Page 59 of I Knead You Tonight

“Did you think about my offer?” he says coolly.

“I have conditions.”

“Of course you do.” He shakes his head, coughing out a laugh and stubbing his cigarette out in the ashtray. “Let’s hear them.”

“What happened between us the other night, it—”

“Our kiss,” he says, as if either of us need a reminder of what I’m talking about. “Go on.”

“Yes, that—it can’t happen again. Itwon’thappen again. Just because I’ll be living here does not mean it’s pussy galore all the time.”

He barks out a laugh. “Pussy galore, huh?”

“Yep.” I wave a hand over my lady bits. “This is a no-go zone for you.”

“So we can still make out?”

“No!” I stomp my foot like a child. “No touching. This is strictly platonic.”

“We can’t fuck as friends then? Well, hell. There go all the plans I had to bend you over the kitchen table during breakfast while Sully watched.”

“Winston…” I drop my head into my hand, already exhausted from talking to him for the short time I’ve been out here.

“I’m kidding, Drew. I don’t expect you to blow me every night for room and board. All I ask is that you pick up after yourself and Riker and we’re square.”

“Square? You can’t let me stay here for free and not do anything. That’s not how I work.”

“Well that’s how I work.”

“It is not. You’re just trying to do me a favor, is all. You just feel bad for me.”

“Not true. Sully doesn’t pay any rent and he definitely doesn’t blow me. He stays for free, too.”

“He doesn’t pay foranything?”

He grunts. “I didn’t say that.”

“Then let me pay for something too.”

“With what money, Drew? Besides, isn’t the whole point of you staying here to save money? That sounds counterproductive to me.”

Shit. He has a point there.

“Then can I at least cook for you guys? I have some mean skills in the kitchen.”

“Kitchen skills but no bedroom skills—noted.”

I huff. “I’m going to assume that’s a deal then.”

“It’s a deal. Do you want to go get your stuff?”

“Like…now?”

“No, I was thinking six months from now, maybe on the third Tuesday in February. Yes, now.”

“Oh,” I say quietly. “Okay. I guess we can do it now. Let me just go get ready and see if Sully can handle Riker for a bit.”

“It shouldn’t take long. You don’t have much of anything.”

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