When he could breathe again, he pointed an accusing finger.“You do that on purpose, I know you do.”
Her smirk had a wicked edge.“I have to have some fun.”
“I thought you did that on Friday.And again on Saturday.”
The smirk fell away and her body went stiff, and when her gaze dropped to the table, alarm bells began clanging in his head.
“Or am I not supposed to bring that up?”he asked, keeping his voice mild out of sheer will.
As he’d hoped, the gentle poke had her gaze rising to his.He still couldn’t read her eyes, damn those contact lenses, but her expression turned haughty and her chin came up.
“Oh, you can bring it up,” she all but purred, arrogance in every word.“You’re just not going to get it anymore.”
So profound was his relief that she was acting like herself again that it took him five full seconds to understand her meaning.And because he’d expected exactly this, he had to suppress a smile.“Cutting me off, are you?”
She blinked in surprise, and he had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep the smile off his face.
“Not completely,” she said, and he had to give her points for a quick recovery.“You still have the gang bang.”
He kept silent, wanting to hear the story she’d decided to tell herself.
“But I don’t think we should…”
“Fuck unless there’s other people in the room?”he finished.
The look she shot him was pure queen to peasant.“If you’re going to be a dick about it, you can forget the gang bang, too.”
He spread his hands, the picture of cooperation and deference.“I’m just trying to understand.”
“I just think if we’re going to be roommates, we need boundaries.”
“Okay, I get that.I do,” he insisted when her eyes narrowed.“Sex complicates things, doesn’t it?”
“Yes,” she said slowly, distrust all but dripping from the single syllable.
“We’re not lovers, after all,” he continued.“Just friends these days, right?”
“Just friends,” she echoed.
“No sense blurring those lines,” he said cheerfully, and punctuated the words with a decisive nod.“We’re agreed, then.No more sex.”
“No more sex,” she echoed faintly, then raised a finger.“Except the gang bang.”
“Except the gang bang.”He angled his head.“Unless you want me to bow out.”
“No!”
“I can still set it up,” he continued, and thought he should probably feel a little guilty about how much he was enjoying the panic in her voice.But he was only human.“Just not participate.You know, to keep those lines clear.”
She shook her head, and there was real distress on her face.“I need you there.”
A spreading warmth that he recognized as hope bloomed in his chest.“Then I’ll be there.”
She stared at him for a moment, then nodded.“Thank you.”
“It’s my pleasure,” he said quietly.
The tension in her body eased, and her lips curled into a smirk.“Yes, it will be.”