Heartstrings (Rock With You #1) Rock Star Romance (4 page)

“Ryan,
about last night…”

Before
she could continue, he raised his hand. “Melody, it’s in the past. What
happened…or what you think happened…let’s just leave it alone, okay? You’re
under a bit of stress, and I’m willing to overlook a momentary indiscretion on
your part.”

Melody
stared at Ryan. “Oh…okay. Um, thanks.” Her mind was spinning.
I don’t think
it was my indiscretion though.

“I’m
glad you’re here though. We have a really big case that came in today and I’d
like you to take it. I’ll be here for you, as always, but I want you to take
the lead. It has the potential to be a high profile event, probably lots of
publicity.”

Melody’s
attention was focused on Ryan now, on the details of the case. She sat forward,
anxious to get more information.

“Who
is it? What’s the suit?”

Ryan
laughed. “Slow down. I don’t have a file yet; Lori is gathering preliminary
information. You can stop by her desk on the way out, see if she’s finished.
Otherwise, you’ll meet the plaintiff this afternoon. He’s coming in around two.
I thought I’d set up the meeting through Melissa; she should have let you know.
I was surprised when I hadn’t gotten a reply to the meeting invitation.”

Melody
shook her head. “No, nothing on my calendar.”
Not like Melissa to drop the
ball.

“Well,
in any event, we’re meeting in the twelfth floor conference room. I’d like you
there about fifteen minutes early, if you can, so we can go over what we know.
The case is still pretty straight-forward at this point; our client is suing
his manager. But from what I understand, the client is also part of a group,
who use the same manager. It probably has its complications, but I’m sure
you’ll be able to handle it with no problem.”

Ryan
stood, Melody following his lead. He took a step and she turned toward the
door, placing her hand on the knob. She turned to say something, but before she
could speak, Ryan placed his hand against the door, almost pinning her between
him and the solid wood.

“Melody,
I want you to know this is very important, not just because it’s a high-profile
case for the firm, but how important it will be for you, for your career.
Winning this is going to greatly help you in making partner; it could almost be
a lock if you win.”

Ryan
moved closer still; Melody could smell his cologne, feel the warmth of his
breath on her neck. His voice was a dangerous rumble.

“I
want you to succeed at this, do you understand? You making partner is going to
be very good for you, for the firm. I take great pride in knowing I’m helping
you succeed. And I’m prepared to do whatever it takes to help you. Are you
willing to do whatever you need to do to succeed?”

She
looked at Ryan, nodding. There was nothing she could think to say. Of course,
she wanted to be a partner in the firm; who didn’t?

Ryan
reached out, his hand on her arm, his fingers caressing her softly. An
involuntary shiver ran through her body and she swallowed hard, her throat
suddenly dry. The intensity she thought she’d seen the night before –
thought she’d imagined – was back in Ryan’s eyes, desire prowling across
his face.

“Good.
So we’re on the same page then?”

Melody
nodded again and Ryan reached for the doorknob, pulling the door open. The
sudden movement of the door and the pressure of Ryan’s hand on her arm forced Melody
to take an awkward step forward into Ryan, who didn’t step back. Melody’s hands
came up automatically against Ryan’s chest and for a moment, they were pressed
together.

Her
breath caught in her throat. She’d never thought of Ryan in any terms but
professional, but now, pressed against him like this, a flush swept through her
body. Ryan looked down at her, his gaze intense, locked with hers.

“Remember,
same page.” Ryan’s voice was a whisper, a conspiratorial look flashing in his
eyes. He stepped back quickly and Melody stumbled forward as the door swung
open behind her. Ryan was still holding her arm and he steadied her, his
fingers gripping her elbow.

“Melody…you
okay?” Ryan’s voice was full of concern as she lurched forward, clinging to
Ryan.

Melody
was pressed up against him, hands splayed across his chest, but this time
standing in the open doorway of his office. Ryan’s paralegal, Lori, was looking
at them with wide eyes, mouth open.

