by Jewel, Bella
“No!” I jerked, massaging the severe, did I mention severe, case of blue balls she’d left me with. “Not until we finish this. I can’t stop for a second time, Ves. Jizz will come out of my ears if you make me stop.”
“Ry…”
“Jesus, you called me Ry.” My back arched as I stroked myself. “Do it again and I’ll hose down my kitchen.”
She giggled. “Stop. I order you to stop. I did. I’m waving my hand in the air.” Something tapped the phone. “See those were my fingers. I really need to go and you’re not coming without me. That hose is mine.”
I couldn’t speak. It took all my willpower to remove my hand and sit with the tingling, growling pain in my groin. I’d never been so turned on and she wasn’t even here.
Who was this bloody woman?
“Ry?”
“Goddammit, you have to stop calling me that if you want me to obey you, Veves. I’m not going to sleep a wink tonight.”
“Aww, you called me your pet-name.” She sighed happily, then tried to offer moronic advice. “As for the issue you have—go for a run with your pack of dogs. I’m sure that will help.”
“Probably not.”
My mind raced as I did my best to think of fat wrinkly elephants riding around on circus balls. It never failed to deflate me. Mainly because the wrinkly elephants reminded me of old man testicles and the cruelty of them riding a rolling ball made me angry at the stupidity of humans. (Bet if you had a hard-on, you’d have lost it by now—see, it works? Genius. Copyrighted by me, by the way).
“Hey, Ves…one last question before you go.”
She sucked in a breath. “One more.”
“Those fingers you’re holding up with the iron willpower you process…”
“Yes, what about them?”
I cupped the phone. “Are they wet?” I breathed hard, on a knife-edge of need as I waited for her reply. When it faintly came all I could do was groan and cut off the call—just in case I grabbed my car keys and charged over there like a demented knight ready to pillage the princess.
“Yes. Drenched.”
Chapter Nineteen
Vesper
SLEEP WASN’T EASY LAST NIGHT.
After the conference call (that did somehow manage to take my mind off the insanely intoxicating Ryder Carson), I knocked back two more vodka and limes, and crawled into bed.
Everything—and I did mean everything—was a sensual tease.
My night shorts had a seam between my pussy lips that had never been a problem before but were now the most erotically maddening undergarments ever. The long sleeved cotton shirt with the words I Bark You with a Pomeranian on the front were the least appealing attire but somehow the material became silk and sex.
My eyes were scratchy and a pesky cough left over from the flu still lingered, amplified by tiredness and the stress of not being allowed to come.
The flu dregs were fading, but I hoped like hell Ryder didn’t catch it. I wasn’t a patient person when I wanted something.
And I wanted him.
Again and again and again.
Then again, he’d been around me from the beginning. He was most likely immune to the flu strain I’d had, seeing as he hadn’t become sick and he’d had his tongue on my tonsils the night before last.
“Earth to Vesper. You in there?” Polly waved her hand in front of my face. “You all good, chickadee?”
I shook my head, dispelling the lack of sleep and Ryder obsessed clouds. “Yes, sorry. Tough past couple of days.”
Polly returned to washing and disinfecting the instruments we’d used in the last surgery on a long-haired guinea pig that’d swallowed a button from his caring owner’s plaid shirt. He was aptly called Bits and Bobs and now he’d had his bits and bobs cut open and sewn back together to save his life.
“Yes, I heard a little bird say something about how chaotic your world has become the past week.”
I froze with my hands in scalding water, scrubbing a scalpel. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“I mean, Mrs. Lesley was in here yesterday collecting some more dog food for her fat lab and she whispered—in strictest confidence, mind you—that you were apparently set upon by a crazy naked cousin the other night and she was worried for your safety.”
I burst out laughing. God, only in small towns could busy bodies stir trouble. In big cities, no one cared because no one knew the person they gossiped about.
Why didn’t I move further? Why didn’t I open my (our) surgery somewhere larger?
