Page 8 of Bang Buddies With Benefits
I flashed him a wide smile and wrapped my arm around Catalina’s shoulders, curling her tight to my side. “That’s right. This badass, fiery feminist is all mine. I’m one lucky guy.Trust me.”
Color drained from his features, his pale demeanor conveying using his own words against him was working better than anything else I could’ve said or done earlier.
“Why, Catalina,” the older guy in the glasses said. “Why didn’t you mention this development earlier, during our discussion? This changes everything.”
The smile that curved her lips was too tight, although I highly doubted they knew the woman under the ball-crusher façade well enough to notice. I, myself, had only gotten glimpses, in those rare moments when she let down her guard. I also had a thing for her smile and the little dimple that’d form in her cheek, so I’d paid it extra attention over the years. “I guess I didn’t think it should matter.”
Damn. Hadn’t the woman heard about catching more flies with honey? I understood why she wouldn’t pull her punches in court, but if they were insinuating what I assumed they were, her biggest goal in life was to make partner.
I shifted forward so they’d focus on me instead of the sneer beginning to form on Cat’s face. “It’s also new. I popped the question while on my trip.” I lifted her hand, displaying the lack of a ring so we’d be two steps ahead instead of playing catch up. “I haven’t even bought her a ring yet, but I swear I’m working on it.”
“Darling, don’t you remember how I told you that I don’t require a diamond ring as proof of your affection? That I don’t feel the need to have a cuff of any kind?” Weren’t lawyers supposed to be good at twisting the truth? The falsetto of her voice was going to give our falseness away.
Also,affection? Could she not even say the wordlovewhile faking being committed to another person? She’d started this spiderweb of lies, and it looked like it was on me to spin the final touches.
“There’s the feminist I know and love.” I jostled her slightly, ignoring the flash of murderous intent she aimed my way, and said, “We’re still negotiating. Lawyers, am I right?”
That earned me chuckles from the peanut gallery. From all except the dude fretting over how much of his earlier remarks I’d share with Catalina, and if he should prepare himself to fear her wrath.
He absolutely should, always and forever, whether or not I ended up telling her about the exchange.
She pivoted toward me, her breasts grazing my upper arm, and then she pounded my chest with extra gusto. “Shouldn’t you get back to slinging drinks? I’m sure there are people out there who are missing that flair you add to everything.”
“Of course. You’re so right, kitty cat.” I pecked her pursed lips. “I’ll see you after the party wraps up so that you and I can wrap up our…plans. Nice meeting everyone,” I said, regardless of the fact that Catalina hadn’t properly introduced any of us, and backed toward the door.
“Wait a second, um…” The gentleman with the air of superiority looked to Catalina. “What was his name?”
“Zac,” she and I answered at the same time. “Bill, Gary, Mark, Roger, this is Zac. Sorry that I forgot to officially introduce you.
Bill was obviously the head honcho. He tugged on the sides of his suit jacket, the bling of his cuffs and rings a showing of his status and wealth. “Well, Zac, I assume this means you’ll be joining us for our big company party?”
“I mean…” How to answer this without offending. “Isn’t this your big company party?”
The man’s laugh was a pinch condescending, something I dealt with enough at the bar it didn’t much phase me. “Oh no. We attend this for networking. The party the Law Offices of Smith, Johnson, and Jones throw is next month, and will take place on a yacht in the harbor. It’ll be far nicer than this one, I assure you.”
This time, I pretended not to understand the message Catalina was trying to convey with her laser-sharp glare and slight shake of her head. “Why, thank you for the invite, Bill—is it okay if I call you Bill?”
The jovial nod of his head affirmed I could, which I already knew. There was more crossover in the barkeep, therapist, and psychic fields than one would think. I could read people fairly easy. For instance, Cat’s daggered gaze was screaming that under no circumstances, was I to answer the question about the party with the affirmative.
She and I tended to push each other’s buttons a lot, and I wasn’t only talking about the sexual ones that made her moan and scream and cry my name. Which was why I took a little too much pleasure saying, “I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
Unless, of course, my fuck buddy killed me first.
3
Catalina
“I’m going to straight-up murder you,” I said to Zac as he shoved me into a supply closet he’d scouted out while I’d been wishing the rest of the partygoers farewell. It was a good find, nice and roomy, with a couple of chairs stacked in the corner and piles of folded white tablecloths. The open bin of silverware wrapped in linen napkins caught my eye, and I lifted one of the bundles. “How’d you like to go? Fork or dull butterknife?”
“Yeah, yeah.” He snaked his arm around my waist, drawing me to him and placing a hard kiss on my mouth. “Less threatening, more getting naked and underneath me.”
If I wasn’t still all hot and bothered after our interrupted make out session in the hallway, I’d tell him he could go fuck himself—literally. But I desperately wanted him to fuck me instead, and honestly, sometimes the less conversing we did the better.
That was why we didn’t meet up for strolls in the park beforehand. Occasionally I’d have a drink or two with him at the noisy bar, but much longer and we’d be pissing off each other instead of getting off together.
Supply closets were definitely more our jam, and that was the beauty of our arrangement. Limited small talk, no pressure or strings or any of the other obligations and tumultuous ups and downs that came along with other people and steady relationships.
Just carpe the dick or clit, and incredible, mind-blowing sex. We’re talking interstellar. I not only saw stars; I was fully onboard with him abducting my body and wringing out every last drop of pleasure.
