Just Friends

by Jennifer Sucevic

  I nod, still feeling as if I’m straddling the line between reality and fantasy. I’d come to this party with a plan in mind. Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined that Reed would be the one to fulfill it.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Emerson

  I drop off an order of burgers and fries at table fifteen and ask if they need anything else. The couple smiles, reassuring me that they’re fine before quickly digging into their meals. I let them know that I’ll be back in a couple of minutes to check on them.

  Leaving the table, I scan the restaurant, making sure all of my customers are taken care of. I notice a few need refills of coffee, so I grab the pot from the counter and top off a couple of mugs before replacing the carafe.

  “How’s it going, kid?” Hank asks from the kitchen where he’s manning the grill. His dark eyes meet mine from the other side of the pass-through where the plates are set when he’s finished preparing orders.

  “It’s good.” I smile and lean against the counter so I have a better view of the kitchen. “How about you?”

  He gives me a nod and continues flipping burgers before pulling a wire basket from hot oil and checking the fries. Seeing that they’re golden brown, he gives them a quick shake and sets the basket of thinly sliced shoestring potatoes on the rack to cool.

  “Oh, can’t complain,” he says with a slow drawl.

  Hank is a man of few words, but that’s all right because Stella makes up for it in the communication department. I’ve heard rumors that he’s a former marine or something like that. He doesn’t talk about it, but I believe it. He’s probably in his late sixties and in great shape.

  I glance at Hank’s wife, who is working the register.

  Even though I’m excited to graduate and move on in the spring, I’m going to miss the diner. This has been the perfect job for me while I’ve been in school. Hank and Stella are like family. Stella has mentioned several times that she’d like to hand over the accounting books once I graduate, but I have no idea where I’ll end up and if that will be feasible. The thought of not seeing them on almost a daily basis makes me sad.

  Next year will be full of changes.

  The bell over the door chimes and I push those depressing thoughts from my head as I turn, ready to seat another customer. There’s been a steady flow of people throughout the afternoon which makes the time pass quickly.

  A jolt of electricity zips through my body as my eyes lock on blue-green ones.

  Reed.

  I wasn’t expecting to see him today.

  After the intimacy we shared last night, I’m not sure if I’m ready to talk to him yet. I haven’t wrapped my head around what happened. I might have been buzzed from the alcohol, but it wasn’t nearly enough to dull the memories of his hands skating over my body.

  Or how hard I came.

  I may be sexually inexperienced, but it’s not like I haven’t masturbated. After I drunkenly confided to Brinley freshman year that I was still a virgin, she gifted me with a vibrator for my nineteenth birthday. Even though I’ve put it to good use, the orgasms I’ve experienced with my little rabbit are nothing compared to the havoc Reed wreaked on my body.

  And he was just using his fingers…

  We stare at each other for a beat as everyone else in the restaurant fades to the background. Reed breaks the moment when he lifts his hand in tentative greeting. He looks as uncertain as I feel. Which is odd. Reed is always so self-assured and confident. He can have any girl he wants on this campus.

  And he has.

  But our relationship has never been like that. The sexual tension that now sparks between us is new and strange.

  I suck in a breath and hoist a smile, wanting to appear as normal as possible. Inside, I’m a chaotic mess. When he steps toward me, I force myself to move in his direction until we meet somewhere in the middle. There is so much that needs to be said, but neither of us seem willing to break the growing silence.

  Nervously I lock my hands together in front of me as Reed shoves his into the pockets of his shorts. His eyes search mine as if picking through my innermost thoughts. It’s never bothered me before, but now I find it disconcerting. I’m no longer sure if I want him slipping so easily inside my head.

  Just when it starts to feel oppressive, he clears his throat. “Hey.”

  “Hi.”

  It’s never been like this between us. Discussions usually come fast and furious. Maybe Reed was right. Maybe messing around has already damaged our friendship. Unwilling to let that happen, I wrack my brain for a conversation starter. Something that will save us from sliding any further into this abyss, but he beats me to the punch.

  “Is everything good?” His gaze bounces from mine to something over my shoulder before sliding to my face again.

  Curious, I glance behind me only to find Stella watching us like a hawk. I give her a thin smile before turning to Reed.

  “Yeah, it’s fine.” Any other time, I wouldn’t bother asking why he’s here, but after last night, his sudden appearance holds meaning. “What’s going on?”

  “I know you’re in the middle of your shift, but can we talk for a couple of minutes?”

  “Ummm...” my voice trails off as I glance around the room. “I don’t know—”

  “Of course, she can,” Stella pipes up from across the restaurant. Several customers glance in our direction.

  Reed jerks his head toward the back booth we usually grab when he stops in. His hand goes to the small of my back as we move in that direction. I’m intensely aware of his wide palm resting against me, singeing my flesh through the polyester of my uniform.

