Boyfriend? That was the other problem: they weren’t in a relationship. If questioned by her mother, Victoria wouldn’t even know what to say. Certainly not the truth. I’m banging this hot male librarian and our plans are a lot more haphazard than I’d hoped. Victoria needed to keep these separate plates spinning on their own separate sticks. There was no need to muddle her life with John meeting, and possibly getting his head bit off by her harridan mother. Her thumb slipped and pressed John’s name. Or maybe it didn’t slip. Perhaps she wanted to call him on purpose. Rather than dwell on which one it was, she listened for several rings. Please pick up. And then what? What was she prepared to talk to him about if he picked up the phone?

“Hello, Dr. Reese,” said a gravelly voice.

“John, hi.”

He hesitated before replying. “Hm. Formal or informal call?”

Victoria sank against her pillows and closed her eyes. “Informal. I didn’t wake you up, did I?”

“Nope, I was going to read for a while. What can I do for you, Victoria?”

Yes, what can he do for me?

“Um... I couldn’t get to sleep and I wanted to talk to you.”

He paused again.

“John, are you still there?” She was now worried that she had made a mistake.

“Oh yeah, I’m here, darling.” His voice took on a different tone, something lower and warmer. “What would you like to talk about?”

Jesus...

“I was thinking about our time at the gym and I wanted to thank you for the workout.” She shifted again, trying to choose her words. “You were really...virile tonight.”

She heard a dark and low chuckle and bit her lip in embarrassment. There was definitely a better way to describe him. This was one of those instances where she needed her friend’s assistance. Paula wrote this stuff for a living. Note to self: download a Paula e-book tomorrow. “Virile, huh?”

“Mm-hmm.”

“You didn’t mind being caught in my hold, Victoria?”

On a competitive level, yes, she definitely minded. She’d been close to winning that fight. On another, more erotic level, she wanted more. “No,” she said. “I liked it.”

“Would you like a rematch?” His soothing voice probed further.

“Very much,” she said.

“What are you wearing right now?”

In the soft glow of her bedroom light, Victoria looked down at herself. She was in the same outfit she wore nightly; an oversized T-shirt from the college bookstore and panties. “T-shirt and underwear,” she admitted.

“Mmh, I can work with that,” John murmured, huskiness lingering in his voice. “It’s going to come off anyway.”

Victoria’s heart skipped a beat. They were doing exactly what she wanted. The anticipation made her breath shudder against the phone. “What are you wearing?” she asked timidly.

“Boxer briefs,” he replied.

She closed her eyes. “What color?”

“They’re black with gray pin-stripes.”