12. Chapter Twelve
Chapter twelve
“M orning, beautiful. I miss you.” Nick’s warm, rough voice woke Aria up in more ways than one.
Aria had worked late last night after she’d called him following her date with Mark. It was just past noon on Saturday and, like every day since she’d started accepting his calls again, his voice was the first thing she heard that day. “I miss you, too. What are you doing today?”
“I’ve got a surprise interview with someone connected to my case, then I’m going to work on packing up my place.”
“Are you excited about your new house?” She still couldn’t believe he was moving to Wyoming. She tried not to be too excited, but the anticipation grew each day. So did her need for him. She desperately wanted him in her arms and bed.
She restlessly pressed her thighs together and shifted, trying to ease the need building inside her.
“I’d be more excited if you were moving in with me.” He sounded hesitant.
Are we ready to move in together?
“Don’t get ahead of yourself.” Was she saying that to him, or herself? Because she really wanted to dive into the deep end with him, but her cautious heart also told her to take it slow and see if they were compatible enough to live together.
“You love a good plan. This is mine for us. So tell me, did you like our house? Anything you want to change in it?”
Was he serious? “I don’t know.”
He’d obviously chosen the house because it was similar to the townhouse she used to rent and loved. “Come on. Play along. Tell me. I want you to be happy there.”
She hesitated for a moment, then went for it. “I love that the house is on two acres of land. We should plant a garden. I love that we’re not right up on a nosy neighbor, and that the kitchen has already been updated, and there’s enough rooms that you can turn one into an office. I don’t love the beige-y yellow they painted the interior.”
“Me either. I think we should go with white walls, or maybe a really pale blue, like you had in your townhouse before you moved into the apartment above the bar. It’s your favorite color.”
“How do you know that?”
“You told me the first night we were together at your place.”
“And you remember that?”
“I remember everything you tell me.”
Her heart melted. “Nick.”
“Stop saying my name like that. It gets my dick excited and I’ve been hard since the second you picked up the phone and I heard your sweet voice.”
She giggled. “Sorry, not sorry.”
“It’s not funny. And I’m going to make you pay with lots of orgasms when I finally get to see you again.”
“So you’re going to punish me with a good time? I’m in.” She laughed, smiling the whole time.
He growled. “Seriously, sweetheart, stop flirting with me. The situation is dire here.”
“So take out that big cock and stroke it. Pretend it’s my hand on you, fisting you hard, pumping up and down, my palm stroking the head the way you like it.”
His breath went ragged and she knew he’d done exactly what she’d asked.
“That’s it, baby, you like my hand on you. You love it when my hand is sliding up and down your shaft.”
“Fuck, baby, yes.”
“That’s it. And I can feel how much you want me. While I’m jacking you off, you’re kissing me like you can’t get enough.”
“I want more. Always wa-want more.”
“Yeah, so your hand’s in my panties and I’m so wet, I’m dripping down your fingers.”
“Fuck, yes. And I pump two fingers deep inside that wet pussy.”
She slipped her hand between her legs, rubbed her fingers over her wet seam, then sank two fingers deep. “Yes. You feel so good, baby. And I’m riding your hand.”
“You better fucking be.” His breaths picked up. He was close.
So was she. “You feel me. I’m right there with you, my walls clenching your fingers, trying to keep them inside me as my hand works up and down on your cock. I can feel the precum slippery over the head. You and me, we’re so close,” she panted out the words.
“Come,” he ordered, and she heard him gasp and hold his breath as he came.
She pressed her palm to her aching clit, moaned out her release, and sank into the bed. Wrapped in the tangled sheets, completely relaxed but still wanting more. She hummed out her contentment. But as fun and satisfying as that was, it wasn’t the same as having him touching her, him inside her. “I miss you more now.”
“Fuck. So do I.”
They stayed quiet for a few minutes. It was comfortable. Nice. They didn’t have to say anything, they could just enjoy this moment of closeness as their bodies blissed out from their orgasms.
Nick recovered first. “What time are you leaving for Jax’s wedding?”
“About two hours.”
“Send me a picture of you in your dress. I want to see you all dolled up.”
She wished he was going to be there, too. “I will. I should probably get up, have something to eat, and get ready.”
Nick sighed, the sound full of his regret. “If I could be there, I would.”
“I know.” It didn’t lessen the disappointment.
“It won’t be long now. I know it doesn’t feel that way without an exact date, but I swear I’m doing everything I can to close this case.”
“I’m impatient because I want to be with you, but don’t think I’m upset because you’re doing your job. That’s not it at all.”
“It’s as hard on me as it is you. I want to be there. I’m ready to be there.”
That last part convinced her he really wanted this. “I know. I look forward to your calls every day. I’m thrilled when I get a text. I’ll be the happiest woman on the planet when you’re finally here and we can figure all this out.”
“What’s to figure out? We want to be together. So let’s finally be together.”
“Yes, well, you’ll still be working like crazy. I work odd hours. We’ll have to figure out when we can see each other and how often.”
“If we lived together, it would make things easier.”
“Or worse. What if you hate that I like everything in its place? And I’m nagging you about leaving the cereal box on the counter.”
“If that’s the worst thing that happens, I’m okay with it.”
She sighed and stared at the ceiling. “You know what I mean.”
“Then I’ll just kiss you until you forgive me and we’re tangled up around each other in bed, where I know you’re not thinking about anything else.”
She liked the sound of that, but there was more to a relationship than sex. “What if we simply still can’t find the time for each other?”
Nick sighed. “Please, Aria, just give me a chance.”
“I will. I just…”
“What?” His impatience came through loud and clear.
“I really want this to work out for us. I feel like it could be amazing if we could just get there.”
“We will. Now, please, go and have a good time with your family. Send me pictures. I’ll try to call you again later, so you can tell me all about the wedding.”
“Do you actually want to hear all the details?”
“Yes. It’s our family.”
That our really melted her heart. “Nick.”
“You’re doing it again. Saying my name like that.”
She giggled. “Have a good day. I’ll be waiting for your call.”
“Bye, baby.”
Aria rolled to the side of the bed and sat up, smiling. She loved their chats. This one came with some sexy phone sex, too. And wasn’t she lucky that he was trying to be so open and honest with her. Not that he wasn’t before, he’d just pushed the door wide open now and let her in because he didn’t want to lose her.
All they needed now was to spend some real time together, so they could blend their lives together.
He was coming.
He’d be here soon.