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"You’re beautiful and sexy," she said, as if Lauren hadn’t even spoken, "and heHepburn You need a hot man to carry you away and remind you that you are more than the sum of a courtroom or your father’s career aspirations on your behalf"
Lauren snorted at that "With my luck, I’d choose an undercover reporter who’d twist me into some sort of floozy which would spiral into a scandal for htened hts "Actually, Lauren, maybe that’s just what you need"
"What the heck does thatThe push Julie loved "the push," what she called her closing argu, in or out of a courtroom
"Your father’s about to retire, but he has that Kennedy fahts He wants you to run for office He’s not going to give up until he convinces you" Her eyes twinkled with mischief "So you see a scandal can’t really hurt hiriolden rule of sobriety in public and had toocraziness I work for the District Attorney’s office I have my own career to think about, too, and you know it"
Julie pursed her perfect lips "I don’t know anything of the sort It’s not like you want to run for DA anymore than you want to run for any other appointed office And you’re in the public sector with a conviction rate that’s well above expectations, so you’re a golden girl"
"Any scandal I bring to the office, I bring to the DA Not to ood grief," Julie gru, but the fact that you didn’t even get that is telling, and of what, I’m not sure"
There was an announce about cake and presents in half an hour Lauren skiown, her gaze catching on the dainty, silver watch on her wrist, the newest in a broad collection of gifts fro birthdays and any nuift on his birthday, and when she’d find out
Julie touched her arm "You okay?"
Lauren inhaled and let it out "Fine I’ for a little tolerance for step-reed, dreading the inevitable ‘make-nice moments’ with her father’s trophy wife
"Well, to heck with our sobriety pact," Julie declared "A bubbly dose of patience, coht up"
Several minutes later, Lauren sipped from a flute and waved at one of her father’s friends across the room She wondered if thefor so at an old fuddy-duddy so I’ve just waved ic wand I have the perfect asmic bliss Mr Make Every Woman Hot And Bothered hi only o that there were no men capable of such splendor at these types of events"
"He’s your ‘ht fantasy,’" she said, a wicked smile on her lips "Or so a certain brunette told lasses of wine"
Royce Walker She was talking about Royce Walker Lauren’s throat went dry at the mention of the sexy State Security Advisor who also ran a private security company with his two brothers And, ht fantasies’ on ht?"
"Over here, Royce!" Julie called out and then grinned "He’s not only here, he’s headed our way You can thank me later"
"Oh dear God, Julie," Lauren chided "Why did you do that? I have enough stress tonight without this" And damn it, she needed a little fantasy here and there She didn’t want it ruined by real life
"If you won’t take care of you, honey," she said, reaching out and tugging Lauren’s bodice down an inch, "I will"
"Good evening, ladies," Royce greeted her from behind, his voice as rawly od and long raven hair he’d regretfully tied at his nape for an event such as this one
Lauren pulled up her dress, and shot Julie a warning look "We’ll be talking later"
"Of course," Julie said with a grin aover thereet hi only an instant to take in his tuxedo, which fit hiaze collided with his crystal blue stare "Hello," he said, his voice lower now, al herself to say so more, but the unexpected direct eye contact sizzled her all the way to her toes and apparently stole her ability to process words
"Shouldn’t you be so your brothers out of trouble?" Julie asked him