“What do you need?” he asked.
“Can you find out what you can about a Jeremy Cannon?”
“Who the fuck’s Jeremy Cannon?” he hissed and I swear I could feel the tension through the phone.
“He’s Cassidy’s father.”
“Cass’s father?” he repeated, his anger giving way to disbelief. “I didn’t even know she had a father. I mean, obviously she had a father, but I assumed he was dead or something. She never spoke about him.”
“She didn’t tell me either.”
“So why are we looking for him now?” Hayden asked.
“Because he’s trying to get his hands on Cass’s money. He’s contesting the will,” I explained as I dropped down onto the couch, a spring digging into my ass. I’d stay as long as Kellie needed me, but I was not going to miss sleeping on this piece of shit.
“WHAT!” Hayden’s booming voice was so loud I had to pull the phone away from my ear.
I let him rant, saying what he needed to say and getting his frustrations out, while Dickson tried to calm him before the crackle of the radio interrupted them, both guys falling silent.
I probably shouldn’t have heard that they were being called to a domestic disturbance but Hayden waited until they’d acknowledged the request and the sirens were blaring before coming back to our conversation.
“Look, Hayden, you’re busy so I’ll let you go…”
“Okay. Can I call you tomorrow?” he asked and I felt the tsunami of nervous energy flush through my body.
“Absolutely. No rush. I just wanted to see if there’s a way I can help Kellie. She needs it,” I admitted.
“We’ll figure something out.”
“I hope so.”
“I know so.”
“Thanks, Hayden. You’re a good guy.”
“Yeah, yeah. But don’t think we won’t be talking about a few other things as well.”
Shit! I’d hoped, wished more like it, that he’d let me off the hook and pretend it never happened. I mean, just because I couldn’t stop thinking about it, didn’t mean I wanted to rehash it or God forbid talk about what it meant. It meant nothing. Just one night of really good, really hot sex between two people who should’ve known better. People who can’t go there again. Ever. But fuck me, I’d thought about it.
Ignoring his last comment, I told him to be safe and hung up.
Even though it was late and tomorrow Kellie was bringing home her beautiful baby girl, the girl I’d fallen in love with the moment she’d handed me a bundle of blankets and I’d looked down into her smooshy little face, there was no way I was getting any sleep anytime soon.
Finding a playlist, I walked into the bathroom and turned on the taps ignoring their protesting groan. Despite this place being pretty much a shit heap, it had one of those old style, claw-foot bathtubs I’d been eying off for days. Figuring now was my only chance, I tipped in some of Kellie’s bath salts from the jar on the windowsill and let the room fill with steam.
While my bath filled, I grabbed a beer and popped the cap before guzzling down half the bottle. Normally I wasn’t a big drinker, although right now I doubted anyone would believe me, but every time I got anxious or overwhelmed, I couldn’t help it. Tomorrow I’d cut out the booze. Tomorrow I’d start behaving. Besides, I had a little girl and her momma depending on me and I was going to move heaven and earth to make myself someone they would be proud of.
Sinking into the tub, I moaned loudly as the hot water surrounded me, cocooning me in the warmth, and the scent of jasmine filled the room. Leaning my head back, I closed my eyes and listened as my playlist picked the most random songs. To anyone else it would’ve looked like a complete disaster, but to me, it was perfect. Perfectly imperfect.
When one of my favorite old-school R&B hits came on, I rolled my neck from side to side, lifting my hand up and massaging the aches away. But it wasn’t just my neck that was craving attention. Closing my eyes, I let my hand drop lower before kneading my breast softly, ignoring the moan falling from my lips as I tweaked a nipple. Squeezing my thighs together, I searched for the friction I needed to put an end to my desperation but when Hayden’s image sprang to mind, I knew it wasn’t going to be enough.
The memory of the way he played with my body, the way he feasted on me, the way he made my toes curl and my spine tingle over and over and over again, had my knees falling open and my hand slipping below the water to find my clit already throbbing and desperate.
Slowly, ever so slowly, I ran my fingers up and down my slit, teasing myself. As much as I needed the release I didn’t want this over too quickly. I wanted to draw it out as long as possible and make it last. Trailing my fingers up and down was tortuous bliss. Wishing it was Hayden’s fingers, I flicked my clit, the gasp escaping my lips shocking me. Needing more, I increased my speed with the water sploshing around me.
Dropping down further into the water, it splashed over the side but I’d worry about that later. Right now I was chasing the ecstasy I craved. With my breaths coming in short sharp bursts, my chest heaving, my boobs heavy and aching.
Squeezing my eyes together, I took a deep breath, replaying Hayden’s words in my mind. Recalling how he’d whispered dirty, filthy words in my ear before nibbling on my lobe. As I massaged my aching, swollen boob I could almost feel the way Hayden had licked and sucked and plucked my nipple before leaving bite marks on my skin.
