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Guess the apple didn’t fall far from the tree.

But then again, my mother had really done a number on us. It took years for Dad to trust anyone after she emptied their bank accounts and ran off with his best friend.

“What happened?” I never expected Dad and Patricia to last forever, but they’d been happy together.

“She got bored.” He shrugged. “Same story, different verse.”

“Dad. No.” I set aside my packing and my own issues. “It’s rare to find someone you want to spend years with. Most of us get a few months or years here and there. You and Patricia had two years. That’s a good run.” It all sounded so useless to my own ears I wanted to cringe. I sucked at this.

“I know. I do. But…I’ve always been the kind of person who wants forever. I’m fifty-eight. Maybe I’ll never find it.”

I refused to believe that. Mostly because if Dad couldn’t find someone to love him then that meant I probably wouldn’t either. “Why don’t you come to Tampa? Spend some time here. Go to the beach. Eat seafood.” When I moved to California Dad followed a year later. He said there was no point living thousands of miles apart and since he was the one with career flexibility, he’d be the one to move.

“You’re going to stay there, aren’t you?”

I shrugged. “I’m starting to think so, but I’m not sure.” I loved being close to Seth and Everett. I enjoyed the area and all the new friends I was making here. “If they want to keep making more seasons I’m happy to stay on.”

“What about your other documentaries? You have a whole notebook full of projects to tackle.” Dad was proud of every movie I helped make, but he constantly worried I was putting my dreams on the backburner for too long.

“This is exactly what I want to be doing.”

His smile was wide and genuine. “Then I better make some travel plans.”

After I was done packing I went through my normal evening routine and then fell into a fitful sleep. I woke up thirsty so I grabbed a glass of water. An hour later I was too hot so I turned the air down. An hour after that I had to pee. I almost gave up on sleep altogether but then I finally drifted off to dreamland.

At first the dreams were utterly ridiculous. I flew through the clouds with Superman and Supergirl. Then we landed and it became a swamp I had to navigate alone to find Yoda.

I really needed to lay off the movies when I didn’t want to watch my own footage.

But then Everett appeared. We were on a spaceship and he was trying to fix something. He shot me a wicked grin. Far more wicked than anything he’d ever smiled at me in real life. This was languid and seductive and downright dastardly.

Then he grabbed my hand. “Oh no, you’re not getting away again.” And then…

…he kissed me.

My toes curled as I kissed him back. It was the most electric kiss of my life. I was desperate for more.

“I knew you’d like it,” he growled as the spaceship became my bedroom.

“Don’t stop!” I begged. And my clothes disappeared. So did Everett’s.

He hovered over me. “I love you so much, Willa. I can’t wait any longer.”

With each thrust the world spun faster and faster. I felt like I could touch the sky. I couldn’t breathe.

And then suddenly I was awake. Alone in my bed. On the verge of orgasm. “No…..” I groaned. Oh no. No, no, no! My whole body trembled with need. I knew if I touched myself I’d find my panties soaked through.

All to thoughts of Everett.

This can’t be happening. I slid the box out from under my bed and grabbed my vibrator. “He’ll never do anything. Never even try,” I told the darkness. Instead I tried to picture the hero from the last book I read. He was a pirate who did unspeakable things to the heroine. I’d used this same vibrator twice while reading that book. I imagined the scenes that had gotten me hot and bothered, but relief never came.

Not until I returned to my dream and let myself imagine what it would be like to have Everett on top of me.

I came almost instantly.

And when I was done riding out the waves I threw my vibrator across the room.

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