The Law of Motion (Law Series) (8 page)

             
She changed the subject again. “Are you coming with us on Juan’s field trip? Doc isn’t going to let me out of it. ”

             
"Yeah," I said with a nod. "My last case is in the wraps and Macon is trying to find the birthmother for that custody case. He doesn’t need me."

             
She nodded and leaned against the counter, her work voice surfacing. "That’s a tricky one, because records are sealed when it comes to adoptions. Maybe he should get Tink on it too."

             
"No he shouldn’t,” I laughed before I could help it. “It’s totally against the fucking law.”

             
She smiled too, “But when has that ever stopped Margaux?”

             
I frowned when I realized that she successfully strayed away from the topic and took me with her. “We need to talk about this Alyssa”

             
“Not now, I have
three
potential cases to discuss with Ross, Doc, and Dario. Four
very
long phone calls. I have to do a payroll breakdown, make a schedule for all three new cases, and assign those cases.” She listed going down the hall to get dressed for the day.

              When we got into the office Juan was coloring at the front desk with Doc going on and on about his upcoming trip. “I really hope that Cedric can be my buddy.”

             
“Well what about Lizzy? She was nice.” Doc asked picking a random playmate from his party last year.

             
“She’s a
girl
.” He gagged frowning at the opposite gender and I couldn’t help but laugh.

             
“He won’t have those same thoughts in a few years.” Macon swore shaking his head.

             
“Hey, I’m a
girl
,” Chance frowned pretending to be offended; her nose doing that sexy wrinkle thing I loved so much.

             
“And I’m a girl.” Ross reminded.

             
"No!" he corrected, doubled over in laughter. "You're...
Mommy
! And you’re my
Tia.
"

             
Doc laughed looking over her notes for the Expo. “So, it looks like we have about three different classes coming to the expo. I’m going to be running an art booth so you two will have to chaperone with the others by yourselves.”

             
Alyssa rolled her eyes, “So you’re going to stick us in a den of room mothers
alone
?”

             
“Chance, you’ll know some of them, it’ll be fun.” Doc encouraged with forced enthusiasm. “ Macon is going to drop Roslyn off when they wrap up their work for the day; and she’ll keep you company.”

             
Chance just sifted through the mail, with a blank expression on her face. “I won’t change my mind Tawny, I already promised Juan,” before walking in the back to her office. Something was really up with her today.

             
“I’m glad Makenna isn’t at that age yet.” Kristen admitted in relief coming out of her office. “ It’s going to be a forty kid play date.”

             
Doc counted through her list again, “No, not forty, our total confirmed is sixty-four.”

             
“Good luck with that sh
i
stuff bro.” Macon apologized, when Kristen elbowed him in the ribs to keep him from saying it the way he wanted to.

             
I snorted, shaking my head at how we all had to tone down our language around Juan. That kid was a sponge and we learned that shit the hard way. He'd gone through a phase where he'd repeated everything that anyone said. When he was three, he got really pissed at his Uncle Dario for taking one of his toys, and he'd snapped, "Hey, give me that back, asshole!"

             
I of course, couldn't breathe, because it was so funny, especially the look of pride and shock on Macon's face. But Doc had put an end to it instantly, telling us if we didn't start watching what we said, she was going to enforce a swear jar. And not just any swear jar; this bastard was expensive. The fouler the word, the higher the price. An f-bomb was a hundred bucks. She told us it would be for Juan's future therapy sessions for all the damage we would cause if we didn't "cut it the fuck out!" It took a week and almost a thousand dollars for us to get the hint.

             
“Uncle Macon almost said a bad word.” Juan reported looking up from the giant color by numbers poster he was working on with Tink.

             
Ross, who was lounging across the couch in the waiting area laughed. “Yes he almost did, and how much would that have cost
Uncle Macon?
”

             
“Fifty dollars.” He certified.

             
Tink decided this would be the perfect time for a random fact. “Did you know ninety-seven percent of all paper money contains traces of cocaine?”

             
“
Really Tink
?” Doc chided looking up from her work.

             
Tink looked up confused. “Yes really, it’s true.”

             
“True, true, true,” Juan repeated kicking his legs and still coloring.

             
I cracked up, “ Good luck explaining that one in playgroup next week Tawny.”

             
“I think Tink should have to pay the jar.” Macon suggested tossing a paperweight in the air, catching it over and over.

             
“I didn’t
swear
.” Tink argued confused.

             
Dario laughed, “Still damaging.”

             
“Jackson…” Tink whined waiting for interference.

             
Jackson just chuckled, his Texan accent ringing clear. “Oh no Sugar, I’m out of this one.”

             
“Then Macon should have to pay too for his
almost
slip. Whether you said it or not it still put the word in his head.” She argued.

             
Macon just grinned, “Juan won’t make me pay. I’m his favorite uncle.”

             
“I wuv
all
of my uncles.” He stressed looking between the four of us with a nervous glance that was almost comical.

             
Jackson just shook his head. “Stop stirring up sh
i
trouble Mack.”

