Evidence of Desire

Anxious to get down to business, she gestured to the dining area with her hand. “We should probably go grab a table. It’s starting to fill up in here.”

“I’m fine here at the bar, if you are. There’s a line down the block to get in, and I’m not interested in waiting outside.” Harper glanced at the floor-to-ceiling windows. “I used to deliver flyers when I was a teenager, and to this day, every time I have to walk more than a block or two I moan and grumble!”

“You had a part-time job in high school?”

“You mean jobs,” he corrected, chuckling good-naturedly. “My parents wanted me to understand the value of a dollar, so once I was old enough they encouraged me to work. Or rather, forced me to! I shoveled snow, mowed lawns, walked dogs. I did it all, and hated every minute of it.”

“Now I don’t feel so bad about working at Fat Burger. At least I wasn’t outside!”

“You used to work at Fat Burger? Wow, back in the day that place was my second home.” He wore a wistful expression, but his tone was filled with humor. “There was one across the street from my prep school, and my friends and I would head over there whenever we had a spare. I had the same thing every day. A—”

“Triple King Meal, ten-piece chicken nuggets and a chocolate milkshake.”

“Yeah,” he said, raising a thick, perfectly groomed eyebrow. “How did you know?”

Azure shifted around on her stool. “Just a lucky guess. I worked at Fat Burger for years, and that seemed to be everybody’s favorite.”

“You’re probably right. My buddies ordered the same thing, too.”

In the lounge, chuckles rang out, the scent of fresh garlic bread filled the air and patrons danced to the pop song playing. When the bartender returned to refresh their drinks, Harper ordered an appetizer platter and a bottle of wine.

“I hope you’re eating for two,” Azure quipped, hiding a smirk that threatened to overwhelm her mouth, “because that platter serves six and I’m not hungry.”

“Don’t tell me you’re one of those weight-obsessed, calorie-counting types who’s strict about what she eats.”

“Isn’t every woman?”

Harper tasted his drink, then rested it on his coaster. “It’s not the size of a woman’s waist or the length of her hair that makes her beautiful. It’s how she carries herself, how confident and comfortable she is in her skin. I’ve dated sisters of all shapes and sizes and—”

“You have?”

“Of course, I’d be a fool not to. Contrary to what the fashion industry thinks, beauty comes in plus-size packages, too, and I’m tired of only seeing toothpick-thin models on billboards and magazine covers.” He wore a smile. “No offense.”

Azure held up her hands. “None taken. And I agree with you. I’ve been pushing the powers-that-be at Eminence to hire more full-figured models, but my new boss, Leland Watson, isn’t on board. All he cares about is turning the magazine into a glossier, more scandalous version of People magazine.”

“On that note, I’d love to hear more about the piece you’re working on.”

You and me both, Azure thought, clearing her throat. Facing him, she arched her shoulders and crossed her legs. Sucking in her stomach hurt, but she clasped her hands around her knees and wore a winning smile. Perfect. Now he couldn’t see her hands shaking.

“I must admit, I was shocked when you asked me to meet you here tonight.”

“You were? Why?”

“Because you’re a beautiful woman who I’m sure has no shortage of admirers.”

Azure felt her eyes bulge out of her head. Harper thinks I’m beautiful? For real? No way! The idea was shocking, mind-boggling, as unbelievable as shoulder pads coming back in style, but Harper looked dead serious. His gaze was intense, smoldering with such heat, her heart skipped two beats. For a split second, Azure considered telling Harper who she was. It was obvious he didn’t remember her, so why not come clean?

Because if I confess to being frumpy ol’ Alice Ellison, it might ruin my chances with him.

Shaking her head helped Azure come to her senses. She had to be professional. This was business. Strictly business. And once she gained Harper’s trust and tricked him into revealing family secrets, she’d be on her way because being around this strong, virile attorney was too much temptation for a single, celibate girl like herself to take. “My boss wants me to produce a story that breaks new ground, a piece that will get the whole country talking, and I think I may have found what he’s looking for. But to write the story, I need to interview someone inside the Hamilton family dynasty.”

“And that would be me,” he offered, his expression guarded, his tone tight.