“Oh,
sure…I’m fine…clumsy of me. See you at two.” Melody tried to jerk away from
Ryan, her face flaming, but his hand still held elbow, guiding her through the
open door. He finally released her and she bolted for the elevator, feeling as
if every eye in the office following her as she fled. She tried to control her
racing heart as she waited for the elevator, cursing herself under her breath.

Back
in her office, she checked her schedule. There was an appointment on her
calendar, entered by Lori.
But not by Melissa. What is up with her lately?

Melody
didn’t have time to think about that now; she was flustered and confused over
her meeting with Ryan. What the hell had happened? Was he making moves on her
or was she just making this up? Was she really that desperate for a man’s
attention that she was throwing herself at Ryan?
Like I threw myself at Logan?

Melody
glanced at her watch. It was almost time for her to get upstairs to the
conference room. As confused as she was about Ryan, she was excited to have a
new case, something high profile.  Taking a quick trip to the ladies room,
she combed her hair and checked her face in the mirror, pronouncing herself
presentable for her meeting with the new client.

Back
in her office, Melody shrugged into her suit jacket and grabbed her legal pad
and pen, tucking a couple of business cards into her pocket before heading out
to the elevator. Melissa was at her desk, head down hidden behind a stack of
files, and Melody briefly debated asking her to join the meeting. On impulse
she detoured past the elevator toward Melissa’s cubicle.

“Hey,
come with me. Ryan’s assigned me a new case, something big, and I want you to
be there. You can take notes and we can talk after. There are a few things we
need to discuss anyway. Did you get the invitation from him?”

Melissa
shook her head, a slight frown briefly creasing her forehead. But she grabbed
her legal pad, following Melody and they rode the elevator to the twelfth
floor.

“What’s
the case? Do you know who the client is?”

Melody
laughed. “No…you sound like me in Ryan’s office earlier.” She frowned,
momentarily distracted and confused by images of the meeting in Ryan’s office.
But she forced herself to concentrate on the upcoming meeting.

“Just
that it’s high-profile, client suing manager. Didn’t even get a name yet.”

The
conference room was at the end of the hall. The door was closed as they
approached. Melody hesitated, hearing male voices coming from inside. She
glanced at her watch. It wasn’t even quarter of two yet; she couldn’t be late.
Knocking softly, she swung the door open. And stopped dead in her tracks,
Melissa bumping into her back.

Sitting
at the far end of the conference room table, next to Ryan Marshall, was none
other than Logan MacKenzie.

Ryan
turned toward her, a welcoming smile on his face but reproach in his eyes. Melody
recognized immediately she’d made a faux pas by being late, but this wasn’t the
time to worry about it. She pasted a matching smile on her face and entered the
room.

“Here
she is, the attorney who will be the lead on your case. Logan, this is Melody
Lawson. Melody, Logan MacKenzie.”

Logan
rose, and she felt his eyes on her as she walked into the room, praying he
wouldn’t say anything…at all. As much as she wanted to look away—to run
away—Melody knew she could not. But there was a tiny part of her that
fluttered alive, her breath catching as she looked at him.

He
was wearing a dark suit and tie, and a crisp white shirt. Even conservatively
dressed, he exuded the charm and charisma of a rock star. And, she had to
admit, the latent sexuality was there, just beneath the surface. That same
sexuality she’d succumbed to weeks before. Nothing could diminish that, not
even a suit and tie.

He
extended a hand and she took it, the touch of his skin on hers making her heart
race.

“It’s
nice to meet you, Melody.” His voice was low and he held her hand a moment
longer than necessary, and Melody did nothing to pull away, as everything in
the room fading away and she looked into those dark eyes. She finally found her
voice.

“Yes.
Nice to meet you as well, Mr. MacKenzie.” She hastily pulled her hand away,
taking a step backward, hitting the edge of the table with her leg. She heard a
noise behind her and recovered enough of her composure to introduce Melissa.

