My hands found her hips and then her ass, caressing everywhere my fingers landed, drawing deep, erotic moans from her that I was happy to swallow down. She tasted like the cherry lip balm she loved to wear, and it was slowly becoming my favorite flavor.
Too soon, she pulled back and smiled. “Thank you, Ryan.”
Her words surprised a chuckle out of me. “For the kiss?”
“No, for the talk. For understanding and for making me feel better about it all.”
“Oh that. Well that was my absolute pleasure.” I stood with her in my arms, enjoying the squeal of surprise that came from her lips and deposited her on the doorstep. “Are we good?”
Persephone nodded and flashed a wide smile. “The goodest. Always.”
“That’s what I wanted to hear. Good night, Persephone.”
She gave me another long, slow kiss and gifted me with a sexy, shy smile. “Sweet dreams, Ryan.”
“Count on it.” I crossed the yard and made my way inside my empty house, hoping the days where I arrived at an empty home were numbered.
Persy
“Dr. Vanguard, your next appointment is here.” The soft professional voice of my receptionist, Callie, pulled me from thoughts of Ryan and brought me back to work issues.
I frowned and looked at my calendar. “My one o’clock?” It wasn’t even noon yet. My cellphone vibrated on the desk and I frowned at the screen. Another unknown caller.
The sound of typing covered the silence on the office phone, followed by a sigh. “I’m sorry Dr. Vanguard, the night receptionist didn’t update the calendar. You have a noon appointment and they’re in exam room two.”
“I’ll be there in a moment.” I made a note to talk to Melanie about the night receptionist who took calls for appointments and redirected off-hour calls to the doctors on-call each night. The new hire tried hard, but this wasn’t the first time, or the tenth, she’d set up an appointment and didn’t record it down anywhere. “Just out of curiosity, Callie, where did you find the appointment information?”
“On a sticky note attached to the computer monitor.”
Yep, I’d have to talk to Melanie before I left for date night with Titus. I tried to do something special with my son at least once a week, usually we grabbed dinner and a movie, checked out a new arcade or museum, whatever activity he wanted to try. It was always a fun time and a learning experience for me. “All right, thank you.” I ended the call and pushed away from my desk with a sigh.
My cell phone buzzed again, and I could admit my curiosity was piqued. This was either the biggest sale ever or I forgot to pay a pretty big bill. Unlikely, but the caller was persistent enough to get me to pick up.
“This is Dr. Vanguard.”
There was silence at first, and then a sigh as if the caller had been holding their breath. At least I hoped that was the reason for the deep breath.
“Hello?”
“Persy. Hi. It’s me, Fergus.”
I froze at the words, at the sound of a voice I thought I would never hear again. “Ferguson. What can I do for you?” He had some nerve blowing up my phone after all this time, and if not for the fact that I had a patient waiting, I might have let myself get riled up.
He let out one of those self-deprecating laughs that made him seem unassuming and non-threatening. “That’s a hell of a cold greeting. Persy.”
“I don’t have time for whatever this is, Ferguson. What do you want?”
He sighed. “I was hoping that we could talk.”
His tone brought me up short, and I glanced at the seconds hand on the clock, ticking away. “I don’t have time to talk. I have patients.”
“Just not for me,” he added with a laugh to take the sting off his words. “Now you have my number. Call me anytime.”
“Right.” I shook my head even though Ferguson couldn’t see me, and ended the call. Whatever he wanted, it wasn’t important. He’d given up the right to be important in my life and Titus’ life when he gave up his parental rights and walked away. He’d chosen to go home over staying with his child.
I told myself that it didn’t matter, that whatever Ferguson wanted was his problem, not mine. But as the day went on, thoughts of my ex filled my mind. I couldn’t help but wonder what in the hell had prompted him to call me of all people after all this time.
Titus. He wanted to see his son, to meet him for the first time.
No. I wouldn’t allow it.
He’d given up all rights to get know Titus, legally and figuratively.
By the time I’d seen the last patient and finished the last notes of the day, I was all wound up over hearing from Titus’ biological dad. I didn’t owe Ferguson anything, nothing at all in fact. Less than nothing some would say, and Megan had said it often. I should just put the call out of my mind so I could enjoy date night with my son.