weekend. You
know that anybody could just walk in here and there’s nobody around after five. I don’t even know
why they keep this place open until six.”

“Jane will be here with me.”
“Oh, I’m sure you can rely on the Janiac to protect you. If someone attacked you she would

probably either pray or try to exchange recipes with him.”

“I think I’ll make it for one hour.”
“You should at least take my pepper spray.”
“Oh, for crying out loud.”
“Take it!” he demanded, digging some pepper spray out of his coat pocket and tucking it into my

purse. I rolled my eyes and told him I would see him in the morning if I lived.

At twenty minutes to six, Jane announced that the library would be closing, which was kind of

pointless, since I was pretty sure we were the only ones there, but Jane liked her procedures. I got a
cart and began helping her to reshelf books. A couple of minutes later, she approached looking like
she needed to tell me something, so I paused.

“Lily, I just got a message from somebody up in Judge Bradley’s chambers. They need me to bring

them the slip opinions from this week.”

“Aren’t they gone by now?”
“I guess they’re working late on something. It was a new clerk who called down. Maybe he’s just

trying to make a good impression. Anyway, I should be back before six, but if not, just lock up. I have
my key.”

“Okay,” I said a little nervously, remembering Bruce’s warning. It didn’t help that it was dark

outside and a cold November rain was pouring down. I couldn’t have written a better atmosphere for
something creepy to happen. I was in the stacks on the upper level when I heard footsteps, and I
assumed that Jane was back.

“Jane? Did you need something?” There was no answer, and so then I thought that I must be

imagining things. I started pushing my book cart again, but when I stopped a minute later, the footsteps
on the tile floor were back. “Jane, is that you?” Again, there was nothing but silence.

My heart started beating faster and my palms started to sweat. I stood still, listening attentively,

but all I heard was my own breathing. I decided to try something. I took two steps, and stopped
abruptly. The footfall in the next aisle over kept going, and suddenly a tall guy dressed in black, who I
didn’t recognize, rounded the corner into my aisle. For a second, I thought it was just someone who
hadn’t heard the closing call. Then I noticed the black leather gloves. Who wears gloves inside?

Adrenaline shot through my body and I shoved my book cart as hard as I could at the figure in

black and took off running in the other direction. It slowed him down, but didn’t stop him. I screamed
for Jane to call the police as I flew through the stacks, taking a circuitous route to try lose my pursuer.
I could hear his footsteps behind me, getting closer, and I felt dizzy with fear. Think clearly, Lily!
Okay, the stairs, I needed to get to the stairs.

I reached a central reading area and crouched down behind a bookcase, trying to control my rapid

breathing so that the stranger wouldn’t hear me. Why did I not put the pepper spray in my pocket, and
where in the hell was Jane? Oh God. Don’t think about that! The footsteps got closer and slowed
down, as I tried desperately not to make a sound, my legs burning and blood rushing in my ears. They
paused for a moment and I bit my lip so that I wouldn’t whimper with terror. Then they began again
and passed by, heading for the stacks on the other side.

As quietly as I could, I crept out from my hiding place on shaky legs, and made a dash for the

stairs, taking them two at a time. I could hear footsteps echoing behind me but I just kept moving.
When I made it to the main level, one of my heels caught on a rug and my shoe came off. I threw the
other one off quickly and shoved another cart toward the stairs. It overturned at the landing and books
fell everywhere. Then I tore across the floor to the first door I came to. The law library was located
in City Hall, which had a courtyard in the middle. The door I reached led there.

My hands were shaking like crazy, but somehow I managed to take my key out of my pocket and

get the door open. Looking over my shoulder, I saw the figure in black make it to the main level and
start climbing over the books in his way. I bolted out into the dark freezing rain and ran like hell,
diving into a dark entranceway close by. I tried the door, but it was locked. Holy shit!

The rain was coming down in sheets, and I was getting soaked, even though I was under cover. I

was about to make a run for the north archway to the street, when the figure in black made it to the
courtyard. Why hadn’t I just locked the fucking door behind me?! I flattened my back against the
locked door, praying he wouldn’t see me cowering in the shadows. I was in the middle of Center City
Philadelphia but I felt completely isolated and vulnerable. I had never been more frightened in my
entire life. I didn’t know what the guy chasing me wanted, but instinct told me it wasn’t to settle up his
overdue book fines.

He stopped at the center of the courtyard and looked around as I stood trembling with cold and

fear. Suddenly, another figure appeared at the north arch I had been considering as an escape route. I
thought it was some random bystander, and I was about to call for help, but then the guy in black
yelled out to him.

“Did she run that way?”
“No,” the figure in the arch called back. “She must have gone out the south exit.”
“Fuck!”

The guy who had been chasing me walked forward to meet the other guy and I couldn’t hear what

they were saying anymore over the sound of the rain. After a few minutes the two of them walked off.

I waited for what felt a long time to be sure they were gone, and then I stumbled back toward the

library door. When I made it inside, dripping wet, barefoot in torn stockings, I encountered a crowd
that included some uniformed police officers, a couple of guys in suits, Jane, Mr. Jane, Adam, Jacob,
and some guys who were probably FBI. How long had I been gone?

I was in the break room at the library with Adam and Jacob. I had already given my statement to

the Philadelphia police and the FBI. With a blanket wrapped around me, I sat with a hot cup of tea,
considering choices that might dramatically affect my life.

“I could put you under federal protection,” Jacob told me. “But it would mean being in another

city for an indefinite amount of time. The good news is, the government would be paying your
expenses, and so you would be able to write full-time if you wanted. The bad news is, the people
close to you wouldn’t be able to contact you until further notice. Of course, it wouldn’t be forever, but
trials can last several months.”

“So I couldn’t even talk on the phone …” I looked up at Adam. He just sat there, impassively.
“No, sorry,” Jacob answered. “You wouldn’t be completely alone, though. You would have

federal agents guarding you. And, of course, you could talk to me whenever you wanted. I might even
be able to visit if you wanted me to.” I saw Adam flinch but he wouldn’t look at me. I needed to know
what he felt about this, but he wasn’t letting me know.

“What’s the alternative?” I asked, feeling overwhelmed and confused.
“You could accept a position with the Philadelphia District Attorney’s office. It wouldn’t be hard

for us to arrange. It would really just be an inter-office transfer since you’re a county employee now.
You’re a licensed attorney and you’re certainly up on the law. You would just need a little extra
courtroom training. The advantage to that would be that both the DA’s office and the courthouse are
very secure. There are metal detectors and you would be literally surrounded by law enforcement
officers. Of course, you would be expected to do the job of a prosecutor, which would mean longer
hours, more stress and a heavier workload.”

“And what about when I left work? Would you put an agent in my building or something to watch

out for me?”

“We would be hesitant to actually put someone in the building ourselves,” Jacob said, suddenly

very interested in the wall behind me. “We would have people watching the building from nearby.”

“But inside, where the hit man may be, I would be alone?”
“If you stayed put and say, maybe Roth there, came and stayed with you, you wouldn’t be alone,”

Jacob said, sounding uncomfortable, and still talking to the wall. “And with a male present, it would
be less likely that anyone would try to harm you.”

“Why don’t I just move somewhere more secure?” I still didn’t like the idea of Adam putting

himself in danger for me, or for Jacob.

“If you did stay and he stayed with you,” Jacob went on, not answering my question, and looking

very uncomfortable now, “because he’s a prosecutor, he might notice things. Things that could help

us. Nobody would really suspect him being in your building, since the two of you are dating. “

“Okay, so that might an advantage for you …”
“And if he were willing to help, unofficially of course, it could ultimately be an advantage to him,

although there would be no direct advantage for you.”

“So, if I go into protection I can write full time for a while, but I can’t even talk to the person who

I’m romantically involved with or any of my friends for an indefinite amount of time. If I stay and
Adam comes and shacks up with me, it could benefit his career, but in the meanwhile, I may not have
time to write very much, because of my new career as a prosecutor.”

“Uh yeah, pretty much,” Jacob agreed. “And we would prefer you be assigned with him in court,

so you would be spending all of your time together.”

He looked directly at Adam as he said that last part and it occurred to me that I might not even

have a choice in the matter. Adam might not be interested in this little plan, potential career advantage
or not. He had said he would be willing to stay with me temporarily, but live and work with me
indefinitely? I looked at Adam too, desperately wanting him to give me some sign of what he was
thinking but he wouldn’t even look at me.

“Can I talk to Adam alone please?”
“Of course,” Jacob answered, getting up. He paused when he got to the door and turned to look at

me. I thought he was going to say something else, but he seemed to change his mind and he left,
closing the door behind him. I looked at Adam as soon as Jacob was gone, but he still seemed
removed and withdrawn.

“Look, Lily, it’s not forever. You’ll be back. We can pick up where we left off,” he said, sounding

tense, and staring off into space.

Suddenly, I felt sick. I had been hoping that he would ask me to stay, but he obviously didn’t want

to have to work and live with me. I guess I couldn’t blame him, but my stomach still roiled, as a lump
formed in my throat, and my eyes started to sting with unshed tears.

“So, you want me to go,” I said miserably, willing myself not to cry.
“What?” he asked, finally looking at me. “I don’t want you to go. I figured you would want to go.”

He looked genuinely shocked and upset.

“Well, I don’t want to go, you asshole,” I said, my voice cracking with emotion.
“Well why not, you nutty broad?”
“Because first of all, I don’t want to let some dickhead bully run me out of town. I have always

stood up for myself in the past, and I’m not going to just run away, or be run out of my home either for
that matter. But secondly, Adam, I wouldn’t be able to even talk to you, for God knows how long.” To
my horror, I felt a single hot tear slowly run down my cheek.

“But you told me your writing was everything.” The way he spit the words out made them sound

like an accusation.

“I said that my writing was one of the most important things to me. If you don’t want to spend all

your time with me, though, just tell me and I’ll go.”

“No! That’s not what I mean! What I’m asking you is, are you saying that I’m as important to you

as your writing?” It looked like he was still trying to process that information.

“Why is that so hard for an egomaniac like you to believe?” My voice was rising in pitch so much

I was starting to sound like a little girl.

“Oh I don’t know. Maybe because you’ve never given me any indication that you’ve had anything

but contempt for me?” He sounded angry and confused but also stunned.

“Contempt?! Adam, I went on a date with you. I kissed you. I let you fuck me! Many times! What

did you think that was?”

“Okay, you’re attracted to me, but you love writing!” Now, it sounded almost like he was issuing a

challenge, his voice so strained with tension and emotion that he sounded hoarse.

“Yes, I love writing!” I myself was starting to sound hysterical, my vision was now getting blurry

with tears.

“If you went you could write full time, and you love writing,” he repeated, emphasizing that word

again. “So if you care about me as much …” Oh God. He wasn’t going to make me admit…

“Yes, Adam I love writing,” I broke in. “And I want to stay anyway. With you,” I said, praying that

the very deep intense look that I was giving him would be enough. I was so freaking overwhelmed. It
was something I had never even admitted to myself, let alone to anyone else, let alone to him, but I
knew that it was true. I was in love with Adam. I was totally fucked.

“Good! Because I want you to stay, even though I know it’s not going to be easy spending all our

time together. I’ve always loved my freedom, Lily, really loved it, but I want you to stay anyway,
because I care about you as much. Do you understand?” He looked back at me just as intently. It was
like we were willing each other to hear what we couldn’t say.

Before I could even respond, he came around the table, yanked me into his arms and kissed me

hard. I slid my arms around his neck and kissed him back for all I was worth. The tears flowed down
my cheeks, getting both of us wet as we desperately tried to express with our frantic kisses what we
couldn’t yet with our words. After a couple of minutes of ardent tongue tangling, I pulled back
breathlessly.

“But you could be in danger. What if something happens to you?”
“Nothing is going to happen. I’ll be careful. I promise.”
“How long do you think we’ve …?”
“Since I licked your Fruit Roll-Up.”
“I hate Shari Edelstein,” I said emotionally, and slowly, the two of us started laughing. “And I

think I just cast my lot with a guy who once put a fungus from the bio lab in my lunch bag,” I gasped
and we laughed even harder.

Chapter Nineteen

Because of my sorry state of dress, Adam took me to Gabrielle and Braden’s apartment, which was
less than five minutes away. Gab crushed me into a rib-bruising hug until I almost couldn’t breathe,
while her Chihuahua, Bruno, sniffed me suspiciously. I didn’t blame him. I would be suspicious too.

After making me promise her that I was okay, she finally let go and I saw her look over at her

husband. Braden and Adam seemed to be sharing some unspoken communication. Braden patted
Adam on the back and, as if by signal, Gab immediately rushed me into her bathroom. She left and
came back a minute later, bringing me clothes to change into. Luckily, she and I were about the same
size.

“Get in the shower and warm up. I’m going to wait in here with you if it’s okay. I want to give

Adam a chance to talk to Braden alone.”

“About this federal case?” I asked, stripping out of my soggy dress and tattered stockings.
“So that Braden can give him some support. I’m sure this was very hard for him.”
“Did someone chase him into a dark courtyard in the freezing rain?”
“Someone chased his girlfriend into one, and he wasn’t there to protect her.”
“It wasn’t his fault he wasn’t there. How could he have known I would be stalked in a library? It’s

not a real hotbed of criminal activity, you know?”

“That’s not the point, Lil. That helpless feeling really hits guys hard. They want to be able to do

something when we’re in danger.”

“He’s a lawyer. What could he have done against some creep in OJ gloves? Subpoenaed him,

cross-examined him?”

“The male brain is not always logical or practical. If you remember, I got stuck in that situation in

lock-up just before Braden and I got married. He was hardly willing to be out of physical contact
with me for at least twenty-four hours afterward. I thought he was going to cuff me to him. He waited
outside the bathroom door when I peed.”

I thought about that as I hopped in the shower. Actually, I had no problem with the idea of Adam

holding onto me for a day or so, as long as he wanted to do it in bed. The cuffs could be kind of fun.
Gab and I talked through the curtain, and I filled her in on some of the details about that weekend.

“So, how was the sex?” she asked.
“Gabrielle, I just did the fifty yard dash barefoot through a hurricane in the dark. Maybe this isn’t

the best time for a girl talk.”

“I think that now is the perfect time. So, can Adam do anything with that mouth besides piss people

off?”

“Are you going to tell me about Braden’s mouth?” I asked, working some shampoo into my hair.
“I’m happy to report that my husband’s oral skills are not limited to advocacy, and he’s a very

generous man. Your turn.”

“Well, Adam is orally gifted as well, and let’s just say, he’s a giver. Are you happy?”
“I’ll bet you are,” she teased. “And how about everything else? Is he good at giving you a ride,

and does he get you where you need to go?”

“Yes, and more than once, for the first time ever. He’s got amazing stamina.”
“Braden does too. I wonder if they have some kind of secret.”
“Yeah, I think it’s called practice,” I joked.
“Well, according to my insider information, Adam hadn’t gone out to a club in a month when he

saw you that night. Apparently, that was a record for him.”

“Well, I guess it’s a good thing for him we ran into each other, although he would have gotten

quicker relief from his busty blonde friend.”

“It’s a good thing you mentioned to me where you were going that night.” Her words took a

moment to sink in.

“What do you mean?” I pulled the shower curtain aside, stuck my head out, and cocked an

eyebrow at her suspiciously.

“I may have mentioned to him that if he were going to K2 that night, and he ran into you and Bruce,

he should say ‘hi’ for me.”

“And did you manage to work in that Bruce was gay?” I asked, cynically.
“I may have,” she answered with an innocent smile.
“So, you were playing matchmaker,” I said, shaking my head.
I smiled back and popped back under the water to rinse my soapy hair and think about that some

more. After a quick layer of conditioner, I finished up, got out and wrapped myself in the big fluffy
towel she offered.

“There’s a hair dryer under the sink. I’m going to go back out with the guys while you get dressed.

We ordered Italian food and it should be here soon.”

“Thanks, Gabrielle. I really appreciate it.” And I wasn’t just talking about the fettuccini.
She turned and I slipped on the new bra and panties, tags still attached. I unwrapped the towel

from my head and dried my crazy, wavy hair and put it up in a ponytail, checking myself out in the
mirror quickly. I didn’t see some haunted stalking victim staring back, but rather a strong woman who
was thankful to know that there really were people who cared about her. Slipping on the yoga pants,
sweatshirt, socks and sneakers she had also left, I went in to join everyone else in the living room. I
realized when I got there that I was also thankful that they’d ordered food. Suddenly, I really was
hungry.

Braden and Gabrielle sat close together on a loveseat, with their tiny dog lounging contentedly on

their laps. Adam sat slumped on its mate across from them. He looked up when I came in and I could
see by the bruised look under his eyes how weary he was. The adrenaline had obviously left his
system. There was a buzz and Braden got up and set Bruno down on the floor. The food had arrived.

“Baby, why don’t we go down and get it? We’ll be right back,” Braden said, heading for the door.

Gab got up and followed and I went over to sit next to Adam. We stared at each other silently for a
moment.

“So, Roth, you know I’m going to expect you to have your own toothbrush,” I said, giving him a

very serious look. Slowly, a smile spread across his face.

Over dinner Braden and Gab helped me put a plan together. I would just spend the night at Adam’s

place and go to work with him the next day. We would take care of everything else over the weekend.
After we ate, we cleaned up and Adam and I got ready to go. Before we left, Gab brought me a suit
bag and tote bag with more clothes.

“Here’s something to wear to court tomorrow and a few other things,” she said, handing it to me. I

peeked inside the tote and saw something familiar on top.

“Those are your cow jammies, Gab. You can’t lend me those. They’re special.”
“Take them, Lily,” she said solemnly.
“I can’t take them.”
“Yes, you can,” Braden broke in. “In fact, keep them as long as you want.”
“Hang on,” Adam chimed in dubiously, “cow jammies?”
“Pink flannel cow jammies,” Braden clarified, giving Adam a speaking glance.
“You don’t need cow jammies,” Adam said, looking kind of worried.
“They’re comforting,” Gab said indignantly.
“I’ll comfort her,” Adam shot back. “And I can do it better if she’s naked.”
“Oh, for crying out loud,” I said, giving him a reproving look. “Thank you Gabrielle, I’ll be

honored to wear your cow jammies.” She and I hugged and I saw Adam glare at Braden, who looked
like he was trying not to laugh.

Chapter Twenty

When I came out of the bedroom wearing Gab’s faded pajamas with pictures of smiling, demented-
looking cows, Adam put his hand in front of his mouth, cocking an eyebrow at me.

“Those cows look kind of disturbed,” he said, his voice cracking a little.
“They’re mad cows,” I answered dryly and he almost lost it. “Speaking of mad, this was such a

crazy night, it was like something that would happen to Gabrielle.” I went and sat on the sofa and he
moved over to sit beside me. I guess the cow jammies weren’t that repulsive.

“So, tell me more about you and Sachs,” he said, putting his feet up on an ottoman and resting his

arm on the back of the sofa. Even though the pose was casual, I sensed tension.

“There’s not much to tell,” I replied, turning to face him. “He was in his third year and I was in my

first. I talked to him at a party one night. I thought he was cute and sexy. He asked me out on a date
and I said yes.”

“You said he reminded you of me.” He was trying to be serious, but every time he glanced down

at my sleep apparel he almost cracked up.

“He did remind me of you, except he was nice to me,” I teased. “Anyway, we dated for a little

while and then he graduated and went to D.C. to work. The end.”

“You weren’t all heartbroken?”
“No, Adam, I wasn’t. He didn’t get me stirred up emotionally. He was just a cute sexy guy who I

had some fun with for a while. He wasn’t heartbroken either when he left.” What I thought, but didn’t
say, was, “he wasn’t you.”

“You slept with him, though,” he said, almost accusatorially, suddenly finding the wall very

interesting.

