Before I can complete my protest, he rolls us over until I’m sprawled on top of him, chest to chest.The position sends heat shooting through me, and from the way his eyes darken, he feels it, too.
“Already took care of that,” he murmurs, his hands settling on my lower back.“Cleaned you up before we went to sleep.”
The memory surfaces—gentle hands with a warm washcloth, tender in a way that contradicted everything else about the night.I’d been half-asleep, but I remember the care he took.
“Oh.”It comes out breathier than I intended.
He brushes a kiss against my forehead, so soft it makes my chest tighten.“Sleep, Eve.”
I close my eyes, trying to ignore the steady rhythm of his heartbeat beneath my cheek, but my brain won’t shut up, replaying his words from earlier.The casual way he’d suggested we could do this again.
Minutes pass.His breathing evens out, and I think he’s asleep when I finally work up the courage to ask.“Did you mean it?”My voice is barely a whisper.“The whole friends with benefits thing?”
His chest rumbles under my ear.“Enemies with benefits,” he corrects, and I can hear the smile in his voice.“And yes.”
“Why?”I lift my head to look at him, needing to see his face.
His eyes are still closed, but his hands trace lazy patterns on my back that make me shiver.“Because we’re good at this.”He presses to the top of my head, and I can feel the warmth through my hair.“No strings, no complications.Plus, when you get mad at me, you can just take out your anger on me in bed.”There’s a hint of laughter in his voice, and the corner of his lips curled up.
His eyes shoot open, like an idea has just struck him.“What about us pretending to date?”I can’t tell if he’s making a joke, but he looks serious.“I meant it, Eve.The sooner that guy figures out you’re taken, the faster he’ll back off.Even if he wants to mess with you, he won’t be stupid enough to do so if you’ve got a boyfriend around half the time.”
“You do have a point.”
Caleb’s hand maps the length of my back before settling on my hips.“It won’t be hard.We work together, and if you and I are doing this, I’ll be over a lot.”
“By ‘this’ you mean our arrangement?”I lift my brows.
He grins.“Yes.”At the look on my face, he pats my ass.“Oh, come on, Eve.It’s not the worst idea.We’re just enjoying each other.We’re good in bed together.”The casual way he says it should sting, but instead, it’s oddly liberating.No expectations.No complications.Just this raw chemistry that threatens to consume us both.
“It’s not like we get along,” I agree lightly.
“Completely.”His hand slides up to cup the back of my neck, thumb brushing my pulse point.“You drive me absolutely insane.”
“Good.You’re insufferable.”
“Perfect match, then.”He glances at me, and the heat there steals my breath.“So what do you say, Eve?Ready to be enemies with benefits and my fake girlfriend?We’re hitting all the birds with one stone.”
The smart answer is no.The safe answer is no.The answer that won’t complicate my life beyond recognition is definitely no.But as I lie here on top of him, feeling the evidence of what we do to each other pressing against me, smart seems highly overrated.
“I hate that this is a good idea,” I mutter.
His grin is pure sin.“I’ll take that as a yes.”
“Wait.”I press my palms against his chest, feeling the steady thrum of his heart beneath my hands.“If we’re actually doing this, we need ground rules.”
His grin falters slightly.“Rules?”
“Yes, rules.I’m not some college hookup you can charm your way around.”I shift on top of him, trying to ignore the way his hands tighten on my waist when I move.“This is weird enough without making it messier.”
Before I can continue, he cuts me off.“No feelings.”
I roll my eyes so hard I’m surprised they don’t fall out of my head.“You’re the last person I would ever fall in love with, so you don’t need to worry about it.”Something flickers across his face too quickly for me to interpret.
“Good,” I continue.“Now, the team can’t know.I don’t want it spreading in the office.”
“Actually.”His hands slide up my back, fingers tracing the line of my spine.“It might be a good idea if they think we’re dating.It’ll solidify my cover.”
I frown.“How is us dating solidifying?—”