However, if I had, I would never have become Ryder’s personal dog slave and soon-to-be-bed companion.
I smiled, remembering the way I’d shocked him and myself when he’d kissed me at laser strike.
“Oh no!” Polly screeched.
Bubbles flew everywhere as I jerked in shock. “What? What is it?” I swivelled to the door leading toward the recovery room where a menagerie of animals recuperated. “Did someone open their stitches?”
She rushed over to me and grabbed my wrists. “Please tell me you’re not sleeping with your cousin. Eww, Ves. What the hell are you thinking?”
I laughed, disengaging myself from her death grip. “First, I don’t have a cousin. Only child from only child parents. Second, I’m not sleeping with anyone.”
Not technically true but not a lie, either.
I had full intentions of sleeping with Ryder tonight.
“It’s that boy, isn’t it?” Polly waved her hand around, leaving a rainbow glisten of falling bubbles. “That Ryder with all his mismatching dogs.”
I grinned. “I can vouch that he isn’t a boy in any sense.”
She tossed water in my direction. “Ugh, you suck. Wait, have you sucked it?”
“Not yet.” I winked. Drying my hands on the towel by the sink, I strolled to my handbag and pulled out a pharmacy bag. Digging around inside for a new prescription to the pill that I’d started this morning and a fresh packet of condoms, I announced, “But tonight, I will.”
Polly rolled her eyes. “You disgust me.” Her smile gave her away.
“You’re just jealous.”
“Damn right, I am. Where’s my man lovin’, huh? The last action I got was senior year at uni. And it was miserable.”
“Remember our mantra. We don’t need men or penises. We’re strong, independent business owners with far too much respect for pining after Neanderthals.”
“Speak for yourself. You’ve just nabbed yourself a pretty good one. I mean, Ves, he saves dogs for a living. Who the hell does that?” She fake swooned. “If only I’d helped him that first day, it might be me touching it tonight.”
I felt a small twinge of uncertainty. Was that true? If Ryder had met Polly first would I be the one secretly jealous at my best friend's loin limbo tonight?
No, I wouldn’t torment myself that way. Ryder and I had something unique. The banter between us was ridiculous and over-the-top, but the chemistry when we touched was not. That was real and true.
Goosebumps tickled my spine as I hugged my box of soon-to-be used condoms. “You’ll find someone. And besides, who knows if this will last with Mr. Wonder Dog Saviour. For all you know, he might be goblin in the sack and I’ll come back to work tomorrow sorely disappointed.”
Polly wound her chestnut hair into a bun and resumed disinfecting the facilities. “Girl, you’ll be sore but not from disappointment. Have you seen the way that guy just stands? He does it oozing sex. There is no way he’s not going to rock your world.”
Throwing me a fresh towel to help, she added, “And I want to know every juicy detail because I’m not shameless enough to live through my best friend's orgasms and spank-bank her memories for my own until I meet Mr. Polly Dartford.”
“You’re gross.” I giggled. “Doesn’t fantasising about me having sex as spank-bank material make you a lesbian?” I held my chest. “All this time, Polls? I never guessed. Are you secretly in love with me?” I sidled up next to her feeling more carefree than I
had in decades. “Do you need a kiss to make it all better?” I puckered up.
She stuck out her tongue, shoving me away. “I replace you with me, duh. And no, I don’t want your lesbo kisses. I needz me a man.” She swatted me with the towel.
Our cleaning up duties quickly descended into stupidity, laughing the way only two best friends can.
* * *
By the time six p.m. rolled around and our last customer with their squawking parakeet left for the night, I was a walking zombie from lack of sleep and the extended hyper sexual awareness of not coming for two days. I hadn’t been able to stop tormenting my libido with repeats of Ryder naked in my living room.
However, when I locked up the surgery and waved Polly off to meet her high-school friend for dinner, I had excited tummy-butterflies unfurling their wings.
