Attorney-Client Privilege

The room was dark and my feet were wet. I had no idea where I was, but fear clung to me. The sound of my breathing filled the eerily quiet air around me. I took a step forward, the pitch black making me blind.

“Hello?” I squeaked out. My hand reached out in front of me, feeling for any obstructions. Finding none, I slowly made my way through the room.

Suddenly, the sound of voices surrounded me. I looked around, eyes wide, seeing nothing but black. “I can’t, just get rid of it,” a female voice said.

“Are you sure? She’s your daughter,” a man replied.

I stood still, listening to the voices floating around me.

“I said just get rid of it! I don’t fucking want it!”

I spun in a circle as a gushing sound filled the room and water started to rise up my calves.

The room vibrated with the sound of my screams. The water continued to rise as I flailed around the room, searching for a way out. My hands slipped along the now wet walls as I sobbed.

The water was cold, and I took a deep breath as it surged over my head. I floated there, unable to move, holding my breath for as long as I could. My chest began to burn, and I gasped loudly. The cold filled me from the inside out.

I shot up in bed, gasping for air. It was the same nightmare I’d been having since I was five and my mom and dad had told me I was adopted. Flinging the blankets off, I walked to the kitchen and filled a glass with water. I took a few timid sips in between deep breaths.

As I shook off the remnants of the dream, I walked to the living room and sat down, dropping my head back. The dream always left me feeling unsettled.

On my coffee table sat a book on family law. I picked it up and flipped through the heavily notated pages until I stopped at the one covered in sticky notes. Today I would be meeting with Mr. Alderman’s son, and if I couldn’t be well rested, I would be prepared.

Glancing down at my Fitbit, I learned it was just after 2 a.m. Plenty of time for preparation. With a sigh, I turned on the light next to me and pulled the book onto my lap. Hopefully the junior Alderman wouldn’t be too difficult.

***

“You have fifteen minutes until the meeting, Ms. Baser,” came my assistant’s voice over the speaker in my office.

“Thank you, Tracy,” I said as I saved the files I’d been working on and pulled out the Alderman file. I read it over one more time, making sure to commit the details to memory.

Wesley Alderman. Thirty-two. Professional chef. Married Delia Alderman a little over a year ago in Vegas. She quit work shortly before they married. They live in a penthouse apartment downtown. No children. No prenup. Mr. Alderman has considerable assets to protect, including his yacht, several restaurants, and vacation homes in Paris, Italy, California, and the Bahamas.

Closing the folder, I stood and gathered the papers we’d be going over during the meeting. I straightened my sheath dress and put on my fitted cropped blazer, buttoning one button. Finally, I slipped on my beige heels, and it was time to go. My goal was to beat Travis to the conference room.

I’d spent the days since we’d been given the case dodging him. I was prepared for him to have all his own documents drawn up. In fact, I was counting on it. Mr. Alderman would get a chance first hand to see my superior work.

With a nod to Tracy, I headed toward the elevator and it arrived almost immediately. As the doors were closing, a hand slipped in and the doors opened to reveal the man I’d been avoiding.

“I’d half hoped you had pulled out of the case, Olivia,” Travis sneered as he entered the elevator and the doors closed behind him.

I rolled my eyes and continued to face forward as the elevator began to move. “Like I’d pass up a chance to show you how it’s done, Travis.”

He snorted. “As if, Barbie.”

“Hm, I thought we were at work, not a high school,” I quipped, fighting the urge to reach up and smooth back my loose blonde hair. The doors slid open as Travis opened his mouth to deliver a comeback. His mouth snapped shut as he saw Mr. Alderman waiting by Mary’s desk.

Travis strode forward, hand outstretched. “Mr. Alderman! So good to see you, sir. I hope you’ve been well.”

Mr. Alderman glanced briefly at Travis and then at me before turning on his heel toward the conference room. I stifled a grin as Travis quickly dropped his outstretched hand.

We followed Mr. Alderman into the conference room. “Well son, here are your attorneys. They are the best of this firm and will get everything squared away. This is Mr. Travis Prescott.” Travis rushed up to shake the man’s hand.

As he stepped out of the way, I felt the blood rush from my face. “And this is Ms. Olivia Baser.”

Before me stood the man I assumed was our client. He was tall, easily six foot two. His dirty-blond hair was slicked back, allowing his gray eyes to pierce into mine. The same gray eyes I’d looked into while crying out in ecstasy in my living room just days prior.

I stood still, unable to move, blink, or breathe. My one-night stand was right here in front of me.

Panic was creeping into my chest. What would he say? I was sure Mr. Alderman wouldn’t be happy to find out I’d had a fling with his still-married son.

Sweat collected on my palms. Wes closed the space between us, reaching forward to take my hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Ms. Baser.” His gray eyes raked up and down my body before giving me a quick wink. The blood came whooshing back to my cheeks.

“Hello, Mr. Alderman,” I said calmly.

“Oh please, call me Wes.” He walked to the other side of the conference table and sat. The other two men positioned themselves next to him, leaving me with the spot directly across from Wes.

“Well, Wes,” I forced out the name, almost choking on it, “this all seems pretty cut and dry. I just need to know what reason to cite for this petition for divorce.”

“Incompatibility, irreconcilable differences, take your pick. As if it’s not all the same,” the elder Alderman huffed. I nodded as I wrote it down on the line and slid the papers to Wes.

