Page 12 of Friends with Benefits

‘Don’t look at me like that. I said no.’

I flutter my eyelids. ‘Pretty please?’

She pushes my chest hard, forcing me away from her.

I lean back against the opposite counter and rest my hands by my sides on the work surface. ‘Come on, Jess. Save me from myself. Isn’t that why we have our pact? To stop us from doing silly shit with other people? It’s just like that.’

‘Do you want me to stop you from having sex with Emily or from falling back in love with her?’

‘Either. Neither. Both.’

She growls and rolls her eyes but I know she’ll do it. ‘Could you put on a shirt if you’re going to ask me for favors? It’s not fair.’

I laugh. ‘Look, you’ve always said you want to run around New York like Macaulay Culkin in Home Alone 2. What if I agree to do that with you? We’ll go find the bird woman – or similar because she’s probably dead now. We’ll fit that in around the Hamptons.’

She chuckles but when she looks at me, her eyes are full. ‘I have always wanted to do that.’

I nod. ‘Is that a yes?’

Her smile disappears, as if she’s remembered something. ‘Actually, I’m sorry, Jake, but I can’t afford it.’

‘Babe, you don’t honestly think I’d force you to do something like this for me and ask you to pay, do you? It’s on me. Obviously. In exchange for your services.’

‘You make me sound like a hooker.’

‘And that gets me all hot under the collar.’

She laughs. ‘If only you were wearing a collar.’

‘Smartass. Is that a yes?’

She scowls. ‘It’s a reluctant yes.’

‘I’ll take it,’ I say with a wink. ‘Oh, hey, there’s one more thing you could help me with.’

‘What now?’ She busies herself in the fridge.

‘Dumbass that I am, I hit the wrong key and overpaid my rent earlier.’

She pauses, holding a jug of water mid-air, her back to me.

‘Yeah, I overpaid by like two hundred bucks. Think you could let me pay two extra and you pay two extra next month?’

She takes me by surprise when she puts down the water jug and steps into me, planting her lips on mine. It’s a lingering kiss that gives me time to enjoy the softness of her skin against mine. I’m about to run my hands up her back and tell her to stick our intoxication rule when she steps back and looks at her toes, her cheeks flushed.

‘Sorry. I… Thank you, Jake. Thank you for not making me ask.’

I lift her chin with my index finger. ‘I have no idea what you’re talking about.’

One side of her lips curls up. ‘Okay, well, thank you anyway. I appreciate it more than you know.’

The apartment door flies open and Alex walks in, pulling his tie from around his neck. ‘Fucking shit show at the office today. I hate my fucking job.’ He comes into the kitchen and takes a bottle of beer from the fridge. ‘Fuck my life. That’s all I’m fucking saying.’ He leans back against the kitchen counter. ‘You two all right?’

Jess and I look at each other and laugh. Life would be a damn sight less colorful without our shit-for-brains housemate.

4

JESS

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