Page 64 of Trials of a One Night Stand
I can’t believe I asked him if I should step down from the case. Is there such a thing as pregnancy brain? If so, I experienced it tonight. Maybe watching him with Dodge was a precursor, as my hormones were running rampant. Still, asking him that had been stupid.
The first rule of being a lawyer is not showing your hand to the opposition, and if he lets my words slip to Cliff Ranger, I’ll have shown a huge weakness. And Cliff will no doubt wonder how Nate knows this about me, and the house of cards I’ve been constructing will fall.
Whoosh.
Besides, Nate might believe I’m either so hung up on him I don’t want to go against him or I know Sugar Valley Drugs doesn’t have a chance of winning. Neither is true.
I only asked him because I was so wrapped up in the cozy moment. Stupid but true. But now, a question hammers in my head. Will Nate have a problem, maybe carry a grudge, if I win the case? If so, what does that mean for the baby? We should probably discuss that sooner rather than later. Not tonight, though, as I’m too worn out.
I must get myself back into the living room even though I’d rather plop onto one of the stools on the other side of the island and not move. I force my feet to move, hoping momentum will keep me going, with the two glasses of water.
As I round into the living room, Nate’s back is to me, but his hand is inside my briefcase.
Huh? I stop and blink, unsure if my tired eyes are playing tricks on me. Nope, his hand is inside my briefcase. The same briefcase with my notes for the trial.
What the hell does he think he’s doing?
An imaginary vise tightens around my chest, causing me to grip the glasses tighter so I don’t drop them. My heart and my ego hurt, badly. But I remain still and silent, stewing over what I’m watching and struggling to figure out what I should say and do.
Not only is this am enormous breach of trust, it’s illegal if he’s trying to steal my information. Though it does add weight to Lucas’s claims about Zentello stealing Orchid from them.
When I lived with Colton, we each had a file cabinet with a lock on it to keep our work safe and private. A bit anal, but client confidentiality is important. Little did I know that he had the combination to mine. Was that something else he used with the higher-ups to get the promotion over me?
Probably.
But with no one living here with me, I believed my work would be safe, and I’d been so tired when I got home, I left my briefcase, which I always keep shut, in the living room.
With Nate.
So much for tonight going any further.
This might be the end of everything.
I had a feeling I’d be raising my baby on my own. Steffi’s boyfriend promised her everything, going as far as giving her a promise ring until he could afford an engagement ring. He’d said all the right words about stepping up and getting married after they graduated from high school, but in the end, she’d had to take him to court and garnish his paycheck just to get child support payments. It’s been more than twenty years, and he’s never acknowledged his child, even though they all still live in the same small town. It was pathetic on his part, and I’m still sorry for Steffi because she truly loved him. I know Nate isn’t Steffi’s baby daddy, but it’s hard to forget what happened when I was the one holding her when she sobbed after he broke up with her. Add in what Colton did to me, and maybe that’s why I expect the worst from men. The only thing I can do is protect myself and my baby.
I swallow around the lump burning in my throat. “Looks like you got caught with your hand in the cookie jar.”
Nate glances my way and smirks. “I’ve had my hand in more exciting cookie jars.”
His approving gaze rakes over me, and even though I don’t want to, a host of dirty images of things we can do together fills my mind. I place the glasses on the table before I give in to the temptation to toss the water at him. That would make a mess and might ruin the upholstery on the sofa—I owe my gracious hosts more courtesy than that.
I remain standing. Nate hasn’t denied what he’s doing or tried to explain it. I snatch my briefcase from him, nearly taking his hand with it. That would serve him right for snooping. “You need to leave.” Now.
I clamp my jaw and grind my teeth. To believe I brought up dropping from the case earlier. I truly am an idiot. More memories surface, making me think I haven’t learned my lesson and history is repeating itself in an even worse way, given my pregnancy and what’s at stake with my job.
“You’re overreacting, Jayne.” His calm tone makes me want to swing my briefcase at him and wipe the smug expression from his face. “I didn’t take anything out.”
“Only because I returned sooner than you expected.”
“You do have some ninja-level skills.” He grins. “I didn’t hear you at all. Did you take off your shoes?”
“Not funny.”
“I’m not trying to be. Or rather only a little funny. You’ve seen our evidence, just as I've seen your, right? Why would I have to sneak a peek now?”
As my brain runs through scenarios, I clutch my briefcase to my stomach, holding it like a shield. “What if you’re trying to see if we have something new? Or if it’s something for another case?”
Nate shrugs. “Do you carry stuff like that in your bag and just leave it anywhere?”