“We were dating,” I answered defensively.
“The thought of him touching you makes me want to kill him,” he went on, still not making eye

contact. “When he said you could talk to him anytime, and he would visit you, I almost did kill him.”

“At least he’s only one person. We probably couldn’t go out to most clubs in the city without

running into someone you’ve had carnal knowledge of. That doesn’t exactly thrill me either, you
know.”

“I don’t even remember their names,” he replied, finally looking at me again. “I probably wouldn’t

recognize them if I saw them. It was completely meaningless and mechanical.”

“And it’s not meaningless and mechanical with me?”
“No!” he replied indignantly, scowling at me, and looking offended.
“Well, sex is different for me with you too. I don’t know if it was ever ‘mechanical’ per se with

other people, but it was just physical. I never felt anything else.” There, I had just told him I felt
something. That was progress.

“I appreciate that, although, it wouldn’t hurt if you told me it was better physically too.”
“It is!” I said with a laugh, relieved he was letting my revelation pass. “Seriously, I’ve never been

so orgasmic in my life. You could probably make me come just by rubbing my back.”

“Really?” he asked, sounding much too intrigued.
“Why? And why are you looking at me like that?”
“I was just thinking that would be really hot, if we were out with other people, and I got you off

without anyone else suspecting.”

“I’m not sure no one else would suspect. I’m not exactly stoic at the moment of truth.”
“It would be interesting research, wouldn’t it? Then if you wrote a scene like that into one of your

novels you would know it was possible.”

“Aren’t you a prosecutor? Do the words public indecency mean anything to you?”
“I won’t get you naked, at least not where anybody could see us.” He smirked.
“Okay, look, how about if we talk about your role as my research assistant another night, like one

when I haven’t been chased by some creepy guy.”

“I’m sorry. I know that must have freaked you out really badly.” He looked contrite. He also

looked pretty stressed out himself, and I thought about what Gab had said.

“Adam, you know that what happened tonight, there was nothing you could have done.”
“I know,” he said, sounding unhappy. “I just wish I could have done something.”
“You couldn’t have known that something like that could even happen. Who would think anybody

would try something that crazy in City Hall?”

“When I came to get you the front entrance was unlocked, but nobody was there. Your boss

showed up a couple of minutes later. She said she got a call from somebody claiming to be a law
clerk, who wanted her to come to a judge’s chambers in another building, but when she got there
everybody had already left. Then I saw books lying on the floor,” I heard him swallow and his voice
sounded hoarse, “and your shoes by the stairs.” He sounded like he was reliving it in his head.

“Adam …” He didn’t have to tell me that he felt something. It was obvious that he did.
“Then I called the cops, and before you know it, not only do two uniforms and two detectives

show up, but Sachs shows up with the FBI.”

“Adam, I’m fine. We’re together. In fact, we’re going to be together all the time. Nothing’s going

to happen, unless we kill each other,” I joked. He smiled but he still looked kind of upset, and he let
out a deep breath.

“You’re the only one I’ve ever gotten worked up about like this. I’m just not used to it. I’ve never

felt all protective like this before. I’ve never felt jealous like this before. Mark is one of my best
friends and I wanted to kill him too. I still can’t believe he put his hands on your ass.”

“Adam, stop dwelling. Let’s watch a movie or something, then we can go to bed and you can tap

my ass and mark your territory.”

“You’re so romantic, Adler.” He laughed. “You know, I wasn’t surprised that you wrote romance

novels because I didn’t think you were sexy. I can believe you write sexy novels.”

“What do you want to watch, Romeo?”
“I don’t care. Just don’t sing.” He dropped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me up against

him.

“No promises,” I teased, looking up at him with a smile.
We wound up watching This Is the End, which was very funny, and took my mind off the stress of

the evening. While we watched, we cuddled on the sofa. I was becoming a much better cuddler and it
felt really nice. Adam was so warm and he made me feel safe. By the time the movie was over, and
we washed up and headed for bed, I was feeling much better.

“Please take those off before you traumatize me,” he said, looking at my smiling cow jammies as

we stood in his bedroom and he dimmed the lights.

“What are you afraid of, that you’ll have mad cow nightmares?”
“I just don’t want to ever imagine you wearing those in bed. It could put me off of sex.”
“I doubt that.” I laughed. “But fine.”
He pulled off his sweatshirt and I unbuttoned my pajama top. We watched each other as we

undressed, and I started feeling a warm tingling sensation in my lower cow region. The feeling was
obviously mutual, because by the time he was down to his briefs, I could see I was gaining his full
attention. As I stripped down to just my panties, I noted that Adam looked decidedly happier.

“Let me rub your back for a change,” I said in my best sultry voice. He went to sit down on the

edge of the bed and I knelt behind him and began working the tension out of his shoulders.

“I don’t know what feels better,” he said thickly, “the massage, or that gorgeous rack pressed up

against me.” He twisted his head around to loosen his neck muscles and I worked my way over,
rubbing the tightness out.

“You like that, huh?” I teased, brushing my rack up against him more.
“Like it? You’re driving me nuts. I want to nail you in, like, sixty different ways. You know, I

haven’t done you standing up yet. Maybe I’ll bang you up against the wall.”

“Oh yeah, and you’re a real romantic too, Roth.” I laughed.
“How about this, then,” he said, surprising me by turning around and pulling me into his arms. “I

know it won’t be easy, but please don’t give up on me.”

My pulse shot up and a wave of emotion hit me, making my eyes sting and get a little wet again. I

had been weepier that night than I had been in the previous year. I was genuinely moved by his
honesty and by this little bit of insecurity he was willing to show me. Adam Roth was not a guy who
let people see him vulnerable.

“I’m not leaving, Adam,” I said, my voice coming out squeaky. “You’re stuck with me, you poor

schmuck.” I reached up and pushed a dark curl off of his forehead. He was looking at me so intently.
Now my heart was beating much faster and my mouth was getting dry.

“Lily,” he said hesitantly, “I know it seems nuts….”
“Because we’ve never gotten along, but if we didn’t feel …” I broke in.
“I already figured that out …” he interrupted.
“I mean, why else have we always been so …” I went on.
“Lily, I feel the same way. Now shut up and kiss me.”
His lips were so soft and his breath was warm and smelled like cinnamon. It felt thrilling but

tender at the same time. He just lingered there for a few seconds, and then pressed a little harder. I
opened my mouth and he kissed me more deeply, caressing my tongue with his, sliding his lips against
mine. He tasted like cinnamon too. When he finally pulled back, I felt all swoony. Hey, it’s a word.

“I shouldn’t have called you an asshole,” I said softly.
“I don’t know, I’ve come to view ‘asshole’ as kind of your pet name for me.”
“Thanks to you, people really believe my name is Lilith, you know.”
“Lilith was Adam’s first love,” he said, those chocolate-brown eyes staring deeply into mine. My

breath caught and my stomach turned over.

“Adam,” I said, my voice cracking with emotion, “that’s why you’ve always called me Lilith?”
“No, I called you Lilith because she was also queen of the demons and the mother of all witches.”
“Sometimes you really are an asshole, Adam.” I glared at him and he laughed. “So, that backrub

felt good?” I asked, changing the subject.

“It felt incredible.” He was clearly trying to make amends. I figured I would let him off the hook,

especially since doing so would most certainly lead to my pleasure as well.

“Is there anywhere else you would like me to rub you?” I asked suggestively.
“What do you think?” he asked in a sexy voice leaning in and nipping at my ear.
“I think you’re wearing too many clothes again.” I giggled, anxious with anticipation.
“Lily, if you only knew…” he said standing up, tugging off his briefs, and watching me heatedly as

I slid my panties off and knelt on the bed waiting for him. He crawled onto the bed, knelt in front of
me and cupped my breast as he leaned in and began kissing my neck. I tilted my head back, arched my
back and moaned with pleasure as electricity shot through my body and lit up my nerve endings,
making me shiver.

“I’ll let you do it if you want,” I mumbled breathlessly, scraping my nails lightly up his back. My

skin was so sensitized that everywhere he touched sent a thrill through me.

“Do what?” he asked in a husky, amused voice, running his tongue along my jaw, and rolling my

rock-hard nipple between his thumb and forefinger. He reached around and began stroking my back
with his other hand and my knees almost gave out.

“Get me turned on when we’re in public. What you started to do the other night, whispering

naughty things in my ear when we were out together,” I panted. “I want you to do that again.”

“I believe that I said I wanted to make you come in public.” He sat back on his knees, grabbed my

waist, pulling me closer and began flicking his hot tongue against one aching peak. “You like it when
I whisper naughty things in your ear?”

“Yes,” I gasped. “Can I whisper sexy things to you too?”
“If we’re discreet,” he answered. “My excitement is a little harder to hide than yours is,” he

added, moving to the other breast while I moved my hands to cradle his head, burying my fingers in
his hair. I was starting to become lightheaded.

“I love that I can get you aroused,” I admitted in a voice heavy with need.
“Like nobody else can. I’ll do whatever you want, Lily. Whenever you want, however you want.

Will you do something for me tonight, though?” He tugged my nipple into his mouth and began sucking
and I almost lost my mind.

“Yes,” I said on a moan. He pulled back and looked up at me.
“There’s something I want to show you.” I immediately looked down at his magnificently erect

man toy. “Not that.” He laughed. “Well, that too, but something else.”

He rose up on his knees again, leaned down and kissed me deeply, holding my head firmly in

place. You know in old school romance where they say that the hero ‘plundered’ the heroine’s mouth?
Well, there was some plundering. What drove me craziest, though, was this low groan he was making

deep in his throat. He broke the kiss and scraped his stubble across my cheek and I trembled.

“Lie down on your back,” he said in a firm, but not domineering voice. I did what he asked

without hesitation. He got up and pulled a chair up to the side of the bed, sitting down, and looking at
me hungrily. The way his eyes dragged over my body gave me butterflies in my stomach. “Spread
your legs and touch yourself the way you did the first time we were together.” Again, I didn’t hesitate.
I’m not really very shy either, I must confess. My fingers quickly traveled south and I was actually
surprised by how wet I was. As I stroked my clit, I circled my hips and used my other hand to squeeze
my breast and pinch my nipple. When I looked up at him I saw that he was stroking himself too. Oh
my God, that was hot. “Talk to me,” he said hoarsely.

“I’ve laid in my bed at night and thought about you while I’ve done this.” I felt a warm ache

between my legs. “I’ve imagined your hands and your mouth on me.” His face was flushed and his
eyes were dark as his hand traveled up and down his hard length. “Have you thought about me when
you were in bed at night, Adam?”

“Yes,” he rasped.
“Did you touch yourself like that?”
“Yes,” he bit out again, and suddenly, he got up. “Come here,” he ordered. I stopped what I was

doing and immediately got up. He led me over to the dresser, and grabbed my shoes off the floor. “Put
your heels back on so you’ll be taller, and then lean over and put your hands on top.” I did what he
told me to and looked up at myself in the mirror. I looked flushed too and my eyes were hazy with
desire.

“Do you see how beautiful you are?” he asked, coming up behind me and gently stroking my back.

I closed my eyes for a second, letting the thrill travel down my spine. “Open your eyes,” he ordered.
“I want you to see what I see.”

I opened my eyes and looked at myself again. The reflection staring back at me looked completely

wild. “I look like a wanton woman,” I said in a shaky voice.

“It gets better. I want you to know how you look when you take my cock and how you look when

you come. Then you’ll understand how much you own me.”

“Adam …” I was so aroused that I was literally tingling.
“Do you want to feel me inside you, Lily?” he asked in a silky voice, letting his fingers slide down

my back, over my ass and all the way up to my slick, throbbing clit.

“Yes,” I said desperately, pushing back against his hand.
“Tell me how much you want it,” he ordered.
“Please, Adam. I’m aching for it. Please fuck me. Please!” I begged and he grabbed my hip with

one hand and positioned himself at my entrance with the other.

“Look at your eyes when you take me,” he said thickly and slowly inch by inch slid inside me until

he was buried up to the hilt. The look I saw in my eyes was indescribable. There were no words for
pleasure that intense. “You have no idea how good you feel, Lily,” he ground out. “When I feel your
walls stretch for me, the sensation is so intense, I almost can’t handle it. When I feel you come around
me, it drives me insane, but it’s the look in your eyes that almost does me in.” He pulled back and as
he pushed into me deeply again, the woman staring back at me from the mirror looked euphoric.

“It’s never been like this before, Adam.” My voice was so thick I was almost incoherent.
“Tell me. Nobody else.” He was starting to move faster and thrust harder.
“Only you, Adam.” I gasped and whimpered, feeling him hit up against the end of me and loving

the little jab of pain that accompanied the intense pleasure. “Mmm, yes, so deep.”

“See if you can support yourself with one hand and touch yourself,” he growled, pausing to

maintain control. I reached down and started rubbing my clit as he began moving his hips again
rhythmically.

“Oh God, yes. Like that. Harder. Please!”
“Is that what you want, baby?” he asked hoarsely, really starting to nail me. “Does that feel

good?” I felt his fingers digging into my skin and his cock stretching and filling me completely. The
feeling was so powerful I almost couldn’t process it. I knew that I didn’t want him to stop, though.

“Yes. More,” I begged and he pulled back and then slammed into me again as I moaned and

pushed against him.

“Tell me how much you love it,” he bit out.
I watched him in the mirror too, and the look of ecstasy on his face every time he thrust into me

was making me crazy. We were being rougher and wilder than we had been so far, but I realized that
it was a response to all the tension and emotion of the night. He needed to feel some control and I was
happy to give it to him.

“I love it so much,” I whimpered. “Please, don’t stop.” He reached around and added his fingers

to mine, rubbing along the other side of my clit with one hand and still holding my hip with the other.
He was really pounding me hard now. “Yes, like that!” I moaned.

“This is mine, Lily. Say it.”
“Yours, Adam.” I gasped at the molten feeling in my lower belly, the pressure building. It was so

intense I was lightheaded and my legs almost buckled. He clutched my hip even more tightly.

“You’re going to come, Lily. Look. Do you see how beautiful you are?” he urged, thrusting into me

hard and fast. The woman in the mirror’s head was back; she was breathing harshly through her mouth
and her eyes were starting to look unfocused. She was flushed, covered in a sheen of sweat, and damp
wavy hair stuck to her skin.

“So close,” I whimpered. “Please. Please don’t stop. Oh, God, I need to come.”
“Let go, Lily.” His slick fingers on my clit began moving faster and I felt myself start to climb, my

muscles tensing, my cries increasing in volume.

“Oh God, I’m going to come. Don’t stop. Oh please, Adam, yes. Adam! Adam!” I screamed as my

inner muscles grabbed onto him and began contracting in powerful waves of blindingly intense
pleasure. I came so hard that I shook and my legs finally gave out, but he held me up, still thrusting
into me.

“I’m going to come too, baby. Oh, Lily. Oh fuck. Lily.”
He slammed into me one last time, groaned loudly and swore some more as he held himself tightly

against me. Then the only sound was the two of us trying to catch our breath. He wrapped his arms
around my waist and pulled me up into his arms with my back against his rapidly rising and falling
chest. I felt boneless and he practically carried me over to the bed where we collapsed together,
completely exhausted, in a sweaty, panting heap. He pulled me into his arms tightly, holding on like
he expected somebody to try to take me away from him. I stroked his hair, and let him protect me, and
that’s how we fell asleep.

Chapter Twenty-One

The next morning, bright and early, the odyssey that was my career as a prosecutor began. Looking
very lawyerly in Gab’s navy Ann Klein suit, my hair pulled back into a bun at the nape of my neck, I
followed Adam into Judge Channing’s courtroom. I would be watching him and Braden in the
mornings, and while they prepared their cases for the next day in the afternoons, I would be meeting
with the attorneys who handled training. Luckily, since both of my parents had been career litigators,
courtrooms didn’t intimidate me.

“Is there anything I can do?” I asked, glancing down at his behemoth pile of case files.
“Not yet, Lily,” he said with a smile.
“All rise! The Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia is now in session, the Honorable Louis

Channing presiding.”

I just sat back and watched as Adam and Braden handled their cases methodically. They made a

good team. Adam looked really sexy by the way. He always looked sexy, but he looked particularly
sexy here, where he was obviously in his element. He was also dressed in a navy suit, with a gray tie,
and he looked all prosecutorial. He also smelled fabulous.

For a second the image of him naked behind me, thrusting into me over and over, popped into my

head and a jolt of heat hit my lady bits head on. Okay, not a good time to think about that. I glanced
around the courtroom to distract myself. Over on the defense side sat Mark and Jess, who were also
busily and methodically handling their caseload. Everyone was doing something but me.

I have to admit that as I watched Adam cross examine witnesses and make legal arguments I

started getting turned on. His cockiness was actually hot here. I started remembering how I had
enjoyed being in clinic when I was in law school. The adrenaline rush of battling in court felt a lot
like, well, let’s face it, sexual arousal.

Truthfully, I could still write and practice law too, if I tried hard enough. It wasn’t that I couldn’t

have been a good lawyer, or even that I didn’t like the law. I had only rejected the whole lawyer thing
because my parents were so fixated on me being one. I guess I had wanted to see if they would ever
respect me for doing something different. The answer to that one, incidentally, was ‘no.’ My parents
were  obsessed  with  their  own  legal  careers,  and  with  the  idea  of  me  going  even  further  in  legal
practice  than  they  had. After  all,  I  had  the  DNA  of  two  famous  litigators  in  me.  Hell,  I  think  they
seriously  believed  that  I  could  become  a  Supreme  Court  Justice  someday,  if  I  would  just  grow  up
already.

About an hour into the session, as Braden was off talking to a witness and Adam was in the middle

of a legal argument with Mark, someone tapped me on the shoulder. I turned around and saw a cute
guy with red hair, holding a file.

“Hey, do we know each other? I’m Kevin O’Donell from the office.”

“No, I’m Lily Adler. I just transferred in.” Okay, so maybe I had failed to mention that I had

transferred in from the law library. So what?

“Ah, good. I was worried you might be a brand new grad.”
“Nope, graduated two years ago.” And hadn’t practiced law a day since.
“Perfect. Hey, Lily, you want to take a case for me? It’s no big thing, but it might be kind of

interesting. You’ll get to face Captain Swagger from the U.S. Attorney’s office.”

“Captain Swagger?” I asked, amused. It sounded like a nickname Adam would have. In fact, I’m

pretty sure it was a nickname Adam did have, at least among defense lawyers.

“Jacob Sachs. Cocky son of a bitch. It’s a nothing case, but it’s tied into Moretti somehow, so the

feds decided they might as well take it up. We actually have a better argument for keeping it here in
Common Pleas. If it were any other prosecutor, they would probably concede if we objected, but
Sachs doesn’t know the meaning of concede. Probably not even worth making the argument, because
he’ll fight you, and it’s not worth it for this case. Besides, defense counsel is a total pain in the ass.
She was supposedly retired, but I guess she missed the smell of blood. Judith Steinberg. Do you know
her?” My heart slammed into my chest wall and my mouth went dry.

“Uh, yeah. I’ve heard about her,” I said casually.
“I don’t doubt it. They call her the Ice Queen. She’s super-aggressive.”
“Yeah, that’s what I’ve heard,” I said. “You’re saying that we have a good argument for keeping it

here? So if I won, it would be tried here, in Common Pleas. If I take it, is it mine?” Something else
that I happened to know about Judith Steinberg, was that she did federal defense. She would be out of
her element here. She could be beaten.

“Uh, yeah.” He laughed. “If you want it. Why? You’re not thinking about taking on Captain

Swagger and the Ice Queen, are you?”

“I don’t have much else on my plate yet, and you said it’s not an important case.”
“Okay! You’ve got some moxie. I like that. Sachs should be here soon. The argument’s all laid out

in there, just in case anybody wanted to make it.”

