Page 27 of Deeper

For a minute, I waited, thinking he’d say more. When he didn’t, I felt myself smile. “Hi.”

“How’s your week been?”

Painful. “It’s been…a week.”

“It’s funny, I know exactly what you mean. How are you today?” he asked. It was strange, but I could hear his smile in his voice.

“I’m swell,” I told him.

“Swell? Is that sarcasm?”

“No, it’s just amething.”Swellwas always my go-to whenever a person asked me how I was doing. It was dated, but it worked for me. “How are you, Zander?”

“Oh, I’m all right. A little lonely this evening,” Zander confessed. “I wasn’t Sunday.”

No, he wasn’t, and neither was I. “Right.”

“Are you okay with what happened?”

The line of conversation was making me hot. Nostalgic of the other night. It felt like a dream, but Zander’s call was a very abrupt reminder.

No one was around to hear me confess my sins to my coconspirator. “Yes. I-I really liked what happened. Ineededthat.”

“I could still taste you when I woke up, you know.” The sound of his voice sent a violent drum of need between my thighs.

He was back home and I was stuck in bed.

I reached down and found my spot, running my fingers over myself as I began to arch my back and come alive. “Did you enjoy your peach?”

“I fuckinglovedmy peach.”

My fingers worked harder and I sank deeper into my mattress.

“I hear you,” Zander’s voice whispered to me. “I know what you’re doing.”

I kept going, turned on by his tone. “Uh-huh.”

“Can I see you again before I leave?”

My mood came to a halt at that request. “Excuse me?”

“I want to have you again before I return home.”

“You’restillin the hotel?”

“I needed a break. So, is that a yes?”

The first time, no matter how amazing, was bad enough. A second go at it would be intentional—who I was kidding? I hadn’t been drunk the first time; it had been a very deliberate and sober decision.

“I’m not sure if that’s a good idea,” I said.

Zander clicked his tongue. “You won’t come see me, I don’t know where you live, I don’t know your full name—you’re making the idea of stalking you very hard.”

His words made me burst into laughter. Like me, he had a dark sense of humor. “See, I oughta stay right here.”

“Did you enjoy yourself the last time?”

“Yes, but…I feel bad about it.”

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