Friends Without Benefits

by Dena Blake

  “Thanks…for nothing,” Emma said under her breath as she moved toward the crowded living room. The doorbell rang immediately, and Emma glanced over her shoulder to observe a man at the door. Grace gave him the half-grin and trademark two-beat laugh that flew from her lips when she was flirting. Ugh. It was clearly only Emma who spiked Grace’s anger.

  She hated going to these things without a date, but if she’d brought someone along, she’d be attached to them by the hip all night. That was a pain in the ass at a work party as well. She’d promised Brent she would meet Dex, and if they didn’t click, she’d just leave. As it was, unless this girl was able to keep her from falling asleep on her feet, Emma was already planning to put in the minimal courtesy hour and then bolt. She definitely wasn’t in the mood for Grace’s shit. She’d never understood what Brent saw in her. She was a spoiled princess who always seemed to get what she wanted, including Brent. They must have really hot sex.

  She pushed open the sliding glass door and stepped out onto the deck. She spotted Brent across the way leaning back casually against the railing talking to a tall, muscular woman wearing jeans and a pale-green cable-knit sweater. As she moved closer, a smile broke onto Brent’s face.

  “Hey, Em. I’m glad you made it.”

  The woman whom he’d been talking to turned her head, and Emma was caught by gorgeous green eyes centered with vivid yellow sunbursts. Dex. She couldn’t help but stare for just a moment before she forced herself to swerve her gaze to Brent.

  “Sorry I’m late. It’s been a long day.”

  As he pulled her into a hug, Dex created some distance between them and started to turn. “Hang on a minute,” he said, and swung Emma around, tucking her under his arm. “Have you guys met?” He pointed from Emma to Dex and back again. “This is my best bud, Emma.” He looked at Emma and pointed to Dex. “This is Grace’s best bud, Dex.”

  “Well, that must be hell.” Emma couldn’t interpret Dex’s expression, so she quickly held out her hand. “Sorry. Inside joke.”

  “She does have her moments,” Dex said with a laugh and took her hand. “Nice to meet you.”

  Passed round one. Emma was already intrigued.

  Brent removed himself from between the two of them. “Can I get you two something to drink?”

  “A beer would be great,” Emma said.

  Dex lifted hers to the light, checking the level. “Make that two.”

  “I’ll be right back.” He took off toward the cooler in the corner of the deck.

  Emma tried to let Dex start the conversation, but she seemed to be floundering, so she took the lead. “You were the maid of honor at their wedding, right?” She probably should’ve stayed away from the subject, but she had to know if Dex remembered what had happened. “How long have you known Grace?”

  “It seems like forever.” She chuckled. “I think I was twelve when she first rescued me from the mean-girl firing range.”

  “Wow, that’s a long time. The two of you must be really close.”

  “Here you are, ladies.” Brent handed them each a beer and immediately left the conversation.

  They watched Brent walk across the deck to a group of guys. “Not as close as we used to be since Brent came into the picture, but close enough.”

  “I’ve known him for a while. On the scale of pain in the asses, he’s about a four.” She turned to Dex and winked.

  “It’s always good to know the rankings.” Dex smiled and lifted her beer. “To new friends.”

  Emma clinked hers against it and smiled. “To new friends.” The two of them were going to get along just fine.

  By the time Emma finished her beer, the conversation had been nonstop, and her stomach actually ached from laughing so much. Dex had a unique way of choosing a person from the crowd and creating a personality for them. Oddly enough, she was spot-on with most of the people Emma knew at the party. She had a wickedly odd sense of humor that Emma thoroughly appreciated.

  “You want another beer?” Dex asked.

  “No. I’d better not. I’ve already had a long day, and I’m afraid another one might put me under.” Damn, she shouldn’t have said that. Dex’s smile seemed to falter. She didn’t want her to think she’d been boring. In fact, Dex had been the total opposite. Emma hadn’t had this much fun in a long time and, surprisingly, wasn’t quite ready to leave her company yet. “A cup of coffee would be nice.”

