Page 26 of Veiled in Brick

“On my way back into town.”

“Ah, solved all the world’s problems by analyzing their datasheets?”

He chuckled, noting, “You remembered what I do for a living.”

“I do listen,” I replied. “Don’t ask me anything else about your job though, it confuses the hell out of me.”

“You got it.” The faint clicking noise of a turn signal reached my ears, and he said, “So—I’m close to your neck of the woods.”

“Are you, now?”

“Mhm.”

“And you wanted to take me out to dinner, how nice of you,” I joked, scuffing my heel with a kick as I walked.

“No,” he laughed gently. “No, I already ate—figured you did too, it’s a little late.”

“That I did.”

I had eaten a quick dinner in the back roughly two hours before. Over time, I had stocked the freezer at Zest with various microwavable meals that I could eat during a quick break. They weren’t satisfying by any means but at the very least, I wasn’t going hungry.

“I would ask if you wanted to meet up at Henry’s but I am…exhausted. Long week; long drive.” I heard him exhale into the speaker. “I was going to just drive straight back to my house and sleep but…”

His voice trailed off on the last word, and I replied, “Hmm, what’s but? Will I like but?”

“Thought I could come and tell you hello?”

I felt my eyebrows raise as I considered his words. The line was quiet—so quiet, that I yet again heard his turn signal clicking away. It stopped after a moment, and I responded:

“What does hello mean, Jay?”

“Well, I could—”

“Is this a booty call?”

“No, no-no, I didn’t mean—”

“You do realize that would be listed as a pro on my hypothetical pro and con list that contains all of James’ qualities,” I told him in as seductive of a voice as I could muster.

“Would it, now?” James asked, his tone dipping down lower than it had been previously. “Dare I ask what else is on the pro side of that list?”

“Likes giving out spankings, big cock, tattoos.” I hummed to myself as if I were weighing options in my mind. “Cons—”

“I don’t know if I need to know the cons, I’m kinda digging the pros—”

“Cons,” I repeated as I began to ascend the stairs to my apartment, “I’m starting to forget what said cock felt like.”

“Cons,” James continued for me, “we’ve only had sex in the back seat of a small car.”

I let myself in the apartment, turning on lights and happily noting to myself that Claire was working tonight as I ambled inside, tossing my belongings on the kitchen table.

“I don’t mind that con,” I told him, “but it would be nice to experience a full range of motion, I suppose.”

James chuckled. “Is it too forward to say I could be at your place in five minutes?”

I cooed, “I would expect no less.”

I replied to him and immediately hung up, laughing to myself as I nearly skipped with glee to my bedroom. I kicked off my flats, jumped onto my bed, and stretched my legs out, interlacing my fingers behind my head as I rested on my pillow.

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