Resisting the Bad Boy - Nice Girl to Love, Vol 1 (Can't Resist #1)(2)

“No promises,” she sang out as she sashayed off.

Despite the very real threat her refusal to behave was sure to present, Connor still found himself smiling after her. How Victoria came to be the only constant female in his life for four years running was one of life’s great mysteries. He supposed she fell in the friends with benefits category, though calling her a friend was a bit of a stretch…and he’d politely stopped all transactional ‘benefits’ after the first month. Okay, so she was more of a trophy-date-on-demand. Still, they had a nice thing going. She’d accompany him to black tie functions to save him from vapid socialites on the prowl, and he’d reciprocate if ever she needed. Fortunately, her revolving dating door spun faster than his did so he rarely had to carry out his end. Not that she wasn’t a nice enough woman. But her glib old money view on the world was a little much to take at times.

When he heard the peal of her flirt-giggle so soon in the game, he was mildly curious about who she’d set her sights on tonight. He peered over and snorted out a laugh when he saw it was Clay Gibbs, the man who put the ass in pompous. The only reason Connor let his assistant invite the privileged asshat tonight was because Clay was a third generation firm client on a very short leash. With him here, the bail money they kept in the safe for him actually had a fighting chance to remain there.

“Oh, what a surprise, Victoria didn’t stay to say hi.”

Hearing the long lost sound of Brian busting his chops had Connor beaming—he couldn’t remember the last time he’d heard him do it. “Yeah, well, you know Victoria.”

“Nope, I sure don’t. And I prefer to keep it that way.”

Connor chuckled. “I’ll be sure to tell her there’s a man in Arizona inexplicably immune to her charms. Glad you could make it out tonight, man. And with a lovely date, no less.” Looking over at the pretty brunette standing beside Brian, Connor had to work hard to keep his reaction in check. Seeing her vintage pin-up girl figure from across the room earlier, he hadn’t expected the face accompanying the voluptuous body to be so…sweet.

Wholesome even.

“I’m Connor,” he said smiling, thrown a bit by the quick glimmer of humor he saw flash in her eyes.

“Hi, Connor. It’s nice to see you again.”

Again? Crap, did he know her? He carefully scanned her fresh-faced features once more. Wide, guileless eyes—a charming novelty he was positive he hadn’t encountered in years—untinted lips, a light tan that actually appeared to be from the sun, and rich, dark auburn locks done up in a ponytail more comfortable than fashionable. There was no way in hell he knew her. She was the very definition of a buxom beach babe brunette, if such a category existed, with an appealing blend of innocence and intelligence behind a pair of unaccountably sexy, cliché-free glasses. Definitely not his usual type. Pity. “I’m so sorry, have we met before?”

Brian glared at him, looking more than a little disappointed. “Dude, it’s Abby. Abby Bartlett?”

This was Brian’s friend from college? Wow, she sure grew up. In a nice girl with a hot halo sort of way. “Abby, of course. My apologies. We met in the hospital right after Skylar’s birth.”

Those deep brown eyes of hers were outright laughing at him now. “And maybe a couple more times since.”

Well that ratcheted his discomfort to full blown chagrin.

Her hey-don’t-sweat-it smile didn’t help…the playful brow tilt that followed soon after, however, did. “Relax, Connor. How about this—the next time you introduce yourself to me again, I’ll be sure to pretend I know what the inside or your house looks like for ‘other’ reasons. Make you squirm a bit. That ought to square us.”

Surprised laughter built in his chest. How about that? Talk about intriguing. Before he could banter back, however, a nearby voice interrupted, “Professor Bartlett, is that you?”

Professor? Spicy upgrade from cute librarian. Connor was hooked. He watched with mounting admiration as Abby scolded—actually scolded—his firm’s best civil litigator.

“Will you stop with that? My PhD is not a done deal.”

“Oh hush, young lady.” James T. Holt came over to give Abby a formal peck on the cheek. “As far as I’m concerned, ‘ABD’ stands for all but done. You may as well get used to being called a professor.” Jim turned to bring Connor up to speed. “Abby here is a miracle worker. Thanks to her, my son was actually able to move onto high school this year.”

“Reese wasn’t that bad,” defended Abby, hands on hips.

“Says the woman who only had him in small doses,” replied Jim dryly. “I’m just glad you started tutoring at his school when you did. I was really getting worried.”

“That you’d have to dust off the ole grammar knowledge you ‘misplaced’ to help with his homework?” ribbed Abby.

Connor blinked. Seriously, who was this woman?

Jim chortled heartily. “You caught me. That’s why I’m so glad our firm hires well-written paralegals and first-years.”

“Hence my stand on standardizing a more rigorous business and technical writing curriculum in core education.” Abby threw an I-told-you-so grin over at Brian. “Brian, this is James Holt, one of the greatest legal minds in the city…well, next to your father and brother of course. James, this is Brian Sullivan of those Sullivans,” she editorialized behind an impishly cupped hand. “He’s the rebel son who chose the path of teaching business economics over lawyering.”