She set the phone down and closed her eyes again, hoping that was a bland enough response to warrant a little peace. When her phone began vibrating like it was on speed, she couldn’t help but satisfy her curiosity.
She opened the first message, and while she was trying to figure out whose adorable little boy was in the selfie with Hunter, several more pictures came through. She scrolled through pictures of Hunter and the green-eyed cutie. He sent a picture of the little boy sitting on his lap with an open book, and she tried to picture Hunter reading to the child. The next picture was of them both eating curly pasta. Next was a picture of the little boy in cute pajamas with bears on them, and finally, a picture of the little boy fast asleep, snuggled beside what was probably his favorite blanket.
Jana heard her voice saying, “Aw,” before she realized she’d said it aloud. Another text came through.
I’m babysitting Clark’s son so he can go out with his wife.
As good of a guy as he was, she couldn’t imagine him giving up a few hours to babysit. But that was just like Hunter, doing something that made her think he could be more than a hookup if he ever wanted to be.
She responded honestly. That’s so sweet of you.
Hunter’s response came seconds later. It’s fun, actually. The little guy is great.
Jana typed back, How late are you babysitting?
His response came quickly. All night. Clark and Nina needed time to reconnect. Billy’s down for the count.
Jana tried to process Hunter giving up an entire night to babysit, and before she could respond, he texted again. It was my idea.
Jana stared at the text for a minute. His idea? Wow. Her phone rang, and she nearly dropped it in the tub. She answered his call, and true to Hunter’s form, he spoke before she had a chance to even say hello.
“Now it’s your turn,” he said. “What are you doing?”
Her eyes dropped to the bubbles in the tub. “Taking a bath.” Oh God, why did I tell you that? She closed her eyes, expecting a snappy comment in return.
“Sore from last night?” he asked with an empathetic tone.
Surprised, she said “No” too quickly, then softer, “Maybe a little. In a good way.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you.” He sounded like he meant it, which made her stomach flutter.
“You didn’t. I’m not complaining.” Her bravado felt funny while she was in the bath, naked.
“Is the bath helping?”
“Yes. The wine helps, too. Hold on.” She set the phone down and refilled her glass. When she picked it up again, she said, “Sorry, I’m back.”
He was silent.
“Hunter?”
“Yeah. I’m here.” He let out a loud breath. “Just trying not to think about you in the bath. Naked.”
“Funny. I’d think you’d be all over that thought.”
“Maybe if I were in a position to come see you, yeah. I’m trying to delete the image of you naked from my mind right now. Don’t talk for a second. Your voice gets me every time.”
Good to know. Toying with Hunter was the perfect way to relax. “It does?” she said in the most seductive voice she could muster.
“Jana,” he growled.
Oh, this is so fun! She was giddy despite herself and couldn’t resist using her best Little Miss Innocent voice. “What, Hunter? You don’t want to hear about how the bubbles are just starting to dissipate and I can see my nipples poking through the surface, and—”
“Fuuuck,” he whispered.
Hearing the restraint in his tone turned her on. She’d never had phone sex before, but teasing Hunter was too much fun to stop.
“Now, that sounds like a good idea, but since you’re there and I’m here…” She sank lower into the water. “The water’s getting cooler, but I’m getting warmer.”
“You’re getting…” He said something she couldn’t make out. Then she heard him moving around. “I’m taking the baby monitor into the guest room.”
“Look at you, all responsible like a big boy.”
“I’ll show you a big boy,” he growled.
Jana’s body shuddered with that promise. She heard a door close and then Hunter breathing harder.
“Tell me what you’re doing, Hunter.” She slammed her eyes shut and mouthed, Oh my God! to the empty bathroom, unable to believe she was actually doing this.
“I’m getting comfortable, taking off my jeans.” She heard the sound of what she assumed was his clothes landing on hardwood. Then he came back on the line.
“Okay, pretty girl.” Confidence controlled his deep, lust-filled voice. “I want to see you.”
“What?” Her eyes flew open wide. “No.”
