husbandâs pride has been nicked. His affairs never came up in court, and now heâs claiming he was a faithful, devoted husband and father and she was the slut and that his kids shouldnât be around a mother like that.â
Zayadâs jaw was rigid. He detested men like this oneâcowards. âHe wants to use the children as revenge.â
âExactly. This guy is rich and powerful and has no trail for his affairs that his ex-wife or I could find. The women arenât talking. His friends and business associates arenât talking. The hotel and flower receipts my client had found have suddenly vanished.â
âThere is always a way to recover these things.â
âIâve tried. Sheâs tried. Nothing.â She nibbled on the bread. âI donât want to lose this case.â
The male protector inside Zayad sprang to life, and he made an imprudent vow. âYou will not lose.â
âI have a killer sprain and no way to do any legwork on this case.â
âWe will find this manâs trail.â
Her eyes narrowed with surprise. âWe?â
He moved from the chair to her bedside. âThis case reminds me of my own struggles. I, too, had to fight to reclaim a child from a parent who only wished to use him.â
âWhat are you talking about? What child?â
âMine. I have a son.â
Mariahâs mouth dropped open. âYou do?â
âYou do not see me as parental?â
âWell, no.â She shook her head, felt cruel for saying something like that. âWhat I mean is that, well, youâre soâ¦â
âWhat?â
âI donât know.â Gorgeous, charming, cultured. The men she knew with those traits were usually the kind of men she fought in court. The kind of men who wanted to get rid of their baggageâwife, kidsâand start fresh. Her mind whirled. This man had a child? This man had fought for his child? âI donât know what to make of you, Zayad.â
He leaned toward her, brushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear. âIt was falling in the soup.â
He didnât move away. He stayed close, his mouth just inches from hers. She felt his warmth, and her heart jumped her in chest. âItâs really bad soup, by the way,â she whispered.
His gaze moved over her face, pausing at her lips. âI did warn you.â
Mariah paused, let those words sink in, cool her heated skin. She couldnât believe herself. She actually had been ready to kiss him, throw her arms around his neck and go for it. This man she hardly knew. This man who represented everything that terrified her in a lover.
She swallowed hard. âIâd better get some sleep. That last pain pill is starting to wear off.â
For a moment he remained, deliciously close and still tempting. Then his gaze flickered and he pulled back, a vein in his temple pulsating. âIf you need anything, I will be in the living area.â
Her heart dropped into her belly. â My living room?â
He nodded. âOn the couch.â
âThe couch.â Just outside her bedroom door? Him in his boxers, or whatever he wore to bed, on her couch, in her living room?
âThis is all right, yes?â he asked, standing. âIf you need assistance in the night.â
âYes, of course,â she sputtered.
âGood night then.â
ââNight,â she called after him. âAnd again, thanks.â
When he left, she fell back on the pillow and sighed. Oh, what she had to be missing right now. The feelingof his face so close to her own had been heaven. She could just imagine that a kiss would be absolute magic.
Just the thought had her body glowing, had her senses high and heady with a feeling she hadnât wanted to feel ever againâa feeling that made her vulnerable.
Pure, unadulterated lust.
Â
âWell, Iâm here,â Jane said over the phone ten minutes later.