Forever Friend Zoned

by C. Morgan

  He brought me to the sweetest orgasm before pulling me into his arms and holding me close for several minutes. There was no rush. No need to hurry up and get to the grand finale.

  “I like this,” I said as I stroked his cheek.

  “I do too. I hope you haven’t caught on I need a couple of minutes.”

  I smiled and kissed his nose. “Take all the time you need.”

  He nuzzled my neck, and seconds later, he’d reached another full erection. I slid under him, my hands caressing his chest as he moved inside me. Our eyes met and held as he made love to me. The glow of the candlelight muted his features, giving him a soft appearance. He was anything but soft.

  I knew I loved him. I was crazy in love. It happened fast but I knew it was what I needed in my life.

  Chapter 39

  Jeff

  I had never felt so connected to anyone in my life. This wasn’t sex. This was a joining. I was branding her and making her mine in every way. She was mine now and forever. Her warm body welcomed me deep inside, holding me against her as she came a second time.

  “Sweet surrender,” I whispered.

  “What?”

  “This. It’s my sweet surrender to you. I’m surrendering my heart. It’s yours. Please be gentle.”

  She wrapped her arms around me and pulled me in for a long kiss. “I will treasure your heart.”

  The fear of rejection that had kept me frozen in time for so long melted away. I let go of that fear and found myself feeling something I never thought possible. It was a connection so deeply ingrained I was positive it could never be broken.

  “I love you,” I whispered before finding my release.

  “I love you,” she said before moaning through hers.

  I lay next to her and held her close as we basked in the glow of the candlelight. “That was intense,” I said with awe in my voice.

  “Very. It was beautiful.”

  “I’m never letting you go.”

  “Jeff,” she said and raised herself up on her arm. “I need to say something. Please hear me out.”

  “Anything. What is it?”

  “I’m so sorry for the way I behaved when I was younger. I didn’t treat you well. I don’t know why you still like me after all that, but I’m glad you do.”

  “It’s fine.”

  “It isn’t fine. I had my priorities all out of whack. I wanted to be popular. I was certain that my happiness was directly linked to my popularity. I thought dating Todd was the way to cement my popularity. I hate that I changed into that person I was throughout school. This is going to sound really bad, but what happened to you?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “It was like you faded out of my life.”

  I smiled, tracing my hand up and down her back. “I moved to Dallas. I moved right before eighth grade.”

  “You did?”

  I wasn’t going to let it hurt that she had no idea I’d moved out of the state. “Yes, I did.”

  “I’m so awful! I didn’t even know.”

  “It’s okay.”

  “I am so sorry for how I behaved back then. It was reprehensible. I swear I will never act like that again. I needed to be taken down a notch. I’m so glad you came back. You are a patient man. I don’t know that I would have been able to forgive so easily.”

  “If it meant having you, I would do anything.”

  “I can’t believe I am so lucky to have you. Please forgive me.”

  “I have nothing to forgive. There is nothing you need to apologize for. What we went through made us who we are today. Sure, we have some baggage, but I think it makes us better people. We’ve learned hard lessons. I would not change anything.”

  “Again, you amaze me.”

  She kissed me, reviving the heat that had barely been squelched. I pulled her against my chest and held her close. “You’ve made me the happiest man in the world. I feel like I have waited my whole life to get to this point. I know you say you’re sorry and this shouldn’t have played out like it did, but it was all part of the journey. Every choice, every decision led us right here.”

  “Now you’re just being a romantic.”

  I chuckled. “I suppose I am.”

  “Don’t stop. I like it.”

  “What’s next?” I asked her. “Are you ready to make this a real thing? Have you forgiven me? Do I get to be your boyfriend again? Can we go back to the way we were?”

  “Woah, buddy. That’s a lot of questions coming at me. Let’s start with the real thing one. Hell yes this is the real thing. I had nothing to forgive you for and damn straight you are my boyfriend. But—”

  I groaned and smiled. “I knew there was a but coming.”

  “And there are a few,” she said.

  “I should have known it was too easy.”

  “I know you didn’t just call me easy.”

  “No, absolutely not. There is nothing easy about you. You’ve made everything extra difficult. You’re lucky I like a challenge.”

  “Okay, let’s go back to my buts.”

  “You have one butt and it is mighty fine. I really like what those squats are doing for you.” I squeezed a handful of her perky, round cheek.

  She slapped at my chest. “But,” she exaggerated the word, “there needs to be some changes.”

  “Okay, hit me. What do you want?”

  “I’m moving in.”

  “Done. Next.”

  “There needs to be some changes at the gym. If my dad won’t do it, I will. Technically, it is my gym. I’m supposed to be the owner. Or co-owner. I am going to make some changes.”

  “Like?”

  “I think you know what. Her. I don’t want her around. I don’t like her and I don’t like how she treats people. No one gets to treat you or anyone else like they are a piece of meat.”

  “I’ll accept whatever changes you want to make,” I told her.