  As soon as the pressure of his touch disappears, air rushes from my lungs. Silently we slide into the booth across from one another. Nerves skitter across my skin as anxiety threads its way through me.

  Wait a minute…

  What if he changed his mind?

  That thought induces a fresh bout of panic. I can’t let Reed back out of this. I’m not even sure why he stopped by and already I’m compiling a mental list of reasons as to why he can’t back out.

  “What did you want to discuss?” I blurt, unable to hold back any longer.

  Reed’s gaze drops to his hands as he laces them together on the table.

  A thick shiver of awareness slides through me as I glance at his blunt-tipped fingers. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to look at them the same way again. Images from last night roll through my head. Just thinking about how good it felt when they were stroking over me or the way he buried them inside me is enough to have my core tightening with need. I shift on the leather bench as arousal floods through my system.

  “Em?”

  The deep timbre of his voice snaps me out of my haze.

  I raise my brows. “Hmmm?”

  “I’ll be heading to Chicago next weekend to meet with the Blackhawks.”

  I blink. “Oh.” This was not the conversation I was expecting to have. All of my muscles instantly loosen and I practically melt against the booth in relief.

  That’s exciting news. Reed has been working toward making it to the NHL for years. I couldn’t be prouder of him. But I’m not sure why he stopped by to tell me this when he could have easily shot me a text. It’s also not the first time a team has flown him out for the weekend. Professional hockey has been knocking on Reed’s door for a while now.

  There’s a beat of silence before he drops his voice. “I want you to come with me.”

  Surprise fills me as I settle against the bench. “Really?” This is a first. Reed has always attended these meetings alone.

  “My agent has already booked a hotel downtown. The plan is to leave after our Friday morning classes and stay until Sunday.” There’s an intensity to his gaze as it holds mine steadily. “We’ll have two nights to spend together.”

  My eyes widen as comprehension dawns.

  Ohhhhhhhh!

  His voice turns gruff when I fail to respond. “You still want to, right?”r />
  After last night, I can’t imagine having sex with anyone other than Reed. Everything he made me feel…

  A shiver of longing slides through me.

  “Yes.”

  I hadn’t realized how stiff Reed had become until his shoulders release their tension. “Good. Will it be a problem to get time off next weekend? It’s kind of short notice.”

  I glance at Stella, who isn’t even trying to hide the fact that she’s watching us. As soon as Reed takes off, she’ll pounce on me, wanting answers. As much as I love Stella and Hank, there’s no way I want them to know the real reason I’m accompanying Reed to Chicago.

  “I don’t think it should be an issue,” I murmur, going over everything in my head. Rarely do I ask for time off and when I do, Hank and Stella are great about giving it to me. “I’ll talk to them after my shift tonight.”

  Now that a tentative plan has been set in motion, another heavy silence blankets us.

  Reed clears his throat and my attention snaps back to him.

  “I was thinking about how we can make the situation work.” There’s a pause. “It might be a good idea if we set a few ground rules.”

  “Ground rules?” The idea never occurred to me, but maybe he’s right. Maybe we need something in place to keep our relationship from becoming complicated.

  “Yeah.” He jerks his shoulders. “Neither of us want this to ruin our friendship, right?”

  I nod. Reed is one of the best things in my life. If I honestly thought losing him was a possibility, I wouldn’t go through with this.

  “I think the first rule should be that what happens in Chicago, stays in Chicago.” His look is cautious. “You know what I mean?”

  I turn the words over carefully in my head. “Meaning that our friendship reverts back to a platonic one after we—”

  “Yes.” Relief fills his voice as he waggles a finger between us. “There’s no way we can have a friends-with-benefits situation, Em. It won’t work. Shit like that always gets messy and I’m not willing to risk it. But a one-time, weekend thing should be okay.” He chews his bottom lip thoughtfully before adding, “And the fewer people who know about what we’re going to do, the better.”

  There’s no way I can keep this from my best friend. “Brin—”

  “I know you’ll want to talk to her and that’s fine.”

  A burst of air escapes from my lungs. I can’t believe we’re actually sitting here at Stella’s compiling a list of rules for when we have sex.

  “I’m sure when we return to campus, there will be other people…” his words trail off before he restarts. “I’m sure we’ll both be with other people. And that might be weird, so we should try not to throw it in each other’s faces.”

  The thought of Reed with other women makes me sick to my stomach. And it shouldn’t. He’s been screwing around with other girls the entire time we’ve been friends and it’s never bothered me.

  When I remain silent, he asks carefully, “What do you think?”

  “It all sounds good.” I’m still reeling from the fact that he thought about all this in the first place. That Reed cares enough about our friendship to protect it.

  “Is there anything else you want to add?” he asks.

  “I can’t think of anything off the top of my head.”

  “Good.” Reed huffs out a breath before sliding from the booth. He pauses when I glance up to meet his eyes. “Let me know what happens with Stella and if we need to figure out something else.”

