Page 92 of A Legal Affair

Caleb snorted. He had zero interest in continuing this conversation, but going a few rounds with the heavy bag sounded pretty damn good right now.

“You down?” Evander prompted.

“Yeah.” Caleb closed the file he’d been working on, turned off his computer and stood. “Let’s go.”

28

That night, Daniela was awakened from a fitful sleep by the doorbell ringing.

Groaning, she rolled over in bed and squinted at the clock on her nightstand, frowning when she saw that it was ten o’clock. She’d gone to bed early to escape the beginnings of a stress-induced migraine, and had only just drifted off to sleep.

As she flung back the covers and padded barefoot into the closet for her robe, she wondered if her mother had decided to return home a day early. But she would have her own key, so it couldn’t be her. The only other possibility was that Kenneth had taken it upon himself to pay Daniela a visit in order to find out how dinner had gone at Crandall Thorne’s ranch. He’d been trying to reach her all day, and she’d purposely ignored his calls and texts. She wasn’t ready to share with him the momentous decision she’d made about her role in the undercover investigation. She knew he’d go ballistic and do everything in his power to talk—or bully—her out of it.

That’s not going to happen, she muttered under her breath as she neared the front door, angrily tugging her robe together. If Kenneth wanted a fight, she’d damn well give him one.

By the time she swung the door open, the hostile challenge was on the tip of her tongue. “I swear to God, Kenny?—”

But it wasn’t her older brother who stood on the doorstep.

Her heart slammed against her ribs at the sight of Caleb, ruggedly sexy in low-slung blue jeans, a gray Henley and brown cowboy boots.

“Caleb?” she whispered in disbelief.

“This time I don’t have to ask if you were expecting someone else.” There was a hard, suspicious edge to his voice. “Who’s Kenny?”

“My brother,” she answered, too stunned to take umbrage at his jealous tone. He’d already shown her just how wildly possessive he could be. Nothing he said or did should surprise her at this point.

He frowned. “I thought your brother’s name was Noah.”

“I have two, remember?” She searched his gorgeous face in the warm, buttery glow of the porch light. She was happy to see him even though she shouldn’t be. “What’re you doing here, Caleb?”

“I came to give you a ride.”

Heat stung her cheeks at the low, silky timbre of his voice. “I thought I said?—”

“Notthatkind of ride.” Lips twitching, Caleb looked pointedly over his shoulder, and standing on tiptoe, Daniela followed the direction of his gaze. Her eyes widened at the sight of a shiny red superbike parked at the curb in front of her house.

“Is that yours?” she asked in an awed voice.

He nodded, a half grin curving his mouth. “I couldn’t have you doubting the existence of my motorcycle, now could I?”

Daniela couldn’t suppress the delighted laughter that bubbled up from her throat.

Caleb gazed down at her. “Take a ride with me, Daniela,” he said huskily.

Her mouth went dry. “Now? It’s after ten o’clock.”

“Which means the night’s still young.”

He was right, of course, but she knew better than to accept his dangerous invitation. She’d be playing with fire, plunging herself into even deeper trouble than she was already in. And yet, she wanted nothing more than to be with him, knowing tonight would probably be her last opportunity. After tonight, there would be no more Caleb, no more nerve-racking classroom debates, no more laughter and loving. As she contemplated the bleak days, weeks and months that lay ahead, she told herself she deserved this one night, this final taste of bliss.

She smiled up at Caleb. “Give me five minutes to throw on some clothes.”

His gaze darkened as it traveled the length of her body, as if he had X-ray vision that enabled him to see through her robe. “By all means,” he murmured, a wolfish gleam in his eyes that made her pulse quicken.

She gestured him inside the house, then pivoted on her heel and headed quickly for her bedroom. As she hurriedly dressed, she felt like a giddy teenager sneaking out after curfew with the irresistible bad boy from school.

She called out, “Where are we going, by the way?”