Page 29 of Everything In Between

TWENTY-THREE

jersey

I hum to myself as I towel dry my hair from the shower when my phone rings and the sight of Hayes’s name on the screen makes me light up. I answer it without hesitation, anticipation pooling in my belly when his face appears on FaceTime. “Hey, I’m so glad you called.”

“Hey there, I’ve missed you too,” he says, grinning at me.

“How was shopping with your mom and Riley?”

“Long and exhausting. How was your day? Do any Black Friday shopping yourself?”

“I wish,” I say, walking over to the bed and laying on my belly. I prop my cheek on my hand. “Had a long day in the studio and typical Cal wanted to micromanage every little thing. He wants me in the studio Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. Why does he hate me so much?”

“Probably because he’s afraid of how successful you could be,” Hayes says absentmindedly, stretching his arm behind his head. “That’s why he’s gotta keep you on your tight leash.”

I pause and blink a few times. “Could that be it, though?”

“Be what?”

“You think he’s trying to keep me from realizing the full potential of my career?”

Hayes hesitates. “Do you think he’s not?”

It’s an interesting premise, one that has never actually occurred to me until now. “Cal always seems to care more about my career than he cares about me.”

“What he wants for your career, though,” Hayes points out. “When’s the last time you were asked what you want for your career?”

“I don’t know,” I say, my voice small.

Hayes sighs and presses his lips together. Then a thought hits him. “Wait, Christmas Eve? Does that mean you won’t be able to spend Christmas Day with me?”

I shake my head forlornly. “No, I don’t think so.”

“What about the week before Christmas? Are you still planning on coming out to see that game?”

“I am, but I’ll have to leave probably Christmas Eve eve.”

Disappointment ricochets across his expression, but then he lets it fade. “Casualties of the job, I guess. We’ll have many more Christmases to spend together, though.”

“I sure hope so,” I whisper.

“I can’t wait to be with you again next week,” Hayes says huskily. “Can’t wait to wrap you up in my arms and hold you tight.”

His words take my breath away and a wicked idea comes to mind.

“Tell me, Hayes, what would you do if you were here with me right now?”

Something changes in his expression on the screen, and I can tell that already he’s enjoying this immensely. His eyes have dilated a bit, but that smirk has remained on his lips.

“Well, if you really want to know. First, I’d lay you down on that bed, flat on your back, and kiss you desperately, until you can’t think of anything but me.

” My breath catches in my throat and my chest tightens.

Hayes’s eyes fall to my lips and he continues.

“Then I’d move from your lips, down to your neck, finding all those small places that take your breath away. Would you like that, Jersey?”

I roll my lips together and nod.

“Are you wet for me right now?”

I squeeze my thighs together and my core clenches. “Maybe,” I say lightly. “Might need to work a little harder for it, though, MVP.”

His expression turns devious with the challenge. “If I were with you right now, I wouldn’t waste any more time. I’d slide that skimpy little tank top over your head. I’d need to get a taste of those perky little tits.” He sucks in a breath, eyes darkening again. “Will you do that for me now, baby?”

My stomach swirls with a mix of trepidation and excitement. I’ve never done anything like this before, but I’m finding that I want to. I want to see where he’ll take this. He’s so easily taken control of this call. I wonder if he’d talk dirty when I see him—maybe if I initiated it.

Propping my phone on some pillows, I rise back on my knees and reach for the hem of my tank, pulling it up over my head and tossing it to the floor. My nipples pebble right away against the cool air.

Hayes groans on the phone, eyes glued to me. “Fuck, you’re gorgeous.”

I fight off a bashful smile. Even through the screen, I love having Hayes’s eyes on me and hearing his praise for my body. He makes me feel desirable and sexy.

“Touch them for me, baby. Let me see you play with those pretty nipples.”

Still on my knees, I sit back on my haunches, trailing my hands up my thighs, along the curves of my torso, then up to my breasts.

I cup them for a moment, closing my eyes and pretending that my hands are Hayes’s bigger, rougher hands.

When I move to my nipples, Hayes groans on his side of the call as he watches me run my fingers over my sensitive peaks.

I manage to pry my eyes open, searching for his reaction.

