A Firm Merger Read online

  A Firm Merger

  Stephanie Ganon

  Published 2011

  ISBN 978-1-59578-811-5

  Published by Liquid Silver Books, imprint of Atlantic Bridge Publishing, 10509 Sedgegrass Dr, Indianapolis, Indiana 46235. Copyright © 2011, Stephanie Ganon. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the author.

  Manufactured in the United States of America

  Liquid Silver Books

  http://lsbooks.com

  Email:

  [email protected]

  Editor

  Chrissie Henderson

  Cover Artist

  Lyn Taylor

  This is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents and dialogues in this book are of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is completely coincidental.

  Blurb

  For nearly a year, Emily Dawson has quietly dated two men, Nick Scott and William Drake—both smart, attractive and great in bed. Because they all work at the same law firm, her various needs are met at a moment’s notice. During an out-of-town business trip, the men put their heads together and discover their girlfriend has two boyfriends. But when Nick and William confront Emily about her refusal to commit to a relationship, an unusual compromise is reached—one that satisfies them all.

  Dedication

  For Q.

  Chapter One

  Emily Dawson sat on the edge of the hotel room bed, balancing a shot glass in her trembling hands. Staring into the sea of dark liquid, she finally gulped the whiskey, wincing a little as it burned her throat. But she’d need this liquid courage, she decided, when she confessed her secret. She’d probably need the whole bottle when all was said and done.

  Emily checked her watch. She had five minutes before they arrived.

  She’d asked William Drake and Nick Scott to visit her hotel room after the conference the trio had attended, even managing to leave the grand hall before either man had a chance to intercept her.

  The men didn’t like each other much, probably because they had absolutely nothing in common, but since the young associates had been dispatched yesterday to San Francisco by their bosses at Tyler, Golden & Rome, L.L.P., things had been fairly peaceful, and Emily counted herself lucky. But she knew her luck would run out if the men spent more than a few minutes together doing anything unrelated to business. She needed to admit the truth—and fast.

  She’d been seeing both men for a good part of a year, and despite working in close proximity to both, she’d managed to keep her secret. Their firm had a strict “no fraternization” policy and the risks to her career and reputation could be disastrous if her extracurricular activities ever became public knowledge.

  As much as Emily feared the professional ramifications of what she was doing, she feared losing Nick and William even more. She depended on each man to fulfill several of her needs, but she knew neither would be able to accept her inability to commit to just one of them.

  She hadn’t counted on the guilt that had begun eating away at her as the months progressed. She certainly hadn’t considered anyone’s feelings in the matter, including her own until it was far too late.

  What she had assumed to be a modern woman’s way of handling a frisky love life had quickly dissolved into a nightmare. While she’d never promised fidelity to either of the men in her life, her own faithlessness had begun gnawing at her, making her feel dirty. Some modern woman. Keeping her dating calendar straight had become a hellish ordeal, and she’d learned early on that sneaking around was not the way she liked to operate. Yet she’d continued with this farce because she’d grown fond of each man.

  “No strings” had been their shared battle cry as she and Nick ended each day in the law offices wearing nothing but briefs. But over time she’d discovered the strapping stud to be more than a sensual diversion. His generosity and sensitivity had quickly endeared him to her, showing him to be more than just a pretty face.

  In contrast, William was her rock. She could discuss anything with him, whether silly or complex, and he’d have a thoughtful response. They could spend hours together discussing books, movies, politics and culture. Before Emily could fully appreciate what was happening, she realized William had become her best friend.

  Now she was certain to lose both of them despite having told no lies or made any promises. But her feelings for each man dictated she put all her cards on the table.

  A tap on the hotel room door startled her from her thoughts. She swallowed tightly, placing her glass on the nightstand. She stood and smoothed down her skirt as she moved to the door. Emily pulled the door open and forced a smile she didn’t feel. “Hello, Nick.”

  “Hiya, beautiful.” He breezed inside the room, loosening his tie. He stopped before the liquor cabinet. “Want a drink?” he asked, hefting the bottle she’d held moments earlier.

  “I’m good,” she whispered. “Look, I—”

  “I’m glad you wanted to talk, Em. I’ve missed you. I know the bosses are putting a lot on your plate lately, but you seem … I don’t know. Distant.”

  “There’s a reason for that, Nick. It’s why I asked you to my room.”

  “Oh yeah?” He gulped his drink, set the glass on the table, and pulled her into his arms. “You going to tell me what’s got you looking so sad? Tell me, so I can make it all better.”

  Her breath caught as she gazed into his clear blue eyes. Oh, how she wanted him to make it all better. But she knew she’d only feel worse once he heard what she had to tell him. “Nick—”

  He kissed her then, and she was instantly clinging to him, struggling for calm even as his kiss alighted through her like carnal flame. His palm settled on the small of her back, ratcheting pleasure through her system. Emily yielded to his hunger for what she was sure would be the last time. She pulled back, blood thundering in her ears, determined to set the record straight. “We can’t, Nick. I’m expecting someone else.”

  His brow furrowed. “And who might that be?”

  “That might be me,” William Drake said from the doorway. “Sorry to barge in unannounced, but the door was open.”