  “Okay, now for our future. We need to discuss a few things before I move in my clothes. I don’t want to pack them and move right back out.”

  “Woah, why would you do that?”

  “Because I want a big family. Big. I don’t want our kids to be only children.”

  “If there are kids, they are not only children.”

  “Don’t get smart. I just want you to understand I want a minimum of three, but preferably a few more than that.”

  I tried to hide the fear in my eyes that thought brought up. “Okay.”

  “Okay? Like okay, pat me on the head, or okay, you want a gaggle of kids?”

  “Is a gaggle as many as a baseball team?”

  She burst into laughter. “I suppose it could be.”

  “Then okay. I’m good with that. Anything else?”

  “I’m being really demanding, aren’t I? I can’t help it. I have sat back and let life happen for so long. I just want to get out there and start living.”

  “It’s cool. I like demanding. I like when you’re bossy.”

  “Are you sure? Because if I’m getting out of control, you just tell me.”

  “I will. I especially like when you call me your man and get all territorial.”

  “Good, because I’m done letting anyone go after you.”

  “You will not get any arguments from me.”

  “Good.”

  “How much stuff do you have?” I asked after we’d been cuddling for a while.

  She thought about it. “The only thing I want to bring with me are my clothes and maybe a few sentimental things. The rest of my stuff is in storage. I don’t want it. It’s part of my old life. I’m starting over with you.”

  “You have no idea how happy that makes me.”

  “I have a little idea and I’m happy to make you happy.”

  “Are you going to pick up your routine at the gym again?” I asked.

  “Be very careful how you answer this next question,” she said.

  I nodded. “Always.”

  “Are you suggesting I need to pick up
my routine?”

  I smiled. I wasn’t worried about stepping on a mine in this field. “I would never say you needed to do anything like that, but baby girl, I sure do love watching you work out, and I get to spend a lot more time with you. That is assuming I still have a job at the gym, Miss CEO.”

  She laughed before giving me a quick kiss. “What about your professional training thing?”

  I wasn’t sure if this was going to make her happy, but I wasn’t going to keep it from her. “I turned it down.”

  She sat up, her breasts swaying with the motion. “You did what? Why?”

  “I did not want to spend my every waking hour training guys that are already in the best shapes of their lives. I didn’t want to travel all the time or be on call all the time. I like my clients. I like helping people that really need it. I like the personal touch. I’m still willing to train the guys that want to come into the gym, but I don’t want to be theirs exclusively. Is that crazy?”

  “No, I get it.”

  “Good, because Fran lost her shit. She says I’m ruining the gym’s reputation and blah, blah, blah.”

  “Fuck Fran and I don’t mean that literally. I don’t want you gone all the time either. You’d be in Phoenix and I would never see you. I think you have plenty of people right here in Buckeye that will keep you plenty busy.”

  “Me too. Now, I just hope my new boss doesn’t fire me when I kiss her in the office.”

  She grinned and leaned forward. Her ample breasts brushed over my chest. “Your new boss would be very upset if you didn’t kiss her in the office.”

  “Is that a double standard?” I asked.

  “What do you mean?”

  “You want to fire Fran for trying to get hot and heavy in the office but you want to take her job and do exactly that.”

  She frowned at me. “I’m your girlfriend. I won’t be your boss. I think I was teasing about the gym thing. I don’t know anything about that stuff.”

  “Didn’t you say you got a business degree?”

  She nodded. “I did, but I just did it to please my parents.”

  “Do you want to work?”

  “Are you worried I’m going to mooch off you?” she teased.

  I wrinkled my nose. “Well, now that you mention it…”

  She laughed and slid off my bed. “I think I would like to have a job, yes. I’m close to thirty, but I think it would give me purpose.”

  “Where are you going?” I asked.

  She pulled on my T-shirt. “I’m hungry. Sue told me we were going to dinner. I saved up all my calories for dinner and drinks. You better have some food in this kitchen.”

  “There goes my bossy girl,” I called out.

  “You haven’t seen bossy yet. After I stuff my face, I have some more demands I’d like to make of you.”

  I pulled on my underwear and followed her into the kitchen. “What kinds of demands would those be?”

  “The kind that require you to ask no questions and just do what your told. You won’t need to work out tomorrow. I plan on using that body of yours until we are both too sore to move.”

  I spread out my arms. “My body is yours to command.”

  “You might regret saying that.”

  “Not a chance in hell.”

  She pulled open the refrigerator door and bent over. I groaned and squeezed my eyes closed. If I walked up and nailed her right then, she would not be pleased. It was a damn tempting sight. She pulled out some leftovers and put them on the counter. “Is it bad I don’t want to eat healthy right now?” she asked.

  “Not at all. Why don’t I order a pizza?”

  “You would do that?”

  “Absolutely.”

  “Am I a bad influence on you?”

  “I eat pizza. Thin crust, but it’s still pizza.”

  She jumped up and down, clapping her hands. “I love you. Pizza, please. Pineapple and everything else.”

