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“Joey hired aguy? How old is he?”
“I don’t know, early twenties?”
The demand in his voice brooks no argument and practically yanks the answers from my body even though my brain is telling me I don’t have to tell him anything. He’s the one invading my safe space.
“One second.”
I wait for him as the line goes mute. Drumming my fingers against my thigh, I look at the screen and then put it back to my ear.
He’s gone for several moments until the line clicks on again. I can suddenly hear even the faintest of background noise. “Why didn’t you call earlier?” he asks.
This abrupt change in subject has me wondering if he really is a psychopath. “Micah, I’ve been thinking, I should give you back your credit card, and we can just?—”
“You owe me a date.”
“But it’s clear you want more than that, and I don’t think I’m ready to give it to you.”
He’s silent for several seconds. “I want to make one thing very clear. I’m attracted to you sexually, but I’m attracted to your mind, too. I’m amazed that a woman like you is still on the market. Smart. Creative. Goal-oriented. This isn’t about wanting your body, Raeann, it’s about wanting youreverything.”
I’m at the window of the store now, peering out at the sidewalks that are filling with more people. I press my hand against the pane, my nose practically touching the glass. On the other side of the street, I see a couple embrace, and for a moment, it feels like that could be Micah and me. Especially with his words still lingering.
“I’m vocal about what I want. I think about you all the fucking time, but I would never force anything. You’re to be respected. Revered. I would never treat you as anything other than a lady…unless you asked.”
“Do you have character references?” I joke. Though I sort of mean it.
“You want character references? From who?”
“Teammates. Parents. Joey, definitely. I need to know how you treat your employees, Mr. Micah Freeman.”
He exhales. “I’ll get the mayor to write me a glowing reference if it makes you feel better.”
I’m turned on again—or maybe it’s just my life now. “I’m on edge today.” I whisper it so it seems like I’m not really saying it at all. Like maybe I can pretend.
“You couldn’t come this morning, gorgeous?”
I exit the glass door and turn the corner toward our apartment. It takes me exactly three steps, and then I’m headed up the stairs.
“It was so hard,” I admit.
“Let me help.”
It’s as if I knew he’d say it. I lock the apartment door behind me, then my bedroom door as I lay on the bed. “How?”
“I’ll talk you through it. First, tell me that you’re alone.”
“I’m alone. I’m in my room. But don’t you have to get back to lifting?”
“Don’t worry about that. What did you think about me doing first, Raeann?”
Oh, that voice. It’s so smooth and dark. I press my knees to the bed. “Licking me.”
The admission comes out and I’m not even embarrassed.
“You love your clit played with, do you? Start touching yourself.”
I flip my Pet Threads apron out of the way and then sneak my hand under my leggings. There’s no apprehension as I find my clit. My breath hitches.
“There you go,” Micah soothes. “You’re in luck because I could eat your pussy for hours and hours.”