Page 61 of By the Pint

I pulled the base unit of the phone to my chest and fumbled around until I found theSPEAKER PHONEbutton. Dima’s less than subtle whines filled the room, surging me closer to finishing. I got to my feet, dropping the receiver onto the desk. To feel things more intensely or to take a step back from spilling too soon, I wasn’t sure.

“You’ve gone quiet, baby. I need to hear you crying for me.”

“I’m so close,” I whispered.

“Oh, thank gods. I’ve been on the edge for so long it’s almost painful.”

“Can I come? Tell me if I can come?” I didn’t know why it felt necessary to seek permission, but it did, and the idea of Dima deciding whether or not I got my happy ending was sending me into a tailspin.

“Get yourself right to the edge and then stop. I’m already there. I’ll wait for you. Gods, the slapping sounds on your end of the line are—Fuck, I can’t wait. I’m coming. Oh, fuck!” And then he whined so loudly I heard it through the walls. The sound sent a tsunami of sensation over my entire body, and I was pushed, violently, over the peak.

I gripped the edge of the desk, my back snapped straight, and I cried out as my release splashed hot, white ribbons over the leather tabletop protector.

“Dima,” I whimpered. His name the only thing on my lips, and in my thoughts. I tucked myself back inside my boxers, picked up the receiver, took Dima off speaker, and flopped down onto the chair. My breaths came out too hard for me to form any other words.

After a few moments, Dima broke the silence with, “Um …” Which had us both laughing. “Well, that was quite naughty,” he added.

Shit. How could the man go from fierce to cute within a heartbeat? I wanted to see him. To knock on his door and climb into his bed, coffin, whatever, with him. But that was a different risk entirely. Far too dangerous.

Casey, don’t be a fool. Don’t develop feelings for someone you won’t even remember in a few weeks.

“Did you say something?” Dima said.

“No.” Did I? Did I say it out loud? He couldn’t hear me through the steel, or down the phone.Can you hear me now?

He didn’t reply. Not out loud, and nothing in my head.

“You still there?” he asked.

“Yeah, I’m still here.”

“I should … I should clean up this mess I’ve made. Looks like there was a fucking foam party in here.”

Oh, no. Oh, no. Oh, no.I pinched my lips together with my fingers to stop my laughter escaping. That should not have been as adorable as it was.

“What,” I said, only realising I was talking as the words tumbled out of my mouth, “Are we going to do … about us?”

Dima sighed. He actually sighed. “Well, shit, we’ll figure that out tomorrow, I guess. You should get some sleep. The sun’s up.”

“Okay,” I said. Pushing to my feet once again. “’Night, D.”

“Goodnight, Moonflower.” And abruptly, he hung up the phone. Or maybe it wasn’t abruptly, but it felt that way.

Even after experiencing the orgasm to end all orgasms, there was no way I’d be able to sleep. My mind was racing again. In a completely different way this time.

I cleaned my mess off the desk with anti-bac spray, and grabbed my gym bag, pausing only for a second to gaze at the dull metal of Dima’s door, before heading downstairs.

20.

Casey

FROM THE DESK OF MR BLACK

My beautiful Moonflower,

It’s best if we don’t meet up in person until you’ve managed to block those pesky intrusive thoughts. If you keep thinking about me like that, I don’t know how much self-control I can maintain. I’ve already been looking on Echo Relocation for abandoned castles for sale, so that I can drag you back as my prisoner and keep you forever.

Yours faithfully,

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