Legal Attraction

Marissa was intent on showing her brothers and Jillian that she was every bit as good as they were, since they still seemed to treat her like the little baby sister who needed to be sheltered, despite the fact that there was only a five-year difference between her and Jake, her oldest brother.

Marissa wanted to be taken seriously by everyone, including her family. First, as an attorney, and then as a woman.

* * *

“Marissa, are you busy?”

She glanced up from her computer monitor to see Harper’s new wife. “Azure, come in.”

Azure closed the door behind her. “Harper told me about his conversation with you,” she announced as she sat down in one of the visitor chairs.

“Someone contacted you anonymously claiming that my mother and my uncle had an affair.”

Azure nodded.

“And that person also said that I am a result of that affair.” It was more of a statement than a question. “Is there any proof of this, other than Uncle Frank confessing the truth to Harper?” Marissa wanted to know. “Do they have pictures of them leaving a hotel or something more scandalous?”

“Not that I know of,” Azure responded. “Right now we have no other information, but in situations like this—all that is needed is a rumor, whether true or false.”

Marissa settled back in her chair and crossed her legs. “So, what does this person want for this little tidbit? Money?”

“There’s been no demand for money or anything. Marissa, I haven’t taken this to my editor. You have to know that I am going to do everything I can to see that this accusation never sees the light of day.”

“If your magazine doesn’t publish the story, then I’m sure this person will go somewhere else. I really would like to know what’s in it for them to try and ruin our lives.” Marissa shook her head sadly.

“I can’t imagine how you must be feeling right now,” Azure told her. “I’m so sorry, Marissa.”

“I still find it hard to believe that my…my mother could do something like this to my dad. They always seemed so happy and in love.”

“I won’t let this get out, Marissa.”

“It may be out of your hands, Azure. Unfortunately, we will all have to wait and see if the other shoe falls.”

Chapter 3

“Marissa, I can’t thank you enough for everything you’ve done for me,” a young woman said as they walked out of the courtroom.

Smiling, she responded, “You’re welcome, Rita.”

The twenty-year-old had pleaded no contest in a drunken-driving case. Marissa had suggested Rita plead to the charge of driving while visibly impaired.

“I’ve learned my lesson and I’ll be relieved to be able to put this behind me.”

“Will this charge be on my daughter’s record forever?” the older woman with them asked. “I want her to have a chance to get a good job or become that doctor.”

“If Rita stays out of trouble while she is on probation, then her record will be expunged. She will be able to do whatever she wants with her life.” Marissa glanced over at the young girl. “It’s all up to you, Rita.”

“Lord knows, I pray so.”

When her clients left, Marissa noticed a man standing near the exit doors of the courthouse. A smile tugged at her lips.

“Daddy, what are you doing here?” Marissa was surprised to see him. She had not noticed him in the courtroom, but then, she had been focused on helping her client.

“I came to watch my baby girl in action,” he responded.

His words brought tears to her eyes. No other man would ever replace Jacob Hamilton Jr. as her father.

“You handled yourself well in there.”

“It was an easy case,” Marissa responded.

“And you did a good job,” her father insisted as he wrapped an arm around her. “Just remember this feeling on those days when the case is a difficult one.”

“Thanks, Daddy.”

They walked out to their cars.

“Why don’t I call your mother and have her meet us for lunch?” Jacob suggested.

“I have a better idea,” Marissa countered. “Why don’t you and Mother have lunch together? I need to get back to the office.” She could not stomach being around her mother right now.

He scanned her face as if he was trying to read her expression. “Is there something going on between you and your mom?”

Jacob’s question surprised Marissa. “No, things are fine. I’ve just been really busy, Daddy.”

“You’re too busy to grab a bite to eat?”

“I’ll get something on the way back to the office.”

“Okay,” Jacob said. “I’ll see you later, baby girl.”

She walked away briskly and headed to the nearest exit door.

Within minutes, Marissa was inside her car and on the way back to the office. She was in a great mood after her victory in court—it was a small one, but a victory nonetheless.

