The Singles Table, page 21
Faroz’s face brightened. “I thought I knew them all.”
“Did you know about death by lightsaber?” Tony asked. “Many people think it’s the same as a laser beam but lightsabers consist of a plasma blade powered by a kyber crystal. It makes for a cleaner cut.”
“Either way, it’s a shit way to die,” Faroz muttered. “When it’s my time, I want to go out fucking.”
“You can’t swear in a law office,” Tony warned. “Decorum.”
Faroz chuckled. “I heard you negotiating a settlement with the Hammer this morning. I’d say the bar is pretty low.”
“Is it always like this?” Parvati whispered to Zara.
“Yes.”
“Then you’d definitely better start rustling up some clients because this is where you belong.”
Zara dropped her files off in her office and ten minutes later they climbed into Parvati’s car, a black BMW convertible that she’d bought at auction.
“I gave my number to Faroz,” Parvati said. “Is there anything I should know before I bring him home?”
“He doesn’t talk about his personal life except to throw out little nuggets like When I was in Guam . . . or Did you know a man can still talk when you cut out his tongue? or Poison is always your best bet for an assassination, or my favorite, I’d tell you but I would have to kill you. I heard a rumor he was in the CIA but I don’t believe it. Why would a CIA agent take a job as a private investigator for a law firm?”
“Maybe he needed a cover,” Parvati said absently. “I don’t really care what he does for a living. He’s hot. He has an amazing body. He oozes sex. And I’ve always wanted to sleep with an older man.”
“How about we don’t talk about him anymore because I’ll have to pick up the pieces when you use him and throw him away.” She braced herself when Parvati blasted out of the parking lot, tires screeching when she rounded the corner.
“In a hurry?” Zara had always been a fast driver until she’d started working at Cruz & Lovitt and had seen firsthand the damage that could be done from reckless driving.
“I feel like I was just in the twilight zone. I need to calm down.” Parvati slowed to the speed limit. “After our shopping trip, I want to order Chinese food and stream an old episode of Autopsy on HBO for a little relaxation.”
“Normal people don’t watch autopsies to relax.”
“I don’t watch it for the autopsy.” Parvati stopped at a red light and checked out the hot guy in the red Porsche beside them. “My favorite part is guessing the cause of death. Was it a heart attack? Did he have a hidden cancer? Was there an amoeba in his brain? It’s so exciting.”
“You need to get out more. You’re spending too long in the hospital. What about a hookup with someone I don’t work with?” The guy in the Porsche was too busy admiring himself in the rearview to notice he had a sure thing right beside him.
“I hook up every day.” Her grin flashed. “I see a good-looking resident or intern. Five minutes later we’re doing it in the storage closet. Ten minutes later I’m back on the floor—seven if they paid attention in gynecology. I don’t even ask for a name.” She hit the accelerator and Zara’s head slammed into the seat.
“Maybe you could introduce me to one the next time I’m in the hospital.”
“Are you kidding me?” Parvati snorted. “You just had dinner with Jay’s mom. A guy doesn’t invite you to have dinner with his mom unless it’s serious. And a woman doesn’t go to dinner with a guy’s mom unless she likes the guy. A lot. I’m not going to help you sabotage your relationship by introducing you to a meaningless hookup when you’ve got a man who is still the talk of the ER.”
Zara’s stomach twisted in a knot. “It’s not a relationship. It was an arrangement that we put on a temporary pause. But this morning Tony told me that the firm is struggling financially. My job is at risk unless I find new clients. I need the arrangement to be on again. Jay has access to clients who, if injured and suffer a significant loss of earnings, could secure my future at the firm.”
“You just want to meet celebrities.” Parvati slammed on the brakes at a red light and grabbed her lipstick from the cupholder.
Zara gave an affronted sniff. “I want to meet people who may or may not work in the entertainment industry and whose lives may get destroyed by a freak accident that renders them unable to realize their earnings potential.”
“Are you reading the small print from one of your ads?” Sarcasm laced Parvati’s tone. “Don’t try to change the topic. It won’t work with me. You have feelings for Jay and now you’re running scared.”
“Definitely not.” Zara folded her arms across her chest. “I promised to find him a match and that’s what I’m going to do.”
Parvati ran the lipstick around her lips, turning them from pink into a bright glossy red. “Does that mean you aren’t going to sleep with him again?”
“It wasn’t a big deal,” Zara protested. “It was casual. We’re casual. We had a fun night together, and that’s all it was. Neither of us has time to get involved. He said so himself in front of his mom, which is why I really need to get busy finding his special someone.”
“Never seen you run this hard, babe.” Parvati rounded a corner with a screech.
Ridiculous. When had she ever become emotionally attached to a man after one night together? Usually she hustled them out the door before dawn, and by the time the sun came up she’d forgotten they’d ever been in her bed. Granted, she and Jay had spent a lot of time together, but that didn’t mean anything when she was getting to know him for the sole purpose of handing him over to somebody else.
So what that he was the first person she’d thought of after the emotionally distressing dinner with her mom? He was especially good at hugs, so it was only natural she’d want to find comfort in his arms.
