AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I haven’t heard from you and I thought…” She let out a low sigh. The faint one that belied her tension and denoted a hint of frustration, usually directed at herself. He’d heard it enough times to recognize the sound.
Typically, when Kate worked her magic on him, prying his secrets from him, she had a gentle way of easing into a certain line of questioning she innately knew would be invasive. When she cast a line and her patient—i.e., Jude—took the bait, she could sometimes be too assertive with the reel-in, losing her big fish in the process. That was when the soft sigh would escape her parted lips, which he was too-often fixated on.
Continuing in her professional tone, having collected herself, she said, “I just wanted to follow up with you on the referrals my assistant emailed.”
Not exactly the kind of call he wanted to receive from Kate. Jude reached for his drink. He had no intention of seeing anyone else in that vein.
And he’d prefer she phone him because she wanted him to talk dirty to her.
That he was fully amenable to.
Not her request at all—instead, she said, “I think it’s important you speak with someone, Jude. If not me…” Another wisp of air filled the line and caressed his ear.
Jude sat up. He detected the hesitancy in Kate’s voice. There were so many facets to the woman he was wholly attuned to that he couldn’t help but react when his subconscious quickly homed in on the subtle shifts in her demeanor, her change in train of thought.
“But that’s not the only reason I’m calling.”
Jude went on high-alert, all senses engaged.
“Something’s come up on my end. A…family thing.”
Her more tentative tone was the ultimate hook for Jude.
“Can you please give me a call at your earliest convenience?” Click.
There it was. The recoil. The slip back into professional mode.
But aside from wondering if he’d followed up on the referrals from her office, the message he’d just heard had been anything but doctor-/patient-related.
Jude couldn’t fight the cocky grin. Kate wanted something from him.
Kate needed something from him.
Or maybe she just plain needed him.
The thought hitched his testosterone. He took a deep sip of scotch, then called her.
She picked up on the second ring, just breathless enough to tighten Jude’s groin and get his adrenaline pumping.
“Thank you for getting back to me so promptly,” she said.
“Sounded important. What can I do for you, Kate?”
She paused.
He drained his drink. Stood and began to prowl the living room.
“Kate?”
Her casual laugh caught him off guard, drawing him up short.
She said, “Sorry. This is awkward.”
“How so?”
“I’ve found myself between a rock and a hard place.” She groaned before muttering under her breath, “Not the best choice of words.”
His brow jumped. She’d piqued his interest a thousand-fold. And probably had no clue.
