“Where are you?”
“At his house in Georgetown.”
“I’m on my way.”
*
The front door slammed before heavy footsteps echoed running down the hall. Tori leveled Jacob’s .45mm point blank at the stranger’s chest bringing him to a dead stop in the doorway to the living room.
The man dropped the bag he was holding and lifted both hands slowly. “Ah, lady you called me, so how about we lower that cannon and let me take a look at my Skipper?”
Tori rode the hammer back slowly and put the weapon on safe. She motioned to the dressing she prepared. “I don’t know if the bleeding has slowed. I didn’t pull any of the bandages off again, I just added more.”
Tori watched the tall blond. He didn’t move until she put the gun down on the table beside Jacob. When she did he walked to the massive leather couch. “Okay, let’s get him into the bedroom.”
The man pulled Jacob into a fireman’s carry and started towards the back of the house. Temporarily astonished at the strength the doctor possessed, Tori had to rush to get in front of him. They quickly moved down the hallway. Doc was careful not to allow his boss’s limp body to hit any of the expensive artwork that lined the impressively decorated walk space. Tori pushed the heavy, solid mahogany door open, but the cargo Doc carried still required he enter sideways. She kicked several mission packs out of the way before she pulled back the covers on Jacob’s huge sleigh bed.
“Thanks, would you please get my bag from the living room?”
Tori didn’t hesitate to get his equipment. She padded back into the bedroom with the kit and waited at the foot of the bed while Doc finished assessing the damage. “Most of the stitches are ripped. From what I can see a couple of the subdural stitches have pulled out too. What in the hell happened?”
“When we got to the restaurant, his brother gave him a couple hellacious whaps on the back and a bear hug that would’ve crushed a grizzly’s spine. He slapped him again as we left. From what I could tell, it was just love taps between the two of them. The force amazed me, but they acted like it was nothing unusual to either one of them. When Jacob winced and almost passed out, I knew something wasn’t right. We got here, and I could feel the blood on his back. He didn’t mention bullet wounds.”
Doc nodded. “Two through and through.”
“Bigger than a handgun. I’m guessing 5.56 millimeter bullets by the size of the wounds.”
Doc glanced up. “Yeah, could be.”
The corners of Tori’s mouth quirked. “No, not could be; 5.56 means either the bad guys had American weaponry or you were the bad guys…and I refuse to believe that.”
Doc focused on his work as he replied in a casual tone, “We were not the bad guys.”
“Figured as much.”
He laid out his equipment and donned his gloves. “Put these on. I need you to hand me the needle and floss and use the scissors to cut in between my finger and the knot. You good with that?”
“Yes. I was raised on a ranch; I know a thing or two.”
Doc affixed the sterile thread through the suture needle and muttered, “Yippee-Ki-Yay.”
“I believe that particular saying ends with a cuss word or two.”
Doc laughed. “We’ll leave those for the Skipper. He is going to be pissed when he wakes up.”
Tori cut the thread when and where Doc indicated she should. “Pissed? Why?”
Doc’s eyes never lifted from the intricate work his fingers performed. “Because I would be a fool not to assume you are more than he hoped you would be, and now he is down for the count.” Tori assisted Doc until the last stitch was knotted.
“See…perfection. Damn, I do good work. No way will the Skipper be able to complain about the scar.”
“Are you an M.D?”
Doc shook his head. “Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, but I don’t usually practice in a hospital environment.” He nodded towards the man he had just rolled onto his back. “He’ll be fine. He has lost more blood and then run three miles. I don’t know why he is out. Perhaps it’s just exhaustion from the injury, the trip back, and the medication they have him pumped up on.”
Tori raised an eyebrow. “Medication? I would guess the consumption of wine with that medication would be a no-no?”
Doc looked at her and then back down at his friend. “Oh man, that’s one hell of a way to spend the night, Skipper. Yeah, that would explain why he is out like a light. He probably had no clue they juiced him with pain meds. He would never willingly take narcotics, so they shoot it in the IV. He’s going to have a mean headache when he wakes up. He’ll be angrier than a bear when he finds out about the pain killers.”
Doc put his gear away and looked at Tori. “Ma’am I don’t know how to say this in a polite fashion so...”
Tori looked at him expectantly.
