Friends Without Benefits

by Dena Blake

“Can I offer you a little advice?”

  “Glo.” Bill’s voice was firm. “Maybe you should stop meddling and let the girls figure this out themselves.”

  “It’s okay. I don’t mind.” Dex ate the few carrots left in her bowl and pushed her dish away. “I was hoping Emma would be here today, so I could talk to her.”

  “I’m going to give you a little insight into Emma.” Glo finished her glass of wine and refilled it. “She had a bad experience with her last girlfriend.”

  Dex sat forward and put her arms on the table. “She hasn’t said anything about that.”

  “And she probably won’t.” She glanced across the table at Bill, and he shrugged. “She found out that friends don’t always have your best interests in mind.” She let out a heavy breath and stood up. “I’m going to leave it at that.” She started gathering the dirty dishes, and Dex hopped up to help.

  That was an open-ended bit of advice if she’d ever heard it. “What am I supposed to do with that?”

  Glo patted her on the cheek lightly. “Set your boundaries, Dex. And do it soon.”

  They had the dishes done quickly, and Dex was out the door soon after. She hadn’t had much to say after hearing about Emma’s previous relationship. Her mind had been on Emma and her heartbreak. It actually pained Dex to know she’d been hurt by someone, a friend, someone she’d trusted. Now she understood her actions at the skating rink. Dex had been thoughtless by letting Grace insert herself into their date and then not leaving with Emma. It seemed that Dex’s situation might be a little too similar. Apparently, she wasn’t the only one who had relationship fears.

  Once her SUV had warmed up, Dex glanced up at the house and waved at Bill and Glo, who were standing in the doorway before she pulled away. The lights had turned out beautifully, and her talk with Glo had lifted the weight in her chest some. Maybe she could make this work with Emma.

  * * *

  The week had trudged by slowly. With no contact from Emma, Dex had let work occupy her time by working ten- and twelve-hour days to complete all the light-hanging jobs on her schedule for the week and keep her clients happy. Staying busy had kept her mind occupied, and she’d caught herself thinking about Emma only after the sun went down. Sleep hadn’t come easy, but keeping herself exhausted usually helped. The edge of that knife hurt more than she’d thought it would right now. She missed the sparkle in Emma’s eyes whenever she’d caught her watching her, the sweetness in her voice when she’d whispered in her ear, the gentle possessiveness she’d shown when they’d made love. Emma did things to Dex no one else ever had.

  Thankfully it had been an unseasonably warm week for early December in Chicago. The week’s schedule had been full, with Friday being the heaviest of all. It had taken her full crew and thousands of lights to cover the two-story Italian-renaissance-revival mansion she’d scheduled. At fifteen thousand square feet, the modern architectural landmark was nestled in the midst of several other elite mansions in River Forest. She’d yet to get but a few of the neighbors on her customer list but hoped this light display would win them over. Dex just hoped the weather held out because her schedule was fully booked until mid-December.

  “I don’t know how you do it, Dex. The place looks awesome.”

  “We aim to please.”

  “You’ve certainly done that.” Emilio handed her a check. “I put a little extra in there for all of you. You know, a little Christmas bonus.”

  “Thanks. The team will appreciate that.” Dex never accepted tips from her customers. She always paid them forward to her crew.

  “Don’t forget about the Christmas party tomorrow night. I’ll expect to see you there.” He gave her a fist bump.

  “The best party of the year. Wouldn’t miss it.”

  “You’re bringing your girl, right?”

  “I would if I had one.”

  He put his arm around her shoulder. “Plenty of single ladies will be there.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Bring your best game.” He winked and went back into the house.

  She would definitely bring her best game. This party could be a new beginning.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Emma checked her coat at the door and took in the checkerboard-tiled entryway. The wrought-iron banister held a wide staircase that led to a landing above. She’d read somewhere in a magazine that Emilio’s house had fifteen rooms, six of which were bedrooms and seven were bathrooms. It also included a fitness center and waterfall by the pool, which was ridiculous for a confirmed bachelor who used only one of the bedrooms the majority of the time. The rest were here for out-of-town relatives and guests. And this was only one of his homes. He had them in New York, LA, and Tampa as well. Wouldn’t it be nice to be rich? At this point Emma would settle for a little happiness in her life.

