A Kick in the Pants (a Riley O'Brien & Co. novella)
Page 14
Jake hoped that Baby Shea’s life would be better than her mother’s. No one should ever have to suffer the way that girl had suffered. And he hoped those johns found their way to hell sooner rather than later.
Careful not to jostle the baby, Jake stood and placed her in the neonatal crib. He lightly rested his hand on her chest for a minute to make sure that she didn’t wake up.
Brenda, one of the older nurses in the neonatal department, came to stand beside him. “How’s she doing?”
“Better. But still not good.”
She patted his back. “I could say the same about you.”
After Kyla had left his condo in the wee hours of the morning, Jake had gotten dressed and driven to Saint Phil’s. He’d taken a personal day from Riley O’Brien & Co., and he’d cuddled babies on and off for the past fourteen hours or so.
He was exhausted, and he really should go home. But he couldn’t make himself leave the hospital. His condo was no longer a sanctuary. It was now a place that reminded him of the few brief days of happiness he’d experienced with Kyla.
Brenda lightly touched his forearm. “It looks like there’s someone here to see you, Jake.”
She pointed, and he followed the direction of her finger. Kyla stood in the hallway, visible through the wall of windows that fronted the nursery, and he swore his heart stopped for a moment.
“I’ll see you later,” he told Brenda.
As he headed toward the heavy double doors that secured the nursery from the rest of the hospital, he tore off the paper gown that he was required to wear when he cuddled the babies. Under the gown he wore an old Red Hot Chili Peppers concert tee and faded Rileys.
He swiped his security badge over the reader, pumped some anti-bacterial foam onto his hands, and exited the nursery. Rubbing his hands together, he approached Kyla and stopped a couple of feet away from her.
She turned to face him, and he couldn’t help but grimace. She looked like he felt. Her eyes were puffy and bloodshot, her usual creamy complexion was blotchy, and her lips were chapped. Even so, she was beautiful.
“Hi.” She smiled tentatively, her apprehension obvious. “I hope you don’t mind that I tracked you down here.”
“It’s fine. How did you know I was at Saint Phil’s?”
“I stopped by the condo first. Charlie told me where to find you.”
He wanted to touch her so badly his hands were shaking, so he shoved them into the front pockets of his Rileys. She tracked the movement with her eyes before bringing them back to his face.
“Why did you come here, Kyla?”
“I wanted to apologize to you”
Her answer absolutely floored him. He had never imagined that she would show up at Saint Phil’s, intent on apologizing. He’d spent the entire day thinking that his luck had finally run out. But maybe it hadn’t.
“I said some really hateful things to you this morning,” she continued. “And you did nothing to deserve them. I’m sorry for that.”
“It’s okay.”
And it really was. Kyla wasn’t the only person on the planet who had a problem with gambling. He’d known that telling her about his sports book operation was extremely risky given what had happened to her father. But the reward was a relationship built on honesty, trust, and acceptance—a relationship that would last. And that was what he wanted with her.
“It’s not okay,” she countered fiercely. “I’m surprised you want to talk to me after the way I acted this morning.”
“I really don’t want to talk to you. I want to go home and sleep for ten hours straight.”
“Oh.” She nodded. “Okay.”
As she turned away from him, he grasped her elbow. “Where are you going?” She looked up at him, and he was alarmed to see that her eyes glittered with tears. “What’s wrong? What did I say?”
“I’m going home.”
Abruptly realizing that she had misunderstood his earlier comment, he said, “No, you’re not. You’re coming with me.” He stroked his fingers over the apple of her cheek. “When I said I wanted to go home and sleep for ten hours straight, I meant that I wanted to go home with you and sleep ten hours straight with you.”
A huge smile lifted her luscious mouth. “Okay.” Her smile faded. “We still need to talk, though. I want to explain some things to you.”
“We can talk in the morning.” He curved his hand around her nape. “You need to know that I will do anything to make things right between us. Anything. I’ll shutter the business tomorrow and never take another bet. Or I’ll sell it, and if you want me to, I’ll donate the proceeds to Gamblers Anonymous. Just tell me what you want me to do, and I’ll do it.”
“No, Jake. I don’t want you to do either of those things unless you want to do them.” She gazed up at him. “I just want you to love me as much as I love you.”
He leaned down and brushed his mouth over hers. “That’s a sure bet.”
EPILOGUE
Six months later
The cork made a loud pop as it disengaged from the green champagne bottle. Golden liquid bubbled over Jake’s fingers before he hastily filled the two crystal flutes.
After returning the bottle to the silver bucket, he picked up a flute in each hand and met Kyla in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows. The bright lights of Las Vegas glittered against the dark desert sky. She spun toward him, her periwinkle-shaded dress belling outward with the motion.
“What do you think of my hometown?” he asked as he passed her a flute.
