"Jack McCoy! I haven't seen you since I won the White case. Or should I say since you lost the White case?"
"DNA doesn't lie, people do," McCoy shot back, as the woman with the come hither stare and satisfied smirk, sat down on the stool next to him."The only problem I had Vanessa, was the DNA line blurs when the killer and the accused are members of the same family."
McCoy watched as defense attorney Vanessa Galiano ordered her signature drink; a dirty martini.
"Don't get too comfortable, Vanessa. I'm meeting someone and she should be here any minute, "McCoy continued as he glanced at his watch."Besides, I thought Gino's was beneath you. Didn't you tell me the only Italian food worth eating, was made at home, not in a restaurant?"
"I still stand by that statement, counselor," she responded, her grin deepening."But as you can see, I'm drinking, not eating. As for your dinner date, I thought you were off the market? The courthouse rumor mill says you popped the question. It looks like you managed to find a woman who actually said 'yes'."
"I didn't know you still cared," McCoy shot back, aware of the increased tempo of his heart."For the record, I am and she did."
Galiano raised her glass in a mock salute and she sighed.
"I guess that's what happens when a cleint sends you half way around the world to consult for half a year. You not only lose touch with your friends, you miss out on hearing all of the dish first hand. So tell me Jack, how did this mystery woman get you to agree to tie the noose," she said with a smirk. "I mean, the knot?"
"I was seeing Brooke months before you left town. We ran in to you and Charlie Graham at the Bar Association gala before you left for Japan."
McCoy watched as his old flame's expression changed from playful to perplexed.
"You're marrying Brooke Prescott? Jack," she said setting her game face firmly in place, "that means you've been with the same woman for more than a year. What happened? Did the assistants finally start running too fast for you to catch them?"
McCoy ran a hand through his hair, as he looked downward with amusement. Even though his affair with the fiery Galiano had been brief, it had never been dull. McCoy could feel his body reacting to her presence. He tried to tell himself it was due to the surprise of seeing her so unexpectedly.
He knew the events of the past month had begun to take a toll on him. As he traded barbs with the gorgeous defense attorney, he could feel the tension in him decrease as his libido continued to awaken, much to his dismay.
"As I recall, it hasn't been that long since I was able to catch you," he heard himself say.
Galiano tilted her head, as she gave him a nod.
"Touché," she said and she reached for his hand.
"What about you," he asked; slipping his hand out of hers to reach for his glass."I find it hard to believe that Gino's would be your first choice to stop off for a drink before going home. When we were together, you favored the bar at The Carlyle Hotel."
"The Carlyle's only fun if you plan to go upstairs after drinks," she said suggestively."When we were together, there were a few times I didn't think we'd make it back to court from there, before we ended up with contempt. citation"
McCoy swallowed hard, as his mind flirted with the memories of clothing discarded in a lustfully frenzy … eyeing the bedside clock as they made love in a reckless haze of impatient desire …anxious for release after being on opposite sides of the aisle in court all morning, yet wanting to make every moment they had together count.
Jack McCoy had never begged for anything, from anyone. Ever. But making love with Vanessa Galiano he came close. Very, very close.
Galiano seemed to read his mind. She ran her tongue over her bright red lips as she leaned in and rested her hand on the inside of his thigh, causing him to almost choke on his drink.
"What's wrong Jack," asked with an innocent smile."Did something go down wrong?"
"I'd just forgotten how much you enjoy playing the game," McCoy shot back indifferently, while he could feel the warmth of his reddened cheeks."Careful Vanessa, whoever it is you have on the menu for tonight may not enjoy walking in and seeing that your hands are… well...aren't in plain view."
"Is it really Charlie you're worried about," she said as her fingers began making an invisible pattern of small, feather light circles on the inside of his thigh, her hand slowly moved upward,"or are you worried you're girlfriend will walk in and catch you with your pants down?"
The sexual tension between the pair grew to an almost unbearable level, causing McCoy to shift, uncomfortably.
"Brooke's not just a girlfriend. I'm going to marry her, Vanessa," McCoy said coolly; a twinge of guilt shooting through him.
Guilt stemming from the increasing hardness that was hidden by his buttoned suit jacket. He felt even more shamed given the fact he was using his engagement as a weapon.
It was a very effective weapon, judging by the way Galiano momentarily stared into her drink, the moment McCoy meantioned his upcoming marriage. Even though Galiano had been the one to break things off, McCoy had sensed she had wanted more than he was able to give.
