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He was ridiculously hot, like a walking, talking magazine cover, which just made him even more annoying. Great hair, too. Dark and worn a little longer than you’d expect. When you paired that with the stubble on his chiseled jawline, you’d think he’d look unkempt. But of course, he didn’t. Then there were the bedroom eyes. Deep brown and mesmerizing. Were those long lashes really necessary, though? Asshole.
And what was with that fucking aftershave? It wouldn’t surprise me if it cost more than I made in a year, but, Jesus, it made me want to…Pushing my hair behind my shoulder, I straightened. “The only way we could possibly get on the same page, Mr. Rivers, is if you withdraw the development application.”
“Well, that’s not going to happen.”
“Then I’ll see you in court.”
“Are you seriously going to drag us all down this road?”
“Of course. It’s my job. The organizations I represent are very passionate and committed to this cause. We have no intention of backing down.”
“All of this, just for some frogs?”
“Yes.”
“Frogs don’t make the world go round.”
“And money does?”
“Of course it does.”
I drew in a deep, steadying breath. “These frogs aren’t just ‘some frogs’, Mr. Rivers. They’re a critically endangered species, teetering on the brink of extinction.” My voice took on an edge as the words tumbled out, fueled by a simmering frustration. “The Pine Barrens treefrog population has been decimated by habitat loss and environmental degradation. If this development goes through, it could be the final nail in their coffin.” I leveled my gaze at him, eyes blazing with determination. “As an environmental lawyer, it’s my sworn duty to protect vulnerable species and ecosystems from reckless destruction. I won’t stand idly by while their very existence is threatened by corporate greed and short-sightedness.”
“You point to corporate greed and short- sightedness, but perhaps it’s you that’s failing to see the big picture.”
I waved my hand at him. “Oh, go ahead and enlighten me!”
“The economic impact of this development far outweighs the environmental concerns,” he stated coolly. “Our projections show a multi-million-dollar boost to the local economy and hundreds of new jobs created.”
“And what about the long-term costs of destroying an entire species’ habitat?” I countered. “You can’t put a price tag on biodiversity.”
He shrugged. “Unfortunately, sacrifices have to be made for progress. This is the natural order of things - species go extinct all the time.”
His eyes were cold, like he didn’t even see the frogs, just dollar signs floating in front of him. It was infuriating. He was so calm, talking about “sacrifices” for “progress” like it was all just some kind of math problem. I wanted to scream at him, “These aren’t justnumbers, these areliving things!” But that wouldn’t get me anywhere. So, I just said, “I guess we’re at a standstill then.”
“It seems we are. I guess I’ll see you in court.” He flipped the folder shut on the words and got to his feet.
I stood up, too, and held out my hand for him to shake. I wasn’t sure why, even as I felt the warmth of his hand in mine, I wanted to pull back. As he brushed past me on his way out, I caught a whiff of his cologne and quickly turned my head to avoid breathing it in.
The moment I heard him saying goodbye to Alice, our receptionist, I left the conference room, heading straight for my partner’s office.
“Cassidy!” I knocked sharply and pushed the door open. She was already looking up from her computer, a small frown creasing her forehead. Her long blonde hair was pulled back in a tight ponytail, like always. She was always so perfectly calm and in control, like she one hundred percent had her shit together. Which sometimes made me feel like a reckless hurricane who had blown into her perfectly ordered world. But we’d workedtogether for seven years now, and she was still with me, so I guess I wasn’t so bad.
Her eyes widened as she took me in. “Jeez, you look like you’re about to set someone on fire. How’d the meeting go?”
I dropped into the chair across from her desk, raking my fingers through my hair. “Fucking terrible. That arrogant prick makes my blood boil.” I launched into a rant, my words tumbling out in a torrent. “He acted like the survival of an entire species was some trivial inconvenience getting in the way of his profits! Can you believe he tried to justify driving those treefrogs into extinction by saying, ‘sacrifices have to be made for progress’? As if basic human decency and environmental protection are outdated concepts holding us back!”
“Wow, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you get this riled up before. Are you going to be able to handle this?”
I forced out a breath, trying to calm myself down. There was definitely something about Rhett Rivers that got under my skin. Those cold, indifferent eyes, that infuriatingly smug smile…and the fact that he was utterly gorgeous. It was like the whole package was designed for peak irritation. But this was just another case. I had to stay objective, couldn’t let my personal feelings cloud my judgment, right? “Yep. I’ll be fine. Even if that jerk really makes me want to punch something.” I straightened in the chair, squaring my shoulders. “We’re absolutely moving forward with filing for an injunction to halt construction until this goes to court. Those treefrogs don’t have any other champions - we have to be their voice.”
Cassidy smiled. “That’s the fiery environmental crusader I know and admire. Just try not to spontaneously combust before then, okay?”
I rolled my eyes but couldn’t fight my own grin. “I’ll do my best. Though no promises if I have to be in the same room as Rhett Rivers again anytime soon.”
“I’d be dead surprised if he’s not present during the case, so I’ll make sure I bring a fire extinguisher with me.”
That made me laugh. “Thanks.”