Page 48 of Neighbors With Benefits

He meant it as a joke, but obviously Iwastalking about him. Thinking quickly, I switched text conversations. “I’ve been laughing about this wrong number I texted a while back. Check it out.”

I showed him the weird wrong number conversation from the day of my housewarming party. Bash’s eyes widened as he read it, then a calm expression came over him. “Huh. That’s crazy,” he said in a monotone.

“I thought I was texting Aiden! I wanted to borrow dishwasher detergent! That stranger, whoever it was, decided to mess with me.”

“Yeah, they’re messing with you,” Bash said absently. “That offer definitely isn’t serious.”

“Too bad,” I said jokingly. “Having my own harem of men? That’s the dream, ha ha.”

Bash chuckled along with me, and we resumed the game.

But he seemed more distant after that.

17

Aiden

I normally enjoyed traveling for work. I liked training people on my company’s software and processes—I could never be anactualteacher for children, but for my job I was only working with adults. People who were genuinely interested in learning. It made it easy, and fulfilling.

But leaving Jazz sucked.

Yeah, we weren’t together like a real couple. Sure, it was supposed to be casual. But I couldn’t help but miss her. We’d been having sex a few times a week for nearly a month, and I had come to look forward to those steamy, romantic nights together.

Maybe it was for the best that I was traveling. It would keep me from getting too attached.

Easier said than done.

On Tuesday night, I stopped by a grocery store after work and picked up some supplies. I had paid extra for a room with a kitchenette and oven. It wasn’t the best baking environment, but I could make it work. I had a list of six chocolate desserts I wanted to send Jazz while I was out of town, and the first was acookie recipe that was the simplest to make in a mediocre hotel room.

While the cookies cooled, I laid in bed and stared at my phone. Re-reading all the texts we had shared for the past month. Re-living the secrecy and intimacy and sexy fun. I wanted to text her right now, but I was afraid of seeming too needy. Besides, I wasn’t sure what to say.

I’ll miss you.

That was the part I kept reading. By saying that, she had shown a little vulnerability first. It was nice knowing I had someone back home, waiting for me.

But that didn’t mean we were moving toward any kind of a relationship. She probably just meant she would miss all the sex. Which was normal in a friends-with-benefits situation.

Be cool, Aiden. Don’t seem too eager or you might scare her away.

I was still telling myself that when the text thread suddenly updated.

Jazz: I just had game night with Bash. It was fun, but not the same without you.

Me: In the sense that you didn’t get to orgasm at the end of the night?

Jazz: Yes. Exactly in that sense.

Before I could think of something witty to respond with, she texted me a photo.

Asexyphoto.

She was standing in front of the bathroom mirror in her bra and panties. It was a push-up bra, giving her a delicious amountof cleavage. And she was pursing her plump lips together in a way that made me think of the last time we had been together.

The photo disappeared; Bash was calling me. I hit ignore and returned to my text with Jazz.

Me: Oh.

Jazz: Oh? All I get is an oh?

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