“Hey.” My voice is raspy with sleep.

“I’m sorry. I forgot the time difference. I didn’t mean to wake you.” Ethan is slurring and difficult to hear.

I rub my eyes. “Where are you?”

“In my room. D’you see the game t’night?”

“You scored a goal in the second period.” I move the papers from my lap, which haven’t fared well, since it appears I tried to snuggle with them.

“D’you see the assist in the third?”

“I might’ve fallen asleep. I recorded it, though, so I can watch it later. Did you do a little celebrating?” I try not to think about all the bunnies hanging around after the games, or women like Selene who know exactly how proficient Ethan is in the bedroom. I looked up the puck bunny wannabe once I got home—she’s been in more than a few magazines.

“Just a few beers with the guys. I wish you were here. Home in five days, though. Then I get you back in my bed. I miss you.”

He’s a little scattered. Still amped up from the win and the alcohol, I’m guessing. I want to ask about the bunnies, but I bite my tongue, aware it will only make me look insecure and dampen his good mood. The bunny stuff never bothered me when we were younger. But then, there weren’t any Selenes back then, either. It doesn’t matter that he’s always asking me to come to his games, at home and out of town, or the constant little gifts that show up at my door in his absence. I still can’t shake the worry. “I miss you, too.”

“You have a rough day, baby? You sound a little down. Oh, shit—you had the midterm, didn’t you? You killed it, right?”

“I think it went well, considering.” My still-hungover state and my complete lack of preparation being the parts to consider. I can’t tell him the truth, not when he’s riding this high.

He’s not responsible for my inability to say no to him, or my poor study habits. When he’s home, I’ll set some boundaries for him and myself.

“You’ve got this. I should probably let you sleep, yeah? You’ve gotta work in the morning and I need to do something about my hard-on.”

I bark out a laugh. “Nice, Ethan.”

“Unless you wanna help me out.”

“Kind of hard to do from two time zones away.” It’s a joke, but there’s a tightness in my throat that has everything to do with having met his former swimsuit model fling this past weekend.

His voice goes low. “You could talk me through it, be my cheerleader.”

“You and I both know I never would’ve made the squad.”

“My personal cheerleader. No fucking way would I have wanted you bouncing around in one of those little skirts in front of anyone but me.”

“The sundresses you liked so much back then didn’t cover much more than those cheer skirts.”

“I wish I still had a locker for you to leave your panties in. Tuesdays were my favorite in sophomore year.”

Leaving my panties in his locker during second period used to be my code for “Let’s have lunch at home.” Obviously any eating that happened didn’t involve food.

He groans and I have to wonder what’s happening on the other end of the line. “Hey, I have a fantastic idea. I should call you back on video chat.”

I need sleep desperately. “Don’t you have a roommate?”

“He’s off to some club. Won’t be back for a few hours at the very least. Whaddya say?”

I should tell him he can wait to see me in five days. But I don’t. Because I miss him. Because he wants me. Because I want him, too, and I don’t want him to end up at some club with someone who isn’t me.

Less than one minute later I’m staring at Ethan naked on my phone screen. “Fuck this. Hold on. I’m getting my iPad. Get naked, baby.”

He hangs up and calls back while I’m in the middle of taking off my shirt.

He’s sprawled out on the hotel bed, pillows propped behind him. His fist is wrapped around his erection, stroking slowly, eyes on the screen. “Fuck, I wanna touch you.”

I bite my lip and get up on my knees and adjust the position of the phone so my head isn’t cut off.

Ethan’s lip curls up into a sexy smirk. “You gonna strip for me?”

I slip my fingers into the waist of my sleep shorts and push them over my hips, pausing at the crest of my pelvis.

Ethan’s thumb slips over the head of his erection. “Don’t stop now. I wanna see all of you.”

I turn around so my ass is facing the phone and peek over my shoulder as I lower my shorts.

“Fuuuuck, Lilah. So sexy.”

I shimmy the shorts lower and hold the headboard so I can take them off the rest of the way. Once I’m naked, I move so I’m angled to the side.

“Where would you want me to touch you if I were there with you?” Ethan asks, chest rising and falling faster, muscles in his arms flexing as he continues to stroke himself.

“I’d want you to kiss me.” I touch my fingers to my lips. “Here first.” I circle a nipple. “Then here.” Then walk my fingers down my stomach. I shift so I’m facing him and part my legs, dragging a single finger along my slit with a soft moan. “And here. You’d make me come with your mouth before you fucked me.”

Ethan nods. “I sure as fuck would.”

“But since you’re not here … ” I pout a little and reverse the circuit. Dragging my finger all the way back up my body, I slip it into my mouth. “I’ll just have to do it myself, won’t I?”

Ethan’s eyes are locked on my mouth as I run my tongue over my index and middle fingers. “You’re gonna make yourself come for me, now?”

“Is that what you want? You want me to finger fuck myself while you fuck your fist?”

“Listen to that dirty mouth.” Ethan’s lip curls in a sneer.

“If you were here, you could fill it with your cock.” I grin as his mouth drops open and I slide two fingers inside me on a groan.

It’s a heady feeling, this power I suddenly wield. I can keep him happy. Give him what he needs even when I can’t be with him. I can be whatever he wants.

His fist moves at a punishing pace, much faster and harder than I ever stroke him. I come right after he does, his name a scream on my lips.

Four days later I’m still exhausted and lacking sleep. It turns out Ethan is a big fan of video chat conversations and feels like he’s been missing out on the benefits all these months. I’m actually grateful this discovery didn’t happen until now, because Ethan’s time away gave my poor body a break from all the intense friction. Now I’m hopeful the Epsom salt baths will be enough to prepare me for his return tomorrow.

Minnesota won the last two games, and last night Ethan scored another goal and added two assists to his stats. His performance on the ice is garnering positive attention in the media. The sportscasters are referencing his time with LA, when he’d been one of the most promising new players in the league. While it’s exciting to see him rise to his potential, I worry about what this means for the future. On one hand, Minnesota may want to keep him, but there’s also a possibility—and a good one—that other teams will be looking to pick him up. It’s unnerving to feel so wrapped up in him, not knowing what the future will look like.