Jillian and her brothers were all waiting for Marissa when she arrived.

“So, how did it go?” Jake asked. “Did she plead no contest?”

Marissa nodded. “Rita was given probation. I believe she has learned her lesson from this experience.”

“Her mother is really sweet,” Jake stated. He and Rita’s older brother had gone to college together and were in the same fraternity.

“Please tell me that you all are not going to be sitting here in my office like this every time I go to court.”

Jillian laughed. “You might as well get used to the idea, Marissa. They treated me the same way when I started.”

“Me, too,” Marcus interjected. “And I bet Dad was at the courthouse, wasn’t he?”

“Yes, he was there,” Marissa confirmed. “Every case so far.”

“He still comes to see me in action,” Jillian stated.

“He comes to mine, too,” Anthony interjected.

Marissa looked over at Jake. “When did Dad stop coming to yours?”

Jake laughed. “When you started working here.”

Smiling, Marissa shooed everyone out of her office. “I need to get back to work and I’m sure you all need to do the same. Leave.”

Her first year at the law firm had been a success, as far as Marissa was concerned. She never thought she could work any harder than she did in law school, but Hamilton, Hamilton and Clark was a real pressure cooker at times.

There had been days when Marissa thought she would crack under the strain of it all, but she would never share this with any of her family members. It would just confirm for them that she was not able to handle the pressures of being an attorney.

The only person with whom she could be completely honest about her feelings was Griffin. He understood how she felt and never once judged her. She recalled a conversation they had had when she first started working at the firm. They were in his office going over a case.

“Griffin, can I ask you something?” Marissa had asked him.

“Sure.”

“Do you think I have it easier than the other associates because I am a Hamilton? I want you to be honest with me.”

He met her gaze and responded, “I believe you didn’t have to work hard to become an associate here after graduating from law school, but I know that your father treats all of his associates equally. It’s one of the things I respect most about him.”

“I wish everyone was as open-minded and observant as you.”

“Don’t let office rumors get into your head,” Griffin advised. “You can’t stop others from talking, but you do not have to give their words power. Stay focused on what’s important, and that’s proving yourself.”

“Eminence just did an article on my family, and when you look at the photos, we look like a modern-day version of the Cosby family—picture-perfect.”

He grinned. “Are you saying that you’re not?”

Marissa smiled. “You know the answer to that just from the amount of time you’ve spent around Jake and Harper. I love my brother and my cousin, but I hate how competitive they are with each other.”

“It keeps them both on their toes,” Griffin stated. “I wouldn’t worry about them.”

Marissa’s attention returned to the present.

Her family was anything but picture-perfect. Unspoken tensions that lay rumbling beneath the surface threatened to topple them all.

* * *

“How did it go in court today?” Griffin asked as he held the elevator door open for Marissa.

“Great,” she said. “Rita should get probation and if she stays out of trouble, she’ll be able to return to college and finish her degree.”

He glanced at Marissa as the elevator doors closed on the two of them, alone in the car. That’s what made her a good lawyer and a good person. How much she cared for her clients. She was as beautiful on the inside as she was on the outside.

She was also incredibly sexy, despite her conservative dress.

And she wasn’t afraid of hard work.

These were just a few of the reasons why he loved her.

He pulled up short as he stole another glance her way. Loved her?

He felt a strange sensation in his gut as he finally admitted it. Yes, he loved the very woman who was off-limits.

* * *

Marissa was surprised when she glimpsed her aunt in the hallway a couple of days later. Vanessa Bonnard was a renowned fashion designer who traveled frequently. She rarely made visits to the firm whenever she was home. In fact, she rarely attended any family functions—unless there were media involved.

“Aunt Vanessa,” she murmured in greeting. Marissa struggled to meet her aunt’s intense gaze. Her mother and Vanessa had never been close, but her aunt had always treated Marissa kindly.

“Hello, Marissa. How are you?”

“I’m fine.”

Vanessa’s gaze left her face and traveled downward briefly. “What a beautiful dress,” she said with a smile. “It’s quite lovely on you.”

