Having Faith by Barbara Delinsky Page B

it.
    "You're a friend.
    Sawyer. You've said it a million times. We were tipsy. "
    He leaned closer. His voice grew deeper, sounding alternately vehement and sensual. "We were aroused. We did it to each other, Faith. If you're honest with yourself, you'll admit that."
    "We were tipsy."
    Very slowly he straightened. The muscle in his jaw flexed. His eyes never left her face as he came around the desk. "What are you doing, Sawyer?"
    "Making my point."
    "What's that supposed to mean?" She tried to sound curious rather than nervous, still she backed up a little in her chair. He was very tall, dark and imposing in his navy suit with his eyes so intent.
    "I think we have a problem. I think we stumbled onto something Friday night that's not going to go away."
    "Look, Sawyer, if it's the thing about a baby that's got you worried" "I don't give a damn about that." He bent over, putting his hands on the arms of her chair.
    "It's the other."
    "What other?"
    "The attraction."
    "There isn't any attraction. I told you." She flattened a hand on his shirt to hold him off.
    "Don't, Sawyer. This is very unprofessional.
    It's criminal. It's. assault. "
    His face hovered over hers.
    "No assault."
    "Please," she begged, breathing shallowly.
    "Leave now. Loni's sitting right out there. If I have to scream" "No scream. You know damn well that I won't hurt you."
    "I don't want this. Sawyer. I don't want this. Please. Sawyer, this isn't you" -His mouth took hers, and she was right. There was none of the teasing, none of the sampling, none of the gentleness he'd shown her on Friday night. His kiss contained the hunger that had been building since then, a hunger that he'd tried to ignore himself until he'd realized the futility of it.
    Faith tried to turn her head, but he thrust a hand into her hair and held her still. When she tried to push him away, he took one of her hands, drew her right out of the chair and against him, where she was effectively immobilized. She even tried to keep her mouth closed and rigid, but she was no match for his persistence. The firm stroking of his lips was powerful; they kneaded the resistance from hers as though it had never been, then rewarded her pliancy with the kind of kiss she hadn't believed existed. It was wet and warm, unbelievably erotic. She was shaking inside, sagging weakly against him by the time he raised his head.
    Unable to stand, she sank back into her chair. She knew Sawyer had allowed it, or he'd still have her clamped against him, but she wasn't about to thank him.
    "Well?" he demanded. His voice was hoarse.
    It was a minute before she could say anything. Then, eyes downcast, she whispered, "You've made your point."
    "I didn't catch that."
    "You caught it."
    "Look at me and repeat it." "What for? So your victory will be complete?"
    He caught her chin and turned her face up.
    "No victory. I'm feeling as frustrated now as you are, but you're right, I made my point."
    "And you're happy?"
    "Fat chance. I have to be in court at eleven, then again at two on separate cases. I've got clients coming in at four and five-thirty. I have to prepare a motion that's due tomorrow. Somewhere in the middle, I'll have to return half a dozen phone calls and call Bruce Leindecker to discuss the issue of violence. So I'm frustrated as hell, but I can't do a thing about it. Happy? Not by a long shot."
    Turning, he thundered from her office with nearly the same air of belligerence that had carried him in in the first place.
    Sawyer didn't like starting days off that way. When he did, they invariably went downhill, and this day was no exception. The court appearance at eleven was forfeited when his client didn't show, and the one at two resulted in a continuance. He couldn't get a bead on the motion he had to prepare, because the phone kept ringing even after he'd returned the obligatory calls. The client who came in at four reported that he had inadvertently destroyed a piece of exculpatory evidence, and the client who was