Page 87 of Champagne Fizz

“Simon,” I pant, still trying to breathe normally. “Welcome to my life. You think I’m going to handle us getting naked in-person? Or your head between my legs? Or us actually—”

I swallow hard. I just swore up a storm while coming so hard I saw red. I can say it. Can’t I?

“Or us actually having sex,” I say politely. “Swellis exactly what just happened.”

“You’re going to kill me.”

I laugh. “You see, there’s a reason I haven’t dated my whole life.”

“And you are going to continue not dating anyone,” he says territorially. “I’m not letting any man near you.”

“Protective.” A smile spreads across my lips. “I like you too, Simon.”

“Dammit, I really can’t go back to work now.”

“Oh yeah?” I tease. “Do you need to go home and take a cold shower?”

“More like fifteen showers.”

I laugh kindly. “Well, imagine needing to take a cold shower every day of your life since puberty.”

Simon grunts in disbelief. “You’re Superwoman.”

“It hasn’t been easy.”

“I believe that. And for the love of God, don’t send me any more pictures.”

“No promises,” I tease.

He groans.

“What’s crazy,” Simon says hoarsely, “is you think you’re not good at this.”

A blush runs over my chest. I don’t feel like I’m good at this. There are so many unknowns and timebombs that I’m afraid will explode out of nowhere. But there’s also something empowering about it: that I could have this much impact on Simon. That I could make him feel needy and desperate in my presence. The same way I feel around him.

“I guess I’m finding my sea legs,” I admit.

“Damn right you are!”

“Still, we should take this slow,” I caution.

“By slow you mean I should throw you in the deep end, right?”

“Is this the deep end?”

“Does it feel like the deep end?”

Yes.

A hundred times, yes.

I’m not sure where phone sex falls along the sports metaphor of rounding the bases, so technically, we’re only at second base. But that’s not why this feels like the deep end. It’s the fact that it’s only been a few days and I’ve already orgasmed with Simon more times than with anyone else in my life. I’ve never let my guard down like this with anyone. Heck, I’ve never actually orgasmedwithsomeone in my life, even if it was over the phone.

I know chemicals and hormones are all mixed up with everything else in this situation, and they’re making this feel bigger and more important than it is. And yet, the deep end feels like it’s more than sex.

The deep end feels like … emotions.

“Kendall?” Simon asks on the other end of my silence.

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