A Friendly Arrangement

  Since when had dinner and coupon poker with Roth become such an aphrodisiac? All evening long she anticipated his touch or a kiss, and she didn’t know how much more she could take as she waited for him to make a move.

  She licked her lips and reached to grab his hand, but he snagged another brownie off the dessert plate and took a hefty bite. Damn him. Did he plan on making her beg? Because she would.

  “What about the brownies? You like?” He licked his lips, his tongue moving across his bottom lip as he stared into her eyes. Shouldn’t that tongue be on my body?

  “I do like.” Damn he looks hot. “How did you learn to cook and bake so well?” She’d play along. She could hold out just as long or longer if need be. Are you taking bets on that, girlie?

  His muscles flexed beneath his shirt as he adjusted his position in the chair. She loved that damn shirt. At least on his body. The way the blue matched his eyes and the fabric clung to his skin—hinting at what lay beneath.

  He shrugged. “Self-preservation, and the cooking lessons my mom signed Jared and I up for. She didn’t want her sons to starve once they went out on their own.”

  “I can’t see that happening.” But what she could see happening was them getting naked. If he’d stop playing hard to get. Maybe she should make the first move. Swish the cards right off the table and drag him across it, ripping his clothes from his body as she went.

  “Once I learned the basics, I found I really enjoyed cooking. And baking isn’t too bad, either. It actually relaxes me.”

  She laughed. “You’re such a contradiction.”

  “How so?” He popped a piece of brownie into his mouth and studied her with serious eyes.

  “When I first met you, I was intimidated by your looks and size.”

  “You instantly thought of me as some tough biker guy that belonged to a Hell’s Angels type gang?” His dimples appeared.

  She laughed. “I don’t know if I put you quite in that category. You were scary, but—”

  “Too bad. I could’ve had some fun with that.”

  “Either way, you’re sitting here telling me that baking relaxes you, and you took cooking lessons. It just doesn’t go with the picture.” She waved her hand toward him.

  He nodded, taking another bite of his brownie as he contemplated her words in silence.

  “So, what else relaxes you?” Maybe now he’d get the hint, and they could move on to another activity. Maybe strip coupon poker?

  “You relax me.”

  “That’s music to my ears, because at the moment I’m a little sexually frustrated.”

  “I love your honesty.”

  “Good, because here’s another dose of it. You remember our arrangement?”

  He nodded slowly as his eyes traveled south, settling on the rise and fall of her breasts.

  “I like the friends with bennies arrangement, but I’d really love some birthday bennies.”

  “You really are a horndog.” He popped each finger into his mouth, taking his time to clean off any brownie remnants. The thought of his tongue working his fingers sent her pulse galloping.

  “Only when you’re in the room.”

  He stood, giving her plenty of time to inspect his backside as he turned toward the cupboard above the sink. “Before things get too carried away, I have something for you.”

  Her heart stalled when he pulled a brightly colored bag from the cupboard and held it out toward her. “Happy birthday, Holl.”

  “Roth,” she gushed. Her libido returned to a respectable level as excitement bubbled to the top. She hadn’t expected a gift. They never exchanged gifts. He stood over her, smiling.

  “Open it.”

  She lifted a tiny black box out of the bag, untied the red ribbon, and slid the lid off. “Oh. Oh, Roth. They’re gorgeous.”

  Holly recognized the earrings straightaway. They were the pair he’d designed for a Hollywood A-lister to wear on the red carpet. The entire time he’d designed and built them, she’d sat in that comfy chair across from his desk and chattered while admiring his handiwork.

  She peeked up at him through her lashes. Her throat constricted with emotion. “I thought that—”

  He shook his head. “I ended up making her a different pair, because I knew how much you loved them. There is only one pair of ears that should wear them.”

  Her heart swelled, and she choked back the emotion overpowering her. She would not cry. No matter how much she wanted to. “Thank you so much. We’ve never exchanged gifts…”

  “We do now. Or at least I do.”

