004. Something To Think About...
1233 Words
My breath caught in my throat. I couldn’t look away from the screen.
Ryder was completely, devastatingly gorgeous. And looking at that cocky smirk on his lips, it was obvious he knew exactly what this picture would do to me.
I stared at the glowing phone, my pulse hammering in my ears. I should delete it. I should block the number immediately, turn my phone off, and force myself to go to sleep.
Instead, my thumbs hovered nervously over the keyboard.
Who is this? I typed, playing dumb even though my heart was threatening to beat right out of my chest.
Three little typing dots appeared at the bottom of the screen instantly. He had been waiting.
Don't play innocent with me, intern. You know exactly who this is.
I bit my lower lip. My face was burning hot in the dark of my dorm room.
How did you even get my number? I texted back. This is borderline stalking.
Co-captain privileges, came the immediate reply. I have full access to the staff emergency contact files. Took me two seconds.
That is a massive invasion of privacy! I hit send, my fingers trembling slightly. I could literally report you to the coach for this.
Go ahead, Ryder texted back. Tell the coach Ryder sent you a shirtless picture at ten-thirty at night. But you'd have to show him the picture as proof, right? You really want the coach looking at this?
I let out a frustrated groan, flopping back onto my pillows. He was so arrogant.
You're an absolute jerk, I replied.
And you're deflecting, he countered immediately. You still haven't said thank you for today.
I didn't ask you to step in.
But I did.
I glared at the ceiling, my chest rising and falling way too fast. I needed to shut this down before I did something stupid.
Whatever, I typed aggressively. I'm blocking this number.
But I didn't hit block right away. I waited, staring at the screen with my heart in my throat to see what his response would be.
The three dots danced again, then disappeared, only to reappear a second later. Then, my phone vibrated with a second image.
My breath hitched. This time, it was a close-up. His large, vein-lined hand resting low on his waist, his long fingers gripping the gray fabric of his sweatpants, pulling them down just a fraction of an inch to reveal more of the dark ink of his rib tattoo.
The text beneath it read: Block me, and you won't get the rest.
My mouth went completely dry.
Besides, another text popped up immediately after. I know you're wearing my jersey right now.
My eyes darted toward my desk chair in the shadows, where the massive black and red jersey was draped over the back. I could still perceive the faint, sharp scent of mint body wash in the air of my room.
Wrong. I took it off the second I got home, I typed, my fingers actually shaking now. It's in the laundry.
Pity, Ryder replied. You looked really good wearing my name. It swallowed you whole.
I shifted my legs under my comforter. The space between my thighs was suddenly aching. A heavy, pooling warmth spread through my lower stomach, triggered instantly by that second picture and the memory of his heat radiating against me in the locker room.
What do you want, Ryder? I texted, trying to sound annoyed instead of completely breathless.
I already told you. I want my thank you.
I'm not saying it.
Stubborn little intern. The three dots danced on the screen for a long time before his next message came through. Are you alone right now?
My heart skipped a full beat. Why does that matter?
Because I know exactly what you're doing right now, Amy.
I'm trying to sleep.
Liar. Another text popped up. You're lying in the dark, your face is completely flushed, and you're staring at me on your screen.
A quiet gasp escaped my lips. I almost dropped the phone onto my face. It was like he was standing right inside the room, watching me through the shadows.
I am not! I typed frantically, my thumbs slipping on the glass screen.
You're breathing heavy right now, aren't you? Ryder teased, his texts coming in rapid succession. Bet your skin still feels hot. Bet you're remembering how close I was.
Stop it.
You can probably still smell my body wash.
My entire body went completely rigid. I stopped breathing. I stared at the bold, confident words on the screen, my mind completely short-circuiting.
The air conditioning was blasting in the dorm, but I was practically sweating. My skin felt way too tight, my nerve endings buzzing with an electric, undeniable need.
I couldn't type back. I couldn't formulate a single rational thought to fight him off. The teasing, the photos, the memory of his deep voice… it was pushing me over an edge I didn't even know I was standing on.
I tossed the phone onto the empty pillow next to me.
The screen stayed lit, casting a dim glow over my dark sheets. The picture of his hand slightly pushing down his sweatpants was right there, daring me.
With a shaky breath, I reached over and slid open the bottom drawer of my nightstand. My fingers brushed blindly past my extra phone chargers until they found the smooth, cool silicone of my vibrator.
I pulled it out, my hand trembling as my thumb found the small power button at the base.
A low, quiet hum filled the silent room.
I slipped my hand under the waistband of my comfortable shorts, pushing my underwear aside. The second the vibrating silicone made contact with my slick, aching center, a desperate moan tore from my throat.
"Oh god," I whispered, my head falling back against the pillows.
The physical relief was instant and intense. I arched my back off the mattress, pressing the toy harder against myself. The vibration sent a violent shockwave of pleasure through my nervous system.
I increased the speed, my breathing turning into shallow, desperate gasps.
The room felt entirely too small, too hot. The heavy scent of mint from the jersey across the room wrapped around me like a thick fog.
I writhed on the bed, my free hand gripping the bedsheets so hard my knuckles turned completely white.
I opened my eyes for a split second, my blurry vision landing on his glowing picture on the pillow beside me.
The pressure in my lower stomach coiled tighter and tighter, pulling tight like a bowstring about to snap. I shifted the angle of the toy, hitting the exact right spot.
I was right on the edge. The wave of climax was building, rushing up to steal the breath from my lungs. My toes curled tightly into the mattress. I was falling over the edge, the blinding pleasure just starting to crash over me…
BAM. BAM. BAM.
Three loud, heavy, aggressive knocks pounded on my dorm room door.
I practically jumped out of my skin, my heart stopping dead in my chest.
The pleasure instantly turned into pure, ice-cold panic. I yanked my hand out of my shorts and fumbled wildly with the toy, desperately trying to switch it off.
BAM. BAM. BAM.
"Amy?" a dark, muffled voice called from the hallway. "Open the door. It's Cole."
- Writer
