LITMIR.BIZ

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didn’t tell you the details?” His tone implied he wasn’t at all surprised his sister had been less than forthcoming. “In exchange for helping you, she promised me she’d finally let me hire someone to move in with us and help her with her daily activities until she’s out of her cast.”

      “And how does that affect me?”

      He settled back and shot her a master-of-all-he-surveyed smile. “Because the live-in caretaker is going to be you.”

      CHAPTER TWO

      BLAKE WATCHED JAX go completely still before the refusal burst from her lips.

      “No.” Clearly stunned, Jax froze for a few more seconds filled with silence before she continued, “Wait, let me put that another way,” she said leaning closer, bringing the smell of lemon shampoo and damp earth. “Hell, no.”

      Fighting back a smile, Blake said, “That was eloquent.”

      “That was clearer.”

      “Why the emphatic refusal? Nikki told me the cut in funding has forced the club to shut down several programs, including yours. So obviously you’re in need of a job.”

      “No, I’m in need of a plan to get the programs up and running again.” A furrow appeared between her eyebrows. “And no offense, Suit,” she said smoothly, but Blake got the sense she did mean to offend, “but I’m not in bad enough straits to accept a job that requires me to live in your home.”

      The words lingered in the air between them as Blake held her gaze. Awareness seeped into the limo and saturated every molecule of air, making each breath suddenly feel heavy. And then Jax turned to face forward, effectively putting an end to the moment.

      Part of him echoed her reluctance. But so far Nikki had fired the three people he’d hired to help. And she’d refused the limo service he occasionally used. Blake had nearly burst a fuse when he’d discovered his sister had driven herself to the flash mob in a cast.

      A long leg cast.

      Which was as reckless as the careless stunt that had broken her leg in the first place. It was amazing she hadn’t gotten herself killed today. And if he didn’t get Nikki to accept help from somebody, she’d wind up dead in a car accident, just like his father.

      For a flickering moment, the memories flooded him and his chest grew tight, making breathing difficult.

      Blake rubbed his forehead, easing the tension as he concentrated on the view out the tinted window. Palm trees paraded past like guards along the median. Cars eased forward in sporadic burps as the city reached the peak of the Friday rush hour. His sister was going to drive him stark, raving mad. The past few years had been tough, the two of them clashing more and more. Now he suspected she was doing things solely with the intent to tick him off.

      And how could he concentrate on the biggest case of his career if he was living on pins and needles, dreading her next stunt? He needed someone to help Nikki, and the only one she’d agreed on was the hellion on heels.

      He glanced at said hellion. Unfortunately, his fleeting impression at the courthouse had been dead-on. Jax Lee was trouble of monumental proportions. Impulsive. Headstrong. With a mouth to match.

      Worse…everything about her made him hot.

      Honey-colored hair, wild and unrestrained, hung in waves down her back, while the small tattoo on the inside of her right wrist enhanced her unruly air. And, as if that weren’t disturbing enough, her long legs were bare beneath the cutoffs. Her black cowboy boots were decorated with a line of red thread that twined around the ankles and climbed higher, as if wanting to hold more of her close; he knew the feeling.

      Curbing his reaction had been doable until he’d discovered the sound body had indeed come with a sound mind, the sharp wit and keen intellect triggering a need the likes of which he could no longer ignore. Unfortunately, intellect did not equal common sense. Or sanity. Her amusing mouth was sassier than all his past girlfriends’ combined, but her reckless nature made her a risk.

      A risk he had no choice but to take.

      Pushing the doubts aside, Blake settled back and focused on the oddly enticing sight of her lightly jiggling foot. Obviously, the lady was incapable of holding still.

      Or keeping her opinions to herself.

      “What will it take to change your mind?” he said. “Money?”

      She rolled her eyes, as if to say his attempt was lame.

      “Whatever your weekly salary is, I’ll triple it,” he said.

      “No thanks,” she said smoothly. “I’m sure you can find someone else.”

      “Nikki refuses a hired aid. And the only other family I have is my mother, but she was the one who encouraged Nikki to drive herself to the courthouse today.” At Jax’s curious look, he felt obligated to attempt to explain Abigail Bennington, an impossible feat. “My mother doesn’t believe in setting limits.”

      A fact that had been okay when his father had still been alive. After his death, Blake had been the one left to pick up the slack, striving to see that a then twelve-year-old headstrong Nikki made it to adulthood in one piece. No easy task.

      He tipped his head. “As a matter of fact, you and my mother would get along great. She believes everyone should lead with their heart, too.”

      The smile she sent was laced with a touch of reproach. “Smart lady.”

      “Yes. But my mother also believes in love potions, tarot cards and the validity of the psychic hotline,” Blake said drily. “So take that for what it’s worth.”

      Her smile grew bigger. “Your mother sounds wonderful.”

      Abigail Bennington was frustrating. Exasperating. And notoriously unreliable. As much as he cared about her, dealing with his mom wasn’t always easy. Luckily, she was also very lovable in her own wacky way.

      Wacky, just like the beautiful woman with the tiny tattoo. Her wrist rested on her lap, and he discreetly tried to make out the picture. But he only managed to get an eyeful of a bare, tanned and very toned thigh.

      A few more moments passed filled with awareness, and he forced his eyes back to her face. “Look,” he said reasonably, “Nikki needs company, and I’m currently involved in a case that’s requiring a lot of my time. And my mother has a social calendar that would put the First Lady to shame.” He blew out a breath. “Most of Nikki’s old high school pals have moved away. And the few that still live here have jobs. Honestly,” Blake went on thoughtfully, “I think she’s missing her friends.”

      Jax’s foot stopped its incessant wiggling, and she crossed her arms, a small frown stealing across her face as she nibbled on her lower lip. Obviously she was rethinking her refusal, more moved by compassion than money. Information he fully intended to take advantage of.

      “Nikki had been looking forward to her summer break for months,” he said, pressing on. He’d had years of practice reading juries, and Jax’s sympathy was easy to see. He almost had her. “Now she’s stuck at home. What she needs is someone closer to her age for company.” Truthfully, he thought his sister needed a keeper, but he kept that tidbit to himself. “So she won’t feel so…alone.”

      Jax heaved out a sigh, turning to face him. “Okay, I’ll do it.” Blake’s blood surged in triumph. “But I have one condition,” she said.

      “Which is?”

      “I want you to handle my legal problem.”

      The triumphant feeling collapsed. “I’m a federal prosecutor, not a defense attorney.”

      “I can’t afford to hire a lawyer, even with the tripled salary.”

      Blake frowned. “So you’ll be assigned a public defender. Most of them are excellent. And more than capable of handling

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