“Objection, Your Honor!” Braden said, flashing me a warning look.

“Sustained. However, and I can't believe I'm going to say this twice in the same day, I think Ms. Ginsberg has a point, Mr. Pierce. This was a quick grab as I understand it? Not a prolonged fondle? And he immediately apologized. His girlfriend isn't even mad at him. That should tell you something. Can't we just resolve this?”

“Judge!” Mr. Connolly jumped in. “He grabbed my girlfriend's ass! Wouldn't you be mad if some pervert did that to your girlfriend? ”

“Well… err, that's not relevant, Mr. Connolly,” the judge answered.

“How about you?!” He demanded, turning to Braden.

“Well, frankly…” he began, but stopped as soon as he saw my glare. “I'm not permitted to testify.”

“Any guy would be mad!” Mr. Connolly shouted. “You can't just go around grabbing women's asses on the bus!”

“It was a mistake and he apologized, Your Honor,” I repeated emphatically.

“Perhaps if Mr. McBride had also apologized to Mr. Connolly,” Braden suggested.

“To him?” I asked indignantly. “It was her a… behind and he apologized to her!”

“Mr. Connolly happens to have exclusive access to that behind,” Braden continued.

“Exclusive access?! What is she, an easement?”

“ENOUGH!” Judge Channing had finally reached his limit and slammed down his gavel. “Mr. Connolly, if Mr. McBride apologizes to you would you let it go?”

“Yeah, I guess. Just don't let it happen again!”

“Hey man, I'm really sorry! Hell, I would be mad if somebody grabbed her ass too,” he said gesturing toward Ms. Rodriguez.

“Yeah, okay,” Mr. Connolly answered as the four of them walked off.

“Case dismissed,” the judge said and banged his gavel again. That was the last case of the day and Braden and I both packed up our things to go.

“Perhaps we could have a little chat?” I asked with a smile.

“Sure.”

“How about my office this time? It’s closer,” I answered. Public defenders had an onsite office just like prosecutors did. It was the place that we used to interview clients and witnesses. Because it was the end of the day it was practically empty. I went straight to one of the interview rooms and shut the door behind me.

“A burrito as a deadly weapon? A mistaken fanny grabber as a sex offender?”

“There's a lot of pressure right now at my office to push things through. I threw out all of the higher charges on that case! It would have been resolved before trial.”

“I know, but these are people's lives, Braden! Those stupid schmucks had to miss work to come here. There are so many serious cases out there, involving seriously bad people. Why are you guys wasting time with this garbage?”

“I don't like it either! I have to do my job, though, just like you have to do your job when you tell a jury that it's reasonable to believe that a normal person throws a wine and cheese party in his pants!”

I tried not to laugh. Really, I did. I fought it for as long as I could and then I finally gave up and dissolved into the kind of laughter that makes you double over and pee your pants — which thankfully, I didn't do. Braden started to laugh with me and the two of us could barely breathe after a couple of minutes.

“So if we were on a date,” I gasped, “and someone mistakenly grabbed my ass on a bus, would you prosecute him as a sex offender?”

“You really think,” he gasped, wiping his eyes, “that I would take you on a date on a bus?” He almost choked, he was laughing so hard, and I lost it all over again. It took at least five minutes for the two of us to really calm down. My stomach ached and tears were streaming down my face.

“That felt really good.” He smiled.

“Oh my God, yes! I needed to release some tension so badly!” I agreed. I saw his eyes darken and his gaze heat up and I breathed in deeply. That hot Braden sex look did me in every time. He smiled seductively and walked toward me slowly. “Braden, we're in a public place.” I laughed nervously as I backed up. “Where we work.” He kept coming and soon I felt the wall up against my back. “And I know that door doesn't lock,” I said in a shaky voice.

“Hmm,” he said, reaching around me and gently kneading my bottom. “So, would this be a quick grab or prolonged fondle I wonder?” he whispered. “And while we’re at it, do I have exclusive access to your ass, Gabrielle?” he asked as he lowered his mouth toward mine.

“Of course you…” I murmured just before he kissed me. The tension and the adrenaline had been building all week and like someone had opened a floodgate we just let ourselves go wild. He pinned me against the wall with his hips as I ground my own hips into him like a wanton hussy. Our tongues were engaged in a battle of a whole different kind now. I wrapped one leg around him to give me better friction and he reached for the hem of my skirt and began to push it up as I reached for his belt. I got it open quickly, even though I couldn’t see what I was doing and we were writhing around against each other. It was amazing how good my fine motor skills were when I was highly motivated. Holy shit, we were actually going to get seriously freaky right there and then. I would probably get aroused every time I looked at that wall. That could be awkward, considering that I came in here to negotiate plea bargains.

I was wearing thigh-high stockings and panties, (I don’t have the coordination to deal with pantyhose before I’ve had my morning coffee.) He pushed the edge of my panties aside and I felt his fingers slide in and begin stroking my clit. He broke the kiss, breathing hard.

“Jesus, Gabrielle. You’re so wet,” he said hoarsely. I slipped my hand into his trousers and under the waistband of his underwear.

“I believe that I have your attention too,” I said, now officially panting. I couldn’t see what was down there but I could certainly feel it. Trust me. It was hard to miss. No pun intended. I gripped him and slid my hand along his length from base to tip. It was quite a journey. He groaned and whispered in my ear.

“Oh that’s it, baby. I need to be inside you right now. I’m going to nail you right up against this f**king wall.” Suddenly someone knocked on the f**king door and we froze.

“Yes?” I called out, trying to make my voice sound normal.

“Gabrielle, they need you back at the main office.”