I hadn't planned on committing adultery--it just seemed to happen.
I'm executive secretary to Tom Crawford, senior partner in the Crawford Law Firm. It was Friday afternoon, and I was trying to clear my desk so I could leave work by 5:00 o'clock when Lee Matthews stopped by my office. Lee is the newest attorney to join the group. He asked if I could find a file for him before I left for the day.
"You're not working late again, are you?" I asked merely to be polite. He was in his dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up and his tie loosened. He looked like he'd been sweating over a project. I knew he was handling the Smith case, and awaiting a trial date.
Lee perched on one corner of my desk while I crossed the room to the file cabinet. I heard him expell a loud sigh and I turned to look at him.
"I'm cutting my teeth on this case, Lanie," he said shaking his head.
Everybody in the office called me Lanie, sort of a nickname for Elaine. We all got along well and I had come to think of the members of the firm as my extended family.
"Office scuttlebutt says Ray Smith is guilty of murder. Do you think he did it?"
He smiled slowly at me and I saw again how devastatingly handsome he was. The realization almost made me weak in the knees. I hurried to look away, afraid he'd be able, somehow, to read the aroused expression on my face.
"Innocent until proven guilty," he said.
He got up from the desk and walked toward me as I pulled the file he wanted out of the cabinet. When he took it from me, our fingers brushed together. It felt like an electric shock traveling up my arm. I pulled in a quick breath and felt my cheeks pink.
"Are you all right?" Lee asked.
Our eyes met briefly and I saw something akin to interest in his blue depths.
He reached out one hand and touched my left forearm.
"I'll be done here in a few minutes. Do you have time for a drink before heading home?"
"A drink?" I stupidly repeated.
He grinned at me. "Sorry. I forget sometimes that you're a married woman."
I blushed profusely and stepped around him, heading back to my desk. "And you're a married man."
He chuckled softly. "Yes. But my wife doesn't understand me. How about your husband--does he understand you?"
I ignored the question about my personal life.
"We're all friends here, Lee," I said, gathering my courage. Truth was, I'd be going home to an empty house. Jack would be working late again. I'd love to have a drink with Lee--if I could muster the courage to accept his offer.
"So there wouldn't be anything wrong with two friends grabbing a beer after work," he said, staring at me.
"All right," I agreed.
Lee promised to hurry with his work and returned to his office. I grabbed my purse and freshened my makeup. Suddenly I felt like I was going on a date and I mentally warned myself not to make too much of it. I'd joined other members of the law firm for after work drinks numerous times.
But I'd never been alone with handsome Lee Matthews before.
I contemplated backing out of going--but suddeny Lee was there in my office, suit coat on, tie straightened. He was ready to go. He took my coat off the hook near the door and held it for me. Nervously, I shrugged into the coat and picked up my purse. Time was rapidly running out for me to change my mind.
We left the office and rode the elevator down to the street level. When we reached the front entrance of the office building, we saw it was snowing outside.
Lee slid one arm around my waist and we pushed through the front door. Mason's Bar and Grill was just around the corner. We hurried along the sidewalk, snow flying in our faces. It was coming down really hard and the wind was blustery.
The closer we got to he bar the more certain I became that I was doing something I might regret, but the feel of the sturdy arm circled around my waist and the long lean male body pressing against my side battled with my ability to reason.
We were covered with snow by the time we pushed through the door of the bar. A blast of heat engulfed us with a sweet welcome. The aromas of grilling steaks and tobacco smoke lent an aura of familiarity to the bar.
We settled in a booth near the back of the bar. I brushed at the frosty snow flakes clinging to my long hair. I felt almost giddy--as though I was on some incredible adventure. It was unreal. The snow. Lee Matthews seated across a small table from me, his keen blue eyes accessing my face.
"You're beautiful, Lanie," he said. "The snow somehow compliments your Asian looks."
My heart was fluttering at his words. I had no idea he'd ever say such things to me. My eyes glanced suddenly to the gold wedding band he wore and I thought of my husband. I couldn't do anything that would hurt Jack. I loved him.
Lee ordered a beer for himself and a glass of red wine for me.