“It’s smaller than I thought it would be. And not as loud.”
He chuckled. “Trust me, it’s loud. We’re just staying at the one of the most exclusive hotels in the city, and we’re in the penthouse suite. The whole place is probably soundproofed.”
She licked her lush lower lip. “That’s good since I can get a little noisy.”
His cock twitched, and he gave himself a silent directive to stop thinking about the sweet sounds she made when he slid into her tight, wet pussy. He held up his flute for a toast, and she mimicked his movement.
“What are we toasting?” she asked.
“What do you think we should toast?”
“We could toast to professional success.”
He laughed. “That’s not very romantic, sweetness.”
Her light laughter joined his. “Maybe not, but I’m thankful our jobs are going so well. You got through your first six months as CFO successfully, and the changes I’ve made to the management trainee program have been well received.”
He nodded. “That’s true. What else?”
She tilted her head, and a long strand of hair brushed her shoulder. The tendril was the exact same color as the bubbly liquid in her flute.
“We could toast Garrett for treating us to a mini-vacation in his hotel.”
Somehow, Jake and Garrett had become friends. The hotelier had called Jake after his promotion had been announced and invited him out for drinks to celebrate his new gig. Although Jake had been surprised, he had accepted Garrett’s offer, and now they hung out whenever Garrett was in town.
“We can thank him at the New Year’s Eve party.”
Kyla nodded. “Okay, how about a toast to Vanessa for finally kicking Alan to the curb?”
He couldn’t stop his upper lip from curling in disgust. “Asshole.”
She giggled. “What do you think we should toast?”
“How about we toast to our sixth-month anniversary?”
“The best six months of my life.”
“Mine too.”
She smiled slowly, her pink lips tipping up at the corners. “How would you feel about this toast: to many more anniversaries?”
“I like that one.”
They tapped their flutes together and chorused the toast. Kyla took a sip of the champagne.
“Mmm, this is delicious.”
A droplet of liquid shimmered on her lower lip, and he ignored his own champagne in favor of licking the curve of her mouth. The d
ry, crisp coolness of the alcohol mixed with Kyla’s sweet taste. “Mmm, you’re delicious.”
She laughed softly before asking, “What’s the plan for tonight?”
“We have a reservation in an hour for dinner followed by some dancing.”
“Hmm,” she murmured. “I have another plan.”
She returned her champagne flute to the wood credenza and slowly, deliberately, untied the belt on her dress. Once it was loose, she flicked open the top button near her cleavage.
His cock thickened, and his heart began to pound like the furious beat of a rock anthem. He took a gulp of champagne, hoping to cool himself down.
“No,” he countered. “We’re going to stick to my plan.”
She shook her head. “My plan is better.”
She deftly opened the rest of her buttons, and the dress slid from her curvy body to pool at her feet. She stood before him in a lacy, cream-colored bra and matching bikini panties. She turned, and he groaned when he saw the smooth globes of her ass and the narrow strip of lace nestled between them.
She made her way to the double doors leading to the bedroom, her round ass swaying. He followed silently, enjoying the view. Once inside the bedroom, she crawled onto the huge king bed on her hands and knees before rolling to her side and propping her head in her hand.
“My plan is a lot better,” she purred.
He bypassed the bed in favor of the dresser. Opening the top drawer, he pulled out the leather case that held the engagement ring he’d picked out. He took a deep breath and then another when the first one didn’t do anything to calm him.
He turned back toward her, the box in his palm. Her gaze locked on it, and she clambered to her knees.
“Jake,” she gasped, “is that … are you … oh, my, God …”
Reaching the edge of the bed, he opened the box and turned it so she could see the ring inside. She gasped again and placed her hands on her chest.
“Kyla, I want your face to be the first thing I see in the morning and the last thing I see at night.” Emotion clogged his throat, making his voice hoarse. “I want you in my bed and in my heart and in my life forever.”
Tears welled in her eyes. “Oh, Jake, I want the same thing.”
“I want to hear your sweet voice say, ‘This is my husband, Jake.’ I want your children to be my children.”
The tears spilled over her lashes and rolled down her cheeks. She roughly brushed them away with shaking fingers.
“There are so many things I want, and they all begin and end with you, Kyla. Will you marry me?”
She nodded, and he removed the ring from its velvet bed and slid the delicate platinum band onto her finger. Small white diamonds made a halo around the five-carat oval sapphire.
“Why did you pick a sapphire?” she asked.
“Because my girl likes color.”
She threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing her wet cheek against him. “I love you so much,” she whispered.
“I love you, too, sweetness.” He dusted kisses on her cheeks, forehead, and chin. “I planned to ask you to marry me after dinner, but…”
She drew back to stare into his eyes. “But what?”
“I just couldn’t wait any longer.”
