Page 54 of Almost Love

Disgusting.

Oakley

Cherry Bomb?

Clementine

What.

Oakley

Dumpling seems like a winner.

Maybe Babycakes.

Clementine

I’ll see you at the shop.

Oakley

Okay, Babycakes.

Rolling her eyes, she fought back a smile and grabbed the box of donuts on her way out. When she pulled up in front of the tattoo shop, he was already waiting for her. Dressed in dark jeans and a chambray shirt with the sleeves folded up to reveal his forearms, he was a distracting sight. She’d barely put the truck into park when her door swung open.

“Babycakes.”

“Oakley,” she drawled, handing him the box.

“Can we make this our daily routine? My days would be better if they started with you.”

“Only if you look this good every time,” she told him with a smirk.

He matched her smile and she sighed, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. Oakley pushed the door to the shop open and with a dull lamp as their guide, he reached for her hand and led them into a room where he flipped on the lights. Her heart flipped at the warmth of his palm against hers, instantly missing it when the contact broke so she could set her things down.

Oakley opened the box of donuts with a giddy smile. “What did I do to get this early morning visit?”

“An addendum to our—” she gestured vaguely between the two of them with a shrug “—deal, arrangement, whatever.”

“Do people really say addendum?”

“Focus, Oakley,” she grumbled, watching him try to choose a donut. She closed the box with a loud huff and it drew his attention to her instantly.

“I’m listening, baby, I promise.”

She couldn’t even find it in her to get angry about the stupid term, because he looked genuinely shocked at her reaction.

She paced and talked with her hands. “Friends with benefits is my suggestion. I thought that we could do this without strings, but clearly that was foolish of me. Our strings are all tangled up and I like that. I know you do too.”

“Like being tangled up with you? Fuck yeah, I do.”

“Right, so all of the strings in this friendship with benefits.”

He tilted his head with a smile. “Are we friends, Clem?”

“Obviously.”

“Figured as much, just wanted to double check.” She rolled her eyes and heard him chuckle. “May I hold you?”

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