Searing heat shot to his groin over her restless movements and Ric desperately needed to get rid of his jeans. Reluctantly removing his hands and mouth from her body, Ric rolled until he was on his back so he could undo his jeans.
Kate rolled over to him and brushed his hands away. “Allow me to do the honors.”
He smiled and put his arms behind his head. “Yes, ma’am.”
Watching her unfasten and unzip them excited him even more. She urged him to lift his hips and drew his jeans down over his legs. Careful of his cast, she removed them and let them drop to the floor.
Ric growled when she ran her hand over the bulge in his black boxer-briefs. Raising his head, he watched her pull them down, freeing his hard cock. She ran the tip of her tongue up the underside of his shaft to the tip and Ric moaned low in his chest as pleasure traveled along his nerve endings.
When she took him in her pretty mouth, he couldn’t hold still. He made little thrusts as she swirled her tongue around him.
“Mmm, that feels so good, baby,” he murmured.
Ric knew that some women didn’t like doing that, but Kate seemed to be enjoying herself. However, he wasn’t about to let her unman him.
“Honey, you are very talented at that, but I don’t want the show to be over too soon.”
Kate released him and gave him a wicked smiled. “We definitely don’t want that.”
He reached for her, but she scooted off the bed and stood up. Slowly, she got completely rid of her bra, drawing the straps down her arms before letting the lingerie drop to the floor. Then she undid the snap of her jeans and parted them. Ric grew even harder as he watched her perform a strip tease for him.
“You’re killing me, Kate,” he said when she kicked her jeans aside and bent over with her ass towards him.
Kate giggled and hooked her fingers in the elastic sides of the satin panties that matched her bra and slid them down over her sexy legs. Ric’s need for her soared as she shook her rear at him. Then she crawled on the bed with him and he practically dragged her over to him so he could kiss her.
*****
Kate loved the way Ric kissed. He was thorough yet he didn’t kiss her hard enough to crush her mouth. She cupped his head and met his tongue, stroking hers against it. One of his big hands caressed her stomach and then moved lower to cup her sex. A gasp escaped her as his fingers grazed her clit.
He broke the kiss and smiled at her. “I need to return the favor. Slide up.”
Kate had hardly scooted towards the headboard before Ric parted her legs and placed kisses to the sensitive skin of her thighs. Her breath came faster with anticipation as he neared the part of her body that ached for him.
Tasting him had turned her on like crazy and she’d grown damp while pleasuring him. She’d almost forgotten what a man tasted like and his slightly musky flavor and soft skin made her desire burn hotter. Her breath caught as he slowly stroked her with his soft, warm tongue. It was her turn to squirm as he flicked the tip of his tongue over the swollen bud within her folds.
Running her hand through his short hair, she urged him on. Kate fisted her hands in the sheets when his tongue moved faster. “Oh, God. Don’t stop, please don’t stop.”
It was impossible to hold still as he laved and sucked. She trembled as fire flowed through her body. Everything within her became completely centered on what Ric was doing. The sensations built to a crescendo as she neared the brink. Ric’s clever tongue found the exact spot that sent her over the edge.
Her voice rang off the walls as bliss took her by storm. She called his name repeatedly as he kept going, drawing her release out as long as possible. Finally, Kate flopped back on the bed, her breathing coming in pants.
“That was amazing, Ric. Oh, my God.”
His laugh was low and sexy, sending shivers over her as he moved up to lie beside her. “You taste so good.” Leaning over, he took her nipple in his mouth and sucked.
Kate moaned and ran her hand over his muscular shoulder. Then he released her and said, “Hang on a second. I have to get a raincoat.”
She giggled at his word choice and said, “Let me get it.” She pulled open her nightstand drawer and took out a condom.
*****
It wasn’t the first time that a woman had put a condom on him, but there was something about the way Kate did it that drove him crazy. Maybe it was the graceful way her pretty hands moved. They were as naturally beautiful as the rest of her. Her fingers were slender yet strong and although her nails weren’t very long, they were nicely shaped. She wore only clear nail polish on them and Ric found the look sexier than the manicured hands of the kind of women he usually saw.
