6. Carter
6
CARTER
W hen my phone vibrated, dancing around my desktop, and I saw it was Rick, I knew what he wanted. He had called me a few times over the past two weeks to ask how Sunny was doing on the job, and I gave him nothing but raving reviews. However, he was a concerned dad who had a bit too much time on his hands with retirement looming in his near future.
I swiped right to answer and turned speaker phone mode on as I said, “Hey, Rick, what’s up?” Leaning back to recline in my chair and relax a little, I let out a long yawn silently.
“Carter, how are things? How’s Soleil doing?” Rick sounded a little more chipper than our last call, where he complained about his golf average and the skyrocketing price of his golf membership at the country club. I found it comical considering he had more money than he knew what to do with.
“Things are good, man. Sunny is doing really great around here. She’s settled in and taken to seeing patients. They like her.” Locking my fingers together on top of my head and shutting my eyes, I pictured Sunny with that young boy earlier who came in with an earache. Technically, she wasn’t a doctor and thus had to have oversight by a licensed physician, but she was smart as a whip and had a great bedside manner too.
“Hmm, well, I just wanted to know. She’s been brooding and moody all the time. She’s not like that at work, is she?” Rick’s concern came out as criticism, but I knew deep down he was just worried about his little girl. She was far from little anymore, but I assumed that to a father, his little kids never quite grow up.
I thought about his question for a second and remembered the stiff way she’d walked in this morning. Now closing in on the end of the day, I wondered if she was still sullen like that. She was always professional, but at times the melancholy expression on her face or the downtrodden way she said something slipped through.
“She’s doing just fine. You worry too much, Rick. I told you I’d let you know if there was any issue with her.” I paused for a moment, wanting to ask Rick what happened and why Sunny was struggling, but I decided against it. It wasn’t really my place to pry for personal information, and since neither of them had offered it, I assumed they weren’t comfortable with me knowing about it.
“Yes, well, you do that. And are we on for golf this weekend? I pay for the darn membership. I may as well use it.” His grumbling made me chuckle.
“Sure thing. You pick me up at eight and we’ll tee off by nine.” Reaching for my phone, I listened as he said his goodbyes. Then I ended the call and stared at the door of my office.
It was past four now. Jackson had gone home early today, and last I saw, Sunny had taken the last patient into her exam room over twenty minutes ago.
Curiosity got the better of me. I forced myself up out of my chair where I should’ve been filing medical transcripts and walked to the door. The exam room doors were open and Sunny sat at the reception desk alone, sorting through her own stack of papers. I could see her chocolate brown ponytail swaying as she moved.
Wondering why she was still here when she had no more patients to see today, I strolled out to the reception area and peeked my head around the corner. She continued working as if she hadn’t seen or heard me until I cleared my throat. When she looked up, she appeared tired or sad. There was no sparkle in her eyes.
“Staying late?” I asked, leaning on the door jamb.
“Uh, just doing some filing. The system needs a massive update. No one does paper files anymore, Doc.” Sunny flashed a stiff smile, and her head dropped back to her work. I walked over to her and sat on the corner of the desk, resting my forearm across my thigh. She looked up at me in curiosity.
“Is everything okay?” I asked, genuinely concerned that she wasn’t doing well. If her father was worried, then maybe she was really struggling. Maybe she needed a friend to talk to about it. I could be that friend because she clearly wasn’t talking to Rick, or he’d know how she was doing and not have to ask me a couple times a week.
Sunny sighed as she reached up to pull the black rubber band out of her hair. Her ponytail splayed out as she shook her head and tossed her hair. Then she rubbed her face with both hands before one finger started twirling in the dark locks draped over her shoulder.
“Honestly, not really.” Her pinched expression made my chest feel a pang of compassion. “My best friend died about a month ago now…It’s been…difficult.”
No wonder the spark in her expression seemed restrained, the life in her eyes fizzling out most times. Things started to click in my head—the drinking, throwing herself at me, Rick constantly asking if she was okay. Sunny was grieving something horrible, and no one was taking the time to ensure she was okay.
