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“Truth?” She missed him deep in her heart. It was just the two of them, eating through the burner phone’s minutes.
“Truth.”
The word made her smile. “It’s no fun to make up with you when there’s an ocean between us.”
He laughed, and the sound felt like an embrace. She remembered the warmth of his body and how he could flash a look that made her nerves spark to life. They’d have to time their disagreements better.
“Get in bed, and let me tell you a good-night story. Before you know it, you’ll be home with me.”
Falling asleep to his voice, now that was a plan. She double checked the door lock and chain, shed her robe, threw back the comforter, and tucked herself into the mess of a cotton nirvana. “All right. Tucked in. Tell me a story.”
“It’s an interactive story.”
“Hm-okay.” Whatever. As long as he kept talking, he could call it whatever he wanted. His voice always sounded sinfully delicious. He could read her the classifieds. A thesis on temperature variables affecting long range fire power. Hell, he could recite the telephone book from A to Z. There was something so tangible in his voice that just did it for her.
This was never going to put her to sleep, but she’d give it a try. She closed her eyes and blocked out everything but his voice.
He started, slow and deep. “So, there was this guy and this gorgeous girl. Amazon-like, mythical-proportions-kind-of-gorgeous. They were lovers.”
Nic’s eyes flew open. “Lovers?”
“Lovers,” he repeated. She heard the smile in his voice and felt her cheeks flush. “What do you think their names were?”
Oh my God.“Describe the guy to me, and I might be able to tell you.”
“Oh, that’s easy. Tall, tan, and terrible with self-descriptions.”
She shifted the phone from one ear to the other. “I think we should call him Cash.”
“That sounds about right. We can call her Nic. Cash and Nic.”
Nic giggled and nodded.
“You’re nodding, aren’t you?”
She smiled against the soft pillow. “Maybe.”
Cash laughed quietly. “Back to Cash and Nic. They’d had a disagreement. The latest after a couple of ‘em. Nothing insurmountable, but—”
“Does Cash say he’s sorry? You know, in the story?”
Long pause. “Yeah. He’s sorry. But that’s back story, and that chapter is boring. Just know he’s sorry for conclusion-jumping and friend-punching.”
“Good to know.”
“Anyway.” He cleared his throat. “You know, this’d be a lot easier if you played Nic. You could do a little improv.”
“So you’re Cash?”
He laughed quietly again. “That works.”
“Now what?” she asked, a little nervous and excited.
“Now you should make damn sure your phone is charged and you have a transmission blocker turned on,” he growled. The order raked over her body like he was there, in the flesh, and purring into her ear.
“Why?” she pushed, hoping for that feeling again. The whispered tension double-knotted her stomach.
“Because you’re about to find out how bad I want you in this bed, next to me.”