He looked...all right, she supposed. Healthy. That was good, that fate didn’t smite him with some awful disease, like leprosy or rabies. It wasn’t as if she wished rabies on him. Now, maybe she could’ve gotten behind a good case of poison ivy—one that kept him up for a night or two. That would only be karma. But rabies? Too far. So it was good that he wasn’t foaming at the mouth and that he looked normal. Passably attractive.
She rubbed at her suddenly pounding temple. Maybe “passably attractive” was an understatement. He looked hot, as if he’d just wandered off a billboard advertising that dark gray designer suit he was wearing. She could admire his bone structure, the sharp angles on his jaw complimenting an aquiline nose. His olive skin had darkened over an apparently leisurely summer, bringing attention to his deep blue eyes. He looked clean and showered and still raging with whatever pheromones he exuded that made women weak-kneed around him.
Other women, not her. His pheromones repelled her. Just the sight of him spiked her blood pressure and made her want to do rash things, like throw something hard through something glass to distract him long enough so that she could run away. And now he was watching her, waiting for some kind of response.
Just...damn him.
* * *
Sally Dawson, in the flesh, after all these years. Ben wouldn’t expect her to be happy to see him. Still, he would have hoped that time would mitigate some of the animosity. He ran his gaze along Sally’s slender frame. The years had been kind to her, at least. Her blond hair fell to her shoulders before curling loosely like question marks at the ends. She was glaring at him, all trench coat, bare legs and high heels. It entered his mind that she could very well be naked under that coat. His collar tightened.
She was still beautiful, but then Sally had never lacked the financial means to achieve beauty. He’d always had some trouble explaining her to other people. It was as if the high school drama queen had one day become bored with sunbathing and decided to use part of her ample trust fund to go to law school. He had to give her credit for sticking with the profession for this long.
“I didn’t realize you two knew each other,” said Jack. He clapped Ben on the shoulder. “Then you’ll be happy to know that Ben is joining our team.”
Her eyes widened. “No.” She looked at him as if he’d just kicked a puppy. “I thought you were working in Manhattan?”
“I left Pitney Stern years ago. Since then I’ve served as a Marine Corps judge advocate.” His back straightened. Being counsel to the marines carried with it the pride of being in top physical condition. All marines were battle ready.
“He completed tours in Iraq and Afghanistan,” Jack added.
“But now you’re here. Why?”
Charming, the way her eyes narrowed to little slits as if she were deciding whether she should slip off one of those stilettos and stab him in the neck.
“Because we need him,” Jack interjected. “We’ve been looking to hire someone for a while, and we’re lucky to have him.”
“Hmm.” She sealed her mouth into a tight line. “I didn’t mean to interrupt. Jack, when you’re ready to have that meeting you emailed me about, I’ll be in my office.”
“This is the meeting, Sally,” he replied.
That caught her attention. She blinked her wide brown eyes. “You called a meeting to introduce me to Ben?”
Jack arched an eyebrow. “Have a seat.”
She eyed Ben suspiciously again and waited for him to sit before taking the chair beside him.
“You’ve been pulling fourteen-hour days. Working weekends,” their boss continued. “You could’ve come to me sooner. You need some help.”
“It wasn’t a problem. It’s not a problem,” she corrected. “I’m preparing for a big trial. One that I’m perfectly capable of handling on my own.” She sent a pointed glare in Ben’s direction out of the corner of her eye. Cute.
“It’s not an insult to you.” Jack relocated a stack of files on his desk so he could lean forward to address her. “You know it’s policy that we have two attorneys on large cases. You’re so capable that I neglected to pay enough attention to the fact that you were going it alone for so long.”
Her jaw tightened, and she gripped the seat of the chair. “So what’s this mean?”
“I’ve asked Ben to help you out. Sit second chair. I figured you could get him acclimated to the office.”
“Show me the ropes. You know, where to find the pens, how to make the coffee.” He gave her what he’d hoped was a disarming smile, but she returned it with a glare.
“I like to do things my way, Jack,” she said slowly. “I don’t...play well with others.”
He shook his head. “It’s not negotiable, I’m afraid. The Kruger case is too large, and there’s too much media attention. I regret not giving you more resources sooner.”
Ben cocked his head toward her. “I look forward to working with you, Sally. We’ll make a great team.”
She gritted her teeth and said to Jack, “Are we finished? I have a busy day.”
“We’re finished. Thanks for your time.”
“Super.” She rose from her seat. Then she lifted the tray of coffees, twisted one free and set it before Jack, and proceeded to the door without another word.
As the sound of her angry footsteps receded down the hall, Ben was surprised to hear Jack chuckle under his breath. “What’s the joke?”
“Oh.” He waved his hand and leaned back in his chair. “Sally. You already know her, so I don’t have to tell you that she wears her heart on her sleeve.” He popped the top of the coffee she’d left for him and looked inside before taking a sip of the steaming beverage.
So that’s what that was: wearing her heart on her sleeve. Here Ben had thought she was acting bratty and rude. “Has she been working here for long?”
“Since the day she passed the bar.” The older man leaned back in his chair and opened the blinds behind his desk to allow some sunlight into the dark quarters. “Sweet girl and a hell of a lawyer. But when she gets upset about something... I don’t have to tell you,” he repeated, and dropped back into his seat.
“No. You don’t.”
Ben was all too familiar with Sally’s dramatic tendencies. In law school, she’d had near nervous breakdowns as a matter of routine before finals. She’d show up to the library in ratty jeans and an old sweatshirt, her hair unbrushed, looking as if she hadn’t slept in days. She would draw concern from their classmates with her dramatics and endless questions, and then she’d go on to earn one of the highest grades in the class. She’d routinely squandered the time and energy of those around her. He’d found it tedious.
Jack’s chair squeaked as he shifted forward again. “Anyway, don’t worry about her. You two will be working together on the Kruger case whether she likes it or not. There’s always a slew of work to be done during trial, and Sally doesn’t