  As soon as she entered the party, she was offered a flute of champagne by one of the many servers working the room. She drank it in two gulps, then switched it out for a full one as another server came by. She needed something to improve her mood. Hopefully she’d be able to put in her obligatory hour or two and get the hell out of there.

  This party was not on her fun-things-to-do list. Well, it might have been a month ago, but now it was just making her sad and uncomfortable. She hadn’t brought a date because she didn’t want to worry about someone else tonight. She’d even Ubered here in case she drank too much, which was entirely possible at this point. She’d come only because Emilio was one of the company’s largest clients, and she couldn’t think of any way to avoid being here unless she was on her deathbed. Even though she’d felt like it this past week, she wasn’t actually sick.

  She caught a glimpse of Brent at the bar, which meant Grace was close by. Her stomach twisted. She’d wanted to avoid seeing Grace as long as possible. Emma hadn’t heard from Dex since the apology text she’d received after she’d left Dex at the ice-skating rink, and she wasn’t up for seeing Grace’s smug, self-satisfied face. Before she could slip out of view, Brent swung around and caught sight of her. Fuck!

  He threw up a hand and waved her over. She’d guessed it would happen sooner or later during the night, but she’d planned for later.

  He took her empty glass. “What are you drinking?”

  “Champagne.”

  He motioned to the bartender and handed her a fresh glass. She drank it down quickly.

  “What are you trying to do, get fucked up within the first hour?”

  “That’s my plan.” She ignored his concern and glanced around the room. “Where’s your wife?”

  “Bathroom. She heard they have fancy giveaway soaps.”

  “How did you get her to come along? Doesn’t she hate these things?”

  “I told her Emilio was going to perform.”

  “Is he really? At his own Christmas party?”

  “Of course not, but she doesn’t know that yet. So don’t blow it for me, okay?”

  “Your secret’s safe with me.” She put her fingers to her lips and twisted her fingers. She would be spending the least amount of time possible talking to Grace this evening.

  His eyes brightened, and Emma knew she was coming their way. She set her empty champagne flute on the bar and signaled the bartender for another.

  Grace squeezed up under Brent’s arm, peeked up, and waited for him to kiss her, which he did.

  He handed her a drink. “Look who I ran into.”

  “I didn’t think you’d come tonight.” Grace pressed her lips together.

  “Same.” She lifted her glass and took a drink. The room swayed momentarily, so she set the glass on the bar and leaned against it. She was going a little too fast with the champagne. She hadn’t eaten anything except a piece of cheese today.

  Brent glanced at the dance floor and then at Grace. “How about we take a stroll on the dance floor?”

  Grace gave him a strange stare as he took her drink, set it on the bar, and pulled her across the room. Freedom for at least a few minutes.

&nbs
p; “You’re beautiful, you know that?” Dex’s voice was low and sultry.

  A jolt zapped through Emma. It was uncanny. She’d felt Dex before she even spoke. She took in a deep breath to calm herself before she turned around. “Hey, you.”

  “I was hoping to see you tonight.”

  “I wasn’t expecting to see you.” Emma was uncertain about the whole thing and avoided eye contact.

  “Emilio’s a client.”

  “Oh,” she said as she glanced around the room. “The lights are beautiful.” She reached for her champagne.

  Before she could take a drink, Dex stole the glass from her. “Dance with me?” She didn’t wait for an answer. Dex moved her in front of her and guided her through the crowd.

  This was a bad idea, but the pull Dex created in her was too much for Emma to resist. When they reached the dance floor, Dex spun her around, and she melted into her. They didn’t speak. They just took in the essence of each other. Emma couldn’t believe how good it felt to be in Dex’s arms again.

  When the music came to a lull, Dex brushed her thumb across Emma’s face. “I’ve missed you.”

  Although they were nice, they weren’t the words Emma needed to hear. She broke free from her arms and headed for the door. She couldn’t stay any longer, not with Dex here.

