Between Friends (Friends with Benefits) (3 page)

“Let’s do something about that then,” I said with a smile.

A week after doing it the first time, there I was bringing home a sexy stranger yet again. Poor Doodle wouldn’t know
what
to think if I kept this up. He barked and rushed over, giving us the full Doodle treatment. After getting the excitement out of his system, he jumped up on the couch.

Evan came to stand directly behind me. He placed gentle kisses on my neck before licking at the sensitive spot behind my ear. I leaned against him, slowly grinding my ass against his dick. He moaned and his large hands eased around my body. They lightly squeezed my breasts. I gasped as his thumbs brushed over my stiffened nipples again and again.

“Fuck me,” I said in a voice I barely recognized as my own. He unzipped the back of my dress and tugged it down until it fell to the floor. My bra was next to go. I turned to face him and he licked his lips as he stared at my breasts. “You want this?” I asked as I playfully backed away each time he reached for me.

Evan pulled his shirt over his head and dropped it. “What do you think?” He took another step toward me.

I managed to keep our cat-and-mouse game going until my legs hit the edge of my bed.

Evan gave me a slow smile. “You’re mine now.” He dropped his pants, and his underwear followed.

I gulped as I got my first look at what Evan was packing. His cock was long and thick. I was having great luck with the guys I’d chosen so far.

I shimmied my panties down as Evan began to stroke himself.

“Lie down,” he said gruffly.

Never taking my eyes off his dick, I obeyed wordlessly.

He wasted no time burying his face between my legs. I grabbed a handful of his hair as my other hand played with my nipples.

His tongue flicked over my clit again and again as I squirmed beneath him in pleasure.

“Mm,” was all I could say as he began to finger me.

Evan lifted his head. “Ooh,” he said in a sexy voice, “you’re so wet, baby.” His fingers continued to drive me out of my mind while he spoke. “I can’t fucking wait to get inside you.”

I couldn’t wait either. Fortunately I wouldn’t end up waiting long, because I was about to come. Evan’s tongue had made its way back to my clit and I couldn’t take much more. I squeezed my nipples as my moans grew louder.

“Yes,” I panted. “Eat my pussy,” I ordered, pushing his head even closer to me as my hips undulated beneath his face. Being assertive in bed was exhilarating; I only wished I’d had the nerve—or the incentive—to start long before now. He did as I asked and did it expertly. My body tensed and I cried out.

I didn’t have time to catch my breath. In a flash, Evan had ripped open a condom and put it on. He flipped me over and I didn’t protest as he put my ass in the air. His thick cock pressed into my pussy as he grabbed my waist.

I bit my lip to keep from yelling as he filled me, then slid his hands up to play with my breasts. His grunts and groans were music to my ears. My only disappointment was that I couldn’t see him as he thrust in and out of me. I wanted to see the desire on his face, the pleasure I was giving him. His pace quickened, and the thrusts became harder. He slipped one hand around to play with my clit while he continued to fuck me.

Evan’s other hand remained on my breast, teasing my nipple into a painful hardness. I took care of the other one. I pressed the side of my face into the bed as the pleasure increased to its peak. I cried out as the powerful wave of carnal bliss washed over me.

“Fuck,” Evan yelled just as his body tensed. He thrust into me deeply one last time before he came.

I smiled to myself as he collapsed next to me.

A girl could get used to this.

I popped an aspirin and washed it down with my bottle of water. This day could not end soon enough. “Mr. Stein,” I repeated for the fifth time, “the first concept was lovely. I think it expressed the type of club that Heat is.”

Gilbert Stein regarded both ads, original and new, which lay on my desk in front of him. A short, slightly pudgy, balding man in his sixties who wore horn-rimmed glasses, Gilbert didn’t exactly strike one as an owner of a sexy club. He looked like someone’s kind, but slightly doddering, grandfather. Looks could be deceiving.

“No, no, no,” Mr. Stein said as he shook his head. “This is still all wrong. This one,” he said, holding up the original ad, “makes the club seem low class. And this,” he grabbed the new ad, “makes it seem boring. What is that art woman thinking?”

I tried to keep my voice even. “Well, you
did
say that you wanted less overt sexuality with the ad, Mr. Stein.”

