“Tell them I'll be right there,” I called out, praying that she wouldn’t open the door.

“Okay.” Footsteps disappeared down the hallway. We both let out a sigh of relief. After a few seconds of panting and letting my heart leave my throat and return to my chest cavity he stepped back.

“It’s for the best,” he said huskily. “I say I want to be able to take my time with you and then I shove you up against a wall in a public defender interview room after a fanny grabber case.”

“What, that's not romantic enough for you?” I laughed, still sounding kind of out of breath.

“Besides, we would have had to figure out something else anyway because I don’t have a condom with me. I'm not that well prepared for court,” he said sounding amused, as he refastened his belt.

“I’m on the pill,” I said and I saw him hesitate. “And I’m healthy,” I added. He still didn’t say anything. “Of course I would understand if you wanted some verification.”

“I trust you. If anything, I think I should show you verification that I’m healthy – which I am. I get tested regularly and I’ve always used a condom.” I nodded and then that sunk in.

“Always? As in you’ve never not used one?”

“Never,” he answered. “With my ex-girlfriends it was more about making sure that they never got pregnant. I figured that if I didn’t plan to marry them I should do my share to make sure that I never knocked them up.”

“Oh, well, I’m fine with that. It’s no problem.”

“Not so fast.” He started to pace. I think he did that when he was mulling something over. I was starting to get to know his body language well. “There’s no reason to think your pill wouldn’t be effective and I’m a twenty-seven-year-old attorney now, so even if it wasn’t I could handle it.”

I wasn’t sure that I knew what he meant by “handle it” but I had never forgotten to take it, even when I didn’t technically need it, since it made my monthly visitor so much easier, so I wasn’t worried about it not working. Finally he seemed to come to a conclusion. “I think that I would like to try just relying on that, your pill I mean, if you’re okay with that.”

“I’m okay with that. Thanks for trusting me. I trust you too. I’m afraid that we’ll have to continue this pre-sex talk at another time, though, because if I don’t get back to my office the entire city will come to a halt – at least that’s what they’ve trained me to believe.”

Thursday

Commonwealth v. Garcia

I could feel that my face was flushed and my pulse was racing. I knew that my eyes were bright and flashing with passion. I was so turned on I was almost shaking. I knew the look Braden was giving me, like blue heat, it was a look that said that he wanted me. Right here and right now. I stepped toward him and he stepped toward me… and then both of us realized that the other one wasn’t backing up and that we were now literally toe to toe and practically on top of each other. We both stepped back and started circling – actually circling – like boxers in the ring.

“The knife was found among Mr. Garcia’s possessions while he was sleeping in Fairmount Park. This case falls under the Open Fields Doctrine outlined in Oliver v. United States and the line of cases that interpret it.” Braden’s voice sounded low and tense.

“It was found in a paper bag that belonged to him. He had a Reasonable Expectation of Privacy in that bag. It’s controlled by Katz v. United States,” and the cases that interpret it,” I shot back at him.

“Okay! I’ve heard enough argument and I have your briefs on the issue.” Judge Channing looked vaguely uncomfortable. He was probably able to guess that there was more being suppressed here than evidence. “Let’s take a break. We’ll reconvene in fifteen minutes.” He banged his gavel and headed for his chambers. Braden raked his fingers through his hair and began to pace. I went to the defense table to catch my breath.

“I feel like I need a cigarette,” Adam said. He looked flushed.

“Yeah, that was like watching  p**n ,” Jess added. Braden and Adam looked at her. “I imagine.”

“If you don’t bang her soon, you two are going to wind up in the Supreme Court,” Adam joked.

“Or in jail,” Jess added.

“Braden, do you want to discuss that…” I said a little desperately. We only had fifteen minutes but I really didn’t feel like it was a choice at that point.

Apparently, he didn’t either.

“Yes,” he said, before I even finished making something up for us to supposedly discuss. Grabbing my hand, he pulled me out of the courtroom and headed for the DA’s interview rooms.

“My office is closer,” I said breathlessly.

“Our doors lock. I checked,” he said letting go of my hand as we almost sprinted down the hall. We made it to the DA’s office and burst into the waiting area… just to find all of the interview rooms occupied. Shit! Shit! Shit! We stood waiting impatiently as a MUZAC version of Karma Chameleon quietly played in the background. I checked my watch. We had twelve minutes. A door opened and a prosecutor and a public defender, still discussing something, began to vacate a room. I saw the fifty-something assistant district attorney who had prosecuted Mr. Harris, the shoplifter, stand and turn in that direction. Before he could take a step, Braden climbed over a coffee table and dove toward the door. The ADA and PD who were leaving gave him a startled look.

“Hey, Rob. How’s it going?” Braden asked with a smile.

“Great, Braden. You in a hurry?”

“Yes! Actually, kind of an urgent matter. You don’t mind do you, Gerald?” he called out to the older prosecutor.

“Go right ahead. I can wait,” he said looking a little confused. I smiled and waved.

“Ms. Ginsberg?” Braden called me, trying to sound nonchalant.

“Hello Mike,” I greeted the PD as I rushed toward the room.

“Gabrielle. You didn’t bring any files with you?”

“Didn’t need any,” I said with a bright smile. “I’ve got it all up here.” I tapped my forehead and dashed into the interview room. Braden closed the door behind us and locked it. He quickly checked his watch, as he took his jacket off and threw it on the desk.

“We have ten minutes. I think that manually is our best bet.” He actually picked me up and sat me down on the desk in the room, pushing my skirt up and my legs apart as I got his trousers open. His mouth was on mine in a second and we were practically devouring each other, we were kissing so wildly. He pushed my panties aside and slid two fingers up inside me, circling my clit with his thumb as I writhed against his hand. I reached in and freed him, gripping and stroking his impressive erection. I still hadn’t gotten a visual of the Harvard endowment yet but I knew it was big.