he didn’t hear the apprehension in her voice. Her mind was fuzzy, and she had a hell of a time meeting his gaze. Azure didn’t know if she was feeling light-headed because of the delicious scent of Harper’s cologne or because he was studying her so intently. Either way, she had to get it together, and quick. Azure had a lot riding on this interview—her career, her reputation, a job she loved more than anything in the world—and couldn’t afford to blow this opportunity.
Determined to uncover the “dirt” her boss was dying for, she took a deep, cleansing breath and pushed the record button on the tape recorder. “Let’s get started, shall we?”
“Ask away, Azure. I have nothing to hide.”
Guilt pricked her heart. I wish I could say the same.
Chapter 4
Harper felt short of breath, as if he’d just finished swimming a dozen laps, and every time he caught a whiff of Azure’s sweet, floral perfume, his brain short-circuited. Pounded, spun, whirled faster than a helicopter propeller. He saw her lips moving, heard her rich, dulcet tone in his ears, but he didn’t understand a word she was saying. It took supreme effort, but Harper forced his gaze away from her luscious mouth and back up to her pretty brown eyes.
“What is it like working at one of the most prestigious law firms in the country?”
Pride filled him and seeped into his voice. “I love what I do, and I feel honored to be working at my family’s law firm,” he said smoothly, folding a leg across his knee. “When I was a little boy, my father used to take me with him to court, and the first time I ever saw him deliver closing arguments, I was sold. I knew right then and there I was going to be an attorney.”
“What do you like most about your job?”
“You mean besides winning big cases?” A grin exploded onto his lips. “I love the intellectual challenge of the law and liken the profession to chess, but with real and very flawed people. The player with the best interpretation of the law usually wins, and I’m proud to say that more often than not it’s Hamilton, Hamilton and Clark.”
“It’s obvious you love what you do, but there must be some things you don’t like....”
Harper thought for a moment, then answered truthfully, “The hours are incredibly long, and there’s a lot of repetition. Being a lawyer is nowhere near as glamorous as it looks on TV, and the competition inside the law firm is fierce. Everyone wants to make a name for themselves, no matter the cost.”
Listening to him, Azure got the sense that he was angry about something, and decided to play her hunch. “Are you and your cousin Jake fierce rivals?”
“I don’t know. You tell me.”
His response confused her, so she rephrased the question, hoping this time Harper would give her a straight answer instead of being as evasive as a secret agent. “Would you say Jake is your stiffest competition at the firm?”
“That depends. Is he vying for your affection, too?”
Azure’s cheeks burned, felt hotter than the tip of a flame. Searching his face for the truth, she tried to decipher if he was teasing her or being serious. Harper looked relaxed, completely at ease, like a man who had the world at his feet. But he wasn’t a cocky, swaggering rich guy who thought he was better than everyone else. Azure appreciated how humble he was, how courteous and well mannered. Harper Hamilton was it, and he didn’t even know it. There was nothing sexier than an intelligent, ridiculously handsome man with great manners, and Harper possessed all of those qualities and more.
“I’m sorry if I embarrassed you, Azure. Sometimes when I’m around a beautiful woman, I lose my head, but I’m sure you’re used to men tripping all over themselves. I guess that’s the price you have to pay for being stunning.”
Azure was surprised as anything when Harper touched her hand. And like the morning sun on a hot, balmy summer day, his smile felt warm and hot on her face. Azure couldn’t stop staring at him, couldn’t peel her eyes away. Forget Kobe Bryant and Lebron James. Harper Hamilton had serious game, and if she wasn’t careful, she’d end up shaming herself and the entire female population by acting on her desires.
“It’s been a long time since I went out with anybody, and I’m really enjoying your company, Azure. It’s so easy to be around you, and you have a terrific sense of humor. I like that. And I like you.”
Azure pushed on, pretended his comment had no effect on her. Even though it did. Her heart raced, beat in double time. There was something in the air, something so powerful, Azure knew she’d never be the same again. She drew a breath, one that should have steadied her nerves but didn’t. “Tell me more about what happens behind the scenes at Hamilton, Hamilton and Clark,” Azure said, pulse pounding, limbs shaking. Taking a quick sip of her drink, she watched as Harper unzipped his sports coat, took it off and draped it behind his chair. As if she didn’t have enough problems. Now she’d have to try not to stare at his broad, muscular chest. “Surely, you’re not one big happy family twenty-four-seven.”
“No, you’re certainly right about that, we’re not. Colleagues argue and bicker in every profession, and it’s no different at Hamilton, Hamilton and Clark. I hate to admit it, but sometimes it’s hard to believe we’re family.”
“It is?”
Harper gave a solemn nod. “Working with family members presents its own unique set of problems, and I’d be lying if I said things don’t get heated from time to time. We fight, we argue and on occasion we even…”
Azure wet her lips. This was going better than expected! Harper was actually opening up to her, revealing family secrets. By the time they wrapped up the interview she’d have everything she needed for her story and more.
“My dad and my uncle Jacob are always cursing someone out, and just last week Jake got into a fistfight with Griffin Jackson, one of our sharpest and brightest attorneys.”
Scandalous, Azure thought, cheering inwardly. This was exactly what her boss was looking for, the kind of juicy gossip that readers wanted to eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
“Once, I even walked in on…”
“Uh-huh.” Azure inched forward, got nice and close so she wouldn’t miss what Harper was about to divulge. “Once, you walked in on…”
“My cousin Marissa locked in a passionate embrace with one of our very married clients. I was so stunned I stumbled out of the room and back down the hall to my office.”
Frowning, Azure stopped writing on her trusty notepad. That was hard to believe. No, impossible. She had a knack for reading people, and Marissa Hamilton was no Long Island Lolita. Petite and slender, she looked more like a teenager than a hard-boiled attorney, and during last month’s interview she’d graciously answered each question and spoken openly about the pressure of being the youngest attorney at the family law firm. No way she’d ever fool around with a client, single or otherwise.
“And that’s not all. Wait until I tell you what my dad did at last year’s Christmas party!”
“You’re making this stuff up as you go along, aren’t you?” Azure glared at him, made a face she hoped conveyed her disgust. “I can’t believe you’ve been feeding me lies this entire time. You agreed to this interview and promised to answer
