Read Online Winning Her Over by Alexa Rowan - Free Book Online Page B

brain cells went off-line for the rest of the night. Half an hour later, she’d crafted the perfect reply.
    Alas, all her wordsmithing was for naught. When she greeted her first client on Monday morning, Cal still hadn’t texted her back. She’d ended up telling him she’d had a great time too, and he should let her know the next time he was in Boston.
    If that turned out to be never, well then, so be it.
    By the time she sent her last client on her way that night, never was looking increasingly likely. Brenna was glad she’d set her expectations low. Luckily, she was too busy to care about Cal’s silence right now. She left cleanup and prep for the next morning and just headed home, still in her uniform—something she rarely did. Exhausted as she was, it couldn’t be helped.
    Staggering up the three seemingly endless flights of stairs to her condo, she wanted nothing more than a quick grilled cheese sandwich and a glass of juice before she passed out. For a moment, she desperately wished she had someone to make dinner for her. But all she had was herself. At times like these, that was damned depressing.
    While she waited for the cheddar to melt, she checked her e-mail. Among the usual slew of messages was one Cal had sent a few hours ago. She came immediately and completely awake.
    From the time stamp, he must have sent it shortly after he’d left court that afternoon. He told her again how much he’d enjoyed seeing her and said he hoped he could get together with her again soon. Then he casually mentioned that he was going to give the closing argument for his trial tomorrow morning and invited her to come and watch. Her eyes widened. He hadn’t once said anything at dinner about it, even though she knew doing a closing argument must be a pretty big deal. Confidence and modesty were such a rare, appealing combination that she once again had to temper her attraction to Cal with the knowledge that nothing was likely to come of it.
    She considered his invitation. Watching the closing arguments could be interesting. She’d never been on a jury, and her only exposure to trials and courtroom scenes had been the Hollywood versions. Besides, it would probably be the last time she saw Cal, even if it was at a distance. If the closing arguments didn’t run too long, she could squeeze it in—barely—before her first appointment of the day. Yawning, she decided she’d make up her mind in the morning, when her brain might possibly be functioning again.
    But Cal’s last few sentences provided another stimulating jolt of adrenaline. “Maybe once the trial is over, we could go out for dinner? If the jury comes back with a verdict as quickly as we’re expecting, I’ll probably be heading back to DC on Wednesday at the latest, though I’m in Boston pretty regularly to see my family and meet with clients. I’ll definitely let you know next time I’m in town.”
    He apparently didn’t feel as pessimistic about possibilities for the two of them as she did. Then again, it shouldn’t be surprising that a guy like Cal would go after what he wanted.
    She couldn’t help the incredulous thrill she got from knowing that what Cal wanted was her.

    * * *
    B renna woke shortly after sunrise on Tuesday, feeling refreshed. She decided she could watch the closing arguments and still get to Serenity Massage in time to prepare the suite for her first client of the day. God, how she wished she’d had the energy to take care of that last night.
    So just before nine o’clock, she slipped into the courtroom and sat down in the back near the doors, so she could sneak out again if she had to. She soaked in the rituals of justice, the bailiff’s traditional words, the stately interior of the courtroom. The plaintiff’s attorney was a woman—a pleasant surprise—though Brenna didn’t find her speech particularly inspiring. Then again, Brenna would be the first to admit she was probably biased. She’d swear the ghost of Cal’s kiss