  She’d felt a change between them before because of the added element of sex. Their friendship could never be the same as it had been. But now? Now this? She feared where they were headed. Could their friendship survive?

  Did she want something more? Did he?

  “Put them on.”

  She slid out her hoops and put them in the gift bag and then fastened the dangling diamond and ruby earrings to her lobes. She shook her head from side to side as she grew accustomed to the weight.

  He tucked a strand of hair behind her ears and lifted one earring with his finger. “They were made for you.”

  “By you.” She’d always gone for what she wanted, and right now she wanted to kiss Roth. Not because he’d teased and tormented her all evening by ignoring her obvious invitations, but because…because…

  Why did it matter? She grabbed the front of his shirt and dragged his mouth toward hers. Her lips fastened to his with such force she pressed him back until he lay across the table.

  “Holly.” He laughed, trying to hold her away. But she couldn’t slow down. Something inside pushed her forward.

  She didn’t miss the way his eyes darkened as she climbed across the chair to straddle his waist.

  “I don’t know why, but you’ve been teasing me all night. If you won’t make the first move, I will.” She claimed his mouth, swallowing his gasp. Enjoying the power of surprise.

  She rubbed against his chest as she slid her fingers through his hair, giving the ends a little yank to pull his head back and deepen their kiss.

  Gawd. He tastes like heaven with a little bit of brownie on top.

  “I won’t make that mistake again,” he growled.

  Roth wrapped his arms around her tightly and flipped her underneath him as she let out a tiny gasp mixed with a giggle. She loved how he’d taken over. He nipped the side of her mouth, chin, and earlobe before leaving a trail of kisses along her jaw until he found her lips again. The table groaned and shook. He yanked her blouse from the waist of her jeans and slid his palm up her side, releasing a torrent of goose bumps across her flesh.

  She arched her back as he reached behind and unfastened her bra, pushing her blouse up and taking her bra with it. The warmth of his mouth wrapped around her breast, and he sucked one hardened nipple while he rolled the other between his thumb and finger. She thought she would die from lack of oxygen.

  His hands made easy work of unbuttoning her jeans and sliding them down her hips.

  “Commando?”

  She smiled as she nibbled his neck. “Happy birthday to me.”

  “Happy birthday to me, too,” he growled. He ran his fingers through his hair. “Gawd, you’re—”

  “Such a horndog?”

  Their laughter eased some of their frustration, and he pulled back, taking her with him so she sat upright and he stood between her legs.

  “I wasn’t going to let you have your way with me tonight.” He pressed his forehead to hers.

  “Why?”

  “I wanted your birthday to be about you, not about sex. I wanted to see if we could have an evening together like we used to. Before…before…”

  “Our arrangement?”

  He nodded, his forehead rubbing against hers. “My experiment backfired. I can’t not touch you or kiss you or—”

  “Have your way with me?” She caressed the side of his face, unable to wait any longer. “I don’t want your experiment
to work. Not tonight.”

  “You really are a horndog.” He traced his pinky down the side of her face, and she closed her eyes.

  “I want you to have your way with me. Here. On the table. Now.”

  “Most definitely.”

  He touched his mouth to hers, gently at first, then rough, as his greedy tongue met hers. Holly pulled his tee over his head and then raked her hands down his pecs and abdomen as his muscles rippled beneath the pressure of her fingers.

  “You do crazy things to me.” His raspy voice urged her on.

  “Ditto,” she said as she fought for a semblance of sanity. Then gave up. This was her birthday, after all.

  She tugged his jeans down his legs, and he kicked them off as he pushed her back onto the table and pulled her hips toward the edge. Their eyes locked, and she parted her lips as she breathed his name.

  In one fluid stroke he entered her, and she cried out. His hard length pushed inside, and she swelled around him. He fastened her legs around his waist as she lifted her hips to meet his thrusts.

