“So.” Her voice captured his attention.

Amazing, Jack thought. When he wasn’t focused on her plain features or tailored clothes, that husky voice wreaked havoc on his nerve endings, sending the wrong signals from his brain to parts of his body that had no business rising during office hours. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

“What can I do for you?” she asked.

“I’ll be brief. I understand you’re working on a real estate deal, but I’ve arranged to shuffle your workload around to free you up. For me.”

His words sent her into a frenzied fit of coughing. Concerned, Jack rose from his seat and came up beside her. “Are you okay?”

She removed her glasses and dabbed at her eyes with a tissue she’d grabbed from his desk. “Fine. I’m perfectly fine. I just swallowed wrong. Sorry about that.” Obviously embarrassed, she cleared her throat and patted around her eyes once more before meeting his gaze.

In the instant those china-blue eyes met his, Jack felt as though he’d been sucker punched. His breath caught and he nearly went into a coughing fit of his own. Sweet heaven, someone should have warned him the woman had such expressive, gorgeous eyes. Before he could continue, she pushed the black frames back on and resettled the glasses on the bridge of her nose. Once again, thick lenses obscured his ability to see into her eyes, making him wonder if he’d imagined the depth and clarity of hue.

“What do you mean you’ve shuffled my workload? Didn’t anyone tell you Mendelsohn Leasing requested I handle the negotiation on their newest land acquisition personally?”

He rounded his desk and resettled himself into his seat. At this point, he was off balance and uncertain of Mallory Sinclair, something he never felt with a woman or in business. Distance seemed the safest bet. “I assure you I was fully informed of the situation but we decided to weigh all involved interests and the scales tipped in Lederman’s favor.”

“Our biggest client. One who’s been farming out business to other firms, leaving us vulnerable to losing an important money base.”

So she was up on all firm business. “Yes. However, this time we’re not talking about a potential merger or acquisition but Lederman’s divorce.”

She inclined her head. “If you’re involved, that much is obvious. What isn’t clear is where I come in. You could pick any associate specializing in domestic or family law. You don’t need me.”

Jack leaned forward, elbows propped on his desk. “Now that’s where you’re wrong. Much as we both obviously wish differently, you’re exactly what I need.”

Mallory Sinclair hadn’t been his first choice as an assistant, but he’d been outvoted. His partners felt a woman’s presence would strengthen their position with the client and assure him of their willingness to play hardball against his wife. Jack couldn’t argue the point. Waldorf, Haynes couldn’t afford to lose Lederman’s business and securing the role of counsel in this divorce was of paramount importance.

After a moment she let out a long breath of air. “Why don’t you explain why you need me.” She paused. “Please.”

He picked up a pencil and twirled it between his palms. “It’s simple. Lederman wants to win. He wants a team of attorneys who sympathize with him as a man whose wife wants to take him for a ride and who aren’t afraid to play hardball to accomplish those goals. And we-the partners-feel his needs can best be met by having a female attorney sitting at his side. And as you know, when there’s direct contact with Mrs. Lederman, a woman dealing with another woman would give us greater strength. You could relate to her in a way I could not.”

He watched for the play of emotions sure to cross her face during his explanation. There were none. Whatever her thoughts, she kept them to herself. The woman knew how to play poker, Jack thought, and his respect for her rose. He could see now how she’d come so far with the older male guard at Waldorf, Haynes. But she hadn’t earned their trust completely. He doubted any female ever could. This was an old boys’ network and they weren’t ashamed to admit it.

Jack didn’t agree with their way of thinking on many issues, this one included. He didn’t trust women in the marriage arena-his family background, client history and divorce statistics providing backup to his beliefs. But regardless of whether women were usually at fault on the domestic front, business was different. Skill alone determined whether Jack would trust their abilities. The old men weren’t as easily swayed, but Mallory was useful to them. And she obviously knew it.

She nodded slowly. “So I’m yours by default. Being the only female associate, that is.”

He couldn’t help it. He grinned. “In a manner of speaking, yes.” She was his. In all her tweed and glory.

From all he’d seen and heard, Mallory Sinclair was one of the best. But before they could get down to business, they were headed for an informal get-to-know-you-better session, demanded by their eccentric client. Based on Mallory’s cool personality and severe looks, casual and relaxed wasn’t her thing. Which meant Jack wasn’t looking forward to their enforced time together.