“Thank you,” Marissa responded. “I didn’t know that you were back from Milan.”

“I arrived last night. I thought I’d surprise my husband for an early lunch, but it seems that he’ll be in court all day.”

“They usually break for lunch around this time. Why don’t you give him a call?” Marissa suggested.

Vanessa smiled. “I just may do that. Thanks, sweetie.”

“You’re welcome,” Marissa said. “Well, I guess I had better get back to my desk. It’s good seeing you, Aunt Vanessa.”

“You know…why don’t you join us, Marissa?” Vanessa blocked her path. “We hardly get to spend any time together. C’mon, it will be fun to catch up.”

“Oh no,” Marissa responded quickly. “You and Uncle Frank should spend some quality time together. You just got back.”

She certainly could not handle having lunch with the man who could be her father. Marissa was not interested in any family reunions of this kind.

“Oh, but we would love for you to join us,” Vanessa said smoothly.

“Maybe next time,” Marissa told her.

Vanessa smiled. “I’m going to hold you to that.”

Marissa gave her a slight nod. She was grateful when her assistant interrupted them regarding a trial date.

When they were alone, she turned her attention back to her aunt.

Vanessa chuckled. “You know…that expression on your face…you look just like Frank. My husband makes that face whenever he is silently contemplating something. I guess it must be hereditary.”

“I really need to get back to my desk,” Marissa blurted. “I have some phone calls to make.”

“Enjoy the rest of your day, sweetie.”

“You, too,” she said. Marissa thought she glimpsed something in Vanessa’s eyes, but it vanished as quickly as it had come. For a moment, it looked like displeasure, but she could not be sure.

Marissa walked briskly to her office. She was barely aware of Harper’s presence. He must have followed her.

“Hey, what were you and my mom talking about?” Harper asked in a low voice. “I saw you two in the hall.”

Marissa glanced over at him. “She invited me to lunch. I turned her down.”

“How did she seem?”

“Same as always,” Marissa said. “Why? Do you think she knows anything? Please tell me that you didn’t tell her.”

“I didn’t say anything to my mother and I don’t plan to. If anyone tells her, it should be my father.”

“Nobody should say anything to anybody,” Marissa declared. “Just let them both take it to the grave. My dad does not deserve to be hurt. Neither does Aunt Vanessa.”

“Knowing my mother, she would find a way to make Dad pay if she ever found out,” Harper said.

Chapter 4

“Are you feeling okay?”

Marissa looked up from the notes she and her assistant were going over in one of the conference rooms. She gave her a slight nod. “I think I’m coming down with a cold. I’ll be fine, though.”

“Why don’t I make you a cup of tea? You can close your door and lie down on your couch for a while. You don’t have any appointments until later today.”

“Some tea would be nice, Roberta. Thank you,” Marissa murmured. The idea of taking a nap was very appealing to her. She was feeling a bit tired.

She was in her office and sitting on the couch when Roberta entered the room carrying a cup of hot tea.

Marissa smiled as she accepted the tea from her assistant. “Thanks so much.”

“Go on and rest. I’ll see that no one disturbs you.”

Marissa began to feel better almost as soon as she lay down.

She could hear Griffin outside her office talking to one of the other associates. Marissa loved the sound of his voice. He reminded her of the smooth, late-night disc jockeys on the radio.

Marissa allowed her memory to drift into forbidden territory—one night five months ago. She had decided to work late. She had been surprised to find that Griffin was also there after everyone had already gone home. They decided to take their laptops into a conference room to work while they shared a dinner of shrimp fried rice, orange chicken and egg drop soup.

Maybe it was the adrenaline of working on a case; maybe it was sleep deprivation or maybe it was just inevitable, but Marissa and Griffin could no longer ignore their mutual attraction.

They soon decided to call it a night.

Marissa followed Griffin to his apartment. As soon as they were inside, they were in each other’s arms.

Griffin had undressed her slowly and then carried her into his bedroom.

He laid her on the bed. Griffin removed his own clothing before joining her.

“I’ve wanted this for a long time,” he whispered.

