“You up?” I yelled down the hallway as I threw my keys on the side table by the door. “Charlie?” As I approached her room, I could hear the TV blaring. I knocked lightly on her door. “Please tell me you’re up.”

“Hey, sweets,” she said, pulling the door open. “I just hopped out of the shower. Why are you back so soon?” She winked and stepped aside to let me into her room.

“Okay, can we say holy shit balls?”

She stopped in mid-swipe with her deodorant stick. “What happened?”

“C, I told him who my father was without thinking.”

Charlie walked over and sat down beside me on the side of her bed. “Start from the beginning, and let’s go make popcorn. I have a feeling this is going to get juicy.”

I swatted at her arm. “This is serious.”

She grabbed my hand and pulled me close to her side. “I know, I know. But seriously, we all saw him kiss you outside the gym.” She fanned herself. “It was H-O-T, girl.”

I threw myself back against the bed. “Fuck, what did I get myself into?”

“Well, hopefully you didn’t get into anything just yet.” She winked. “Let me get dressed, and we can discuss all the sexy things about Julian Moore.”

“Ugh,” I moaned, standing up and heading toward the door. “Popcorn and apples?” It was our favorite snack.

“Sounds perfect.”

I made my way down the hallway as I thought about Julian. The feel of his hands on my body steered my mind in a completely wrong direction. Then I could feel his mouth beside my ear, and I immediately felt over heated.

“What are you doing?”

I lifted my head at the sound of Charlie’s voice. Then I looked down at where my hands were located. “What?” I pulled my hands away from my breasts. I hurried over to the pantry. “Popcorn. Apples.”

She burst out laughing and opened the cabinet by the stove to grab a large pot. “So the date was even hotter than that kiss outside the gym, eh?”

“You all seriously saw him kiss me?”

“Oh yeah, it was on the security camera.” She winked. “I could tell by your expression, he took you by surprise.” She poured some oil in the bottom of the pot and leaned her hip against the side of the counter. “Now, how the hell did Dad come up on this date?”

I proceeded to give her the lowdown on all that happened. By the time I finished, the popcorn was popped, and I had cut up two honey crisp apples. “So yeah, this night caught me off guard.” I popped a piece of popcorn into my mouth as we carried everything into the living room. “Think I can trust he won’t tell anyone about my dad?” I asked as I sat down on the couch and placed the bowl of popcorn on the cushion in between us.

“Honestly?”

“Well, yeah.”

“I really do think you can trust him.”

I crossed my legs in front of me and leaned my back against the side of the couch. “Tell me why you say that?” She flashed her dreaming smile. “Oh great, I know that look. Spill it.”

“Brooks.” She fanned her hand in front of her face. “I’ve been training once a week with him. Just by the few things he has said about Julian, I think you’re safe.”

“Why are you training with him?”

“I was struggling with my kicks. Brooks is skilled in Muay Thai.”

“Oh, that’s awesome.” I placed a piece of popcorn at the end of a slice of apple and took a bite. “What did he say about Julian?”

“Just trigger words like works hard, determined, loves the gym.” Charlie mirrored what I had just done with my apple slice. “Oh,” she said with a mouthful. “He did say the gym was started for a reason. I joked with him and said, yeah because Julian got injured.” Charlie shook her head. “Brooks told me that wasn’t the main reason. It was someone who helped and encouraged him to start the gym.”

“Did Brooks say who this mystery person was?”

“Nope and trust me, I asked like five different ways before he put me in the triangle hold to shut me up.”

I threw a handful of popcorn at her. “You’re hilarious. He figured out how to shut Chatty Charlie up.”

Her eyes went wide, and she reached into the bowl and quickly threw the biggest handful of popcorn at my face. “Oh, you think you’re funny, missy.”

We were laughing as my phone rang. I stood up and ran over to the side table by the door and dug through my purse to grab my phone. “Hello,” I said while still laughing.

“Am I missing something good?”

The screen read unknown caller, so Julian’s voice caught me off guard. I inhaled and then started to choke on a piece of popcorn. In between grasping for air, I said, “Hold on.”

Charlie hopped over the back of the couch and grabbed the phone and hit speaker. “I’m going out on a limb and guessing it’s Julian.”

“Yeah, is Lily okay?”

“Oh she’s fine. A little lonely but good.”

I grabbed the phone and took it off speaker. “And she’s done,” I said while walking down the hallway to my bedroom. “Sorry about that.”

“Are you lonely?”

“Huh? No. I’m fine.”

“Oh,” he said.

“What? You want me to be?” I closed my bedroom door and then walked over to my bed to lie down. His voice sent shivers to my core. I rubbed my hand over my breast, wishing my clothes were off. My body was in need of a release desperately.

“Maybe. Then you would regret going home alone.”

“Are you home alone?” I said the words without thinking.

“I live alone, Lily.”

“Oh, your brothers don’t room there?”

“They have their own house. I need my space.”

We sat there in our favorite awkward silence for about a minute. “So, why did you call? Are you canceling our training session tomorrow?”

“No. I was worried about you and wanted to see if you were okay.” His words were unexpected. “If you’re busy, I can talk to you tomorrow.”

“I’m not busy,” I said a little too quickly. “Charlie and I were just talking.”

“You both are really close.”

