Page 7 of Business or Pleasure

We filled the car with the sounds of our harsh breathing, the friction between our bodies, and the small gasps and grunts of effort and pleasure. I didn’t know his name, and he didn’t know mine. We didn’t talk at all, just brought our bodies together over and over, having another dance. Speeding up, we raced toward the inevitable end, and I followed him into mind-numbing pleasure that leeched all the tension from my body in one bright explosion.

Three

Baylen

“I thought after that cow, Keli, that Alec had sworn off women.” Colin Irons flicked a sunflower seed shell at me. “I remember him saying something like that.”

“Lumen’s different,” I said, sweeping the shell into my hand and depositing it in the trash can. “At least, that’s what he says.”

“Does she have an extra t–” Before Colin could finish the word, a balled-up napkin hit him right between the eyes. “Bloody hell, Cirion. You coulda put my eye out!”

Despite the words, Colin’s green eyes were bright with laughter. It was good to see that light again. He’d always been the prankster of the group, the one always getting us in trouble for laughing at inappropriate moments. But over the last few years, the persona he put on for the business world had also become the face he showed to everyone, even his closest friends.

“You should thank me for improving yer looks,” Cirion O’Neal shot back.

“I’m the best of the lot of us,” Colin said. “Ask anyone.”

Cirion laughed. “Yer off yer head.”

Colin looked to Pierre Dupont, the fifth of our circle of friends. He shrugged and put up his hands as if to say to leave him out of the debate. Typical of him. He changed the least of all of us.

They were all a year younger than Alec and me, but from the moment we met them our second year at university, it’d been as if we’d always known each other.

We remained in touch even after Alec returned to the States, and whenever he came back into town, we'd go for drinks together. While the rest of us had stayed in Scotland, we’d gone to different cities, and we were all busy enough that we only got together when Alec was here.

“Baylen, you can be impartial,” Colin said. “Who’s the best looking of the lot?”

I raised an eyebrow. “Hate to break it to you, but you’re not my type.”

Cirion burst out laughing, and even Pierre cracked a smile. We’d been having this argument for as long as we’d known each other. That was how we’d all met. Colin and Cirion were flatmates in the same building where Alec and I lived, with Pierre’s flat across the hall from theirs. Arguing about who was the more attractive, they took a poll of neighbors. Ever since, we were all inseparable, at least for the rest of our university years.

“What is your ‘type’ these days?” Colin asked before popping another seed into his mouth. “Right hand or left?”

I held up a middle finger in response.

“Seriously, Baylen, when was the last time you had a date?” Cirion asked. “Please tell me it wasn’t Angie.”

“Never did like her,” Colin said, shaking his head. “Always thought she was…twitchy.”

“She was my fiancée,” I reminded Colin and Cirion. “And we only broke up two months ago.”

“She’s already married,” Colin shot back.

“I believe he knows that,” Pierre said, his tone mild. “She was already married before she broke up with him.”

“Thanks for the reminder.” I glared at both of them. “Wankers.”

“Which brings us back to–right or left hand.” Cirion grinned at me and shrugged when I flipped him off again. “I had to say it.”

“Did you?” I picked up the paper that he’d thrown at Colin and threw it back at him.

The bell from my door went off, interrupting—or at least postponing—any retaliation. “Make yourselves useful.”

I left them to it and went to answer the door.

The woman at Alec’s side was a pretty blonde, with azure eyes and a sweet smile. The way she looked at him made something in me twist. Even though they weren't engaged, I could tell they were more in love than Angie and I ever had been.

I pushed aside the twinge from that and let everyone inside.

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