“Okay. I’ll let you know what happens.”
“Go get ’em!” he said with a smile and left just as Adam was returning to counsel table.
I slid the file onto my lap. Obviously, he would find out shortly what I was up to, but I didn’t want

him to try to stop me. I was a licensed attorney, now officially employed by the District Attorney of
Philadelphia. I wasn’t doing anything unethical. I was also highly motivated.

Jacob arrived not long after, with his usual flourish, storming the castle, with all of his lackeys

trailing in his wake. The bailiff informed the judge that an assistant U.S. attorney was here for the next
case, and so Jacob was able to go immediately to the head of the class. The bailiff called it.
“Commonwealth v. DiBono, motion for removal to federal court.” I saw Adam glance around the
courtroom, looking for a fellow prosecutor. I took a deep breath and stood up … just as the courtroom
door opened again and she came in, followed by her client and her lackeys. She marched to the front
of the courtroom like she owned the place.

“Your Honor, Jacob Sachs for the United States.”
“Judith Steinberg for Joseph DiBono”
“Lily Adler for the Commonwealth,” I added, walking to the bench with just as much confidence

as the other attorneys standing there, even if it was an act. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Adam
turn around so fast I was worried he might get whiplash. “Your Honor, I don’t have a copy of the

motion for removal.”

“It’s an oral motion,” Jacob said, looking a bit stunned, but quickly recovering. “We didn’t brief it

because we didn’t anticipate an objection.”

“Well, then I’m afraid that counsel was not adequately prepared, because the Commonwealth

objects.” Jacob set his jaw and narrowed his eyes, but it wasn’t anger I saw there; it was anticipation.
He was sizing me up like a tiger sizing up an antelope, or whatever the hell tigers eat.

“Pardon me, counselor, but if this case stays in Common Pleas, who’s going to try it, you?” He

gave me the most arrogantly dismissive smirk I had ever seen, and my blood boiled. He was being
rather condescending to a person who had seen him naked. Not that he had anything to be ashamed of.
He actually looked rather good naked.

“And if it goes up to federal court, counselor, who’s going to try it there, you?” I asked, giving him

exactly the same look. His mouth literally popped open and his eyes flashed with what I could swear
was excitement. I had a feeling that maybe he was actually picturing me naked at that very moment.

“Excuse me! Your Honor, may I have a word with my colleague?” Adam interrupted. Great. I

turned around and found him giving me a deceptively friendly smile.

Chapter Twenty-Two

“Go ahead, Mr. Roth,” Judge Channing said, looking kind of intrigued. Adam walked off to the side of
the courtroom and I reluctantly followed. When I got there, he leaned in close and whispered to me.

“Okay, first of all, you’re going to get some phenomenal sexing tonight for that comment you just

made to Sachs, and secondly, what the fuck are you doing?!”

“Arguing a motion.”
“Against a federal prosecutor and your mother?!”
“Technically, she hasn’t joined in the motion yet,” I pointed out.
“Lily, are you nuts? This isn’t the place to work out your family issues.”
“I’m not working them out. I fully intend to beat her.”
“She’s a career litigator, and she’s your mother!”
“Adam, my family is not like your family. She won’t see me as her daughter. She’ll see me as her

opponent. She won’t hesitate to try to take me down. I want to stand up against her in the only way
that matters to her. I want to prove to myself that I can.”

“And how is that not working out your family issues?” he observed, accurately I might add. I

wasn’t in the mood to be reasonable, though, and I just huffed and looked away, angrily. “Okay,
look,” he relented, “you think you have an argument, go ahead and make it.”

“You don’t think I have a chance, do you?”
“It’s not because I don’t think you’re smart or capable. It’s because you’re taking on an assistant

U.S. attorney and woman who has about thirty years of courtroom experience and yesterday you were
a law librarian.”

“I don’t have anything to lose and the guy who gave it to me, said I could keep it.”
“Lily, it’s a felony trial, not a puppy!”
“It’s related to Moretti. If I win the motion you can try it, and I’ll be your second chair.”
“You nutty broad.” He shook his head but I could see he looked both amused, and yes, just a little

impressed. With that, I returned to battle.

“I would like to ask that defense counsel declare a conflict of interest for the record,” I said as I

took my place again.

“While Ms. Adler was chatting, I spoke with my client and informed him that the assistant district

attorney in this case is my daughter.”

“Your what?” Jacob interrupted.
“I also informed him that she would not be prosecuting it, as it will be removed to federal court,

but that even if she were, it would not interfere with my ability to represent him zealously.”

“For the record Ms. Steinberg,” Judge Channing said irritably, “I’ll decide if this case goes to

federal court or not. And so, Mr. DiBono,” he addressed the defendant, “you’re willing to waive the

conflict of interest and you’re satisfied that Ms. Steinberg can represent you zealously?”

“Her? Oh yeah. Hey, are you kidding? I’m surprised she didn’t eat her young. Know what I’m

saying?”

“Mr. DiBono obviously knows my mother well, Your Honor, being her client I mean.” I glanced

over at Adam, who looked like he wanted to laugh. I also noted that everyone else in the courtroom
also seemed to be paying rapt attention to the little drama that was unfolding.

“For the record,” Jacob said with a smirk and an evil glint in his eye, “I’ll state that I am zealously

able to put forward the position of the United States, despite the fact that Ms. Adler and I have been
intimate in the past.” I guess he didn’t appreciate my snappy comeback as much as Adam did.
Speaking of Adam, out of the corner of my eye, I saw him leap to his feet.

“Adam Roth, co-counsel for the Commonwealth. Your Honor, Mr. Sachs knows that’s not a

conflict any more due to the fact that Ms. Adler and I are presently intimate.”

“You don’t have an adversarial relationship with her,” Jacob said, turning to Adam.
“And you don’t have any relationship with her,” Adam shot back.
“Is there anyone who hasn’t had an intimate relationship with Ms. Adler?” my mother asked,

sarcastically.

“Yes. You,” I answered angrily.
“Order!” Judge Channing sputtered, banging his gavel. “This is a court of law, not The Jerry

Springer Show! Now, Mr. Sachs, if you want this case removed over the Commonwealth’s objection,
you’ll need to file a written motion and brief it. We’ll set a date for argument. Ms. Steinberg, you can
join in the motion if you choose. The defendant has waived the conflict of interest with regard to Ms.
Steinberg being Ms. Adler’s mother. There is no other conflict.” He gave Jacob a reproving look.
“Court is in recess. Five minutes!” With that, he banged his gavel again and stormed off the bench.

“Hi mom,” I said with a sunny smile.
“What do you know,” she said with a smirk. “Maybe you’re actually my kid after all.” She turned

and went to go talk to her client.

“What the fuck was that?” Adam demanded, stalking over and glaring at Jacob.
“What?” Jacob said defensively. “I wanted to make sure that everything was out in the open and

that nobody objected since, you know, she and I are on opposite sides in this? Why did you feel the
need to point out that you’re sleeping with her when the two of you are on the same side?”

“To make it clear that there’s no romantic connection between you. Why did you feel the need to

point out the fact that you were banging her four years ago?” Adam retorted.

“Will the two of you stop it?!” I demanded.
“Lily, honey, are you okay?” Jess called over from the defense side of the court, where I noted that

Braden had joined Mark. They were both looking rather amused.

“Yeah, I’m good Jess, thanks. I’ll tell you about it later,” I said with a smile.
“Adam Roth? Is that really you?” my mother chimed in. “Are you the one responsible for getting

her to actually use her law degree? If so, my husband and I owe you a debt of gratitude.”

“Where is dad?” I asked, ignoring her sarcasm.
“In Florida.”
“Why aren’t you in Florida too?”
“I got bored,” she answered simply. “Didn’t you two used to fight all the time?”
“We’re getting along better,” Adam answered. “You’re not going to be handling any more cases

are you?” he whispered to me suspiciously.

“Not yet, but if I’m going to be working for the DA’s office, I expect to handle some.”
“Well, maybe you’ll have a trial,” Jacob said with a sarcastic smile.
“You think I can’t try a case? And why is that exactly?” I asked furiously.
“Uh oh. You’re in trouble now.” Adam laughed, obviously delighted that he wasn’t on the

receiving end of my wrath for a change.

“Because you don’t have any experience trying cases,” Jacob replied, intentionally letting his eyes

drop to my body. I knew he was pushing my buttons on purpose, but it was working.

“Actually that’s not true,” my mother decided to contribute. “Lily won several acquittals in the

Criminal Defense Clinic at Penn. She also captained a winning moot court team.”

“This isn’t moot court, Judith,” Jacob replied. “I can’t believe I didn’t know you were her mother,

by the way.”

“I can’t believe I didn’t know that you slept with my daughter.”
“Wait, has he slept with the mother too?” some guy called out from the crowd of people waiting

for cases.

“NO!” Jacob, my mom and I answered in unison just as Judge Channing came back out of

chambers.

After getting a date to argue our motion my mother left without a backward glance, and Jacob left

with a glance at my tits. Maybe he wasn’t just pushing my buttons after all. My challenging him
seemed to be firing up his libido. I probably wasn’t the only girl in Philly who would be getting some
‘phenomenal sexing’ that night from a tall, dark, and handsome prosecutor.

Chapter Twenty-Three

When the morning court session was over, Adam, Braden and I grabbed some take-out and then
headed for the DA’s office. I didn’t have an office of my own, so I just sat on the other side of
Adam’s desk for the time being.

“Well, that was different,” Braden said. “You guys are going to O’Malley’s tonight, right? I’m

sure that Jessica has filled Gabrielle in by now, and she’ll want a debriefing.”

“I’m okay with going there for a while,” I answered, looking up at Adam. “We shouldn’t stay late,

though. We have a lot to do this weekend.”

“I don’t want to stay late. We have a lot to do tonight,” Adam said, giving me a sexy smile that

filled my stomach with butterflies and made me squeeze my thighs together.

“When word gets around that you said Sachs was unprepared for court, there’ll probably be a few

people wanting to buy you drinks,” Braden noted.

“Try to stay off Mark’s lap this time please,” Adam added.
“Very funny,” I said, feeling my cheeks heat up.
“Actually, Sachs will probably be there,” Braden went on. “He’s been there a lot lately.”
“Well, he missed out last Friday,” Adam pointed out and I felt my face heat up even more. I think

that Adam was literally the only guy who could make me blush.

There was a knock on the door and someone came to escort me to meet the attorneys who would

be teaching me how to be a prosecutor. I started cleaning up my lunch.

“Don’t worry about that,” Adam said, grabbing my hand. “Go get your training. You’re going to

need all the help you can get if you want to beat your Mr. Zealous Representation and Mommie
Dearest.”

I spent the afternoon meeting with the trainers, who were exceptionally pleased with how quickly I

learned. At the end of the day, they sent me to set up my own office, loaded down with copies of the
Pennsylvania Crimes Code, the Vehicle Code and the Sentencing Guidelines. I met my office mate,
Olivia, who was new herself, having recently moved to Philadelphia from Pittsburgh. She seemed
kind of serious at first, but I realized quickly that she had a wicked sense of humor, and I liked her
immediately. At six, we called it a day and Adam and Braden and I headed off to O’Malley’s.

When we arrived at the pub, I saw that the place was already hopping. Friday night it typically

filled up with lawyers. I saw Gabrielle Jessica, Cameron and Mark sitting at a table together, and I
started to walk toward them, but Adam caught my arm.

“You, Ms. Adler, are a prosecutor,” he reminded me. “Come and meet your colleagues before you

run off to the defense side.”

“The defense side? What is this, a courtroom?”
“People usually start out the evening sitting with their colleagues here. For example, there are a

bunch of federal prosecutors directly behind you, including Mr. Zealous Representation himself. I
don’t believe he’s noticed you yet, though, as he’s busy being felt up under the table by a blonde,”
Adam said snidely. What was he getting on his high horse about?

“Felt up under a table by a blonde. Now, why does that sound so familiar?” I asked, sarcastically.

He gave me a genuinely clueless look. “The night at K2? The blonde resting her hand affectionately in
your lap?” Suddenly, understanding dawned.

“You saw that?” he asked, having the grace to look embarrassed.
“It doesn’t matter,” I said, gazing off toward Gab and Jess. I really shouldn’t have brought it up,

but I thought he had sounded a bit sanctimonious for a guy who had done the same thing a couple of
weeks ago.

“Yes, it does matter. I swear, Lily, I really wasn’t interested. I wasn’t even paying attention.” He

sounded upset.

“Adam, it’s okay,” I said, feeling kind of bad about mentioning it, which was completely

ridiculous. I had no reason to feel bad. He had known I was going to be there that night, and he had let
some blonde feel him up.

I turned and looked idly over in the direction where he had indicated the feds were sitting. Sure

enough, there was another buxom blonde who looked like she probably did have her hand at least on
Jacob’s leg. What shocked me, though, wasn’t that, but rather the lusty look that I recognized in his
eyes, and the fact that he wasn’t looking at her, but at me.

All of this happened, literally in about two or three seconds, and luckily, Adam was still

distracted by guilt, which was likely yet another new emotional experience for him. I didn’t have time
to contemplate the fact that Jacob was looking at me the same way he had in law school just before he
nailed me to the mattress, because at that moment, Adam apparently decided that the middle of a
crowded bar was the perfect place to suddenly discover his romantic side. He pulled me into his
arms, gave me a soft, lingering kiss and then whispered in my ear.

“Soul meets soul on lovers’ lips.”
“Did you just quote Shelley?” I asked, bewildered. “In a bar? While Fat Bottom Girls is playing

in the background?” One minute we’re talking about some club chick rubbing his crotch and the next
he’s reciting poetry? Jesus, I felt like I was in the middle of a David Lynch movie. Had everyone
gone fucking insane?

“Yes, and I’m sorry, Lily. I knew you would probably be there that night, and I should have never

let that chick touch me.”

“Adam, is that you?” I asked, in shock. Maybe the real Adam had been kidnapped by aliens and

they had sent this one in his place.

Jacob, who had left at the end of our fling without a backward glance, was now looking at me like

he was having second thoughts, and Adam was quoting love poems and apologizing for having been a
player. I must be emitting some powerful pheromones. Life was becoming so surreal these days, I
noted to myself with a sigh, as he led me by the hand over to the prosecutors’ table.

“Gentlemen, I present your newest colleague, Lily Adler,” Braden, who had already joined his co-

workers, announced with a smile. “Also known as the woman who finally made Adam behave.”

“Hi Lily!” six guys said at the same time, all of them giving me huge smiles. I smiled back and

waved. This is what I was known for – being the woman who brought down Adam Roth. What a
proud moment this was. It didn’t help much that they had probably all seen me drunk off my ass the
week before.

Adam pulled a chair up next to another and urged me to sit down close beside him. When I did, he

took my hand and, you guessed it, placed it lovingly in his lap. I gave him a ‘you have to be kidding
me’ look. As if on cue, my phone rang. I answered and was immediately verbally assaulted by an
irate gay man.

“How could you leave me alone with the Jane Gang?”
“Hello, Bruce. How are you?”
“Where are you?” he demanded.
“I’m fine, thanks. I’m at O’Malley’s.”
“I’ll be right there.” He hung up and I sighed. When was the phenomenal sexing?
I redirected my attention to Adam, who was proudly relating the account of how Jacob snidely

asked me who would try the case, and how I had asked him the same thing. The other prosecutors at
our table were looking at Adam with something akin to worship. What exactly had he done? Then it
occurred to me, he was doing me. Just then Bruce stalked in, looking like someone had just stolen his
tricycle. Where had he called from, the men’s room?

“You left me in a high crime area with nothing but a Brownie troupe to defend me?”
“A high crime area? Bruce, it’s a law library.”
“You were chased by a maniac! And now I’m stuck in that unsafe work environment with a couple

of Martha Stewart clones. I’m so depressed!”

“Judge Channing’s looking for a new law clerk,” Adam offered.
“Really?” Bruce said, suddenly sounding perky.
“Yeah, Braden and I could probably put in a good word for you.”
“That would be wonderful!” He turned to me, smiled and without moving his lips, mumbled,

“Make sure you give him some really good oral tonight, Lil.” I almost decked him.

“Why don’t you sit down and join us, Bruce?” Adam invited enthusiastically. Bruce had just made

a friend for life. I looked up and saw Gab and Jess waving me over.

“Why don’t you fill Bruce in a little more about the job? I’m going over to say ‘hi’ to the girls,

okay?” I said to Adam.

“Okay.” He smiled. Why wouldn’t he smile? His friends idolized him, and Bruce was offering him

my sexual favors. All was good in his universe. I got up and crossed enemy lines.

Chapter Twenty-Four

“Well, well,” Gab said with a grin as I approached. “I heard you took on not only your mom, but
Jacob too. I knew you could handle him in the bedroom, but I didn’t know you could take him in a
courtroom.”

“Gabrielle,” I said through gritted teeth, glancing significantly at Mark and Cam.
“It’s okay, honey,” Jess chimed in. “Everyone who was in courtroom seven today knows that you

and Mr. Sachs used to tear up the sheets together.”

“They also know that you and Adam are tearing them up now,” Mark added helpfully.
“Where’s that bowl full of spiked punch when I need it?” I asked, sitting down.
“Here, somebody in my office won a trial today, but I have to drive, so this is for you,” Mark said,

pushing a shot glass toward me. I knew that after last week’s little display, I should behave, but I
downed the shot anyway. It turned out to be a Kamikaze, incidentally. Why did that seem somehow
appropriate?

“So what’s going on between you and Adam now anyway?” Jess asked. “Gab said that the two of

you are working and living together? Didn’t you just start dating last week?”

“Yeah, that’s even faster than Gabrielle and Braden,” Cam said with a laugh.
“When we went out last week, I had a strange conversation with a neighbor of mine that may have

had something to do with the Moretti trial,” I explained, going into the whole story, starting with
neighbor Dan and ending with Mr. O.J. gloves and our plan to keep me in town.

“But won’t it be weird living together when you just started dating?” Cam asked.
“It’s not permanent and Adam and I have known each other since we were four. We spent every

day together in school, every Saturday together in Hebrew school, and every summer together at
camp.”

“And they’re sleeping together now,” Gab pointed out. “They’ll get along much better, since it

was probably sexual frustration fueling their animosity.” Every now and then Gabrielle showed a
scary smart flash of insight.

“You should know that I’m jealous,” Mark said and gave me a cute bad boy smile.
“Stop flirting with her,” Adam demanded, sitting down next to me.
“What do you have, radar?” Mark asked.
“I’ve already got to put up with Sachs leering at her from across the room. I don’t need to deal

with you, Mr. Grabby Hands,” he shot back.

“And here comes hubby,” Jess smiled at Gab. “You don’t follow me around like that,” she said to

Cam.

“Maybe I do and I just don’t let you know.”
“That’s creepy, honey.” She laughed and he leaned down and kissed her.

“Mark, I think you’re going to have to find yourself a girlfriend soon,” Braden teased, glancing at

Cam and taking a seat next to Gabrielle.

“I guess so, since Adam won’t lend me his.” He laughed when Adam glared at him.
“Where’s Bruce?” I asked, changing the subject.
“He and Jason had plans,” Adam explained, sounding like he and Bruce were tight now.
“So, one of your neighbors may be involved in the Moretti case,” Braden said.
“I’ve been thinking about it and I have a few ideas…” Gabrielle started.
“Oh no. Here we go,” Cam interrupted. “What will it be this time, garbage cans, UFO conferences

or underground sex parties?”

“Why don’t you throw a party, Lily?” Gab went on, ignoring him.
“I’ll be your partner,” Mark offered with a sexy smile. “I’ve infiltrated parties for Gabrielle

before. I’ll even wear the costume again if you want me to.”

