The signature smell of antiseptics and drugs infiltrated through the entire hospital, welcoming the two CEO's even before the receptionist officially welcomed them. Or rather, decided to turn the supposed welcome into a meet and greet where she expressed her excitement to have finally met Ricky whom she had often admired for three whole minutes. Well, Jade hadn't let the fiery red-haired succeed in making it into a meet and greet, but had quickly pulled out her ID card, briskly requesting for Esmeralda's room number. Perhaps if circumstances had been less serious, she would have played the jealous girlfriend card and sent the opportunist running using a single attitude. But her entire mind and heart were focused on her daughter, and she prayed again that her condition wouldn't be serious. When the receptionist grudgingly turned the laptop to their direction, handing the light pen over to them to sign the visitors' form and have their identities checked

The second time that Ricky was sent to a voicemail, the urge to smash his phone against the wall filled his mind, and paying no heed to the security officers by the doors and hallway who kept looking at him, obviously wondering who this strange-acting person was, Ricky cursed again, raking his fingers through his hair in frustration.   Relying solely on hope, he dialed again, his heart pounding at an alarming rate, his fingers shaking uncontrollably as he kept pressing his phone. "Damn it Jade! Pick the goddamn call!"  Ricky cursed, wishing she could somehow hear him and pick her call.    He needed like a drug to confirm that she was alright, because he was going the hell out of his mind with worry, and again felt so powerless for not knowing what to do about it.    He dialed Annabelle's line, making no attempt to hide his emotions the moment she picked up on the first ring. "Ms. Annabelle, try con

Ricky said nothing, his lips parted, his brain rendered into nothingness.   Jade misread his reaction, because she quickly added, her voice dropping. "Unless you don't want me."    Ricky gripped hold of her jaw, drowning in the brownness of her eyes. He thought of proving himself with his words, but deciding that action always did it better, he leant forward and captured her bottom lip in between his teeth, biting it gently, his eyes never leaving hers.   And in his eyes were desire; raw and passionate lust.   "You must give me lots of credit if you think I have as much as a thread of restraint around you." He spoke against her lips, his palm cupping and gripping her arm possessively, the sudden action making her gasp involuntarily.   "Then...why not?" Even as she asked the question, she was gritting her teeth, shivering from the cold.  

The novelty experience of waking up in the arms of the only woman he wanted to be with pushed Ricky's lips into a smile the next morning. He held tightly to the feminine body beside him, listening to her soft breaths, not wanting to open his eyes yet.   He had joined her in eating the lasagna he had heated up the night before, having worked up a serious appetite. It was even then that he came to the realisation that he hadn't eaten anything but had kept donning glass after glass of wine, worried about her.   It was awkward at first, before he felt as though he had been laid bare with all the emotions she evoked in him. But it had all but taken one joke from her and they had been back to being free with each other.   He hadn't been satiated after the meal; there had been another hunger in him that demanded to be tended to. And so he had cleared the table with a sweep of his palm, pushing down plates and laying her on the

Ricky punched the security code and swiped the keycard to the private lift that led to his Penthouse, apprehension filling his mind as he rode the lift, wondering if it usually took this long before.    He hadn't been able to concentrate on anything throughout the day at the office, tempted severally to pick up his phone and dial the woman who occupied his every thought.    Not even Ginger's briefing regarding the PR team's progress towards ensuring that the NDA switch wouldn't affect any party was enough to pull his mind away from the thought of Jade's delectable presence.   And as though his torture wasn't enough already, she had texted him as noon was drawing close, saying that she had a surprise for him.   And damn if be hadn't rushed the meeting he had with his board members, waving off their attempts to make him feel welcome after a long stay in Dubai.   The only