Chapter Four
Alicia
Bastian picked up on the third ring and I breathed easy, settling back into my bed. It was lonely out here in Kansas, dark, and I needed to hear a familiar voice.
“Off the train maybe twelve hours and you need me already?”
His warm chuckle drummed into the phone and I grinned at the fact he poked fun at me.
I pulled up one of my aunt’s old quilts around me, staying in the guest room of her wide home. I still felt like a guest here and that seemed appropriate. I turned on my side, making sure not to unplug my phone that had only been charging in the few minutes since I got in.
“Shut your filthy mouth,” I said, being mean too, and he only laughed again. He had a voice like smooth velvet and a laugh just as rich.
“Filthy, huh?” he asked, showcasing that depth. He barked another chuckle before continuing. “I can show you filthy.”
And I knew he could. I wished he could. It was so lonely here, the only sounds deep in the dark of the woods around me.
My thigh warmed the other, my legs curled under the sheets. I pressed my hand between my legs and hummed at the feel of the touch to my thighs.
“You know, you could come out here,” I said. “Join me?”
I spread my legs open and purred into the phone. “I promise I’ll make it worth your while.”
And even more tonight if he was game. About to suggest that, I gripped the sides of my panties to pull them down.
“You know I can’t do that, Alicia.”
I removed my fingers from my panties, sighing when I fell to my back.
“It wouldn’t be for long,” I explained. “You could come down for a few hours while I’m here, take the jet one day.”
He had many. His status as CEO of a Fortune 500 company allowed him perks beyond that of many. That’s how I met him, the firm I worked for represented him.
“Work doesn’t stop for play,” was all he said and I knew he wouldn’t be coming.
I didn’t even know why I asked.
A pregnant silence filled the seconds of our connection and if not for his soft breathing, I’d think we lost our call.
“Besides, you’ll be home soon,” he said. He let out a sound like he turned over and I assumed he was in bed just as I was. I didn’t call that late, only choosing to go to bed because I had nothing else to do without Internet. Bastian, though, always chose to go to bed early, rising with the day.
“You will,” he went on, “and then….”
And… then. What would happen next? I didn’t know but had high hopes. Feeling light, I wanted to discuss what that “then” might be, but some chatter in the background took my attention.
The sound of small voices overtook the air and a softened, “Dammit,” drummed into the receiver from Bastian’s own lips. He didn’t speak to me next and I knew right away.
The hurried dips and peaks of an Asian dialect moved into the line, Bastian’s native language. He was second-generation Japanese and Brazilian, hailing for Brazil before coming to America and self-making his billions.
The softened chatter continued on, not much of which I could understand. I picked up a few things here and there since knowing him, but was still a novice until I had time to take in a few classes, which I definitely planned to. Especially, if we intended to have some kind of a future together.
“Erik wet the bed,” was what finally came my way into the line, Bastian’s deep groan following. Moving sounded in the background before he spoke again.
“I’m sorry, Alicia, but I have to go handle that.”
He sounded incredibly frustrated, but I on the other hand found it adorably sexy. A man taking responsibility for his children and whatever problems turned up showed off his responsibility.
I smiled, rolling on my back. “Okay, no problem. You go take care of everything. Can you call me when you’re done? Only if you remember of course.”
“Probably not the best idea,” he said. “Long day tomorrow.”
I tried to hide the disappointment I felt within myself, but the ball in my chest couldn’t be unknotted. Instead, I tried to respect the fact that he valued his work and the company he ran. I supposed that had to be enough for me.
I told him I understood and then goodnight.
“I miss you,” I said on the tail end of it all. I wanted him to know that all jokes aside he was right. I did miss him. I did want him no matter how far away.
He didn’t respond to what I admitted immediately and a few seconds ticked by before he actually spoke again.
“Alicia, we are taking things casually, right?” he questioned, breathing a long breath into the phone. “The divorce… It did just finalize.”
My throat tightened, silence between us both in the air. It was true that he just finalized a divorce. In fact, he’d been married for over fifteen years and the settling of the union had been messy. But not once did he talk to me about slowing down during the period of separation when we originally got together.
If anything he only begged for me to go faster, harder while he fucked me for nine months.
I said nothing at first, really not knowing what to say, but I guess I knew the answer to my earlier question now. I knew where we stood officially.
I knew now what came after the “then.”