“Hallie.”
She hadn’t even said hello before he said her name. Her pulse rate automatically accelerated as she clutched the receiver tighter.
“Why are you calling me at home, Jackson?”
“I take it that’s a no-no.”
“I’d rather you didn’t.”
He hesitated several beats, then said, “Okay, I’m sorry. But I couldn’t remember if I thanked you for taking my case.”
“I haven’t taken your case, exactly, but yes, you thanked me.”
Silence.
“It was good to see you, Hallie, after all this time.” His voice had grown low and husky.
She crossed her legs and tried to control her labored breathing. Would she ever get over the hots for this man? Even through the phone lines, the heat fizzed. She suspected he felt it, too. Yet she was loath to end the conversation.
“It was good to see you, too.” And it was, though she was loath to admit that, too.
“I know I shouldn’t say this—”
“You probably shouldn’t,” she responded in a weak voice.
“If you don’t want to hear it, then you’ll have to hang up.”
She stayed on the line.
“I’ve missed you like hell.”
She had missed him, too, but that was hard to admit. She didn’t want a relationship with Jackson, personally or professionally. It was simply too dangerous to her newfound peace of mind. Actually, it would be tantamount to personal and professional suicide.
The afternoon’s civility had remained in place, but underneath was the awareness of what it was like to jump each other’s bones in a rash and heated moment. She couldn’t work under those conditions.
“Jackson, please, don’t go there. It will force me to turn you over to Nathan now or send you to another firm.” In spite of her efforts, her voice shook.
“I know.” He spoke in that same sexy and husky tone. “But I had to say it.”
“You’ve said it, so let’s move on.”
“I guess I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Good night,” she said with as much coolness as she could muster.
After she hung up the phone, Hallie’s entire body trembled with a hunger that stunned her. She hadn’t been with a man since she and Jackson had split up. For the longest time, she had missed not only the great sex between them but the companionship. When their engagement ended, it was like one of her limbs had been severed.
But time and work had smothered those longings and she’d manage to regroup and go on.
If it hadn’t been for Roberta Klein’s death, her state of mind and body would still be intact. Thoughts of the deceased woman raised her pulse rate again, but for a different reason.
While she hadn’t wished Jackson’s old friend any ill will, Roberta had been one of the reasons why Hallie hadn’t married Jackson. It was only after they had become engaged that she realized how close Roberta and Jackson were. Roberta popped in and out of his life whenever she felt like it, and he seemed to find nothing amiss.
He’d even admitted to having slept with Roberta, but only once. After that admission, Hallie had told him the situation with Roberta was something she’d rather not have to deal with. Jackson had assured her he would handle it.
Weeks later, she had received a surprise visit from Roberta herself. More curious than anything, Hallie had invited her in, preparing herself to be as cordial as possible.
But cordiality had been the furthest thing from Roberta’s mind. She hadn’t minced any words. “Jackson might marry you, Hallie, but it’ll always be me he loves.”
Hallie had been so taken aback by Roberta’s boldness and the venom in her tone, she’d been speechless, which had given Roberta the opportunity to add insult to injury.
“I guess if you’re prepared to share him, then by all means go ahead and marry him.”
Some time during Roberta’s tirade, Hallie had managed to regain her composure and her voice. “No way am I willing to share Jackson. But then, I don’t have to. He told me you’re no longer part of his life.”
Roberta gave a toss of her long red curls and spread her glossed lips into a confident smirk. “Then, he lied to you, my dear. I just saw him two days ago. We had lunch. Jackson will never forsake me for you or any other woman.”
With that bombshell, Roberta had swept regally to the door and walked out without looking back.
Feeling blindsided and enraged, Hallie had lost no time in confronting Jackson.
“Aw, baby,” he’d said, “she’s just spouting off. Don’t pay any attention to her.”
“Did you take her to lunch?”
“No.”
“But you did see her, didn’t you?”
“She’s a friend, Hallie, and that’s all.”
“That’s not what she says.”
“Whatever she told you is just wishful thinking on her part.”
“She said you loved her and always would.”
He swore. “Surely you don’t believe that.”
“After her vicious attack, I don’t know what to believe.”
His features softened, and his voice turned cajoling. “How can you say that? I love you more than anything else in this world. What we have is rare and special and has been from the beginning.”
“You never answered my question, Jackson.”
“What was it?” he said with less patience in his voice.
“Have you been seeing her?”
“Okay, she was strung-out on prescription drugs, and I helped bail her out of trouble.”
“Just once?”
“No. Twice.”
Hallie swept a hand through her hair, then peered at him, knowing he would see the agony in her eyes. “You have no intention of putting her out of your life, do you.”
“If you mean, am I going to just dump her forever, the answer is no.”
Her face turned hot. “Dumping was hardly what I had in mind.”
“Oh, I think it was.”
Hallie jutted her chin. “Look, maybe we need a cooling-off period. Maybe we shouldn’t see each other for a while.”
“As in, not get married?” Jackson’s voice was filled with horror.
“Not anytime soon.”
“That’s crazy.” His tone revealed his shock. “You can’t mean that.”
“Oh, I mean it, all right. You’ve betrayed my trust, Jackson. In my view, that’s unforgivable.”
And she had meant every word. In light of her up-bringing, trust was a huge factor with her. When someone broke or violated a trust, for whatever reason, she hadn’t much use for them.
And that included Jackson.
“I won’t let you do this, Hallie.”
“It’s too late.” Before she realized what she was doing, she had pulled off her ring and handed it to him.
His face