1
Kennedy
He stretched, muscles rippling as he shifted his weight on me. I could feel his breath against my bare thigh, his nose nudging against my skin.
“I’ve got work to do,” I murmured, trying to focus on the computer screen in front of me. But this time, it was his tongue—rough and soft—against the top of my leg that dragged my attention away as he growled into my skin.
“Simon—”
I moved my hand towards his head, when suddenly, his teeth sank into my leg. Hard.
“Oh you little fucking asshole!”
I yelped, jumping from the chair and sending Simon skittering across the room. He jumped up onto one of my filing cabinets, glaring at me as his tail twitched, a little pout on his face at being banished from my lap.
“Don’t give me that look,” I muttered rubbing the cat bite on my thigh and swearing under my breath. “That’s what you get when you’re a dick.”
Simon yowled at me, licking his lips before he turned around plopped his tubby ass down, butt towards me like he was trying to send a message.
“Heard loud and clear you fuzzy little douchebag,” I mumbled, rolling my eyes as I sat back down at the office computer.
Truth be told, I loved Simon, even when he was a temperamental prick. I mean, the guy had a rough childhood. He’d come to my clinic by way of a little old lady who found him on the side of the road. He’d been flea-ridden, bedraggled, mangy, and pathetic looking, and I’d fallen for him instantly. Almost six months later, here we were, like an old married couple.
A year ago, when I’d first come here to Blackthorn Mountain, it was going to be a temporary thing. My sister Jackie had finally hit rock bottom with her abusive ex-husband, and when she and my niece Brooke had gone on the run, they’d wound up here. It’s actually kind of a long story, but in any case, I’d stayed, even if I wasn’t really sure why.
Now, Jackie stayed because of Stone—the rough, gorgeous ex-biker who’d saved her from Darrel. I mean, yeah, if a guy like that who looked at her the way Stone looked at my sister was taking me to bed every night? I’d live on the fucking moon.
Don’t get me wrong, Blackthorn was really nice. I mean it was sleepy, but beautiful, and peaceful in the way it felt removed from the rest of the world. I’d stayed for Jackie and Brooke at first, and eventually a few months in, I’d opened my veterinary clinic in town, right down the street from the garage Stone ran alongside the other survivors of his old biker gang, Ryker and Axe.
Okay, there was one reason to be living on Blackthorn: it was like every guy here was big, rough, alpha, gorgeous, and tattooed. You’d think there was some sort of “you must be this hot of a man to live here” sign somewhere I’d missed, like one of those height requirement things when you’re about to get on a roller coaster.
And again, I liked it on Blackthorn—I had Jackie and Brooke, I had my clinic. and business was great. I had my house-mate, Lucy, who, while a little crazy, was quickly becoming one of my best friends. And of course, Simon—the furry little asshole growling on the file cabinet behind me.
But even though I know that all sounds great, it felt like there was something missing.
My face went red as my thoughts betrayed what that “something” might be.
Yeah.
For all the hot bearded mountain-men-types, and the ex-bikers and all that, it wasn’t like I was out there living it up. For one, most of the men of Blackthorn already had their true-loves. Stone with Jackie, Ryker with his gorgeous young wife Addison, Axe with the amazing Larkin and their kids… plus all the other couples already living up here.
But the other reason was no one had really drawn me in. I wasn’t really a casual dater at all. Look, I knew if times got that desperate, I could drive a few towns over to a random bar and find a guy to make me feel wild for a night. I mean, I kept in great shape, I ran almost daily, and c’mon, I owned my own business. Pretty sure we call that a catch, right?
But the casual thing wasn’t for me, and so for the last, ugh, year, I’d been having an ongoing love affair with my vibrator. And I was perfectly fine with that, thank you very much.
I glanced at the time and winced. Shit, I’d been here later than I thought. The clinic was closed, but I was trying to reconcile out old accounts before I took Axe’s wife Larkin up on her offer to go over my books. I know, weird, kind of like cleaning your house before a house-cleaner comes over because you’re embarrassed at what a slob you are.