Sugar Daddy Wanted: Now Accepting Applications (10 page)

A crooked grin graced Duncan’s face, but his eyes held a smidgeon of mistrust. “Yeah. Just…she deserves good things. Ya know what I’m saying?”

Grayson nodded in understanding. The kid didn’t want his mom hurt. “Yeah, I hear what you’re saying.”

Placated, Duncan nodded at Kerry’s cup. “I got you a cappuccino because I know you like those better than plain coffee.” He shot a pointed look at Grayson. “And they have Cheese Twisties in the vending machine. I know they’re your favorite. I can get them if you want.”

“Maybe later,” she replied.

Grayson granted the boy a nod, taking the subtle hint. A smart man took cues given to him. He’d win Kerry’s heart a lot faster through her children. Kids weren’t stupid. They could spot phoniness a mile away. Duncan had given his permission for Grayson to date his mother, thereby giving him a fighting chance at making some type of relationship work.

Kerry broke the embrace, took the cup from her son, and blew across the top.

Grayson cocked his head in the direction of the nurse’s station. “Let’s go see what we can find out.”

As they approached, a doctor walked up to them dressed in scrubs. He stopped short in surprise and held out a hand to Grayson. “Gray—fancy meeting you here.”

“Tanner—good to see you back in the country.”

Kerry and Duncan exchanged bewildered glances. “You know Dr. Leeson?” Kerry asked.

“Tanner and I met at a charity function a few years back,” Grayson explained. “He travels with the Doctors Without Borders team from time to time.”

“Nice to meet you,” Kerry said, extending a hand.

“Ms. Roberts,” Dr. Leeson addressed her, shaking her hand. “We’ve got your son prepped for surgery. I’m convinced it’s appendicitis. It shouldn’t take more than a half hour, an hour tops. As soon as he’s in recovery, we’ll send someone to get you.”

Kerry pressed a hand to her chest, and let out a breath. “Okay. Thank you.”

Grayson squeezed her hand in support, and she tightened her grip.

“One of the nurses will take you to the waiting area on the second floor. See you soon.” With that, Dr. Leeson hurried away.

Grayson tugged on Kerry’s hand, pulled her closer, and kissed her temple. “Cohen is in good hands. Tanner is one of the best children’s surgeons in Canada.”

“I believe you.” Another sigh escaped, and she pressed her head into his shoulder.

“This way.” A middle-aged nurse indicated for them to follow her. The three of them walked in somber silence down the hall to the elevators.

For the next hour, they took turns pacing. Duncan brought out his iPod, and he made occasional small talk with Grayson, showing him pictures and games on the device.

When Dr. Leeson made his appearance and told them the surgery had gone well, silent tears of relief streamed down Kerry’s face. The appendix hadn’t ruptured, and Cohen was in recovery. Grayson put an arm around Kerry, and she buried her head into his shoulder. Duncan dashed his own tears of relief away, and fist-bumped Grayson.

The doctor led the way to the recovery room where they found a groggy, twelve year old boy demanding food. Kerry laughed and brushed back some hair from his forehead. “You’ll get food when the doctors and nurses say you can.”

Cohen groaned. “I’m hungry now.”

Duncan gave him a light punch in the shoulder. “Always thinking with your stomach.”

Cohen stuck his tongue out at his brother. “At least I think.”

Duncan responded with a crooked smile. “I’m glad you’ll be okay.”

“You’re not going to hug me, are you?” Cohen made a face at his brother.

“Never in a million,” Duncan promised.

The affection exchanged between the siblings amused Grayson. He stroked Kerry’s back as she slipped her hand into Cohen’s.

“I’ll take you out to eat as soon as they give you the green light to go home,” she said.

Cohen’s voice cracked when he spoke. “How long will that be?”

“A day or two, depending on how well you recover from the anesthetic,” Dr. Leeson cut in. “We don’t keep patients any longer than necessary.”

“I’ve got to stay overnight?” Worry flashed in Cohen’s eyes.

“Morning will be here before you know it,” Dr. Leeson answered. “Your body is still under the effects of the anesthetic so you’ll sleep well for the rest of the night. Visiting hours begin at eight, and your family can come back first thing in the morning.”

Cohen frowned. “Okay…” His voice trailed away on a grumpy note.

