Roxy’s POV“Roxy, I am so sorry for keeping you waiting, I have been so swarmed today.” Rachael, the black doe eyed girl, Aaron’s secretary came bustling inafter over 30 minutes since I had been sitting in her office and waiting for her return.Patience. The art of waiting for an undesired amount of time for a desired amount of result. When you want something, no time is long enough. The vision makes the wait worth it.I flash my well rehearsed smile. “Oh it’s okay, I understand.”“Unfortunately, I will be needing about five minutes more, I just need to log these in really quickly.” She says as she dunks into her seat, eyes focused on her computer screen. As then as if she had seen a bird flying in her screen, her brows furrow with confusion and then widen with surprise. “Wait? What?” She looked up at me. “Did someone touch my computer?” She asked genuinely perplexed.“Yup, I did.” She ducked out her head at me, waiting for more than I had already said. “I was bored waiting for you s
Roxy’s POVI heaved a deep sigh and with one more stride, I make to his office door. He was pacing, speaking furiously into his phone, making his facial movements both frightening and strangely attractive.Damn. He looks so sexy worked up.He finally noticed me through the glass, standing by his door. Not halting his call, he headed straight for the door, and pulled it open with one hand.I stepped inside and the rich scent of musk and cedar, saturated my nostrils, the man smelled strong. Just his scent was enough to have you nursing silly dreams about him.As I watched him criss-cross his office, jabbing words on the phone, I had enough time to admire him closely. His sharp navy blue suit and tie and oh my, the tapered pants. I don’t know why I was looking at his butt cheeks, defined by his pants—longer than I should have.Damn. I had never wanted to see any man’s butt as much as I wanted to see his.I hate this.I should have some sort of control over this—situation. Oh God, what’
Roxy’s POVThe intercom on my desk buzzed with a jarring sound, snapping me out of focus. I jumped a little, not used to the sound yet.Take the damn call, Roxy. It’s a phone, not an alarm, the voice in my head grumbled as it rang for the third time.I picked it up quickly and brought it to my ear.“Come to my office,” came his voice—deep, smooth, and commanding.I replaced the phone and looked up. Through the glass wall, I could see him sitting at his desk, sharp-featured and serious. He didn’t smile. He never did. But that only made it worse—or better, depending on how you saw it.My heart fluttered. Ugh. Why did he have this effect on me?I straightened my posture, smoothed down my blouse, and walked over to his office. My palms were already clammy. Perfect.“Yes, Mr. West. You called?” I said as calmly as I could.He looked up. My eyes instantly dropped to his wrist—he was wearing the watch. The one I “bought” him.Okay, fine, I didn’t actually buy it. But he thinks I did, and tha
Roxy’s POVForty minutes later, I was done. 20 minutes earlier than the time I was given. My brain felt fried, but I pulled myself together, grabbed the research, and walked back to Mr. West’s office. My heart was beating way too fast. Nerves. Excitement. All of it.My mind raced as I approached his door. Would he be impressed? Would I finally get a real acknowledgment from him?I couldn’t help but imagine all the possible ways this could play out, and frankly, my anxiety was doing circles inside my chest.I knocked gently before walking in.“Here’s your research, sir,” I said, trying to sound all cool and professional. “Each case has its own precedence.”He looked at me with this straight face. Then he took the file, flipped it open super fast, and skimmed through. His eyebrows lifted just a little. He glanced at his watch.“You did all this in… forty minutes?”“I’m pretty resourceful, Mr. West,” I said. I was proud, even though I was low-key freaking out inside.But he didn’t react
Roxy’s POVWe had just arrived at this restaurant near the firm for lunch, and the second I stepped inside, my mouth went dry. This place was fancy. Like, old-money-meets-Vogue kind of fancy. Sparkly chandeliers, marble floors so clean they looked illegal to walk on, and high ceilings that made you feel small in the best and worst ways.And me? I was standing there in my regular outfit, feeling like I’d just wandered into the wrong movie set.But Sarah? She fit in like she owned the place. No joke. Her cream blazer, matching pants, and those clicky heels? She looked like a boss. Confident. Smart. People noticed her right away.A man in a perfect suit greeted her immediately. “Welcome, Ms. McLain,” he said. Like she was a celebrity. “Your seat is reserved.”“Thank you, Blake,” she replied smoothly. And just like that, we were being led through the restaurant. I followed, trying not to trip over my own nerves.Everyone around us was dressed like they were about to walk a red carpet, whi
Roxy’s POVI could tell Sarah didn’t want to talk about it.But my vines? Yeah, they had a mind of their own. They weren’t backing off. If anything, they were spreading fast—growing, reaching, pushing. I knew I should stop, but something inside me just... wouldn’t.“I don’t mean to meddle,” I said quickly, giving her my sweetest I-care voice. “It’s just that I saw how it affected you when Rachel mentioned her.”That made Sarah look up. And I mean really look at me.She paused. Debated. Weighed her options like I was a courtroom jury and she wasn’t sure how much to give away. Then finally—she sighed. A long, tired sigh. Her face changed. More serious now.“Amber is a low-grade school teacher who’s suing SPECTRUM, one of California’s finest paint factory,” she said.“She thinks their paint is making their workers sick because her son, who used to work there five years ago, just died from unknown causes. Although there’s no clear report to prove it, she insists he started showing signs w
