Page 53 of Glitz & Goals

A furrow forms between Grady’s eyebrows as he considers his answer. I like that he takes the time to answer my questionsearnestly rather than throwing out whatever answer he thinks will make him sound macho. So many guys do. Viktor is the worst about it. Dad’s a little better, but he isn’t always open with me about what he’s thinking, since he’s my parent; I know he talks to Mom, though. Jaime, of course, will sob on my shoulder if the situation calls for it, which is one of the reasons we’re friends. I hate that so many guys spend so much time trying to project this image of what they think a man is supposed to be when really it’s all just bullshit.

“I don’t mind losing,” Grady says at last. “It doesn’t feel great, but it happens, and between playing and coaching, I’ve lost enough games in my day that I don’t take it so personally anymore. I’d be more upset if we’d played badly. At this point, I’m thinking long-term. How do we get better for the next game? The next season?”

“You do that a lot, don’t you? Think long-term?”

Grady’s smile is so soft that it makes my toes curl. “Yeah, I do.”

I bite my lip. “Grady…”

“Yes, Vivian?”

“I wish you were here.”

“Oh?” He wiggles his eyebrows. “And what would you do if I were?”

I run the tip of my tongue across my bottom lip. “Do you want me to tell you? Or show you?”

“Is showing an option?”

I grin as I lean over to dig through my nightstand, where I have three vibrators on standby: a bullet vibe, a V-shaped clit and G-spot stimulator, and one that looks more or less like a real penis… if penises were blue and sparkly.

“Is that a mermaid dildo?” Grady asks.

“Merman.” I let the tip rest against my lips. “Obviously. Ready to see what I’d do if I had you in my bed right now?”

“Shit.” Grady fumbles with his phone, trying to balance it in one hand as he reaches for his groin with the other. I can’t see exactly what he’s doing, since he doesn’t hold the phone far enough away for me to tell what his hand is up to, but I can fill in the blanks. “Yes. Ready. I…” He groans.

I hum to myself as I suck the tip of the dildo into my mouth, licking it up and down its length. I exaggerate all my sounds, the sucking, the pop, the slight choking sound as I swallow it deep. Every time we’ve had sex, Grady has been the one to take the lead. I’m turned on by his reactions, but I’m still the one in control.

“Viv,” he pants. “How are you so… so… ah…”

I pull the vibrator out from between my lips with a loud pop. “What?”

He shakes his head. “So damn hot.”

I lick the dildo, running my tongue around its huge crown, saliva dripping down my chin. “We’ve been talking about toys. And the other day in your office, you mentioned that you wanted me to get off while I thought about you. Is it possible that you’re just a tiny bit of a voyeur?”

“I like watching you get off,” Grady pants. “But I’d rather be the one touching you.”

“And how would you be touching me if you were here?” I resume sucking the dildo.

“First, I would—”

“Vivian? Are you there?” My bedroom door opens as Mom peers inside.

For a moment, I’m frozen with a dildo in my mouth, the projection of my tablet casting a blue glow on my face. Thank God we hadn’t gone any further, or I might actually die of embarrassment.

“Mom!” I yell. My hands move of their own accord, one ending my call with Grady, and the other throwing the vibratoras far as I can. The door slams behind Mom, and I hear her back thump against the other side.

“Sorry!” she calls through the door. “I should have knocked.”

A bubble of laughter rises in my chest. I can’t stop myself. Within seconds, I’m laughing so hard that tears roll down my cheeks. I’m thirty-two, for heaven’s sake. This whole debacle feels like so… high school.

The door opens a crack. Mom’s blue eye appears in the gap. “The front door to the pool house was unlocked, and then I thought I heard the TV on, and I’m so sorry I didn’t wait outside like a normal person. But… can I… can I come in?”

I wave her through, still hiccupping with mirth. I catch a glimpse of the dildo where it landed on top of the laundry pile, which sets me off all over again. Poor Grady. At least Mom didn’t see his face in the hologram projection. I’m positive. She was too busy staring at mine.

She presses her hands to her flaming cheeks. “I came up to ask if you wanted to get a late dinner together since the boys are out of town. You’ve been so busy with the show that I feel like we haven’t talked in ages… but if you want to call him back, I can just, uh, go.”

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