Page 68 of Reply All
My eyes widen, breath catching. “The sample closet?”Act cool. Act cool. Do not freak out.Do not blow this. You are just a few minutes away from living out your movie montage makeover fantasy.“I… Yes, I would love to borrow a black tie dress for tonight.”
“Okay, then. Tell Marina from product development to give you something—not too boring and not too sexy, please. We don’t want them to think you’re matronly or a Kardashian.”
I snort and nod before leaving her office, walking with purpose to the elevators. While I wait, I text Will:
Bridget
Lena’s got me on some super secret mission for work, so I’m not gonna be able to hang tonight.
After what happenedbetween us the night of his mom’s birthday party, Will and I had decided that denying the intense chemistry between us was a bit ridiculous. It was obvious there was a spark there, and we both enjoyed more than each other’s company.
“We’re adults,” I’d told him as we’d lain naked in bed, his fingers trailing a path up and down my spine. “We can do this just for fun, right?”
It was a pathetic attempt by me to have whatever part of Will he’d be willing to give me. If I couldn’t have his heart, I could at least have his friendship and body, right? The silver-lining of it all?
He didn’t look as enthused by the idea as I thought he would—and it stung. “You mean do a friends-with-benefits thing? Are you sure?”
Did he think I couldn’t handle myself? That I wouldn’t be able to separate sex from romantic feelings for him? I half wanted to tell him that of course I could. After all, I’d fallen in love with him way before I ever laid eyes on him.
“I’m sure.” I stretched to kiss Will, to taste him and reassure him that I was in it. “You’re kinda my best friend. And also the best sex I’ve ever had.”
This made him laugh, even made his cheeks flush a little. He slinked an arm around my waist and brought me closer to him. “Ditto. And ditto.”
“So let’s do this.”
“Alright,” he grinned, though his smile didn’t reach his eyes. “What are our rules? We gotta have some rules, right?”
I paused to think, scanning his face for every minute change in his expression, searching for… something. But his face had slipped into a comfortable poker face.
“I don’t know,” I said finally with a shrug. “I just know I enjoy doing this. Maybe the rule is we keep doing this until we stop enjoying it? Simple as that?”
He bent to place a soft kiss on my shoulder, raising goosebumps on my skin. “I can do that. But what about exclusivity?”
Every muscle in my body tensed, though I tried my best to play it cool. I took a deep breath to regulate my heartbeat before answering to the best of my abilities. “I don’t think… I don’t think I’d be able to do this if you were still sleeping with other people.”
“There are no other people, Bridge.” His voice was soft, eyes intense.
“Then why did you ask?”
“Because I wanted to know whether there were other people foryou. Whetheryou’reseeing other people.”
“Oh. Well, I’m not seeing anyone.”
He smiles. “Well, alright then. The rules are we’re exclusive, and we stop doing this once it stops being fun and/or we want to start seeing other people.”
“Deal.”
And with that, we’d agreed to continue our friendship—and added some serious benefits to it.
Our friendship has remained the same—we still text often, support each other, and hang out all the time. Only now, some of his messages have turned spicy (again) and whenever he comes over, we often end up in bed—or the shower or kitchen counter or the floor or against my damn front door.
Ginger has gotten attached to him, too. Will bribes her with treats and cuddles every time he comes over, and honestly I don’t blame her. There’s no way anyone could resist a good cuddle from that man. When Will sleeps over, she nudges herself between us if we’re spooning, purrs loudly the second he pets her.
We’re both head over heels for Will Jacobs and I can feel the danger of it. But I still can’t help myself.
Maybe a night away from him will be good after all.
Will
