The Intern

16

“That’s the face of a dirty, dirty dog,” Jenner said.

“I’ve never claimed to be a saint.”

“That’s the truth,” Jenner huffed. “A flavor of the week—I remember those days.”

I nodded toward him. “Another one who’s on the verge of signing a marriage license, handcuffed to your relationship.”

“I’m not complaining one bit,” Jenner replied.

He’d shacked up with his largest client’s daughter, and I was the f*****g dog at this table.

Dominick took a drink of his coffee. “Who’s the catch of the week? Tell us about her.”

My arms crossed behind my head as my brain returned to that night in the alley. “She was so f*****g hot; we didn’t even make it back to my place.” I smiled as I thought of the warmth that I’d felt inside her p***y, how her cunt had pulsed around me. The way she had f*****g screamed out her orgasm. “Man, she was a fierce one. Captivating. Charming. Stunning.” I smiled. “A law student.”

“A thirty-two-year-old, slumming it up with law school girls,” one of them said.

My brain was re-creating her body, her tightness, her sounds—too lost in Hannah’s memory to focus on who had spoken.

But I’d heard the words, and I responded, “I f**k anyone who’s over the age of eighteen and meets my criteria, and, oh hell, she exceeded them.”

First at the mock trial, where she’d really impressed me.

Then at the bar.

Again in the alley.

“Besides, Jenner’s no better,” I added. “Let’s not forget Jo was in college when they first met. That bastard was flying back and forth to Miami to get a piece of ass.”

He flipped me off after I reminded everyone of that important detail.

“So, back to this twenty-something-year-old,” Dominick said. “What, you hit it and quit it?”

“Don’t tell me it’s been so long that you don’t remember what single life looks like.” I waited for him to respond. “Dude, you’re not a f*****g dinosaur.”

My phone started to vibrate in my pocket, and I slipped my hand in the fold to send the call to voice mail. But as my fingers skimmed the hard plastic case, I felt something else. Something almost soft, silky, weightless.

What the f**k?

Wanting to see what it was, I pulled it out just a little bit, my heart instantly hammering in my chest once I glanced down.

Out of the hundred-plus suits I owned, I’d chosen the same one that I’d worn to USC a week ago.

The same one that apparently still housed the thong that I’d torn off Hannah’s body.

The same one my housekeeper was supposed to take to the dry cleaner and neglected to do so.

I shoved my hand back in the pocket, fisting the flimsy fabric, dying to see if it still smelled like her.

Damn it, that girl had been different.

She’d gotten things out of me that no woman had in the past.

My lips on hers.

A desire to have her more than once.

An invite back to my house.

But that situation hadn’t worked out, and Hannah was long gone from my life.

“No, I’m not a dinosaur, but I’ve been out of the scene for a while,” Dominick said. “Tell me, why didn’t this one make the cut for a second date? Too young? Too innocent?”

“Too good for you,” Ford added, laughing.

“She probably is,” I admitted. “Girls like her”—I paused, thinking of that gorgeous body, squeezing the thong like it was going to make her appear—“they deserve a guy who can commit.” I glanced around the table. “Like you assholes, but that’s not me.”

“He’ll never change,” Jenner joked.

“You’ve got that right.” I released the thong and ran my fingers under my nose, taking in the slightest hint of vanilla. f**k. I needed to get that scent out of my head; all it did was tease me. “Let’s go out tonight. I’ll show you exactly how it’s done and what it looks like since it appears that you fools have forgotten.”

Dominick slapped his hand on the table. “I’m in.”

“You know I’m in,” Jenner voiced.

We all looked at Ford.

“I’ll ask my cousin if she can watch Everly. If she’s available, then, yes, I’m in.”

“Make it happen,” I told him.

Dominick looked at each of his brothers and then took in a long, deep breath. “Before we get too far into planning this evening’s drunkfest, I have something to tell you, and it might change the way you feel about going out tonight.”

I stared at the three of them.

I couldn’t imagine what would change my mind. It certainly wouldn’t have anything to do with work; everything had been spelled out in my employment contract, leaving zero room for surprises.

“All right, lay it on me.”

Dominick lifted a pen from the table and tapped it over the file that held my contract. “We have a bit of an initiation process when new employees start at the firm. Experienced ones, like yourself, that is.”

I c****d my head to the side. “Okay …”

“We don’t find it necessary to outline this duty in the contract. One, because it’s only for a semester, and that’s such a tiny smidgen of time, and two, because we look at it as an advantage.”

“A hidden bonus,” Ford added.

“A semester?” My brows rose from the verbiage he’d used.

Dominick’s pen stilled. “You’re going to mentor an intern.”

I shook my head. “f**k no.”

“It’s not a choice, Declan.”

I glanced at their faces, their expressions backing up this new tidbit of bullshit.

“You’re kidding …” I sighed, waiting for one of them to crack a smile, laugh—anything that would tell me this was a goddamn joke. “You really aren’t kidding.”

“It’s only for a semester, Declan. That’s it.” Jenner shifted in his chair. “Look at it like having another personal assistant. This one, you’ll just have to give a little extra attention to.”

We’d had interns at my last firm. I refused to work with one.

I didn’t have the time or patience to mentor and develop someone so green.

I’d passed them off to the estate and trust department or family law—attorneys, like the bastards in front of me, who sat on their asses all day.

That wasn’t me.

That wasn’t even close to describing my job.

“Since you’re so good with law students, this’ll be right up your alley.” Ford smirked.