Kerry squeezed his hand. “I’ll stay until you fall asleep again.”

A nurse and an orderly entered the room. “Your room is ready,” the nurse announced. “We’re going to wheel you down the hall.”

“’Kay,” Cohen croaked, eyelids drooping again.

As the orderly unlocked the wheels on the bed, the nurse made sure the sheet was tucked in around her patient. Cohen sighed, his eyes drifting closed. By the time they’d situated him in his new accommodation, the sandman had worked his magic, and he laid there, soft snores echoing from him.

As the orderly locked the wheels again, and the nurse checked his vitals, Kerry stood by the side of the bed stroking her son’s hair.

When the hospital staff had left the room, Grayson laid a hand on her shoulder. “Do you want to stay?”

She cast a worried glance at him. “Do you think they’d let me?”

“I’m sure they could make an exception.” He rubbed at the tension in her muscles. “I’ll talk to Tanner if you like.”

Kerry heaved a sigh. “They did say he’d sleep through the night. And I’m sure they’ll call me if there are any problems, right?”

“Of course they will,” he assured her.

She rested her head against his shoulder for a brief moment. Grayson kissed the top of her head, and slipped his arms around her waist. “It won’t hurt you to go home and get some rest, then be back here first thing in the morning.”

Casting a wistful look at her son, she heaved another breath.

“Home?” Duncan questioned.

Grayson looked over his shoulder at him. “Well, back to my place. It was your home for the weekend. I’ll bring you both back in the morning.” He turned Kerry toward him. “Or if you prefer, I’ll take you back to your house. You can sleep in your own beds, and I’ll drive you back here tomorrow, same deal.”

“I don’t think I’ll sleep much wherever I am,” Kerry replied. “Your house is closer.”

“Let’s get you two back and to bed then,” Grayson suggested. “How about I go get the car and meet you at the hospital entrance?”

Kerry nodded. “All right.”

Duncan yawned. “Sounds good to me.”

Kerry bent forward and kissed Cohen on the forehead. “See you in the morning, little man.”

Once he’d retrieved the SUV, he picked up Kerry and Duncan at the designated meeting spot. Silence reigned on the drive home, only broken by the quiet strains of the radio playing in the background.

Back at his house, they all trudged upstairs. Mother and son shared a hug before the three of them bid each other goodnight and went to their separate rooms.

Grayson flopped onto his bed and stared up at the ceiling.
Kerry…
Twenty feet away, but the distance between them felt much greater. He wanted to comfort her, hold her, reassure her he’d stick by her and make sure things were okay.

He slung an arm over his forehead. A man used to going after what he wanted, he struggled with his next move. If he went to her now, would she think he was taking advantage of her vulnerable position? Or would she welcome the comfort he offered?

Grayson sat up and swung his legs to the side of the bed, tunneling his hands through his hair. Even though he desired her, he hoped to God she understood sex wasn’t his intention. Unable to stay away, he strode from his room and found himself staring at her closed door, one hand raised to knock.

Hands clenching and unclenching at her sides, Kerry breathed in deep to calm the butterflies flitting around her insides.
What am I doing? I don’t need him.
Sniffling, she wiped her nose on the back of her sleeve. Emotions tumbled around inside her—relief that Cohen would be all right, worry he might need her at night, concern about his recovery. Kerry didn’t relish these feelings of vulnerability. They were making her want to do something rash, such as racing into Grayson’s arms for comfort.

With one hand poised on the doorknob, she wondered if she could truly count on him, even as a friend. He’d said she could. If she went to him now, would he pass the test?
Only one way to find out.

Yanking the door open, she started in surprise to see Grayson’s big wall of a body in front of her. Their gazes collided. Instinct told her he’d come to offer the comfort she’d been about to seek. Without a word, she held out her hand. He grasped her fingers and slipped inside the room, closing the door behind him with a quiet click.

Kerry kept eye contact with him as he backed her further into the room. She stifled a squeal as he scooped her up into his arms, carrying her to the window seat. He sat with her sideways on his lap, cradling her to his chest. Her entire being sighed as she relaxed into him, nuzzling her cheek against his shirt, inhaling the scent of his cologne.

For the first time in a long time, a sense of peace and contentment washed over her. She allowed herself to de-stress the way she always did by crying. Small sobs escaped while she clutched the front of his shirt.

