Page 20 of Friends with Benefits

‘They’re cocky though, man. That’s how you get tripped up. If they…’

I don’t hear the rest of Drew’s comment because my full attention has been drawn to the wooden pathway leading from the next house over. It is illuminated, like Drew’s, with solar lights, all the way down to the beach. It must be seventy yards away. It doesn’t matter because I’d recognize the figure of the woman walking down to the water if she was two hundred yards away and only a silhouette. I’d recognize the way her hips move, the small, bouncing stride of her petite frame.

Emily.

I don’t know why but my legs move me from the grill to the edge of the deck and I watch as she reaches the end of the walkway and pads, barefoot, to the water’s edge. Her white, summer dress blows, like her long, blonde hair behind her. She looks out into the distance and wraps her arms around her waist.

I don’t know how long I’m fixed on her before Brooks pats my shoulder and says, ‘Grubs up, buddy.’

For some reason, I don’t turn to the grill. I look for Jess and find her in the same seat, staring back at me. She mouths, Emily? I nod. And she asks silently, You okay? I nod again, unsure what exactly I’m feeling but damn pleased Jess is here.

After plating the meat, we head to the kitchen island and help ourselves to rice and Caesar salad that Becky has made. When we all take our seats out on the deck, we start talking about plans for tomorrow. Jess lifts the croutons from her salad and puts them on my plate. I trade her for my anchovies.

Once we’ve helped Sarah load the dirty dinner plates into the dishwasher, Jess and I agree we’re beat. It’s close to four in the morning on our London body clocks. We kiss and hug everyone, wishing them all sweet dreams, and we head upstairs. Jess’s movements are sluggish, so I put my hands on the small of her back and encourage her up the stairs.

‘You can shower first,’ I tell her when we’re in our bedroom.

She looks again between me and the bed. She bites her lip, gathers her toiletries and heads into the shower room, closing the door behind her. I pull off my T-shirt, sneakers and socks and lie back on the bed, my arms tucked behind my head. I’m thankful for the fact I know the moves the amazing naked body behind that door can make, because it’s stopping my mind from wandering to Emily. That’s a place I don’t want to go.

Jess doesn’t take as long as usual in the shower, perhaps because she’s tired, maybe because she’s thinking of me needing to go in there before we sleep too.

She opens the bathroom door, steam creeping into the bedroom as she peeps her head around the edge. ‘I don’t think I planned this very well,’ she says sheepishly.

I bring myself up to sit. ‘Planned what?’

‘Mm, could you maybe turn away until I’m in bed?’

‘Excuse me?’

‘Jake, would you just…?’

‘Fine, fine.’ I face the window but as soon as I sneak a glance and see her short silk nightie – bright because it’s Jess and trimmed in lace that barely covers her nipples because she thought she would be sleeping alone – I watch her like a left tackle watches his quarterback: I don’t take my eyes off her.

‘Jake!’ she yells, as she dives beneath the sheets, throwing a pillow at me. I laugh.

‘Come on. If you tell someone not to look, you know the first thing they’re going to do is look.’

She points and tells me, ‘Go shower in cold water, mister, right now.’ But the slight curve of her lips betrays her amusement.

Once I’m showered and my teeth are cleaned, I make my way into the bedroom. Jess is already sleeping on one side of the bed. Her hair is fanned out on her pillows. Under the low glow of the bedside lamp, her skin looks soft and inviting.

I chuckle to myself when I see the spare blanket she has rolled and placed in a line down the middle of the bed.

Are you that tempted by me, Jessica Walters?

Since she’s sleeping, and technically, we aren’t breaking any rules because we have been drinking, I drop my towel over the chair at the bottom of the bed and don’t bother covering up my member. I slide gently under the sheets, trying not to wake her, and remove the spare blanket. I turn out the lamp and roll onto my side.

‘Don’t go getting any funny ideas, Jake Harrington. That blanket was there for a reason. And I hope you have some clothes on.’

Smiling, I press a kiss to her bare shoulder. ‘Night, babe.’ Then roll onto my opposite side, my back to hers.

7

JAKE

I’m sitting at my desk. The sky is dark above London. The office is empty, lit only by low night lights. I’m feeling pretty damn good about the investments I’ve made today.

I lean back in my seat and put my hands behind my head, closing my eyes as I stretch out my chest.

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