“That’s it!” Adam growled angrily.
“Cut it out, Mark,” Braden intervened, smiling, but giving him a warning look.
“You’ll never let me live that down, will you?” Gab asked, rolling her eyes. “One time, you ask

somebody to dress up like a naughty schoolboy and sneak into and underground sex party and they’ll
never let you forget it. For the record, though, I’m not talking about that kind of party. I mean just a
regular old party and Lily can tell her neighbors that they should stop by.”

“And why would they want to do that?” I inquired before I could stop myself.
“Curiosity.” I must not have looked convinced. “And free booze – stress the free booze.”
“What are we going to do at the party, Sherlock?” Adam asked with a smile. “Play Beer Pong with

the loonies and the hit man?”

“Yeah, why would I want to do that?” I asked.
“So we can observe them,” Gab said with a smile.
“Observe them do what, honey?” Jess asked. “Get drunk?”
“Observe them to see if anyone is acting suspiciously, but first, we’ll get McGuire’s door open

and leave it open a little. Then we’ll watch from somewhere. Anyone innocent won’t try to go in,
because they’ll think McGuire is there, but the Fox will know he’s not and he’ll probably want to go
in and look around.”

“Hang on, get his door open?” Mark chimed in. “I could be wrong, but that sounds a whole lot

like, oh, I don’t know, breaking and entering?”

“It’s not breaking and entering. It’s just breaking. We’re not going into his apartment.”
“This sounds like such a fun party,” Adam replied. “Should we vandalize the private citizen’s

door and lie in wait for the contract killer, before or after we play Twister?”

“Forget about the legalities for now,” Braden spoke up and then paused. “I don’t believe I just

said that.” He shook his head in disbelief.

“Gabrielle’s rubbing off on you, Braden,” Cam said with a laugh.
“What I want to know,” Braden went on, “is why he would want to look around McGuire’s

apartment. What’s he looking for, baby?”

“The flash drive,” Gab answered, like that should make perfect sense to all of us.
“What are you talking about?” I asked, completely lost at this point.
“Don’t you remember what he said? Details on drive?”
“Yeah, I figured he meant he wanted a ride home, and he would explain whatever he wanted to tell

me then,” I answered.

“That doesn’t make any sense, though. Who talks like that?”
“I guess it’s possible he was talking about a flash drive,” I said pensively. “Come to think of it,

that federal agent did ask me if McGuire gave me anything.”

“So, how about next Saturday night?” Gab suggested. “That will give you some time to plan and

let the neighbors know about it.”

“Oh that’s so sweet!” Mark laughed. “Adam and Lily are entertaining together.”
“Adam and Lily have always been entertaining together,” Braden joked.

We stayed for a while longer, talking about court that day. I explained a little bit more about my

delightful parents and how my failure to practice law had made me a failure in general in their eyes. I
pointed out, though, that it didn’t really matter since they had never seemed to like me much anyway.
We ordered food and talked a little about my neighbors. Adam assured Mark that he would just love
Donna. Somehow, I don’t think Mark believed him.

When it was getting close to eight o’clock, Adam and I said our goodbyes and headed out. I noted

as we left that Jacob and his blonde were gone. I guess she was luckier than Adam’s blonde. When
we got to the car Adam didn’t pull out immediately, turning to me instead.

“So, how about we go to my place and take a bath?” he said in a sexy voice.
“That sounds nice,” I said, practically purring with delight.
“And then I suggest we remain naked, grab the quilt from my bed, hit the sofa and watch a movie,”

he continued, reaching up and rubbing the pad of his thumb along my lower lip. “I’m thinking maybe
we should go for a classic this time, 9 ½ Weeks, Body Heat, Eyes Wide Shut, something like that.”
My heart started to beat faster and my tummy started fluttering with anticipation.

“I think I see a common theme in those movies,” I noted in a breathy voice.
“Yeah, there are no musical numbers,” he said with a smile, leaning in and lightly kissing my neck.

I was practically panting already. “So, what do you say?” he asked, nuzzling me.

“I say that sounds like a fun Friday night.”
“I was hoping you would say that.”

Chapter Twenty-Five

“There’s a bottle of wine in the cupboard, why don’t you go open it and pour us some while I run a
bath,” he said as soon as we got to his place. I was more than happy to oblige. I heard the water
flowing a minute later. Luckily, Adam had a nice big tub. I found the wine, the corkscrew and the
wine glasses and just got them filled when he came back out.

“Well, hello,” I said as he came up behind me and put his arms around my waist.
“Bring the bottle.” He turned and headed for the bathroom as I practically skipped after him. He

had, after all promised me some phenomenal sexing. When we got to the bathroom I saw that he had
lit candles and I smelled nice rose-scented bath oil.

“You had this stuff lying around?” I teased.
“I bought it just for you,” he answered, shutting off the water. “Now put that wine down and come

over here and let me undress you. I had taken exactly one step when my phone started ringing. Who
would be calling me now? I took it out of my pocket and answered.

“Lily! It’s Gab. We were talking after you left and I thought of something! What purse did you have

with you the night of the author party?”

“I had a little dressy black clutch, why?” I mouthed “Gabrielle” to Adam.
“Have you actually gone through it since then?”
“Just to grab my wallet out of it.” Adam was starting to look impatient.
“Because, McGuire was in the room with your purse alone.”
“So?” I was starting to feel impatient.
“So, if he was talking about a flash drive maybe he put it in there.”
“Um, I guess it’s possible.” I couldn’t believe that I was having this conversation right now, when

I should be naked in a warm rose-scented bath with Adam.

“Are you guys at your place?”
“No, at Adam’s.” I was tempted to tell her where at Adam’s and what we were doing when she

called. Adam shifted his weight from one foot to the other.

“Well, you have to go check.”
“Tonight?” She didn’t just suggest that, right?
“Lily, it’s very important. It could be a matter of life and death.”
“Yeah, but we don’t even know there was a flash drive, Gabrielle.” I saw Adam roll his eyes and

begin undressing himself.

“Lily, it just makes sense. I know it’s a pain but you need to go look.”
“First thing in the morning, Gab. I promise.”
“But …”
“I’ll call you tomorrow.” I said and clicked off. I put my phone down on the sink and turned to

Adam.

“Sorry. Gab thinks maybe if there was a flash drive, that McGuire could have put it in my purse

when he was in the room alone with it. She thought I should go look tonight. Do you think …?”

“Like you said, you don’t even know there was a flash drive, let alone that McGuire knew that

was your purse and put it in there for you to find. We can check tomorrow.” He came toward me, and
was just about to start undressing me, when my phone rang again. This time Adam grabbed it.

“Just so you understand what you’re interrupting, Lily and I are about to take a bath together, after

which I promised her some phenomenal sexing.” There was a pause as Adam’s face registered a look
of pure horror. “Mom?!” he sputtered. “Why are you calling Lily?! Oh … I … I know. But … Oh,
come on. Do I really…? Yeah, sure, um … what I said when I answered … Okay, yeah. I love you
too.” Adam handed me the phone, grabbed the wine bottle and walked out.

“Mrs. Roth?” I asked, feeling more than a little embarrassed.
“Lily, dear, I’m sorry to disturb your, uh,” she said hesitantly, “on a Friday night, but I left Adam a

couple messages this week, and he didn’t return my calls. I suspect he was pretending he didn’t get
them, because they were about the bris tomorrow.”

“The bris?”
“Yes, Adam’s cousin, Rebekah, had a baby boy and he’s being circumcised tomorrow at sundown.

Adam really should be there, but he’s a bit squeamish. Do you think you could come along and keep
him calm and distracted?”

“Sure. No problem.”
“I also wanted to mention that Rabbi Stein will be there tomorrow. You know, if you and Adam

wanted to chat with him a little.”

“Uh …” I walked into the living room, where Adam sat looking traumatized and drinking wine

straight from the bottle. “Rabbi Stein? What would we want to discuss with …?”

“And of course, Hannah will have her little Josh there. He’s a darling, and I’m not just saying that

because I’m his grandmother. You do like children, don’t you, Lily?”

“Uh, children, um yeah sure …” Adam rescued me by grabbing the phone.
“Okay then, mom. We’ll talk to you tomorrow. Tell dad I said ‘hi.’ Love you!” He hung up. And

looked at me dejectedly.

“I guess you’re not in the mood anymore, huh?”
“I have all day tomorrow to stress out about watching a helpless infant get circumcised by a rabbi

in somebody’s living room, and I just told my mother that we were about to take a bath together and
then I had promised you phenomenal sexing. What do you think?”

“You want to borrow Gab’s cow jammies?”
We decided just to cuddle, clothed, and watch old episodes of the X-Files, which we both loved.

Adam laid in my arms and I massaged his scalp and ran my fingers through his hair. We stopped after
three episodes and talked about books for a while. A long while, as it turned out. Adam loved to read
as much as I did, and confessed that he had sometimes even thought about trying to write himself.
Eventually, we realized that it had gotten quite late, and we got up and got ready for bed. I found a
very nice surprise waiting for me when I came out of the bathroom, wearing his Georgetown T-Shirt.
He was sitting up in bed, holding a leather-bound copy of The Arabian Nights.

“Come to me, Scheherazade,” he said with a cute smile. I joined him under the covers and took the

book from him.

Chapter Twenty-Six

It’s probably good that we got a full night’s sleep, because the next day was busy and crammed with
details from the moment we got up. I was thankful for it, since it kept Adam distracted, and he didn’t
obsess too much about the family gathering that evening.

He arranged to have Abby, who was living at home at the moment, come and apartment sit, telling

her that he was staying with me for a little while because I might be a witness in a trial and he just
wanted to make sure I was okay. We had decided that we wouldn’t go into detail because we didn’t
want to worry his family.

He gathered together what he considered living essentials, clothes, toiletries, electronics, books

and Phillies baseball memorabilia, and moved them in to my place. I was happy now for the fact that I
had plenty of space. Adam and I would be shacking up even closer than the summer we had adjacent
tents at Camp Ramah in the Poconos, and I hoped it would go better this time around than it did then.

He also brought me into the office for a few hours. He needed to prep cases so he could have more

free time next week for other things, and it gave me a chance to meet people and start digging into the
training materials more. He even hooked me up with some experienced prosecutors who gave me tips
and helped me prepare for my argument against Jacob and my mom. By the end of the day I was
feeling much more confident.

At sundown, we found ourselves in the living room of his cousin Rebekah and her husband Matt.

With them was the smallest human being I had ever seen. Being an only child, I didn’t have a lot of
experience with babies. Being the baby of the family, who had been away at school when his only
nephew was born, Adam’s experience wasn’t exactly vast either. The events of the evening were
obviously weighing heavily on his mind, as he couldn’t seem to stop squirming and every time he sat
down he practically assumed the fetal position. I had to talk him out of wearing a protective cup.

I was introduced to various relatives, including Hannah’s little boy, Josh, and her husband, Nate,

by a positively exuberant Debra Roth. She seemed thrilled to see me, despite the fact that she now
knew far too much about my relationship with her only son. Mr. Mouth himself couldn’t even look his
mother in the eye. I definitely needed to get him back on the horse that night, or we would wind up
having to take old Mr. Davis up on that Viagra offer.

Adam’s relatives seemed fascinated by the fact that he had a girlfriend, especially four-year-old

Josh, who announced that I was pretty and that he wanted to marry me. He also seemed very curious
about something, and he kept approaching and then running away. Eventually, he worked up the nerve
to raise the subject, as Adam and I sat chatting with his sisters in the dining room.

“My mom says I can’t take my dump trunk to bath time because there’s no room,” he informed me

in a contemplative tone.

“Oh? Well, I’m sure she’s probably right,” I answered, smiling up at Hannah.

“So, how did you and Uncle Adam fit in the tub together at the same time?” he asked. Adam

choked on the ginger ale he was sipping, and I saw the Roth girls exchange stunned, but highly
amused, looks.

“Joshie! What are you saying?” Hannah asked, sounding embarrassed, but obviously trying not to

laugh.

“Bubbe called Uncle Adam last night on the speaker phone, and he said they were going to take a

bath together, and he was going to give her fominal sexing. What’s fominal sexing Mommy?”

“Joshua, sweetie,” Adam’s mom appeared at the door with a maniacal-looking smile, “we talked

about this. Uncle Adam was just joking, and your daddy will explain it when you’re older.”

“What?!” Hannah exclaimed, aghast.
“I’m sorry, Hannah. I won’t use speaker phone anymore when Joshua is around,” Mrs. Roth

replied apologetically.

“What are you apologizing for?” Sarah asked. “Adam! Why would you say something like that to

your mother?”

“Let’s go find Daddy, honey,” Hannah said, hustling her son out of the room. Adam hid his face in

his hands and made a sound like a wounded buffalo. We were never going to have sex again. I just
knew it.

“He didn’t know it was me,” Mrs. Roth went on in a sweet motherly voice.
“Well, who in the hell did you think it was, Adam?” Abby asked with a laugh.
“Yeah, who would it have been appropriate to say that to?” Sarah added.
“Oh, what’s the big deal?’ Mrs. Roth said, coming to her baby boy’s defense. “It’s not like I didn’t

know they were sleeping together. Maybe they’ll get married! Have you gotten to hold the baby yet,
Lily? Sarah! Go get the baby!” she ordered.

“Maybe we should get Rabbi Stein in here too,” Abby said, sounding like she was having a

wonderful time. I noted that Adam and Abby were very much alike, in looks and in personality.

“You’re coming for Thanksgiving, aren’t you, Lily?” Mrs. Roth asked.
“Um, sure, I guess. Is that okay with you?” I asked Adam. He looked up at me and was about to

answer, I think in the affirmative.

“Of course it’s okay with him,” his mother answered firmly.
“Did I hear someone call me?” Rabbi Stein poked his head in.
“We were just talking about Adam and Lily getting married,” Mrs. Roth explained.
“You’re getting married?” the rabbi asked cheerfully.
“Uh …” I stammered. Adam looked like he might have become catatonic.
“Not yet,” Mrs. Roth answered helpfully.
“Ah, well you let me know when you need my services.” He smiled and popped back out just as

Sarah was coming in with the baby.

She walked over and handed him to me. Adam snapped out of his trance and stared down at the

little bundle in my arms. I looked down and froze, afraid that if I moved I might break him. The baby,
not Adam.

“Look, Adam! She’s a natural!” Mrs. Roth exclaimed happily. She had to be kidding.
Mr. Roth appeared at the door and informed his wife she was needed. She excused herself, but not

before managing to whip out her cell phone and take a picture of Adam and me staring down at a baby
like we were trying to figure out a map. Suddenly, the warm, tiny person in my arms turned his head

and nuzzled my boob.

“Why’s he doing that?” I asked.
“Because he’s a guy,” Adam muttered.
“He’s trying to nurse,” Abby said with a laugh. “It’s instinctive.”
“Oh! Sorry, baby. The tap is dry,” I said uncomfortably.
“I just want you to know little dude,” Adam said solemnly, “that I had nothing to do with what’s

going down tonight.”

“What’s that smell?” I asked, sniffing.
“Diaper bag’s right here,” Sarah said, grabbing a tote off the floor and handing it to Adam. “We’ll

be in the other room, helping Rebekah get ready.” With that, she and Abby quickly left.

“Do you know how to change one of these?” I asked Adam, anxiously.
“Are you kidding? We have to find somebody else to do this.”
“Adam, between the two of us, we have fourteen years of higher education. How hard can it be?”
“I’m not worried about how hard it is. I’m worried about how disgusting it is.”
“Well, I’m going to try. Better to practice on somebody else’s kid first.”
“Before what?” he asked, cautiously.
“I was just joking.” Suddenly, I felt very defensive.
“You’re sure your pill is working, right?”
“Yes! Don’t worry, if I ever want to have a baby it doesn’t have to be with you,” I said, sensing

rejection and fighting back.

“Well, who in hell would it be with?” he asked, sounding irate.
“I don’t know. I don’t have a crystal ball.”
“I’ve got news for you, Lilith. If you’re going to be bearing anyone’s children, they’ll be mine,” he

said heatedly. Suddenly, the baby started crying.

“Now look what you did,” I chastised. “You made him cry.”
“I didn’t make him cry. A shitty diaper made him cry. Now you want to take this on, I’ll take it on

with you. Bring him over here,” Adam demanded, storming off with the diaper bag. I wondered
vaguely if he was only talking about a diaper.

I got up and followed him as carefully as I would if I were carrying a live bomb. Adam kneeled

down on the rug, opened the diaper bag, and looked at the contents like he was trying to figure out
how to split the atom. As soon as I laid the little squirmy person down on the floor he stopped crying
and gave Adam and me a ‘hey, you guys know what you’re doing, right?’ look.

“Okay, you get the wipes ready,” I said, steeling my nerves. “I’m going in.”
“Wait!” He grabbed my arm. “We should put something down underneath him so that we don’t

ruin the rug.”

“Oh, good thinking! What should we use?”
“Well, it should be something that could be wiped off easily, like …” He looked around the room

and his eyes fell on a desk in the adjacent study. He got up, ran over and grabbed something. “This
will work,” he said, crouching down beside me again.

“A mouse pad?”
“Why not? He’s small enough.”
“Okay. Well, I’ll lift his legs, you slide it under him.”
“On three, one … two … three.” I lifted his teeny tiny legs a little and Adam slid the mouse pad

with the picture of Einstein on it under the baby’s bottom.

“Okay, get the wipes ready,” I said again.
“Wait! What are we going to put it in?”
“The trash, no?”
“You can’t just put it in the trash. You have to seal it up in something so it doesn’t make everything

smell.”

“Okay, how about ….” I got up, ran over and grabbed a padded yellow envelope from the desk

where Adam had found the mouse pad.

“That should work,” he said, nodding.
“Is there anything else, before …?”
“No. I think it’s go time,” he said quietly. I took a deep breath and pulled open the tapes holding

the diaper together. Gently I eased it back … “Get down!” Adam ordered, knocking me out of the way
just in time to avoid the stream of urine that flew past me.

“How do you shut it off?!” I cried.
“It’s not a fire hydrant!” he answered. Luckily, it stopped on its own a second later. We sat back

up cautiously.

“So much for the rug,” I said.
“Yeah, she’s probably going to want to have that steam cleaned,” he agreed. “Yo! What’s she

feeding this kid? Mustard?”

“Maybe that’s just what baby poop looks like.”
“You know I could have lived happily for a long time without that knowledge.”
“Ugh, this thing is gross. We need to get it off of him. Get the wipes and the envelope ready. I

guess I’ll lift and you wipe?”

“Wait, why do you get to lift?” he asked, unhappily.
“Fine, you lift.”
“Okay, let’s do this,” he said with a heavy sigh. The baby just stared at us dubiously. Adam lifted

the tiny legs and I began furiously trying to clean off the baby’s bottom, shoving wipes into the
envelope madly. “Will you hurry up down there?” he nagged.

“I’m going as fast as I can, God damn it!” I growled. “Okay! He’s clean. I’m removing the

diaper.” I grimaced and grabbed the putrid object out from under the baby, immediately attempting to
get it into the envelope. Unfortunately, it wasn’t working. I had shoved too many wipes in there.

“What the fuck are you doing?!” Adam asked frantically.
“What does ‘fuck’ mean?” asked the four-year-old voice from the doorway. Adam and I both

froze.

“Uh, that’s something that …uh,” Adam spluttered.
“What are you doing, Joshie?” Hannah called out from the other room.
“Uncle Adam is telling me about fucking!” he called back. I heard something break. Probably his

mother’s heart.

“Get. The. Clean. Diaper,” Adam said through gritted teeth.
Another thing we learned that evening was that diapers rip very easily. It took us several attempts,

and several diapers, but with a little ingenuity, we managed to work together to get the job done.
Somewhere along the journey, our poopy little friend drifted happily off to sleep.