Azure nodded. To lighten the mood and put him at ease, she spoke from the heart. “We’re a lot alike, you and me, and I think—”

“Is that so? In what way, Ms. Ellison?”

“For starters, we’re both keen observers who don’t automatically buy what we’ve been told. We’re hard workers who never take the easy way out, but we’re often overshadowed by louder, flashier colleagues who believe their own hype.”

Harper stroked his jaw reflectively. He was impressed. Azure Ellison had described him to a T. No one had ever done that before, but the longer he stared at her, the more convinced he was that she was hiding something. There was something familiar about her, mysterious, too. Was it possible they’d met before last month’s photo shoot? Through an acquaintance or business associate maybe? Instead of playing a solitary game of twenty questions, he decided to lay his cards on the table. “Who are you really, Azure Ellison, and what are you after?”

“I sensed a bit of animosity between you and Jake during last month’s interview,” Azure said, sidestepping his question. “I’m curious if there was more to that argument I witnessed than you led me to believe.”

His eyes narrowed, lost their luster and the veins in his neck pulsed.

Bingo! Tempering her excitement, she paused to taste her cocktail and waited a half second before moving in for the kill. “I’d love to profile you, Harper. Just you. We could do a full-page spread with pictures, quotes and a list of your most high-profile cases.”

Interest sparked in Harper’s eyes as he straightened in his seat.

“I suspect that you’re the unsung hero of the firm, and I’d love to give you a chance to tell the world what’s really going on behind the scenes at Hamilton, Hamilton and Clark.”

Azure was spinning her tale as fast as she could, saying and doing all the right things, but Harper didn’t respond. He looked amused, as if he were watching a kitten chase its tail around in circles, and his broad grin was growing by the second. “Will you do the interview?”

Several long, tense seconds ticked by.

“I’ll do it, but only if you agree to have dinner with me tomorrow.”

“Lunch,” she countered. “In my office on Friday.”

“Dinner. Six o’clock sharp.”

“Brunch. Eleven-thirty.”

Harper wore an arch grin. “Tomorrow night. The Clearwater Grill on Sixth Street.”

“Why not somewhere around here or in Mount Airy?”

“Because I’d love a good steak, and no one does it better than the head chef at the Clearwater Grill on Sixth.”

Azure frowned. “Really? I’ve heard of the place, but I’ve never been there.”

“You’ll love it. Everyone does. It’s quiet, the service is great and the manager is the funniest guy you’ll ever meet.”

“I’d rather interview you in my office. It’s a more professional setting and we won’t have to worry about being interrupted or distracted.”

“The Clearwater Grill,” he repeated, his tone calm, cool. “Take it or leave it.”

“I’ll be there.”

What just happened? Azure thought sourly, wishing she hadn’t given in so easily. That went real well, Azure. Are you sure you’re the one in charge? She was beating herself up for giving Harper the upper hand when she caught sight of a slight man in a striped fedora and matching sports coat in the waiting area.

Azure blinked hard, tried to get a better look at the stranger’s

profile. Perspiration drenched her palms and clung to her dress. No. It couldn’t be. Her boss wouldn’t do something as sneaky as spying on her, would he? A former tabloid reporter, with a remarkable gift for sniffing out the truth, Leland Watson was as cunning as he was brilliant, and he never let her forget it. He was an acclaimed journalist, and well respected in the field, but Azure wouldn’t put anything past him. And the more she considered it, the more likely it was her boss in the tacky fedora and sports coat. After all, he’d asked—no, ordered—her to track down Harper and been the one to suggest they meet for cocktails at Table 13, too.

Azure peered over Harper’s shoulder. The stranger strode through the bar, and when he disappeared into the lounge and out of sight, she released a sigh of relief. Hopefully someone rich and famous had caught his eye. Either way, it was time to call it a night. She had a long day ahead of her, and now a brand-new interview with Harper to prepare for. It wasn’t time to sit pretty. It was time to go on the attack. And when she met with the famed attorney tomorrow night, that was exactly what she was going to do.

“See someone you know?” Harper asked, sliding several crisp bills into the leather billet. “Or are you trying to get a better look at Drake and his ten-man entourage?”

Azure dismissed his question with a wave of her hand. “Drake’s cute, but he’s way too young for me. Besides, I like my men the way I like my coffee. Strong and dark.”

