They were on a short break, opting to take a time-out after their afternoon meeting hit the four-hour marathon mark. Tension, too thick to be cut with anything less than a hacksaw, lingered in the room and pinched the back of Luke’s neck.
Struggling to let go of the negativity suffocating him, he poured burned coffee into his mug. The second the bitter brew hit his stomach, it pitched and rolled like a rowboat tossed on angry waves. He grabbed a bottle of water instead and let his thoughts wander while he stared out the window at the mountains surrounding Medford.
The quiet chatter behind him receded as he pulled an image of Jac into his brain.
Warmth suffused him as he recalled how she’d looked when he had opened his door to her last night. The black sleeveless T-shirt stretching across her breasts offered a tantalizing glimpse of nipples outlined beneath the thin cotton. Her legs were a mile long, framed in the animal print, lace edged shorts she’d worn. Bright pink polish tipped her toes in whimsy.
He’d told her he wouldn’t kiss her for fear he wouldn’t be able to stop. God, how he’d wanted to. Desperately needed to.
And after sleeping curled around her all night, saying goodbye this morning had sucked. Jesus, he’d met her a month ago, had really only known her few days and already, she’d claimed a corner of his heart. Without her next to him, the world seemed less bright.
He rubbed his fist absently over the empty ache he felt in his chest, hoping to ease the gnawing pang. A fast glance at the clock revealed he wouldn’t see her for at least forty-eight hours. An eternity, possibly made longer if he couldn’t resolve this stalemate with the nurses.
Without resolution, he’d be tied up dealing with this monumental problem when all he wanted was to wrap Jac in his arms, sink into her soft heat, and make love to her. As blood heated and rushed south, his cock twitched to life. He shoved his hand into his pocket, hoping to camouflage the swelling bulge. It would be awfully inconvenient to go back to the bargaining table rocking a great big stiffy. For sure, the angry union rep would slap him with a sexual misconduct complaint.
Luke scanned the room’s reflection in the window. The nurses and their attorney huddled in one corner, whispering, scowls all around. The hospital’s attorney had retaken her seat at the conference table and furiously scribbled notes on a legal pad. She stopped long enough to jab her pen toward the hospital’s board president. The lawyer pursed her lips, the crevasses around her mouth standing out even in the reflected image. The board president laid a placating hand on the woman’s arm and spoke directly into her ear.
The picture they presented was too casual, and perhaps a bit too cozy for a purely business relationship. In the opposite corner, Brian brayed out a laugh while he talked on the phone, as if he couldn’t be bothered to worry about the tense negotiations underway.
Luke dug his fingers into the knotted muscles at the back of his neck, hoping to alleviate his escalating tension. With Brian’s attitude, the chance of settling contract terms vanished faster than smoke in the air.
After disconnecting his call, Brian shoved the phone into his pocket and joined Luke at the window. “The only thing remaining on the agenda is the bonus situation. I’ve polled the board and they’ve agreed to meet the union halfway. We simply don’t have the money to make the full concession.” The smug smile on Brian’s face told a different story.
Luke shook his head. “We can and should meet this demand. It’s a drop in the bucket compared to the bonus structure in place for physicians. I’ve studied the balance sheets and if we cut executive and medical staff payouts by one percent, the nurses get what they need to go back to work.” One fucking, measly percent could solve the standoff.
Judging by the way Brian crossed his arms over his chest, Luke’s suggestion floated as well as a submarine with screen doors. “If we bow to this demand, what will we have to offer with our next contract? We can’t give in.” His tone resounded loudly enough to be heard by the people in the next room.
“Keep your voice down,” Luke hissed. The last thing he needed was for the nursing staff to learn the hospital CEO was a bigger dick than they’d thought. Who was he kidding? Judging by the stony expressions of the people who’d sat across from him all afternoon, they already knew.
He angled his shoulder to eliminate any potential eavesdropping. “Perhaps we can negotiate a contract extension on the back end. Give the center some padding. The hospital has had several good years, so we can afford this.”