Not even six months out of divorce number two McCoy's fling with the adventurous, as well as voluptuous defense attorney, had set him on fire. Nothing was too risky, too taboo, to experience. Whether it was sky driving when Galiano had dared him or a forbidden hour of passion during recess from cour,t McCoy had relished whatever dare she challenged him to.
Until she dared to hint at wanting what McCoy had sworn he never dare try again… with any woman.
Knowing he'd crossed the line between banter and sadism by throwing his engagement in her face he opened his mouth to apologize, but before he could speak, he found her finger pressed against his lips.
"But you haven't married her yet, have you Jack," Galliano whispered before pressing her lips to his.
Instead of pulling away, as he suspected she assumed he would, McCoy waited until her tongue peered out of her mouth, before slipping his between her lips. He knew he was a fool to call her bluff. They were in a public place. They both were expecting their dinner companions to arrive any time. It was reckless. It was dangerous. It was every bit as exciting as they both knew it would be.
"You son of a bitch."
"It takes one to know one," McCoy shot back, as the two lawyers hastily disengaged themselves from one another.
"You know McCoy, it's one thing for a guy like you to play fast and loose with the law, but this? You really are one sorry sack of shit."
"Charlie..."Galiano began, as she put a hand on Graham's shoulder.
"Don't defend him Vanessa," Charlie Graham fumed, as he impatiently shook her hand away."I knew you were an amoral son of a bitch when you threw me in jail without cause during the Jacobs case. The only reason you didn't get disbarred for using the constitution to wipe your ass, was all the bad press my client got for kidnapping that girl..."
"I'm the son of a bitch," McCoy shot back incredulously, "Jacobs not only kidnapped Jenny Clark, he was going to sell her to a pedophile!"
"Don't stand there and play holier than thou with me, Jack. You're not the only one with a conscious," Graham retorted."If I'd known were Jenny Clark was, you know I would have told you or Alex Borgia. But throwing opposing counsel in the slammer when you don't get your way is just par for the course, isn't it?"
"I was trying to bring a child home to her mother, not tyring to use my office for personal gain or..." McCoy bellowed.
"Charlie it was years ago, it's time to let it go," Galiano interjected, realizing both men were dangerously close to coming to blows, she stood and positioned herself between them.
"The Jacob case may be old news, just like Jack McCoy pandering to one woman while he beds another..."
"Charlie, "Galiano snapped," you came here to discuss a partnership, not my personal life."
"Fine," Graham retorted as, he turned his disgusted glare back to the DA."We'll stick with the business of the new DA. Tell me Jack, is there any line you won't cross to get what you want? First you set up a phony deal to get the Clark girl back and now you release the felon of the week to safe your fiancée? Tell me how you never use the power of your office for personal gain..."
"Enough," Galiano snapped, as McCoy tried to step passed her to get to the other man."Charlie, maybe you should check up front and see if they have a table for us."
Graham gave McCoy a final glare before starting towards the reservation desk and McCoy raised an inquisitive brow.
"A partnership? When did you decide to close up shop and team up with Graham and his ambulance chasing..."
"Actually, it's the other way around. I'm looking for a litigator. Ryan O'Shea retired last month and I need an experienced hand. Jack, what did Charlie mean when he said you released a felon...," the puzzled Galiano began.
"Oh, I'm sure your resourceful enough to take care of your own needs, whether you have a partner or not," a voice as calm as death said from behind McCoy.
88888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888
"Brooke, I was beginning to think the train had derailed," McCoy said as he waved towards the bartender, discreetly looking escaping her emotionless gaze.
"Mrs. Prescott, Jack tells me congratulations are in order," Galiano said extending her hand."I'm Vanessa Galiano. We met at the bar association gala last year."
Malinowski gave the woman before her an appraising look, not bothering to correct Galiano's deliberate error. Malinowski knew who she was. The woman who stood next to McCoy looking so sophisticated and alluring in her white silk pants suit had been pointed out to Malinowski by Abbie Carmichael at the gala. Carmichael had referred to the defense lawyer 'the man-eater that had made a meal out of Jack during his last divorce'.
"Brooke, do you want your usual? A tequila sunrise?"
Malinowski smiled sweetly at her fiancée, as she shook her head.
"I've been craving a bloody mary for the longest time; order me one of those would you, sweetheart," she replied as she briefly held Galiano's hand."You're so right, Vanessa. Congratulations are in order.Before long, you'll have to call me Mrs. Jack McCoy."