  At first he took his time, moving slowly. She luxuriated in the feel of him inside her. Men always made comments about how sex felt so good without a condom, and hell if they weren’t right. She was glad they’d both decided they didn’t need that type of protection since she was on the pill—and they were both clean.

  His movements became more demanding as she gripped his biceps, relishing the feel of his strength beneath her fingers. He rocked his hips against hers and she cried out, willing her eyes to stay open and focused on the passion moving across his face, lighting his eyes.

  She slid her hands down to grip his forearms as he balanced himself on the table. Her legs fastened around his waist tighter, and she clasped her ankles together. His butt flexed against her feet with each thrust, and her entire body lit on fire.

  She arched her back, her neck, and finally gave in enough to close her eyes as his heavy breaths became the only thing to hold her to the earth. Tingles engulfed every inch of her flesh as he lowered his head to suckle her sensitized nipples. Her entire body seemed to float, and her toes stretched and tightened at the same time he moaned her name, thrusting one final time, and then rocking against her gently as they shared a climax.

  Roth teased her back to earth with light kisses around her mouth before claiming her lips in a possessive kiss.

  “Happy birthday.”

  “To me.” She hugged him to her.

  Holly pushed herself up so that her back rested against the headboard and glanced around Roth’s room. Every nook and cranny whispered his name. The modern lines of the furniture, the suede-brown colored walls, the sparse decorations, and the neatly arranged pictures and books on the shelf filling the wall across from the bed.

  She closed her eyes and breathed in. And the spicy smell. He definitely filled the space, and she felt like an intruder in his area.

  Of course, she’d been in his room before, but she’d never spent the night. Never saw the first light of day reflecting off the Grand River and breaking through the windows, or the soft sounds of Roth in the kitchen.

  She liked it, but hated herself at the same time.

  They’d broken another rule. No slumber parties.

  Her chest tightened as realization sank in. This wasn’t supposed to happen. She hadn’t planned on letting their sex play move into the bedroom. From there, pillow talk had followed, he’d wrapped her in his strong arms, and she’d turned to liquid, dozing off into such a deep sleep she hadn’t woken until the smell of bacon tickled her nose.

  Soft footsteps approached the door, and a sudden rise of panic filled her lungs, taking her breath.

  He’d cooked her breakfast.

  You’re walking a slippery slope.

  Things were spiraling out of control. This shouldn’t be happening. Their friendship shouldn’t have gone in this direction, because this was no longer a friendship.

  Their sex was hotter than Hades, but sharing the morning with him over eggs and toast would be a mistake.

  A domestic mistake.

  And she didn’t do domestic. Or commitment. Or relationships. Or…

  But you want to. You want to with Roth.

  The sudden realization hit her like a slap across the face on a cold winter’s day just as Roth entered the room.

  “Good morning, sleepyhead.” He ate up the distance between them in long, sure strides, looking more delicious than ever. He wore his sexy boxer briefs that showed off every bulge, and the muscles of his legs flexed with each step he took. She wanted him, and at the same time feared her instant awareness.

  Unable to talk—her brain not yet able to fully absorb her shift in feelings—she smiled and let her gaze fall to the tray of food he carried, in order to get her bearings.

  “I thought we’d go easy at the gym this morning since I already had a great workout last night, but I definitely need some breakfast to keep up my strength.” He offered her a piece of crispy bacon, and when she shook her head, he winked and took the bite himself.

  A smile pulled at her lips until her face felt tight. “Would you be upset if I skipped our workout today?”

  She had to get home. To think. Had spending the night in Roth’s arms thrown her over the edge completely? Had that been the reason for her new desire to have something more? Not just an arrangement, but maybe…

  Don’t say it.

  They could have sex all day, but sleeping in his arms she couldn’t handle.

  “You okay?”

