Page 53 of Dream with Me

“Shan?”

“I believe you,” I whisper.

“Good. Now, will you do something for me?”

“Mm hmm.”

“I want you to take your free hand and reach down into your panties and tell me what you feel.”

I swallow, then slip my hand between my legs and slide into the warm space. I moan as I brush over my clit and move to the soaked center of my core.

Troy groans in the background and I remember that I’m supposed to tell him what I feel.

“It’s hot... and wet. Very wet.”

“Fuck, yes,” he rasps. “Don’t you think that’s sexy, babe? Because I sure as hell do. Tell me that you know you’re sexy.”

“It’s sexy. I’m...”

“Go on,” he encourages, “say it while you stroke that gorgeous pussy for me.”

I moan at the combination of his words and the sensitive pleasure that fills me as I slide my fingers through the evidence of my arousal. “I’m sexy,” I whisper it at first, then clear my throat. I do feel sexy right now. “I’m sexy,” I say, more confidence in my voice.

“You are, Shannon. So fucking sexy. Please keep touching yourself. God, I can picture you and it’s killing me not being there. I miss your body so much.”

“I wish you were here, too,” I pant out. I’ve found a rhythm that feels amazing, and coupled with his voice in the background, my pleasure is mounting.

“Do you want me to keep talking to you, babe? Or I can listen as quietly as I can manage, but?—”

“Keep talking,” I order. My movements start to quicken.

“I was hoping you’d say that... I’m so hard here picturing you fucking yourself with your fingers, flicking that clit. God, I wish my mouth was on your clit right now.”

“Troy,” I whine. I’m racing toward an orgasm, and this is so hot.

“I’d bury my face between your legs and eat your pussy like I love to. I’d suck on your clit until you...”

I don’t hear the rest of what he says because I fall apart under my own hand, with his voice in my ear and images of him in my mind. My body erupts with pleasure as wave after wave of ecstasy wash over me.

When I start to come down off my high, I still hear Troy whispering through the phone, telling me I’m beautiful... amazing... sexy.

Telling me I’m everything.

CHAPTER28

TROY

“Do you think it needs more sprinkles, Daddy?” Our baby girl is gripping her chin, staring at the cake she insisted on making for Shannon. Her expression is as serious as if she were considering a life-or-death decision.

“I think it’s the perfect number of sprinkles, cupcake.” I lift Chelsea off the stool and spin her in a circle. “Mom is gonna love it. Why don’t you go wash your hands and face and read a little while I get dinner started?”

When I place her back on the ground, she races off upstairs to do that. I can almost guarantee if I go looking for her in twenty minutes, she’ll be nestled in her reading nook with a book in hand. She’s definitely Shannon’s mini-me.

As soon as she’s gone, I grab the sprinkles and hide them on a top shelf in the pantry. If the child puts any more on that cake, we’ll all be diabetic by the end of the night. Olivia and Oliver are in the family room decorating for the “party.” Chase is tucked into his booster seat at the table—where I can see him—watching a movie on the tablet while he colors “pwetty pictures for Mama.”

Though I know she must be exhausted after taking four major tests over the course of the last week, I couldn’t convince the kids to wait even a day to have a celebration dinner. They don’t understand the concept of Shannon having to wait several weeks to get her results. Truthfully, this week has been hard on them, too. Two of Shannon’s tests were scheduled in Cleveland so she could make the commute back and forth. The other two, though, were in Columbus, so she had to stay at a hotel the night before in case there was bad weather. I stayed with them at their house those days so they wouldn’t be sleeping out of a bag for two extra nights, but it was still tough. I’m not her. My kids love me, but when they’re not with her, it’s clear something’s missing for them.

So, I gave in and agreed we could have dinner at home, a cake, and a few presents, but then they all needed to go to bed on time so Shannon could get a good night’s sleep. They agreed, so we’ll see if the little negotiators stick to their end of the deal.

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