Crossing Paths

Chapter 16: No-Strings-Attached

“So basically you want to fuck me whenever you feel like it and not be committed to me in any other way?”  Jade defined, eyes wide with disbelief.

“No,” Sedric quickly interrupted, shaking his head. “I want us to be friends, hang out, but also have a sexual relationship. I’ll promise for as long as our agreement lasts, I’ll stay faithful to you and only you – whether you believe it or not.”

Jade shook her head. Sedric proved a long time ago that staying faithful wasn’t exactly his forte. Still, his proposition didn’t sound all that bad. She admitted the pull between them was too strong to ignore. Some fun before she went looking for her ‘Mister Perfect’ wouldn’t hurt. That didn’t mean she didn’t want to add a few terms of her own.

“I won’t be a booty call. You’ll have to wine and dine me if you want to get lucky. You only date me and don’t tell anyone about our agreement. If I don’t feel like hanging out with you, you’ll have to accept that. I’ll only agree to this if it actually benefits me. I’m looking for a decent guy that I can trust and build a family with, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to have fun in the meantime. The moment I meet the person I’m looking for, our agreement ends and is never spoken of again.”

To Jade, her terms didn’t sound exorbitant. If Sedric wanted sex he’d have to work for it. She wasn’t planning on letting him visit her a few times a week to have sex and then leave. Jade was not that kind of girl, not even close.

“You want to start a family?” Sedric asked, frowning. His question surprised Jade. She didn’t think he’d be interested in what she wanted.

“I do. During our stay on the island, I realized I wasn’t living the kind of life I always dreamed of. I’ve always wanted to marry and have kids. I just haven’t met the right person yet,” she admitted. There had only been one person she ever considered as the father of her children and he hurt her deeply with his betrayal.

Sedric nodded, a flash of emotion going through his eyes. Jade tried to decipher what it was, but it was gone before she could try. “I agree to your terms. We’ll go out together and see where this takes us. If either of us wants to end it, it ends and we won’t speak of it again.”

“Sounds good,” Jade consented. Their agreement gave her some peace of mind, yet, she still wasn’t sure she was making the right choice. Sedric could hurt her, whether they were in a real relationship or not. Sadly, she didn’t think she could let him go just yet. Her heart and mind were fighting an endless battling when it came to Sedric Miller.

“You’re being far more understanding and tolerant than I expected. I thought for sure you’d try to castrate me for proposing this,” Sedric confessed, slowly pushing her against the nearest wall, trapping her with in his arms. Jade gasped softly as she hit the rough surface of the wall, her sapphire orbs dilated.

“I’m not as naïve as I used to be, Sed. I know these kind of relationships exist and don’t feel like I’m too good to try one myself. What Tyler and I did wasn’t much different,” Jade retorted.

“It sure was different, buttercup,” Sedric argued. “Tyler was never meant to stay around for much longer than a few weeks tops. I’m planning on making sure you don’t get bored that easily.” Jade bit her bottom lip to retain a moan as Sedric pushed his hips against hers and rubbed his growing erection against her sensitive button through several layers of fabric.

“You don’t know that for sure. Who knows, maybe I’ll get bored of you within a few days,” Jade objected, taunting Sedric. Like that would ever happen. They both knew she wouldn’t grow bored of him that easily.

“Buttercup, you’ll never get bored when I’m around,” he stated, his eyes holding a clear promise before he closed the remaining distance between their mouths. Jade’s eyelids fluttered closed the moment his lips connected with hers, a fire building in the pit of her stomach. Her posture relaxed as she melted in his arms, the throaty moan she had been holding back finally leaving her lips. He felt so damn good. How she could forget about the heavenly feelings he arose inside of her, she did not know.