Legal Legacy (Surrendering Charlotte Chronicles) by Kimball Lee Read Free Book Online

throat as he slipped a finger inside her panties and then he cocked an eyebrow and moved away when the elevator stopped and a couple in their seventies stepped inside.
    “Good evening!” the woman said in a lilting British accent which led to a discussion about the divine supremacy of Manchester United. 
    “So your father is British? How lovely, but other than rooting furiously for Manchester I take it that you are thoroughly American?” the slender, jewel laden woman asked Atticus as her companion stole sidelong glances at Skyler’s legs and breasts.
    “I am, I grew up in Southern California but I was born in Surrey. My uncle Jude is a doctor there and by a strange twist of fate he delivered me into this world and I don’t know why I’m telling you that,” Atticus said, he wasn’t usually so talkative, it was the woman’s accent, he imagined. It made him think of his grandmother Georgina, it made him want to tell this woman that his father was dying and it was the worst thing that had ever happened to him. It was more traumatic than the time when he was little and a man held a knife to his throat. This was much, much worse, he wanted to say, and he didn’t know if he could handle it.
    “Dear Lord! Jude Hale d o you mean? Why he delivered my first grandchild, he’s handsome and brilliant and I would’ve gladly run away with him if I’d been twenty or thirty years younger. Then again, how could I desert my poor devoted Orville?” she said tapping the out of touch gentleman on the shoulder and motioning for him to turn up his hearing aid. “What is your name dear boy and won’t you and your young lady friend come along with us to the Mayor’s birthday party? I promise it will not be boring, it’s invitation only, of course, but you’ll be my guests. There will be heavenly piano music, and Mr. Neil Diamond will be there in the flesh. The thought of his sexy hip swiveling is enough to bring on a case of the vapors, I do hope I remembered to bring my inhaler along. This is not for everyone to know but a little bird in the concierge office let it slip that the divine Mr. Diamond intends to encourage certain guests to join him for an exuberant round of karaoke. Oh, you’ll love it, I’ll personally see to it that you will get to sing a song right out of the gate!”
    “Well, that’s thoughtful of you but we have plans, I’m afraid. It’s my last night in the city and we were just going out for dinner…”
    “Oh, I assure you this will be much more fun than going to dinner, my name is Lady Beatrice Weston and this is my escort, Orville. My father was Lord Shackelford, don’t you know. And this sparkling gem of a girl was on the cover of French Vogue this month if I’m not mistaken, which I never am, and what a dreamy girl you are, my dear,” she said, tapping Skyler’s shoulder with the end of an ivory cigarette holder. “The pair of you are quite madly in love, I can spot true love at a glance. Come along now, a night spent reminding Orville to take his meds and check his batteries does tend to make me bitchy.”
    “It looks like a bunch of drun k rich people,” Skyler whispered as they snaked their way through the crowd and sipped the martinis a waiter handed them.
    “Easy on the gin,” Atticus told Skyler. “I’d hate to have to carry you back to the room, I know what a cheap drunk you are.”
    “Oh reall y? Do you see that man over there who can’t stop pivoting his crotch and is obviously wearing a polyester hairpiece? Careful or I might tell him that you’re not quite legal as far as alcohol goes. What’s up with those freaky songs he’s singing? I feel like we’ve stumbled into a bad episode of That 70’s Show with everybody making love not war, which actually isn’t such a bad idea,” Skyler said but Atti was right, she could already feel the gin loosening her muscles all the way down to her toes.
    “ Think about, we have a room in the hotel and we’re not driving but we