Still, something had to be done. In some silly, secret part of her heart, she wanted Jay to care about her as much as she cared about him, which was far too much for a woman who was simply not girlfriend material. Jay was calm and steady. He needed a woman who didn’t attract chaos wherever she went. Someone who wouldn’t be expecting the relationship to fail because she’d learned at a young age that love stops and marriages don’t last forever.
It was time to get back to business. She had to find Jay a match.
• 20 •
“Are you planning to spend your entire evening working?”
Jay looked up when Elias walked into his office, a set of golf clubs slung across his back. “I get the most work done in the evening. No phones. No meetings. No distractions.” No one to interrupt when his thoughts drifted to a beautiful lawyer with a sunny smile and an infectious laugh.
“No fun.” Elias put the clubs down in front of him. “We need a fourth for our twilight game at the Ocean Course at Half Moon Bay.”
“I can’t,” Jay said. “Thomas just sent over the final package for the board review. I want to get a start on it. We’re almost there. I don’t want to mess it up now.”
Elias put down his clubs. “You’re making me feel guilty.”
“Just promise to keep Brittany entertained at the charity event tomorrow. She has a lot of pull with Thomas. I don’t want her to feel left out. I’m planning to bring Zara if she’s free so I won’t be able to give them my full attention.” He hadn’t told Elias about the hallway incident. Better if he hooked up with Brittany thinking he was the one she wanted all along.
“I’m not even going to pretend I’m looking forward to it.” Elias heaved a sigh. “You know I’m not good at high-society events. I’m a beer-and-hamburger kind of guy. She’s going to take one look at me waddling around in a penguin suit and run in the other direction.”
“It’s not that fancy,” he assured his friend. “You’ll be fine. Zara is great at putting people at ease. I’m going to call her after I’m done to see if she can make it.” He was counting on her love of celebrities to override any reticence to spend the evening with him at a social function. They hadn’t talked about their relationship since the awkward dinner with his mom. He’d sensed she needed some space, and although it had killed him, he’d left her alone.
Elias had been gone only half an hour when Jay heard the rattle of a door, the creak of a hinge, a slam, and then footsteps. Had Elias left something behind? “You’re going to miss your tee time,” Jay called out. “What did you forget that’s so important?”
“He forgot to lock the door.” Zara walked into his office wearing one of her brightly colored dresses, this one with a blue skirt that swayed gently around her hips.
Words failed him. Not just because he’d missed her, but also because she had somehow managed to get into the office of a security company that had built its reputation on keeping buildings secure.
“How did you get in here?” he asked when he could finally formulate a sentence.
“I told the guard at the door that I was your attorney. I gave him my card to show I was legit. It isn’t wholly untrue. I am an attorney and in a way I’m yours because we have an arrangement.”
“Spoken like a true lawyer.”
Zara gave him a curtsy. “At your service.”
“Looks like I’m going to have to have a word with the guard at the desk.”
“It’s not his fault,” Zara said quickly. “I distracted him. I noticed he had a picture of his kids on his desk. They were wearing pirate costumes so I told him about the musical and offered to leave some tickets at the box office for his family—”
“You bribed him.” He stared at her, incredulous.
“I did no such thing.” Her hands found her hips. “It was a genuine offer. He had already decided to let me come up and see you.”
Jay made a mental note to thank the guard downstairs. If the dude hadn’t been so easily distracted, Jay might not have had the chance to see Zara tonight.
“So, to what do I owe this pleasure?” He leaned back in his chair, folding his arms behind his head.
Zara put her bag on the chair across from his desk and pulled out a file folder. “Since our arrangement is back on, I’ve got some possible matches for you to consider.”
“I thought we agreed to put our deal on pause.” He’d been so surprised by her sudden appearance that he hadn’t been paying attention. But now that she was closer, he could see something was wrong. Her eyes had lost their sparkle and lines of worry creased her forehead.
“We unpaused it.” She stared at the floor, long lashes fluttering over soft cheeks. “I thought that’s what was going on when we had dinner with your mom and Rick.”
“You told Rick we weren’t together. I was just following your lead.” He knew he should be concerned about his unbridled attraction for a woman who might not want him. Instead, he was contemplating the best way to pleasure her once he got her on his desk, pretty skirt hiked up her thighs, stiletto heels over his shoulders.
“I’m not really into labels.” She shrugged. “Together. Not together. What does it really mean? We have an arrangement and I just want to uphold my end of the bargain.”
“So what was Saturday night?” His heart thudded a frantic beat.
“It was . . . fun,” she said. “But now that we have it out of our systems, it’s best if we get back to business.”
Jay felt her words like a stab in the gut. Instinct told him they’d shared more than just physical intimacy during the night they’d spent together. They’d connected on another level, one so deep he couldn’t believe she’d come to his office just to push him away. Something had upset her. He’d seen it when she walked in the door, and he could see it now in the way she avoided his gaze. If she wasn’t going to be forthcoming, he would have to play the game. And Jay played to win.
“Take a seat and tell me what you’ve got.”