Oh God, McCoy thought, as he paled upon hearing his fiancées remark.
McCoy offered her his seat and tried to position himself as discreetly as possible between the two women. On the surface, he silently defended his actions. It was a kiss, one kiss just like Malinowski had said of her kiss that night at the loft with Mike Logan. Hell, hadn't she just had breakfast with Logan on some ridiculous pretense of wanting to thank the him for basically doing what the detective was paid to do?
But underneath the false bravado, he knew if she'd seen the kiss…the passion filled kiss he'd shared with his former lover… it might not only set off the biggest battle the couple had had to date, it could set back what little progress they had made trying to reestablish the prior intimacy of their private life.
Galiano responded to Malinowski's cutting remark with a frosty smile.
"Will see, won't we. Have you two set a date?"
Malinowski looked curiously at Galiano and then expectantly at her fiancée, as the bartender sat the tall glass filled with the spicy red liquid in front of her.
"Vanessa's been out of the country for several months,"McCoy replied, trying to silently explain why Galiano wasn't aware of the events of the previous month."She just returned from Japan...?"
"Just last weekend," the other woman responded.
Malinowski nodded as she took a bite of the celery that garnished her glass, before exchanging setting the stalk odwn and picking up her drink.
"I see. I've never been to Japan, but I hear their customs are quite different than ours in the states," she said with interest that alarmed her lover; although he couldn't say why.
"Vanessa is having dinner with a colleague," McCoy interjected."Maybe you should think about seeing what's keeping Charlie?"
"Charlie's a big boy Jack," Galiano said slyly."I'm sure he can find his way back from the reservation desk."
"The Charlie you're dining with, that wouldn't be Charlie Graham would it, "Malinowski asked innocently.
"You know Charlie," the other woman responsed, as her smile widened into a grin."Maybe you and Jack should join us?"
"Charlie tried a few cases against my ex-husband several years ago. However, as fate would have it, I just ran into him on my way into the bar. I'd love to catch up with him and talk about old times, but you know Vanessa," she said suddenly lowering her voice as if to share a secret."I got the impression he doesn't like Jack very much."
As the two women began to chuckle, Galiano leaning in to rest her hand on Malinowski's fore arm, McCoy finally cried uncle.
"We're done here," McCoy interjected abruptly, as he signaled the bartender for the tab."I feel a migraine coming on and..."
Before he could finish his sentence, Malinowski turned ever so slightly, as if she'd lost her footing. One moment the two women were laughing knowingly, the next Galinano was sputtering as she raised her arms, trying to avoid the unavoidable splatter of red that sprayed across the silk.
"In the states it's considered bad form to seduce another woman's fiancee in public. Consider that a little reminder, in case you're tempted to try it again," Malinowski hissed, as she snatched her briefcase off the floor.
"Send the dry cleaning bill to the DA's office," Malinowski continued as she gave McCoy a telling glare. "I can guarantee, Jack will pay for this."
Torn as to whether to listen to his pride or his heart, by the time McCoy had thrown some money on the bar and dashed to the front of the restaurant, his fiancée was nearly to the subway stairs.
"Who was the one that didn't like to be spied on," he demanded as he reached out to grab her arm."You've a right to be angry but..."
"But what," she said staring at the hand on her arm, until it was removed."But you'd rather sit in Gino's and image ravishing Vanessa Galiano at The Carlyle, than actually ravishing me in our bed?"
Malinowski laughed bitterly at the astonished expression on the DA's face.
"What? You don't think I know what all of greater Manhattan knows, via the courthouse grapevine," she said, covering for Charlie Graham and the wealth of information he had been all too happy to share less when they bumped into each other at the reservation desk.
"I'm not having this conversation with you on the street," he countered."When we get back to the loft, if you want to..."
"If you think I have any intention of sharing a bed or anything else with you tonight, you're out of your fucking mind. You have a crack full of clothes at the office; not to meantion a leather sofa that I'm sure you've spent many a night on. Maybe not alone but there's a first time for everything."
"We're not done yet," he retorted, ignoring the baiting tone of her remark. "If you think I'm going be punished like a willful child..."
"Fine," she said, before turning towards the steps of the subway enterance."Stay at the loft. You know what Jack; believe it or not, I'm sure I can find another place to sleep tonight."
McCoy bit back several possible responses; any of which were sure to result in a blast that would make what happened to the towers look minor wind damage. Unwilling to give her the satisfaction of seeing him run after her twice in one night, McCoy turned on his heel and left without a clue as to where his feet would take him.