“Wow, that’s awful. Do you want to talk about it?” My heart went out to her on such a deep level she’d never understand. I hadn’t lost a close friend, but I had lost a child, and it was soul crushing, especially when months later my marriage dissolved and I found myself alone.
Sunny shrugged one shoulder and tugged on her hair nervously. Her lip wriggled between her teeth and she sighed. “We’re not exactly sure what happened. Kira was in this drug trial for some new drug, and they think maybe it was a drug interaction. We won’t know until the autopsy report comes in. They said that can take weeks or months sometimes, especially if the coroner finds anything suspicious.”
Her confession made my stomach churn. Here I was sitting on top of my own personal investigation, looking into my own pharmaceutical company because of what I believed to be predatory practices, and Sunny’s friend had died in a drug trial. The coincidence struck too close to home. She didn’t know I owned the company; few people did. I kept it that way on purpose. I hated my father’s legacy. I only wanted to help people, so I stuck to the clinics.
But I was still responsible for what went on within the company, and learning that doctors in low-cost clinics owned by the company were luring people into the trials shocked me. I had to end it, but I had to do it at the source, so it was taking time.
All of that flashed through my head in an instant as I reached out and touched Sunny’s shoulder. “That has to be excruciating. Were you two really close?” My guilty conscience eased as she smiled warmly, tears coming to her eyes.
“We were so close that people sometimes thought we were a couple.” She chuckled and then continued. “But we were really just good friends. Kira was amazing, so warm and funny, impulsive but safe.” She wiped the tears from her cheeks and shook her head. “I don’t want to bore you with this.”
“I’m not bored,” I promised. “So, you stayed at work to bury your emotions in productivity?” I grinned at her, but she sighed hard.
“No, I stayed at work because right now I’m forced to be at my parents’ house, and Mom won’t be home tonight. I don’t like being there when it’s just Dad.” Judging by the grimace on her face, I could tell she didn’t get along with Rick well, which explained why he was asking me how she was doing instead of her.
“Ah, I see.” I wasn’t sure what else to say. Getting mixed up in Rick’s relationship with his daughter was not my idea of fun, but I could see that Sunny needed a friend. “Well, you’re welcome to hang out and work as late as you want. God knows we need the help.” I felt bad shifting the subject, so I asked again, “If you need to talk more, I’m a good listener.
Her tears had stopped, but the sadness in her eyes tugged at my heart strings. Her voice faltered as she spoke about Kira, and I could see the weight of the loss in her eyes. I knew that kind of pain all too well, the kind that lingers even when you don’t want it to. My own grief, the loss of my daughter, still clung to me like a shadow, creeping into the quiet moments when I thought I could finally breathe.
I took a step closer, instinctively drawn to offer her comfort, but unsure if she wanted it. She’d already shown so much strength, but I could feel her exhaustion, her vulnerability.
“You don’t have to go through this alone, Sunny,” I said softly. “I know it might feel like no one can understand, but sometimes, just talking…it helps, even a little.”
She met my gaze, her eyes heavy with unspoken emotions. I didn’t push her to talk more. Instead, I placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. The connection between us was raw, unspoken, but deeply felt. I could see her wall coming down just slightly, enough for me to know that this moment, this shared sadness, was more than we could brush off.
Without thinking, I leaned in and kissed her forehead—light, comforting. It was the kind of gesture I knew I needed to offer, a way to say, I’m here . For a second, the world felt quieter, and the grief that weighed on both of us seemed a little more bearable.
That kiss lingered as I breathed in the scent of her shampoo. When I pulled back and looked in her eyes, there was desire. Not the hungry sort of raw animalistic lust she’d displayed at Rick’s party, but a deep longing that reached out and curled around my soul, pulling me in. I stayed close to her, nearly sliding off the edge of the desk. When her hand reached up to touch my face, I leaned back in, this time kissing her on the lips.
The world seemed to melt away as our lips met, the tension and grief between us transforming into a different kind of need. Her hands tangled in my hair, pulling me closer as I responded with equal fervor. This wasn’t like before, driven by lust and alcohol. This was a slow burn, a mutual desire to feel something other than pain for just a moment. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d felt so connected to someone, and for a fleeting moment, I let myself forget everything else.
