“Ryan! You bastard. Let her go.” Logan strode into the office as Ryan pushed Melody away. She stumbled against the table, grabbing her suit jacket and shrugging it over her arms, trying to cover herself.
“She’s…” Ryan’s face was contorted in anger, his eyes darting between Logan and Melody.
Logan’s fist connected with Ryan’s jaw with a deep thud, sending him sprawling against his desk. Logan advanced again, but Melody caught his arm.
“No, Logan. No more.”
Logan took a step back from Ryan, his arm around Melody. Lori was still in the doorway, eyes wide, hand over her mouth. The color had drained from her face and for a moment, Melody thought the woman was going to faint.
“You’re making a mistake, MacKenzie.” Ryan rubbed his jaw, shaking his head.
“I don’t think so. I know what I saw.”
The barely restrained anger in Logan’s voice scared Melody. She held his arm, the muscles tensed beneath her fingers, his hand still curled into a fist.
“You saw her all over me. She’s been doing that of late. And apparently doing it with her clients as well.” Ryan straightened, adjusting his tie, smoothing down his lapels. The change was instant and remarkable. Except for the angry red mark on his jaw, it appeared as if nothing had happened.
Casually, Ryan leaned back against his desk. For all the world it looked as if he were holding a client meeting, not just been on the receiving end of a fist to the jaw. Melody wanted to run but she was mesmerized by Ryan’s ability to retain his composure. Got to give him points for that.
“At the bar, you kissed me, remember? Or perhaps you were too drunk. I understand you have a bit of a problem with alcohol.” Ryan’s lips were curved into a smile, but it held no warmth. And nothing reached his eyes. They were cold, moving back and forth between Logan and Melody.
“You really think you can go anywhere with this? You’re sleeping with your client. That’s a breach of ethics. You’ve been the one making advances, in order to secure being made a partner.”
Melody’s breath caught in her throat. Ryan looked at her, pity in his gaze. He shook his head slowly.
“Melody. How can you possibly think that anyone would believe you, of all people, in a claim against me? I told you, my name is on the letterhead. I’m pretty much bullet-proof.”
“Here, at work, you’ve practically thrown yourself at me every chance you get. The minute the door closes…” Ryan pointed toward the open door.
“No, she hasn’t.”
Three heads turned simultaneously toward the door. Lori was still standing in the doorway and Ryan was pointing directly at her. Melody stepped out from behind Logan.
“Lori. What are you saying?”
“She’s not saying anything. Are you?” Ryan straightened, glaring at Lori.
“I’m saying enough is enough, Ryan. You’ve done this before and I’ve stood by, silently, while you’ve ruined careers and lives. And now, I’m not silent anymore.”
Ryan took a step toward Lori, a look of panic in his eyes. But Logan was there, between them.
“Back, Ryan. Step back.”
“She’s lying. She’s jealous because I rebuffed her advances. That’s all, just jealousy.”
Melody turned to Lori. “Who else?”
“The woman who you replaced. And the woman who left for Hirschbeck last year. An intern two years ago, who ended up getting divorced. And Melissa.”
Melody rounded on Ryan. “You did this to Melissa too?”
“I never touched Melissa.” Ryan was indignant. “She’s a paralegal.”
“No, but you had her fired. Because of what she knew…what she saw at the bar, with you and Melody,” Lori said.
“You bastard! She was my friend and you made me believe she wasn’t a competent employee. But she saw what you did and you knew it, and you fired her? How could you?”
There was a noise in the hall and Melody turned. A small crowd had gathered and pushing his way to the front was Joe Hunter. He stepped into the office, closing the door behind him.
“There have been complaints regarding a fight. Ryan…” Joe was peering at Ryan’s bruised jaw. “Do you need medical attention?”
“No. I’m fine. Really. There’s nothing here you need to worry about.”
“I need to know what happened here. Marshall, you stay here. You two…” He motioned to Logan and Melody. “Come with me. To my office.”
* * *
Logan and Melody had finally emerged from Joe’s office, Joe assuring both he’d be following up with them and start a formal investigation, if that’s what Melody wanted. As they left, Lori emerged from a nearby conference room carrying her purse and coat. She followed them to the elevator, riding down to the lobby with them.
“I have no desire to be anywhere near that man. I’ve been sitting up here, writing out a statement. Joe’s told me to take tomorrow off and then I’ll be temporarily reassigned until some decision is made about Ryan.”
“Did Joe say anything else?” Melody tried to stay as far away from Logan as she could, trying to maintain the façade of attorney and client. But she longed to be next to him, to feel his arm around her. Even though Lori had heard everything Ryan had said, Melody hoped Lori would just chalk it up to Ryan’s anger at being caught, that it was just him spewing vitriolic words at Melody. She and Logan had known they’d be taking the risk of exposing their affair to Lori, trusting she’d be so caught up in whatever happened it wouldn’t really register to her what she was seeing.