Not long afterward, Matt came in to get his son, and told us it was time. Adam looked at the baby

like he wanted to offer him a cigarette and a blindfold. As Matt and the baby left, I glanced up at
Adam. He was looking pretty pale. Rebekah, like many new mothers in this situation, needed some
comfort, but she was already surrounded by women. I decided that Adam needed me more than she
did. The mohel got the baby ready, laying him down and lifting his gown. I saw a quizzical expression
appear on his face.

“Is that a return address label, holding his diaper together?” he asked. Adam and I glanced at each

other. The mohel said the blessings and talked about the ancient significance of the ritual. I held
Adam’s hand tightly. At the moment of truth, I pulled him down and whispered frantically in his ear.

“Yours came out very nicely. You have the most attractive purple-headed warrior I’ve ever seen.”
“Purple-headed warrior?” he whispered back with a laugh.
The baby gave a little cry, but that was all. It was over. They handed the baby back to Rebekah,

who took him off to nurse him. Her tap was full. There were plenty of ‘mazel tovs’ and hugs to go
around, including the very long, tight hug that Adam and I gave each other. We had survived.

“So, that wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be,” Adam said when we were in the car headed

home. “I almost regret all the effort I’ve put into avoiding these things over the years. Although I
would still rather go to a wedding or even a bar mitzvah.”

“Well, now I know I just have to distract you with my romance novel speak.”
“Purple-headed warrior? That’s really bad.” He laughed.
“Maybe later I’ll let you put it in my love grotto.”
“Oh stop! You’re getting me hot, baby.”
“Uh oh. Is your impressive member throbbing?” I teased and reached over to give his crotch a

light squeeze.

“I think somebody’s going to get some fominal sexing tonight.”
“Hey, I just remembered. We never checked the purse I had the night of the book signing. I guess I

had better do that before I have Gab pounding on the door. In fact, she probably left me a message.”

I took out my cell phone to check and noticed another missed call. Punching in my code, I listened

to my messages. When I was done, I put my phone away and turned to Adam with a nervous look.

“What’s the matter?” he asked, glancing over at me.
“The landlord called. There were no maintenance visits to my apartment.”

Chapter Twenty-Seven

As soon as we got back to my place, Adam started looking for a locksmith open on Sundays, and I
went to find the black bag I had taken to Inferno with me. I had just dug it out of my closet when he
came into the bedroom with me.

“Okay, here it is. Let’s see if Gab was right.” He walked over beside me and looked down as I

opened it up and found … absolutely nothing. I turned it upside down for good measure. Nothing but a
little lint fell out. “I guess she was wrong.”

“Did you say your wallet was in there?” Adam asked.
“Yeah, but I don’t think a flash drive would have fit in that.”
“You might as well check.”
I went to over to my regular purse and pulled out my wallet. I started going through it, and in one

of the side panels, something caught my eye. It wasn’t a flash drive, but a slip of paper. I pulled it out
and looked at it curiously.

“It’s a note. It says, ‘Go to your fan to get the drive, and give it to the U.S. Attorney’.”
“Which fan? You met, like, thirty of them that night,” Adam pointed out, coming over to look at the

note.

“It would have to be someone who might have something to do with Moretti. Like Roxanne! Tony

Amato is Moretti’s cousin, and she’s Amato’s girlfriend. She said she was a big fan.”

“It could be, I guess,” he conceded. “Maybe Dan McGuire was there to get it from her, but

someone got to him first, or maybe he gave it to her to hold.”

“So, what are we going to do?” I asked, walking out to the living room with Adam following close

behind.

“What do you mean, what are we going to do? We’re going to give this note to Sachs and let him

worry about it. We’re doing more than our share by throwing a party for his hit man.”

“About that party, I think we should make up some invitations and give them out to the neighbors,”

I said, going over to my desk and shoving some paper into my printer.

“Oh, do you now?”
“Yeah, we’ll go deliver them and see if we observe anything.”
“And when did this become a ‘we’ venture?”
“We’re throwing the party together.” I stopped shoving and looked up.
“Lily, don’t you start going all Gabrielle on me. I’m supposed to be protecting you. I’m not even

sure this party thing is a good idea. I don’t want you getting any more involved than you have to be.”

“I can help you. We chased a burglar together in Bucks County.”
“I chased a burglar. You ran out after me in your night gown. I stopped chasing the burglar

because I was worried about you getting hurt.”

“Well, I ran out after you because I was worried about you getting hurt,” My voice was starting to

rise with emotion. He and I were looking at each other like we both knew something was about to go
down. If it were a movie, orchestra music would be getting louder right about now.

“If that burglar hadn’t interrupted us that night, what would have happened?” he asked. He was

looking at me so intently, that I felt pinned in place by his gaze.

“I guess you would have kissed me,” I answered throatily, feeling my pulse start to climb.
“And then what?” he asked in a husky voice, taking a step in my direction. My muscles tensed in

preparation, and my heart slammed against my ribs, just like it had that night.

“Well, I wouldn’t have slapped you,” I answered, hesitantly.
“I’m glad to hear it,” he said with an amused look, taking another step toward me. “Do you have

any idea at all how much I wanted you that night? I would have given anything …”

“I wanted you too. It’s better that it took longer, though. You said you weren’t ready and I don’t

think I was either.”

“I am now,” he said quietly, taking another step and stopping about five feet away. We stood there

and stared at each other silently for a moment. Finally, I worked up my courage, took a deep breath,
and steadied my nerves as best I could, forcing the words out before I could change my mind.

“If I say it, will you say it too?” I asked, swallowing hard, even though my mouth was dry. I

willed him silently not to joke around or say anything that could hurt me.

“Yes, but I need to hear you say it first,” he answered in a voice filled with tension.
“What are you, four? Why can’t we just say it at the same time?” I asked, panicking.
“Because that’s stupid. And when I was four, I said it by licking your Fruit Roll-Up. Why can’t

you just say it? Don’t you trust me?”

“Why do you always get to decide who does what? I let you lift, and I wiped!”
“You’re comparing us declaring our love for each other to wiping a baby’s ass?!”
“Ah ha! You said it!” I announced victoriously.
“I did not! I was saying it generally. That’s different than saying it!”
“You said ‘declaring our love’!”
“That’s different than saying ‘I love you’!”
“Ah ha!” I cried again.
“Oh Jesus H. Christ! Who’s the one who’s four? Will you just say it, woman?!”
“Fine! I love you, you asshole!”
“I love you too, you nutty broad!” In two strides he was in front of me and picking me up. He slung

me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and carried me into the bedroom. It was much more
caveman than Rhett Butler.

“Why don’t you just beat me over the head with a club?” I called out.
“Don’t tempt me,” he replied and tossed me down on the bed. “Time to get naked, Lilith. I’m about

to plow your love grotto,” he said, peeling off his shirt and tossing it on a chair. As much as I hated to
admit it, I was really turned on, but I wasn’t going to make it too easy for him. After all, what fun
would that be?

“Look Conan, you want to thrust your angry dagger into my honeyed chalice, that’s fine by me, but

this is how it’s going to go down. I’ll tell you what I want you to do and you’ll do it. Then you can tell
me and I’ll do it. But it’s equal. You understand me?”

“Fine,” he said kicking off his shoes and pulling off his socks. “Your wish is my command, oh

demon queen.” He stood up straight again and gave me a hot look.

“Take off your pants, smartass,” I demanded. He gave me a wicked smile, opened his belt, and

undid his trousers, letting them drop to the floor. Then he stepped out of them and kicked them aside. I
could see clearly, that he found this little back and forth as arousing as I did. I felt my skin starting to
become flushed with desire.

“My turn,” he said in a low, thick voice. “Unbutton your blouse. Slowly. But first, I want to hear

you say it again.” Not to get all flowery, but he gave me a smoldering look and his eyes really did
look like burning coals. I swear!

“I love you, you schmuck,” I said, getting up and holding his gaze, as I slowly opened my blouse

one button at a time. His eyes dropped to my breasts and I saw his breathing quicken. I slid it down
over my shoulders and let it drop to the floor and he swallowed hard and licked his lips. I felt that
one right between the legs. “Looks like you’ve only got one thing left to take off, cowboy, but I want
to hear you say it again too.”

“I love you, you mouthy wench,” he said and slid his briefs off. My eyes dropped to his gloriously

attentive naughty bits. That’s a romance novelist’s way saying he had one hell of a hard-on. That was
one nice purple-headed warrior. I looked back up to find him smirking at me. “Now, take off the rest
of it, but don’t forget to tell me what I want to hear.”

“I love you, you arrogant bastard,” I said and then unhooked my bra and tossed it aside. I kicked

off my shoes, pulled off my trouser socks, opened up my pants and let them hit the floor. Then I bit my
lower lip seductively and pushed my panties down over my hips with a wiggle. When they joined my
pants, I kicked it all to the side. “Tell me again,” I said, breathing hard.

“I love you, you nasty shrew,” he said, his eyes traveling up and down my body. When he met my

gaze again, I saw that they were fogged with desire and filled with emotion. “Now, come here, and
tell me.”

I walked slowly over to stand in front of him. Even without touching him, I could feel his heat like

a furnace. I reached up to brush my fingers along his jaw while staring deeply into his eyes. A lot of
women don’t like it when their men aren’t clean shaven, but I loved the burning feeling of his beard
abrading my skin.

“I love you, Adam,” I said quietly. Before I could say anything else, he gently placed his fingers

on my lips to silence me.

“I love you too, Lily.” Then he kissed me and it was nothing short of transcendent. His tongue

swept into my mouth and I surrendered myself to a wave of sensation that made my skin tingle and my
nipples harden. He pressed harder, probing deeply, and then pulling back and spreading light feathery
kisses around my lips, and mumbling, “I love you” over and over.

My heart was so filled with emotion that my chest ached. When he reached down, picked me up

and carried me to bed this time, it was much more romantic. He put me down gently and laid down
next to me, leaning over to blanket me with his heat, nuzzling and kissing my neck in the way that he
knew drove me wild.

“Adam.” I clutched onto him almost desperately. “Please, don’t leave.” It was my deepest fear,

that I would let myself love someone, and they would reject me if I displeased them, that I would
always be alone.

“I’m not going anywhere, Lily. I’ve been waiting a long time to hear you say that you wanted to be

with me.”

His mouth found mine again and we never broke our kiss, even as he positioned himself over me

and slowly filled me up inside. Adam had always been the only one who could really do that. Apart
from a couple of good friendships, every other relationship had left me empty. He was the only one
who broke through my defenses and made me feel. When he was fully seated, he moved to kiss my
neck, giving me chills as a moan escaped my throat. We just laid there together, still for a moment,
enjoying the feeling of him buried deeply inside me.

Then his hips moved against me, and I wrapped my legs around his waist. I felt so many things, the

physical pleasure and relief as my inner muscles accepted and hugged him, the overwhelming emotion
of finally, after so long, being able to tell him what I was feeling and not be afraid anymore. At last, I
was able to really open up and let him in, and I think maybe for the first time in my life, I didn’t feel
alone. Now that I felt able, I couldn’t stop telling him, and I mumbled, “I love you” over and over like
he had moments ago. He pulled back to look into my eyes as he adjusted his angle to push into me
even deeper.

“You’re so beautiful, Lily,” he replied thickly, “I can’t get enough of you. I would do anything for

you.” I felt the tension building, as my muscles gripped him, and the smell of our sweat and sex was
like a drug, making me feel drunk on pleasure.

“Tell me again,” I pleaded, gasping and searching his eyes deeply for more reassurance. “Tell me

you won’t leave me. I want to be with you. I’ve always wanted …I’ve always wanted to be with
you.”

“I won’t leave,” he answered hoarsely. “I’ve loved you since you put glitter in my hair. I’ve been

waiting my whole life for you.”

He returned my gaze just as intently and then he leaned down and kissed me, without even

breaking his rhythm. Our tongues had perfected an intimate mutual exploration, and we knew just how
to please each other. It really was like we had been waiting our whole lives for each other, like this
was what was meant to be. Bashert, as our grandparents had called it, fate.

My room was filled with heat and the sounds of our sighs, and groans and ragged breathing, as our

hands slid along each other’s slick bodies. I was consumed with a sweet ache every time he pulled
back, and dizzy with pleasure every time he pushed into me deeply. Finally, as we moved together in
a sensual rhythm to the edge, he broke our kiss to look at me again, and I knew what he wanted me to
say.

“I love you,” I panted, getting closer, climbing … “So much. Only you.”
“I love you too,” he answered, breathing heavily and looking like he couldn’t hold on much longer.

“Only you, Lily. Always you.”

We began moving even faster, thrusting harder, pleading and moaning, until, moments later, lights

burst before my eyes, and I felt my inner muscles contract hard, and keep contracting, in waves of
white hot pleasure and intense relief. Feeling me go over the edge, Adam stopped holding back, and
went still, his muscles tensing, a tremor passing through his body, as we cried out each other’s names
ecstatically. We finally let go, but we held on tight.

Later as we laid together, still holding each other, we talked for hours about all kinds of things.

We looked back and tried to see some of our history together through the lens of two people who had
wanted to be together, but didn’t know how to do it. It explained a lot. Both of us had denied our
feelings, even to ourselves, and it felt good to finally be able to talk about it.

We didn’t just talk about the past, though. We talked about the present, and even the future a bit. I

think that from that point on, Adam and I both knew that we were meant to be together, and that we
would be, somehow. After all, we kept winding up back together, no matter how hard we had tried to
stay apart. That didn’t mean we wouldn’t still get on each other’s nerves. We were still Adam and
Lily, not Gabrielle and Braden, even if we were in love too.

“You want to help me with some of my cases next week?” he asked eventually, rubbing my

shoulder as he held me, snuggling against him.

“I’d like that.” I pulled myself up a little so I could look at him. “I want to feel like I’m

contributing and making myself useful.”

“I know.” He smiled at me. “I figure I had better keep you occupied before you wind up arguing

before the Supreme Court when I’m not looking.”

“I could probably question a witness or two,” I offered. “I think I have the confidence to pull it

off.”

“You think you do?” He laughed. “From what I’ve seen so far, you’ve got plenty of swagger in the

courtroom.” He kissed the top of my head.

“Your confidence is really sexy there,” I confessed. “You were turning me on.”
“Well, if you want to have a rendezvous with me, Braden and Gabrielle can tell us every hook-up

spot in the courthouse.”

“You’re kidding.” I laughed.
“Nope. Arguing in court against each other used to get their motors revved. I think Braden may

have a map,” he joked.

“Do you talk to your friends about us?” I asked curiously, reaching up to stroke his cheek. He

leaned into my touch and nuzzled my hand affectionately.

“What, about our sex life? Only in general. Guys don’t go into detail about their wives and

girlfriends. Not like women do anyway.”

“How do you know?”
“I have three sisters, who all have plenty of friends. Talk about overhearing more than you ever

wanted to know about your family members. They’ve almost burned a hole in my head a few times.”

“So that’s what happened,” I teased and he tickled me, making me giggle and squirm, and thus

giving him a cheap thrill. “What have you told them?” I asked curiously.

“I told them we’re very good together and, that you’re incredibly sexy and you drive me so nuts I

feel like I’m seventeen again. What have you told your friends? Adam’s dick is exactly eight and a
half inches long, and he can go for forty-nine minutes a pop, with seven minutes of down time …”

“I just said that you’re very talented. You’ve obviously had plenty of practice.”
“Does it bother you a lot that I had such a prolific sex life in the past?” He sounded concerned,

and he pulled me against him tighter.

“Not that much. I believe you when you say that it’s different with me because I know it’s different

with you.”

“I don’t have any interest in being with anyone else anymore.”
“Me neither. You’re the only one I’ve really wanted since summer.”

“I started losing interest in random hook-ups then too, and after that weekend at the cabin, you

were all I thought about. I knew that I had to do something. I just didn’t really know what, but we
always seem to wind up together, so I figured it would work out somehow.”

“You know we’re still going to argue, Adam,” I warned him, rubbing my hand over his chest.

“We’re just both sarcastic, argumentative people. At twenty-seven, we’re already like that old couple
you always see bickering in the synagogue parking lot by their Lincoln Continental.”

“That’s okay, Lily. That old couple are still together, aren’t they? Besides, that’s why God

invented make-up sex.”

Chapter Twenty-Eight

That week Adam and I learned a lot. During the days, we learned to work together as I became a
practicing lawyer. I was kind of amazed at how quickly I took to it. According to Jess at least, Adam
and I had a similar courtroom style – cocky. Who knew that was lurking inside me? I saw a look of
amusement and pride on his face as I started taking on more and more. Unfortunately, it wasn’t making
me very popular on defense side. It wasn’t long before Jess and Mark didn’t love me anymore. In
fact, I think Mark wanted to beat me senseless after one preliminary hearing we did together.

I must admit I did give him a hard time. His client had tried to pay a restaurant bill with a stolen

credit card – stolen from the waitress serving her. I dropped that little tidbit as a surprise and barely
managed to contain my amusement when the waitress testified that the defendant had also handed over
the waitresses’ own driver’s license as identification. I glanced up at Mark with a shadow of a smirk.
Oh come on! It was funny! Who does that? He glared back at me like he wanted to commit a crime
himself. Some people have no appreciation for the ridiculous. After I got all of the charges held for
trial, and a couple more added, I returned to the prosecution table where Adam was giving me an
entirely different kind of look. I sat down beside him as Braden and Jess got up to do a guilty plea.

“That was great,” he leaned over and whispered in my ear. “You handled it brilliantly and it was

very sexy. I wanted to take you back to my office and do all kinds of dirty things to you.”

“That was amusing,” I replied. “I can’t believe anyone would be that thick.”
“Believe it and get used to it. I think I’m really going to enjoy being in court with you every day.

You’ve got some pretty hot swagger, counselor.”

To my surprise, I was actually enjoying this job quite a lot myself so far. I seemed to be able to

channel a ton of confidence in a courtroom that I didn’t always have elsewhere. Maybe I really had
inherited something from my parents after all. Besides, Adam had some pretty hot swagger too and
we seemed to work well together.

In the evenings that week, Adam and I also learned to cohabitate. That process went a little less

smoothly. For example, we bought groceries and decided to make dinner together in the evenings after
work, but his culinary skills were a bit better developed than mine were.

“Why are you staring at a garlic press?” he asked, startling me.
“I was wondering what it did.”
“It presses garlic, hence the name,” he answered dryly.
“Do you see the words ‘garlic press’ written on here, Mr. Smartass? How in the hell was I

supposed to know what it was called”

“Who usually feeds you, Ronald McDonald?”
“Very funny. Why would you pack a garlic press when you came here?”
“I didn’t; that’s yours.”

“It is?” I stared at it with amazement and confusion.
“You’re an interesting woman, Adler.”
Sharing space was a little tricky at first, as I found the first night that I wanted to go through my

little beauty regimen.

“What are doing in there, retiling?” he called out, banging on the bathroom door.
“Why, you like hanging out in bathrooms? I’ve heard there are guys like that.” I finished smearing

a mud mask on my face and wrapped the towel around my hair a little tighter.

“No, I don’t actually. I use bathrooms for other things, like relieving myself, which is what I’ve

needed to do for the past twenty minutes while you’ve taken up residence in there.”

“Well, why didn’t you tell me you had to go before?” I shouted.
“Because I wasn’t aware that this was going to become a test of my willpower,” he shouted back.
“Can you wait another ten minutes?”
“Not without sustaining permanent injury.”
“Fine! Close your eyes.”
“What?!”
“Close your eyes God damn it! You can open them when you get in here.” I heard grumbling

outside the door. “Are they closed?”

“Yes! Hurry up already before my bladder bursts!”
I walked over and carefully opened the door. True to his word, Adam stood there with eyes

closed and a pained look on his face, fidgeting around. I walked out and gently shoved him inside,
closing the door behind him. A couple of minutes later, after he accomplished what he had set out to
do, he came barreling out of the bathroom and stopped dead in his tracks when he saw me. The look
on his face went from shock to amusement very quickly.

