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Chapter 25
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Legally Charming Chapter 26
Had it really been two hours since she'd left Jared and gone to class? It seemed like only minutes ago he'd had her pressed up against her door, keeping her trapped, kissing her senseless until sanity finally returned to them both and they'd had to part ways.She closed her eyes for a second, reliving that last sweet kiss. The way his eyes had softened, that warm brown burning into her like embers at the edge of a healthy fire. Banked, barely controlled, yet still dangerous if touched. He was dangerous, so dangerous, and it was too late. She was falling for himhad already fallen for him if she admitted the truth. It had been pure luck she hadn't melted at his feet when he'd smiled and stroked her lips with his fingertips. The man sure knew how to break down a girl's defenses against heartbreak.What would she do ifwhenthis came to an end? Part of her feared he'd wake from this wondrous dream and go looking for a woman more his style. A woman like Shana, all quiet elegance, rich, ed
Legally Charming Chapter 27
"Pimms wants to see you."Jared glanced up from the purchase and sale agreement paperwork he'd been reviewing to see Sean Chapman, one of the other associates at his firm, filling his doorway."He does?" Jared didn't like the sound of that. Pimms was rarely in the office except to parade around and put people in their places. A summons to his office was not something any attorney wanted."Yeah, he's in his office. Don't keep him waiting." Sean's smile was forced."Thanks, Sean." Jared collected the contract paperwork and set it near his computer before he stood and grabbed his suit jacket. He slipped it around his shoulders, and a hint of vanilla teased his nose.Felicity.The memory of their parting heated his blood. They'd had a hard time leaving her apartment. He'd pinned her against the door, keeping her closed inside with him so he could steal more kisses. There wasn't enough time with her, nor enough kisses. She made him insatiable. In a few short hours he would allow himse
Legally Charming Chapter 28
"I can't wear this." Felicity stared at her reflection in the changing room mirror, eyes wide. She wore a filmy black babydoll top with bikini underwear bottoms."Let me see." Layla's voice came from the other side of the door."No!" she responded instantly. "I'm practically naked in this thing!"A soft giggle echoed inches away. "That's kind of the idea."Plucking at the lacy hem of the top, Felicity studied herself in the mirror again and swayed her hips experimentally, just to watch the way the fabric swayed. It was loose, and she liked that. Even though the fabric was sheer, the loose feel of it didn't make her as uncomfortable as she thought it might be.The bra part that cupped her breasts was transparent enough to show the dim outline of her nipples. What would Jared think if he saw her in this? Would he want to tear it off? The idea made her nipples pebble into hard points, and she hastily scrambled out of the bikini bottoms and slid the top off. It was too exciting and to
Legally Charming Chapter 29
"Hey." He grinned, the expression so perfect. It was as though he'd been made for smiling. Sure, it felt like a clich¨¦, but it was true. Smiles on Jared's face lit his eyes and made him twinkle. Not to mention it made Felicity go boneless with warmth and joy just to see him happy, even more so when it felt like he was smiling because she was here."Hi." She shifted on her feet, still a little unsure of this whole situation. What if this whole lingerie thing didn't work? Maybe she should stick to just dinner and not worry about seduction. "Let me get that." He reached out and slid her overnight bag off her shoulder before she could react and set it down by the door. And then he was curling his hand around her now-empty fingers and tugging her toward him. He maneuvered her to collide with his body as he pushed against her, using their bodies to close the door so fast that her head spun and arousal shot through her like wildfire. He closed the door and then crowded her against it. T
Legally Charming Chapter 30
Jared practically sprinted to the kitchen to grab another glass of wine when Felicity left to go change. He spilled the Bordeaux on the counter in his haste to fill his glass. His princess was going to kill him. He wanted to go fast, to rush headlong into this thing between them. But Felicity was fragile, and she deserved a slow courtship. Movies, dinner, sweet kisses. Not the wild, hungry ravishing his entire body wanted to give hers.With everything that had happened at work with Pimms, he was feeling caged and threatened. He just wanted to do his job and not worry about the fact that said job hinged on whether or not he was dating the boss's daughter. Which he wasn't, and he had no plans whatsoever to do so. Felicity was his girl, and he didn't want anyone else. Thank God for his princess. She made him forget work. Kissing her, talking with her, just looking at her, soothed the tightness in his chest.I'm becoming too damn sentimental. We'll just watch the movie, and I'll hold her
Legally Charming Chapter 31
Felicity was in love with Jared.There was no doubt about it. As she woke the next morning in his arms, feeling safe, sated, and happy to the point of being ridiculous, there was no denying what she felt. She lifted her head enough to slide her chin across his naked shoulder so she could study his sleeping face. She wanted to memorize each featurethe aquiline nose, the sweep of dark lashes that graced his cheeks, the slight pout of his relaxed mouth. She wanted to paint them each upon her memory, to cherish through the rest of her life, wherever it would take her.Looking at him was like coming home in the truest sense. It wasn't the home she'd grown up in, in a little house too small to accommodate her and her parents, but rather it was the home she'd always craved, the one she'd always hoped she would deserve someday. The one that would make her happy, nourish her, excite her.If only she didn't have class, she could've stayed in bed all day and just cuddled with him. But the day