Brian squinted and compressed his lips into a thin line. “Whose side are you on here, Luke? Your job is to have the company’s best interests at heart.”
“I believe settling this amicably with the nursing staff is in the company’s best interest. If the support staff remains on this sick-out, we’ll lose patients. The billings loss alone will cost us more than agreeing to their demand.” He pointed to the reflection of the nurses in the corner.
“Do your job, Luke. Or you’ll regret it.”
Shit. The last thing he’d expected to hear from his boss was a threat. Anger and disquiet seethed and boiled in his gut. His position clearly resembled that flat, uncomfortable area between a boulder and a hard slab of granite. Six months into a job, and he faced the possibility of being let go because of contract negotiations gone awry.
The marketing and PR departments had done a good job of hiding the negative aspects of the job when Luke had interviewed. He’d had no idea at the time what he was landing in. Even though he was expected to take a lead role in the bargaining because of his knowledge of the budgets, he’d have to tread carefully.
Resolutely twisting the cap back on his water bottle, Luke sucked in a huge breath. “Ready to get back to it?” he asked the room in general as he moved to the black lacquer conference table.
“The nurses are.” The union rep pulled out a chair and dropped onto the cushioned seat.
Luke retook his own seat, thinking if the hospital had furnished this room with hard wooden chairs, negotiations would go a lot faster. He drew on the memory of Jac’s soft hand holding his, and searched for the calm needed to deal with the union and his pissed-off boss. “Okay, we’ve agreed on the new grievance procedure, so the only item left is the bonus situation.”
Brian leaned back in his chair as if he didn’t have a care in the world, eyeing Luke, waiting for him to continue. After consulting his notepad and the spreadsheets he’d brought with him, Luke opened the haggling once again.
Chapter 14
Birds chirped and tweeted outside Jac’s bedroom window, bringing her awake with their sweet song. She nestled into the pillows, pulling the quilt to her chin to ward off the late September morning chill seeping through the open window. Clutching her phone to her chest under the covers, she fought off disappointment.
Luke hadn’t texted her since the previous morning. Nor had he responded to the text Jac had sent him late last night when she’d missed him like nobody’s business. Even though they’d only been together in her bed once, it felt large and cold and empty without Luke in it. Phantom sensations of his hard body curled around hers tickled, an itch she couldn’t seem to reach.
She was positive he’d call or text overnight. Things must have gotten rough in the bargaining meeting. Poor man. If the nurses stayed the course on their sick-out, Luke would most likely be in the trenches helping out. Because that’s what a team player did. Unfortunately, his dedication to the team might result in their plans for tomorrow night being delayed.
Sleep had remained elusive, despite the great physical effort she’d expended during the afternoon’s Wine Country Shootout. As predicted, Belinda and Sally had won the event, despite an instance of friendly fire on their team. After she’d plugged Sally squarely between the shoulder blades, Belinda delivered a profuse apology with a fat dose of contempt curling her lips.
Jac had dodged the ‘
Team Lady Lawyers’ bullet. Or cork, in this case. Even FIG and company had been on the prowl to defeat Belinda. The woman had been dauntless in her efforts to win.
Jules had seemed to really enjoy her role on Jac’s team. Her infectious giggle hadn’t stopped Jac from thinking how much Luke would have relished the contest. Her cheeks crinkled in a smile as she daydreamed about how he’d ease the pain of losing to the lady lawyers.
A sweet, tingling ache took up residence between her thighs.
She jumped as her phone vibrated against her chest. Hoping it was Luke responding to her text, she pulled her hand from under the covers.
No such luck. Just a text from Bella.
I believe I’d rather be buried in slimy frogs than go into the office today. How soon are you coming back?
Once she moved, Jac was going to miss her daily doses of Bella’s offbeat sense of humor. She hadn’t broken the news of her imminent departure to her friend yet, although she suspected Bella already anticipated the outcome of Ted’s duplicity. Anger fought to replace Jac’s happy imaginings about Luke.