Watching her drove him so insane that as soon as she finished, he pressed her down onto the mattress and moved between her legs as quickly as his cast would allow him to. It was a little awkward but he’d deal with it.
His eyes never left hers as he moved into her hot sheath. “You’re so tight, Kate, so wet. I hope you’re ready for me to fuck the shit out of you, because I can’t guarantee how long I’ll hold out.”
Immediately, she lifted her legs and locked them around his waist. “Do your worst, cowboy.”
It had been his intention to make slow, leisurely love to her, but there was something about Kate that made that impossible. He was glad that she felt the same way. She pulled him down for a hot, wet kiss as he braced his arms and started pumping his hips.
Kate moaned with each thrust, which increased in power and tempo. Ric broke into a sweat with the strain of holding back. With single-minded determination, he sought to give her as much pleasure as she could take.
The pitch of Kate’s whimpers and moans rose and then she arched her back as she tightened around him. Ric thought he’d never seen anything as beautiful as Kate in that moment. The sheer delight on her beautiful face mesmerized him and his control vanished.
His climax hit him just as hers started to ebb. The intensity of it shook him, stealing his breath and making him go completely still. “Fuck, Kate. It’s so good, so good…” His words trailed away into a groan as his release began fading.
Easing down on top of her, he gazed into her eyes and something inside of Ric shifted. Shoving away the crazy mix of feelings, he kissed Kate softly before rolling carefully onto his side.
“Damn, woman,” he said. “You’re enough to give a man a heart attack.”
Kate laughed and moved to face him. “I could say the same for you. Can we have movie night again sometime?”
“Doc, we can movie night every night as far as I’m concerned. Of course, I’d prefer it without the dog bite,” he said.
Kate rose into a half sitting position, looked at his arm, and winced. “Ouch. That looks nasty. How does it feel?”
“Honestly, until right now, I didn’t even remember it was there,” Ric said with a chuckle. “Don’t worry about me, Doc. I’ll be better before you know it.” He ran a hand over her silky hair. “Now, how do you feel about duct tape and garbage bags?”
*****
As she looked over some blood work results on a cat the next morning, Kate had a hard time concentrating. She kept thinking about the late night shower that she and Ric had shared. When he’d brought up garbage bags and duct tape, she’d thought that he’d been talking about something kinky.
They’d laughed about it the whole time she taped the garbage bag over his cast. Her large, walk-in shower had made bathing easy. Then they’d had a long nap before Ric had gotten up at five so he could go home to get ready to go to Denver. It had surprised her when he’d asked to stay, but pleasantly so. Sleeping in his arms felt so natural and Kate envisioned doing it a lot.
Finished looking at the results, Kate called over one of her techs named Carly. “We’re going to have to start Pudding on insulin. Her blood sugars are through the roof. I’ll also speak to Mr. Greer about how much he’s feeding her and making sure she has fresh water every day. Her electrolytes are low, too.”
Ca
rly nodded. “Okay. I’ll start getting the medication around and bring it in.”
“Thanks, Carly.”
Robert came over to the computer kiosk and smiled. “How was your sleepover?”
Kate was too happy to even try to pretend that she was annoyed. “Glorious. Let’s just say that we could’ve shot our own porno.”
Robert snickered. “I knew that you’d wind up in the bedroom. You look very relaxed.”
Kate nodded. “So very relaxed, Robbie. Although there were many tension-filled moments last night.” She nudged him with her elbow.
“I’m sure there were.” He let out a wistful sigh. “I miss those kinds of moments. I really need to get laid.”
“I told you that you need a girlfriend,” Kate said.
Robert poked her in the ribs. “I said get laid, not get my heart stomped on again. No, I just need some straight up hot fucking.”
“Robbie, you’re a great looking guy. I’m sure that you can find that,” she said.
