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“I’ll have you know, that was more like fifteen minutes,” she said primly. “I listened to the first five songs of the Hamilton soundtrack. I might just have to mark you tardy, young man.”
Some of the stress he’d accumulated while inside disappeared at her teasing. She was so cute. Sweet. Why the hell did things have to be so complicated? Why, out of everyone on the planet, did she have to be James’s ex?
“Nice. Careful, you’re just getting me a little hot for teacher.” He teased her, not about to tell her about his run-in with James. “How about you connect your phone to the car and start that soundtrack over? I love me some Hamilton.”
“You do?” Her eyes brightened. “Just another reason I like you.”
The air locked in his chest and his hands tightened around the steering wheel.
“As a friend,” she added quickly. “With, um, the benefits, as they say.”
She always had that clarification. His gut twisted a bit and the breath he’d been holding escaped silently and slowly.
Friends with benefits was going to have to be enough. It had to be, because that’s all it could be.
Never before had he let himself get into a FWB situation. It was messy. Complex. And risked screwing up a friendship because no matter that emotions were supposed to be kept out of it, it seemed one party always developed feelings.
Not that it was an issue with Hannah. His lips twisted into a humorless smile. He’d already had the feelings going in.
Fortunately, she just saw them as friends.
Friends who got quite a bit friendly with each other, but whatever, right?
He tapped the wheel to the rhythm of the music, humming along on the drive. After they finished singing along to the first song on the album, “Alexander Hamilton,” she glanced his way.
“Did you see him? James?”
He gave a small dip of his head in acknowledgment. “Yeah, he was just coming in from a run.”
“Oh. Do you think he walked past me while I was in the car?”
Had he? Eric frowned.
“I’m not sure. I don’t think so. If he did, he sure didn’t act like he saw you.”
“Ah,” was her entire reply, before glancing out the window.
But he did say he really wants you back.
No way in hell would he utter those words aloud, though. Not just because she didn’t return James’s sentiment, but because it was just another nail in Eric’s coffin of guilt.
By the time they stepped foot back in her apartment, it was close to nine thirty.
He closed the front door behind him, glancing around at her clean and freshly scented apartment. It swelled inside him—the realization of what he would be doing this week. Living with her. Protecting her. Making love to her.
His chest expanded with the deep breath he drew in, and the air in his lungs locked at the thought of it all. Especially that last image.
Hannah hung her purse over the edge of a chair and walked toward him.
“I’m sorry you’ve gotten so wrapped up in my life and drama lately.” Her words were soft, her gaze grateful. “You’re really one of the good guys.”
Was he?He sure didn’t feel like one right now.
She wrapped her arms around his neck and eased her body against his before placing a soft kiss against his mouth.
“I can’t thank you enough, Eric.” She brushed her lips over his in another kiss.
The shame inside him faded into a hot, throbbing need. One he was pretty sure she could feel growing against her belly.
Her swift inhalation confirmed it. “You grabbed those condoms, right?”
