Page 24 of Right Number

“Tell me, Mason. What if I wanted more?” I wiggled around on my seat again as I squeezed my thighs together. I glanced up and saw there were more people milling about in the hallway. I could feel the flush from my cheeks also covering my chest, so I immediately put my head back down. I pulled my coat around me a little tighter with my free hand to try to hide the fact my nipples had taken on a mind of their own and were clearly visible through my T-shirt. How the absolute hell was texting so incredibly hot?

I looked down at my phone. “If you wanted more, I would pull you towards me and use my hand in your hair to hold your head just right so I could claim your mouth and give you that kiss you were dreaming of.”

I let out an audible gasp and quickly looked up to see a few heads turn in my direction. I must’ve looked like a mess sitting on the bench, gripping my coat shut with one hand, holding my phone with the other, and desperately trying to control my breathing. Once I felt slightly back in control, I brushed a few stray strands of hair out of my face and responded to Mason. My fingers flew across the screen as I typed, “Mason. That was so incredibly hot. There’s no way I’m going to be able to focus on class.”

“Yeah. I’m trying to figure out how to get to the bathroom without any of my coworkers noticing that my pants are suddenly way too tight.” I could feel my flush deepen as I read his response. He was just as turned on as me, which made the whole thing even hotter.

“Hey! Anna! You waiting for me?” I was so focused on my phone I didn’t hear Sarah walk up. I almost dropped my phone when I heard her say my name. Dammit, that was twice I’d been so absorbed in my conversation with Mason that I was surprised by someone.

“Yes! Hello!” I shouted way louder than I intended. I grabbed one of the coffees next to me and shoved it at her. “This is for you! Save me a seat please. I need to use the restroom before class.”

Before a very confused-looking Sarah could say anything, I jumped up, grabbed my backpack, and scurried down the hall to the restroom. I leapt into the nearest stall and leaned up against the closed door as I pulled out my phone and composed a message to Mason. “So is it safe to say you’ll be thinking of me today?” I was not the kind of person to send messages like the ones we’d just exchanged. There was something about Mason—I didn’t know if it was him, or if it was because there was a certain level of safety in the fact he was on the other side of the country and there were no expectations beyond the messages. Maybe it was because I felt so comfortable with him. He knew a lot about me, and I felt like I knew a lot about him based on our conversations. Whatever the reason, I felt safe letting loose a little with him. His words made me feel sexy in a way I never had before.

“I’ve been thinking of you every day since our first conversation.” My face broke into a huge smile when I read Mason’s message and I felt a flutter in my stomach. I held my phone to my chest for a moment as I just stood in the bathroom stall grinning like a fool.

I pulled my phone away from my chest and typed out a message to Mason. “I have to get to class. Talk to you later?” It was physically impossible for me to stop smiling by that point.

“For sure. I need to go take care of a little problem.” A second message from Mason came through immediately following the first. “I mean a really big problem. Huge problem. Really huge. Massive.”

I laughed out loud. How was it that someone I’d never actually met in person made me feel so good? I rolled my lower lip between my teeth as I typed out my final message to Mason before leaving for class. “I’ll talk to you later. Have a good day, Mason.”

I started to slip my phone into the back pocket of my jeans when I felt it vibrate. I pulled it out and looked at the new message from Mason. “No way it’s going to get better than this.”

I walked out of the restroom and down the hall to my classroom. Sarah had saved me a seat right next to her in the back row. “What were you doing on your phone in the hallway?” Sarah asked as I slid into my seat.

“Just reading something,” I said quickly.

Sarah raised her eyebrow. I could tell she wasn’t buying it for a second. “Must’ve been something pretty steamy judging by the look on your face. Oh, and the fact you jumped up and ran off without this.” Sarah smirked as she handed me the second coffee I’d left on the bench.

“Thank you,” I said, taking the coffee from her. “It was just a…a new book.” Fuck all the lying. Why was I lying to Sarah?

“Let me see it.” Sarah held out her hand like she expected me to hand over my phone.

“No.” Once again I was reminded why lying was a completely shit idea. I should’ve learned my lesson earlier.

“If it is that good, I want to read it.” Sarah made a “give me” motion with her hand.

“No,” I said again and turned away from her so I was facing forward. I was acting childish, but there was no way I was turning my phone over to her.

Sarah leaned over until she was close enough to whisper to me. “You’re lying, Anna. It’s not a book.” I sat there silently while I glanced over at her from the side. Suddenly a look of realization came across Sarah’s face. “You were texting with Mason, weren’t you?” Her voice was full of excitement. I stayed silent. “You were! You dirty dog! Why didn’t you tell me!” Sarah exclaimed at full volume.

“Keep your voice down!” I hissed, turning back to face her.

Sarah was practically bouncing up and down in her seat. “Oh, this has got to be good! Spill it! Everything! Now!”

I sighed and took a sip of my coffee. “Mason and I have continued to text. I had a dream about him a few nights ago and when I told him about it, the text exchange got…it got a little hot.” I could feel my cheeks blush again just thinking about Mason’s description of what it would be like for us to kiss.

Sarah didn’t miss a beat. “Like ‘I need to fan myself’ kind of hot or ‘holy shit everything is fired up and I need to change my underwear’ kind of hot?”

“What is it with you and your weird, extreme examples?” I gave Sarah a sideways look.

“I find it’s the best way to fully assess a situation. Now answer my question, Anna.”

I bit my bottom lip. “More towards the second one.” I briefly closed my eyes and opened them again. “A lot more towards the second one.”

Sarah let out a deep sigh as she placed her elbow on her desk and rested her face in her hand. “Wow! I’m not going to lie, I’m a little jealous. I wish I had someone to send me panty-wetting texts.”

I made a gagging noise deep in my throat. “Ugh! Don’t say the words wet and panty together. It weirds me out.”

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