Chapter 22
LAUREN
Present Day
"You got there safely?"
The sound of his phone ringing had had nerves shooting through me, nerves that hadn't dissipated until he'd answered. A chuckle sounded down the line. "I just this second got into my flat," he chided. "I told you, the minute I could, I'd ring. There was no need to worry."
"Who said I was worried?"
He snorted. "Me? Also, the sound of panic in your voice. I told you it took a while to get down here. You googled it, so I know you knew how long it was going to take me."
"Why you just couldn't fly down is beyond me," I grumbled. "Especially as the end plan is for you to return here anyway."
“You know how much I love driving though. Plus, I just needed some time to get my head together. Put things into perspective, you know."
My thoughts went immediately inwards. Was it a good or bad thing for him to be putting things into perspective? Would perspective mean he'd be leaving me again, proving to me, once and for all, that his career would always come first with him?
Because he knew me, maybe he knew that he had to dispel that fear, because with no further ado, he murmured, "I already knew how to approach the conversation with my boss, but I figured out a way to tweak it, to make the proposition seen even more enticing. I have a lot of projects on at the moment, and with some big clients. They might not think it's in their best interests for me to be in Maine so much, so the time alone was useful, because it let me get my head in gear."
Relief flooded me, and I whispered, “Does that mean you haven't changed your mind?"
He snorted. "As if I would. Haven’t you realized yet, Lauren? Don’t you know how much I need you? There is no getting away from me now, Lauren. No getting away at all."
Maybe I shouldn't have liked the finality of that, but it eased any and all insecurities I had. With a sigh, I murmured, “Are you getting ready for a shower?"
Silence followed my question, then he chuckled, and asked, "Why?"
“Because I thought I could help keep some parts of you very clean in my absence…"
More silence fell down the line. Then his voice lowered an octave. "What are you wearing?"
I grinned, amused at the trite and cliche question. "Considering it’s almost eleven and night, what do you think?" I teased. Before he could answer, I murmured, “A sleep shirt."
"Any panties?"
A sigh escaped me as I tightened my thighs, an ache blossoming right at the apex of them that had me wishing he was right next to me. C
ooper had been the man to awaken my sexuality years before, but now I knew exactly what sex entailed, I couldn't say I was an addict… but I missed him. Already.
When he returned I knew that I'd be riding him non stop.
"No. It's just the sleep shirt and me in my bed. I wish you were here."
"No more than I wish it, baby. You wet for me?"
I confessed, "It feels like I've been wet since you left. I need you, Cooper."
The groan that fell from his lips was satisfying in the extreme. I loved that I had that kind of power over him, and I knew that if he'd been thinking about business on the ride back to the city, now his thoughts were fully focused on me. That was a notion that satisfied me endlessly.
It felt dirty and wicked, but I slid my hand between my legs, and began to fondle my clit. I’d never done this before, but there were many things I'd never done before, many things that were going to be firsts with Cooper. I was used to touching myself, just not used to having an audience. At that moment, though, I realized there was no way I'd be able to wait until his return to come again. Just because I had been a virgin until he'd returned, didn't mean I'd been completely without needs.
A shaky breath escaped me at the notion that my audience was Cooper, and excitement flooded me at the same time.
A groan sounded down the line. "Are you touching yourself?" he asked, his voice a low, deep growl.
Mine was high and sharp. “Maybe."