Harper rocked with laughter. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

“You do that, Mr. Hamilton.”

“Call me Harper.”

“Only if you call me Azure.”

He nodded, leaned in so close she could smell his spicy, masculine cologne. “So, what do you do when you’re not working?”

“I’m always working. Aren’t you?”

Another hearty chuckle. “Yes, but I make time to hang out with my family, to watch my beloved Seventy-Sixers and I travel several times a year. You should see my passport. It looks like a dog’s chew toy!”

“I’m so jealous. I’ve never left the States, and all the travel I do is for work.”

“I’ll have to do something about that, then.”

Their eyes caught, and held, and Azure was so overcome by the intensity of Harper’s gaze and his heady scent that all she could do was stare at him.

“You should come with me to the Cabo San Lucas Music Festival. I go every year, and the concerts, cuisine and atmosphere are out of this world.” Harper added, “But don’t take my word for it, come and see for yourself.”

“My boss will never give me the time off.” Azure felt guilty for lying to Harper—again—but she didn’t feel comfortable sharing her business with him. She couldn’t afford to go to Cabo, or anywhere else for that matter. Not until she paid off her bills. But Harper had given her something to think about. A trip to the famed celebrity hot spot sounded divine, something worth planning once she straightened out her finances.

“Is there a special man in your life anxiously waiting for you to return home?”

Azure was caught off guard by the question, but she didn’t show it. “No, just my cats.”

“Your cats?”

“Yup, Darius and Lovehall.”

Harper thought for a moment, then released a deep, hearty chuckle. “You named your cats after the male character in Love Jones?”

“I sure did.”

“You must really like the movie.”

“Who doesn’t? It’s one of the greatest romantic movies of all time!”

“The movie came out when I was in high school, and my female classmates went wild for Larenz Tate. The editor of the school newspaper even devoted an issue to the movie.”

Azure couldn’t believe it. Harper remembered the column she’d done for the school newspaper? Who would have thought? He didn’t recognize her, but he remembered her article, and that made her feel proud. Although they’d never had any classes together or traveled in the same social circles, Harper had always greeted her when they’d passed each other in the halls. And once, when she’d been caught in a rainstorm, he’d been kind enough to share his umbrella with her.

Azure remembered that afternoon as if it were yesterday.

Outwardly, she’d remained calm as they’d stridden toward the tree-lined campus side by side, but inside Azure had been a maelstrom of emotion. Fear, excitement and sheer, unadulterated joy. They’d walked and talked, and although her legs had been shaking under her painfully tight school uniform, she’d held up her end of the conversation. After that, Harper Hamilton—the upperclassman voted most likely to one day be president—starred in all her teenage fantasies. Once he graduated and went off to law school, Azure never saw him again, but every time it rained, she wondered what had happened to the kind, great-looking guy who’d shared his umbrella with her.

Memories flooded her mind, and when Azure thought about the day she arrived at Bryn Mawr College, a smile warmed her face. Studying at the highly acclaimed women’s college was the best thing to ever happen to her. During her sophomore year, she’d shed some weight, traded her hideous, Coke-bottle-thick glasses for contacts and found her confidence, her voice. Azure made friends with her über-rich classmates and soon discovered that brains always trumped breeding. In the space of a year, she went from being a novice reporter to an editor of the school newspaper and ultimately editor in chief. After graduation, and a series of starts and stumbles, Eminence magazine hired her, and once she changed her first name to Azure her career took off like a meteorite.

Pride filled her. Life was good. Better than she could ever have imagined. She was sitting across from Harper Hamilton in the most exclusive restaurant in Philly, and he was flirting with her! Azure wanted to pinch herself. The attorney had it. Charisma, charm, that indescribable quality that drove women wild. He had it in spades, and there was something so powerful between them, something so crushing, her head was spinning.

“I hope what I’m about to say doesn’t offend you, Azure, but you look amazing in that dress. It’s sexy but tasteful and the emerald-green color is perfect for the season.”

Azure raised her eyebrows in a questioning slant. “Don’t tell me you’re a male fashionista,” she teased, unable to resist poking fun at him. “You’re a great dresser, but I pegged you more as a sports guy than a shop-till-you-drop one.”