“This…this
is Melissa Montgomery. My paralegal. You’ll be seeing a great deal of her as
well.”

Logan
turned to Melissa, smiling and shaking her hand briefly. Melody could see
Melissa was star-struck, looking like the clichéd deer-in-the-headlights,
gazing open-mouthed up at Logan.  Melody coughed softly in an effort to
get her attention. Ryan stepped forward into the breach.

“Shall
we get started?” He looked at Melody, an eyebrow cocked. She gave him an
equally puzzled look and a brief shrug of her shoulder.

Melissa
had apparently realized she was indeed working, hurriedly taking a seat next to
Melody across the table from Logan. Ryan took his accustomed place at the head
of the table, the case file open in front of him.

“Okay.
A brief history. Logan is lead single in a band called Revival. His complaint
is against his manager, Jack Ashton. Do you want to explain in your own words
the basis of the suit? Why you want to pursue action against Mr. Ashton?”

Logan
nodded. “Ashton’s been Revival’s manager back when we were playing in little
pubs in Glasgow, trying to get noticed. He’s the one who got us our first major
contract. He was nothing then too; we pulled each other along, in a way.”

Logan
shifted uneasily in his chair. “But when we hit it big, things changed. My band
mates and I, we were happy to finally be paid for playing, paid in money, not
pints. But Ashton wanted more. He convinced me to try a solo album; it did
well, but my heart’s with the band, not being on my own. But then he started
pushing me away from them, toward something I didn’t want, diving a wedge
between us.” Logan hesitated.

“And
then the money started disappearing.”

Melody
had been taking notes, her head down. She looked up at Logan, noticing the
change in the tone of his voice. He was impassioned when he talked about his
band, but his voice suddenly grew cold at the mention of missing money.

“And
is that the reason you want to bring this suit against him? For the money?”

Logan
shrugged his shoulders, shifting again. “Yes, he stole money from me, from the
band…and he should be held accountable for that. But it’s more than just that.”

“You
want your band mates back.” Melody’s voice was low and Logan looked directly at
her as he spoke.

“Aye,
I do. I miss them and the music we make together. This tour has been torture,
just four guys on stage going through the motions and trying hard not to bash
each other’s heads in. Truth be told, the times we were paid in pints was one
of our happiest. It was just us, playing our music and making people happy.
There’s no living to be earned by that, but there’s something else we had. We
had each other. Ashton took that away as well as our money.” He spread his
hands on the table in a gesture of despair, still looking at Melody.

Melody
smiled and Logan returned her smile, albeit one tinged with sadness. Something
in Melody let go then, a tiny part of her anger at Logan dissolved. She was
struck by his honestly, the earnest way he spoke. By his integrity. And by the
simple request to have his life back to where it made him happiest.

Maybe
I did misjudge him, jump to conclusions.
She shook her head.
But it was still a one-night stand.
And you’re just his lawyer now. Nothing more.

Ryan
coughed and both Logan and Melody turned to him.

“I
think it might be helpful if you met with Melody now, and she can do the rest
of the initial intake for the case, get some hard facts. I’ll leave you two alone.”

Ryan
slid the case file across to Melody, and he and Melissa left the room, Melissa
casting a longing glance back at Logan. As the door closed behind them, Melody
sat back in her chair, crossing her arms over her chest. Logan leaned forward,
resting his hands on the table.

“It’s
good to see you again, Melody.” He smiled, then grew serious. But she noticed
the smile never really left his eyes. “But I get the feeling you’re not so
happy to see me.”

“Why
should I be? You took advantage of me when I was at my lowest…when I was
drunk…on that hateful Macallan of yours!” Melody was surprised by the rising
pitch of her voice and took a breath, glancing at the closed conference room
door, trying to rein in her emotions. She lowered her voice.