Page 8 of Don't Fall For Your Best Friend

I’m stunned because I never thought about what all this would entail. Fuck, I’ll get to be intimate with her. Touch her? My mind swirls with endless possibilities. But I push those thoughts away and make a joke to deflect, “Damn, count me out.”

She sighs, tossing her pen down. “If you aren’t going to take this seriously, I’ll just do it on my own. We need to be like a real couple while doing this. Because this article has to be in depth, and I think if we pretend we’re all in while doing this…” her words fall away.

“Oh, come on, I’m joking. Of course, there’ll be no actual sex. I know this is about your article, nothing more. I’m teasing you like I always do. Keep going.” I pick up her pen and hand it to her.

She snatches it from my hand and puts a large check next to rule number three.

“Okay, rule number four is we keep our underwear on at all times.”

“Yeah, that helps to make sure rule number three doesn’t happen.” I smirk, and she responds with a narrowed gaze. “It’s a good rule, Hart. I’m totally down with it.”

She blows out a breath. “This isn’t easy for me, Pax. Part of me wants to give up the assignment because I’m not comfortable with any of this.” Her eyes search mine.

It hurts to see the uncertainty reflected in her eyes. She doesn’t give herself the recognition she deserves. I wish she saw herself the way I see her—strong and confident.

By the end of this, she will. This can be the perfect opportunity for her to push her boundaries, with rules of course, that will allow her to see how amazing she is.

“I know it’s challenging, but you got this. And I’m here to help. So keep going because your rules are effective and well thought out. We’ve got this.”

A small smile hits her lips, and she nods, turning her attention back to the paper. “Rule number five, the last one.” She glances up at me, keeping her eyes locked with mine. “The minute things get weird for either of us, we shut it down immediately.”

“Hell yes. That should be the number one rule.”

I don’t anticipate feeling uncomfortable, but she might, and knowing she can shut it down will help a lot.

I won’t lose her as a friend.

“How about a safe word?” I suggest.

“Oh, yes. I like that idea.” She bites the end of her pen, searching my eyes. “What should it be?”

“Well, considering that strawberries are your ultimate food obsession, how about we go with that?”

She writes the safe word as if she needs to go home and study it to remember it. “Perfect.”

“Hart, this is going to be fun. We’re going to have some laughs, learn some new things, and you’ll write the best article ever. Your boss will be blown away.”

She leans back in the chair. “I do appreciate this, Paxton. It’s just weird and completely uncomfortable.”

“A little fucked up too,” I say, causing us both to laugh.

“Yeah, it’s definitely a little fucked up.” She squeezes her hands together on the table as she looks behind us at the closed door.

“No one is coming in,” I reassure her.

“So, I was researching, and I think we need to go to a community munch.”

“Community lunch?” I ask, dipping my eyebrows.

She groans, shaking her head. “Munch with an M. It’s a place for people who are into BDSM to meet up and talk or something.”

I nod, running my hand down my mouth. “Like an appetizer before the entrée?”

She shrugs. “I guess, but no one can see us. The rumors would be unfixable.”

She’s right. If my brothers saw us together at something like that, they would torture me endlessly. Magnolia Ridge is much too small of a town. Everyone knows everyone. They also know everyone’s business, and gossip spreads faster than wildfire in a dry forest.

“So, we can go to Saint Pierce,” she says. “I’m sure in that big city they have community munches all over the place.” She looks down at her paper and back up at me. “This isn’t the stupidest idea ever, right?”

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