“She’s like my sister.”

“Does she have family?” He quickly followed up with, “Sorry, that’s none of my business.”

“It’s okay. Charlie’s past is not my story to tell.”

He cleared his throat. “I had a good time tonight.”

What was happening? It was like that awkward conversation that was quickly becoming a train wreck, yet you couldn’t hang-up.

“I did, too,” I said in a whisper. My body was playing tricks on me and demanding more than it deserved at the moment. “Julian.”

“Yeah.”

“Why did you really call?”

He didn’t say anything for the longest time. “I needed to hear your voice.”

I surprised myself by sliding down my leggings and throwing them on the floor. Then with special maneuvering, I managed to get my sports bra up over my head without huffing and puffing into the phone. I let out a sigh because I knew what I wanted.

“Lily, you still with me?”

“Yeah.” I was but I was afraid to let him know what I was doing.

“What are you doing right now?”

I softly laughed. “Lying on my bed.”

“What are you wearing?”

“Nothing.” Did I really just say that to Julian Moore? What had gotten into me?

“Lily,” he said in a husky voice. “Did you just take your clothes off while on the phone with me?”

Now that question I struggled with. Did I want to say yes? If I said no, he would think Charlie and I walk around in the nude. Something I knew Charlie would vehemently deny.

“Maybe.”

“Shit,” he breathed. “Why did you go home?”

“Because I don’t know you well enough yet.”

“I know. You’re right.”

My hand was resting on my abdomen, but it was itching to move in an up or down direction. “What are you wearing, Julian?” Fuck normal. My body wanted more. “I think you should be naked, too.”

“I didn’t plan for this, Lily. I really did only call to make sure you were okay.”

“Some things are better unplanned.” There was a loud crash that reverberated through the phone. “Are you okay?”

“Oh yeah, threw my shorts a millimeter too far to the left, and the lamp fell off the end table.”

“What?” I burst out laughing. “Should I let you go?”

“You better not. That would be the second time you initiated the launch sequence without following through.”

“Oh, well, we can’t have that happen.” I reached over to the nightstand and grabbed my ear buds and plugged them into the bottom of my phone. Setting the phone next to me, I rested my head back and let my fingers slide up to my breasts.

“Tell me what you are doing, Lily. I want to know everything.”

“I have never done this before.”

“Me either.”

I let out a deep sigh. “Okay, if I embarrass myself, know I will be finding a new gym in the morning.”

“I won’t let you.”

“Well, I will just fight you tomorrow with a bag over my head.”

“You’re not going to embarrass yourself, but you are going to give me blue balls.”

I threw my hand over my mouth and tried to hold in my laugh. “Okay, okay.” I shook my head and moved it around until I found the perfect comfy spot and then let out a heavy sigh. “Julian.”

“Yeah?”

“Help me.”

He never hesitated. “Lily, move your hands up and touch your breasts.” I let out a soft moan. “Pinch your nipples so tight you feel the pain all the way to your core.”

“Oh, God,” I whispered, lifting my ass up in the air, hoping he would tell me to head south soon. “Tell me more, Julian.” There was a faint sound in between my panting. I knew he was touching himself. That thought alone had me bucking off the bed.

“Lily, tell me what you’re thinking about right now?”

“You touching yourself.”

“Are you jealous?”

I was so out of breath and I could feel an orgasm emerging. “Yes.”

“Well, that will teach you to go home with me next time.”

“I need more.”

He never paused. “Move your hand down to your clitoris and make slow circular movements.”

“I don’t want it slow,” I whined.

Julian softly chuckled. “And I want to be in your bed. We don’t always get what we want, though.”

His words were like an explosion going off or was that me? I let my body feel the release, only to find that I needed more. When I pleasured myself, I found I could have multiple orgasms in a row. The hope was that gift would transfer over to any future partner I would have. Closing my eyes, I tried to concentrate. “Julian.”

“Come for me, Lily. Let me hear you.”

I increased the movements, needing another release. There was that sound again, but this time it was louder. He was massaging his cock. I could hear the sound as his hand moved up and down. Letting my body relax completely, I focused on the sound he was making, my body falling into the same rhythm.

“Julian,” I breathed.

“I’m here.”

“Come with me. Oh, I’m almost there.” My body was almost too sensitive, which made me beg for more. “I…”

Just then I released and cried out his name. When I finally came back down to reality, I wanted to crawl in a hole. How was I going to train with him tomorrow now? Then he surprised me. “You are so damn beautiful when you say my name.”

I reached for the blanket and pulled it up over my body and then rolled onto my side. “Did you?” I whispered.

“Yes,” he said in a low, husky voice. “Damn, I really wish you were beside me. I want to pull you next to my body and hold you so tight. Then wake up and make the biggest breakfast just for you.”

“Damn me and my rules,” I said, lightly laughing.

“No sex on the first date?”

“Yup.”

“So, where does phone sex fall? It has to be under the umbrella of no sex on the first date.”

“Oh, good question. Let’s say it’s okay.”

“Oh, it is totally okay,” he said, laughing. “Lily?”

“Yeah.”

“Get some sleep. I hope you have sweet dreams.”

We hung up, and I removed the ear buds, pushing them to the other side of the bed. I threw my hand up to my face and shook my head. Well, that just changed everything.