Roxy’s POV“Goodnight, Roxy!" Greg from corporate law called out.I waved, flashing a smile. “Night!”Then Emily from paralegal passed, already halfway out the door. “You saved my life today.”“Anytime,” I said, keeping it casual.But inside?I was glowing.I mean, come on—I crushed it. Research? Nailed. People? Impressed. Mood? Roxette Bennett in full queen mode. I could almost hear the invisible crown settling on my head.That’s what I do—slide in, solve the unsolvable, walk out without breaking a sweat.The office was practically empty now, the silence was so loud, I could hear my own heartbeat.I started to pack up... but then I saw him.Through the glass.Aaron West.Still at his desk, sleeves rolled up, deep in work mode. His brows drawn together in that signature frown. One hand gripped a pen, the other raked through his hair like he was searching for answers in the strands somewhere. He was completely locked in.God, he had that kind of focus that felt like magnet. Like he cou
Roxy’s POV There he was. Sitting at that big, intimidating desk, totally lost in whatever lawyer stuff was flooding his brain. Papers everywhere. Tension in his shoulders. And then—he looked up. And he saw me. Not like a “Hey student, what are you doing here” kind of look. It was quick, but it was there. First, surprise. Then something else. Something slower. Like… interest? Curiosity? Maybe even heat? I don’t know. I couldn’t pin it down exactly, but it made me feel powerful. Like I was actually doing something right. I walked slowly. On purpose. I knew the dress was pushing the envelope. The buttons, the hips, the slight sway—yes, I leaned into it. Maybe too hard, but Aaron West isn’t the type you get by playing it safe. The man is basically an ice sculpture in a suit. Subtle wasn’t going to work on him. So I brought the fire. Then came the mood shift. His face snapped into that usual “I’m-the-boss-here” vibe. “What are you still doing here, Ms. Bennett?” He asked it
Roxy’s POVI was trying so hard to shut down the picture Sarah had planted in my head.Aaron West.Sex.God, why would she say that to me?She’s my professor for crying out loud. I am not supposed to have a picture of her husband in the most indecent way plastered in my brain, yet here it is. All thanks to her.No wonder Rosie thinks she’s creepy. I mean, who does that? Who casually drops something like that into a conversation with a student?“He’s a god in that department,” she said, like it was just some fun little fact.Yikes.Now it was stuck in my head like gum in hair. I had to shake it off before I lost my mind. I couldn’t stop thinking about him—his voice, his hands, his everything. Ugh.Focus, Roxy. Focus.I still had another problem to fix, and that problem’s name was Nick Burke.The sun was already low when I got to the football field. The sky looked like a painting—orange, pink, soft purple—and the long shadows stretched across the grass. Nick was on the field, practicing
Roxy’s POVCatherine Bennett—my overbearing mother was always right. Every time she said I would get into trouble, I always did.I remember this one time when I was sixteen.There was this house party. Big one. Everyone was going. I wanted to go so bad. My mom said no, of course.“It’s a bad idea, Roxy,” she warned me. “You’ll end up in trouble. I can feel it.”But I didn’t listen.I waited until she fell asleep, changed out of my pajamas, and snuck out the window like some rebellious movie girl.The party was wild—music, lights, drinks I wasn’t supposed to touch. At first, I felt free. Cool. Like I finally belonged.Then the cops came.Someone called about the noise. People screamed, ran everywhere. I panicked. I tried to run too, but I tripped on the steps and scraped my knees. The cops caught me and called my mom.She showed up with Dad lin her robe and slippers. Silent the whole ride home. That was worse than yelling.When we got inside, she said one thing:“Didn’t I tell you?”Ye
Roxy’s POVRosie’s phone buzzed, biting into our conversation. She glanced down, face scrunching up like she just bit into a lemon.“What?” I asked, already sensing the drama.“Nothing,” she muttered, stuffing her phone in her pocket. “It’s just Tommy canceling on me again... off to suck face with Rad.”Yup. Tommy Island. AKA Bad Tommy. The new guy who turned into a school jock overnight and somehow ended up Rosie’s boyfriend. For now. Hopefully not forever. Honestly, the guy’s only real talent is hurting her.I raised an eyebrow. “If you know he’s sucking face with Rad, why are you still with him?”“Because I like him,” she said, but even she didn’t sound convinced.“And since when does liking someone mean letting them treat you like crap?” I shot back.“We are not talking about me, Roxy,” she deflected fast, leaning forward. “We’re talking about you and your hot daddy crush. So… Aaron West really looks like Chris Hemsworth?”I pointed at her with two fingers. “Look at you, changing