The night sky still held lashings of a red and orange sunset as I pulled out my phone and dialled his number. We’d arranged to meet at seven again.
I couldn’t wait.
Tonight, I’m having sex.
Tonight, he’s all mine.
My fingers squeezed my phone tighter as it continued to ring, unanswered.
Voicemail clicked in.
He didn’t even have a personalised recording, just a robot telling me the number I’d called wasn’t available right now and to leave a message. Beep.
Beep to you, thank you very much.
Where was he and why hadn’t he warned me he would be busy tonight? Come to think of it, why hadn’t he texted or been in touch all day? I respected his attempt at giving me space (so I didn’t think he was smothering me), but I loved our text volleys.
I’d missed him since the moment I woke—even in my dreams he’d made a cameo with yet another dog he’d rescued.
Where are you, Ryder?
I hated how my mind diseased me with doubt. Had he had second thoughts about us? Had I done something wrong?
Feeling pissed off—mainly due to sexual frustration and partly due to his silence, I drove myself home, fed Visa, showered, and dressed in a fresh set of light denim jeans and peach button blouse and waited.
I’d give him the benefit of the doubt and not jump to conclusions.
I tried to be that good girl who didn’t let anything bother her. I tried to push away stress and not fiddle with the pearl cuff of my blouse.
I waited.
And I waited.
And by waited I meant sat stiffly on my couch with my legs crossed and foot tapping angrily while punching my phone screen to see if by some miracle I’d missed his return call.
I even sent him a message.
A cool calm collected message asking if he was still up for tonight instead of demanding he get over here and put me out of my misery. I didn’t even tell him I had twelve brand new condoms that needed soiling.
But as my tummy growled and the clock slowly slid through seven p.m. and eight, I struggled to come to terms with the idea that all of this had been a joke to him.
I meant, we had joked around, but I thought the connection was real.
Wasn’t it?
Even the anxiousness of a well-deserved orgasm faded as disappointment and confusion settled in for the night. It wasn’t a simple fleeting thought but a bring its own caravan, park up, and start frying dinner doubt.
When I couldn’t ignore my growling stomach any longer, I set down my phone, slid off my high heels, and padded barefoot into the kitchen. Visa scooted onto the bench and head-butted my elbow as if sensing my melancholy.
I scratched her chin. “I believed he was different, titty tat.” We nose nudged as I ducked to open the drawer for a spatula. “I guess not.” I had some store bought pumpkin pasta that would do as a lonely dinner for one.
Damn him.
I didn’t normally mind living alone. After a long day working all I looked forward to was curling up with me, myself, and I with a good dinner, my cuddly companion, and an enjoyable movie.
Ryder had ruined even that by making me worry.
Was he okay? Had he been in an accident? Should I stalk the streets for him just in case he’d wrapped himself around a pole and hung to dear life in a ditch?
Or was he with family and friends and completely forgotten about little ‘ole me and our standing agreement to fuck like bunnies and put each other out of our joint misery?
Maybe the misery was always one sided.
The pumpkin pasta tasted like cardboard and after I’d eaten, I washed my dishes, spruced up my small lounge, and dragged my drained corpse to bed.
Sliding out of my tight jeans, I unhooked my bra, pulled it from my shirt through the trick of a sleeve and burrito-rolled myself in my coverlet.
Visa positioned herself on top of my head like a kitty crown and my last thought as sleep finally dragged me under was, screw you, Ryder Carson.
Screw you.
Chapter Twenty
Vesper
I WOKE TO AN EAR SPLINTERING chicken cock-a-doodle-doo from my phone’s barnyard ring.
I hated being woken up in the middle of the night. Hated it.
God, this better be an emergency.
Hauling myself upright with sleep sticking to my thoughts, I grabbed my phone and answered while my keeping my eyes shut from the glaring screen. “Meloo?” I cleared my throat and tried again. “Hello, Vesper speaking.”
