Read Online The Last Cowboy Standing by Barbara Dunlop - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Barbara Dunlop
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do,” Randal acknowledged. “But I don’t care more than most people. Honestly, Dani, sometimes you are so naive.”
“Naive? Are you serious?” She’d been called a lot of things in her lifetime, but never naive.
He took another sip of his drink, prompting her to do the same. The superior courts tasted best when they were ice-cold.
“You seem content to stand by and let people blow past you.”
“What people?” she challenged.
He made an expansive gesture with one arm. “These people. All people. Well, all lawyers.” He moved forward, dramatically lowering his voice, and she realized he must have had a few martinis before he got here. “You have a brilliant mind, Dani.” His gaze focused on the neckline of her black-and-blue dress. “You have the whole package.” He looked her in the eyes again. “But you seem singularly intent on wasting it.”
She was starting to get annoyed. “I’m not wasting anything.” She’d spent five years developing her knowledge of international law.
“When you hesitate. When Nester and Hedley make you a sweetheart of an offer, and you hesitate, do you know how that looks?”
“Like I’m prudent and conscientious?”
“Like you’re indecisive and ungrateful.”
“ Ungrateful? Excuse me?”
His voice rose a little. “They’re the top law firm in D.C., probably the most prestigious in the country.”
“It’s still a big decision,” Danielle found herself feeling defensive. This time, she took a calming sip of her drink. Taste had nothing to do with it.
“What’s to decide?” he demanded.
She listed off on her fingers. “To leave my firm. To leave my city. To leave my friends.”
“You’ll make new friends.”
“I have some very good friends.”
“Male friends?”
She frowned. “Some. What difference does it make?”
Randal shrugged and polished off his drink. “That sounds like it might be a boyfriend.”
She pressed her lips together, thinking it was probably time to end the conversation.
“Is that what it is, Dani? You won’t come to D.C. because of some guy you’re sleeping with?”
“That’s none of your business,” Travis’s voice interrupted as he loomed up next to Randal.
Randal twisted around to face him, his jaw clamping down. “This is a private party.”
“Hello, Travis.” Danielle couldn’t help but feel grateful for his arrival.
“Hello, Danielle.”
Randal’s gaze darted from one to the other, settling on Travis. “How did you get in here?”
Travis kept his gaze on Danielle. “I flashed my belt buckle.”
She couldn’t help but grin.
“Everything okay?” Travis asked her.
Randal angled his body toward Travis. “That’s none of your business.”
“I’m fine,” Danielle quickly put in, at the same time willing Travis to stay put. She had no desire to return to her conversation with Randal.
“Are you hungry?” Travis asked, seeming to read her mind. “Can I get you a fresh drink?”
“We’re having a private conversation here,” Randal firmly stated.
Travis’s gaze slowly moved to Randal. “Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, maybe you want to do that in a less public place.”
Randal turned to Danielle. “Let’s go.”
She didn’t know how to react. She didn’t want to be rude to Randal, but she certainly didn’t want to leave the party with him.
“Aren’t there more people you need to see?” she asked, glancing around. Surely Randal wouldn’t give up an opportunity to schmooze.
“There’s something I need to ask you.” There was a determination in his eyes.
“Right now?”
“Right now.” He reached for her hand, twining his fingers around hers.
She automatically pulled back, and his hand came with hers.
Travis stepped forward, tone hard, words deliberate. “Let her go.”
Randal held his ground, glaring at Travis. Both men were still and silent for what seemed like a full minute.
Finally, Randal let go of her hand.
He turned to Danielle. “I’d like to speak
“Naive? Are you serious?” She’d been called a lot of things in her lifetime, but never naive.
He took another sip of his drink, prompting her to do the same. The superior courts tasted best when they were ice-cold.
“You seem content to stand by and let people blow past you.”
“What people?” she challenged.
He made an expansive gesture with one arm. “These people. All people. Well, all lawyers.” He moved forward, dramatically lowering his voice, and she realized he must have had a few martinis before he got here. “You have a brilliant mind, Dani.” His gaze focused on the neckline of her black-and-blue dress. “You have the whole package.” He looked her in the eyes again. “But you seem singularly intent on wasting it.”
She was starting to get annoyed. “I’m not wasting anything.” She’d spent five years developing her knowledge of international law.
“When you hesitate. When Nester and Hedley make you a sweetheart of an offer, and you hesitate, do you know how that looks?”
“Like I’m prudent and conscientious?”
“Like you’re indecisive and ungrateful.”
“ Ungrateful? Excuse me?”
His voice rose a little. “They’re the top law firm in D.C., probably the most prestigious in the country.”
“It’s still a big decision,” Danielle found herself feeling defensive. This time, she took a calming sip of her drink. Taste had nothing to do with it.
“What’s to decide?” he demanded.
She listed off on her fingers. “To leave my firm. To leave my city. To leave my friends.”
“You’ll make new friends.”
“I have some very good friends.”
“Male friends?”
She frowned. “Some. What difference does it make?”
Randal shrugged and polished off his drink. “That sounds like it might be a boyfriend.”
She pressed her lips together, thinking it was probably time to end the conversation.
“Is that what it is, Dani? You won’t come to D.C. because of some guy you’re sleeping with?”
“That’s none of your business,” Travis’s voice interrupted as he loomed up next to Randal.
Randal twisted around to face him, his jaw clamping down. “This is a private party.”
“Hello, Travis.” Danielle couldn’t help but feel grateful for his arrival.
“Hello, Danielle.”
Randal’s gaze darted from one to the other, settling on Travis. “How did you get in here?”
Travis kept his gaze on Danielle. “I flashed my belt buckle.”
She couldn’t help but grin.
“Everything okay?” Travis asked her.
Randal angled his body toward Travis. “That’s none of your business.”
“I’m fine,” Danielle quickly put in, at the same time willing Travis to stay put. She had no desire to return to her conversation with Randal.
“Are you hungry?” Travis asked, seeming to read her mind. “Can I get you a fresh drink?”
“We’re having a private conversation here,” Randal firmly stated.
Travis’s gaze slowly moved to Randal. “Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, maybe you want to do that in a less public place.”
Randal turned to Danielle. “Let’s go.”
She didn’t know how to react. She didn’t want to be rude to Randal, but she certainly didn’t want to leave the party with him.
“Aren’t there more people you need to see?” she asked, glancing around. Surely Randal wouldn’t give up an opportunity to schmooze.
“There’s something I need to ask you.” There was a determination in his eyes.
“Right now?”
“Right now.” He reached for her hand, twining his fingers around hers.
She automatically pulled back, and his hand came with hers.
Travis stepped forward, tone hard, words deliberate. “Let her go.”
Randal held his ground, glaring at Travis. Both men were still and silent for what seemed like a full minute.
Finally, Randal let go of her hand.
He turned to Danielle. “I’d like to speak
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