Sophie
“So I’ve been thinking about Andy’s parents,” I say, launching into the speech I’d been rehearsing since about five minutes after my first-ever two-in-a-row orgasmic experience at four am.
I’ve caught Liam glancing at me more than once over his laptop this morning, trying to be casual, but there’s something different in the air between us—charged but careful, like we’re both trying to figure out what last night means.
“Yeah?” he says from his usual spot on the couch, drinking the latte I made him when I woke up. It’s become our morning routine—I make us lattes because Liam can’t seem to wrap his head around a multi-step coffee process.
“I just usually pour mine out of a pot,” he told me one of the first mornings, when I found him jabbing buttons on the gleaming chrome machine like it had mortally offended him.
As was also our morning routine, Liam had been awake long before I woke up in Cal’s bed. Alone.
He’s in his running gear, his shirt clinging to his chest in a way that makes it hard to look away. But my eyes catch on the rumple of blankets next to him. Had he retreated to the couch? I won’t lie, I hoped I’d wake up with him still there, his body wrapped around mine–or with his head between my legs.
Last night was fantastic. Earth-shattering, to put it mildly. I’ve had sex before, plenty, honestly. Everyone in art school seemed to double major in oil paints and casual hookups. But this felt different.
Liam hadn’t been kidding when he said he was a good student. He didn’t justwatchme—he studied me. Learned my body like my pleasure was the whole point, not just a stop on the way to the main event. Within minutes, he figured out things most guys never even tried to notice.
I want that again. I crave more sensations and want to discover new experiences in bed that I am pretty sure only he could provide. I also want to learn all the nuances of his body. He hadn’t taken off his clothes. He didn’t come. We didn’t even kiss on the mouth.
It seems a shame for it to be only a one-night thing.
I shut my laptop and gather my courage. “That Andy’s parents believe that sex and love are two different things.”
Liam chokes on a sip of coffee. “I thought you were going to say how wild it was that Andy never went to traditional school and that her mom’s a contortionist,” Liam replies, wiping the dribble of coffee off his chin.
“I just think Andy made a good point that sex doesn’t have to come with all the relationship baggage,” I hop down from the stool. “If both parties agree.”
Liam’s eyes flash with hesitation, but also something that looks a lot like desire. “I’m not sure I’m following…” he says, but his voice is low.
“We’re going to be stuck in this apartment together for the next few weeks. We’re both single, and frankly, I’d rather stick a needle under my fingernail than get on the dating apps.” I try to keep my voice light, but I have to turn away from the steady intensity of Liam’s gaze, now locked on me, to finish my speech. “We get along, we’re adults, we’re clearly attracted to each other…let’s just…agree to have sex.”
Liam lets out a low grunt behind me—probably meant to sound indignant, but it comes out way too heated for me to backpedal on my proposal.
“Neither of us wants a relationship. This can be another perk of our accidental cohabitation. Like custom-made lattes and salmon bowls. We add on-demand orgasms.”
“Sophie,” he breathes out my name on a laugh, his eyes still locked on me, a curious smile tugging at his lips. We fall quiet, both waiting to see who moves first. My heart pounds behind my ribs, and I silently beg him not to notice how nervous I am beneath all my bravado. Nervous, he might actually say no.
“Okay…” he says, dragging his hand over his mouth. “How would this work?”
Something electric zips under my skin.
“It’s just sex. No one gets attached.” I explain. “But we agree not to sleep with anyone else. I don’t do non-monogamy, even casually. And if one of us meets someone else—”
“We stop.”
“Exactly,” I agree. “And we don’t tell Cal.”
A breath leaves Liam in a heavy rush as he crosses to the window and pushes it open. “Soph,” he says, staring down at the street, “I don’t think this is a good idea.”
“The friends with benefits agreement, or not telling my brother?”
“I can’t keep something like that from Cal. He doesn’t even know you are here, much less that we are both here…together. But at this point, I can still face him without deserving a black eye.”
“So you are going to tell him about last night?”
He grips the back of his neck, but doesn’t answer.
“Oh, Cal, BTW,” I mock. “I gave your little sister the best orgasm of her life…in your bed.”
