Page 139 of Neighbors With Benefits

Karen held his hand. “Or call them Karen, as if the name is a pejorative!”

Ugh. There was the guilty feeling again. I was the bad guy here.

“I’m sorry,” I said in a small voice. “I have been unfair to both of you.”

“Thank you, but we do not need an apology from you,” Karen said. “Dear, a word of advice from someone who has been around alotlonger than you. The four of you are consenting adults. You seem to make each other happy. I know that is terrifying…” She squeezed Howard’s hand tighter. “…but you must not allow that fear to ruin something genuine. It’s too rare in this world to simply throw away.”

“Very rare,” Howard agreed.

“We’ve watched a lot of love on this street come and go. I can say, with complete honesty, that the four of you are the sweetest, happiest, purest relationship that we have ever seen.”

Howard was nodding along, staring at me with those big eyes.

“Do whatever you want,” Karen concluded. “You are an adult who can make her own decisions. But it would be such a shame to see a beautiful thing ruined by fear.”

“That’s really sweet of you to say,” I replied. “Kind of creepy, but sweet.”

Suddenly, someone banged violently on the front door. Howard jumped up and let out a moan of fear.

“Let us in!” shouted Aiden from outside. “Or we’ll knock the door down!”

56

Dante

I felt uncharacteristically excited as I rode home in the Uber. I wasn’t the kind of guy who liked throwing surprises. It felt underhanded. I preferred to justtellpeople about a birthday party or other surprise event, rather than just springing it on them without warning.

But there was something about Jazz that was changing me. I wanted to surprise her by coming home early. I couldn’t wait to see her face when she got home and I was waiting on the front porch.

I had been thinking about her a lot lately. That was new for me, too. I was good at compartmentalizing things in my life. When I was at work, I focused on work. When I was traveling, I focused on traveling. When I was in bed with a woman, tangled legs and sheets, I gave them all of myself.

But this past trip had been different. As soon as I went out of town, I found myself missing Jazz. I dreamed about her at night, and found my mind constantly drifting in her direction during the day. Soon I was counting down the days until I would see her again.

I fucking hated it. I was proud of my independence. I usually didn’t allow anyone, man or woman, to affect my emotions like this.

But I also kind of loved it.

This feeling was sonew.

The Uber pulled into our neighborhood, made two turns, and then we were on my street. I gazed out the window, watching the houses float by…

And there she was. Jazz, the woman I had been fantasizing about every night, wearing colorful leggings and a crop top, like a neon billboard flashing in the darkness. She must have been walking back from Pickleball.

I want to lick the sweat off every inch of her body.

The intrusive thought was sudden and powerful. Seeing Jazz was so much better than thinking about her. I could have her in my armswithin minutes.

But she wasn’t alone. Voldemort was in front of her, checking his mail. She flinched when she saw him, then abruptly ran away.

Directly into a lamppost.

“Fuck!” I said, reaching for the window controls. “Hey! The window won’t work!”

“Child locks!” the Uber driver said.

“Pull over!” I demanded. “Right here!”

“I’ve got your address right up here, hold your horses sir…”

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