Roxy’s POVPersistent—that's my sister, Rosie. I'm stubborn too, sure, but Rosie? She doesn’t know when to quit. It’s kind of her superpower… and her biggest flaw.We were in Dad’s old garage—the one he turned into a workshop before he passed. It still smelled the same. Oil, dust, and old memories. I was sitting inside his broken Ford Thunderbird, fingers tapping on the worn-out steering wheel like I was actually helping. But honestly? I just wanted to talk about Aaron West.Rosie was under the car, legs sticking out, covered in grease. Her jeans had more oil stains than actual denim. That girl was serious about fixing this thing. I leaned out of the car, looking down at her.“So… when exactly are you giving up on this?” I asked, trying to sound chill, even though I already knew the answer.“Right after it starts,” she shot back from under the car. “Just wait till I see the look on Dad’s face when it does.”I rolled my eyes, even though she couldn’t see it. “Dad’s dead, Rosie.”Her re
Aaron’s POVI felt different tonight. Something inside me was wild, but I didn’t know why. It was like a strong energy was running through me.Like a beast, hungry and wild looking for escape.And for some reason, I kept thinking about her—Roxette Bennette.Could she be the reason I felt like this? No, that didn’t make sense.Sure, she knows a lot about me. But people can find things online these days. It’s not hard. Maybe she just looked me up.I’ll admit it—I liked the way she talked about me. The things she said and the way she said them with that thirsty look in her eyes. It felt nice. But that didn’t mean anything.Still... the way she stared at me. Like she wasn’t scared. Like she knew exactly what she was doing. She walked in like she owned the place. Her face changed so fast—sweet one second, bold the next.Her eyes. The way she moved. The way she ended her boyfriend’s call so fast. She says she doesn’t have one.Lies ofcourse.But damn, she did that on purpose. She wanted to
Roxy’s POV He was looking at me—waiting for me—daring me to respond with those stormy gray eyes. Damn. I swallowed hard. Go on, Roxy. Charm him. Charm him so hard his pants fall off. Charm that serious, lawyer-face wall off his face. Have zero mercy. “I know you finished Harvard Law with a first class. I know you developed a method of cataloging procedures at Harvard, that’s now taught to first year students. I know you have never lost one single case in the courtroom. I know you made your name with your own blood, sweat and sleepless nights—not because of favors or anyone else's name. And I know you're the best damn lawyer in this firm and probably in all of California. Should I go on, Mr. West?” Oh yes, I definitely did my research. For a second, just a split second, something flashed in his eyes—surprise, sure. But there was something else, darker... intense. Something that sparked like a flame and vanished just as fast. “You’ve said enough,” he replied, voice hard a
Roxy’s POV There he was. Sitting at that big, intimidating desk, totally lost in whatever lawyer stuff was flooding his brain. Papers everywhere. Tension in his shoulders. And then—he looked up. And he saw me. Not like a “Hey student, what are you doing here” kind of look. It was quick, but it was there. First, surprise. Then something else. Something slower. Like… interest? Curiosity? Maybe even heat? I don’t know. I couldn’t pin it down exactly, but it made me feel powerful. Like I was actually doing something right. I walked slowly. On purpose. I knew the dress was pushing the envelope. The buttons, the hips, the slight sway—yes, I leaned into it. Maybe too hard, but Aaron West isn’t the type you get by playing it safe. The man is basically an ice sculpture in a suit. Subtle wasn’t going to work on him. So I brought the fire. Then came the mood shift. His face snapped into that usual “I’m-the-boss-here” vibe. “What are you still doing here, Ms. Bennett?” He asked it
Roxy’s POV“Goodnight, Roxy!" Greg from corporate law called out.I waved, flashing a smile. “Night!”Then Emily from paralegal passed, already halfway out the door. “You saved my life today.”“Anytime,” I said, keeping it casual.But inside?I was glowing.I mean, come on—I crushed it. Research? Nailed. People? Impressed. Mood? Roxette Bennett in full queen mode. I could almost hear the invisible crown settling on my head.That’s what I do—slide in, solve the unsolvable, walk out without breaking a sweat.The office was practically empty now, the silence was so loud, I could hear my own heartbeat.I started to pack up... but then I saw him.Through the glass.Aaron West.Still at his desk, sleeves rolled up, deep in work mode. His brows drawn together in that signature frown. One hand gripped a pen, the other raked through his hair like he was searching for answers in the strands somewhere. He was completely locked in.God, he had that kind of focus that felt like magnet. Like he cou
Roxy’s POVI could tell Sarah didn’t want to talk about it.But my vines? Yeah, they had a mind of their own. They weren’t backing off. If anything, they were spreading fast—growing, reaching, pushing. I knew I should stop, but something inside me just... wouldn’t.“I don’t mean to meddle,” I said quickly, giving her my sweetest I-care voice. “It’s just that I saw how it affected you when Rachel mentioned her.”That made Sarah look up. And I mean really look at me.She paused. Debated. Weighed her options like I was a courtroom jury and she wasn’t sure how much to give away. Then finally—she sighed. A long, tired sigh. Her face changed. More serious now.“Amber is a low-grade school teacher who’s suing SPECTRUM, one of California’s finest paint factory,” she said.“She thinks their paint is making their workers sick because her son, who used to work there five years ago, just died from unknown causes. Although there’s no clear report to prove it, she insists he started showing signs w