“So have I,” Marissa admitted.

Griffin captured her lips with his own, holding her close to his nakedness.

Marissa moaned softly as her passion ignited into a flame in the pit of her belly. She burned with desire for Griffin’s touch.

They had made love slowly that night, not wanting the moment to come to an end.

Marissa could still feel the heat of their passion from that night—it burned in her memory. The sweetness of his kisses lingered in her mind, filling her with the desire to be kissed by Griffin again.

But that night was long gone.

The special moment they had shared was just that—a moment.

As soon as the thought revealed itself, Marissa shook her head in denial. What she had shared with Griffin that night was only meant to last for a moment, but for Marissa, it would last a lifetime.

Marissa closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep with Griffin consuming her thoughts.

When she woke up, Marissa could not believe that almost two hours had passed, but she felt so much better now and more energetic. She rose to her feet and went to the bathroom to wash her face.

“You look like you’re feeling better,” Roberta commented when Marissa came out.

“I do,” she responded. “I feel so much better.”

It was almost time for her meeting with a new client, so Marissa spent the next half hour going over the file her assistant had prepared.

“Hey, what are you doing? In here playing lawyer?”

Marissa looked up and grinned at her oldest brother. “What are you doing?”

Jake strolled casually into the room. “What’s that supposed to mean?” he asked with a sly smile.

“You are no angel,” she stated.

“How’s it going?” he inquired with a grin. “I know how overwhelming working here can be. Not to mention working with family.”

“I’m hanging in there.”

“Well, let me know if I can help you with anything.”

“You really don’t have to worry about me, Jake,” Marissa said. “I’m fine. I can handle my job.”

“I just want to make sure that you’re not taking on more than you can handle.”

Marissa did not bother to disguise her irritation. “I am not a baby, Jake. I don’t need you looking over my shoulder. Why don’t you focus your energies on your new wife?”

He ignored her remark. “It’s just that your sister said that you’ve been pretty moody lately.”

“Maybe all of you should just leave me alone,” Marissa sniped at her brother. She took in a deep breath, releasing it slowly.

“I’m sorry, Jake. I should not be snapping at you like this. It’s just that I’ve been with the firm a year now and I feel I’m doing a great job, but it’s frustrating when you all keep looking over my shoulder. I can’t breathe this way.”

He nodded in understanding. “I’ll back off, Marissa.”

She smiled. “Thanks.”

Marissa leaned back in her chair. She hoped that Jake would keep his word. Now if she could get the rest of her siblings to do the same.

* * *

One of the other qualities that Griffin loved about Marissa was her genuine smile, which seemed prominently on display at all times. She had a wonderful sense of humor and loved to laugh.

Griffin released a sigh. He missed her laughter.

He also missed spending time with her.

The memory of the one night they had shared flashed to the forefront of his mind. What he and Marissa shared that night had been beautiful. Griffin held on to that memory as if it were a lifeline. He never wanted to forget the way she looked at him as they made love or the way her lips felt against his.

A tremor of disappointment slid down his spine because he knew that they would never share another night like that one. The experience was once-in-a-lifetime. Still, he couldn’t turn off his feelings for Marissa as if they were controlled by a switch. And those feelings frightened him.

It was time for a reality check.

He had crossed the line when he slept with Marissa.

Afterward, he had apologized for taking advantage of Marissa, although she tried to assure him that she did not feel that way.

Marissa confessed her attraction to him and assured Griffin that she wanted him to make love to her.

Griffin told her that it should not ever happen again. He and Marissa both had worked hard to prove themselves at the firm—if word ever got out that he had slept with the boss’s daughter, he would be fired, and Marissa’s reputation would never be the same. Griffin did not want to see her hurt beyond that one night, so he told her that they should keep a professional distance going forward.

Professional distance. It was one of the hardest things to do. He hungered for Marissa’s touch, her kisses… Griffin could not stomach the thought of Marissa with another man. He did not even want to think about the idea, despite the fact that they had no future together.

Griffin shook his head, trying to erase the image of the beautiful woman who dominated his thoughts.