Legally Charming Chapter 32
"Are you ready?" Jared asked as he parked their rental car in front of a snowy hillside house. It was a massive house, nothing like the small, cozy cabin Jared had described on the flight from Chicago to Denver.She fidgeted in her seat. Jared's parents were inside that house, and she was going to meet them."Ready?" She swallowed thickly. She was definitely not ready to meet Jared's parents. The last month of November and part of December had flown by. She and Jared had managed to settle into a comfortable relationship. They'd gone to art galleries, Jared's favorite museums by the lakeshore, and had managed to fit in time together between work and school. There had been nights where she'd fallen asleep before Jared had gotten home, and mornings when she'd had to slip out of bed early to get to work at Sabine's, but being with him had been wonderful, a dream. But now she was at Jared's parents' homeor one of the three homes the Redmond family had. How was she going to face them? She
Legally Charming Chapter 33
The bedroom was as big as her entire apartment back in Chicago. A massive sleigh bed was against one wall, with a deep-blue comforter and white pillows. A red-and-white Nordic quilt was folded over the bottom of the bed. The Redmonds had made something luxurious seem cozy. A small fireplace was opposite the bed, with gas logs. On the far side opposite the door, a balcony opened up to a view of the ski slopes."This is incredible," she whispered."I'm glad you like it." He had his hands tucked into his jeans pockets and was watching her intently, as though trying to see how she was taking it all in.She followed Jared deeper into the room and smiled when she saw a wall of photos nearby. She couldn't resist looking. He didn't have a ton of pictures of his family back in his apartment, and she wanted to see what his life had been like as a boy.There were pictures of Jared and Tanner in the pool as boys, Jared dressed as an Eagle Scout holding a pinewood box car and standing proudly n
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Legally Charming Chapter 51: Epilogue
Felicity stood in the nursery of her and Jared's apartment, putting away the naptime books and collecting the recently washed onesies to put away in the dresser. The crib was empty which meant Jared had taken the baby for her breakfast. The morning sun made the walls glow with light. It was a fine Saturday morning, and she had all day to spend just as she wished. After a long but enjoyable week at the Art Institute, she was glad it was the weekend. She smiled as she let her gaze drift from wall to wall. She'd painted stories that had made her childhood happy.There was a rotund yellow bear snoozing beneath a tree, a hive full of honey far out of his reach. The next wall showed a young girl perched on a window seat, white curtains billowing into her room. A distant star above a London skyline shimmered, and the silhouette of a boy who could fly covered part of the window, a tiny fairy above his shoulder. The next wall showed a boy wizard riding in a boat toward a distant castle, a dist
Legally Charming Chapter 50
A tall, well-dressed man with his back to her. Just beyond him stood Thad, who met her gaze and said something to the man, who turned. It was Jared. His eyes fixed on her, his hands in his pockets. He looked dangerous with a heavy shadow of stubble, and his full lips were set in a determined line. The man had that brooding, sexy expression down to perfection.Jared. My Jared. Her heart was bleeding, but her soul was shaking off its dust and starting to sing.Don't go to him, don'tHer feet moved at the same time his did. When they were only a few feet apart, Felicity held her breath. Jared slid one hand out of his trouser pockets and reached for her, but he stopped short of her cheek. His eyes burned as he stared at her."Felicity." Her name escaped his lips like a prayer whispered fervently at midnight. "How are youand the baby?" His eyes stayed locked with hers."I'm okay. We're okay." She touched her abdomen. I miss you. "You?"A rueful smile crossed his lips. "Awful." He gl
Legally Charming Chapter 49
Two weeks. Somehow Felicity had survived fourteen long days without Jared. She timed her work at the gallery to avoid any meetings with the Worthingtons in case Jared was there. She'd not gone back to her old apartment, either. Thad had sent men to pack her things up and put most of them in a storage facility until she found a permanent place to live for the rest of the semester. Since then, she'd hidden from the world except to go to classes. At first she'd expected Jared to be there, waiting to see her. It was something she feared and hoped for at the same time. But he was never there.Part of her knew logically that she should be grateful he'd accepted the breakup and that he was leaving her alone so she could adjust. But her heart protested. It wanted him to fight for her, to seek her out, and it demanded that she give in, not push him away.The door chime on the hotel suite broke her loose from her dark thoughts. She rushed to the door, knowing who would be there.Layla stood i
Legally Charming Chapter 48
