Page 3 of Welcome to the Friendzone

Oliver’s finger gently circled around the ugly scar on Marta’s lower belly, making her remember the bullet that had entered her body more than three years ago. She huffed and turned her body away from him. The blond Agent was taken aback, turning on his side and wrapping one arm around Marta’s waist while he carefully placed a tender kiss between her shoulder blades.

The second gunshot wound was right in front of his eyes, but Marta had always been vulnerable with both of them whenever she stripped out of her clothes.

“What’s wrong?” he murmured against her warm skin.

“Nothing.”

“Marta.” His voice was sterner now, warning.

He knew she was lying. Although they'd only been dating for a few months, they had been friends for years.

“I don’t like the scars.” She mumbled in her pillow, but Oliver knew it wasn’t the full truth.

“I think you’re beautiful no matter how many scars you have on your body.” He emphasized his statement with a few kisses along her shoulders and neck.

“You have to say that because you want to have sex with me.” Marta sighed, not able to accept the compliment Oliver was giving her.

She felt herself being pulled into his arms as his lips continued their gentle assault on her neck.

“It’s not about the sex, Marta. Well, the sex is good, but that’s not the point. I like you. A lot. I told you I’d ask you out over and over again until you say yes to a date with me. An official date, not a date as friends.”

She wanted to be angry at him for bringing up that topic again. Half a year ago Marta had made herself very clear,very clear, that she didn’t want to have a romantic relationship with him, but it was Oliver and his charming smile, his ability to make her feel loved, to make her smile and laugh that drew her to him over and over again. It had ended with them having sex for the first time, drunk, on New Year’s Eve. Oliver, as the hopelessly romantic man that he was, saw this as his new chance to finally turn the gears towards a relationship, but Marta insisted on being friends with benefits.

“Say something.” He whispered nervously at her neck, leaving featherlight touches with his lips along her cervical spine.

“What do you want me to say?” She sighed.

“Anything. Just don’t leave me hanging.”

“If I remember last night correctly, I didn’t leave you hanging for a single second, Oliver.”

A loud laughter could be heard behind her, hurting her ears by the intensity and volume. Oliver hadn’t expected this response at all.

“Touché.” He said between shallow breaths.

But instead of just accepting his defeat he whispered:

“Go on a date with me, Marta Gómez. Please.”

Marta sighed deeply, looking for the right answer without hurting him too much. When she opened her mouth to respond the word “Okay” left her mouth, surprising not only Oliver but also herself. She didn’t want to say that, she didn’t want to agree to a date with him. Why the hell did her body do that? Why did her mouth betray her like that?

Oliver stiffened behind her, unsure if it was only a joke or if she really meant it. Did she mean it? She wasn’t sure herself.

“You serious?” he asked, his voice dripping with confusion and fear of getting rejected again.

“Yeah. No. I mean. I don’t know.”

Oliver tried to turn her body around so that he was able to face her but she refused and stayed in her position so he pushed himself off the mattress and climbed over her so that he was lying in front of her. His dorky behavior made her laugh and the way he looked at her right now were bandaids on the cracks that still decorated her heart. This man was driving her crazy.

“What does that mean? Are you going on a date with me or not?”

She had never seen him look at her with so much hope behind his blue-green eyes. He’d asked her for a date so many times, but every time he knew she would decline. Her reaction shocked him, just as much as it shocked her.

“Yeah. I think so. I’m coming on a date with you.” She smiled at him, seeing his eyes widen. First in surprise, then happiness.

“Really?”

“If you ask me one more time, I’ll say no.”

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