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feminist, but you don’t hear her blaming men for everything wrong in this world.” As proof of his enlightenment, he said, “When I marry Rhianna I will give her the choice to be a stay-at-home wife or have a suitable job.”
    “You still wish to marry Ms. Lamb?”
    “I’m willing to overlook her mistakes, and I take full responsibility for my own failings.” He gave a pained sigh. “She wasn’t ready, and instead of being patient and understanding, I became overwhelmed. But Mommy has spoken to me about this matter and it will not happen again. I guarantee it.”
    “Are you saying Ms. Lamb’s allegations are true?”
    “No! Absolutely not. I’m saying my behavior was not without blemish, but the police blew it up out of all proportion and persuaded her to press charges.”
    “You did not rape her?”
    He flushed dark red.
    “You will be asked that question when you take the stand,” Jules said without emotion.
    “I know.” He mumbled something beneath his breath. “I realize the prosecution will try to trick me into incriminating myself. It’s your job to make sure that doesn’t happen.”
    Jules reminded herself that she was being paid a pile of money to keep this client out of prison, whether he made it easy for her or not. And just in case she needed a bigger incentive than usual, Audrey Brigham’s performance bonus was two million dollars. The sum would be split between members of her son’s defense team for a not-guilty verdict, with half earmarked for Jules.
    Focusing once more on the information she needed to gather, she said, “Getting back to your dates with Ms. Lamb. Is there one that was especially memorable for you?”
    He pondered for a moment, as though weighing many such occasions. “We had lunch together when she got her promotion to senior buyer.”
    “Can you tell me about that?”
    “It was destiny. We ran into each other at a café. There were no tables and she asked if she could share mine. The connection was instant. I carried her parcels to her car. From that day forward, I knew we were meant to be together.”
    “How did you know that?”
    “I took one look at her face and I realized she was the woman I had been waiting for, the angel of my hopes. It was love at first sight.”
    Holy crap.
    Ladies and gentlemen, this case should never have come to trial. It should have been resolved in private like any other personal misunderstanding between adults. If Ms. Lamb were a different type of woman, more experienced in the ways of the world, more knowledgeable about men, she would have handled this situation very differently. I have no doubt of that. But Ms. Lamb did not know how to be assertive. She is a kindhearted person. She did not want to hurt Mr. Brigham’s feelings by saying no, clearly and unambiguously. Because of her decency and sweet nature, she sent my client mixed signals that would give any man the wrong impression. And here we are.

Chapter Five

    Jules was not a daydreamer. But that didn’t prevent her from lapsing into vivid sexual fantasy when she was supposed to be all over Werner Brigham’s defense prep. In the ten days since her brief sojourn in Palm Springs, these slips in concentration had made her crazy, and they were only getting worse. She was waking up in the middle of the night, lying sleepless with need until she got herself off. In meetings with the chief defense strategist, a woman who bore a fleeting resemblance to Kate, all she could think about was sex. Three days ago, she had stalled her Mercedes at a set of lights, causing a rear-ender. She didn’t even bother to dispute responsibility. In a sea of rush-hour traffic, she had been miles away, deep in fantasy, thrusting her tongue inside a woman she knew nothing about. A woman who didn’t want to see her again.
    Her imagination had embroidered a vivid tapestry of sweaty, relentless sex that made her so moist, so constantly, she had to increase the changes of underwear in the overnight bag