"I can do this," Felicity whispered as she stood at the foot of the steps leading up to the Art Institute of Chicago. The bronze lion, now tinted green, stood a few feet from her, staring stoically out at the street before it. She climbed the steps, her heart pounding.She couldn't believe she was herewell, at least here as a worker of sorts and not a visitor here to admire the pieces. Sabine had called her early this morning, asking if she wanted to spend a few hours giving tours to exclusive art patrons who were interested in private viewings of some of the currently closed European galleries. Felicity had jumped at the chance. It was huge to get asked to provide tours to these upper-end donors who gave money to the major museums. It would part of her duties if she ever became a curator. Donors liked to have face time with the top staff at museums and institutes and get special treatment, since they donated a lot of money to keep the exhibits open. And it was a joy for the staff to
Legally Charming Chapter 47
Felicity stood at the foot of the large bed in the hotel suite, a towel wrapped around her body and hair wet. Her skin was warm from the shower, but it hadn't erased the chill from within. She opened her bag on the bed and sifted through her clothes until she found underwear and slipped them on. Her hands paused as they touched the black T-shirt of Jared's. She lifted it to her face, burying her nose in the soft cotton again. It carried a hint of him, just enough to make her heart shudder. She slipped the shirt over her body and let the towel drop to the floor.A small flashing green dot on her cell phone caught her eye from where it lay a few inches away from her bag on the bed. She flipped it open and saw three missed calls from Layla and one from Jaredand a voicemail.I shouldn'tShe pressed the Play button and lifted it to her ear.Jared's voice, rough with pain that came through as he spoke and ripped her heart into even tinier pieces. "Princess, you need to come home to me,
Legally Charming Chapter 46
Jared was on top of the world. The executed release of the lease sat on Pimms's desk, and the older attorney had conceded that his reaction that morning to Jared's news had been overly harsh."You are a damned sight better at your job than most people, and I don't want to lose you." His words had been music to Jared's ears.It was almost nine o'clock by the time Jared rode the elevator up to his apartment. He was going to order pizza, and he and Felicity were going to cuddle together on the couch and watch a movie, even a sappy one if she wanted to. There was still a tightness in his chest at the thought that he'd missed the doctor's appointment, but he vowed he wouldn't miss the next one. Felicity and the baby were his worldhe wasn't going to let either of them down.Humming softly, he unlocked his door and walked inside. The apartment was quiet. His briefcase slid off his shoulder, and he let it drop quietly onto the kitchen table. She must be asleep, the poor darling. He was goin
Legally Charming Chapter 45
Felicity stared at the screen of her cell phone long after it went dark. Jared was going to get fired because of her relationship with him.It's my fault.Tears stung her eyes, but she held them at bay. She'd been a fool to think she and Jared were ready to become something more permanent. His career needed his full-time commitment, and a pregnant girlfriend was an unnecessary burden. She loved him with all of her heart, and she knew how much he cared about his job at the firm. It wasn't fair to destroy his future by staying here and complicating his life.She touched her belly, her heart shattering as she faced the only real option left. She needed to stay away from him long enough to let things cool between them. He could and would be a part of the baby's life, but he couldn't be a part of hers, not in the way she'd dreamed about."I have to fix this," she told the baby, even knowing it couldn't hear her, not yet.She texted Thad telling him she needed his help. He called her a
Legally Charming Chapter 44
I'm going to be a father.Jared stared at the stack of papers in front of him, not really focusing on his work. He'd come into the office early since he hadn't returned last night. The whole baby-bomb-dropping had been a huge distraction. He couldn't stop thinking about the ultrasound video he'd seen last night. The little shape that vaguely looked like a gummy bear and the fluttering heart, that rapid sound. It had changed everything. Just like the night he'd walked into his room and seen Felicity asleep in his bed.I'm having a kid.Sure, it was years before he'd planned to be a dad, but now he couldn't stop smiling. The woman he loved like crazy was having a babywith him. He couldn't wait to tell his parents and Tanner."Jared."He glanced up from the Worthington closing documents and found his boss staring at him."Mr. Pimms. I was just reviewing""Jared, I need to see you in my office." Pimms's no-nonsense tone knocked the breath out of him.Whatever it was, he didn't thi
Legally Charming Chapter 43
"I'm keeping it, Jared. I don't expect anything from you if you don't want to""What?" He froze and stared at her, mouth agape. "Of course I want to be a part of this. I just need a minute to adjust." He stopped pacing and faced her, his eyes heavy with concern and shock. "You've known for days," he muttered.She flinched at his tone and backed up, giving him space if he needed to pace again."I wanted to tell you at the hospital, but it was all too much, and then I didn't want to ruin the holiday. And then it all made sensethe throwing up because of morning sickness, not bad plane food or altitude. And I just needed to process and think and figure things out" God, she was rambling. Felicity wrung her hands together.Jared slowly walked into the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of scotch from the cabinet. He poured one glass and glanced her way. "Sorry, princess, but I really need this." He downed the glass and rubbed his closed eyes with his thumb and forefinger. She collapsed on the