  “Emma, wait.” Dex took her hand and pulled her into another room off the foyer. “I came here tonight because I knew you’d be here.”

  “You did?” The familiar tingle captured her. She forced herself to ignore it. “I don’t know what you want from me, Dex.”

  “I’m sorry I hurt you.”

  Emma stared into her eyes, waiting for more.

  “I shouldn’t have let Grace come between us, and I won’t let it happen again.”

  There they were. That’s what she needed to hear. She melted into Dex and wrapped her arms around her. “I’ve missed you too.” Much more than she’d wanted to admit. She’d never felt the way she did when she was in Dex’s arms. Safe, cherished, loved.

  Emma gazed into Dex’s eyes and kissed her, slowly, softly, and sweetly. They held each other and moved to the faint sound of the music from the party until it faded.

  “We should probably get back out there.”

  “Yeah.” Dex kissed her softly again before letting Emma lead her to the door. She opened it just a smidge to make sure the coast was clear before they went out. All Emma needed was for everyone at work to think she’d had sex in Emilio’s study.

  Everyone had gathered in the main room, where Emilio was standing on the band platform. “Thank you all for coming to celebrate the holidays with us tonight. The band is happy to take requests, and both the bar and the buffet are open.” Everyone clapped. “Please enjoy your evening,” he said and hopped off the stage.

  “Come on. You probably need some food.” Dex moved Emma to the buffet table.

  “How do you know these things?”

  “I watched you come in.” She scrunched up her face. “Was it two or three glasses before you reached the bar?”

  “Three.”

  “Did you eat today?”

  Emma shook her head. “Wasn’t hungry. Haven’t been hungry in days.”

  She took her to a table instead and pulled out a chair for her. “I’ll be right back.”

  The room was filled with people drinking, eating, and laughing. Emma felt a little foolish now. She hadn’t expected to drink so much, so quickly. And she definitely hadn’t expected to run into Dex.

  She glanced over at the buffet table where Dex was filling a couple of plates with food. Dex caught her watching and gave her a wink. God, she was cute. Dressed in flowy black pants and a red silk blouse, she was the picture of everything Emma had ever dreamed of in a woman. The perfect Christmas present.

  * * *

  The food and dancing had sobered Emma up quickly, and she really hadn’t minded when Grace swept Dex off to the stage to talk with Emilio. Everyone seemed to be having a good time until Grace spun around, her eyes narrowed and fixed on Brent.

  He took a gulp of his drink and set it on the table. “Oh, shit. She’s coming in hot. You’d better scatter.”

  “Reinforcements?” Emma asked as she watched liquid spill across a nearby table when Grace slapped her glass onto it. She marched across the room with Dex following close behind, visibly talking to her.

  “Uh, I don’t think that will help.”

  Emma intercepted Dex on the way and led her away from the impending explosion while Grace gained speed on her way to the miserable train wreck she was about to stage. She was about to either shock or entertain over half of the semi-drunken partygoers, and she didn’t seem to care who was taking in the show.

  “How did you know she was going to freak?” Dex asked.

  “This isn’t my first work event with them. Grace hates these parties. Only comes for the shows or the perks, and there will be neither of those tonight.”

  Dex watched Grace as she lit into Brent. “Wow. Hadn’t seen this before.”

  “I guess you’re lucky that way.” Emma smiled. “Dessert?”

  Dex continued to watch, appearing thoughtful. Perhaps she hadn’t really meant what she’d said earlier about removing Grace from the equation. But then she turned to Emma and said, “I’m in.”

  The two of them picked out an assortment of desserts, sat at an empty table, and watched the rest of the messy scene unfold. Brent seemed to listen passively as Grace shot into his space and raised her voice. People at the surrounding tables glanced their way. Some went back to their conversations, and others remained glued to the scene. The vein in Grace’s neck throbbed as she blasted him. There was no way to turn the volume down on this explosion. It wasn’t until she stabbed a finger into Brent’s chest that Emma saw any reaction. He balled his fists but kept them at his sides. His jaw was so tight she could see the muscle in his cheek pop back and forth as he clenched his teeth. He was clearly holding back. Too many people he worked with were at the party, so he couldn’t go off on his wife in front of them. Even if she deserved it.