“You’re right, I am, but my mom is a fashion designer and I’ve learned a thing or two from her over the years. We all have. My brothers, my cousins, even my dad, and he used to live in cheap, tacky polyester!”

Harper stood, slid up behind her and when he rested a hand on her lower back, her knees went weak—again. Damn it, why does that keep happening?

“Let me walk you to your car.”

“I’d like that,” she said, taking the hand he offered and easing carefully off her stool. I’m also dying to know if you’re a good kisser, but for now, the walk will do.

Chapter 3

Rittenhouse Square, a popular neighborhood named after the large, lush, tree-filled park in the center of the community, was overrun with residents taking advantage of the unusually warm October day. From his fourth-floor office window, Harper had a clear, unrestricted view of the park and marveled at how crowded it was. Joggers ran along the winding, leaf-covered path, kids darted around the jungle gym and pet owners played catch with their dogs.

On Thursday afternoons, Harper liked to go outside to the square. For an hour, he’d sit back and relax. He wouldn’t think about work and the long list of things he had to accomplish before quitting time, either. He’d eat his lunch, then do the New York Times crossword puzzle. But not today. Harper had a deposition to review, phone calls to make and more paper crowding his desk than a UPS office.

Harper tossed a handful of cashews into his mouth. Five more minutes, and then I’ll get back to work, he told himself, soaking up the sunshine pouring through the window in front of his L-shaped executive desk. Most of the offices at Hamilton, Hamilton and Clark were furnished traditionally, with mahogany furniture and Oriental rugs, but Harper had bucked the trend and hired an interior decorator to create his dream space. Leather couches sat along one wall, shelves displaying his certificates and awards were above the tropical-fish aquarium, and his favorite electronic gadgets were just an arm’s length away on the decorative glass stand.

Crossing his legs at his ankles, he rested back comfortably in his seat. He spotted a group of teenagers reading magazines under one of the leafy maple trees dotting the park, and immediately thought of Azure. The writer had been on his mind all day. Actually, ever since the photo shoot at his uncle’s estate. He was looking forward to seeing her tonight, and as soon as he finished drafting the settlement letter, he was heading home. He needed to shower and change before their date, and he wanted to buy Azure flowers from his favorite gift shop. Not that he went there often. Harper hadn’t been back to Gifts & Things since…

Scraping the thought and all images of his ex-girlfriend from his mind, he turned away from the window and picked up the manila file folder he’d abandoned ten minutes earlier.

“I thought you’d left for the day.”

Harper regarded his father, Frank, with a smile. His dad was fifty-eight years old and still going strong. He not only looked years younger, but he played the part, too. His dad was a jovial, well-dressed ball of energy who was always in a terrific mood. In court, he rarely sat down, and when he did it was only because his back was acting up. “I have a few more things to do before I head home,” Harper explained, gesturing to the document in his hands, “and since I’m in court tomorrow, I figured now was as good a time as any to get them done.”

“I was surprised when I pulled into the parking lot this morning and saw your car. What time did you get in?”

“Five-thirty. I would have been here earlier but decided to go to the gym first.”

“Some people shouldn’t be allowed to drink coffee,” Frank joked, pointing at his son’s oversize Philadelphia Sixers-themed mug. “You’d be one of them!”

Father and son chuckled.

“What are you working on?” Frank asked, closing the door behind him.

“Just reviewing the sworn testimony of the victims in the fraud case. The trial is fast approaching, and I want to be fully prepared.”

“Good, good, son. That’s what I like to hear.” Frank picked up the golf club that Harper kept in his office for his executive putter set, pointed it at the cup and bent his knees. “I wish I had one of these in my office, but if I did I’d probably never get any work done!”

Harper watched as his father practiced his swing. Over and over, he took shots at the hole. Harper didn’t know if his dad came by to see him or to play a round of golf, but he didn’t mind the interruption. He welcomed it. Maybe shooting the breeze with his dad would help him refocus, because he was so amped up about seeing Azure again he couldn’t concentrate.

“Son, when are you heading home?”

“I’m not sure, why?”