The arm that was rested above his head has moved to his side, and his eyes are hooded as he watches me play with myself.

“Are you touching yourself too?” I ask him, surprised when my voice comes out breathy and seductive.

His tongue darts out to wet his lower lip. “How could I not be when you’re there looking like that?” He nearly growls and it sends need straight to my core. I’m soaking wet for him, and all I can imagine is that tongue sliding across my body.

I reach for my phone and reposition it so I can lie back against my pillows, too.

Before I lie down, I shimmy out of my bottoms so I’m completely naked, then fall back on the bed and spread my legs.

From the positioning of my phone, Hayes can see almost everything.

What he can’t see on the screen he can use his imagination for—which I have no doubt is fully functioning right now.

“I bet you’re wet now, aren’t you, baby?”

“Soaked,” I admit as I run my fingers through my folds, slickness coating my fingers.

Hayes swears and grunts. “Damn. This is the hottest fucking thing ever. Keep touching yourself, Jersey. Don’t stop. But don’t come until I say so.”

“I kind if like it when you’re a little bossy.”

“Yeah?” a wicked smirk appears on his face.

I nod and bite my lower lip as I do as he says, sliding my fingers across my pussy and finding my clit. I give it a few determined rubs, desire ricocheting up my spine. My pussy clenches and I need something inside of me.

I wish Hayes were here . . . but my fingers will have to do.

Opening my eyes, I watch Hayes work his body. His attention is rapt on me, eyes never wavering from what I’m doing on the other end of the call. His shoulder rises and falls, rhythmically.

The thought of Hayes touching himself at the sight of me sends my mind whirling. I can’t help the moan that escapes my parted lips as I finger myself, searching to ease the ache that’s consuming me from the inside out.

“Damn,” he mutters and then grunts again.

The sound of Hayes finding pleasure only elevates what I’m feeling inside.

I close my eyes again, and picture what it would be like to have him here with me, to feel his thick fingers sliding in and out of my center.

I imagine what it would be like to have his lips on my skin—nibbling at my neck, huffing in my ear, sending goosebumps down my arms and my legs.

My pussy clenches around my fingers, and I know I’m close.

“Hayes,” I gasp.

“Fuck me. Yeah, baby?”

“I need to—”

“Yeah? What do you need, Jersey? Use your words. Tell me what you need.”

“I need to come. Please. Let me come,” I beg.

He groans again, the sound spurring me on. “Do it. Come for me. Imagine I’m right there with you fucking that sweet pussy until you can’t take it anymore. Come all over for me, Jersey.”

The orgasm crests and takes me right to the edge. I cry out, needing a little more to push me over.

“Do it. Now.”

The sound of his gruff command does the trick.

I fling myself over the edge of pleasure and clamp around my own fingers, imagining exactly what he told me—that it was him here inside of me instead of fingers.

Distantly, I hear the sound of Hayes gasping, coming down from his own orgasm.

I ride out the wave, lingering a moment longer. Slowly, the world comes back around me and I remove my fingers from my center, wiping them off on the comforter and turning my head to see Hayes on my screen.

He’s wearing a sleepy smile on his face, eyes glazed over. “Hey there,” he says, repeating his opening phrase. “You alive over there?”

My lips turn up and I breathe in deeply. “Barely. That was—”

“Fucking hot.”

“Yeah. It was.”

“Can we do this every night?” he teases, sending me a wink.

I laugh and shrug a shoulder noncommittally. “I mean . . . I wouldn’t be opposed to it.”

He chuckles, his voice still gruff. Aftershocks of the intense orgasm travel through my body. “Me either.” He yawns again, and while I know he enjoyed our little rendezvous immensely, I suddenly feel bad knowing how long of a day he’s had.

“You should sleep,” I whisper.

His eyes find mine and he falls silent, watching me, memorizing me. His gaze flickers over every one of my features, leaving a hot trail of yearning in its wake. “You too,” he says softly.

“We’ll talk later?” I ask him, a thread of doubt rearing its ugly head.

“Absolutely. You’ll be the first thing I think of in the morning.”

That statement makes my heart flip. I feel like I’m more than enough for him, like I’m treasured and valued.

“Goodnight, Hayes.”

“Goodnight, beautiful.”