new to us. I assume you’re that family friend and not the husband...right?” she inquired, directing her question to Robert.
Robert gifted Karen with a wide smile of his own and that legendary charm automatically kicked into high gear. “Yes... I’m definitely not her husband,” he answered before giving Farrah a hard look. “Nor, for that matter, am I considered anyone else’s.”
Farrah experienced such an intense and unexpected jab of jealousy and possessiveness watching the exchange, she found herself inching closer to Robert. Before she knew it, common sense took a road trip to never-never land as she parted her lips and said, “No, he’s not my sister’s husband. He’s mine.”
“So much for not sharing our business,” Robert murmured to Farrah, returning the smirk she’d given their shocked, starry-eyed receptionist.
Farrah ignored his comments, finding a more pointed interest in the concerned look of one of their staff members that was within earshot of their conversation. Karen’s right hand flew to her heart. “Oh, your sister hadn’t mentioned anything about a brother-in-law.”
“I’m sure she didn’t,” Robert said sarcastically, adding, “She can’t share what she doesn’t know.”
Farrah hadn’t thought through her rash decision to share that bit of information with the receptionist. She offered Robert a defiant stare before turning back to the young woman. “We’re very private people,” Farrah explained, all signs of that smirk gone. “I’m sure you understand and will respect our privacy.”
“Of course...please excuse me just one moment and I’ll take you both back,” Karen replied as she turned to address a man that had been hovering nearby but was now approaching her, holding several files with a confused look on his face.
Robert turned and leaned against the desk. “So now you want to share the fact that we’re married.”
“Will you please lower your voice?” Farrah scolded, scanning the faces of the mothers-to-be who were sharing glances that she was certain had everything to do with them.
“You can’t have it both ways, you know,” he said, narrowing his gaze on her flushed face. “Just because you’re jealous—”
“I’m not jealous,” she snapped through a forced smile. “And I’m certainly not the one who was sneaking around trying to find out what’s going on between me and Trey Steel, who wouldn’t even be here if it weren’t for you.”
Tremaine Steel, often called Trey by his family and friends, was a wealthy senior partner in his family’s exceptionally successful law firm, and had become involved in defending Blake & Montgomery in a patent lawsuit. He had a reputation for being a talented attorney who loved the ladies. From what Robert had learned about the man, his looks, deep pockets and wicked charm could make a woman drop to her knees. The report on Robert’s desk spoke to the fact that plenty of them had done just that, and a lot more, on more than one occasion.
Blake & Montgomery had been entangled in a lawsuit over the ownership of a security patent for a single-system digital device that would incorporate all of one’s personal and business security needs for the past five years.
Ted Jefferson Jr., the son of a deceased former business partner of the firm’s founders, Frank Blake and Milton Montgomery, was claiming that it was his father’s original drawings and specs on which Robert had based his ideas for a revolutionary new security system that would allow users to secure their home, business and digital information using fingerprint and palm-recognition technology.
Farrah had played a vital role in developing their defense from the moment she joined the company, and within the last two years had become the lead attorney on the case. Although the lower courts had offered a judgment in their favor, Blake & Montgomery was being forced to defend itself in both the media and through the court’s appeals process.
Robert had requested and gained the board’s support to bring in an outside attorney to take over the case through the next phase of its defense, especially since it was his own program designs that were at the center of the dispute. Strangely enough, a furious Farrah had decided not to fight the board on the matter. Instead she insisted on being a part of the attorney selection process. That should have been his tip-off that she was up to something. Farrah’s selection of Tremaine Steel was an exceptional choice happily accepted by all concerned—almost all.
Tremaine Steel had successfully argued cases before both the State and Federal Supreme Courts, which made him the perfect person to handle the Blake & Montgomery patent appeal. But as far as Robert was concerned, he had better steer clear of Farrah, or Robert might find himself in need of an attorney of his own for a far different reason.
“I wasn’t sneaking around doing anything,” Robert protested. “I may have inquired a few times as to what was going on with the case.” He ran his right hand through his hair. “Look, we’ve talked about this already. You know that I think you’re an amazing attorney. It’s just, with all the different types of claims being leveled...”
Farrah twisted her neck around and her eyebrows flew up.
“Wait,” Robert raised his hands in surrender, trying to hold off the scolding he knew was coming. “Not that you don’t know what you’re doing.”
“Whatever,” she said, giving him a dismissive wave. “You got what you wanted. Just stay out of my business from now on. We certainly don’t need a repeat of Vegas.”
* * *
Vegas. Ah, Vegas. How could he forget?
Farrah was winding through the casino floor of the MGM Grand Hotel, trying to block all the noise—bells, cheers of joy and tears of disappointment—preparing to enter the unseasonably warm April weather, when she saw Robert Gold heading her way. “What are you doing here?”
“Meeks sent me to help you.”
“To settle a contract dispute? How exactly do you plan to help me do that?”
He shrugged. “In any way you need.”
“Go home, Robert,” Farrah shot back as she moved around him and continued toward the exit.
Robert followed her outside, pulling his aviator sunglasses down from his head and over his eyes. “Look, I’m here to stay, so you might as well put me to work.”
Farrah reached into her bag and pulled out a document and a certified check. “It’s already done,” she said, handing him the document and placing a pair of Chanel sunglasses over those sexy siren eyes.
Robert put his right arm over Farrah’s shoulders and smiled. “Well, in that case, it’s the weekend, so let’s play.” For two people who had been dancing around the edges of friendship and passion since she’d joined the family business, play, which included a lot of tequila, was the operative word. Marriage happened to be the unexpected endgame.
“For the millionth time, I didn’t crash your Vegas trip,” Robert insisted. “Meeks sent me to help.”
“Help I didn’t need,” she shot back, rubbing her temple. “Look, it’s just...”
“Just