As we kissed, my hand drifted down her back, feeling the curves of her body through her scrubs. Sunny’s hands roamed my body as well, exploring with a desperation that matched my own. She rose, positioning herself between my knees and pressing her chest to mine. Our tongues danced together as the world around us faded away, leaving only the two of us.
With a moan, I broke the kiss and looked into her eyes. “I want this,” I whispered, my voice husky with desire. “But I don’t want it to be because we’re both desperate. And I know it’s wildly inappropriate, but I can’t stop thinking of you like this.”
Sunny’s cheeks flushed, but she met my gaze with determination. “It’s not so bad, is it? We’re both consenting adults, and yeah, I’m sort of young…But it feels good. And we deserve to feel good.”
I had my reservations. Sunny was vulnerable, and I shouldn’t be taking advantage of her in any way. I’d never forgive myself for doing anything that might end up causing her emotional pain, especially if Rick found out.
But when her hand rubbed my dick through my slacks, I shuddered. It sent a jolt of pleasure into my groin, up my belly. Warmth flooded me. I cupped her cheek and kissed her hard again.
“Help me just forget the depressing feelings for a while,” she breathed against my mouth. It went against my better judgement. Sex wasn’t a way to heal grief. But I was a weak man, a very, very weak man, who had an amazing woman in his arms, desperate to feel my comfort. I pulled away and she whimpered, but I strolled to the clinic door and locked it, and her eyes flashed with excitement.
She tore her scrub top off and tossed it, then kicked off her Crocs and shucked her pants. I was already tearing my tie off as I walked toward her.
She was beautiful, her body the epitome of perfection, both soft and hard in all the right places. Slowly, I unbuttoned my shirt, letting it fall to the floor, and Sunny’s eyes trailed down to my hard cock.
“Oh,” she breathed, her cheeks flushing a deep red. I couldn’t help but chuckle.
“What? Haven’t you seen one of these before?” I teased, trying to ease the tension.
She arched an eyebrow and circled around me, her hands trailing over my chest and abs. “Doctor,” she purred, “I’ve seen hundreds of them. But yours…yours is quite impressive.”
I couldn’t help but smirk as she unbuttoned my pants, her actions slow and deliberate. “Flattery will get you everywhere,” I teased, but the truth was, her words sent a familiar heat pooling in my groin.
Sunny’s hands found my cock, stroking it through my boxers. “I’m sure I can think of other ways to thank you for your…hard work.” Her eyes sparkled with mischief as she bit her bottom lip, and any remaining reservations I had vanished.
I groaned as she freed my cock, her fingers dancing along its length. “God, Sunny,” I moaned, my voice low and guttural. “You’re going to make me lose it before we even start.” I jolted and shuddered with each stroke of her hand along my length.
Her lips found mine again, and I couldn’t take it anymore. I swept her up in my arms, her legs wrapping around my waist as I placed her nude body on the cool, clean edge of the desk. I positioned myself at her entrance, our eyes locked together as we both teetered on the edge of sanity.
“Are you sure you really want this?” I rasped out, my voice barely above a whisper.
Sunny’s response was to arch her hips against mine, her warmth pressing against me. “Yes,” she breathed, her voice hoarse with desire.
I entered her slowly, our eyes locked together as we both moaned in unison. Her heat enveloped me. She was hotter than sunshine on a summer day, wetter than a waterfall cascading over mossy rocks. I pushed in as deep as I could, and she started rocking her hips as I slowly pumped in.
“God, Carter, you have the body of a twenty-something.” She smirked at me and arched her head back. I took the opportunity to sink my teeth into her neck and suck her pulse point. My thumb pressed her clit and I rubbed in a circular motion gently as I thrust into her.
Sunny’s grip on my shoulders tightened as her moans grew louder. “Faster, Carter, please,” she begged, her hips meeting mine with a fervor I hadn’t expected. I obliged, my thrusts becoming more forceful, more urgent.