  Sometimes knowing each other so well could be a curse. She should suck it up and eat breakfast, play normal, think when she got home. What was another thirty minutes or an hour? But their little slumber party, combined with her realization, had upped the ante and added an entirely new element to the intimacy they now shared. At least for her. She couldn’t play normal, not when her heart pounded so fast inside her chest it might burst.

  “My mouth is throbbing a little,” she lied—and hated herself.

  “Are you still on the antibiotics?” Concern marred his brow.

  She nodded. “I have a few more pills left. I’m sure it’ll be okay. I just want to get home and relax. Maybe a soak in a steamy bath. Plus, I have some work I should’ve finished up last night.”

  She jumped up to stop herself from rambling. Whatever else she added to her spiel would only make her sound desperate. That should be avoided at all costs, or he would question her. And whatever questions he might toss her way, she wasn’t prepared to answer. She threw on her clothes as quickly as she could.

  “At least take the coffee with you.” He held out her cup.

  “Sure. Coffee. Sounds good.” She grabbed the cup and some sloshed over the edge. “Oh. I’m sorry, let me—”

  Roth laughed and steadied her hand. “Holl, don’t worry about it. Get home, take your pill, and relax. I’ll talk to you later.” He kissed her on the forehead and turned her toward the door, swatting her gently on the rear.

  Guilt consumed her as she left him to clean up her mess. Not because she’d spilled coffee, but because her feelings for her bestie were no longer friendship.

  She might have done the unthinkable. And the part that scared her most was that the changes in her feelings toward Roth wouldn’t be reciprocated. She’d not only broken the slumber party rule, but she’d broken the attachment rule. Sex was no longer sex, because now her emotions were involved.

  Shit. Shit. Shit. Her crush might have morphed into something attached to a four-letter word starting with L, ending with E, and containing an O and a V in between.

  She swallowed hard as she entered her condo, then closed and bolted the door as if that would keep out the word she didn’t want to think about. She sank to the floor, letting the back of her head bounce off the door a few times as everything sank in.

  She and Roth only had fun, messed around, laughed and joked. They weren’t supposed to develop feelings outside of friendship. His kisses weren’t supposed to steal her brea
th and make her wish for something more.

  Like a future.

  She’d never imagined she’d be the one to mess up their arrangement. Hell, she’d never pictured either of them going that far. But her feelings for him had crossed the friendship line long ago. She’d just refused to see it or admit it. They’d crossed that line the day they added the friends with bennies arrangement to their deal.

  How could you have let this happen?

  Now she understood how the men in her past had felt. It wasn’t a good feeling to care so deeply about someone and know those feelings wouldn’t be returned. Roth and she had always been two of a kind. Wanting the same things out of life, out of relationships.

  But she’d changed the game.

  The coffee cup in her hand clanked to the floor, and most of the liquid spilled over the edge. She didn’t even care as she slid the cup away and pressed her palm into her gut.

  She might get sick.

  Roth blotted the last of the moisture from the rug, the breakfast he’d made for Holly and him forgotten and growing cold as it sat on the tray on the bed.

  Never in his life had he cooked breakfast for a woman. What had he been thinking? He’d probably scared her off with all his domestic bliss.

  He adored Holly, but there was no denying things between them were different now. Sex had changed their friendship in ways he hadn’t thought possible. An added element of emotion had taken root and grown, confusing the lines of hot, inhibited, no-commitment sex with some new emotion he couldn’t even name.

  It wasn’t like he’d never had sex before, but because of Holly the dynamics had changed. His feelings had changed.

  Maybe her leaving had been a blessing in disguise. And skipping their workout a smart move.

  His thoughts and most of his focus lately centered on her. He needed to regroup. Figure out if their friendly arrangement should continue. Hell, he’d never wanted anything more, but neither had Holly. But what if he changed the game? His feelings for Holly had shifted. Permanency didn’t scare him like it had at one time. If things kept going in the direction they were, they might… Would he be the one who ended up getting hurt because Holly had made it more than obvious she didn’t want anything more?