As if he conjured her, Marissa appeared in his doorway. “Didn’t mean to disturb you,” she said. “Daddy wanted me to tell you that he can meet with you right now if you have some time. He’s thinking about coming in late tomorrow.”

He silently took in her appearance. Marissa was as beautiful as ever, although there was something different about her—something he could not put a finger on. Griffin did not like the gulf that existed between them. They used to be able to talk easily, but now…well, things were different.

“Thanks, Marissa.”

“Not a problem.” She turned to leave.

“Hey,” he called out. “Do you have a few minutes?”

“Sure.”

“How are things going with you?” Griffin asked her. “I know we haven’t had a real chance to sit down and talk about your development, but—”

“Everything is good,” Marissa interjected a little too quickly.

He pointed to a chair. “Would you like to sit down?”

Marissa shook her head. “I really need to get going, Griff. Besides, my dad is waiting to meet with you.”

There was more that Griffin wanted to say to Marissa, but he simply nodded. Things were different between them now for sure—and it was all his fault.

He reined in his errant thoughts and went back to work, until his cell phone rang just as he was preparing to leave the office.

“Hello.”

“Griffin, hey…it’s me, Colin. I know this is late notice, but we’re playing at the Blue Nile in Center City tonight. If you don’t have any plans, why don’t you come out? I would love to catch up.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Griffin responded. “I’m on my way home. Give me a chance to freshen up and I’ll see you shortly.”

Griffin normally did not go out on weeknights, but because he had not seen his friend in months, he made an exception. He and Colin were childhood friends who grew up in the same neighborhood. While he had chased after his dream of being a lawyer, Colin had chased after his music. He was a phenomenal keyboard player.

Griffin was actually looking forward to seeing Colin and his band perform. Years ago, he used to sing with them, but only to help earn money for college. He never seriously considered pursuing music as a career. His first love had always been law.

For a brief second Griffin considered calling Marissa and inviting her to join him, but he changed his mind. Things were still very awkward between them.

* * *

“I don’t know why I let you talk me into this,” Marissa told her friend.

“Because you need a night out,” Cheryl responded with a smile. “I bet you haven’t been to the Blue Nile in forever. Besides, we haven’t spent much time together lately. I want to know what’s going on with you.”

Cheryl had been Marissa’s best friend since high school. She regretted not having enough time to see her regularly. “I’ve been working hard to stay on top of my caseload.”

The place was crowded. Marissa glanced around, scanning the room for an empty table. They found one in a corner and sat down.

“How do you like teaching at Temple?” Marissa asked.

“I love it,” her friend said. “What about you? Are you still loving law?”

Marissa nodded. “It’s a lot of work, but I do enjoy it. What I don’t like about the job is working with family. They treat me like a child—watching over me and constantly checking on me.”

Cheryl laughed. “What did you expect? You are the youngest in the family. My little sister complains of the same thing.”

“Obviously, not this. Your sister is only fourteen. I am a grown woman.”

“The last time we talked, you were telling me about this guy you work with,” Cheryl said with a grin. “How is that going?”

“We work together,” Marissa responded. “That’s about it.”

“What happened?”

Marissa shrugged. “He has this thing about not getting involved with the boss’s daughter. He loves his job and apparently it means more to him than I do.”

“How does it make you feel?”

Marissa met her friend’s gaze. “I wish my name was something other than Hamilton at times. This guy—he’s great and I understand his feelings, but I just thought that… Anyway, it doesn’t matter what I thought. We decided it was best to keep a professional relationship.”

A waiter appeared to take their order.

Marissa ordered a glass of water.

“You’re not drinking tonight?” Cheryl questioned. “Not even a glass of wine?”

“No, I have an early day tomorrow.”

The band members took their places onstage.

“Have you heard them before?” Marissa asked her friend.

Cheryl nodded. “A couple of times. They’re really good.”

Marissa settled back to listen to the band. Truthfully she was grateful to be away from the house. Her mother should be asleep by the time Marissa arrived home later in the evening. She was still trying to avoid her mother as much as possible.