“Since when does that equal snoozefest?” He regarded the new ad again as he clucked his tongue. “Perhaps I should talk to this Julia woman myself.”

“No,” I said quickly, “there’s no need for that. I’ll relay all your messages.” Unbeknownst to Mr. Stein, Julia was one redhead who wouldn’t hesitate to put her foot in his ass. I thought it best to try to keep the two apart as long as humanly possible.

He looked like he wanted to argue. Fortunately, he didn’t. He threw the ads back down and stood up. “Fine.” He pointed his finger at me. “You tell that woman there’s a balance between trashy and boring, and she’d better find it. I’m on a schedule here.”

I forced a smile. “Yes, Mr. St—” He was already gone, slamming my office door behind him. And now I got to look forward to another meeting with some of the fine folks on the creative team.

How I wasn’t an alcoholic was beyond me.

*      *      *

Nina and I met for lunch, where I regaled her with the latest horrors I’d endured at work.

She speared a leaf of lettuce from her salad and popped it into her mouth. “That guy sounds like a piece of work. Can you guys not drop clients?”

“Technically, yes. I’d have to go to the creative director; she’s the one with the power to do that.”

“How about the agency keeps him on, but
you
drop him and give him to another account manager?”

I thought about it. “I don’t know how that would work. I’m sure it’s happened before, but I don’t have any experience with it.” I chewed my lip as I considered it. Mr. Stein was, indeed, a huge pain in the ass, but he was also a big account. The fact that I landed him was a definite feather in my cap. If I dropped him, there went that feather. It would hit the ground like lead.

Nina perked up. “I haven’t told you about James!”

I frowned. “Who?”

Nina gave me an exasperated sigh. “James, from the club last weekend?”

“Oh,” I said, nodding, “right.”

She closed her eyes in bliss. “He is
amazing
.”

“I’m guessing we’re talking about sex?”

Nina looked at me. “Duh. But he’s great in other ways too.”

“You’ve been seeing him past one night, one date?”

Nina smiled. “He was supposed to be a one-night stand, but what can I say? He asked me out and I couldn’t refuse. I’m glad I didn’t.”

I smiled as I listened to Nina fill me in on James and how magnificent he was in oh so many ways. My mind drifted back to a couple of magnificent guys I’d had the pleasure of knowing, in the biblical sense, in the past couple of weeks.

As if she’d read my mind, Nina asked, “So what happened with you and that Evan guy?”

I shrugged. “Sex.”

Nina squinted at me. “And what about the other guy?”

“Justin? Oh,” I shrugged again, “I haven’t seen him since.” She looked at me for the longest time without saying anything. I couldn’t take it anymore. “What?”

“I just can’t believe you’re so good at having flings.” She shook her head and laughed. “I never would have guessed.”

I never would have guessed either. Though we hadn’t been back to Blaze in weeks, I often found myself wondering about both Justin and Evan from time to time. Okay, often. But my thoughts weren’t sad at all, despite not hearing from them. My goal had been to go wild and experience some no-strings-attached sex. Mission accomplished. My life had returned to its normally boring, safe state. I couldn’t believe it even now, but I actually missed the excitement the flings had brought into my life, if only for a couple of nights.

I rested my chin in the palm of my hand as I thought about it. Nothing took the edge off like sex. I needed more of that.

“What?” Nina asked after swallowing a bite of salad.

I shrugged. “Just contemplating my life.”

She rolled her eyes. “Don’t tell me you’re missing Nathan.”

I scoffed. My ex-boyfriend was
not
part of my life. His choice. His mistake. “Please, missing him is the furthest thing from my mind.”

Nina raised her eyebrows. “Interesting.”

I smiled. “What now?”

Nina leaned forward. “Does that mean you want to keep having these”—she dropped her voice—“
encounters
you’ve been having?”

I laughed at how she referred to my one-night stands. “The encounters were fun,” I said nonchalantly. Fun didn’t even begin to describe them, but I didn’t want to gush about multiple orgasms over salad.

Nina considered it. “Well, just go back to Blaze. Your hot bartender guy works there.”

I nodded. “Maybe.” But what about Justin? I wouldn’t mind seeing him again. How much nerve would it take to ask his friend, with whom I slept, how to go about contacting Justin so I could sleep with him again? The new me threw caution to the wind, but that could be like throwing gasoline on a fire.

