She’d learned a lot thanks to Google. Most just compounded her questions rather than answering them. Oh, she’d gained knowledge, but any extrapolation formed more uncertainty. One such example was subspace, as he’d called it. Now she understood what it was. She’d practically blacked out after reaching an amazing orgasm and had this almost surreal feeling of peace. Knowing what it was didn’t help her. Being in that state made her too vulnerable, more so than at any other time, which was saying a lot. She had to do her best to make sure it didn’t happen again. She couldn’t afford any states of near unconsciousness in the future.
However, said opportunity was based on a rather large assumption at this point because she hadn’t even spoken to him since she saw him on Friday.
Not. One. Word.
This past week she’d met with her team every day on the status of the investigation, though there hadn’t been much in the way of progress. Jerome Parker and his SEC team were knee-deep in Fieldstein and Baxter financial reports. The focus had been on the Culpeper Hedge Fund, but they were looking at everything. As for her development with Mason, what else could she report? She hadn’t had any opportunity to get intel from him. If she hadn’t already sacrificed enough for this case, she’d feel as if she wasn’t pulling her weight, but that didn’t answer that lingering question. Why hadn’t he contacted her? She wasn’t sure how she felt about that. She should be happy. Should.
She wasn’t. Was he not as affected by her as she was him? She already knew the answer to that. Why would he be? He was used to this lifestyle, had probably spanked, and screwed, hundreds of women over the years. She wasn’t anything special to him, just another woman who wanted to explore her submissive side. The fact that Mason wasn’t as consumed with her as Rick had suspected he would be didn’t look good for her either. She had an objective to get in—earn Mason’s trust, and find out what he knew. She couldn’t do that if what little time they spent together was of the naked kind. So yeah, she wasn’t happy about no contact. If her feelings were hurt, she ignored it and focused on the problems lack of contact caused her case.
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.