“What are you doing with your eyes open?!” I demanded.
“You’ve got some mud, right about here,” he teased, pointing to the corner of his mouth.
“You said you would close your eyes!”
“That was going in! I didn’t make any promises coming out.”
“It was understood! Why would I ask you to close them going in if I didn’t want you to close them

coming out? What, you think I’m playing hide and seek?”

“No, I think you’re nuts! What are you worried about?”
“I didn’t want you to see me like this. I look horrible.”
“No, you don’t. Well, okay, I’ve seen you look better, but I don’t care. I know that you’re beautiful

under all that gook.” He walked over to me, looking like he was trying not to laugh. Putting his arms
around me he pulled me to him. “Lily, I love you, even like that.” He leaned down and kissed me
lightly on the lips.

“You have some mud, right about …” I wiped it off the corner of his mouth, still pouting a little,

but much less hostile.

There were other adjustments … Adam and I had decided to share my desk, which was fairly

large, and so after dinner we began cleaning up and taking our work over to my writing nook, where
he sat on one side and I sat on the other. I was just trying to figure out a complicated plot point one
evening, when I was distracted by a clicking coming from his side of the desk. I peered around my
laptop screen in the direction of the sound. There, I saw Adam messing around with a container of tic
tacs. I had found the source of the cinnamon taste of his kisses. He looked up.

“Want one?” he offered.
“Sure, thanks,” I replied. He proceeded to knock exactly one tic tac into his palm and hand it to

me. “Are you sure you can spare this?’ I asked solemnly.

“How many did you want?”
“Well, more than one. Who gives somebody one tic tac? Would it kill to be a little more generous?

Some psychologist somewhere probably has some theory about one tic tac givers and fear of
commitment.”

“Fear of commitment, my ass. You should be committed, you loon. If you were intended to have

more than one tic tac, they would have just made tic tacs bigger. This is a regulation sized tic tac, and
it should be more than enough to satisfy your breath freshening needs,” he said, sounding affronted.

“A tic tac is not merely a breath freshener, it is a candy,” I pointed out, voice rising in anger. Who

was he calling a loon? “And they make them small on purpose, so you’ll think you’re getting more,
and so you’ll run out faster when someone asks for one, and you give them a few!”

“Why would someone ask for A tic tac when they really wanted several tic tacs? What does that

say about their psychology?! Why not be honest from the get-go about what you want?!” he shouted
back at me.

“I didn’t ask for one! You offered me one, God damn it!”
“And as for your other points, it is primarily a breath freshener, and maybe you should alert the

media about your great tic tac size conspiracy!”

“I can’t believe we’re fighting about motherfucking tic tacs!” I screamed and the two of us

glowered at each other across my desk for several seconds before smiles slowly appeared on both of
our faces.

“Want to have make-up sex?” he asked.
“Yeah, let’s go,” I said, getting up and heading for the bedroom.
That was one thing that we adjusted to quite happily. Not only did we now have regular access to

hot sex, we had developed enough intimacy and trust to play around and be a little adventurous. In
other words, I really did have a research assistant.

One night when I came out from the bathroom, I found him reading on his iPad in bed. We had

gotten into the habit of reading to each other, which I absolutely loved. He seemed totally engrossed
and I was curious.

“What are you reading that has you so fascinated?”
“I’m reading about Braxton and Alana,” he answered with a smile, looking up.
“You’re reading my book?” I asked, grinning. “What do you think?”
“I think this is one dirty book. I can’t tell you how happy I am that my girlfriend wrote it,” he

teased and I laughed. “I think we should do some research,” he said suggestively, openly checking me
out in the Penn T-shirt and nothing else that I was wearing.

“Now? We have work tomorrow,” I reminded him.
“So, we won’t take all night. Although, we could,” he added with a cocky smile. “Come on, what

do you have here we can test-drive? Lingerie, sex toys, edible panties?”

“How about we just take that bath together? It’s not kinky or adventurous but it’s sensual and

intimate.”

“Okay, I like you wet,” he said with a flirty smile.
“How could I resist a smooth line like that?”

I had a big, deep, old-fashioned claw-foot bathtub, perfect for the occasion. I pushed my hair up

into a loose ponytail, lit some candles, put on some music by Sade, and poured scented bath oil under
the flowing water. Then Adam and I took off the few clothes we were wearing and he got in and sat
back with a contented sigh. I slipped in after him, feeling the wonderfully warm water slide over my
skin as I settled in front of him between his legs, leaning back against his chest.

“Look at that. We both fit,” I joked. “Must be the bath oil lubing us up.”
“You’re much more fun than a dump truck,” he said with a laugh, reaching out and grabbing a bath

sponge and some body wash. “You know, I think I do like hanging out in bathrooms,” he went on in a
low voice, his breath tickling my neck deliciously, and making my skin tingle.

“Great. I can’t tell you how happy I am to hear my boyfriend say that,” I teased, and then gasped as

he began making delightful little swirls with the warm, wet, soapy sponge against my nipples. I
swallowed hard and tipped my head back. He accepted my silent invitation and began gently sucking
my neck at the same time. I moaned and wiggled my bottom against him, making him groan in
response.

“Come here dirty girl,” he said in a sexy voice, turning me toward him and leaning down to kiss

me full-on.

I loved the way he swept his tongue into my mouth, like he was staking his claim. I also loved the

way his wet and slippery skin felt against me, and I rubbed up against him like a shameless hussy. He
moved his mouth away from mine to kiss my neck again and then he paused to whisper in my ear.
“Your wet rack feels absolutely amazing pressed against me, madam.”

“Why thank you, sir,” I said with a smile, as I picked up his hand, and turned my head to look

deeply into his eyes as I slid his index finger into my mouth and sucked seductively. His breath
hitched and his eyes darkened and fogged with desire. When I popped his finger out from between my
kiss-swollen lips, he grabbed my waist and urged me onto his lap. I sighed with delight feeling his
hard-on pressing against me. “Oh my, you brought toys with you into the tub.”

“You’re more than welcome to play with my toys,” he flirted back.
I purposely squirmed in his lap, leaned in to rub my boobs against him, grabbed his head and gave

him a hungry kiss, my tongue boldly exploring his cinnamon-tasting mouth. He kissed me back
greedily, grabbing and kneading my ass. I pulled back and gave him an amused look.

“What was that about, Mr. Grabby Hands?”
“I’m allowed. This is mine,” he answered with a cocky grin, giving my bottom a firm squeeze. “Is

this how you sat in Mark’s lap, by the way? If so, I might have to cut him some slack. This is pretty
hard to resist.”

“Ooh, I like hard,” I said in a sexy voice, scooting back a little, reaching into the soapy water, and

stroking his tub toys.

“You’re very naughty tonight,” he noted with a positively delighted look.
“I thought you wanted to help me research,” I said, giving him a sexy pout.
“I do,” he answered seductively, looking deeply into my eyes as I felt him reach between my legs

and begin brushing his thumb up and down against my clit.

I smiled and breathed in deeply, feeling my skin start to flush, and then I reached down with my

other hand and cupped his balls with my palm, massaging the sensitive spot just behind them with my
fingertips. He swallowed hard and his lips parted as his breathing quickened and became heavier. He
slipped two fingers up inside me, curved them forward and began stroking my inner wall, expertly
finding the right spot almost immediately. I whimpered a little and pushed my hips forward against his
hand.

Then I picked up the soapy sponge he had abandoned, squeezed some more body wash into it,

reached into the water and gripped him tightly at the base, sliding my fist slowly up and down his
swollen cock. He let out a ragged breath and a strangled sound.

“Oh, baby, yeah, like that,” he groaned. “That feels so good.”
I kept it up, twisting my grip around his shaft as I stroked him rhythmically and tried to remain

focused while he continued stimulating my G-spot. The song Fade into You by Mazzy Star started to
play and I leaned down and started kissing him again as we drove each other wild with our intimate
touches. It turned into a rather hot and heavy make-out session, while we tried to devour each other
and my skin began to feel like it was on fire, like I could sense every nerve-ending in my body.

He continued massaging me expertly, and at that moment, I was thankful for all of his experience. I

moved my mouth lower to begin gently biting his neck as I let myself get lost in the sensation, only
vaguely aware that the persistent moans and whimpers echoing off the tile walls were my own. My
voice sounded to me like I was hearing it under the water.

I heard him speaking to me in a low sexy way, telling me I was beautiful and he wanted me like he

had never wanted anyone else. I felt like my body was a separate entity, and as he pleasured me,
bringing me closer and closer to physical release, my mind embraced and reveled in all of the love
and security he offered. That part felt just as warm as the bath we shared.

While my brain was overcome with the feeling of being truly loved, though, my pussy was on fire.

I felt deep pressure and tension, and my muscles clenching in intense anticipation as I climbed higher
and higher. I really had no control over the physical at that point; I had had given that over to Adam
willingly and entirely. Suddenly, I was climbing to the top of that roller coaster so fast it was
dizzying. My voice got louder, higher, and shriller and I felt hot tears in my eyes because everything
was just so intense that it was almost overwhelming me.

I closed my eyes, arched my back, cried out, and writhed, my hips thrusting of their own volition,

riding his hand, moving closer, climbing higher. The pressure was becoming so powerful, so acute
that I didn’t know if I could stand much more. I could feel every inch of my body, but yet somehow, it
also felt like everything was concentrated in that one place where his fingers stroked me.

And then it happened, like getting hit with lightning, a bolt of electricity coursed through me and

my muscles clamped down hard. In the next second, I felt like I was falling, my stomach plummeting,
my vision blurred and I let out a deep sob. My whole body was hit by tremors so hard I that shook.
The tears rolled down my cheeks as more sobs followed.

Adam immediately pulled me into his arms, running his fingers through my hair, rubbing my back,

telling me how much he loved me. It took a while for me to recover. I had never felt anything that
intense, never let myself be that vulnerable and never let anyone care for me so sweetly.

Finally, after God knows how long, I collected myself. I leaned up and kissed him, sweeping my

tongue into his mouth possessively, and then pulling back, biting his bottom lip gently and looking
deeply into his eyes through my wet lashes.

“I’m sorry I got distracted,” I said in a shaky but sated voice.

“It’s okay. I would rather be inside you anyway. Now up on your knees because I want to suck on

those gorgeous tits.”

I let out a sharp breath and felt the tingling start between my legs again as I rose up to my knees,

still straddling him. He grabbed my waist and pulled me to him, bending his head to my breast and
stroking  one  taut  nipple  with  his  tongue,  as  his  stubble  abraded  my  hyper-sensitized  skin,  sending
shock waves and shivers through me. Then he took it into his mouth and started vigorously sucking.
My palm slapped against the smooth, slick tile wall, as I tried to steady myself because my legs had
begun  shaking  so  hard.  His  thumb  started  circling  my  clit  again  and  I  began  feeling  heated,  feeling
chills,  feeling  everything,  including  an  aching  need  to  have  him  inside  me.  He  knew  my  body  more
intimately than anyone else ever had, and he sensed it when I was nearing the verge of desperation.

“Turn around, lean over and grab the edge of the tub,” he instructed in a husky voice, letting go of

my waist. I did as he asked and I felt the water stir as he got up on his knees behind me. He wrapped
an arm around my waist again, leaned down and whispered in my ear. “Do you mind that we’re not
facing each other?” I was surprised by how thoughtful and caring that question was.

“No, I know it’s you back there.” I felt him smile against my ear.
“Do you mind if we talk dirty?”
“Not at all.”
“Allow me to add then, that I’m going to pound this sweet pussy so hard you won’t be able to sit

down tomorrow.”

“Good,” I said swallowing hard and starting to pant. “As I mentioned earlier, I like hard.”
With that, he positioned himself at my entrance, grabbed my hips and slid home. Then he began

thrusting into me deeply. I reached down between my legs, so I could feel him sliding in and out of me
and the sensation was incredibly erotic. Then I moved my fingers up to my clit and most sentient
thought ended. One thing that I was aware of was that he was very vocal tonight.

“Yes. Oh God,” he ground out. “Ah-ha, Oh fuck!” he shouted, pumping his hips faster. “Your

pussy feels so good. I want to be deeper and deeper inside you.”

“Yes,” I cried out. “I can take it. I love it.” He adjusted his angle and pounded me even harder. I

cried out, loving the potent combination of pleasure and pain as he hit up against the end of me inside.
I felt the pressure building again, my muscles getting tighter as I started to climb.

“Oh fuck, Lily, it feels like you’re going to come, baby.” He reached around and started rubbing

my clit along with me.

“I’m so close,” I said on a moan, pushing my hips back against him. “Please, please Adam. God,

please I need to come.” I felt his other hand slide down to where we were joined and then trail back
up, where he began placing pressure on my ass, massaging the tight ring of muscle as he continued
thrusting hard. Finally, I yielded to him and his thumb slid inside me. That was more sensation than
my body could handle. “Oh yes!” I screamed and then gasped as I went over the edge, crying out his
name over and over as my muscles contracted all around him and I shuddered. It was all I could do
not to collapse but somehow I managed. He moved his hands to my hips and just held on, slamming
into me, making wonderful groans of pleasure, and rambling almost incoherently.

“Oh, Lily, so good. Oh baby, I feel it. Oh, God, baby, I’m going to come. Oh. Yeah. Oh, yeah, Oh

Lily, Lily, Lily! Yes!”

With one final hard thrust, he let out a deep sound of intense pleasure, held himself against me

tightly and exploded inside me. A couple of seconds later, he pulled me with him into his arms as we

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Friday evening, after work, Adam and I sat at a table at O’Malley’s talking to our friends, while Ho
Hey by The Lumineers played in the background, and Jacob, accompanied by his table full of friends,
and an attractive redhead this time, continued to occasionally send an uncomfortably flirty look my
way. At the moment, my courtroom style was the topic of our conversation.

“I think that Adam and Lily are becoming the same person,” Braden noted, beginning the

discussion.

“I agree. Lily, you’ve become the female him, in court,” Jess said, gesturing at Adam. “You’re all

sarcasm and swagger these days.”

“Oh no! Lily!” Gabrielle said, sounding aghast.
“What?” I asked defensively. “I’m just doing my job. It’s not my fault that their clients aren’t

exactly rocket scientists.” Adam and I shared a smile.

“It’s like they’ve become Borg,” Cam noted.
“Lily has been assimilated,” Mark joked.
“They’re such a cute couple, aren’t they?” Braden asked with a grin that showed me how much

Adam must have tortured him about Gabrielle.

“Adorable,” Cam agreed. “Mr. and Mrs. Cocky Prosecutor.”
“When’s the wedding, incidentally?” Braden went on.
“Why, you looking for somebody to BBQ with you and the Mrs., Mr. Family Guy?” Adam shot

back.

“We’re looking for somebody to work with us at the practice we want to start,” Gab jumped in.

“Now that Lily’s a real live lawyer, and the two of you are a team, maybe you two should both think
coming to work with us. Actually, it would be great if all of you would think about it. We’re going to
take on interesting cases. We’re also fun.” She smiled at Braden, who gave her a look that said he
thought she was lots of fun.

“How are you going to afford to hire all of us?” Mark asked. “Oh, wait, you’re both rich.”
“In fact, we can afford to pay you more than you’re making now,” Braden volunteered. “Well, not

Cam there, since he’s in private practice, but the rest of you civil servants.”

“And you would have more flexible hours,” Gab jumped in. “You could write and practice, Lily.

And Cam, even if you didn’t want to leave your firm, you could shift your pro bono work to us since
we’ll be a non-profit.”

“You’re serious,” I said.
“Yes, we’re serious,” Gab replied. “We want to take our friends with us.”
“Where?” a voice to our left broke it. Bruce stood there looking depressed.
“To the new practice we’re starting,” Gab replied. “We could use someone to be in charge of

research and our in-house library,” she suggested with a smile. “That is if you don’t want to take the
job with Judge Channing. I heard they offered it to you.”

“They did, but he’s retiring in a few months. Besides, he’s a curmudgeon.”
“So are you,” I pointed out.
“But when he retired I might be out of work.”
“Not if you come work for us, and we could pay you more than a county employee,” Gab put in.

“You would be the boss of your department. Not that you would be supervising anybody at first.”

“That doesn’t matter,” I said with a laugh. “Bruce would sell his soul for money and even the

promise of future power.”

“She’s right. I would,” he agreed. “Where do I sign and when do I start?”
“Actually, you could probably start in a couple of months. We would want you to make the

acquisitions for the in-house library and set up the legal databases,” Braden said, “We have plenty of
top quality office space, right here in Center City.”

“Really? That’s wonderful,” Bruce said, pulling up a chair. “Jason will be so excited. He’s

almost done with his residency and he’s going to accept an offer with Jefferson Hospital, so it looks
like Philly will be our permanent home. By the way, Lil. I have some big news.” He held up his hand
to show me a ring. “We’re making it official. If you’ll be my maid of honor, I’ll be yours someday.”
He smiled at Adam suggestively.

“Oh my God! That’s wonderful! Jason’s finally going to make an honest man of you huh?” I asked,

coming over to give him a hug. Despite our teasing and bickering, Bruce and I really were close. In
fact, it seemed like I teased and bickered with a lot of the people I was closest to. I promised that we
would do lunch soon to discuss wedding plans.

“We need to discuss plans for your party tomorrow night,” Gab chimed in.
“You’re having a party and you didn’t invite me?” Bruce pouted, looking slighted.
“It’s not a real party. It’s a party for my crazy neighbors. We want to figure out who the Fox is.

And we thought this might be a safe way to do it.”

“Well, you can’t have any party without me. Even a party for your hovel mates.”
“Fine, you want to come to our party? Come. Mingle. You’ll just love Vixen.”
“Honey, go through the cast of characters again,” Jess requested. “I can’t remember one wacko

from the other. They all start to blend, just like my clients.” She sighed.

“I only know some of them by the initials and last names on their mailboxes. Hmm, let’s see. I’ll

start with the guy who lives across the hall from me, U. Hu.”

“That’s really his name?” Cam broke in.
“It’s U like the letter and Hu like in an Asian surname.”
“Doesn’t that mean fox in Chinese?” Mark put in.
“What?” I asked, stunned. Adam and I glanced at each other.
“I remember reading it in some mythology class I took in college, the huli jin, the fox spirits.” He

took out his iPhone and punched something in. “Yeah, right here, Hu, fox in Mandarin.” He held it out
to show us.

“Well, he is strange,” I noted. “He’s always dressed in black and I find him lurking everywhere

and rushing by quickly from place to place. One day I saw him climb in the fourth floor window.
There’s no fire escape by that window!”

“So, he lurks, darts, dresses weird, and might be able to scale buildings. Maybe he’s Spiderman,”

Bruce suggested, signaling the barmaid and ordering ‘something fruity.’

“And his name means Fox in Chinese!” Gab pointed out. She was over there taking notes. “Who’s

next?”

“The guy in the apartment next to me, Ray Nardo.”
“Wait, honey!” Jess said excitedly. “Ray Nardo? Like Reynard? That’s French for Fox. I know

because I majored in French.”

“Oh my God, you’re right,” I muttered. “I didn’t even think of that! He seems like a criminal.”
“He seems like a criminal?” Mark asked with a smile.
“Ignore him,” Adam said with a sarcastic look. “He hangs out with criminals for a living.” Mark

rolled his eyes, shared an amused look with Cam and took a sip of his beer.

“He really does,” I insisted. “He’s mean and unfriendly and his eyes are really cold.”
“Unfriendly,” Gab repeated, typing on her iPad. “Name may be a play on French translation of

Fox.”

“The only other tenant on my floor, our floor,” I corrected myself, glancing at Adam, “is Herb, this

very innocuous guy who works for SEPTA, and lives for SEPTA. He loves to talk about train
schedules, and bus routes, and things like that.”

