Page 21 of Necessary Roughness
“Shit! Fuck! Sorry, I wasn’t trying to be a dick,” I quickly said.
“You’re a dick without even trying,” Knox muttered. “Sorry about him.”
Sloane sighed, but didn’t leave. “Let’s get this over with so I can go home and die of embarrassment.”
“Embarrassed?” I shook my head. “We’ve all been shitfaced before. You should’ve seen me after we lost that playoff game last year. I drank so much I think I gave my future grandchildren alcohol poisoning.”
“She doesn’t want to talk about that night,” Knox insisted.
Sloane bashfully tucked her hair behind one ear, then told me, “Thanks.”
I shot Knox a victorious smile.
Sloane sat in the chair across from the couch, and Knox sank into the cushion next to me. “I’ll make this quick.”
“Too late,” Sloane muttered.
“Something you said the other night stuck with me,” Knox began.
“I thought we weren’t talking about the party?” I pointed out.
Knox ignored me. “Sloane, you said relationships were overrated. A distraction. You said you wished you could keep dick on retainer.”
She closed her eyes and groaned. “I can’t believe I said that.”
“I thought it was hilarious,” I offered.
She gave me a grateful look.
“We kind of agree with your assessment,” Knox went on. “Not about having dick on retainer, but about relationships being a distraction. Especially during the football season. I’ve made that mistake too many times before. I know Logan has, too.”
“Yup,” I said, feeling foolish that I was thinking about texting Kate a few minutes ago. Sloane gave me a curious glance, but then Knox went on.
“It’s bad for everyone. Relationships distract us from our classes and football. And since our schedule is so busy, wecan never devote the proper amount of time to a girlfriend. But I keep thinking about your attitude that night. Wanting something easier—sex without any strings attached.”
“I know some hookers in Orlando who can solve that problem for you,” Sloane said.
“Yeah?” I pulled out my phone. “Got any names?”
“I was joking.”
“Oh yeah, me too.” I made a show of putting my phone away and looking disappointed. “Definitely joking.”
It worked—she grinned.
That was the thing about me: I would do—and say—anything to make a girl smile.
“Hypothetically,” Knox said, “a friends-with-benefits situation would be great for us. It would allow us to blow off steam without falling into the same relationship trap that has screwed us over in the past.”
I felt my jaw drop open. Was he seriously suggesting what I thought he was suggesting?
“Oh shit, you’re serious,” Sloane said. She seemed just as surprised as me.
“I’m very serious,” Knox said. “If you want the same thing.”
“What, like, right now?” She glanced at her watch. “Because I’m kind of busy today, and most of your five minutes is up.”
Knox and I laughed. This girl was a trip.
