Enemies with Benefits

Chapter Nine

"Can I ask you something?" I tipped my wine back, leaning into the soft cushions of the couch.

David strode back into the living room from the kitchen, a glass of Bordeaux in his own hand. "Of course. What is it?"

"Why didn't you ask more about me and...yeah."

"You and the dean?" When I nodded and took another sip of my drink, he shrugged and continued. "It's not my business what you do or who you see. Obviously, it would've been nice to not have heard that I'm not the only person you're seeing right now, but I'll take what I can get."

I sighed, setting my glass down on the dark coffee table. "David, I—"

"No, really. It isn't my business. If this continues and we're exclusive, then it's my business. I get it, Rachel. And I'm not some possessive asshole that'll tell you to stay away from him this early on. Especially when this is our first date."

Was it wrong for me to be a little disappointed? Probably. But I couldn't help it. Growing up with shitty parents and even shittier guardians made it easy to fall under the spell of another possessing me. Not in the sense of ownership per se, but in that overly protective, no-one-will-touch-you-except-me way. Leah always acted like it was a stupid way to love and be loved, but it was my way.

Live a life being turned away by everyone supposed to love you and then tell me you wouldn't desire it too.

With a quick nod and a smile, I pulled my legs up onto the couch and huddled into the cushion. "What kind of movies you got?"

He grinned widely back at me, then ran like an excited toddler to the shelving in the opposing corner. It was almost disheartening to watch, not that he wasn't adorable. But he was almost too good. And I was going to ruin him.

_

"That doesn't look comfortable," David winced, staring wide-eyed at the tv where the characters of the movie I'd never heard of were going at it like rabbits. "Seriously, how is her leg up like that? That wouldn't even be a Charlie horse. That's a full-blown Charles horse."

I sputtered a laugh against the wine I'd tried to sip. Choking on my inhalation, I started pounding on my chest and shook my head to turn from the chuckles and wide grin he'd turned to me. He lifted my legs to rest on his lap, though the whorish side of me hoped he was lifting them to act out the movie. Whether in a teasing sense or all seriousness, it could've turned hot—and knowing it was something Caleb would've done had my insides turning in heat, as well as anger that he was even on my mind.

David's hands stroked up my calves, rubbing up and down in a comforting sway. I smiled at him when he glanced at me, but I couldn't shake the nagging voice in the back of my head, reminding me of the lacking sexual tension I felt growing for the man. Rather, I sat happily beside him, entirely content to be in his presence with absolutely no desire to fuck him at all.

Dear god, I've friend-zoned the man before he even got to try, haven't I?

I chewed on my lip, frowning at myself before I took an unreasonably large sip of wine, subsequently finishing it off. Clearing my throat, I half jumped to my feet, jerking them from his lap in the process. I shuffled around the coffee table and glanced back to David.

"Want a refill while I'm up?"

"Hm?" He glanced at his own glass and shifted forward, finishing it and moving to stand beside me. With that always-so-energetic attitude, he raised his brows and nodded towards the kitchen. "I can help!"

I laughed to myself. He really was like a Golden Retriever.

Leaning against the small island, I glanced over my shoulder to watch the movie a moment longer with a light smile still curved over my lips. With a change in music onscreen, the movie suddenly grew hot again and I couldn't help the enamor I watched with.