Nina frowned. “Maybe?
Maybe?
Why wouldn’t you?”

I hedged. How much to tell my friend? I decided to go full steam ahead. “I’d love to see Evan again.”

“But…”

“I wouldn’t mind seeing Justin again too. That’s all.”

“So see him again.”

“I don’t even know how to get a hold of him.”

“You didn’t get the man’s number?” Nina laughed. “Wow, new Stacy’s not playing around with this whole casual thing.”

I groaned. “I know. What do I do, girl?”

“Simple. You go out and find some hunk of man to take your mind off the other ones.”

Leave it to Nina to make this casual thing sound simple. Everything was complicated in my little world. And if it didn’t come that way, I usually made it so. I really had to stop doing that. “You’re right.”

Nina’s eyes sparkled. “Does that mean we’re on for this weekend?”

“You’re still on the market? I thought James was so amazing?”

Nina waved my question away. “He is, but we’re not serious. We’re just seeing each other casually right now.”

“Well,” I said, reaching for my iced tea, “I’m down if you are.” It might have been for the best. If I kept up the no strings thing with Evan—and Justin, if I could even find him—I might end up wanting those strings after all.

And nothing fucked up casual sex like emotions.

The bar was smoky and the rock music deafening as Nina and I placed our drink orders. Nina asked for something called a Colorado Bulldog, which I was absolutely sure had Coke in it; I ordered a simple screwdriver.

I looked around, taking in the differences between this place and Blaze. Even the patronage was different. Whereas Blaze was always filled to capacity with hard bodies dressed to the nines in things with designer labels, The Biker Alley was a grungy downtown dive that catered to a crowd a bit rougher around the edges.

I definitely felt a little out of place. “Why did we come here?” I asked Nina. I wanted to be discreet, but I still had to yell in order to be heard above the music.

She picked up her drink and leaned toward me before yelling. “My ex works here, remember?”

Nina had a million exes. “Oh, uh, yeah. Python something or other.” He was the guy with a million tattoos, an eyebrow piercing, and, according to Nina, a wicked tongue.

Nina frowned. “Who? His name is Viper.” She shook her head as if Python were a ridiculous name, whereas Viper was as common as John.

“My bad,” I said before taking a sip of my drink. “I just wish we could have gone someplace a little more… mixed.” As the only black person in the place, I felt the occasional pair of eyes landing on me and lingering a bit more than usual. Other than that, I had to admit that no one had made me feel unwelcome.

Nina rolled her eyes. “Nobody cares.” Someone caught her attention and she flung her arm in the air, giving a big wave. “There’s Viper! I’ll be back.” She sashayed off, leaving me with a big, burly bartender who kept giving me curious looks.

I gave him a smile before pointedly looking away. I was going to kill Nina. The whole plan was for me to get my mind off my previous one-night stands by indulging in another. That did
not
seem to be in the cards for tonight. Not at this place. I felt the tickle of warm breath close to my ear.

“What’s a nice girl like you doing in a place like this?”

I forgot to breathe as I whirled around. A huge smile spread across my face. Justin. I pushed away any crazy thoughts of fate. It was a coincidence, nothing more. Still, I didn’t want to analyze exactly why I was so happy to see him. There was the obvious: He was hot. And then there was the not so obvious. That was the part I didn’t want to look at too closely. New Stacy was not interested in anything meaningful. Not that Justin was either, and not that I cared whether or not he was…

My thoughts continued to jumble together as we stared at one another. “I’m here with my,” I paused, “
female
friend.”

Justin smiled. “Well, I’m glad you’re here. I’m embarrassed to admit it, but I actually missed you. I’m usually pretty good at moving on after”—his light blue eyes briefly landed on my lips—“uh, a one-night thing.”

I ignored the familiar tightening in my chest as I returned his smile. “I’m flattered.” And because I’m not the best at leaving well enough alone, I added, “I missed you too.”

Justin’s eyes flickered with surprise. “Really?”

Damn, I’m an idiot. Now to do damage control. I wouldn’t mind having another go round with this man, but that could only happen if I didn’t send him running scared. “Yeah, I mean, I thought it would be nice to get together again, but we didn’t exactly exchange numbers.”