Free Earthbound Angels Part 1: The Heartthrob Fallen Celestial Stories Collection by Sandra Ross Page A

didn't seem possible unless she was
hiding him from everyone. He could not imagine why she would. She
was not the kind of person who would hide the person she loved from
anyone, regardless if other people would love him or not.
    So he perked up. He knew that Dreama would still
be available. But he was also sure he wasn't the only one attracted
to her, so he really had to make his move as soon as he could.
    "Well?" Raven's voice intruded on his thoughts.
"Will you let me know what the dress code will be?"
    "Um yeah," he finally replied. He did not find
this harmful. A lot of people would be waiting to know the dress
code, invited or not. "I'll see what I can find out and let you
know."
    "Excellent!" she exclaimed. "Now, would you like
to tell me what's got you so lost in thought? You've barely said
two words the whole time we've been here."
    "Oh, it's just this new client I met with today.
Nothing unusual."
    "Is it anything you would like to bounce off
me?"
    "Not really," Simon replied, erring in the side
of caution. He should best avoid even the usual talks he used to
have with Raven. In fact, he should avoid her altogether.
    Did this mean he would have to continue with his
plan to put up a firm of his own? Erick had introduced the idea a
long time ago, but he was more focused then about clients and not
about building up a reputation for himself, enough for opening up a
successful law firm. He did not realize that taking care of his
clients also earned him the reputation he needed that people would
notice when he started business on his own.
    It wasn't a bad idea. He realized that once
Raven found out he was interested in Dreama, she would be more than
determined in hounding him, whether his pursuit of Dreama would be
successful or not. He certainly didn't need that. He knew she would
never be anything more in his eyes than a colleague.
    "You know how I get when I'm first getting into
a new case," he heard himself saying.
    "Well, if you change your mind," Raven said.
"I'm happy to listen."
    "I appreciate that," he said. And if only Raven
wasn't a big complication, he really would.
    Raven was actually one of the top attorneys in
the Moon Bay area and she had a legal mind like a steel trap. If he
had actually needed any help with a case, she would have been the
one to go to.
    But she didn't know about Simon's special
ability to help those clients that were truly innocent. This talent
of his was also why he never accepted clients that he knew were
guilty of the crimes they were accused of. Being in practice by
himself made this possible. He knew that guilty people deserved a
defense, but they wouldn't be getting it from him. He already had
his mission in life and it was to protect the innocent. There were
plenty of other attorneys around that didn't care if their clients
were guilty or innocent.
    Simon was finally able to end the lunch so that he could get back to the
office. He would have to figure out a way to get out of taking
Raven to Erick and Hollianne's wedding.
    As far as he knew, she hadn't been on the guest
list because of the way she behaved to Hollianne.
    They would shoot him on sight if he dared to
bring her to their wedding.

Chapter Nine
    AS IT TURNED out, Hollianne provided the way out
of his dilemma.
    She called him soon after he had returned to his
office with a question about the wedding present she was getting
for Erick. During the conversation, he mentioned that Raven had
invited herself to be his date for their wedding.
    "No," Hollianne said firmly. "I will not have
that woman at my wedding. In fact, you know what? Tell her that you
can't escort her to the wedding because the wedding party is
matched up with each other. Now, that means that you, as the Best
Man, will be paired with my Maid-of-Honor, which is Dreama. If you
don't feel that you can tell her, I certainly have no issues with
letting her know another way."
    Simon was relieved, though he was now feeling a
bit bad for disrupting Raven's plans.