  Dex’s eyes seemed to brighten. “I brought them a French press as a housewarming gift tonight, so I can make you one with it.”

  “Awesome.” She followed Dex inside. “Their house is beautiful.”

  “It is. Have you seen the whole thing?”

  She shook her head. “No. I came straight to the deck when I got here.”

  “Well, let me get you fixed up with that coffee, and then I’ll give you a tour.”

  “Sounds wonderful. That is, if you don’t mind.” She followed Dex to the door and couldn’t help notice the way her hips swung ever so slightly as she walked. So much sexiness to go with those gorgeous eyes.

  “No, not at all,” Dex said, glancing over her shoulder, and with that, Emma had been caught checking out the very nice ass in front of her.

  Emma’s cheeks warmed when Dex smiled at her as she opened the door and motioned her in front of her. She wasn’t usually so dude-like. Checking out women’s body parts wasn’t something she made a habit of doing, but there it was right in front of her, packaged nicely in olive-green skinny jeans and looking perfectly touchable. She’d had no control at that point. Her eyes had hijacked her mind and led the way to the glorious sight.

  When they zigzagged through several people to the kitchen, they found Grace at the counter scraping spanakopita triangles from a pan she’d just removed from the oven onto a tray. “Can you help me with these?” She motioned to another tray of wings in the open oven.

  “Uh, sure.” Dex swiped the hot pad from the counter and took out the tray. “Can you grab me that bowl,” she said to Emma and pointed to a bright orange, fiesta-style serving dish by the sink. “Where are your paper plates?”

  “In the pantry.” She squealed. “I’m so overwhelmed here, Dex. I don’t know what to do.”

  “I’ll get them,” Emma said as she set the serving dish for the wings where Dex could get to it and then went in search of plates. She found the paper plates, plastic ware, and napkins in the pantry and set them all out on the counter with easy access for the guests.

  The three of them had the rest of the food plated and on the dining-room table within fifteen minutes. Emma hadn’t realized how useless Brent was at home. If Grace had been her wife, she would’ve been right in here helping her get everything ready, which seemed to be what Dex had done. She watched the two of them interact as Dex handed Grace a glass of wine and then poured two cups of coffee from the press. Dex seemed to be a helluva prize in every way.

  Dex turned and caught her staring. “Sorry about that. Ready for that tour now?” She handed her a cup before taking a sip from her own.

  “Sounds wonderful. If you’re still up for it.”

  “Absolutely.” Dex rounded the kitchen counter and led her through the living room and into the hallway. “This is the…I forget…what do they call it? Oh yes, the hallway.” She pointed at the crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling. “The most elegant hallway I’ve ever frequented.” Her voice took on a British accent, and Emma let out a burst of laughter.

  She led her to the guest bathroom next. “Here we have the loo.” She continued in the upper-crust dialect. “The elegant charm of the beveled mirrored vanity finished with crystal knobs centers the oversized room. But the pièce de résistance is the decorative handmade Italian mirror.” Dex lightly tugged her in front of the mirror and captured her gaze in the reflection. “Where you can view the most beautiful of faces.”

  Emma’s body sizzled in all the right places. Gorgeous and charming.

  After going through a couple of other rooms listening to D
ex’s Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous descriptions, Dex balked as they entered the master bedroom, and Emma walked right into her. Standing there alone, this close to Dex, made her body heat soar. She was feeling things she hadn’t in a very long time. The dark look in Dex’s eyes made an image of the two of them naked under the down comforter fly through her head. If she’d known her for just a few weeks longer, Emma would’ve locked the door and taken advantage of their proximity. A new gift-set of sheets would’ve definitely been in order. She forced the image from her mind and stepped back.

  Dex cleared her throat. “And this would be the boudoir.” She moved her hand in a typical Vanna White motion, showing her the room. “Spacious yet cozy enough for the most intimate of trysts.” She seemed to purposely finish this part of the tour quickly. Perhaps she was feeling the same heat as Emma.

