She stopped staring blankly at her computer screen to glance at her phone again. She’d stopped counting the number of times she’d looked at it. It was Thursday. Tomorrow would be one week since the spanking scene. Why hadn’t he called with details of the next scene yet? He hadn’t said the scenes would all be on Fridays, just once a week. Now the week was nearing its end, and he still hadn’t called. Sure, she’d told him she’d see him next week, but she assumed he’d call her with some details. Was she supposed to just show up and hope he was there? She was going to go crazy waiting to hear something from him. Hell, she was already halfway to Crazy-ville.
“Whatcha doing?” Viola asked, startling her.
She dropped her phone onto her desk and picked up her coffee. “Nothing.”
“Don’t let Rick hear you say that.” Viola laughed. “He’ll start spouting off crap about not paying you to sit around.”
“But he pays me to get naked and spanked by strangers,” Shelby said dryly.
Viola pulled up a chair and sat across from her. “True. Guess that does earn you some slacking off.”
Shelby sighed. “I wasn’t slacking. I was checking my phone. Mason still hasn’t called.”
“I see.” Viola sipped her coffee, but Shelby could see the war of words in her eyes.
“What?”
“Just seems you’re a little obsessed with that fact.”
Shelby clenched her teeth. “This is an important case, and I’m in a precarious position.”
“That you are.” She smiled. “Because of Rick and Mr. Showalter…I mean Mason.”
Shelby shook her head. “I’m going to give you so much hell the next time you draw the assignment short stick.”
“Bring it on, sister. Though fooling around with a rich hottie like Mason Showalter is so much better than rubbing down old wrinkled men any day of the week and twice on Sunday.”
“Hey, we both had to work that massage clinic op.”
Viola shivered. “Don’t remind me. You can’t un-see old-man balls. That shit stays with you forever.”
Shelby’s laugh shocked her, but Viola jumped in and giggled with her. “Thanks, I needed that.”
“Anytime. I should get back to work before the boss man catches me gossiping.” Viola stood. “Just don’t forget—”
Shelby’s phone ringing cut her off. Both of their gazes shot to it. She looked at the display and her heart took off. “It’s him,” she barely said. Oh God, it was him. Calling her. This is what she’d wanted, wasn’t it? For the case…and for other reasons that made her tummy tingle. Damn the man for having this effect on her.
“Pick it up,” Viola whispered as if there was a risk of him overhearing her.
Shelby grabbed it and waved Viola away. She didn’t need her overhearing. “Hello?”
“Hello, pet.” His voice poured over her like her favorite wine.
She bit her lip. “Hi,” she breathed. She warmed all over, unable to control her body’s reaction to him even in this. She glanced up and saw Viola watching her curiously. Shelby narrowed her gaze and shooed her away again. Viola opened her mouth as if to speak, but Shelby waved her hand to stop her. Shelby had to focus, and having Viola gawking while trying to interject wouldn’t help. After a brief standoff, her annoying coworker finally walked away. She took a deep breath. “I wondered if you were going to call,” she said softly.
“Mmm, I’m both relieved you wanted to hear from me and irritated I caused the distress in your voice by not calling sooner. My lack of contact has nothing to do with you, I assure you, pet. Work has been…complicated this week.
Shelby squeezed her eyes shut. She had a damn job to do and said job did not include swooning over the suspect. She needed to get her shit together. Now was a perfect time to make progress on this case, and she damn well better. He’d mentioned work, and she needed to snatch up the opportunity. “I’m sorry your work has not gone well. Anything you’d like to talk about?” She thought it best not to come right out and ask for specifics.
He was quiet for several seconds, his breathing heavy. Finally, he said, “There are better things I’d rather talk about.” His voice pitched lower. “I’ve missed you, and I’m not one to miss the absence of a woman.” He hesitated, as if there were more words he was holding back. Her heart beat so hard she had to shut her eyes to will it to steady while she waited. “Why you?” He sounded puzzled, genuine.
She swallowed. Either he was playing her very well or he hadn’t been as unaffected as she’d feared. He had no reason to play up to her, though. As far as he was concerned, she was just a woman at a sexual crossroads. Something that had turned out to be more truth and less cover for the assignment. This reality and his reaction to her complicated things. She had a job to do. She knew that. But this was also her life the FBI was playing with. For the good of the assignment and her own need to learn more about this newly discovered facet about her, she’d be as honest with him as she could be.
And go all in.
“I’ve wondered the same about you.”
“Does that mean you’ve missed me, pet?” he asked, more confidence in his voice. Did she miss him, or was it just his dominant side she missed? When she didn’t answer right away, he sighed. “I’ve worried about relapses in your training.”
What had he meant by that? Had she done