I wasn’t the vet on call tonight—that was Polly’s turn, according to the roster—but I would never turn down a panicked owner with a life or death situation on their hands.
However, this was not a panicked owner.
“Vesper, it’s me.”
“You!” I sat upright, wide awake and fumbling for the hang-up button. “What the hell are you doing calling me after standing me up?”
My heart raced with hurt.
“Wait, don’t hang up on me. Let me explain.”
“You have precisely three seconds—”
“I don’t need three. I only need one.”
“Well, you just wasted all of them so spit it out. One…two...”
“Okay, okay. Hold up.” He sighed. “I got a call at three p.m. from the council about an illegal dog fighting ring. They’d managed to ferry off eight of the nine dogs but one was so badly damaged, both physically and psychologically, they couldn’t catch him to transport him safely. I said I’d go and help. It took me three hours to get there and another two to finally catch him. But my phone died. By the time I noticed it was dead, I had no way of charging it and still had a three-hour drive back home. I just got back, but the mutt I rescued is in a real state. I’m worried.”
My anger melted into sympathy. I didn’t for a second doubt his story. His sincerity and apology resonated in his voice. “Wow, that sounds awful.”
“It was.” A rustle came over the line. I imagined him pinching the brow of his nose.
My heart pounded knowing how tired and stressed he would be. “You did the right thing, Ry.”
His voice shuddered. “Thanks, Ves. That means a lot.”
We were silent for a second before I asked, “Do you want me to come over? Help?”
I expected him to brush me off. But his reply was instant.
“Oh God, would you? I didn’t want to ask but…he’s in a bad way. He needs proper care.”
Adrenaline already coursed through my blood, waking me up and preparing me for whatever I would find. “Of course. I’ll be right there.” Launching myself out of bed, I grabbed my jeans and awkwardly tugged them on one handed.
“You are seriously the best woman I’ve ever met,” Ryder murmured. “If you continue being this incredible, I might just have to marry you.”
I froze.
The line crackled with shock from both of us.
I laughed uncertainly but Ryder recovered. “Look, I’m sorry. I’m knackered and worried about this poor thing. He’s bleeding. I’m bleeding. The fact that you forgive me for standing you up and coming to help means the world…to both of us.”
Now was not t
he time to talk about how deep our feelings had somehow fallen. My mind focused on easy things—things I knew how to address rather than matters of the heart. “Wait, you’re bleeding?”
He tutted. “That’s the least of my worries. Just…come quickly. Okay?”
Dashing through my apartment, I collected my keys and wallet. “I’ll be right there. I’m leaving now.”
I didn’t care that I had bed hair and most likely racoon eyes from sleeping with make-up on, and I definitely didn’t have time to stop and put a bra on. I was focused. Like I always was when it came to animal safety.
Stepping over my threshold and locking my door, I asked, “Oh, one important thing before I hang up.”
“Anything. Ask and it’s yours.”
I smiled at the genuineness in his tone.
“What’s your address?”
Chapter Twenty-One
Ryder
HER HEADLIGHTS APPEARED AT THE bottom of the driveway.
Back in the glamour days of this fancy mansion, there would've been gates and expensive hedges escorting her up the long twisting road. These bygone days, she was welcomed by tangled weeds and unkempt bushes.
The fact she’d come at—I checked my watch—one in the morning meant the bloody world to me.
This girl better run if she didn’t want anything more than sex, because the moment I got inside my home, I doubted I’d let her leave anytime soon. I wanted to laugh with her at night and tease her in the morning. I wanted to create a life with her and if she didn’t want me in that way, I was motherfucking screwed.
They said the way to a man's heart was through his stomach.
Bullshit.
The way to a man’s heart was supporting his idiotic scheme of trying to save helpless animals and being there for him no matter what. It made my chest expand, and I wanted to make all her dreams come true in utmost gratitude that she’d found something inside me worthy of attention.