“Come on. Let’s FaceTime. It’s just you and me. Billy’s asleep. Let me see that pretty face of yours.”
“No. No way.” Her body prickled with excitement at the enticing thought of crossing another line with Hunter.
“You won’t let me see those gorgeous blue eyes of yours while we get naughty?”
She didn’t answer, because a big part of her wanted to watch him touch himself, too. The idea had her panting. Her nipples were on fire they were so hungry for his touch.
“Have you done this before?” he asked.
She contemplated lying, but “No” slipped out before she could stop it.
He was quiet for a long moment before saying, just above a whisper, “Neither have I.”
He was silent again, and she knew he was being honest.
“I’ve never wanted to pleasure a woman without being in the room before, but the thought of making you come with just my words and your hands? Jana, that’s so fucking hot.”
She felt her cheeks heat up, and she was so caught up in thinking about watching him touch himself that she couldn’t respond.
“You still there, pretty girl?”
“Mm-hm.”
“I trust you, Jana. Do you trust me?”
“Yes,” she whispered, unsure if she’d said anything at all.
“Good, because you can. One of the things I like most about you is that you’re not afraid to enjoy your sexuality.”
She closed her eyes, feeling nervous and excited at once.
“You’re not afraid to tell me what you like,” he said in a heady voice, “or to take what you want from me. Most women aren’t like that. Did you know that?”
“No,” she whispered.
“You’re different. I think that’s why we keep coming back to each other. Because we’re the same in that way, Jana. With you, I can be myself. I can take, demand, push the limits, and I know you’ll tell me to back off if I come on too hard. You will, pretty girl, won’t you?”
“Yes.” Her body was trembling now, not from the tepid water, but from the anticipation of doing something so naughty with Hunter. The scintillating sound of his voice had always turned her inside out, but right now it had her on pins and needles.
“Good. I always want you to feel like you can tell me what you want. What you need.”
The air left her lungs in a nervous rush. She slid one hand beneath the water and touched the slick heat between her legs, trying to ease her needy ache.
“Jana?”
“Mm.” Eyes closed, her finger moved over her swollen sex.
“Tell me you want me, baby.” His voice was thick with need, and she knew he wanted, maybe even needed, to hear it, but she wasn’t about to give in.
“Never.” The word came out heated, accompanied by a smirk.
“Fuck, Jana. Really?”
“Really.” She smiled, eyes still closed.
“You’re going to be the death of me.”
“Not tonight, I hope.”
He laughed, a deep, sexy laugh that made her want him even more.
“I want to see you, pretty girl.”
The hand between her legs stilled. Her eyes blinked open. She could say no. Deny him what he wanted. But that would be denying herself what she wanted, too.
Chapter Eight
HUNTER’S HANDS WERE shaking. He had no idea what had possessed him to turn up the heat with Jana, but hell if he wasn’t hard as stone and ready to play. The baby was fast asleep, he had the baby monitor, and the doors were locked. So it wasn’t worry over Billy that was causing his hands to tremble. He was nervous about what they were about to do. He’d never jerked off in front of a woman before, but with Jana, he couldn’t imagine anything more erotic.
“I want to see you, too.” Her voice sounded thin and shaky, and he knew she was nervous, too.
“I’m going to end this call and FaceTime you. Don’t go anywhere.” He ended the call, ran into the guest bathroom, where he’d seen a bottle of lotion, and tossed it on the bed while the FaceTime call connected faster than he thought possible. The idea that Jana might back out in the thirty seconds it took to call made his heart race.
Her face appeared on his screen, and he could see the porcelain tub behind her shoulders, water at the crest of her collarbone, and the rosy blush on her cheeks, which was beyond sexy. She smiled, then immediately trapped her lower lip between her teeth. He wanted to climb through the phone and kiss her luscious lips. She was so fucking brave it blew him away.
“Hey, pretty girl.” He was shirtless, wearing only his black boxer briefs. He held the phone where he knew she couldn’t see lower than his chest. His heart was racing so fast he worried she’d be able to tell.