“Only for a bit.” I settled back against his side and slid an arm across his stomach.
He smiled before pressing a kiss to my temple. My heart thrashed around in my chest, but not from the exertion of fucking him. It was because that feeling of rightness from earlier extended to holding him too, not just from being balls-deep in him.
I realized I wasn’t addicted to the sex as I had assumed. I was addicted to Monty. Plain and simple.
“I don’t cuddle with my hookups,” I said, subtly reminding him of the deal we’d struck where we’d have casual sex and nothing more. It was a reminder to myself as well.
“Are you allergic to human affection, Quinn?” Monty asked, snorting.
“No.” I wiggled in his arms and rested my head on the top of his shoulder. Giving in to him, the damn brat. “I’m allergic to nuts, though.”
Monty’s body shook with a laugh. “My nuts included?”
“Asshole.”
He laughed louder before quieting, the sound drifting off as we lay in silence. His hand smoothed up and down my upper arm. “Are you serious about having a nut allergy?”
“Very.” It could kill me.
“I never knew.”
“That’s because we weren’t friends,” I pointed out. “I had no reason to tell you.”
Monty’s heart beat quickly beneath my ear. “And we’re friends now?”
To hell with it. There wasn’t any sense in denying it. I didn’t hate him anymore. Far from it. Friendship with Monty was doable. And the sex was a nice bonus.
“Yes,” I responded, but before he could get the wrong idea, I added, “But we’rejustfriends.”
“Friends who bang.”
I fought a smile. “Yes.”
“Well, do you wanna give me a friendly blowjob again tomorrow?” Monty asked. “Maybe make me scream your name in a friendly way too?”
“You’re unbelievable,” I said, shaking my head.
“Know what’s even more unbelievable?”
“What?” I peered up at him through slightly blurry vision. His face was only a tad bit fuzzy. I could see without my glasses but not very well up close and not at all far away.
“That you hate bacon.” He clicked his tongue at me. “I believe more and more each day that you’re not really human.”
“Well, I’m not the Fuckbot 2000. I’ll tell you that much.”
Monty barked out a surprised laugh and pressed his face into my hair. “Stay the night with me, Specks.”
Such a simple request. One I nearly gave in to. But I knew myself. I knew my heart. The more I let Monty close to me, the more at risk I put myself. I wanted to believe Monty wouldn’t hurt me, but our past said otherwise. It would take me a while to trust him with anything, let alone my heart.
“I should head home,” I said, untangling myself from his arms. From his warmth.
He let me go.
I grabbed my glasses from the nightstand and put them on before gathering my clothes from the floor and getting dressed.
“I’m not seeing anyone else, you know,” Monty said, sitting up and resting against the headboard. He grabbed the tie I’d used to restrain him and leisurely ran it through his fingers. “You’re the only one.”
“We’re not exactlyseeingeach other.”