I’m not having it.
Shutting down all lingering thoughts of MedServices, she jerked the covers away and rose from the bed. The cool floor under her toes grounded her; helped her focus on getting through the last morning of team building camp. Only one more exercise, one more luncheon, and then freedom.
Happy anticipation kept her moving as she readied herself for the day, spending the upcoming evening talking to Jules and Marcus uppermost. She had a lot to learn and she couldn’t believe her luck in finding a ready source of information in Jules. The woman and her knowledge and experience were gifts from the gods.
As she walked into the shower, she thought it was too bad the boon didn’t come with an unending supply of cash. Jac gritted her teeth and rehearsed the conversation she would need to have with Rowena about pitching in to pay the unexpected tax bill. She’d spent last night building a spreadsheet of her finances. She was in good shape, as long as she sold her condo for a profit. Her parents would lend her the cash, or at least co-sign a loan for the remaining funds.
While she showered, her phone chirped with another incoming text alert. Leaving the water running, she hopped from the tub, reaching for the phone. Her wet feet slipped on the floor and she braced herself on the vanity. Dripping and naked, she snatched the phone from the counter, hating herself for feeling desperate to hear from Luke. How had he wormed his way into her heart so quickly?
A quick scan showed it was a text from him. Her heart galloped as she swiped her way into the message screen.
Missed you last night. Talks broke down around midnight. Going to resume today. Working with a skeleton medical staff so I’ll be filling in where help is needed. Tell Jules her program works. I’m Team Bedpan today. Next session scheduled for Sat. AM.
This didn’t bode well for their plans Saturday night. The phone chirped with another text from him before she could respond to the first.
The way things are going you might not be the only one handing in a two-weeks’ notice.
Jac typed in an answer, mumbling aloud as her fingers flew over the keyboard. “Oh no! That bad? Sorry I’m not there to make you feel better.” She pressed send and snorted. “This would be easier if we just talked.”
After shutting off the shower, she wrapped a towel around her body. As her finger hovered over Luke’s callback number, the phone rang.
Connecting the call with a laugh, she greeted Luke. “Great minds. I was just about to call you.”
“I needed to hear your voice. Texting is fine, but a little distant, don’t you think?” he asked.
She sat on the edge of the tub, the cold porcelain shocking against her bare behind. “I’m sorry things aren’t going well with your talks. Wish I was there to help.”
“I wish I was there with you.” His voice, low, smooth, and seductive, wrapped around her senses.
Her breath shortened as heat raced along her nerves. If he were here, she wouldn’t be showering alone. Her voice was breathy as she replied, “Yeah, here would be better.”
“Did I wake you?”
“No. I was just in the shower.”
Luke’s groan scattered her already jumbled wits. “So you’re warm and wet.”
Oh, God, yes. And she just got wetter at that voice in her ear. “Um . . . yeah.”
“I’m hard just thinking about having you in the shower. Or on the Oriental rug on your floor. Or my bed. Or yours.”
Jac stood. She couldn’t believe she was going to do this. “Hmmm. How about my bed. What would you do to me there?”
Luke didn’t respond immediately. His breath rushed in her ear, fast and shallow. “Are you there? On your bed?” he croaked.
“On my way. Give me a sec.” She yanked open the bathroom door. Cool air slapped against her heated skin as she left the steamy confines. Pulling the covers back on the bed, she stood beside it. “Okay, I’m by the bed. I’m just wearing a towel. Should I drop it?”
“Yeah, baby. Take it off and toss it away.” His strangled voice came through the phone.
Jac released the towel, each nerve ending firing as the soft cotton slid down her body. She kicked it aside. “I’m naked now.”
A soft thud came over the line, as if he’d dropped the phone. She could hear fabric rustling. Finally his voice returned, seductive and powerful. “Me too. Get on the bed. Lay on your back, baby.”
