Page 15 of Bang Buddies With Benefits
Now Iwasthinking about all the changes. “I know.” My throat tightened, and oh shit, I was about to be the emotional woman crying in a bar.
Ellie stacked her hand on ours and bobbed her head. “You’ll always be our friend, our family, our…”
“Badass kitty-cat,” Penny finished.
I automatically hissed, same way I did anytime they dared to use that nickname, and we laughed. Then I was recalling how Zac had used the pet name during that whole fiasco in the hallway, after the crotchety law firm partners and Mark caught us pre-coitus.
At a moment in time when I thought a smile would’ve been a stretch, mine stretched the bounds of my mouth. There were worse things than pretending to be engaged to Zac while having copious amounts of sex and, with that in mind, I turned my attitude right around. I had a kickass support system in place, and they were willing to do whatever it took to help me reach my goal.
Once I made partner, I could take on more pro-bono cases and donate to places that did similar for those in need. I’d hire those who often were overlooked and work like crazy to inspire change.
Fighting against that sort of inequality in the system was an even loftier goal than making partner. But someone had to do it, and years ago I’d decided that one of those someones would be me.
6
Zac
“It’s handled,” I told my brother.
The silence on the other line conveyed Noah’s doubt. “Answering the phone like a goon who works for the mob isn’t giving me a lot of confidence, bro. You could see how that could make a blushing groom-to-be worry.”
I laughed at what I was fairly sure was a joke. My little brother certainly didn’t sayblushing groom-to-beon the regular. “I didn’t off anyone.” My dirty-mind reel whirred to life with the memory of peering up Catalina’s naked body while I drove her to the brink with my fingers and tongue; those plump red lips of hers falling open; and the taste of her as she cried out in pleasure. “If anything, I on-ed someone.”
Good thing I was at my desk in the back room of the bar, dealing with inventory and payroll. I shifted the phone to my other shoulder and then reached down and readjusted myself. One of my favorite things about Cat was that she wasn’t the type to hide so much as an ounce of her pleasure, which made it easier to give her exactly what she wanted—or to purposely withhold it until she begged.
“What is it with straight people always shoving their sexuality in everyone’s faces?” Noah replied with a laugh, and I chuckled along. With things back in familiar, teasing territory between us, I felt lighter than I had in weeks. His wedding was a big deal, and the last thing I wanted to do was ruin it, accidental or not. Most people who claimed to hate drama were always smack dab in the middle of it, so I resisted the urge to say the same, even if it were true.
“Hey, you were the one who requested a detailed plan.”
“You can skip the foreplay and get to the results.”
“Well, you see, when two people really love each othe—”
“Don’t think I won’t come over there and fuck you up. You forget that while you’re older, I’m taller and bulkier.”
I clucked my tongue. “Whatever, dude. You work all your glamour muscles while standing in front of a mirror so you can post on Instagram. Mine are hard-earned from work.”
“Juggling bottles, day-drinking, and hitting on women is considered work these days? Good to know.” While taking over the bar used to be a sore subject, one he wouldn’t razz me over, those days were long gone—the resentment, not the razzing, and to prove as much, I lifted my middle finger in the air.
“You can’t see me, but I’m totally flipping you off right now. Don’t tell mom.”
“Guess that depends on your plan, and if I think it’ll actually work.”
The springs in my chair squeaked as I leaned back and kicked my feet up on the desk and crossed one booted ankle over the other. “I’ve got a date for the wedding, and all the matrimonial events leading up to it. Which means there will be a buffer between me and Julia the entire time. Also, that there will be no hooking up with your sister-in-law-to-be and no angry breakup in time for your wedding. Catalina agreed to be my plus-one, so—”
“Catalina?” Rustling came through the other side of the line. “As in the woman who shows up at the bar so you two can go to the back room and bang like bunnies.”
Shit. I forgot Noah knew about her. He’d been at the bar late one night when she’d responded to my booty-call text, and it’d seemed rude not to make introductions. “Like you and Jeremy have never hooked up in the supply room. Besides, sometimes she instigates and I go to her, and that’s not the point, anyway.”
Why I felt the need to defend our arrangement, I had no idea. Time to get this conversation back on track. “The point is, she’s the least dramatic person I know, and she wants a relationship even less than I do. It means I won’t allow my dick to do the thinking—or more accurately, I’ll let it guide me to Cat, who’ll always be nearby. Trust me, it’s a solid plan. Anyway, she’ll have chickenandfish so that I can eat whatever she doesn’t.”
“Chicken and fish aren’t the options.”
“It’s this thing called a joke.” I wiggled the mouse next to my computer to wake it up.
“Jokes are supposed to be funny.”
“So are you, but lately you’ve been so serious. Is planning a wedding that stressful?”