Grayson rocked her, stroking her hair. Words weren’t needed, and she sensed he knew that. Was it possible a man she’d just met would be able to read her well already? Her tears turned to gentle chuckles as she thought about how they’d met. Had she not been determined to teach men in general a lesson, she would have missed the opportunity to meet this wonderful man.
Well played Universe, well played…

Grayson pressed a kiss to the top of her forehead. “What’s so funny?” he murmured into her hair.

She tipped her face to look up at him, brushing back a lock of hair from his forehead. “Thinking of how we met.”

He tucked some hair back behind her ear. “Weird how things turn out, isn’t it?”

“Yeah,” she whispered, reaching up to frame his face in her hands. “Gray?”

One corner of his mouth crooked upward. “I like it when you use my nickname.”

“Good, because I plan to use it more often,” she said. “Now—kiss me.”

“With pleasure.” Grayson lowered his head, his lips brushing across her mouth in a soft, sensual assault to her senses.

Kerry shivered, a ragged breath escaping. Every nerve ending alive, desire coursed through her veins.

His tongue teased the seam of her mouth, and she whimpered. Hungry for more, Kerry claimed Grayson in a passionate kiss. He accepted her aggression, his hands fanning out over her back, pressing her close to him as his tongue twined around hers.

Her hands crept up the front of his shirt, skimming around his throat, fingers threading into the hair at the nape of his neck. Her breasts ached, and she turned her body to press her chest closer to him. He shifted her onto his lap, hitching up her skirt as he moved her legs to straddle him. She ground down onto his hard, pulsing cock. Wet heat rushed between her thighs in response.

Vaguely remembering her son across the hall, she stifled a moan as Grayson deepened the kiss, his tongue thrusting into her mouth, leaving no part unexplored. Breathless, she drowned in the sensations he created in her body. A fever swept through her, and she rubbed her aching clit against his hard on.
Closer…

She wanted to feel their naked bodies writhing against each other—heated, sweaty skin sliding together, his cock gliding with ease between the wet lips of her sex, penetrating her, claiming her.

In frenzied need, she pressed their mouths together, grinding hard against his cock.

Grayson tried to pull away, whispering, “Kerry…”

The husky quality of his voice sent a ripple of desire streaking down her spine, igniting a fire in her core. She took his face in her hands, forcing his mouth back to hers, hunger beyond anything she’d ever experienced taking over good sense. Imagining how he’d say her name as he plunged his cock into her pussy, sent her tumbling over the edge.

Tipping her face toward the ceiling, her hands slipped down his neck to grip his shoulders. She bit her bottom lip to keep from crying out. Her body stiffened, then shuddered as the orgasm rolled through her.

For a few moments, their harsh breathing resounded in the quiet room. When her heart rate slowed, she realized Grayson would have nail marks on his skin if she didn’t let go. Releasing him, she let her hands drift down to wrap around his waist, curling her body in order to bury her head under his chin. A heated blush covered her face, embarrassed over her loss of control.

Grayson’s cock twitched against her damp panties, and guilt niggled at her that she’d finished and he hadn’t.
Yet.
A situation easily remedied. 

Voice strained, he asked in a hushed tone, “You okay?”

“Yes,” she whispered. “I…well…we…” At a loss for words, she snuggled further into him and he tightened his hold on her.

Always quick to assess a situation, Grayson filled in the blanks. “I don’t think I’ve ever had a woman respond to me like that.”

“It’s…been a while,” she confessed, her face heating further. “I’m sorry…well, that you…we could…”
Tell him you want him!

Grayson’s hands skimmed up her back to her neck, massaging lightly. “No pressure,” he murmured. “We’ll finish this when the time is right.”

Go for it!
“What’s wrong with now?” She sat up and gazed into his face. She was a grown woman with needs. Grayson appeared to be a man capable of fulfilling those needs. They were consenting adults.
Perhaps the timing could be better, but still…

He studied her, eyebrows scrunched together in contemplation, a low growl of thought rumbling from his throat.

Taking a breath for courage, she said, “I’m a woman, you’re a man. We want to have sex. I say we do it.”

 “Are you sure? Don’t you want to get to know each other better first? After what happened with Cohen today, I know you must be feeling vulnerable. I’m not one to take advantage. I didn’t come here for this. Only to be here for you if you needed me.”