  I wrinkled my nose at the thought. “We’ll get pineapple on your half.”

  She threw her arms around my neck. “I cannot wait to learn all your little quirks.”

  “You say that now, but you might regret it later.”

  “Not a chance.”

  Epilogue

  Alora

  Six months later

  I wiped down the bar one last time before moving to the box I had just gotten from the bakery I discovered a few weeks ago. I opened it up and pulled out the pink box packed with individually wrapped brownies. I inhaled the scent through the plastic. I probably looked like a fruitcake, but I didn’t care. I loved the smell of chocolate.

  “Oh my god, those look so good,” Sue said from the other side of the juice bar that was more of a snack shack place now.

  “They are. Do you want to try one? On the house.”

  “Woman, I don’t know if they teach you this in that fancy college you went to, but you can’t give away all your products. You’ll never make a profit.”

  “It’s one brownie. Besides, this gym is rolling in the dough. I don’t need to charge you a buck for a stupid brownie.”

  She took the offered brownie and carefully examined it. “Is this a real brownie or some gluten-free, sugar-free, taste-free garbage?”

  “It’s low in sugar but it is amazing. It’s still chocolate and you still can’t eat twenty of them but eating one isn’t going to break your healthy eating. They are made with almond flour.”

  She unwrapped it and took a bite. She nodded her head as she chewed. “It’s actually really good.”

  “I know.”

  “You did something really cool here. I’m proud of you.”

  “Thank you. I have finally found my niche. I always knew I loved food. I just didn’t know I could make it into an actual business.”

  “How has the reception been thus far?” she asked. “Are the gym members mad you took their juice bar and made it into a snack shack on steroids?”

  “Nope. They can still get their protein shakes and smoothies, but I don’t sell the extra garbage Fran was trying to shove down their throats. They can go to GNC if they want that stuff. My goal is to teach people how to eat like Bunny taught me.”

  “It’s a great idea. I love it. I think for those of us who aren’t totally dedicated to the gym, it’s a great plan. This keeps us from running through a drive thru after we get done working out.”

  “Exactly,” I said. “That’s exactly the point.”

  “And the brownies?”

  “I happened to be working out with a lady who owns a bakery. She was telling me about these brownies and cupcakes she makes that aren’t zero calories but less than the usual. I asked her if I could sell some here at the gym and she agreed. If these brownies work out, I’m going to offer more stuff. I figure if we can sell our patrons healthy sweet treats, it will keep them from going out and buying the unhealthy stuff.”

  “Damn, look at you, little miss entrepreneur.”

  “How is school?” I asked her as I finished neatly arranging the brownies on a glass dish.

  “Good. I love it. I’m so glad I get my very own class. I feel like such an adult now.”

  “You’ve been an adult for a while. Now, you better get a move on. Take your brownie and scoot.”

  “I’m going, I’m going. You are taking this bossy thing very serious.”

  She headed out. I checked the time and got back to work stocking the snack shack.

  “Hey, Alora,” Bunny called out.

  I looked up and waved. She looked like a mama duck with all her little ducklings following in line behind her as they headed for the stairs.

  “Are those brownies?” she asked with horror.

  “Healthy, low-fat, and zero-calorie brownies,” I lied.

  She rolled her eyes. “You’re killing me.”

  “Yoga?” I asked.

  She nodded. “Yep. Time to limber these boys up.”

  I looked at the trail of men following behind her. She always had a trail of men behind h
er. One of those men happened to be ERock. He had yet to get her to commit to him. They dated, but Bunny was not ready to settle down and ERock was not ready to give up. Taking her yoga class showed serious commitment to winning her over.

  I got back to work, keeping an eye on the time. Once I was finished, I headed for Jeff’s office. I sent Sue a quick text on my way.

  Is it ready?

  She quickly replied. Two minutes.

  I smiled and slipped the phone into my pocket before opening the door to his office. “Hey, sweetie,” I said as I walked in.

  He was at his desk in the GM office—Fran’s old office. It always made me smile when I got to call it that. Out with the old hag and in with the new hunk. “What are you doing?” he asked.

  “We have a situation,” I said and forced a grim look.

  He groaned and ran a hand over his face. “When I agreed to take over for Fran, I had no idea there were so many situations. Can I go back to just being a trainer?”

  “No. You’re an excellent GM. You are doing very well, and you know it. My dad is ready to sign the place over to you at this point. I think he forgot he has a daughter. He’s too excited about finally having a son.”

  “Oh, do I detect a hint of jealousy?”

  “If you’re only detecting a hint, I’m not doing it right.”

  “I just got off the phone with the bookkeeper. The forensic accountant found even more skimming.”

  “No kidding?” I said with shock. “I knew that bitch was bad news. How much did she get away with?”

  “So far, it looks to be inching toward six figures. She opened up memberships in dummy names and took all kinds of money. She was scandalous.”

  “I’m glad my dad got to fire her. I wish I could have done it.”

  “You know it was getting sticky with the legal department,” he reminded me.