Yet despite himself the memory of those china-blue eyes stayed with him. Intrigued him. Made him wonder what else he didn’t know about Ms. Mallory Sinclair.

She rose from her seat. “Guess that means case closed, then.”

“I’m sure we’ll survive,” he said, issuing a grin meant to ease things between them.

He waited for a smile in return and was disappointed not to get one. “I’ll need to wrap some things up before I can start on Lederman’s case,” she said.

“No problem. Our flight leaves at 7:00 p.m. Think you can tie up loose ends, pack and be at the airport in…” he glanced at his watch “…three hours?”

Her lipstick-free mouth opened, then closed again. He’d managed to get a reaction after all. “Our flight?” The word sounded more like a squeak.

He nodded. “Mr. Lederman is at his resort in the Hamptons. He doesn’t care to cut his vacation short, so we’re going to head on out there and get to know him. Grab your sunglasses and bathing suit. We’re going to the beach.”

MALLORY ROLLED her silk stockings down her legs slowly, savoring the sensation against her skin. She so missed the little luxuries in life-silk, satin and anything soft, which was why she always did her best to pamper herself beneath her conservative image.

Thanks to a spilled pocketbook-size vial of her favorite perfume, normally saved for evenings after work, the comforting aroma indulged her senses now. But neither the conservative attorney nor the buried woman were foolish enough to wear stockings to a hot, summer resort.

With Jack Latham.

She shivered at the unexpected prospect of spending hours in his company away from the office. She opened her suitcase and tossed it on the bed.

“Going somewhere exciting?” Her cousin Julia bounded into the room with all the exuberance of a college freshman. Or someone who would be a college freshman if she hadn’t opted for a free-spirited route in life.

Just looking at her, Mallory felt old beyond her years. Mallory was still young enough to be carefree, it was just the external trappings that constrained her. And those couldn’t be avoided. Not if she wanted to make partner.

“Hey, Mal. I asked you where you’re off to?”

Mallory turned to her cousin. Their fathers were brothers, and by a strange mix of the gene pool, Julia and Mallory shared an uncanny resemblance, down to their blue eyes. Looking at her cousin was like looking in a mirror, minus a few years, chronological as well as emotional. Julia was a bundle of happiness, and like Mallory she was also a disappointment to her father. Unlike Mallory, she didn’t feel the need to change her parent’s opinion.

“I’m off to a sunny resort and before you get jealous, remember it’s business.” And with luck, Jack would remember that, too. He’d dress up and not down and even if their eccentric, bossy client insisted on a poolside meeting, Jack would dress, period. Because Mallory was afraid if she saw him bare-chested and tanned, in swimming trunks that accentuated and revealed, she couldn’t be responsible for her actions.

And Mallory Sinclair was always the upstanding, responsible adult and attorney. Always. She had to be.

Julia sat on the bed and crossed her legs. “It may be business, but it’s still the beach.”

“That’s what Jack said.” The memory of his charcoal-gray eyes boring into hers lit a fire inside her. The warmth of desire burst into a burning flame. Lust, Mallory reminded herself. Nothing more than sexual need, a desire easily controlled. No matter if she was lying to herself, she had no choice but to convince herself and act accordingly. So what if the man was sexy? She was an adult, after all.

“Who’s Jack?”

“The senior partner in charge of this case.” Her garment bag already packed with a combination of appropriate lightweight pantsuits and skirts, Mallory folded her private underthings and placed them inside the suitcase.

Julia seated herself on the bed. “What’s he look like?”

“What’s it matter?” Mallory shot back quickly.

Too quickly, and her cousin’s eyes narrowed. “Why so testy? Uptight about going away with a seventy-year-old man who’s judging your every move?” Julia’s blue eyes locked with hers, daring her to reveal what was on her mind.

Sometimes Julia was too perceptive and understanding, just another reason why Mallory adored her cousin and let her live here rent-free while she “found herself” in New York. “More like a thirty-something, perfect-looking, unattached man,” Mallory muttered.

Julia laughed. “I heard that.”

“I wanted you to or I wouldn’t have spoken out loud.”