“What’s his last name?” Gab asked.
“Lawrence, Herb Lawrence. He really is such a little mouse of a guy. Very polite, kind of nerdy. I

could never picture him being a hit man.”

“Polite mass transit enthusiast, no obvious fox connection,” Gab noted.
“Anyway, one floor down is Donna, who’s basically an okay person, if you can get past the fact

she’s a drunken, lecherous cougar who probably turns tricks.”

“Last name?” Gab asked again.
“Um, Diego, I think,” I answered.
“Donna Diego?” Cam asked. “Like Don Diego? You, know … El Zorro? Doesn’t that mean the

Fox in Spanish?”

“What?” Braden asked, dubiously.
“No, wait. He’s right!” Mark said with a laugh. “Zorro’s real name was Don Diego, and El Zorro

really is ‘The Fox’ in Spanish.”

“I don’t know. I think you’re stretching it now,” Adam said. “You haven’t met Donna.”
“Drunken cougar hooker, who may be a Zorro fan,” Gab said, entering the information.
“Then there’s Vixen, just Vixen, who’s a tattoo artist and body piercer, likely so she can inflict

pain legally. She’s the right personality type, but she would be hard to miss. She doesn’t exactly
blend in with the crowd, you know?”

“A vixen is a female fox!” Jess piped up, sounding like she was playing Trivial Pursuit. “This is

fun, honey.”

“One bad attitude tattoo artist, named after female fox,” Gab repeated, typing away.
“Also on that floor are Regina and Mario. I think their real last name is Rosselli but I call them the

Sopranos.”

“Wait, Mario Rosselli!” It was Braden’s turn this time. “Wasn’t he one of the owners of that adult

bookstore who was investigated for allegedly laundering money for the Moretti family?”

“Yeah!” Adam jumped in “Foxy Lady Books.”
“Porn peddler with ties to Moretti, owns business with Fox in name,” Gab summarized.

“Okay, this is just getting weird at this point. So far, Herb and I are the only ones with no fox

connection.”

“I don’t think Mr. Viagra has one,” Adam offered, “although he does like foxy ladies.”
“Oh yeah, Gab,” I said, “Do you remember a guy who took Viagra and committed a bunch of

moving violations?”

“Oh my God. Mr. Davis is one of your neighbors?” she replied. Braden, Adam, Mark and Cam all

looked at each other and cracked up. Obviously, they all remembered Mr. Davis. “Geriatric booty
caller,” Gab said with a sigh, typing.

“Um, Yuri Ivanovich is on Mr. Davis’ floor. He’s another person who wouldn’t blend very easily.

He looks like Lurch from the Addams Family. I honestly don’t know anything about him except that
something about him reminds me of a KGB agent.”

“Lurch KGB,” Gab noted.
“Then there’s local, semi-derelict, M. Kazinski. I’ve heard people yell out, ‘hey, Scratch’ to him,

so I guess that’s his nickname. I don’t know anything about him either, except it seems like people
around the neighborhood know him. I see him hanging out on the street a lot. And that’s it. That’s my
building. Nobody lives on the actual first floor.”

“So Adam,” Mark asked with a smirk, “how do you like your new digs?”
“I’m sure he likes the bedroom,” Braden replied with a laugh.
“I like my roommate,” Adam answered with a smirk of his own.
“I’ll bet your mom is really happy.” Mark was on a roll.
“Happy? Are you kidding? She’s probably alerted the media by now. Miracle in Philadelphia:

How my daily prayers saved my son, the womanizer.” Braden obviously was too. That one cracked
up Mark and Cam.

“Oh Braden. Leave him alone,” Gab said with a laugh. “Jewish mothers are just especially fierce

when it comes to seeing their kids happily married and settled.”

Suddenly, it must have struck her that not all Jewish mothers cared so deeply about their children

being happily settled, because she looked up at me and her cheeks turned pink.

“Some are just fierce in general,” I joked weakly and Adam reached over and put his arm around

me protectively. Bruce, unfortunately, was even less tactful than Gab.

“Jesus, Lil, she’s never acted like a mother to you,” he thoughtfully reminded me. “She’s never

been there for you. The only time she talks to you is to tell you how disappointed she and your father
are in you. She doesn’t care if you live in the ghetto; she doesn’t care if you spend the rest of your life
alone. Why don’t you just write her off already?”

“I have written her off,” I said, uncomfortably. “I’ve written both of my parents off. I’m tired of

trying to please them and failing. I’m tired of ‘do what we want or we’ll pretend you don’t exist.’ I
gave up a long time ago.”

“Well, so why do you care if you beat her in court?” he shot back.
“Because I want to put the past behind me. I want to stand up and say, I am strong and capable.

Even if I lose, as long as I argue well, I stood on her playing field, and I stood as her equal. Then I
can move on and not doubt whether or not I’m good enough anymore. This is to make sure that I
respect me and I love me, not that she does.”

“I’ll take Sachs,” Adam broke in, sounding like he wasn’t going to take no for an answer.
“Adam, you have enough of your own cases to handle. I’m not going to let you take on extra work

because I’m on some personal crusade. I picked this fight with both of them. I can take them both.”

I wasn’t going to drag Adam into this with me. He had enough work of his own to worry about.

Besides, I could fight my own battles. I always had. I glanced up at Jacob who was allowing his
redhead to fawn all over him. Charming.

“You shouldn’t have to take them both,” Adam said in a tone of voice that made me look back at

him. He was staring at me intently. “You’re not alone anymore, Lily,” he said quietly in a way that
made me feel like he could see into my soul. “I’m with you and I’ve got your back. It will give me
great pleasure to take that arrogant son of a bitch down for you, and then you can concentrate on doing
what you have to do.”

Slowly I felt myself smile, and I felt tears prick at my eyes again. Jesus, I was becoming a regular

freaking waterworks. I don’t think I’d cried as much in the past two years as I had in the past two
weeks.

“Okay,” I nodded and bit my lip, digging my nails into my palms to hold it together. “We’ll go

over strategy on Sunday,” I said, my voice quavering a little. “The argument is Wednesday, right
before Thanksgiving. Hopefully, we’ll have a court victory to be thankful for.” I paused and collected
myself. “And thank you, Adam. I love you,” I added in a whisper.

“I love you too,” he mouthed back with a smile and pulled me into a tight hug.
I hugged him back, and I didn’t care who saw. Neither one of us did, obviously. I had a feeling that

our friends wouldn’t tease us about this one anyway. I heard Braden clear his throat and start
discussing what everyone should bring the next day, and Adam and I let go of each other, kept calm
and carried on.

Chapter Thirty

The next evening our friends gathered in my, our, apartment an hour before the party was supposed to
start. It seemed that we were ready. We had alcohol. We had chips. We had pretzels, hummus and
crudités. All we needed was the nuts.

It turned out we wouldn’t have to break in Dan McGuire’s apartment after all. When I notified the

landlord that I was having a locksmith come by, he said he would be putting in an order for Dan
McGuire’s locks too, since he seemed to have skipped out. He asked if I could hold onto the new
keys until he picked them up. I still had them. My landlord wasn’t really quick to do anything.

Jess was planning to open the door a crack while Cam and Mark acted as her lookouts. They

assured me that they had been on missions for Gabrielle before and nothing fazed them. Besides, it
seemed better that Adam, Braden and I, being prosecutors, and Gabrielle, being married to a
prosecutor, remain uninvolved. Bruce just felt that he could be of more use staying behind and taste
testing the alcohol.

We decided that it was ‘go time’ and the three brave defense lawyers quietly went out my

apartment door with the key and I went to the peephole to watch and give updates to those of us left
behind. Well, those of us besides Bruce, who didn’t really care. He was in the kitchen with the booze
making his fruity cocktails.

“Cam is staying by Jess, looking in all directions, while Mark is positioning himself by the stairs,”

I reported. “Okay, she’s at the door, still no sign of anyone. She’s got the key in the lock and it’s
open! She’s leaving it open about two inches. Wait, Mark is signaling someone is coming. They’re
headed back!” I opened the door and the three of them came barreling back in.

“I think that U. Hu is coming up the stairs,” Mark said. “I saw somebody dressed in black headed

this way.” I went back to the peephole and saw that, sure enough, there was U. Hu.

“It is him,” I announced to everyone. Everyone was sitting down somewhere, except for Adam,

who was right beside me. “He’s walking toward his apartment. He’s pausing and looking around.
He’s stealing the clock from the hallway and putting it in a bag.”

“What?” Adam broke in.
“He’s stealing the clock from the hallway. Wait, he has another one in the bag. He’s exchanging

that one for the one he took. They look the same.”

“He stole the clock from the hallway and replaced it with a duplicate clock?” Bruce asked, finally

sounding interested. Maybe he thought it involved decorating.

“People do weird shit, honey,” Jess assured him. “Trust us. We work in the criminal justice

system.”

“He sees McGuire’s door open!” I announced excitedly.
“Let me in there,” Adam ordered, nudging me out of my position.

“Hey, I wanted to look,” I complained, as he managed to elbow me aside.
“You’ve been looking. It’s my turn,” he replied, eye fixed to my door.
“It’s my peephole.”
“I thought I had open access to your peephole.”
“This is just like when you used to hog tetherball during recess.”
“That was sixth grade. You can let it go now,” he answered without moving away from his stolen

vantage point. “If it matters, though, I promise to make it up to you by paying lots of attention to your
peephole later.” I heard Mark snort with laughter and I felt my face get hot.

“Well? What’s he doing?” I asked through gritted teeth.
“He’s looking around and tiptoeing to the door.”
“So, he must know McGuire’s not in there!” Gab added enthusiastically. “And his name means

Fox in Chinese. My plan worked!” She looked so proud.

“Yeah, he’s going in all right,” Adam continued. “You may have finally come up with a nutty idea

that actually worked, Gabrielle. What do you know?” He looked like he was about to step back when
something else caught his eye. “Hey wait, the guy next door, Nardo, just walked out of his apartment.
He looks like he’s headed toward the stairs… but he sees the door! He’s stopping, looking around,
stalking quietly over …”

“What?” Gab asked, sounding confused. “He doesn’t think McGuire’s there either?”
“And Reynard is French for Fox,” Jess, the former French major reminded us.
“He’s at the door, and he’s going in!”
“With Who Me in there?” Cam asked.
“U. Hu,” I corrected.
“Oh, right, sorry.”
“Yeah, one of them is going to be in for a surprise, I guess,” Adam commented. “Wait, here comes

somebody else.” He paused without telling us the identity of the new arrival.

“Who?” I asked impatiently.
“No, Hu’s already inside. Isn’t he?” Cam said.
“I don’t know.” Braden laughed and looked at Mark who shouted out, “Third Base!”
“Adam, you’re taking a really long time with the peephole,” I said peevishly.
“I didn’t hear you complaining last night … This time it’s Yuri. He sees the door. He’s looking

around and now he’s going over there. And he’s in the door.”

“I need a drink,” Gab said, sounding utterly beaten down that her plan had been such a colossal

failure.

“Don’t worry, honey,” Jess soothed. “Eventually, one of your crazy schemes is bound to work. It’s

the law of averages.”

“And in the meantime, enjoy the party,” Mark added.
“You won’t believe who’s coming now,” Adam said, sounding amused.
“Who is it?” I demanded, squirming with curiosity. Clearly, he was abusing his peephole

privileges.

“It’s Donna!” he said, just as I was on verge of shoving him out the way.
“Donna?” I asked incredulously. “What’s she even doing on this floor? She can’t be here for the

party already?”

“Her parties probably start as soon as she falls out of bed, but it looks like she’s going over to the

maintenance closet. She is. She’s opening the door and taking something out. It’s a …. bottle of
Thunderbird.”

“Oh my God!” Bruce said, sounding aghast.
“I know,” I agreed. “I can’t believe she’s stashing alcohol all over the building.”
“Not that!” Bruce replied. “It’s Thunderbird! Ew!” I turned and rolled my eyes at him.
“Uh oh. She sees McGuire’s door,” Adam went on.
“No!” Gab sounded completely dejected.
“Yep, she’s there. She’s looking around furtively, clutching her Thunderbird to her chest, and …

she’s going in.”

“With Ray Nardo, Yuri and Hu U. in there already?” Braden asked.
“U. Hu,” Cam reminded him.
“Right.” He nodded.
“Yeah, all of them must be in there together, and that’s a little disturbing, knowing Donna,” Adam

answered.

“The possibilities are endlessly disgusting,” I agreed.
“I don’t know that you two are going to want to raise your children in this building, honey,” Jess

said teasingly.

“Adam’s such a paternal guy.” Mark snorted. “I’m sure he’s deeply worried about it.”
“Laugh it up,” Adam muttered. “I changed a diaper the other day, I’ll have you know.”
“What?” Braden asked with a laugh.
“You did not!” Mark said, sounding like he was about to crack up at the very idea.
“He really did. I helped,” I said proudly.
“Yeah, she found the return address label.”
“I also wiped,” I reminded him indignantly.
“And now, every time someone mentions wiping a baby’s ass, I’ll think about how I feel about

you,” he said, cracking up as he continued to stare out into the hallway.

“Oh shut up!” I said, smacking him hard on his own ass and trying not to laugh.
“Hey, no kinky shit while the kids are watching,” he said, finally looking away from the door and

laughing even harder. Even though I bit my lip, and tried to glare, I couldn’t hold it back. I started
cracking up with him.

“Yo, Braden, go see what’s happening out there, while Ralph and Alice get control of

themselves,” Mark said, and Braden got up and took Adam’s place at the door.

“Oh my God, honey, you’re right,” Jess said with a laugh. “Gab and Braden are like Lucy and

Ricky and Adam and Lily are just like the Honeymooners!”

“They lived in a hovel too,” Bruce pointed out, helpfully.
“They’re all apparently still in there,” Braden reported in from the peephole.
“Did you say the return address label?” Cam asked, sounding amused. Adam and I were finally

calming down, wiping tears of mirth out of our eyes.

“Long story,” I said, trying to catch my breath.
“Fifteen minutes until party time,” Jess updated us.
“I see the door opening. I think somebody’s coming out,” Braden announced.
“Let me see,” Adam said, getting control of himself and going back to his lookout point. I went

over to stand beside him as Braden returned to the couch to comfort Gabrielle, who was still taking

the failure of her brilliant scheme rather hard.

“It’s Donna, and in addition to her Thunderbird, she now has a bottle of Jameson.”
“She must have stashed booze in McGuire’s apartment too,” Mark joked.
“Okay, she’s headed for the stairs, and she’s gone. Uh oh, here comes Yuri, and now he’s headed

down the stairs, and five, four, three, two … Here comes Nardo, and he too is empty handed.”

“At least those two are honest burglars,” Cam noted.
“Or else he’s got a flash drive in his pocket,” Gab finally spoke up.
“Maybe he was just happy to see Donna,” Braden teased.
“He’s headed for his apartment,” Adam went on. “Guess he changed his mind about wherever he

was going.”

“He doesn’t want to miss the party, honey,” Jess chimed in.
“And last but not least, here he is the one and only, U. Hu, and his bag of clocks. And now he’s

going into his apartment.” Adam stood up, turned and looked at all of us. “Well, congratulations,
team. You just helped four people to burglarize a private citizen.”

“At least the last three were empty handed,” Mark reminded him.
“Always the defense lawyer, aren’t you?” Adam smirked.
“Hey, it’s close to party time!” Braden said, looking at his watch. “Who’s up for beer trivia?”
“How about Beer Sex Trivia?” Mark suggested. “I’ll be Lily’s partner,” he said, smirking back at

Adam. He obviously loved pushing Adam’s buttons.

“We have to introduce him to Donna,” Adam informed me. “In fact, let’s introduce him to Donna

and Vixen. He can handle a double team.”

“Watch it or I’ll start telling Lily about what you’ve handled in the past,” Mark said, giving Adam

an amused look.

“Like what?” I asked curiously, and Adam gave Mark a death glare which just made him crack up.

There was a lot of laughter in this apartment tonight. Before Adam could become too homicidal there
was a knock at the door.

“And so it begins,” Braden said ominously.

Chapter Thirty-One

We all had our roles. Adam and I would be hosting. Cam was our bartender and Jess kept the snacks
replenished. Mark and Braden were security, a key role, considering what we had just witnessed.
Bruce was, as he described it, ‘that guy who got the party going,’ which I understood to be sort of like
a debauched cruise director. Gab was our deejay and she had brought her 80s Party Hits playlist. At
the moment, The Talking Heads were starting to sing Burning Down the House. I hoped nobody
would get any ideas. I followed Adam, who went over and swung the door open with a flourish. Herb
stood there with a bottle of ginger ale, a wilted potted plant and a ‘Welcome to Philadelphia’ t-shirt.

“Are you the Key Master?” Adam asked, and I pushed him aside.
“Hi, Herb. How are you?” I asked, trying to sound as friendly as possible.
“Hey, Lily! I’m great, thanks. Got your invitation. I really appreciate you inviting me.

Congratulations on your new romance by the way.” He looked up at Adam, seeming somewhat
confused by his greeting. Maybe he was the one person in the world who hadn’t seen Ghostbusters. I
elbowed Adam.

“Herbert, dude, how are you doing?” Adam asked, going over and clapping him on the back. Herb

hurtled forward. “Herbert is your full name, right?”

“Yes. Well, I mean, that is the full form of my name. Although Herbert is actually my middle name.

My first name is David, but I don’t really like it.”

“You prefer Herbert over David?” I asked, trying not to judge.
“Yeah, it’s just that people used to call me Dave, and I’m not really a Dave. Daves are athletes,

and class presidents. I’m really much more of a Herb.”

“I see.” I nodded understandingly. “Well, Herb, let me take those.” I gestured toward his armful of

offerings.

“Oh yeah. I brought ginger ale because you can have just as is, or you could use it as a mixer.” He

said it in a tone that made it sound like he was imparting the wisdom of the ages.

“Good thinking, Herb,” Adam said with a smile. “I could tell right off the bat you were a thinker.

That’s probably why SEPTA hired you. They appreciate people who think, rather than do anything
down there. How long have you worked for them anyway?”

“Nine years on Monday!” When anyone mentioned the Philadelphia mass transit system Herb got a

light in his eyes.

“Are those for us?” I reminded him, gesturing again at the plant that would be needing life support

shortly.

“Oh, yes, uh, the plant is for you, Lily, and the t-shirt is for Adam, to welcome him.” Adam and I

had grown up ten minutes from Philly, incidentally.

“Thanks, Herb! Hey, you know Mark over there was just telling me that he wished he knew more

about SEPTA’s safety record.”

“Really?” Herb looked like he was going to wet his pants. He thrust the plant and the t-shirt at me

and practically vaulted over the couch to get to Mark. As soon as he was out of earshot Adam turned
to me.

“Well, he does have a fox connection after all.”
“You caught that too,” I said, impressed by his intellect, and feeling a familiar warm rush and pull

in my nether regions.

“Of course I did,” Adam said, giving me a sexy smile. “David Herbert Lawrence, D. H.

Lawrence, author of Lady Chatterley’s Lover, Sons and Lovers and …”

“The Fox,” I finished, smiling back. “You know I feel strangely turned on that we both knew that.”

Ideas of sneaking him off to the bedroom were occurring to me. I really was becoming a nympho.
Adam was like a drug.

“Me too. Your mind is very sexy. Want to sneak off and grab a quickie?” he asked, as if reading

my thoughts. I didn’t get to answer, though, because the rest of our party was arriving, with U. Hu
leading the pack. Wow, I didn’t think he would actually come.

“Mr. Hu, I’m so …” I started to say as U. Hu darted past me and went directly to look out my

window. “Uh, Mr. Davis, how are you?” Right behind U. Hu, stood my elderly neighbor, looking all
spiffed up in a suit and tie and holding a single red rose. He gave me a lecherous smile.

