Page 71 of The Assignment: Room 3

“Flex.” It’s a plea on her lips, and I steel myself before turning to face her.

“We’re friends. It doesn’t mean we can’t eat a meal together, right?”

“I feel like I’ve upset you, and that’s the last thing I want to do.” She looks genuinely sad at the prospect.

“You’re speaking to the Dom with zero chance of catching feelings. That’s why this works.” At this moment, I realize I’m a lying sack of shit and a fucking idiot.

“Sure. I wasn’t insinuating that you have feelings for me. I know the drill.”

“Celest, take a breath. It’s fine. We’re fine. We can be friends without benefits if it bothers you. No big deal.” If I say it enough, I’ll convince myself.

“Of course.”

Fuck. I shouldn’t have strayed from the plan. Dominate at theclub, fuck, and walk away at night without a care in the world. That’s what makes today such a goddamn rookie mistake. I know nothing about my ‘good friend.’ I found out about her kid by accident because I showed up trying to fucking romance her.Stupid.

I suck it up and grab her hand, dragging her the few feet to the restaurant’s door. “We’re supposed to be having fun. You’re going to love the food.”

She visibly relaxes, her hand gripping mine a little too tight. I’ve just made this situation complicated, and I didn’t even see it coming. I’ve gone from a Dom with no capacity for love to a sappy moron. The fact that I convinced myself I wasn’t planning a romantic getaway is just fucking dumb.

I take control of the situation because that’s what I’m supposed to do. This is as simple as I want to make it. Lunch. Fuck. Drop her home.

Once we’re seated across from each other, there’s nowhere to hide. I can see she’s uneasy, but we get through ordering drinks and picking from the menu before I address the elephant in the room. “Your daughter is very cute.”

“Flex…” She can’t even look at me, picking at the black cloth napkin.

“Why didn’t you tell me you have a kid?”

“You never asked.” It’s such a copout.

“Seriously?”

“This is exactly why. It changes everything. You don’t see me as the hot sub at the club who will drop to her knees and deepthroat you on command.”

“That’s bullshit. We’re friends. Maybe more than friends. Or at least I thought we were. Don’t make me out to be the one with an issue here. You didn’t give me a chance to react.”

“Because it always ends the same way. I’m a great lay and willing to take any punishment with a smile. I’m good for what’s between my legs, not between my ears.” Her confession is disturbing, and I’m part of the problem.Friends with benefits. I’m a sorry excuse for a Dom.

I grab her hand across the table, ensuring she’ll focus on whatI’m about to say. “I’m so sorry if that’s how I made you feel. I don’t see you that way.”

“Our whole arrangement is based on my pussy.” The resignation in her voice is my undoing.

“If that’s truly how you feel, then sex is off the table.”

“What?”

I rub circles on the back of her hand with my thumb. “Our friendship is more important to me.Youare more important to me than just sex. When I’ve convinced you of that, and you feel the time is right, we can still spark up our deal.”

“You just want to be my friend?” She looks at me as if I just grew a second head.

“Is it inconceivable that I could be friends with a woman without sleeping with her?”

“Yeah. You’re… you,” she says with a shy smile.

“What does that mean?”

“Every inch of your body exudes sex. Your face is beyond handsome. Your body was carved by the gods, the embodiment of lust incarnate. Every sub at Venom wants to be in your bed.”

“I might have to marry you now. No one has ever described me with such positivity.”

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