NICE GIRL TO LOVE (THE COMPLETE THREE-BOOK COLLECTION)(3)

Connor rolled his eyes. “Alright, have fun. Just be sure to stay away from the men at my firm…the women too, for that matter. Last year alone, you sent our sweet, bright-eyed bankruptcy fifth-year into a funk and later had two of the probate guys ready to kill each other.” He frowned in remembrance of that catastrophe. “Actually, you know what? Check where they work before you even start speaking to them at all.”

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

He sighed. Despite the very real threat her refusal to behave was sure to present, Connor still found himself smiling after her. Victoria was the only constant female in his life for four years running now. How that managed to happen 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 with a well-advertised rolling re-enrollment policy on lapsed benefits. That aside, they actually had a very 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 bit much to take at times.

Hearing the unmistakable peal of Victoria’s flirt-giggle carry across the room, Connor found himself mildly curious about who she was trying to close, so soon in the game. Peering over, he snorted out a laugh when he saw it was none other than Clay Gibbs, the man who put the ass in pompous.

The only reason Connor let his assistant invite the privileged nitwit 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.”

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

“Nope, I sure as hell 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 then.”

Well that just ratcheted his chagrin up to full-blown guilt.

Her quick hey-don’t-sweat-it smile didn’t help one bit…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 of your house looks like for ‘other’ reasons. Be all indignant. 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 right back, however, a nearby voice broke into their conversation, “Professor Bartlett, is that you?”

Professor? Spicy upgrade from cute librarian. Connor was hooked. The line and sinker came when he then proceeded to witness Abby scold—actually scold—his firm’s best civil litigator.

“How many times do I have to tell you to cut that out? My PhD is not a done deal, Jim.”

“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. “I’ve known Abby here for years. She’s a miracle worker. Thanks to her, my son was actually able to move on to high school this year.”

“Reese was not 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 starting to get worried.”