  When they returned to the living room, most of the guests had left, and it was almost eleven o’clock. Emma hadn’t realized they’d been away from the actual party for so long. She glanced around at the few people standing in scattered circles and suddenly felt sad that the night was about to end. Grace was out on the deck with Brent talking to another couple and, from the motion of her arms, seemed to be explaining something vividly.

  She took her empty cup into the kitchen. “I guess I’d better get going.”

  “Oh, so soon?” Dex twisted her wrist to check her watch. “Wow. I didn’t realize it was that late. Can I walk you to your car?”

  “I’d love that.” Emma was surprised at just how much she’d love that.

  “Give me just a minute.” She rushed outside to Grace and told her she was leaving. From what Emma could hear, Grace wasn’t happy. She was complaining about cleaning up, but Brent put his arm around her and shooed Dex with his hand. He looked over at Emma and waved. “We got this. I’ll see you Monday.”

  She smiled and was surprised at the dip her stomach took when Dex came back her way. Slow down, Em.

  “Did you bring a coat?”

  “No. I didn’t think it was going to get this cold.”

  “No worries. You can wear mine.” Dex reached into the closet, pulled out a down jacket, and held it up for her to slide an arm inside. “I’ll just wear one of Grace’s.”

  Giving up her coat for me? Could she get any sweeter?

  They were both quiet as they walked to Emma’s car. She pushed the remote and the car chirped. “This is me.” Emma glanced around at the lack of cars left on the street. “Did you drive?”

  “Nah, I took the L. It’s just a couple of blocks away.”

  “You can’t be out walking at this time of night. That’s dangerous.”

  Dex opened the door for her. “I’ll be fine.”

  She hit the unlock button for the passenger seat. “Get in. I’ll give you a ride home.”

  Dex shook her head. “That’s completely unnecessary.”

  Emma tilted her head and smiled. “I’d like to.”

  Still hesitant, Dex gripped the top of the door with her hand. Emma covered it with hers. “Really. I would.”

  “In that case, I’d hate to disappoint a beautiful woman.”

  Again, surprised by the bounce in her stomach, Emma smiled.

  Their conversation was sporadic as they traveled across town to Dex’s house in Oak Park, a place Emma was quite familiar with, having grown up in the area. Even in the dark, she couldn’t help but notice the beautifully landscaped front yard when they pulled up in front of the house.

  She noted the stenciled logo on the side of the SUV parked in the driveway. Scenic Landscaping and Design. Emma had seen a few yard signs on her parents’ street with the same logo.

  “Wow. Did you design this?”

  “Designed and installed,” she said with a subtle sense of pride.

  “It’s so intricate, and it all flows together perfectly.”

  She shrugged. “It’s what I do.”

  Emma got out of the car and wandered up the pathway to the door before she turned around to take it all in. “You’re very talented.”

  As they stood at the front door, surrounded by sweet aromatic roses in the beds by the house, Emma could see the blush rising in Dex’s cheeks. It was as though the moon had created the perfect ambience just for them. Emma stopped resisting and leaned in for a kiss. Dex’s lips were soft and sweet, with just a taste of coffee still left on them. When Dex’s hands went to Emma’s cheeks, she thought maybe it was too much, too soon. She was pleasantly surprised by the warmth of Dex’s tongue as it passed through her lips. She slipped her arms around Dex’s waist and pulled her closer, desperately wanting more contact. She fought to keep her hands from inching up Dex’s shirt as the kiss deepened, their tongues mingling gently. All of Emma’s senses were heightened to an intense level, ready to uncoil into a blissful pool of satisfaction with just the right touch. When they finally broke the kiss, they were both hot and breathing hard.

  Emma buzzed all over, and she sucked in a deep breath. “I had…” She had no words to explain just how she felt about the night, that kiss, and what this woman did to her.

  “Me too.” Dex smiled. “Can I see you again?”

  “Yes,” she blurted. “I mean, of course.” She put her hand out. “Let me see your phone, and I’ll put my number in it.”

  Dex handed her the phone, and she typed in her number and handed it back. Dex quickly typed in something.

