Page 11 of Friends with Benefits

‘You’re such a fiend.’

As she’s clearing up the living room, I turn off her music and switch on the TV, selecting BBC World News. ‘What are you doing for dinner tonight?’ I ask. ‘Do you want to go out?’

‘Mm, can’t. I have aerial yoga tonight.’

‘What on earth is aerial yoga?’

‘It’s yoga but you do it hanging from the ceiling.’

‘Really?’ I raise a brow. ‘If you like hanging from the ceiling you should have told me. I’m happy to put some ropes and a sex swing in my bedroom.’

She narrows her eyes and comes to sit on the arm of the sofa next to me. ‘All right, what’s wrong?’

How does she do that? ‘What are you talking about?’

She snatches the TV remote from my hand and turns it off, forcing me to look at her. ‘What is our number one rule?’

I shrug, knowing the answer too well.

‘Let me remind you. We have sex and talk about having sex when we’re intoxicated only. You’re breaking the rules to distract yourself and I’m asking you what you need distracting from?’

‘How do you do that? How do you get inside my head like that?’

‘There’s no skill to it, Jake. You’re as easy to read as a pre-school book.’

I draw in a breath through my nose and lean my head back across the sofa. ‘You know I’m going to New York next week? Well, it turns out Emily is going too.’

‘Emily? The Emily? The Emily who made you emotionally unavailable?’

‘That’s the one.’

‘Wow. You’re going to spend a week with her?’

‘Not exactly. Her folks own the place next door to Drew’s and she’s going to be there.’

‘Maybe you won’t see her?’

‘I’ll see her. For sure.’

‘Are you contemplating not going? Because I don’t think you should let her stop you.’

‘I’ve contemplated it, but I have to go. Plus, my flights are non-refundable. I just… Argh, what happens when I see her, huh? What if all those feelings come back? Hell, they’re probably still there, just repressed.’ I groan and cover my face with my hands. ‘Things got so screwed up in my mind about her. I’m afraid I’ll do something stupid.’

She brings her hands to her lap and nods slowly. ‘Maybe it’s a sign, Jake. I mean, it’s not like you’ve dealt with your issues. She’s there, you’re there. Maybe it would be a good thing. See her. Deal with your shit.’

‘You and your signs.’

She points a finger at me. ‘Hey, how many times have my instincts been off?’

She has a point. I turn away, trying to think of just one occasion. Then the proverbial lightbulb comes on right over my head and I snap my attention to her.

She holds up a finger and steps off the sofa. ‘No!’

‘Jess. Come on.’ I follow her into the kitchen and pin her against the cabinets. She turns in my arms. Her face is just inches from mine. ‘Please come with me.’

‘No. I am absolutely not getting mixed up in emotional drama. I’ve had enough emotional drama to last me a lifetime.’

I give her my best puppy-dog eyes. ‘You would ditch your best friend in his time of need?’

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