  Brent finally brushed past her and went to the bar, and Grace retrieved her drink from the table where she’d left it. She immediately downed it and didn’t stop there. Next, she grabbed the first eligible male and pulled him to the dance floor. This was more entertainment than Emma had expected tonight, much more so than any performance from Emilio.

  It was close to an hour later when Grace rushed to the bar and slammed into Dex, practically knocking her off her feet.

  Dex steadied her. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine.”

  Dex blinked and moved back a few steps. “How much have you had to drink?”

  “Just a few of those special Christmas cocktails.”

  Emma held Grace up as she wedged herself between them and swayed backward. “Jesus, those things are lethal. At least I had the sense to stick with champagne.”

  Grace gave Emma a sluggish glance and then focused on Dex. “Listen, Dex. Here’s the deal. I wanna go home, and Brent won’t take me.” The words were slurred, but Emma caught the gist of the conversation.

  “I got this.” Emma searched the room, found Brent drinking at a table with his buddies, and darted that way “Your wife wants to go home.”

  Brent shrugged. “I’m not ready to leave yet.”

  “She’s asking Dex to take her.”

  “That’s fine. Whatever.” He shrugged and turned to the conversation he was having with the group of guys.

  “You’re a shitty husband, you know that?” The words came out harsher than she’d intended, but Brent was royally pissing her off.

  That seemed to get his attention, and he swung back around. “What? Why?”

  “You need to pay attention to your wife before someone else does it for you.”

  “Just plant her at a table with someone. She’ll be fine.”

  “So you’re not going to take her home?”

  “Fuck, no.” His voice rose. “She�
�s acting like a spoiled princess.”

  “Hell of a night for you to grow some balls.” Emma spun around and raced across the room to Dex and Grace.

  “What’d he say?” Dex asked.

  “He’s being an ass.”

  Grace nodded. “Exactly.” She swayed, and Dex steadied her.

  “Come on. Let’s go.” Emma put her arm around Grace.

  Grace twisted and peered at her through half-mast lashes. “I have to pee.”

  Fuck, can this night get any worse?

  Dex slipped under Grace’s shoulder. “I’ll take her.” She reached in her pocket and took out a valet slip. “Can you get my SUV, and we’ll meet you at the door?”

  By the time Dex came out with Grace, Emma had pulled the SUV forward to give the valet room to retrieve other cars. Dex was practically carrying Grace, who was in worse shape than Emma had thought. She jumped out to open the door, and Dex buckled Grace into the back seat behind her. She immediately fell asleep. Emma started to round the car to the passenger seat, and Dex waved her off.

  “I’ll get in the back with her.”

  They were almost to the house when Grace bolted forward in the seat and slapped her hand to the headrest. “I’m going to be sick.”

  Emma jerked the wheel to pull the car over quickly, jumped out, and yanked the door open. Grace spewed all over Emma’s feet. She raised her head and gave her a glassy-eyed stare. “Whoops.”

  When Dex rounded the car her face went white. “Well, that’s just fucking fantastic.”

  Emma couldn’t stop the laugh that erupted from her lips. “At least she didn’t get my dress.”

  “Yet.” Dex moved Emma back before she settled Grace against the seat. She rummaged around on the floorboard and held up a shopping bag filled with spare Christmas lights. Dex emptied the bag, handed it to Grace, and shut the door. “Hang on a minute, and I’ll get something to put your shoes in.”

  Dex headed to the back of the SUV. “Stay there. I have some trash bags. I always keep them to line the back whenever I’m transporting plants.”

  Dex opened the back of the SUV, took out a bag, went back to Emma, and squatted down in front of her. “Step into this.” Emma did as she said and put her hand on Dex’s shoulder as Dex slid her hand down each of Emma’s calves to her heels and slipped off her shoes. Emma couldn’t stop the jolt that shot up her legs and hit square in her mid-section. If the situation wasn’t so disgusting, the whole act would’ve been totally erotic.