He snorted. “Tried last night. Struck out.”
“Aw, I’m sorry,” Kate said.
“Me, too, but that’s enough about me. I’ll bet Ric’s stressed out after this weekend, huh?” Robert asked.
“What do you mean?”
Robert’s expression turned quizzical. “You don’t know, do you?”
“Know what?”
“About their business problems.” Robert said, “Come to my office once you’re done with your next appointment.”
“Okay.”
Although she didn’t rush through Pudding’s appointment, Kate didn’t dawdle, either. In a firm manner, she warned Mr. Greer that if he didn’t start taking care of Pudding, that she wasn’t going to be with him much longer. The middle-aged man had been contrite and promised to do right by his furry friend.
After giving some instructions to one of her other techs, Kate found Robert in his office and shut the door. “Now, what’s this about Ric’s business?”
Robert had an article from the Wall Street Journal pulled up on his laptop and turned it towards her so she could read it. Kate couldn’t believe what she was reading.
“They’re losing clients? Rumors are the firm is in financial trouble?”
“Read down further. Rumor has it the three partners are not getting along as they should and clients are bailing.”
Kate met Robert’s gaze. “How do you know all of this stuff?”
He shrugged. “I’m a social media junky. You know that. And I’m always interested in anything about our town. Financial trouble might mean the hospital closing since they only just bought it.”
“I have to start paying more attention,” Kate said as she finished the article. “No wonder Ric didn’t contact me much over the weekend. Is the hospital at risk?”
Robert laughed. “Who knows? I’m not one to believe what the papers are saying but the financial pages have a bit more ethics about them.”
“So why are they attracting so much attention. Perhaps a competitor wants them weakened.”
“That’s what I thought, but there has to be some truth to this because the investment world takes a dim view of rumors, it can ruin a firm,” Robert said.
Kate said, “I’m going to text Ric around lunch and let him know I’m here if he needs someone to talk to. All that responsibility, staff, clients, the hospital, it must be a heavy burden.”
Although she worried for Ric, Kate did indeed have a wonderful feeling in her soul, a lightness that she hadn’t experienced in so long. It stayed with her as she treated pets and prescribed medication and she savored the good mood.
It wasn’t just the phenomenal sex with Ric that made her feel that way. It was the man himself. He’d shown his kindness and understanding in the way he’d dealt with Daisy and she knew that he adored Hayley. Kate was drawn to men who loved kids and animals, which Ric did.
Talking with Ric was easy and he was so much fun to be around. All of those positive attributes combined with his insane good-looks and considerable talents in the bedroom made him the total package.
She didn’t care if Ric lost every cent he had. She only cared that it would upset Ric because it was obvious he liked taking care of people. He’d feel such guilt if the hospital got into difficulties. She knew he’d worked doubly hard to ensure that did not happen.
As lunchtime neared, Kate hoped that things were going well for Ric and hoped that he’d have a few minutes to talk. She didn’t examine her eagerness to hear his voice. Instead, she just enjoyed the happiness in her heart and refused to dampen it with dark thoughts of something that might never happen.
Chapter Eleven
When Ric and Tyler entered the Denver boardroom, both were apprehensive about how the meeting would play out. Chase was consumed with guilt at causing such a stir in the financial press. They hadn’t talked much as they had been busy fighting the unsubstantiated rumors of impropriety. McKnight was still a client but it hadn’t stopped others talking that the ‘turn anything to gold’ golden boys were breaking up. The market was fascinated. It was the three of them together that made Horizon Enterprises so successful and their clients wondered what would happen if that partnership imploded.
All of the other staff included in the daily meetings filed in and started getting organized.
“Doreen, any luck getting Chase?” Tyler asked.
“No. Sorry. I miss him,” she said. “We sometimes cook on Sundays.”
Tyler raised his eyebrows. “You cook with him?”
She nodded. “Yeah. Over Skype. We try out bizarre recipes to see if they’re any good.”