“Here you go, cupcake. This is for you.” He handed me the rose and checked out the room. Then

he went off to take a walk down memory lane with Gabrielle. I looked toward the door again, saw
Yuri, and did a double-take. Yuri was kind of a scary guy.

“Good evening,” he said simply.
“Hey, Yuri, my man, how are you doing?” Adam said, punching him in the arm.
“You know, you’re one tall guy. I’ll bet you played ball in school, huh?”
“I vas a rower.”
“Really? Hey, see that other really tall dude over there? That’s Braden Pierce. He rowed for

Harvard.”

Yuri looked interested and wandered off to talk to Braden. I noted, looking around the room, that

U. Hu was peering surreptitiously out the window now, and that Mark’s eyes looked like they were
glazing over as Herb hit his stride.

“You rowed for Boston University, didn’t you?” I asked Adam.
“Yeah, that’s how Braden and I originally met. I’m busy hosting, though. Hello there,” he said with

a smile, as Mario and Regina came in.

“Yo, how’s it goin’?” Mario asked, congenially.
“Hi. I’m Regina Roselli. I don’t think we’ve met. Nice place! I love the décor.”
“Hi, Lily Adler and this is Adam Roth. You should go over and chat with Bruce,” I pointed. “He

loves talking about decorating.”

“Great! Thanks!” She bee-lined for Bruce but Mario hung back.
“Booze is that way,” Adam indicated the kitchen where Cam was set up.
“Yo, thanks, man!” Mario bee-lined for the kitchen.
“Yo welcome,” Adam said with a smile.
“Hey Lil, hello Adam my Adam,” a raspy voice slurred from the doorway. Donna stood there, her

wig slightly askew, one false eyelash a bit crooked. She had on a skin-tight lycra dress that left

nothing to the imagination - nothing at all, unfortunately. Who knew you could get camel toe in a
dress? Worse than the outfit, though, a cloud of pungent perfume surrounded her. The smell was so
powerful that I almost gagged. I would probably never get it out of my apartment.

“Donna!” Adam said with a smile fixed in place. “You’re looking … uh, hey. We have alcohol!

Right through there.” He pointed to the kitchen.

“Thanks baby. Maybe the two of you can join me in a little toast later.” She staggered off toward

the kitchen. Thank goodness Jess was in there too to defend her man.

“Don’t think about it,” I said when she was out of earshot.
“Yeah,” Adam replied simply.
“Hey, yo. I’m here for the party.” We turned back to the door where a vision in black leather and

neon purple leopard skin stood, looking hostile.

“Hi, Vixen, right?” I asked with a smile.
“Yeah. The real name’s Vivian, but I like Vixen better. You got any tats?” she asked, checking me

out.

“Nowhere where you can see,” Adam said suggestively and I glared at him.
“Ah, c’mon. I see more pussies in my line of work than a gyno. What’s she got going on down

there?” She gave Adam a conspiratorial look.

“It says, ‘Adam was here’,” he replied with a grin. Bastard.
“Weren’t you thinking about getting your balls pierced, sweetie?” I asked, grinning back. Adam

swallowed hard and started to look a little pale.

“I can get you a deal,” Vixen assured him.
“Thanks,” he said, sounding hoarse.
“So you got booze here or not?” she asked, turning back to me.
“Kitchen.” I pointed and she headed off to join the gang, in what was obviously the most popular

room in the place.

I noticed that as Vixen went in, Mario and Donna came back out. I had the feeling that she had

cleared many rooms. Mario went over to talk to Yuri and Braden. I was sure he would have a lot to
add to the conversation. His beer gut spoke volumes about his athleticism.

Donna headed for Mark, who looked like he was on the verge of becoming comatose. Even she

would probably seem enticing after listening to SEPTA safety statistics. Gabrielle had a smile frozen
on her face as Mr. Davis chatted her up, and Bruce sat listening to Regina tell him something that
made him look despondent.

I was about to close the door when I saw another figure standing there. Wow, Scratch had made it.
“Hey,” he said, eyes darting around the room.
“Hey,” Adam repeated.
With that stimulating exchange, Scratch wandered in and headed toward the kitchen. He and U. Hu

should talk. And finally, there he was in my doorway, Mr. Charming himself, R. Nardo.

“You got bourbon?” he demanded.
“Hello, we’re so happy you could make it,” I said sweetly.
“Kitchen,” Adam indicated, pulling me to his side as Nardo headed off. “Lilith, what did I tell you

about not pissing off the locals?”

“What about the comment you made about SEPTA to Herb?”
“Herb isn’t quite as menacing as Ray. Besides, I think he has a crush on you and I don’t like it.” I

rolled my eyes at him.

Now that everyone was present and accounted for, Adam and I observed them for a few minutes.

Donna had elbowed her way in on Herb and he had wandered off. Mark no longer looked bored stiff.
Now he looked nervous. I noticed that he kept moving, and I suspected that Donna was doing her best
to feel him up.

Herb was intercepted in his wandering by Vixen, who was exiting the kitchen drinking straight

from a bottle of Jagermeister. She and Herb seemed to strike an animated conversation immediately.
Maybe there was some connection I was unaware of between mass transit and tattoo artistry.

Scratch had left the kitchen, holding a cup of beer, and he was trying to look casual, while

obviously watching U. Hu, who was trying to look casual, while obviously watching Scratch.

Mr. Davis finally took pity on Gabrielle, and wandered off to join Mark and Donna. Mark looked

at him like a drowning man who has just been tossed a life preserver, and literally climbed over an
end table to get the hell out of there. I saw him throw a homicidal look at Adam, who waved and
grinned happily at him.

Gabrielle set her music on auto-play and went over to talk to Regina, thus allowing Bruce to make

his own escape and head for the kitchen, which seemed to have become some sort of sanctuary.

Nardo stalked out a second later and sat down in a chair with a glass of something and just glared

at everyone. Yuri came over to sit near Nardo a moment later. The two of them might hit it off
actually. They were both such warm, friendly guys. I wondered what in the hell Mario could be
talking about with Braden.

Mark made it to the kitchen safely. Mario finally left Braden a moment later, and went over to join

his wife. Gabrielle and Braden, in turn, both headed our way. They had just joined us when Bruce
came out of the kitchen holding a drink with a paper parasol in it. Where did he get that? As soon as
he got into the room, he sniffed the air, started making a gagging noise, and staggered dramatically
toward us.

“Lily, I can’t bear that horrible perfume any longer. You must turn on your ceiling fan whether it’s

November or not,” he hissed at me.

“Fine,” I said and went over to hit the switch. The fan started turning and slowly picked up speed.

A minute later, something flew down and hit the floor. Gab, who was standing closest, went over to
pick it up.

“It’s a flash drive!” she said excitedly. Suddenly, all conversation stopped and everyone turned to

look at her.

“Go to your fan,” I said to Adam, repeating what the note in my wallet had instructed.
“Your fan was on when you got in,” he replied. “Probably to see if something taped to it would

stay up there. Maybe he forgot, or got interrupted and that’s why he didn’t turn it off.”

“I’ll take that, thanks,” said a voice I didn’t recognize. Everyone turned toward it at once. It was

U. Hu and he had a gun! Braden immediately pulled Gabrielle into his arms to shield her.

“It was you!” she said triumphantly from the protection of her husband’s embrace. “You’re the

Fox!”

“No, sorry, but I’m not The Fox. I’m the Yakuza. The Morettis have gotten too powerful in this

town, and it’s time they remembered that they are only one group of many.”

“I thought the Yakuza was the Japanese mafia,” Mark said. “Aren’t you Chinese?”
“My father is Chinese. My mother is Japanese. Now hand over the flash drive.”

“You can hand it over to me instead.” Everyone turned to look again. This was like a tennis match.

It was Yuri, this time, who also had a gun, and it was pointed at U. Hu.

“You’re the Fox!” Gab said.
“No. I am vith Russian mafia. He is correct that Moretti has gotten arrogant, but it vill not be the

Yakuza that holds power. Give me the flash drive.”

“Unfortunately, it won’t be either one of ya’s,” a voice slurred from the kitchen. We all turned to

look. It was Donna! And she had a gun pointed at Yuri. Donna armed was scarier than the other two
put together. God only knew what she would hit.

“Cougar mafia?” Adam asked.
“Ha! You should definitely keep that one around, Lil. Not only is he making you holler real good,

but he’s fuckin’ hilarious.”

“Are you the Fox?” Gab asked, sounding genuinely curious.
“No. I once was a fox, though. Back when I was Miss Philly Cheesesteak, Sal Moretti couldn’t

keep his paws offa me. He was my boyfriend until he threw me over for some young slut. I want
revenge. Now hand over the flash drive.”

“Not so fast.” We all turned toward the door, where Ray Nardo stood, pointing a gun at Donna.
“And why do you want it?” Adam asked.
“Because I’m the Fox.”
“See!” I said to Mark. “I told you he seemed like a criminal.”
“You seem like a criminal to us,” Scratch said, pulling his own gun and coming up behind Nardo.

“Now!” he said, and suddenly a group of guys wearing body armor that said ‘FBI’ came flooding
through the door and quickly disarmed everyone present. Scratch took out a badge. “Mike Kazinski,
FBI. All clear, Jake.” With that, in strode Jacob, looking as cocky as usual.

Chapter Thirty-Two

Our guests had all gone home. Well, at least the ones who weren’t arrested. I noticed that Vixen and
Herb left together. That was an interesting pairing. Our friends had also headed out, with our
assurances that we would contact them as soon as possible to let them know what happened. Now
Adam and I sat listening to Jacob fill us in on all the missing details. He had an interesting story to
tell.

“Special agent Kazinski was placed in this building to watch Ukita Hu and Yuri Ivanovich, both of

whom were known to be associated with organized criminal factions. We didn’t think it was a
coincidence that they had both picked this building to live in, especially since this isn’t their part of
town.”

“And you weren’t at all worried about Lily being here?” Adam asked.
“I didn’t know she was here at first. The apartment is listed to somebody else,” Jacob replied,

sounding uncharacteristically tense.

“My landlord never does anything quickly. He probably just never bothered to update the

information,” I explained.

“And besides, we didn’t even know what was going on. We just figured it was possible it had

something to do with Moretti, since this is Moretti’s part of town. He had tried to upset the balance of
power, which made him very unpopular with both the Asians and the Russians.”

“They did have an agent on the inside,” I reminded Adam, who still seemed angry.
“We’ve also been watching this building from across the street for months.”
“So I wasn’t imagining it that night. I thought I saw someone watching the building.”
“Kazinski was working the streets, and he got wind of a hit that was supposed to go down on one

of our witnesses against Moretti. The shooter was somebody called the Fox, but nobody knew who he
was. We got a warrant for a wiretap, and we sent in one of our surveillance experts.”

“Dan McGuire,” Adam said.
“Yeah,” Jacob replied, looking very unhappy. “We got a message from McGuire Saturday

afternoon, saying that somebody had made him, and that they were right behind him, but that he had
critical information. He mentioned two flash drives. Before he could say anything else, he was cut
off.”

“Why was he at Inferno?” I asked, apprehensively.
“Probably because he knew that if he tried to come in, they would take him down immediately,

and that you were his best chance. He had worked a joint case with the county, and we think he
recognized Adam,” Jacob paused before going on, and I could see that all of this was affecting him.
“We think he stashed one drive in your apartment and held onto the other, and then he went to go find
you.”

“How did he know where I would be?” I asked, suspecting that I already knew the answer, and

tensing up in preparation.

“Every apartment is wired, Lily,” Jacob answered simply. He at least had the courtesy to look

embarrassed, I noted.

“Oh my God,” I said, looking away as my stomach roiled. I felt so violated and mortified. I

wondered if Jacob himself had actually listened to Adam and I having sex, admitting we loved each
other, experiencing all of our most private, intimate moments together.

“We think they tried to take him down as soon as he got there,” Jacob went on, “but that he

managed to elude them temporarily. When they did eventually succeed, he probably still had the drive
on him, since you didn’t have it. We figured that would make them less interested in you, especially if
you didn’t immediately vanish.”

“So you let her stay here, because that would be safer for her?” Adam asked, sounding like he

didn’t believe him.

“I didn’t want …” Jacob began, voice filled with tension. He let out a deep breath and seemed to

collect himself before he went on. “It wasn’t my decision. I wanted to move Lily into witness
protection even then, but I was informed that because agent Kazinski was still inside, and the building
was still being watched, that she would be safe.”

“Guess they were wrong, huh?” Adam asked sarcastically, and I saw Jacob look up at him with

eyes flashing, and his jaw working like he was gritting teeth.

“She wasn’t pursued at home. She was pursued at work and after the incident at the law library I

got permission for her to go into protection,” he reminded Adam, angrily, “but she didn’t want to go,
presumably, because she didn’t want to leave you. I could have gotten a material witness subpoena
and forced her, but I didn’t want to do that to her.”

“Thank you,” I said quietly as that sunk in. Jacob had put my happiness ahead of everything.

Maybe I had underestimated him.

“You’re welcome.” He was talking to me, but he was glaring at Adam. “So, we pulled strings to

get her into the DA’s office, and since you were willing to stay with her, we figured you could keep
your eyes open for us. And you did a good job, Roth. Thanks to your little party plans, we now have
the Fox safely in custody, along with three other undesirables.”

“How did Kazinski know to have you waiting on standby?” Adam asked.
“He suspected you were up to something because he didn’t believe anybody would just throw a

party for your crazy neighbors.”

“What was up with U. Hu and that clock?” I asked curiously.
“We think that Hu had decided to try to bug the place himself. The clock he placed on the wall

was wired.”

“What was going on in McGuire’s apartment when they were all in there?” Adam asked.
“They had all probably figured out that McGuire was gone for good. After he disappeared, we

placed surveillance cameras in there in case anyone tried to break in, but nobody had actually tried
yet.”

“I’ll bet that was the night you saw them in the hall, listening at his door,” I said to Adam. “They

heard someone installing the equipment.”

“The cameras showed each one of them hiding when the next came in. So Hu saw all three, Nardo

saw Ivanovich and Diego, Ivanovich only saw Diego and Diego just stole some booze and left.”

“So, what happens now?” I asked.
“Now we put Moretti on trial and try to put him away. Because Adam helped out the U.S.

Attorney’s office in a very important case, I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s offered a position. You can
probably return to law library if you want, Lily, and the two of you won’t have to live together
anymore obviously. You can have your old life back.”

Why did it feel like I had just been punched in the gut? I could go back to my former life, working

in the library with Jane and Rochelle, writing my books at night, alone at night. Alone again. Of
course, Adam and I would still be together, but he had said himself that he had always loved his
freedom. He would want to go back to his place. We would see each other on weekends, maybe the
occasional weeknight, but I wouldn’t be reading to him in bed regularly and I wouldn’t go to sleep
feeling him snuggled up against me every night. We wouldn’t be fighting over garlic presses, or the
bathroom, or tic tacs though. That was a good thing, right? So why did I feel like I was going to cry,
yet again?

“Okay, if you don’t mind, it’s been a long night,” Adam said, throwing Jacob an obvious hint.
“Before I go, there’s one other thing. I’m withdrawing the motion for removal on the DiBono case.

I looked at it again, and you’re right, it’s more appropriately tried in Common Pleas.”

My mouth literally popped open. It was so unlike Jacob to do something like that. He wasn’t one

to walk away from a battle. In fact, I could see how much he had been enjoying it. Still, it wouldn’t
necessarily affect anything, so it could be a meaningless gesture.

“Good luck trying to convince my mom,” I said with a weak smile.
“She’s not on the case anymore,” he said, stunning me again. “She decided it was a conflict after

all. He’s got local counsel now.”

My breath caught. My mother had never stepped aside before. By doing so on this one, she had

made a statement that she cared more about me than about a court case. I didn’t have to go any further.
I had already stood up and fought. Not only did I believe in myself, my mother had actually shown me
some respect. More than that, she had found a way to tell me she cared.

“Thanks,” I said hoarsely, feeling emotional.
He got up to leave but paused. “So, in case I don’t get a chance to talk to you, it was good seeing

you again, Lily.” He gave me a look I couldn’t really decipher, and then turned and walked out
without a backward glance.

I sat there, still in shock, when Adam pulled me into his arms, gently pushed a strand of hair

behind my ear and looked deeply into my eyes.

“Let’s go work for Braden and Gabrielle,” he said. That jolted me out of my reverie.
“But Jacob said you would probably be offered a job with the U.S. Attorney’s Office. That’s so

prestigious. You would rather work for a legal aid clinic?”

“If it meant I could work with my friends, and with you. I think that would be a hell of a lot more

fun than working with dickhead there, and I would rather enjoy my job than my prestige.”

“Okay,” I said, with a huge grin. “Let’s do it. I think I like being a lawyer and we make a good

team.” At least I would get to see him every day at work. He grinned back, looking very happy with

my answer.

“So, ready to endure Thanksgiving dinner at the Roth residence?”
“I’m thrilled about it. This will sound weird, but when we were kids I always kind of wanted to

be part of your family, even with you in it.”

“You wanted to be a Roth?”
“I did, yeah,” I admitted sheepishly. He paused and I saw him swallow and take a deep breath. He

looked like little Josh, trying to work up the courage to ask me about the bath.

“Do you still want to be a Roth? Because there’s a way you could be,” he said, looking at me

intently. My breath caught again. He couldn’t mean … Oh my God. My heart started pounding so hard
I was sure I would break a rib. I started to tremble, afraid to believe what I thought I was hearing.

“What do you mean?” I asked, my voice quavering. My mouth had gone dry.
“I mean, why don’t we give my parents something to be really thankful for? Hang on,” he said,

getting up and heading toward the bedroom.

“Hang on?” I said, breathlessly. “Wait! Where are you going?” Where was he going?!
He came back a second later, holding something in his hand. He walked over to where I sat

paralyzed on the sofa and then he kneeled down in front of me. Then it was like everything moved in
slow motion as he took my hand and looked at me like nobody had ever looked at me before. I was
shaking so hard and trying to remember everything about that moment because I knew I would be
replaying it in my memory for the rest of my life.

“Lily, will you marry me?” he asked, sounding, well scared, frankly. As I looked at him, so tense

and worried looking, I realized he wasn’t sure I would accept. But then, I would have the rest of our
lives to reassure him.

“Yes,” I said, swallowing hard, “I will, but no more licking my Fruit Roll-Ups.” He let out a huge

breath and then smiled a wonderful smile and slid a diamond ring on my shaking hand. It fit, just like
us.

“Okay, but no more glitter in my hair,” he answered, sounding very relieved, and happy.
“When did you buy this?” I asked, still reeling.
“The night after you said you would go on a date with me.”
“Oh really? Sure of yourself, aren’t you, Roth?” I teased.
“I just knew that if I finally got to go out with you, Adler, I would never want to let you go. I

figured I would have to come up with something and I might as well be prepared.”

“I’m glad we’re both ready now, Adam. It was worth waiting for,” I said, my eyes filling up again.

I had apparently become both a cuddler and crier.

He moved to sit beside me, pulled me into his arms, where I belonged, and kissed me deeply. And

we kissed for a very long time. In fact, we’re still kissing even now.

The End

About the Author

Once upon a time … N.M. Silber was a criminal defense attorney who got up each morning, donned
her power suit and sensible pumps, downed a gallon of coffee and set out to ‘fight the good fight’
while trying to not go insane. Having a dark sense of humor and a sarcastic wit helped — a lot.

Using her experiences in the criminal court system as a starting place, N.M. Silber developed the

engaging cast of characters and the humorous story lines of her sexy Romantic Comedies. Her
previous two books have been bestsellers on Amazon and Barnes & Noble’s websites, and Ms.
Silber was voted one of the Amazon Reader’s Choice Best New Novelists for 2013. She continues to
enjoy writing about the red hot lovin’ and crazy antics of the gang from Philly in the Lawyers in Love
series.

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