“This is a basic petition for divorce. I’ve outlined a few things for you to read and noted where you’ll have to sign. We’ve been made aware of your assets and have outlined the plan to keep those in your possession. The marriage has only been a year, but seeing as your wife is not working and you brought her up to a higher standard of living, we do need to discuss possible alimony.”

Mr. Alderman’s fist banged against the table, making us all jump. “Absolutely not! That gold-digging tramp will not get a cent of mine or Wesley’s money.”

I schooled my features to remain calm even though this was the first time I’d seen a partner ruffled. They always handled every situation with the greatest of ease.

“Father, this is my money, not yours. We can discuss alimony.”

“Wesley, all that I have will be yours one day, regardless of if you want it or not. You will not be giving her a cent of what is mine.”

Wes sighed as he placed his elbows on the table, his hands massaging his forehead.

I shifted slightly in my seat. Now that I was over the shock of seeing him again, my mind was starting to remember the things he’d done to my body. I’d had more orgasms that night than I could count.

“I’ve outlined a slightly different plan of attack than Ms. Baser,” Travis cut in. As usual, when he spoke, I fought the urge to roll my eyes. I glanced down at the documents he slid in front of Wes. The room was silent as Wes read through them.

“Mr. Prescott, I appreciate the firm stance, but this is all very unnecessary. My wife and I just don’t have much in common, we don’t see things the same. I rushed into this marriage and I think it’s time it ended. I don’t hate her. I just want to leave the marriage with what I went into it with.”

Mr. Alderman stood, his face flush with anger. “Since you seem to know what you’re doing, I have important business to attend to. Good luck, Wesley.” With that, he stormed out the door. Travis collected his papers and stuck them back in his briefcase.

“I’ll leave Ms. Baser to go over these documents with you and collect your signature. Here’s my card, call me if there are any questions.” As he handed the card to Wes, he glared in my direction before heading out the door.

I let out my breath slowly, taking a moment to collect myself. Then I looked up at Wes with a smile. “So, Wes, this is a very basic draft for a petition for divorce. As you can see—”

“This is what we are doing?” he asked with a smile.

“I’m sorry?”

“We are just going to pretend that I wasn’t deep inside of you last weekend?”

I glanced around the room. Even though I knew we were alone, I didn’t want anyone to hear. The heavy wooden door was closed, and the only window in the wood paneled room looked out across the city’s skyline. For the moment, it seemed, we could talk.

“Listen Wes, I obviously didn’t know who you were. And it was fun, but now we have to be professional. If Travis or your dad found out about what happened between us,” I shuddered slightly, “it would not be good. So, if you will please let me review these things with you quickly…”

Wes grabbed the papers and the pen laying by them. With a flourish, he signed each paper quickly, flying through the stack without a glance. When he finished, he stood and walked around the table, perching on the side of it, an inch or two from my hand. His smell drifted to my nose, rich and masculine. I shifted in my seat as I felt myself growing wet.

“You really should read things before you sign them,” I said. I tried to sound confident and sure, but it came out breathy. He smiled as he leaned down, his gray eyes connecting with my hazel ones.

“Call me a risk taker.”

“Says the man who got married in Vegas and now wants a divorce.”

He threw back his head and laughed. The sound sent tingles all over my body.

Feeling uncomfortable, I stood and slipped the signed papers back into my folder before tucking it under my arm. “I’ll have these filed with the court and copies sent to Mrs. Alderman right away. Considering your father’s pull, I think this case will be expedited. We will get a hold of you when we have more to discuss.”

Before I could move, his hand reached up and slid through the blonde hair hanging over my shoulder. “How about you and I meet up tonight to discuss the case? Dinner?”

I fought against the urge to lean into him and beg him to do those things he’d done to my body again. Shaking my head slightly, I said, “I’m not one to mix business and pleasure, Wes.”

He flashed his brilliant white smile again. “Okay, so let’s ditch the business and just focus on pleasure.”

I sighed, but inside my heart danced. He wanted to see me again. He wanted to take me out. Obviously I couldn’t, but it felt good to know I was worth more than just the one-night we’d shared.

“You’re my client, Wes. No more than that, and I’ll treat you like any other client.”

He stood and leaned toward me. I found myself moving back, trying to keep a professional space between us until my back hit the wall and I had nowhere left to run. He towered over me, his broad shoulders blocking out the dreary conference room as he stared me down.

“Do your other clients know what it sounds like to hear you cry out as you cum?” I clenched my legs involuntarily.

“Do they know the hitch in your breath when your nipples are touched?” As if to demonstrate his point, he ran the pad of his thumb over my peaked nipple. My breath stopped.

He grinned as he bent down so our eyes were level. “Just one date. Go out with me. I’ll make sure we aren’t seen. I want to get to know you. You’re obviously a smart and successful woman.”

My heart raced in my chest. I felt like I was burning up from the inside out. My mind was screaming for him to touch me again. To pick me up against the wall and thrust so deep the entire office could hear my cries. Instead, I reached out my hand and pushed him away.

Clearing my throat, I said, “And as a smart and successful woman, I know when to say no and stay away. Give it up, Mr. Alderman. Have a good day.” I turned and gripped the door handle, part of me waiting for Wes to stop me.

He didn’t, but behind me I heard him whisper, “I’m not giving up.”

My heart soared with the words and my body heated as I fled the conference room. Images of our passionate night together flickered through my head, begging for a repeat. But my mind knew better, and hopefully that would be enough to keep me out of trouble.