“One sec.” Jac grabbed her ear buds and pressed them into place before plugging the cable into her phone. This was one instance where hands-free was a requirement. She clambered onto the bed, giddy excitement building in her system. Bunching the pillows together, she propped herself on the pile, the sheets cool against her bare back as she nestled in. She lifted her knees and spread them, a low, sexy pitch to her voice. “Okay. What would you do if you were here?”
“I’d touch you. My hands would knead your breasts.”
Jac molded her flesh the way Luke had last time they’d been in this bed together. The heat in her palms drew her nipples taut. A sweet, pins-and-needles sensation traveled from their hard peaks, then lodged, thrumming and alive between her legs. She let her eyes drift closed and purred in the back of her throat.
Luke groaned. “Baby, next I’d pinch and tweak your pretty pink nipples, teasing them until you begged for more. My mouth would be hot and wet around them.”
Raising one hand to her mouth, she licked her fingers and lowered them to trace around one sensitive crest. She squeezed and massaged the other breast. When she dug her heels into the soft mattress, her hips rose in time with each tightening of her fingers. She gasped, “Oh, God, Luke. What’s next? Tell me what you want me to do next.”
His words came as a low rumble. “I’d slide my hand down, exploring every inch of you until I found my target. I’d stop to play with your navel and that pretty patch of cinnamon hair, just hinting at a touch on your clit. Will you touch yourself for me, baby? Slowly. Tease your skin until need sparks in your sweet pussy.”
“I need to touch myself the way you would.” She whimpered as she trailed her fingers past her ribs, tensing and flexing them over her flesh. She dipped her forefinger into her bellybutton and made a circuit around the perimeter before continuing south. Flattening her palm, she slid her hand into the soft, springy hair at the apex of her thighs.
Her breath quickened as she teased her fingertips over her clit. An ache so sweet pulsed to life, shooting energy, electricity, to the base of her spine and upward. One hand on her breast, the other cupping her mound, she moved in a syncopated rhythm that sang to her soul. She moaned, the sound needy in the quiet room.
Luke groaned. “Jac, are you wet? I think you must be.”
“I’m ready for you, Luke,” she whispered. “So ready. Are you holding yourself? A
re your fingers tight around your cock the way my pussy would be? Tight and stroking?”
“Yeah, baby. It feels so good. Move your fingers inside your body, the way I would, slow and easy.”
Jac slipped her index and middle finger inside her tight channel. Colors mounted behind her eyes, flaring and dancing with each stroke. She drifted her other hand down, found the nub between her folds, and stroked in time with the movement of her penetrating fingers. Luke’s breath rushed through her ear buds, whispering encouragement.
The only thing missing was the solid weight of Luke on top of her, the feel of his slick skin over hers as he thrust home. She whimpered as she imagined he touched her, loved her. A squeak climbed her throat as sensation built between her legs and sped over the rest of her body. She panted with need as she writhed on the bed, craving more. Craving Luke.
Tension strung her body tighter than a bowstring. Each movement of her hand between her legs strummed across the taut line leading from her womb to her brain.
Luke’s breath came hard in her ear, each guttural exhalation rasping through her. She timed the movement of her fingers and her hips with the sounds of his mounting passion. A thrill clamped down on her spine, sending tingles down her legs and up her torso to her heart.
Her climax rushed over her with undeniable heat and sensation. Driving her feet into the bed, she tensed, her buttocks arched, and drove her fingers deeper. The rippling of her inner muscles enervated her. She moved against her clit faster, drawing out the sweet agony of her orgasm, squeaking out Luke’s name as she fell over the precipice.
“Oh, God. Oh, Jacqui. Oh, fuck me!” Luke’s groan echoed harshly in her ear, prolonged and low.
Jac released a deeply contented sigh and relaxed against the pillow, languid, yet discontent. She opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling, one hand cupping her breast. The heat from her palm felt almost as good as Luke’s had. She missed the passion she should have seen on his face as he moved over her in the last throes of their joining.
Risking the Vine (Romancing the Vine Book 1) Page 15