“Are you going to stay with him tonight? He shouldn’t be left alone. If you’re not, I’ll…”
Tori gave a throaty chuckle at Doc’s awkward probing. “Yeah. I’m spending the night.”
“Yes, ma’am. Thank you.” To Tori’s immense amusement, Doc shook his head mournfully as he examined Jacob passed out on the bed. “Oh crap, Skipper, you are going to be pissed.”
“My name is Victoria or Tori, not ma’am. Why don’t you stop by tomorrow and check on him? I promise I’ll try to be a good nurse.”
Doc grabbed his bag. “You have my number if you need me. He is out for the night at least, probably longer. I’ll lock up on my way out.” He walked to the door and turned. Clearing his throat, he motioned to the unconscious man on the bed. “I think the Skipper found a diamond under all that dirt when he found you.” He left without looking back.
Tori sighed and looked down at the man asleep on the bed. His chest hard, defined, and dense with muscle rose and fell in a soft rhythm as he slept. His shoulders and arms, even relaxed, were huge. God, she wanted to see and feel those muscles tight and straining as he took her.
Tori’s eyes widened as she chastised herself. Oh my God! That was nothing but unadulterated lust. Woman, are you that pathetic? He’s out cold! Would you really take advantage of an unconscious man? Tori’s eyes consumed the gorgeous male in front of her. A slow smile spread as she looked at Jacob. Oh hell, yeah. She was unapologetically that pathetic. She reached to his waist. His body heat radiated under her fingers as she unfastened his belt and pants because, after all, who wanted to sleep in their pants, right? He was too heavy to lift so she attempted to pull his fine wool trousers down over his hips. The waistband of his slacks caught on his boxers and dragged them down about three inches before she noticed. She could see the dark line of hair on his lower abs now exposed almost to “trails end.” Tori stopped, looked at the clothes and then the man, and held a mental debate.
Take them off or pull the briefs back up?
The edge of his hip showed the deep cut of muscle that formed the V pointing to his sex.
Oh, God. Would he be offended?
No…no…of course not, he said he wanted her. He said he would take her on the table if they wouldn’t be arrested.
Yes, but, HELLO! He was conscious then!
Tori chewed on her thumbnail.
Oh, what the hell. Off…definitely off.
With a firm grip and tug on the cuffs, the tenuous grip of his clothes released. Tori moaned in appreciation at the beauty of the man sleeping in front of her. A line of dark black hair formed on his six-pack stomach and trailed in a muscled vee to his navel. Oh, yeah…happy trails to you. Wasn’t that how the old Roy Rogers’ song went? She laughed silently. Below he was long and… thick…without being aroused. Oh, sex with him would be amazing…thank you very much!
She removed his socks and brushed her finger over the sole of his foot. His leg jerked and his low groan of pain brought her back to reality. An accusatory hand of guilt and shame slapped her hard. Tori covered the sleeping Adonis and turned off the overhead light.
She undressed to her bra and panties and slid into bed. Her hand touched his shoulder with a light caress. His male scent and expensive cologne played with merciless intent on her senses. “Not what I wanted to be doing right now, cowboy. Sleep is definitely overrated.”
Chapter Six
Consciousness whispered against the dense darkness of his slumber, and his mind engaged slowly. He lifted his eyelids but shut them almost immediately when pain sliced through his skull. He was in his Georgetown bedroom. He relaxed and shifted his body, moving his good arm across his bare skin. A different type of pain seized his muscles in a vise-grip. His chest and back burned like fire. Shit. Inside his head, all the demons in hell pounded out a demand for release. Images of Tori straddled over his lap flashed and then…nothing. Oh, just fucking kill me now if I’ve forgotten sex with Tori. Eyes closed, he took a deep breath and concentrated. Alright, you can figure this out, King. Apparently, you passed out. But how the fuck did she get you into the bedroom? Unless you blacked out and walked into the bedroom under your own steam? Fuck. Who knew?
Jacob pried his eyelids open to see Tori asleep beside him, her face peaceful and relaxed, lips parted and cheeks flushed. Of course, he lifted the sheet that covered her. Why wouldn’t he? The flame red lace bra and thong panties almost made him forget his pounding head. Her thick blond hair spread over her shoulder and curled around a full breast as she lay on her side. Holy shit! His cock jerked to life as it came on board with the idea he had a nearly naked woman lying beside him. The fact he was nude also registered.