“Preseason basketball kicks off tonight,” Frank said, glancing up from the golf set. “The Lakers are playing in Miami tonight, and there’s been so much trash talking between the two teams, I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a brawl in the first quarter!”

“I thought Mom banned you from watching basketball.”

“The Lakers got swept in the second round of the playoffs! Swept!” he repeated, throwing a hand up in the air. “It’s not my fault I got so angry I bumped into the coffee table and knocked over that frilly candy dish. It’s been six months and I still haven’t got over it.”

Harper chuckled.

“Besides, what your mother doesn’t know can’t hurt her,” Frank said, shooting his son a wink. “She’s in New York on business, so I have the house all to myself this week.”

A sly grin exploded onto his dad’s smooth, slim face, but Harper heard the loneliness in his voice and saw the flicker of sadness in his eyes. Harper considered canceling his date with Azure. He was anxious to pick up where they’d left off last night, but he didn’t want to leave his old man hanging.

“Your brothers are coming by, and some of your cousins, too.”

“Will Jake be there?”

Frank shrugged. “I invited him, but I don’t know if he’ll show. He has a meeting tonight with Santiago Medina.”

In his haste to speak, Harper tripped over his tongue. “The resort heir?”

“The one and only. Apparently, Mr. Medina is looking for a new, American-based lawyer, and after speaking to Jake on the phone last week, he decided to fly in on his family’s private jet for a face-to-face meeting.”

Harper’s heart sank to the bottom of his leather Kenneth Cole shoes. Jake had scored another big-name client? And not just anyone. One of the richest businessmen in all of Mexico. Harper was pissed, but he didn’t show it. He couldn’t let his dad, or anyone else, know that he was jealous. Harper loved Jake, and would never do him any harm, but he was tired of playing second string to his flashy, cocky cousin. “Why would Santiago Medina sign with Jake? He’s arrogant, obnoxious and—”

“One hell of a closer,” Frank added, picking up the golf club and lining up his feet on the putter. “You’re an incredible attorney, son, the best in the firm as far as I’m concerned, but you need to toughen up. You lack that killer instinct that all great attorneys have, and without it, you can only go so far in this business. It doesn’t matter if you’re closing a deal, or trying to get a babe into bed, when you see an opening, you have to go in for the kill.”

Harper wanted to plug his ears. He didn’t want to hear what was coming next. His dad—like most of the Hamilton men—loved women, and back in the day had had a reputation with the ladies. Always on the move, he laughed, joked and flirted with the opposite sex as if it was his favorite pastime. And Harper suspected it was.

“I know you don’t want to hear this, but you could learn a thing or two from Jake.”

“On what? How to seduce and bed my paralegal?”

“No, on how to get more bang for your buck! Jake’s parlayed his engagement into a huge news story and is attracting wealthy clients left and right.”

Harper’s shoulders slumped, caved in under the weight of his disappointment. Feelings of resentment and despair filled him. He couldn’t believe it. Now his father, the person who’d always been his biggest supporter, had jumped on the I-love-Jake bandwagon, too. And the president thinks he’s got it bad, Harper thought sourly, stewing in his leather executive chair.

“I better get going,” Frank said, glancing at the wall clock. He returned the golf club to its rightful place, then checked himself out in the mirror hanging beside the wardrobe. “My next client is due to arrive at any moment, and I don’t want to keep him waiting.”

Long after his father left, Harper sat at his desk, thinking. He wondered what it would take to upstage his cousin Jake, because he was sick of being the number two guy at Hamilton, Hamilton and Clark. It was time for him to shine, time for him to represent the firm’s big-dollar clients. Harper was nothing if not focused, and tonight, after his date with Azure, he was going to sit down and prepare a plan of action. He had to do something to steal the spotlight away from Jake, something that would garner national headlines. The only question now was what?

* * *

“Is this seat taken?”

Harper glanced up from his cell phone. A redhead with fake eyelashes and glossy lips was standing beside his booth, smiling so brightly Harper wished he was wearing sunglasses.

“Yes, as a matter of fact it is.”

“Then I’ll be brief.” The redhead slid in beside him, got so close he could feel her double Ds pressed against his forearm. “I saw you interviewed outside the courthouse last night on the evening news, and I just had to come over and say hello. I’m, like, your biggest fan!”