Page 84 of Loathe Thy Neighbor

“Dean…” she grumbles.

I laugh. “I’m kidding. Kind of. But, also, is it really all that surprising? I mean, we’re living together now. We’re seeing more of each other, in close quarters and with close contact. Last I checked, we’re two single adults who have been single for quite some time. We’re under stress and likely undersexed. It wouldn’t be completely insane for us to take advantage of the situation we’re in and relieve some of that tension.”

She chews on her bottom lip, mulling my words over as she stares at the floor in the space between us.

I don’t believe what I’m saying is far from the truth. It’s what I came up with during dinner with Holland. She was yammering on about something to do with work, and I didn’t have any interest in paying attention.

My thoughts drifted to River almost immediately.

I’m not wrong. Wearespending more time together, seeing each other in a whole new light. There’s bound to be a discovery of new desirability.

Besides, if we’re truly being honest with ourselves, there’s always been some level of attraction between us.

What’s that saying? Love and hate are two sides of the same coin?

If there’s one thing that’s become clear to me since living with River, it’s that I don’t hate her.

Not at all.

“Do you think I’m wrong?” I ask her.

“No. That seems like a fair assessment of our situation.”

“I agree.”

“And you kissing me is, what? Relieving tension? Is that what you want to do? Be make-out buddies?”

I laugh.

Kiss her?

Oh, kissing is just the beginning of what I want to do to her.

I want to see what makes her scream. What makes her toes curl. What causes her to beg and plead. I want to see her climb to the highest peaks and fall back down over and over again. Want to see how she looks at her most vulnerable.

I want to do a whole lot more than just relieve tension with a quickie.

“I want to fuck you, River.” Her throat bobs at my candidness, and I take a step forward. “It won’t just be a one-off thing, because I’m kind of greedy like that.” Another step. “I want to take my time. Learn your body. Your quirks. Your weaknesses. I want to learnyou.”

Her breaths are coming in sharper, chest heaving with…anticipation?

She likes the sound of this as much as I do.

“Are you proposing friends with benefits?”

I pull my lips up. “Did you just call us friends?” Reaching out, I brush my fingers along the skin that’s peeking out between her shirt and underwear. Her skin pebbles at the light touch. “Told you you’re getting a soft spot for me.”

“And I thought we agreed you’ve gone temporarily insane.”

I must have, haven’t I? Here I am suggesting to the girl who hates me that we start some sort of sexual arrangement while she’s allowing me to live in her apartment.

She laughs, probably thinking the same thing.

“No labels then,” she says. “No pressure. It just is what it is.”

“Just a thing we’re doing, not making a big deal out of it.”

“Right. And no butt stuff. No sleeping around with other people either.”

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