Unwrapping the Playboy by Marie Ferrarella Read Free Book Online Page A

my mother ask yours what kind of lawyer you needed?”
    Lilli smiled. It was the same smile he used to think lit up a dark room. “My mother only said I needed a good one. Your mother proudly said that you were. But my nine months in law school were not wasted,” she said, tongue in cheek. “I looked you up,” she told him. “I wanted to be sure that you weren’t practicing criminal law or just doing estate planning.” A distant expression came into her eyes. “I won’t need a criminal lawyer except maybe as a last resort.”
    He knew what she was saying. That if it came down to it, she’d kill to keep her son. He wondered if she actually meant that.
    â€œAs your lawyer, I have to advise you not to make those kind of jokes right now—” he underscored theword “—just in case Elizabeth Dalton does happen to turn up dead.”
    Lilli studied him for a long moment. “I don’t remember you being this cautious before.”
    He was the exact opposite of cautious and serious when it came to his social life, but professionally it was an other matter. The law didn’t leave a lot of wiggle room for mistakes.
    â€œI’m not,” he replied. “But in this particular case, it wouldn’t hurt to cover all bases.”
    He was right and she was grateful to him for that. For taking her case. The last thing she wanted was for him to think she was criticizing him or his methods.
    â€œThank you,” she said again. “Just knowing that you’re on the case makes me feel a great deal better al ready.”
    â€œThat makes one of us,” he said to the door after she had left and closed it.
    Damn it, he had a feeling that once this case was over he would have to start from scratch again. He would have to work to drive her essence out of his head. Out of his soul.
    â€œOf all the law firms in Bedford, she had to wander into mine,” he murmured under his breath, riffing on Humphrey Bogart’s famous line in Casablanca .
    With a sigh Kullen glanced down at his watch. He gave Lilli five minutes to stop at Selma’s desk, get the list he’d suggested she take with her and then make her way to the elevator.
    Exactly five minutes later, he opened his door and strode over to Kate’s office two doors down. Reaching it he knocked exactly once on the frosted glass. Tooimpatient to wait the mega-second for a response, he opened the door and walked in.
    Books were spread out and open all over his sister’s desk.
    Engrossed in her research, Kate looked up sharply when she heard him walk in. “I didn’t say come in.”
    â€œBut you would have,” he pointed out glibly.
    â€œI could have been with a client—or making out with Jackson,” she answered.
    He shrugged, closing the door behind him. “Then you would have thrown me out and I would have waited in the hall.”
    â€œWaited,” she repeated mockingly. “You don’t know how to wait. This sounds serious.” She pushed the book in front of her aside. “What’s up?”
    â€œDid you know about this?” he demanded.
    â€œWell,” she said carefully, “that all depends.”
    â€œOn what?” he asked her suspiciously, his eyes narrowing as he scrutinized her.
    â€œOn what ‘this’ means. If you’re asking about Selma’s birthday, yes, I know about it. Actually, I was the one who found out that it’s next week—”
    Raising his voice, he cut in. “I’m not talking about Selma’s birthday.” He was exasperated. When she got all wound up, Kate could fire more words per second than any living human. He knew from experience that he only had a couple of seconds to get out in front of that before she picked up her pace. “I’m talking about my newest client.”
    â€œYou have a new client,” Kate deadpanned. “How nice for you.” She shook her