Stardust and Kisses

Intrigue

Aaron

As Heather sat across from me, I tried to wrap my head around the situation. I hadn't expected a prosecutor, let alone one who looked like that. And definitely not someone who could cut me down with a few words. The way she handled herself—sharp, no-nonsense—it was hard not to be intrigued.

She kept going on about the headlines, my so-called "scandal," and how I needed to get my s**t together if I didn’t want my life to implode. But honestly, I hadn’t been interested in any of this. The whole idea of dragging a lawyer into my life felt like overkill. I mean, what was the point? Tabloids talk; people forget. That’s how it always worked. Or at least, that's what I thought.

But now… sitting here across from Heather, it didn’t seem so bad. She made things interesting.

“So, this wasn’t really what you had in mind?” Heather asked, breaking me out of my thoughts, her eyebrows arched like she could read my mind.

I chuckled, leaning back in my chair. “Not even close. To be honest, I wasn’t all that keen on getting a prosecutor involved at all.”

Her expression hardened, like she was ready for me to start bullshitting her. “Really? I’m surprised, considering the mess you're in. You think you could handle it on your own?”

I shrugged, giving her a half-smile. “Yeah, I figured it would blow over. Headlines are like candy—they’re sweet for a second and then people move on. It’s always something new to distract the public.”

Heather leaned forward, her eyes narrowing. “You seriously think that? This isn’t just some rumor that’ll fade away, Aaron. These are allegations that could ruin your career. You need to take it seriously.”

“Believe me, I get it now,” I said, holding up my hands in mock surrender. “But it’s not like I wanted any of this. My dad basically shoved me into this meeting.”

“Well, your dad’s right,” she snapped. “You need someone to keep you from sinking.”

I leaned forward, dropping the lazy attitude for a second. “Look, don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying you’re not good at what you do. Hell, I can already tell you’re probably the best shot I’ve got.”

“Probably?” she repeated, deadpan, giving me a sharp look.

“Okay, fine. Definitely,” I corrected, smirking. “But here’s the thing—I wasn’t into the whole prosecutor thing at first. Didn’t really see the point. But now... after meeting you, it’s different.”

Her eyes narrowed, like she was trying to figure out if I was being serious or just messing with her. “Different how?”

I grinned, shrugging a little. “You make things interesting. It’s not just about cleaning up a mess anymore. You’re… I don't know… fun to be around.”

Her lips tightened into a straight line, clearly not amused by my bullshit. “Fun? This isn’t supposed to be fun, Aaron. It’s your life on the line.”

I laughed, shaking my head. “Oh, I know, trust me. But come on, you can’t tell me this doesn’t make the whole thing at least a little less painful.”

Heather sighed, rubbing her temples. “This isn’t a joke. I’m here to help you, but if you’re not going to take it seriously, this is going to be a waste of time.”

I raised my hands, trying to dial it back a bit. “Alright, alright. I’m not saying I’m not taking it seriously. I’m just saying… you make this a lot more bearable. I’ll listen to you, I’ll do what you say. But don’t pretend this isn’t at least a little entertaining for you too.”

Heather stared at me for a long moment, clearly trying to keep a straight face, but I saw the tiniest flicker of something—maybe a smirk—before she covered it up.

“You’re impossible,” she muttered, shaking her head.

“Yeah, but you wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t, right?” I shot back, leaning in a little more, trying to catch her eye.

She gave me a look that said, don’t push it, but the corner of her lips twitched slightly. “I’m here because your dad’s paying me to keep your reckless ass out of trouble. Don’t flatter yourself.”

I grinned, leaning back in my chair again. “Whatever you say, counselor. Just know that I’m on board now. I’ll follow your lead, no more screwing around.”

“Good,” she said, her tone sharp, though I could tell she didn’t completely hate the banter. “Because if you don’t, I’m not sticking around to watch you sink. Got it?”

“Loud and clear,” I said, nodding, but the grin never left my face.

She stood up, clearly ready to end the conversation, but before she turned away, I couldn’t help myself. “By the way, Heather... I’m glad you’re the one handling this. You’re not like the others.”

Her back stiffened for a second before she glanced over her shoulder. “Neither are you,” she muttered, then walked out.

I watched her leave, a slow smirk creeping back onto my face. Yeah, this whole thing just got a hell of a lot more interesting.