She smiled. “Do you have any other plans I should know about?”
“I planned for us to have a short engagement and get married before Valentine’s Day. And I’ve already contacted a realtor so we can start looking for houses.”
Her smile widened. “I have a better plan.”
“No,” he countered. “I’m sure my plan is just about perfect.”
She shook her head, and he sighed. He really hoped she didn’t want a long engagement.
“What does your plan involve, exactly?” he asked warily.
“It involves us getting married here. Tonight.”
His heart stuttered. “Tonight?”
“Yes. Tonight.”
“You’re right,” he admitted. “Your plan is better. A lot better.”
Don’t Miss the Next Installment in the Riley O’Brien & Co. Series
Coming December 13, 2016
Will Never Fade
For Phoebe Werner, the management trainee program at Riley O’Brien & Co. represents a new beginning. She’s finally healthy, and she is trying to enjoy life while she can. She never expects to run into Garrett Gale at a New Year’s Eve party. The handsome hotelier is the only man she wants… and a reminder of what she can never have.
Years ago, Garrett enjoyed one memorable night with Phoebe after months of fantasizing about her. And then, she disappeared. She ignored his efforts to contact her, and he did his best to forget her. Now fate has brought her back into his life and his bed. But who knows how long she’ll stay there?
With Phoebe's fears threatening to ruin their chance at happiness, Garrett must convince her that they're meant to be. He can't let Phoebe walk away with his heart again.
http://amzn.to/2e3vyVM
Don’t Miss These Full-Length Riley O’Brien & Co. Novels!
All the Right Places—Book 1 in the Riley O’Brien & Co. series
Available now
Amelia Winger is a small-town girl with big dreams of becoming a successful designer. So when she gets a gig designing accessories for denim empire Riley O’Brien & Co., it’s a dream come true. Amelia can handle the demanding job, but she isn’t quite prepared for sexy CEO Quinn O’Brien. She’s doing her best to keep things professional, but the attraction sparking between them makes it personal. And so does the secret project she's working on behind his back…
Quinn’s not interested in the new accessories, but he is interested in the woman designing them. Amelia is smart, sexy, and talented, and he hasn’t been able to stop thinking about her since they met. Mixing business and pleasure isn’t wise, but that doesn’t stop him from coming up with excuses to spend time with her. He thinks he understands the risk he’s taking when he gets involved with Amelia. But he doesn’t know he’s risking a lot more than his heart.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00OQSF6QU/
Coming Apart at the Seams—Book 2 in the Riley O’Brien & Co. series
Available now
Teagan O’Brien, heiress to the Riley O’Brien & Co. denim empire, is anything but a spoiled rich girl. She’s worked hard to secure her place in the family business and can hold her own, in and out of the office. Only one man has ever been able to get under her skin—sexy football star Nick Priest. Years ago they crossed the line from friends to lovers, but he left her heartbroken. Since then, she’s been determined to keep him at arm’s length—no matter how tempting he looks in his jeans…
Nick has fortune, fame, and looks that make most women hot and bothered. But he doesn't have the woman he really wants. He knows he screwed up when he walked away from Teagan, and now that he has a second chance, he’ll do whatever it takes to win her over—no matter how tongue-tied he gets…
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00U5KNVW4/
Hanging by a Thread—Book 3 in the Riley O’Brien & Co. series
Available now
Thirty-year-old Bebe Banerjee is desperate to get rid of two things: her fiancé and her virginity. Escaping her arranged marriage might be impossible, but she refuses to give her firsts to an entitled jerk who lives on another continent. Instead, she devises a plan that guarantees another man will get her momentous firsts. But she never imagined that man would be Cal O’Brien, the gorgeous heir to the Riley O’Brien & Co. denim empire…
Although Cal has always been fascinated by Bebe’s brilliant mind and beautiful eyes, he’s never pursued her. She can’t stand the sight of him, and every time they’re in the same room, they end up trading insults. Yet when he finds out about Bebe’s bold plan, he makes his move, unaware of her upcoming nuptials. He promises to make her firsts unforgettable, but he doesn’t know how hard it will be to forget her when their arrangement ends.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/pr
oduct/B015DLUR44/
About the Author
Jenna Sutton is a former award-winning journalist who traded fact for fiction when she began writing novels. Surprisingly, the research she conducted for her articles provided a lot of inspiration for her books.
Jenna is the author of the Riley O’Brien & Co. romances including All the Right Places, Coming Apart at the Seams, and Hanging by a Thread.
She has a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism from Texas Christian University and a Master’s degree in Integrated Marketing Communications from Northwestern University.
Jenna and her husband live in Texas in a 105-year-old house affectionately known as “The Money Pit”.
You can find out more about her and her books by visiting www.jennasutton.com or you can connect with her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/jennasuttonauthor or Twitter @jsuttonauthor.