“Should?”
Standing up, I pace the room. I don’t know how to voice the fact that, if I agree to a friends with benefits relationship with Danika, that I’m not sure I’ll be able to stop my feelings for her from growing even stronger. It’s been hard enough without sex. And these “fake” kisses and touches we’ve been sharing have not made things easier.
“The real dream is having her all to myself. No pretend shit. Real.”
I’m sure Melissa is nodding. She’s jotting something down, I can hear her pen going. “May I make a suggestion?”
“Please,” I reply, desperate for any help at this point.
“Why don’t you counter her offer with one of your own. Her rules are no sleepovers, no commitment and not telling her sister. Why don’t you come up with your own rules that make the arrangement more comfortable for you and her both. A compromise.”
Compromise.Hm. Not a bad idea.
“Think about that, Arden, and I’ll be interested to hear how it all went when we reconvene later in the week.”
“Thanks, Melissa. Have a good night.”
“You too, Arden.” She hangs up the phone and then it’s just me and my racing thoughts.My own rules.What rules do I want to set to Danika so that I have some control of the situation? Something to protect my heart a bit?
After spending another few minutes or so mulling it over, I emerge from my bedroom.
Danika swallows the popcorn in her mouth. “What amendments? Also, what is this? The constitution?”
Pulling over a dining room chair—because I don’t trust myself on the couch with her—I sit in front of her, my elbows propped on my knees.
“I’m okay with rule one but if accidents happen, don’t beat yourself up too much about it. I’m an excellent cuddler.”
Her jaw drops and it seems like she wants to protest but I don’t give her the chance.
“I like rule two, but I want to add on an exclusivity clause. We don’t need thereallabels, but I want to be sure we’re only doingthiswith each other. If at any point, you want to start seeing someone else, then we’ll stop.”
Danika closes her mouth and nods.
“Rule three: I don’t keep things from my sister. And you shouldn’t either. She’s your best friend.”
“Fine,” Danika says stubbornly. “But I want to be the one to tell her.”
“Deal.”
“Are you ready to make this official now?” Dani stands, extending her hand toward me again. This time I take her hand, giving it a firm shake once and then I use it to pull her down onto my lap. Her legs straddle my hips and she gasps slightly as she settles into the position.
“Oh, you meannownow,” Dani giggles and the sound is music to my years. She wraps her arms around my neck and kisses me deeply. I return the affection, using my own arms to pull her body closer to mine. I need the closeness. Crave it.
But I also need to study for my statistics test.
And having my tutor wrapped around my increasingly growing erection isn’t going to help me pass.
Placing gentle kisses down her jaw to her neck, I lean in to whisper in her ear. “It’s stats time.”
Danika groans, her head whipping back, sending her long cascades waves down to my knees. “Fine, but only because I know you’re useless without me. But after, we’re totally boning.”
“Boning?”
“Yes, Arden,” she leans in, rubbing her tight little butt over the bulge in my jeans. “I’m going to ride you like a cowgirl.”
It takes all the willpower I have to not take her up on that offer right then and there. But I have an exam tomorrow and I need to get as much help as she’s willing to offer me. With one more chaste kiss, Dani gets up from my lap and heads toward the dining room table. Reluctantly, and with a few maneuvers of my jeans, I follow.
“Why can’t I ever remember the difference between median and mode?”