Texas Pride. Gerry Bartlett

known as soon as he’d heard about the Calhoun crisis that she would be taking it hard. She had worshiped her daddy. So far they’d been successful in keeping it quiet. Dylan had asked Billy to look into it or he wouldn’t know a thing about it. But if they didn’t get this problem under control, Shannon and her family could lose everything. Maybe once, when the pain of losing her had been fresh, Billy had wanted her to suffer. But he’d gotten over it. Grown up. Now, he just wanted to help. And to see if maybe she was finally ready to make it work between them. Was it too late for them to reconnect?

      “If you’re going to polish up that image, Billy, you need to quit taking on clients like Rupert Billingsley.” Shannon ate the olive out of her martini.

      “He didn’t kill his wife, Shan. I’ll prove it.” Billy shook his head when the waiter hovered.

      “But he could have hired it done. I saw the story online. And everyone who knew the couple heard them fighting. I almost felt sorry for him. Evelyn was a bitch.” Shannon looked around. “I could use another drink.”

      “Nope. You have to go back to work. As for my case? Can’t talk about it. But it doesn’t matter if Evelyn was a bitch or not. Rupert is innocent. I don’t take on clients I don’t believe in.” He called for the check. “You’re a working girl. I think you have a boss now, right?”

      Shannon made a face. “Ms. Wilson. Dragon Lady. You think they’ll dock my tiny pay if I’m late getting back from lunch?” She sighed. “You should see my desk, Billy. I don’t even have an office. And my paycheck? I spend more than that a week on cocktails and manicures.”

      “Cassidy said your father wanted you to work for a year in the company. To prove you could stick with something to gain your inheritance. Surely you can put up with anything for a year.” Billy handed the waiter cash to cover the bill.

      “A year is a long time.” She rested her head on her hand. “I have to live at home too. Which I’ve figured out is actually a good thing. Free room and board. And a car and gas are provided, along with housekeeping.”

      “There you go then.” Billy stood. “We’d better get you back.”

      Shannon got up, holding onto the table when she wobbled on those high heels of hers. “Why are you doing this, Billy? Helping Calhoun? I know you have a busy law practice.”

      He looked her over. She had a natural grace and he remembered she’d done ballet for years before going off to college. Her blonde hair had a bunch of colors in it that seemed to catch the light when she ran her hands carelessly through it before she picked up her papers and her phone. She looked up at him through her lashes, her gray blue eyes gleaming. Shannon worked the angles too and he admired the way she usually saw right through him. Yep, just like she was seeing right through him now.

      “You know why.” He pulled her in, ignoring the chatter and clatter of the lunch crowd around them. “How long are we going to pretend there’s still not this thing between us?”

      “Ah, Billy.” She ran her fingernails over his jaw. “This thing is bad for both of us. That’s why we don’t need to start up again.” She let her thumb drift over his lips and he got so hard he ached.

      “No other woman does it for me like you, Shannon.” He felt the bump of a waiter at his back and came to his senses. “We need to get out of here.”

      “Back to work.” She smiled and led the way through the tangle of tables to the glass door then out to the sidewalk. “Thanks for lunch.”

      “I’ll walk you.” Billy really wanted to pull her in, kiss that mouth that had lost its lipstick when she’d devoured her lunch. Shannon had always had a healthy appetite. For everything.

      “No, you go do your lawyerly thing. I have phone calls to make. And you don’t need to show up in my office and meet my boss. She’ll think I was out on a date.” Shannon touched his chest. “You should wear a blue tie, to match your eyes.” And with that she was on her way.

      Billy watched the sway of her hips in a narrow black skirt that hugged her butt. Her legs in those high heels made him remember the way they’d wrapped around him, holding him in. She was stronger than she looked. He needed to remember that.

      Chapter 2

      “I guess you saw his noisy motorcycle out front.” Mai Murakami, Billy’s paralegal and invaluable assistant, greeted him at the door with her hands on her hips as soon as he hit the office. “Of course, Albert just barged in without an appointment. One of his ‘emergencies.’”

      “That’s not good news.” Billy glanced at his watch while she reached for her purse which matched the designer suit she wore. Mai always looked professional but today even Billy could tell she was going all out. She had a perfect figure, though she didn’t come up to the middle of his chest.

      “I’m late for lunch, but I wasn’t about to leave him here by himself.” She glanced back at Billy’s open office door. “But if you need me…”

      “Go. I’ll take care of this.” Billy patted her shoulder. “Sorry I’m so late. You look great. Hot date?”

      “No. Just my great aunt Iku.” Mai gave him a pained smile. “I’d have cancelled if I could. The closer I get to thirty, the more hell-bent she is on finding me a husband. I’m afraid a candidate may be waiting at the restaurant.”

      “Tell her you and I are destined to be together, baby doll. And that you’ll never love another man.” The booming voice made her jump. “Also promise her that any man she tries to fix you up with will never live to make it down the aisle. I’ll see to that.”

      Billy turned and bumped fists with the giant of a man in black leathers who stood in the doorway to his office. “Slash, talk like that is what gets you in trouble. I just heard you threaten some poor sap.”

      “Albert, it is that kind of conversation that makes me afraid to date you.” Mai stalked to the door. She turned and gave the giant a tiny smile. “Eight o’clock. And you pick me up in a car, not on the back of that loud motorcycle. Are we clear this time?”

      “Yes, ma’am.” Albert Madison, also known as Slash to the members of his motorcycle gang, grinned like he’d won the lottery. “I have tickets to that acrobatic thing you like.”

      “Good. And wear a suit.” She looked him up and down. “Made of cloth.” She swished out the door.

      “God, I love that woman.” Albert followed Billy into his office. “By the time she gets through with me, you won’t know me, Billy.”

      “You’re changing for her.” Billy settled behind his desk. He had a thick file with Albert’s name on it. Because of his motorcycle gang. He was a good guy behind his gruff exterior. None of the charges had stuck. Because Albert had a lot of money and had hired Billy, the best criminal lawyer in town. Billy wouldn’t have taken him on as a client if it was dirty money. No, Slash had invested in local real estate. The man had a nose for areas of Houston that were due for restoration and trendy upscale development. His motorcycle “club” was a group of men, many of them veterans with anger issues, who loved their loud motorcycles and long rides. They’d organized when it became obvious that law enforcement didn’t like to see them coming.

      “I’m trying to change, but it ain’t easy. Had a run-in with the law last weekend.” He held up a hand when Billy started to speak. “No, I didn’t call you because it didn’t go that far. Just wanted to give you a heads-up now. We were on the road going east. Drove through a little town. You know the kind. Speed slows from seventy to thirty-five so quick you have to hit the brakes. So we all slowed down. Not one of us was doing over the speed limit. Patrol stopped us anyway.”

      “Anything happen?” Billy leaned forward. “You have some guys that like to carry things they shouldn’t.”

      “You think I don’t know that? I’ve told them to ditch the drugs they don’t have legitimate prescriptions for. Get the fucking permits