“Just that he thinks it would be best if Ryan were on leave. He certainly can’t come to work. Not now.” Lori snorted in disgust.
“He’ll be on paid leave. It won’t make any difference to him, at this point. Other than the damage to his ego. And believe me, that man has an ego bigger than the Empire State Building but as fragile as spun sugar. When his ego or his pride is damaged, look out.”
Melody frowned at the woman. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, I think he’s wounded…you’ve wounded him where it hurts. And you’ve damaged his reputation.”
The elevator deposited them in the lobby. Lori turned, her hand on Melody’s arm.
“I’d be careful if I were you. He’s like a wounded lion now. Unstable and dangerous.”
The cab ride to Logan’s hotel was brief. They were in his room before Melody finally was able to let herself let go of her tightly controlled emotions. And when she did, the tears started. Logan held her, pulling her down on the couch beside him.
“Shhh…it’s over. It’s done. You’re fine…” His words grew less distinct, English slowly replaced with soft Gaelic, the words gradually forming the rhythm of music. It wasn’t long before Melody recognized the melody of the song from the gig in Scotland. The song about home.
She raised her head, her tears trailing away to sniffles. “Thank you, Logan. For everything. For thinking of this…for being there when I needed you.”
An involuntary shiver ran through her body. “I can still feel his hands on me, touching me. I knew I had to let him, but still…it was worse pretending I liked it, that I wanted him…and for you to see that…”
“Melody. Enough. I know why you did this; hell, I was in on the idea. Let it rest. You’ll make yourself ill.”
He sat back, pulling her onto his lap. “I just hope he’s not ruined you for all men. He hasn’t now, has he?”
The teasing light in his eyes and his gentle smile made her relax. She shook her head, smiling down at him, arms around his neck.
“No, not at all.”
Logan slid his hands beneath her suit jacket, fingers brushing against the silk. It was so different from Ryan’s touch and Melody pressed against Logan. He was watching his hands as they moved over the material, over her br**sts beneath, his eyes half-closed and dreamy, as her n**ples grew hard, pushing against the silk.
“You’re not hungry, are you? For dinner I mean?” His eyes met hers. She shook her head, and the seductive smile she received in return set off a small explosion low in her belly.
With his help she shrugged out of her jacket, letting it fall to the floor. Logan’s eyes traveled slowly down over her body and she enjoyed every moment of his gaze, the fire and passion in his eyes mirroring the heat that was blossoming inside her.
“Logan,” she breathed his name. She leaned forward, her lips on his, gentle but insistent.
The pressure of his hands increased and soon she was moaning against his mouth. She was growing frustrated at the confines of her clothing and shifted on Logan’s lap, tugging her skirt up her legs, straddling his hips.
The touch of his fingers on her inner thigh sent a shiver through her body. They crept higher, and she spread her legs a bit further, each caress of his hand sending a wave of pleasure through her.
Logan suddenly looked up at her, eyes widening. “Melody. I’m shocked. You’re not wearing anything under your dress.” His laugh was low and sexy, and he drew his brows together in mock reproach.
“What exactly were you planning for today?”
Melody’s smile was just as seductive as any she’d seen on Logan’s lips. “I was covering all the bases…or in this case, making sure they were uncovered.” His fingers had moved further north, stroking her softly, and her h*ps were moving in response, slowly undulating at his touch. When she spoke, her voice was a breathless whisper.
“I didn’t know how far he’d go. Or how far I’d have to let him.” She met his gaze, lips parted.
“I’m glad he didn’t get this far. He’d have had more than a fist to the jaw. I’d have removed anything of his he’d ever wanted to use on any woman with his own letter opener.”
Melody breathed out a deep sigh. “Enough of him. Pay attention to me, Logan.”
Logan leaned forward, one arm behind her back, his hand warm on her bare skin. She was cradled between the hand on her inner thigh and the hand on her back, and as he held her, he leaned forward, lips brushing the silk of her blouse. His breath was warm and the silk thin enough that she could feel every nuance of his mouth on her body, every breath filtered through the fabric.
The touch of his tongue on her nipple made her cry out, the friction of the wet silk against her body enticing and erotic. His head was bent against her and she wound her fingers through his dark hair, holding him gently against her breast.
He drew her into his mouth, sucking gently at first, but then with increasing fervor, nuzzling her, pulling on each breast in turn.
Melody was moaning, back arched, pressing herself against Logan. His fingers were still exploring, testing her depths, and the combination of his mouth and lips and tongue and fingers all conspired to drive her into a state of complete abandon.
If Logan’s hands hadn’t been holding her, she would have tumbled off his lap. As she came, he held her hard against him, his cheek turned against her breast, moaning with her as she shook in his embrace.