Her nails dug into my back, her body tensing beneath mine as her orgasm crashed over her. “Carter!” she cried out, her back arching off the desk. Her walls clenched around me in a pulsing rhythm and guttural gasps emanated from her open mouth. I slowed, pacing myself while keep her stimulated. I hadn’t put a condom on, and she never said if she had her own inserted.
When her eyes fluttered open again, hands still clinging to me, she grinned, looking half drunk on pleasure. “Amazing,” she whispered. I kissed those lust-swollen lips and grinned with her while I continued pumping slowly in and out of her.
“Yes, you are. So beautiful when you come.” She was beautiful all the time, but I didn’t say that. “I don’t have a condom,” I told her, and she pouted for a second. Then she offered a cheeky smirk.
“Well, I do have other holes.” Sunny’s playful tone made my cock jump inside her.
“You’re up for that?” I asked her, not sure what she was thinking.
Sunny pushed me back and slid off the desk, turning to bend over it and present herself for me. “Just make me come again, Doc.”
I obliged her, sliding my cock into her tight, hot hole, her sphincter clenching around me as if she’d been made for me alone. The moisture from her pussy slicked me enough to make it pleasurable. Sunny moaned and rocked back into me as I thrust hard and deep into her tightness. Her hands gripped the edge of the desk and her breasts bounced under her. I grabbed them both and squeezed hard as I slammed into her.
Her head was thrown back, a stream of profanities and moans escaping her lips. She was so hot, so tight, and so very wet. I reached around her body and found her clit, rubbing it in time to my thrusts.
Sunny came again with a scream, her whole body tensing. She gripped me like a vise and I couldn’t hold back any longer. I came deep inside her, filling her with the evidence of our tryst. My dick pulsed and throbbed. She writhed and whimpered, and when her convulsing and jerking stopped, she lay bent over the desk as I pulled out.
It took me a moment to catch my breath. I picked up her panties and bra and handed them to her, along with her scrubs. She grinned at me and blinked her hooded eyes slowly. Then she rose up on her tiptoes and kissed me softly. I held her against my body for a second, enjoying her nearness, knowing Rick would have my head if he knew about this. She was way too young for me, but so tempting.
“Would it be insane for us to keep doing this? See where it went?” As the words marched off my tongue, I somehow knew that was what I really wanted. For the first time in years, I found someone I might actually want to date longer than once or twice.
Sunny pulled away and set the pile of clothing on the desk, then started to dress one piece at a time as she spoke. “Honestly, Carter, I think you’re an amazing man.” I could sense the but coming. “I’m just not planning to be around here for a long time. I’m only here until I feel up to moving back to Tampa. Dad insisted after Kira’s funeral I hang around a while.”
The rush of endorphins was already fading, but that statement sucked the wind out of my sails, and I felt the need to protest. “You might find a reason to stay, and if you did, maybe we could find out if we have something real here.” I bent and picked up my boxers, stepping into them and pulling them up. I hated to think this was just a fling and nothing more, that the deep connection I felt was only one-sided.
“Maybe,” she said, reaching around to snap her bra shut. She tugged on her scrub bottoms, then her top, slid her feet into her Crocs, and stared at her pile of files.
“Maybe? Is that you saying you’d actually date me?” I chuckled to keep it light, but I was feeling a smidgen discouraged.
“Oh, no. That’s a definite yes, I’d date you. I’m just not sold on staying here in LA. We’ll just have to see what happens, I guess.” She glanced at the papers again. “Mind if I clean this up in the morning? I think I’m feeling up to facing Dad now.”
“Yeah, go on…” I slipped into my slacks and watched her walk toward the back to get her things. When she came out, I was fully dressed, ready to return to my office. She pressed a kiss to my cheek and hovered close to me for a second. I said, “You never know. You might find a reason to stay here that’s so compelling you can’t go back.” I hoped she picked up on the fact that I was talking about myself.
“You’re right. Anything could happen…Goodnight, Doc.” Sunny kissed me one last time and walked out the door, taking my very fragile heart with her.
My God, what was I doing?