  “I sent you a text so you’ll have mine too.” This was a clear sign that they’d made a connection. Dex opened the door and stood in the threshold. “I’ll call you tomorrow, okay?”

  She moved closer and brushed a stray strand of hair from Dex’s face. She needed to go now, or else she was going to push Dex through that door, take her to the closest piece of furniture, and make her scream with pleasure.

  “Sure. That’d be great.” She swung around and walked to her car. At least she thought she was walking, though at this moment, she felt like she was floating. She would definitely thank Brent for this one.

  * * *

  Dex watched Emma drive away before she closed the door and dropped against it. Her legs were as pliable as the spandex covering them. The mega earth-shattering kiss had rattled her so much she’d had a hard time unlocking the door. She took in a deep breath and went into the kitchen, picking up her cat and scratching her belly on the way. “This one’s promising, Panda.” Her black-and-white face held its usual indifference to the attention. She kissed her on the nose and then let her jump to the floor. Dex had been totally prepared for this evening to be a disaster, just like all the previous dates Grace had set up for her over the past week.

  But the chemistry with Emma was unreal. They’d talked about everything from books to food to basketball. And the banter was ridiculously fun. With every witty line of dialogue she fired at her, Emma returned something wittier. The girl was not only beautiful, but she also had smarts. Emma had received her MBA at Northwestern University, and even though Dex had received hers from the University of Chicago, she wouldn’t hold it against her. They’d found they both liked unique and sometimes quirky modern art and agreed to go to the Museum of Contemporary Art sometime in the future. Even when Grace had dragged her away to help in the kitchen, Emma had pitched right in without complaining. Dex hadn’t had that much fun with another woman in a long time. And the kiss was off-the-charts sizzling. Had Emma felt it too?

  Her phone chimed and she glanced at the screen. A text from Emma.

  Me too. It was an incredible night. I hope we can do it again soon.

  The sentence was punctuated with a smiley face at the end. Dex’s stomach fluttered. Question answered.

  Chapter Eleven

  Dex’s phone chimed on her bedside table. She picked it up and read the message from Grace.

  Hey, sleepyhead. Wake up. I’m about to be at your front door.

  Dex moved Panda from her legs to her side and slid out of bed. “I know. It’s not even eight yet,” she said in response to the cat’s prote
st. She tugged on her sweatpants and trotted down the steps. She wasn’t expecting to see Grace today, and definitely not this early. She checked her reflection in the mirror hanging in the front entryway and finger-combed her hair before she opened the door.

  “Hey. What are you doing here so early?”

  “Are you alone?” Grace peered around her after she entered.

  “Technically, no. Panda is still in bed and not very happy that you woke us up.”

  “I thought maybe you and Emma…”

  “Sadly, no.” Dex sighed. “I slept alone. Just like every other night.”

  “Didn’t you two have a good time last night?”

  “Actually, yes, but she only dropped me off. She didn’t stay.” She closed the door and followed Grace into the kitchen, where she perched on one of the breakfast-bar stools. “Did you expect her to spend the night?” Maybe there was something more she needed to know about Emma.

  “No. Just checking.” Grace held up the McDonald’s bag she’d had clutched in her fingers. “I brought breakfast.”

  “No coffee?”

  “I knew you’d want your own. You always say it’s better.” Grace scrunched up her nose. “So, you really had a good time last night?”

  Dex pulled her eyebrows together. “Shouldn’t I have?”

  “Oh, yeah. Sure. It’s just that Emma doesn’t really seem like your type. She brought a box of freaking cigars as a gift. Can you believe that?”

  “I didn’t realize I had a type, and what’s wrong with cigars?” She filled the kettle and put it on the burner before lighting the gas stove.

  “It wasn’t a bachelor party, for God’s sake.” Grace rolled her eyes as she took two breakfast biscuits from the bag. She pushed one over to Dex and kept the other for herself. “I thought you liked girlie girls.” She smiled her amazing smile.

  Dex’s heart squeezed a little, and she ignored the giddy feelings it provoked. “You mean girlie girls like you?” Grace used how Dex felt about her to her full advantage.