She startled, like she hadn’t expected him to capitulate, but recovered quickly. “Okay.” She settled in the chair across from him and picked up the file. “First we have Vidya Reddy. She’s an accountant with a multinational firm. She runs for fitness, enjoys classical music, and likes to garden. She’s organized, focused, detail-oriented, and professional.”
“Hmmm.” He rocked in his chair. “Can she sing ‘Climbing over Rocky Mountain,’ create a zombie costume out of nothing, and give a man a wake-up surprise he’ll never forget?”
She pressed her lips together and glared. “No. I don’t believe so.”
“Pass. Who’s next?” He stood and walked around the desk, turning her chair so he could kneel in front of her.
“What are you doing?”
“Keep going. I can barely contain my excitement. What other lovely ladies have you chosen to warm my bed?” He gently removed one of her high-heeled shoes and pressed a kiss to her instep.
“Devika Malini.” Her voice hitched and she hissed in a breath. “She’s a software engineer from a well-connected family and CEO of a fitness clothing start-up—”
“Would she fill a room with people just to support her father without even knowing he planned to show a collection of vulva fruit art? Can she find the best hot dog in San Francisco? And is she flexible enough to do yoga poses in bed?” He licked his lips. “I found a new one for you to try, by the way. It’s called leg behind head pose.” Holding her leg with one hand, he kissed his way along her calf, pausing to nip gently behind her knee.
She swallowed hard, hands braced on the arms of the chair. “You aren’t taking this seriously.”
“I am taking it very seriously,” Jay said. “But you’ve set a high bar and so far no one can measure up. I’m assuming the answer to all my questions is no for poor Devika. Who else is on your list?” Taking advantage of her easy-access skirt, he pushed it up so he could continue his kissing journey along the inside of one thigh.
“Jay . . .” Her voice caught, broke. “I’m trying to—”
“Find me a match. I know. I’m listening.” He grabbed her hips and pulled her to the edge of the seat. “If you want me to stop, just say the word, but I do my best thinking when I’m distracted.”
“Shobana Agarwal.” She started to tremble when he ran a finger along the edge of her panties. “She had agreed to an arranged marriage but ran away the night before the ceremony and took their honeymoon flight down to Jamaica . . .”
Jay pressed a kiss to the soft cotton over her entrance. “Your panties are wet,” he said softly. “I believe you once told me that you preferred going without in this type of situation. Let me assist.” He slid his hands into the elastic of her panties and ever so slowly tugged them down. Zara lifted her hips and within moments she was bare.
“Tell me more about Shobana.” He pushed her skirt up to her waist and pressed his lips against her glistening curls.
Zara groaned, crushing the paper in her hand. “She stayed there two years working as a bartender, backpacked around the world, and worked as an elephant trainer in Thailand . . .”
He swept his tongue over her clit, teased at the hood. Her legs fell apart on a groan and he slid one finger into her slick, wet entrance. “Keep going. What did she do after the elephants?”
Her breath came in short pants. He added a second finger, shifting his position to accommodate the press of his hard cock against his fly. He had never been so aroused, his need for release almost painful. But this was about her. He teased her labia with his tongue, added a third finger. So wet. So hot.
“She . . . She got a job on a cruise ship as an acrobat with the entertainment team. She fell off the flying trapeze and got injured so she came home.”
Jay froze, jerked his head up. “Did you say trapeze?”
Zara scowled and pushed his head back down with her free hand. “Forget about her. She’s not your type.”
“Trapeze artists are at the top of most male fantasy lists.”
“She’s not going to be on yours.” She tore the paper in half and tossed it away.
“Anyone else?” He licked around her clit, fingers thrusting deep inside her, encouraged by her sharp gasp.
“A . . . A zookeeper in San Diego. She can wrestle lions, tame tigers, speak to rhinos, and she spent two years at an animal sanctuary in South Africa.”
He moved his fingers fast, alternated between licking and talking. “Can she shoot a man in the ass at ten paces? Can she dance to Bollywood, mariachi, and musicals? Can she drink most men under the table?”
“No, but her hair is pink, she has a nose ring, and she rides a motor . . .” Her voice trailed off and her inner walls clamped around his fingers, her body going rigid in the chair as she hit her peak. Christ, he loved watching her come.
“Do you know what you get to ride?” He stood and swept his desk clear, spilling papers, pens, pencils, and his coffee cup onto the floor.
Languid in the chair, she licked her lips when he yanked open his belt. “Do I get three guesses?”
“You get one.” He shoved down his pants and boxers. “A big one.”
After he rolled on the condom from his pocket, he lifted her from the chair. Zara wrapped her legs around his waist, and he fit himself to her entrance. “Any other ladies you want to set me up with?”
She ground against him, testing his self-control. “Not at the moment.”
“I didn’t think so. How could you possibly give me away when you could have all this to yourself?”
“I don’t have a choice.” She let out a shuddering breath when he lowered her to the desk. “I have one month to bring in some new clients or my firm won’t make my position permanent. The market is down and they can’t afford to keep me. I’m beating every bush, trying to think of every angle. You have access to celebrity clients. Some of them might do their own stunts and get injured. I thought maybe you could introduce me to a few of your high-profile clients and I could spread some tiger love around.”