Ric laughed. “Sounds like Chase, all right.”
The big screen on the far wall lit up and Chase appeared on it. It shocked Ric to see that he was wearing a casual blue suit.
“Morning, y’all,” he said, grinning.
Everyone greeted him and Doreen waved at him excitedly. “Hi, honey!” she said. “I missed you yesterday.”
“Well, hello, hot stuff. Text me what you made later on and I’ll play catch-up tonight, okay?” Chase responded.
“Okay.”
Ric got a kick out of the way Doreen giggled and smiled like a schoolgirl even though she was married and Chase was at least twenty years her junior. Tyler cleared his throat and gave her a pointed look, at which she sobered and fell silent.
“So, as you know, I’m an idiot and screwed up the tentative launch date for McKnight’s public offer,” Chase said. “I would like to formally apologize for all the inconvenience caused by my fuck-up. Villanova is completely lost to us.” He looked at Ric and Tyler in turn. “I tried everything to get them to stay. I even flew to sunny Florida and played a round of golf with Big Mike on Saturday to try to smooth things over.”
“You did?” Tyler asked. “Why didn’t you tell us?”
Chase cocked his head. “I’m telling you now, Ty. This cluster-fuck is my fault, so I’ve been cleaning up after the mess I made.”
The meeting members laughed and even Tyler cracked a smile over that.
“Anyway, seems like Big Mike’s partner, his wife, has him by the balls. She doesn’t trust me with their business. Big Mike won’t go against her wishes, happy wife means happy life. He was very regretful and promised to swing clients our way if possible,” Chase said.
Ric chuckled. “Ty feels the same way about Emily. He does everything to keep her happy.”
Chase laughed. “Surprising, ain’t it? Now, while Big Mike isn’t sticking with us, his son, Little Mike, is another matter. He’s been wanting to do some investing of his own and he has a fairly impressive portfolio that he’d like to transfer over to us. Seems like he’s been trying to stand on his own and feels he can use us now that his father’s company isn’t.”
The room erupted in laughter. When things calmed down again, Tyler asked, “Did he say how soon he’s coming on board?”
“Oh, I’ll leave the specifics up to you guys. I’m just extending the introduction to make up
for my mistake. What y’all do bores the hell out of me,” Chase said. “Ric, Little Mike said he’ll be in touch with you this week since he primarily lives in New York now. I gave him your number.”
“Okay,” Ric said.
“So what else were you up to while you were keeping us in the dark?” Tyler asked.
“Well, GQ, I just got back from a meeting with Miss Green Girl’s financial gurus. I happened to serenade her when I was drowning my sorrows at a bar the other night. Seems as though she was impressed by my talent and wants to invest with us.”
Doreen squealed. “I love her song, Pop Your Popper.”
“I know,” Chase agreed. “Catchy.”
“Who the hell is Miss Green Girl?” Tyler asked.
Doreen said, “She’s a new pop artist. Word is that Taylor Swift hates her because she’s getting so popular now.”
Chase said, “Yeah. They’ll be calling you, Ty. Seems like G.G., that’s what she told me to call her, likes to ski and wants you to show her the Colorado slopes this winter.”
Tyler nodded. “I’d be happy to. Shoot me her number so I can sweet-talk her. She knows I’m married, right?”
Chase continued to bring them up-to-date for another half hour, at the end of which, he asked to speak to Ric and Tyler alone. Once everyone had filed from the conference room, Chase took off his suit jacket and unbuttoned his shirt.
“Look, guys, I’m sorry about screwing up like that and it won’t happen again. But Ty, don’t come swinging at me like that. I deserve more respect. I know how important this company is to y’all, but it’s important to me, too. And believe me, I beat myself up enough for everyone after I realized what I’d done,” he said.
“Yeah, I should’ve handled that better, Chase. Sorry about that,” Tyler said. “I’m trying to learn to control this temper of mine. Permission to kick my ass when you next see me.”
Ric asked, “Why did you go off the grid like that?”
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