  “William, it’s—”

  “Not what I think, Emily? What could I be thinking exactly, anyway? That I enter the room of the woman I’ve been seeing for the last eight months, only to catch her making out with another man?”

  “You’ve been seeing her eight months, man? Shit, I got you beat. We’re heading for month ten,” Nick offered with a smirk. “I already know how Emily likes her drinks. What’ll you be having, William?”

  “Scotch and soda, please. One ice cube.”

  Emily sat on the edge of the bed, stunned by each man’s casual response to discovering she’d been dating them at the same time. Nick barely batted an eyelash; William only seemed mildly perturbed.

  Groaning, she settled her head inside her hands and waited for the fireworks to start. Yet after a few moments, during which Nick gave William his drink and set hers on the table, no arguments broke out. In fact, both men seemed almost too cool. Deciding to accept whatever fate had in store for her, she glanced up, only to catch them grinning at each other. “What the hell is going on here?” she whispered. “What’s so funny? What am I missing?”

  William removed his suit jacket and pulled a chair up to the table. “Should I tell her, Nick? Or would you rather I do the honors?”

  Nick gulped his drink and grabbed the gin bottle for another hit. “I’m a little busy at the moment, so go for it.”

  “Yeah, William, go for it,” Emily sniped. �
��It looks like the two of you have some kind of fun secret. I hate to be the only one in the dark.”

  “Oh, I guarantee that our secret isn’t as fun as yours, Emily. In fact, Nick and I ran into each other right before the conference this morning. We got to talking and began to compare notes. That’s when we discovered that you like to have more fun than the average woman.”

  Oh. My. God. She would have laughed if she hadn’t been so completely floored. This was a joke, right? How many times did the thing you feared most really happen? Why would they have talked about her—especially after she’d made both of them promise to keep their relationship a secret? Seriously, which one of them had thought that was a good idea?

  “What’s the matter, Em?” Nick popped a maraschino cherry into his mouth and chewed. “Damn, that’s good.”

  “Nothing,” she whispered. Nothing other than the fact that her secret was out and she’d not had a chance to tell them on her own terms. But what did that matter now? She’d been seeing them both and had known they would discover her duplicity. She thought it almost fitting that the uncovering had been taken out of her hands. She’d been rendered powerless when at one time she believed she held all the cards.

  Relief flooded her system. What she had mistaken for power had in reality weakened her. She had no business playing with these men’s feelings. She’d had her feelings trampled on enough in the past to understand the fallout. “I—I’m truly sorry,” she said. “I never meant for either of you to find out this way.”

  William’s quiet reserve was somehow worse than the angry outburst she’d expected. “You should have told me, Emily,” he said softly. “Is he the reason you didn’t want to take the next step?”

  “Nah, I doubt that, my man. Emily played the same game with me. I think she just likes the all-you-can-eat buffet.”

  His words hit her like a slap. “It wasn’t a game for me.”

  “And somehow I still feel played.” Nick snarled, his expression no longer so jovial. “You’ve been playing me for a fool for months. What—you don’t expect me to have an opinion about that? Am I not allowed to feel something about it? Or are you the only one who gets a say?”

  “There’s no excuse for what I did.” She sighed and stood. Her legs were shaky, like they wanted to give out and send her to the floor. “I liked you both. As time passed, I knew I should make a decision, but it was too hard. I was cowardly, always coming up with an excuse to keep you both in my life.” She exhaled sharply. “Even after I knew it was wrong and both of you admitted to wanting more, I couldn’t stop myself.”

  William nodded. “I appreciate your honesty, Em. Except … none of that changes the way I feel right now. I can only speak for myself, but so much was made clear when I learned you’ve been seeing Nick this whole time.”

  She ran trembling fingers over her damp eyes. “That’s why I asked you both up here today. I wanted to attempt to explain my side to you, plead my case, as weak as it is.”

  Nick glared. “I doubt the speech you prepared would have made any difference, counselor.”

  Numb, Emily lifted her drink, draining the glass. “How did it happen?” she asked, reaching for the vodka. “I mean, who told who what to whom … or whatever.”

  William grinned without humor as Nick took the seat across from him. “Nick and I bumped into each other in front of the hotel. We started talking business—”

  “William wanted to hammer me about wheedling my way onto the Stainer account,” Nick interjected.

  William rolled his eyes. “Yeah, I thought it was a dick-ish move, and I wanted you to know about it.”

  Dick-ish move? That didn’t sound like William at all. How long had they talked?

  “Anyway, things got a little heated. I decided to walk away, come and find you and maybe grab a quick bite before the conference. When I mentioned my plans, Nick said—”

  “I told Willie here that if you were going to be eating with anyone, it would be me. Then he got all red in the face, stammered that unbeknownst—that’s the word he used—to the rest of us, you two are a couple.” Nick slammed down his palm. “Well, imagine how that struck me! Shit, I almost struck your other boyfriend here after he’d said it.”

  William and Nick exchanged smirks and William picked up the story. “So, yeah, we argued a little until we both realized we’re being played—”

  “No one’s being played,” she whispered.

