Page 497 of Devil’s Disciples

I mentally laughed at his declaration. He truly was Mister Wishy-Washy.

He liked being around me. It wasn’t much of an admittance, and it surely wasn’t that big of a deal. Hoping there was more to it than that, I pressed on.

“Feeling like what?” I asked.

He fidgeted with his fingernails. “I don’t think I like this friendship thing as much as I thought I was going to.”

He liked being around me, but disliked being friends. My heart sank. I wanted desperately to fix matters but didn’t know what was broken. I hoped he wasn’t going to give me the dreaded it’s not you, it’s me speech. Especially after the two magical kisses we shared.

I started to speak, but hesitated. After a moment, my curiosity got the best of me. “What do you dislike about it?”

“The ‘being friends’ part.”

“Do you want more?” I blurted before I had a chance to stop myself.

He shifted his attention from his cuticles to me. “I think I might.”

A wave of relief washed over me. I’d feared the opposite. His response was food for my relationship’s starving soul. I poked at what was left of my eggs with the tines of my fork. “Like what?”

“What are my options?”

“Normally, I can be pretty accommodating.” I put down my fork and laced my fingers together. “I’d say I’m open to suggestions.”

“I think I want to try—”

“I won’t be used,” I said, not giving him a chance to finish. “I don’t know what you’re getting at, but if it’s a relationship, this is going to be much more than just sex. I had one relationship like that, and I won’t have another.”

A look of confusion washed over him. “What do you mean?”

“You’re talking about a relationship, right?”

“Something along those lines, I guess.”

I wondered if all men were as difficult to understand as he was. It was frustrating to try and read between the lines, and I wasn’t sure if I was following along the right path.

“We’re friends,” I said. “You said you enjoyed being around me, and that you wanted more. The next step would be a relationship.” I raised my brows in wonder. “Is that what you want?”

“Hell, I don’t know. I like being around you but being around you isn’t as easy as I thought it’d be.”

I coughed out a laugh. “What in the heck does that mean?”

“I should just be able to sit here and talk to you. Instead, I’m wrestling with my feelings, fighting to keep my cock from getting hard, and spending a lot of time staring at your tits. I can’t even explain what caused me to kiss you. This shit’s new to me.”

It was new to me as well. Having a man kiss me wasn’t something I was accustomed to. Actually, I couldn’t recall when, or if, Angel had ever kissed me. With Reno, I felt like I was falling for someone for the very first time.

I wanted everything to go perfectly.

“I don’t want to take this step just because you’re confused or horny,” I said. “There’s got to be more to it than that.”

“There is.” He looked up. “You’re cool as fuck to be around, and I don’t like thinking of not being around you. I’d like to explore my options with you.”

“A relationship?” I asked.

“What about that friends with benefits shit that everyone talks about?” he asked. “The best of both worlds?”

Friends with benefits wasn’t the best of both worlds. It was just another way of saying, I want to have sex with you, but I don’t want to be tied to a relationship.

He was far too wishy-washy to talk him into much more. Until Angel killed us both, friends with benefits would have to suffice. “I’d consider it,” I said. “But it’s going to cost you twenty bucks.”