Page 42 of Friends With Benefits

“Yeah,” he said finally, the nausea still rolling in his stomach. “Before we had sex.”

“We never did talk the other night,” she continued, her fingers twirling a strand of hair around one finger. “But I know you aren’t looking for any kind of long-term relationship. I know what you think of marriage.” Her smile might have held a hint of regret. “So, it’s okay. Don’t worry. I’m not going to push for anything. We’ll just go on being friends. Only now it will be friends with benefits.”

“Friends with benefits,” he repeated stupidly. Jesus. He thrust a hand through his hair, leaned back against her kitchen counter. “Benefits” did not begin to express what had happened between them, but whatever.

“Yes,” she said, nodding. “You know…fuck buddies.”

“Christ,” he said again, temporarily robbed of vocabulary. This was not going exactly like he’d planned. “And you…you’re okay with that?”

She smiled tentatively. “Well, sure. I don’t really understand what happened, but I think we were both so hot and bothered we just couldn’t help it. Maybe this is what we need…you know, some kind of tension release. But we can still be friends, right?”

He stared at her with incredulous stupefaction. Then he shook his head.

“You know what,” he said slowly. “I just cooled off.”

She stared at him in dismay. “But…Mitch…”

He forced a smile. “Thanks for dinner, Kerr. I gotta go. I’ll talk to you later this week.” He left her staring after him with a bewildered look on her face.

In his car his eyes fell gloomily and regretfully on the box of condoms.

Kerri stood trembling in her kitchen, her hand to her mouth, her mind a scramble of confusion.

What had just happened? They’d had such a nice dinner and things were just heating up and then…wham! They had a big fight again. Almost like he was jealous of Liam. But he had no reason to think they had an exclusive relationship. Hell, what kind of relationshipdidthey have?

All she knew for sure was that they were friends. Friends who were having sex. And, since he’d stormed out in a big sulk, maybe they weren’t even friends any more. She swallowed back tears that threatened as she stared at the pots still sitting in the sink, then she mindlessly set to scrubbing, putting stuff in the dishwasher, and wiping counters until her little kitchen was spotless. She dried her hands on a towel and looked around the kitchen which now showed no signs of the wonderful dinner they’d shared together, talking, laughing, just like it used to be—except even better with a little added zing of sexual anticipation.

As usual, yoga was her salvation, and she went into her bedroom to stretch and move through some asanas. She needed some major chakra balancing. She was going to have to read up on more than just tantra the way things were going. Her mind had never been so messed up.

She lay down on her bedroom floor and did some warm-up moves. Rising, she moved through the sun salutation several times, varying it slightly each time. Finally, she lay down for shavasana, feet apart, arms at her sides, and closed her eyes.

Of course, laying there with her eyes closed was when she started thinking about Mitch.

The phone interrupted her confused thoughts. Hailey wanted to get a bunch of people together to go to a wine tasting event being held at the Biltmore on Friday night. Kerri was happy to do anything that would take her mind off Mitch.

She couldn’t stop thinking about how he’d stormed out earlier.

Maybe she just needed to give up on her friendship with Mitch.

It made her hurt inside to think that but she really didn’t know what else to do.

***

Kerri had actually gotten the idea for one of her new classes from Mitch, even though he wouldn’t come to yoga. Maybe guys would come if it was an all-guys class. She could even target it to executives. Tell them it would improve their bottom line. She snorted as she worked on her computer. Bottom line was everything to business people. But still, there were definite tangible business benefits she could sell.

Also, her kids class—what a great idea. She loved kids and had five nieces and nephews under the age of ten. Sela’s kids were older now, they came to her regular classes, but her two brothers’ children would love it. And she knew how the excess energy of the boys drove their mothers crazy sometimes. This would help them calm down, focus their energy and she could do it in a way that would appeal to kids.

She had also added classes at different times to the schedule, now that she had additional instructors to take those on. Dianna and Kim both seemed eager and enthusiastic, reminding her of herself. So that must mean they’d be a good fit. They were off to L.A. to take an instructors’ course next week and then they’d be ready to go.

When Liam called to ask if she wanted to go out Friday night, she’d already made those plans with Hailey to go to the wine tasting. Somehow, though, she found herself asking him to join them. It wasn’t a date, she told herself, although even if it was, she didn’t know why she felt a need to justify it.

Why shouldn’t she invite him along? Why shouldn’t she go out with him for that matter? She and Mitch hadn’t exactly sorted out what was happening with their relationship. In fact, she hadn’t heard from him all week, the jerk. Besides, Hailey knew Liam, so this was actually a chance for him to reconnect with people at home after being away for so long.

She called Hailey back and told her she was bringing Liam along.

“Oh,” Hailey said.

“Is that a problem? I thought a bunch of us were going.”

---