Page 47

CALLIOPE

T he first half of the week, it felt as if we were playing house.

I took care of Crew during the day while Tom practiced, and at night, when he got home, we ate dinner together, managed Crew’s bedtime together, and then spent as much time as possible with him buried deep inside me.

No matter how many times I had him, I still craved more.

Juno: How’s Colorado?

I hadn’t texted my sister once since I arrived. Not because I didn’t want to tell her but because I knew she’d push me to define where I saw this relationship going with Tom. And right now, I wanted to be stingy with it, reserve it for the two of us, and not share it with the world.

So much about our lives was out of our control; this wasn’t. Right now, it was the only thing that we had to ourselves.

Me: It’s great. The early fall weather is beautiful.

Crew and I have been taking advantage of the outdoors as much as possible. We have been exploring family-friendly trails and nurturing a newfound obsession with bugs, snakes, and any living creature that slithers or crawls on more than four legs.

Juno: Why are you avoiding me?

Me: I’m not. I’ve just been busy with Crew.

Juno: The only way you’d be too busy to text me is if you’re riding his daddy at night.

Fuck. She knows me too well. I let the text sit unanswered while I continued to make dinner.

Tom would be home later than usual tonight.

He had to pick up his mother at the airport.

While I know he and Crew were looking forward to seeing Patty, she would spend her nights here sleeping in Tom’s bed while he slept on the pullout couch.

Our alone time would be severely limited while she was in town, and I had sadly gotten used to sleeping next to Tom.

I was already dreading my return to Boston, and the added stress of the official start of the hockey season meant that the perfect little routine we’d built would be changing fast.

Tom: How’s the day going?

I didn’t expect to hear from Tom throughout the day. His workouts were brutal, and the closer they got to the start of the season, the harder I knew he was working. I almost felt bad for the physical workout I put him through every night in bed.

Me: Crew is napping. What are you up to?

Tom: Sports massage. We’re done for the day. How long has he been asleep?

Me: A little bit. He should be out cold for at least an hour or so.

The phone rang in my hand, “Go in your room, now, Callie.”

“What? Where are you?” I asked Tom, confused.

“I’m in a supply closet. I ended up with an inconvenient erection in the shower thinking about you waking me up before my alarm clock deep-throating my dick.

Since it’s your fault, you can’t let me embarrass myself when Kevin, the therapist, gives me a muscle rub, can you?

” He asked, a hint of desperation in his tone.

“And how am I supposed to help?” I asked as I shut the door behind me. Of course, I followed his directions. The phone rang again in my hand, signaling that Tom had requested a video chat.

His sexy smile filled the screen, and I melted. “What do you need?” I whispered.

“I needed to see you.”

“My face?” I asked innocently.

Tom turned the camera so I could see him gripping his cock in his fist.

“You know what I need, Callie,” he groaned, his hand stroking from root to tip.

I moved to find a phone stand on my bedside table, placing it so he could see me on the screen.

I unbuttoned the lightweight flannel I wore, letting it gape open, pushing my bra cups down to expose my breasts for the camera.

I squeezed them, rolling my nipples between my thumb and forefingers, already needing more.

“Pants too, let me see it all,” he begged. I could see the head of his cock weeping.

I slipped off my leggings and dropped my panties to the floor, spreading myself wide for the camera. “Are you wearing earbuds?” I asked, knowing that if I touched myself, there was no way the entire rink wouldn’t hear me when I came.

“Uh-huh.”

“Good boy,” I said, circling my clit with one index finger and circling my hole with the middle finger of my other hand, teasing the camera, yet knowing that as soon as I buried my fingers deep inside, it was only a matter of time before I exploded.

“Do you know what you do to me, Callie? I can’t even take a fucking shower without needing you.”

I knew what he was doing to me. I was on my bed, stripped down, fucking my hand for the third, yep, third time today. The three rounds from the night before should have been enough to hold me over until I could be with him again, but it wasn’t enough.

“Tom, my God, I wish it was your cock inside me, not my fingers.”

My eyes drew back to where his hand was tugging at his dick, the pace quickening and matching his ragged breath. His moans spurred my hands as I began to chase my orgasm, bucking against my fist and rubbing my clit. I cried out when I came, watching his cum as it erupted from his cock.

“Shit, baby. How is it so good with you?” He asked.

There was a bang on the broom closet door, and Tom struggled to cover himself up and clean up the mess before one of his teammates caught him literally with his pants down.

“Go, I’ll see you tonight,” I whispered.

Was this becoming an addiction? My emotions were far more tied up in this family than I had intended. Did I once think I could watch this little boy for a while and then walk away? Stupid woman, Callie. You’re attached to the boy and falling hard for his dad.

Ugh. I dialed Juno and waited impatiently for her to answer.

“Okay, dish,” she said, as I could hear the telltale sign of her closing her office door.

“June, I’m fucked,” I let out breathlessly.

“In a good way? I mean, that man is hot as fuck, and we all know I wouldn’t know what to do with a man.

” Juno’s virginity had been one of the best-kept secrets, and instead of sex and dating, she committed herself to her classes and now her career.

She had always said that if someone interesting came along, she might be tempted, and I had assumed Colby had gotten there, but for now, she preferred to go home to a couple of cats and a well-kept apartment.

“Well, guess what? I couldn’t keep my hands to myself. Or apparently my heart.”

“Ugh, Callie, it’s way too soon for you to catch feelings after Zander. Are you ready to put yourself out there? Can’t you do what you do best? No feelings? Just fun?”

Up until Zander, I had always maintained that sex and feelings didn’t have to go together. I could admit now that I wasn’t in love with Zander, but I loved the idea that we could be matched through our professional and personal interests.

I had so many emotions wrapped up in Tom, between his little boy, watching him raise Crew, and seeing his pain when he had to say goodbye to Crew.

“Have you ever watched a big, burly man caring for a puppy?”

“Unnnghh, no. Well, yes. It’s irresistible. And I’ve seen pictures of Crew. Uh-huh. Yep, you’re fucked.”

“Thoroughly.”

“And his feelings?” She asked.

“I don’t know, we’ve talked about seeing where things go. And we both want to take it slow before we tell Sam and Kelsey. But yeah, it has the potential to get messy.”

The mess I was referring to didn’t fully capture how devastated I would be if something happened and I lost Tom and Crew.

“Cal, I’m scared for you. But I also think you wouldn’t be worried if you didn’t know you were on the cusp of something deep and meaningful. This opportunity, this man, it all just fell in your lap. Talk about the universe providing. When can I meet him?”

“Uh, I can send you the travel schedule. We’ll both be on the East Coast in November, but don’t be surprised if it doesn’t happen until Christmas.”

“Oooh, I forgot to ask, is there any way you can access playoff tickets? I wanted to try and get some for PJ for his birthday.”

“Sorry, I’m not asking my boss. But you can call Monica and see if she’ll help.”

“You know she won’t help if she knows they’re for PJ.”

“Gah. Let me see what I can do. He won’t tell you what happened, either?”

“Nope. Not a word. Assuming you made no headway last time you went out for drinks with Monica?”

“Nope. Not even on her second martini,” I answered.

We chatted a bit more, Juno filling me in on her work gossip, the draft she found of Mom’s new novel, and the Boston weather.

Colorado has been beautiful so far this month, but this was my favorite time of year in New England.

I had already planned several outings for Crew, including apple picking and pumpkin crafts.

I loved the sun’s heat during the day and the cooler mornings and nights.