              Juan loved all of his "uncles," even though we weren't blood related. He wasn't lying about that, but what I noticed was that he went to us for different things. With Jackson, he could be calm, and he taught him outdoorsy things, like how to find the best wild blueberries or track a deer in the woods when we camped, so he could see “Bambi”. With his Uncle Macon, he could be rowdy and loud, wrestling with him. And with Dario he really just listened, he made him laugh with stories of Italy and actually talked to him like a tiny adult, instead of a little kid. He respected it, whether he knew what the word meant or not. But with Tink around I was sure that he did. With me he got all of the soldier stories I was allowed to tell. Let him see my guns, play with the bullets and the vests, even put him in face paint since I wasn’t using it anymore.

              “Not you too Jackson.” Doc sighed in disappointment.

             
Ross just shrugged, “I give it a month before we have to bring the swear jar back.”

             
"Idiots,”  Kristen snorted, rolling her eyes. “Just for Macon trying to get you in trouble,  I'll buy you a hot chocolate. I’m in need of caffeine.”

             
"Wif whipped cream?" He verified, bright brown eyes shining at the thought.

             
“With whatever you want,” she promised, giving Dario a raised eyebrow. "Should we invite these
uncles to
come?”

             
Juan nodded only caring about the sugary treat waiting for him, “Let’s go, go, go!”

             
"Aw heck," Jackson drawled, getting up. "It’s a slow day. Let’s go, Darlin’.”

             
Doc watched the five of them travel to the Starbucks across the street, before turning to Ross, breathing dramatically. “I swear, I think they love him more than us now Roslyn.”

             
“I don’t think that’s true.” I disagreed looking through my messages.

             
Chance called from her office loud enough for us to hear. “Yes it is.”

             
“Let’s go get a coffee too.” Ross smirked not wanting to be left out.

             
I wanted to return some calls before it got too late in the day so I stayed behind, occupied in the office I shared with Dario, Chance shut in hers. I wasn’t until later, when we she tapped on my door that I even realized that we were alone. “Hey, just came to put these on Dario’s desk.” She informed quickly putting the folders down.

             
I don’t know if it was the jeans, or the fact that I knew the underwear she was wearing underneath that turned me on but I was. Unfortunately when she was focused on work she was fucking focused. As quickly as she appeared she was gone again, heading back down the hall to her office. I got up following behind her deciding it was probably better that I made my move in her office anyway since she didn’t share hers. She was leaning against the front of her desk retuning a call, and I took the seat in front of her trying my best to wait until she got off.

             
My hands were immediately drawn to her legs. Starting at her ankles, up her calves—giving her knee cap a firm squeeze to get her attention— my hands traveled up, only to slip ever so slightly where her legs met and back down to start all over. It was nearly impossible, to keep my hands off of her. I was completely insatiable when it came to this woman.

             
Once she told whoever was on the line that she would return their call later I pulled her down into my lap for a kiss. "Someone could walk in..." She cautioned as I kissed the nape of her neck.

             
“Door locked.” I reassured, knowing I covered all of my bases.

             
"'I don’t know," she breathed, but she made no move to get down from my lap. In fact, her eyes stayed glued to my mouth, her breathing a little heavy while she bit her lip.

             
Suddenly, I just needed to kiss her again...and then some. She'd been so quiet the last few days. Trying to avoid the marriage and family topic, not to mention this shit with Paul, she was more than preoccupied.

             
I could understand the need for Alyssa to have a poker face. To appear to be in control for the sake of getting things done, but it frustrated the hell out of me because I was starting to see signs of it when it was just the two us.

             
Her controlled masks were good, hell great, because Doc and the others didn’t even see the changes. But the fact that she threw herself into work didn’t fool me. The fact that she'd wake up and make sure I was still there didn’t fool me either. Something was wrong, and she was starting to retreat inside herself to try to deal.

             
I needed her, I needed some type of reaction from her. I wanted to see that spar
k
that flare of my naughty Alyssa, just for a bit, because I didn’t know any other way to handle things.

             
I picked her up, sitting her back on the desk, moving a few things aside. “Don’t go cold on me, Honeyface. I know you like being in control, but you aren’t alone.” I ordered, stroking her cheek before kissing her again.

             
Brushing my hands down her sides, I hooked my fingers under her knee, wrapping her leg around my waist. It brought us closer, and my tongue traced her bottom lip waiting for her to give me access. Our moans were quiet, muffled against each other's mouths as our tongues teased and tasted. The hand that was holding her leg around me traced the top of her jeans.

             
“I’m not alone?” She repeated moaning a bit between kisses.

             
“You know that Honeyface,” I assured running my fingers through her hair.

             
She pulled away abruptly, a shimmer of sin and suggestion in those green pools. “Then
control me
, Adrian.”

             
“
Oh
, I plan too, Love” I guaranteed, dragging my teeth down her neck and opening my mouth to the soft spot on her collarbone. I unbuttoned her jeans pulling them off as she kicked off her shoes.