Page 51 of Next Time We'll Fall

“Oh, no, it’s fine. It’s not even that late. I wasn’t even sleeping.”

I give her a look, and she shrugs.

I try to listen to the call, but I can’t hear what the other lady is saying. I want to know what’s going on. I want her to tell Jackie she’s not interested in being on the show. I want her to tell Jackie she’s in bed with another man.

“Oh, you want me to start recording tomorrow? But I’m not even ready. Oh, I see. I guess so.”

She looks at me with wide eyes.

“I do have a dress I can wear.”

“I don’t have a pen and paper, but I can remember.”

She pauses.

“Okay, so you want me to list the sort of man I’m looking for? Okay. And my perfect dates? Okay. I guess I’ll have to think.”

She giggles, and I growl.

“Oh, I don’t know,” she says.

I can just feel myself becoming more and more infuriated as the conversation goes on.

I reach over and grab her panties, and she stills suddenly.

I press my lips against her neck. She lies back, and I reach down and run my fingers between the valley of her breasts.

I watch as she quickly presses Mute on her phone and then turns to me.

“What are you doing? I’m on the phone.”

“Yeah. You’re not on a video call though. Are you scared you’re going to do something you shouldn’t do?”

“Why would I be?”

“I don’t know,” I say.

As my thumb grazes her nipple, she gasps, and I lean over and suck on her right nipple as my hand plays with her other breast.

She moans and shakes her head.

“Oh my gosh. Shit,” she says quickly, then unmutes the phone. “Yeah, sorry. I was here. I accidentally pressed Mute by mistake.”

She closes her eyes, and I continue to suck on her breast. She reaches down, and for a moment, I think she’s going to push my head away, but she doesn’t. Instead, she runs her fingers through my hair.

“I knew you liked it,” I say.

Her eyes flutter open, and she just stares at me.

“I don’t know if I can do that.”

For a moment, I’m not sure if she’s talking to me or on the phone, but then I soon realize she’s still talking to Jackie.

“Yeah, I can be available for three weeks, and I guess I can go to the mainland. I just have to make sure my best friend and business partner can look after the store when I’m away. Oh,” she says, pausing, her eyes widening.

I glance up at her.

“I didn’t realize that. Sure, I suppose.”