Page 42 of Friends with Benefits (Club Risqué)

Ironically, it was the use of the nickname that had her composing herself and kicking back, angry at the judgement she could feel rising from him.

"You know what, Christian, although it really depends on what you think it looked like, it's not actually any of your business, either way," she spat angrily, swinging around to face him head on. "We have a club contract which extends to my accompanying you to a couple of outside functions. It does not include you interfering with my private life."

"You were the one who asked for exclusivity!" he accused.

"That's right," she agreed primly. "If and when we entered into a sexually intimate relationship, which, as yet, we have not!" she retorted, standing assuredly with her hands fisted on her hips.

"Are you in a relationship with Micah Flynn?" Christian asked bluntly.

"Well, according to your definition of a relationship, based on the one we used to have, the answer would be no!" she retorted cynically.

"So, you are, then," he returned with an edge of bitter cynicism.

Trinity's pale eyes flashed silver fire and she stalked toward him with a huge, confident, and very pissed presence that overshadowed her diminutive stature.

"Oh no, Christian. You don't get to have it both ways." She poked him in the chest and continued to punctuate each sentence in the same manner. "There aren't going to be any double standards going on here. According to you, during the three years we spent as fuck buddies…" she spat the word at him like an epithet. "…we were never in a relationship. Therefore, according to your very own reasoning and interpretation, I am not in a relationship with Micah. In fact, I'm in even less of a non-relationship with Micah than I was with you, although he does at least have the decency to remember who I am and call me by my name. Now if all you're going to do is judge the way I live my life, then you'd better leave right now and explain to him that you need a new contract."

With that, Trinity turned away with a nonchalance she was far from feeling and walked the short distance from the hallway into her living room. The ball was in his court now. She'd worked hard to get her head to where it was today and to not be taken advantage of by people who expected everything from her submissive service nature, offering nothing in return but their own narrow-minded view of how they expected her to behave.

If that was who Christian was today, then it was better she found out now before she got in too deep.

She didn't hold the past against him. He'd never promised anything more than he had given, but she was damned if she'd let him judge her for having the same kind of relationship with Micah, especially when he'd be gone again by this time next month.

She stood with her back to him, looking out of her high-rise apartment windows but not really seeing the bustling city below. She wrapped her arms protectively around her middle as she waited sadly, but expectantly, for the door to slam behind Christian when he let himself out.

She didn't hear it.

She didn't hear his silent footsteps on her plush carpet, either.

She didn't hear anything until his contrite voice sounded from behind her; close, but keeping a respectful distance. "I'm sorry."

He sounded deflated, like the resentment and anger had been shaken out of him.

When she didn't move or speak, he stepped closer until Trinity could feel his heat against her back, but still he didn't touch.

"That was small and petty of me, and I truly thought I was above such behaviour," he told her apologetically. "The truth is I was jealous."

His words made her start in surprise, and this time, she whirled around to face him, needing to see the sincerity in his face for herself.

Christian didn't give her much of a chance. He pulled her to him and squeezed her tight instead, tucking her head under his chin as he held her, saying nothing.

Trinity's head was whirling all over again. The damned man had her constantly off balance. So, she just stood there, within the comforting warmth of his embrace, and waited.

Hell, the next move could still be his.

"Can we start this whole conversation over again?" Christian asked earnestly. "I know you have a life of your own, and I know that I have no rights beyond the contract we agreed, but the past interferes with my thought processes sometimes, and I still feel kind of possessive about you. I didn't mean to come off like a jerk; I just couldn't help myself for a minute there."

He sighed, his warm breath ruffling her hair. "The truth is, the thought of you with someone else set off a reaction that I really wasn't expecting. It took me by surprise, and I acted instinctively to the jealousy that jumped up and bit me."

Trinity sighed, the fight leaving her. "I don't understand why you would think like that, but I do appreciate you being so frank with your apology, so yes, let's start over."

Christian didn't let her go straight away. "It's because I still think of you as being mine," he admitted quietly.

This time, Trinity lifted her head, frowning as she looked up at that oh so yummy face, which still had the ability to take her breath away, even after all these years and all of their history. He was still outrageously pretty, but the years and the hint of scruff on his jaw had given him a maturity that only made him more appealing.

"I never belonged to you, Christian," she denied. "That wasn't what you wanted. I knew that going in, and I agreed to your terms, regardless."

"You did belong to me, Trinity," he countered, keeping her locked within the circle of his arms. "It's not possible to have an intimate relationship that spans years and not feel that way. I was just too arrogant and too selfish to give our relationship the label it deserved."

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