  “Oh, aren’t we indignant.” Nick’s eyes glittered. “Careful there, baby. You’re blushing hard enough for your cheeks to match your hair.”

  She peered inside her empty glass as if in search of an answer. They were teaming up against her, and Emily knew she deserved it. Yet their calm in the face of their discovery was somehow worse than the angry words and accusations for which she’d steeled herself. She’d expected bitterness, perhaps, even some childish name-calling. But not this … polite chatter. “You’ll never know how much I appreciate your willingness to hear me out.” Emily looked at them. “You’ve been a lot more understanding than I gave either of you credit for being. Another mistake on my part.” She chewed on her bottom lip, averting her gaze. “I know you must have other things to attend to, so…”

  The men exchanged glances. Nick was the first to speak up. “Actually, I was thinking we order some dinner and hash this thing out.”

  “That’s a wonderful idea,” William agreed.

  Chapter Two

  Emily swatted Nick’s hand away. “Hey, didn’t I let you finish your fries in peace?”

  “Yeah, but yours taste so much better than mine. I think they’re crispier or something.” He stole one from her plate and stuck it to her lips. “Lick it and it’ll taste even better.”

  “You can have the rest of mine,” William offered, pushing his plate across the table with a shake of his head.

  Nick rubbed his hands together and winked at the other man. “Thanks, man. Glad you don’t mind sharing.”

  “You know what, Nick? I think you’re enjoying this way too much. My only question is: why?” Emily narrowed her eyes at him before reaching for more ketchup.

  “You think so, huh?” Nick Scott was enjoying himself. He’d learned a lot about Emily that morning, and his curiosity had got the better of him. Had he been angry to discover she’d been fucking William Drake? Definitely. The guy was uptight, a by-the-book sort who could be hard to deal with. Drake was a fine attorney though, so even if Nick didn’t always understand or like the man, he respected him.

  He wanted to be dispassionate about the situation, especially since Emily didn’t like heavy emotional scenes, but watching the interaction between her and William made him question his ability to maintain an emotional distance. Why be rational about this anyway? This wasn’t one of his cases. He’d just discovered the woman he cared about, a woman he might be falling in love with, liked spending time with a man who couldn’t be more different from him.

  Had William Drake been more similar in attitude and temperament, Nick thought he might have been better able to compete for her affections. But how did he compete with someone who was his polar opposite? What did Emily see in this guy? Suddenly queasy, he pushed away the last of his soggy burger, deciding that a shot of whiskey might help nurse what was left of his wounded pride. “I need another drink. Who wants a refill?”

  “I could use one,” Emily mumbled.

  “I wouldn’t mind another one,” William said. “Keep them coming.”

  Now that everyone had eaten, Nick decided it was time to get down to basics. Everyone was much too calm and comfortable for his taste. Time to stir the pot and see what was cooking. He cleared his throat to focus their attention on him. “I want to know where I stand, whether I’ve been wasting my time all these months. What are you getting out of this—besides the obvious, I mean?”

  Emily leaned back, stretching in her chair. Her small, braless breasts shifted beneath her silk blouse, leaving little to the imagination. “I thought I was getting eve
rything a girl could want,” she stated, her face expressionless. “Turns out it might have been more than I could handle.”

  “Don’t be glib,” William countered. “What about what we want?”

  “What do you want from me? Do you want to get married? Have babies? Move to the suburbs?” She turned to Nick. “I know that’s what you think you want from me, but let’s be honest—that life would bore you to death. You’d be looking for an out within a year.”

  Nick stared into the bottom of his shot glass. “Don’t tell me what I want, Emily.”

  She threw up her hands. “Fine. Both of you have decided that I’m the bad guy in this, so I’ll accept my role. But we had fun, didn’t we?”

  “It would be easier for you if that were true, wouldn’t it?” William sounded incredulous. “Silly me for thinking of ways to incorporate you into my life permanently. I’m the fool who was going to resign my position at the firm and start my own estate practice so we wouldn’t have to hide our relationship anymore.”

  Nick crunched his ice, watching the conversation like it was a tennis match. “Interesting.”

  Her face lost color. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

  “What was there to say? Whenever I broached the idea of us becoming serious, you usually changed the subject. How was I supposed to make plans for the future when you wouldn’t talk to me?”

  “Sounds familiar…” Nick declared.

  “When we first hooked up, we agreed there would be no strings,” Emily sputtered. “You’re the one who tried to change the rules, Nick. If I had known you’d become jealous—”

  Nick grinned. “Not jealous. Just surprised. Maybe a little pissed off.”

  “I’m jealous,” William confessed. “I really thought we had something good.”

  “We did. I mean, we do,” she mumbled. “It’s just that I needed my work to be the most important thing in my life. If I concentrated on one man and everything a committed relationship would entail…” She wrapped a reddish-brown curl around her finger, and for the first time since she’d had her beautician whack off four inches, yearned to chew on the ends of her hair. “In the past, I didn’t know how to prioritize. The men in my life tended to come before everything else, and when they were gone, I was left to put everything back together. I decided that wasn’t going to happen again. Besides, you—both of you—know better than anyone what our workload is like. Someone not in our position wouldn’t put up with the long hours and the crushing anxiety.”