His apology surprised me. I had seen him angry. Annoyed. He yelled at people. Ordered them around. I had never once heard him apologize for anything. I let my head fall back into the cool leather headrest. “It’s fine.”
I was surprised to feel his hand cover mine and squeeze it. “I hate that I caused you discomfort,” he murmured.
He stunned me into silence. But for some reason, I gripped his fingers, and his hand stayed with mine all the way to the courthouse.
It felt right having our palms nestled together.
And what that meant, I had no idea.
Chapter 5
Grace
By the time we reached the courthouse, I had recovered except for the lingering embarrassment. I hated showing that weakness to people—and somehow, Jaxson knowing seemed extra hard. As we headed to the clerk’s office, I felt his anger returning. He followed me up the steps, and I turned to him, angling my head. “You know, Jaxson, you get further with honey than vinegar.”
He glowered. “What does that mean?”
“Simply that, sometimes, yelling isn’t the answer.”
“Someone lost a file. If it isn’t recovered, it jeopardizes the case.”
“Terrifying everyone around you isn’t the answer.”
“I don’t terrify people.”
“Yes, you do. You yell and glower and make people nervous.”
“I don’t make you nervous,” he pointed out.
I resisted rolling my eyes. “You make everyone nervous.”
Before he could respond, we reached the office. I paused with my hand on the handle.
“Why don’t you let me handle it?”
He narrowed his eyes, looking uncertain. “Fine. You have five minutes, then I’m stepping in.”
I rolled my eyes. “Such patience.”
“Five minutes,” he repeated.
The clerk’s office was surprisingly quiet. The woman I had spoken with yesterday came forward, her face paling when she saw Jaxson behind me. I wasn’t sure if his reputation preceded him, or if she’d had dealings with him prior to now. I smiled at her reassuringly, explaining why we were there.
She frowned. “I’m certain the file was delivered,” she insisted.
“Apparently not,” Jaxson snarled.
I turned, glaring, and he shut up but kept glowering. I turned back to the clerk, desperately trying not to notice how attractive Jaxson was when he was upset. His eyes were vivid in his face, his cheeks highlighted with slashes of crimson. His features, set against the dark color of his hair, suited the anger. He was tall and severe, looking sexy in his deep brooding.
“If you could check,” I asked.
She disappeared.
I spun on my heel. “You frightened her. My god, you walked into the room and frightened her.”
“I can’t help that.”
“That wasn’t even one minute. You promised five.”
He shrugged. “I’m a lawyer. We lie all the time.”
My lips quirked. “Stop it.”
“Stop what?”
“Being cute.”
“No one has ever accused me of being cute before, Ms. VanRyan. I think you’re mixing up your words.”
“I think you’re mixing up my head.”
A slow grin appeared on his face. “Is that a fact?”
I shrugged. “No. I’m a lawyer in training. I lie too.”
I didn’t expect his bark of laughter. If I thought him sexy when he was brooding, amused looked like sin on him. His white teeth flashed, the dimple in his chin deepened, and he looked like a wet dream.
He tapped me on the nose. “Touché, Grace. Touché.”
The clerk reappeared, running a hand over her hair to smooth it. “Mr. Richards, I apologize. The file was misplaced but has been delivered. I can’t begin to tell you how sorry—”
He cut her off with the wave of his hand. “These things happen. I’m grateful you were able to locate it. Thank you for your assistance, ah…?”
She stared at him, no doubt as much in shock as I was at his change of demeanor. “Ah, Marie. I’m Marie.”
“Thank you for your assistance, Marie.”
She beamed and handed him a business card. “Here is the confirmation number. If you have any other issues, contact me directly.”
“I’ll do that. Grace, we need to head back to the office now.”
He escorted me out, his hand in the middle of my back. He was quiet as we headed to the car.
“Maybe you’re right,” he mused. “This honey thing might be worth a shot.” He opened my door. “But I think I’ll use it sparingly. Wouldn’t want people to think I’ve gone soft.”
“Heaven forbid.”
Michael approached my desk. “What happened this afternoon?”
I looked up from the file I was studying. “What?”
“He leaves like a bolt of thunder and comes back a kitten.”
I chuckled. “I’d hardly call that a kitten.” I indicated Jaxson’s closed door. “More like a sleeping lion. I’m sure he’ll be snarling again soon enough.”
“He said thank you to me. Thank you. I’ve worked for him for over four years, and I think the closest I have gotten to a thank you is a grunt. You must have said something.”
“As if he would listen to me.”
“He did—whatever you said, girlfriend, keep it up.”
I shook my head. Jaxson had been silent in the car as we headed back to the office. More than once, I saw him glance at me out of the corner of his eye, and I waited for him to speak. He never did. He seemed tense, and I sighed internally, wondering why his mood had turned yet again. He blew hot and cold, and I found him difficult to keep up with. At the office, he didn’t say a word as I headed for the stairs and he rode the elevator. Jaxson was talking to Michael when I walked in, and other than the occasional glimpse, I hadn’t seen or spoken to him.
At five, Michael stood, switching off his light. “I’m out of here.”
“Have a good night.”
I worked a little longer, then shut the file. This was going to be a complicated case. I had a list of research I would need to start tomorrow. Too many siblings claiming the rights to a logo and trademark, and the copyrights were a mess. That was what often happened when a family company member passed. Documentation was sparse, and siblings began to fight. It was going to be ugly.
I heard the low timbre of Jaxson’s voice as I tapped on his door. He must have ended the phone call he had been on, and I opened the door at his bidding. He was at his desk, hanging up the receiver, looking reflective.
“I’m heading off now.”
“I need a moment of your time.”
“Sure.”
“Shut the door, please.”
I did and sat in the chair in front of his desk and waited. Jaxson cleared his throat.
“I need to apologize for this afternoon.”
I waved my hand. “The elevator thing? It’s fine. I try not to draw attention to it.”
“I meant for getting too personal. Kissing your forehead, holding your hand.”