From Vengeance To Forgiveness (Revenge)

Friendship With Benefits

'Stowaway', Montauk

"It's not my nature to jump into bed with a man at the first date."

Jack paused for a moment to kiss her neck and looked at her. "I didn't think that."

"I should go now." She wanted to slip out of the bed, but he held onto her.

"Hey! Have I done anything wrong to cause this?"

He gazed at her with a look that made her wanting to cuddle back into his arms. But that thing with her and Jack had to remain a one-time thing. She was not ready for more. And she clearly got the impression that sex alone was not enough for him. "It was nice. I enjoyed the time with you very much. But now I have to go." She jumped out of bed before he could take hold of her again.

"Wait...!" He also jumped out of bed, quickly grabbed his pants and went towards her. "What's the matter?" He asked, frowning. "I didn't feel that I had to force you to do anything. You wanted it as much as I did."

She reached for her clothes and dressed with trembling hands. "No, you didn't force me." She lowered her head so that she didn't have to look into his eyes. "I wanted it, too. But... it doesn't mean anything. It was just sex."

"Just sex, then..." He stroked his mustache thoughtfully. "Will that be the basis of our relationship now?"

She raised her head and looked at him. A mistake, as she realized immediately, because he had nothing else to wear except for his pants, and she could see the scratches on his upper body and shoulders, which she had inflicted on him with her fingernails. She closed her eyes. "I'm sorry..." She murmured ashamed. "I don't know what came over me."

He took a step towards her. "Nolan told me about your past...," he began reluctantly.

Her head jerked up and she looked at him with wide eyes. "He didn't have any right to tell you about it!" She said furiously. "I told him in confidence."

"Don't blame him. I forced him to give me an answer until he gave in." He took a deep breath. "I felt something for you, from the moment you stepped over the threshold of my bar," he said. "And even if you behaved in a stand-offish way, I felt that there was a connection between us."

He felt it too, she thought in amazement. "And then you asked Nolan, if I have a boyfriend." That was a statement, not a question.

He nodded. "I just wanted to know what I'm letting myself in for..." He cleared his throat. "...before I made a pass at you."

Involuntarily she had to smile. "This is almost like asking the father for permission before marrying his daughter."

"Well, not quite like that." He had to laugh at her comparison. "I wouldn't have seduced you if you had a boyfriend."

"Hey, I've seduced you," she corrected smiling.

"I didn't mean in bed." He smirked at her mischievously. "I was referring to the date on the beach."

"So you were actually planning to seduce me there?" She asked, raising her eyebrows.

He took another step towards her and put his hand in her neck. "I just wanted to know if you feel the same way. And when you returned my kiss, I knew."

She leaned her forehead against his. "I don't want to hurt you," she said softly. "You mean too much to me. But more than sex..." She took a deep breath. "...I can't give you more than that at the moment. I'm not ready for a serious relationship."

He nodded and raised his head to look at her. "I can't say I'm happy about it, but you should know I won't rush you," he said sincerely. "I don't know how I would react if my wife had betrayed me the way your fiance did."

She lowered her head and reached for his hands. "You're very different from him," she said softly. "At first I wanted to stay away from you because you reminded me so much of him. But I realized soon enough that you were nothing like him."

"So we're something like friends with benefits?"

She shrugged. "Yes, something like that."

"All right. After we had clarified this now," he began hesitantly. "Would you like to stay with me for a little longer?"

She nodded. After she had undressed herself and slipped back into bed, she thought about how to proceed in their relationship now that she decided to make it all about physical pleasures. Her brooding was interrupted as Jack pulled her closer and sealed her lips with a kiss.