"I t's perfect."

Aunt Blair sounded thrilled and I was glad, but I sure as hell wished I could be more excited about how thrilled she was .

Instead, I was trying to keep my focus on the conversation at hand because my mind kept wandering. Wandering right back to a hotel not too far from my apartment in Manhattan and daydreams of what Jake had done to me kept turning my thoughts to mush .

"Have you thought about what you'll pitch next? I was thinking maybe we could do a couple of shorter articles online with the social media platforms, then redirect the links to the articles that are published while we wait for this one to go live – no point in losing momentum." Aunt Blair, once more dragged my wandering thoughts back from the hotel – and Jake .

"That's not a bad idea," I said, buying time as I riffled through my notebook, looking for the half-assed list I'd thrown together with a few ideas. "I'll be honest, though, I'm still trying to organize some of the information he gave me ."

"Have you talked to him on the phone recently ?"

"What?" I took a deep breath. "Oh, no ."

I was afraid to. If I talked to Jake on the phone, I was likely to start blurting out things like, Oh, wow...that was...how did you...do you want to do it again .

"Hey, what do you think about a column on using phone sex to keep the romance alive ?"

The words left my lips before I even realized I was going to say them, and I was appalled once they were hanging out there. Appalled because now I might have to –

"Oh, that's a great idea!" Aunt Blair's enthusiasm had me squeezing my eyes shut. "You know what you ought to do, since so many of our readers are working women who travel. Include stuff about Skype. Maybe how they can do a Skype session with their significant others when one or both of them have to be gone for a couple of days. You can even practice with Jake," she suggested impishly .

Aw, hell .

* * *

"H ow can I do this?"

Sitting in front of my computer, I kept the screen off and blew out a breath before untying my robe. I had to get around the idea of sitting naked in my living room, or I wouldn't be able to get around the idea of Skyping with Jake .

I hadn't talked to him about it yet .

He said he'd give me a call today or tomorrow, and once he did, I had to be ready to talk to him about this idea .

I already knew what his answer would be .

He'd say yes .

I had no doubt I could suggest we play an erotic game of Go Fish and he'd find a way to do it. He'd make it fun and sexy and make sure I came while we were at it .

The man took his work seriously .

Saturday night had been proof of that. Even now ...

"That's what you need to do," I told myself, sliding a hand inside my robe .

If I thought of him, my nervousness melted away, replaced by vivid memories of the way he'd touched me. I let my hands follow the path his had taken on my body, let them trail along my breasts, then down to my thighs .

Spreading them, I slid down until I had them stretched wide and I was perched on the edge of the seat .

I imagined he was there, kneeling between my thighs .

His mouth on me .

I gasped as my fingers brushed against the curls between my thighs, the flesh they protected already slick and wet .

You're so wet , he'd told me .

Just thinking about him had a habit of doing this to me .

I'd spent more time this past week masturbating or thinking about it than I normally did all year. Sex was something I thought about a lot, but it hadn't ever been a need...until now. A part of me was almost sorry, because once this...thing between us was done, I'd go back to solving my own needs .

"So don't think about it. Think about him," I said to the ceiling .

On his knees, between my thighs, pressing his mouth to me .

He'd lick me, his hands palming my ass .

He'd like the fact that I had an ass. I was a size twelve, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get any smaller, but he said he'd loved how ripe I looked, said he loved my butt and my breasts .

I love your tits, the dream Jake said, and in my mind, he was cupping them, plumping them together before he sucked one nipple then the other into his mouth, going back and forth until he had them both erect and hard, throbbing .

In reality, that's how they were, erect and hard, throbbing .

I licked my fingers and pinched them so they'd be wet, almost as if his mouth had been there .

Do that again, sugar. I want to see you touch yourself . Dream Jake liked it when I did that, and I wondered if the real Jake would. I bet the answer was yes .

I sobbed as the ache low in my belly spread and slid one hand down until it was back between my thighs. Seeking out my clitoris, I circled my finger around it, and...groaned .

This wasn't going to work, not like it did when Jake touched me .

Then, to my surprise, the hard knot of my clit all but vibrated when I touched it, aching and throbbing. Each light pass of my fingers felt like I was rubbing it with liquid lightning, it had become so acutely sensitive .

Keep it up, sugar. Show me what you like, so I can give it to you .

Dream Jake was so unbelievably hot .

I pushed a finger into my pussy and gasped. A rush of heat met me, and I bit my lip, almost afraid to go on, but my body wasn't so nervous. My hips rocked up and back, riding my hand and seeking out the climax that was getting ever closer .

Faster. Faster .

Faster...

I came with a cry, but it wasn't enough. Boneless, I slid from the chair and lay on the floor, my robe open, my hips rocking up to meet my touch as I pumped two fingers in and out of my cunt. Faster. Faster. Faster .

You're so hot, Michelle...keep it up, let me see ...

I came again, and for a second, black dots blurred in on my vision, and I panted for air .

Closing my eyes, I waited for the ringing in my ears to fade .

It took a few more seconds to realize it was my phone ringing. And I'd knocked it off my desk when I slid to the floor .

I yelped, almost as if whoever was on the phone could see right through the line, and without thinking, I answered. Breathless voice and all .

"Hello?"

"Michelle."

"Oh..." Blood rushed to heat my cheeks, and I wondered if they'd ever go back to their normal shade. "Umm. Hi, Jake ."

"You sound a little out of breath. Were you working out? Should I call back ?"

Say yes. Easy way out .

"Er...um...it's fine ."

I didn't know what he heard in my voice, but his went husky. "You weren't working out, were you ?"

"I...um, yes. I was doing..." Looking around the room, up at the ceiling over me, I blurted out, "I was doing sit ups ."

"Really. So, you're lying on the floor ."

"Yes." Squeezing my eyes closed, I went to push my hair back. But I caught the scent of myself on my hand. Slowly, I opened my eyes and stared at my fingers, realizing that it wasn't a bad scent. It was just...me. My arousal .

"How many?" Jake asked .

"Twice," I murmured, not really aware of the question .

"You did twice sit ups?" Now he sounded really intrigued .

And I realized I was screwed. "I...would you just mind your own business?" I snapped .

"Sure...but can I ask you something?" The teasing note in his voice should have warned me .

I chewed on my lower lip. "What?" I asked warily .

"Were you thinking about me when you were masturbating ?"

"I...you...damn it." The click announcing another call on the other end of the line seemed like a life preserver thrown to a drowning woman, so I said brusquely, "I have to go. Bye ."

I hung up on him mid-laugh and answered much more cautiously. "This is Michelle ."

"Michelle!" Aunt Blair sounded as sunny and happy as she had every time we talked. "Darling, the editors love the idea. It's a go. If you get it to me by Thursday, we'll go live Friday ."

Shit.