Andrea matched his look and pointed finger.“No,” she replied in the same happy tone before returning her face to neutral.
Michael’s face fell.“Then why—”
“Did I step away?”she finished for him.“What, you thought just because I don’t want you to kiss me, it means I’m a scared virgin trying to protect her virtue?”she asked, bringing her fisted hands to her chest and shaking them like a leaf before dropping them to her sides.“No, far from it.I’ve had legions of lovers.You’d just be one of many.I’m just not attracted to you.”A bigger lie would have choked her.
“Not even a little?”he pouted, holding up his finger and thumb an inch apart.
“Not even an iota.”
“How about we become friends then?”
“Are you still on that?”That always seemed to be his fall back when she didn’t succumb to his sexual advances, offering to be her friend.
“Why do you find it so hard to believe I want to be your friend?”he inquired, cocking his head to the side and giving her puppy dog eyes.
“Because I have a hard time seeing you being friends of women you don’t sleep with.”
“I have four actually.”He crossed his arms over his chest, looking defiant.
“Wow, four whole women you haven’t slept with and are friends with, what an achievement.”Did he want a cookie or something for such a feat?Please; the only reason was probably because they were married or something and off the market.
“You seem to have some kind of horrible image of me.”He looked bemused instead of offended.
“You don’t make it easy to think otherwise, always flirting with everyone and trying to kiss them.”
“I only flirt with the women I like.”
“Well, aren’t I special.”Her voice oozed with sarcasm.
“I think we’d be really good friends,” Michael said as if he hadn’t heard her.
“You do know friends don’t try to kiss each other.”
“Pity, think how much closer friendships would be.”
Andrea shook her head, though she couldn’t say it was in disgust.It wouldn’t be a hardship to kiss this man, but kissing would lead to feelings and that was the last thing she wanted.“Or ruin them.”
“I’ve seen plenty of people kiss who aren’t in relationships.They do more than kiss, in fact.”
“Those are friends with benefits, and the answer is no,” she cut him off when he opened his mouth because she had no doubt he was going to suggest it.
“Why not?”He planted his fists on his hips, looking offended.
Andrea couldn’t believe she was having this conversation.“Are you seriously asking me why we can’t be friends with benefits?”
“Yes, you’re a woman.I’m a man.We’re mildly attracted to each other.It’s no strings attached.I don’t see the problem unless you’re not into men.You are, aren’t you?”He looked at her hopefully.
“And if I said no?”Not giving him a ready answer.
“I’d make it my goal to convince you to come back to the other side.”
Andrea couldn’t help but laugh at that.This man did have a pretty high opinion of himself.“You have an answer for everything, don’t you?”
“Not everything, but I feel if you gave me the chance, we could get close.”
That sobered her up.“I’m not interested in getting close.”
“With anyone or just me?”