  “I will.” My heartbeat hitches. This is really happening. I’m finally going to have sex.

  With Reed.

  He gives me a curt nod before heading toward the entrance. As soon as he pushes through the door and disappears outside, everything in me collapses and I lay my forehead on the table.

  As I hold my breath and squeeze my eyes tightly closed, I wait for doubt to creep in at the edges, but it doesn’t happen. Instead, a mixture of excitement and anticipation explode in my belly.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Reed

  I spend the week submerged in school, practice, and lifting at the gym. As jammed packed as my days are, Emerson is never far from my mind. All I can think about is getting my hands on her again and exploring every inch of her delectable body.

  Goddamn, but she was so hungry for my touch.

  And the thought of actually sliding inside her tight heat?

  It drives me fucking crazy.

  I almost shake my head at the thought. With everything I have going on, sex should be the last thing on my mind. If my agent knew how preoccupied I was with a girl rather than impressing the hell out of the Blackhawks, he would drop my ass from his client list before I could blink my eyes.

  And I wouldn’t blame him for it either.

  The Blackhawks are one of my top teams and I have a lot riding on this weekend. When it comes down to it, this is a tryout. They want to see how I gel with the team, if I can hold my own on the ice, and how I fit into their schematics. If I blow this chance, they could take a pass on me during the draft.

  Know what the scariest part of all this is?

  If you asked me right now which one was more important—the Blackhawks or Em—it would be Emerson all the way.

  That’s pretty fucked up, right?

  Of course, it is and I damn well know it. My career hangs in the balance and instead of doing everything I can to mentally and physically prepare, I’m more concerned about a chick. And it’s not even a girl I’m going out with.

  It’s a friend.

  My best friend.

  Which is precisely why I need to make this experience perfect for her.

  With all this churning in my brain, I grab a T-shirt from my locker and yank it over my head. Colton is on the bench next to me, pulling on his clothes. Em and I are trying to keep this on the downlow but I need some advice.

  Alex picks up his athletic bag before heading toward the locker room door. “I’ll catch you assholes on the flipside.” That being said, he disappears into the rink.

  Colton shakes his head and grabs his bag before hauling it over his shoulder. “That guy is such a douche.”

  Truer words have never been spoken. “Isn’t that part of his charm?”

  “You might be the only one who thinks so.”

  Trying to play it cool, I glance around to make certain we’re alone. The only sound I hear is the trickle of water as it echoes off the tile in the showers. I’m pretty sure everyone else has already taken off. Most of these guys are in a hurry to get back to the house so they can kickback and chill out for a while.

  Which sounds great, but that’s not even on my radar. The situation with Emerson is fucking with my head in ways I never anticipated. I’m scared shitless of making a mistake with her. Of doing something wrong and turning her off sex for the rest of her life.

  When it comes down to it, this is the first time I’ve been with a girl who matters to me and that’s scary as hell. It’s crossed my mind to put this idea on ice. All I have to do is tell her that my plans for the weekend have changed.

  But then what?

  If I bale, she’ll find another guy to take my place. There are plenty of dudes who would be more than happy to oblige Emerson in her quest to get laid. Hell, she would have lost her virginity Friday night if I hadn’t intervened. It only took one look at the guy dancing with her to realize what kind of dirty thoughts were going through his mind.

  I know this because they were going through mine as well. I get a woody every time I think about her shaking her hips to the music.

  And freaking Brinley won’t help matters either. She’ll be there every step of the way helping Em find someone to take my place. The thought of another guy having sex with Emerson leaves me feeling gut sick. Especially someone who wouldn’t take his time to ensure her experience was a good one.

  But who’s to say I can do that either?

  What do I know about making a first time good?

  Abso-fucki
ng-lutely nothing.

  That thought fills me with anxiety. And I’m not the nervous type. I’m more laidback. Playing hockey in front of ten thousand screaming fans doesn’t faze me. Neither does playing in a televised National Championship game. I don’t stress about meeting with NHL teams.

  But hurting Em?

  That scares the shit out of me.

  “You ready to head out?” Colton asks, breaking into my thoughts.

  “Yeah.” I plow a hand through my hair wondering how to broach the subject. Colton is the only guy I know who will take this conversation seriously. He’s no stranger to relationships.

  When I’m in a tight situation, Colton Hayes is my phone-a-friend.

  Every damn time.

  Who else am I supposed to ask?

  Alex McAvoy?

  I don’t think so.

  When it comes to the opposite sex, Alex doesn’t know his ass from a hole in the ground. Now, if I’m looking for advice on how to repel a woman, he’s the man for the job.

  And the rest of my teammates?

  They’re more interested in nailing as much pussy as possible. And that’s not judgment on my end. It’s not like I wasn’t doing the same thing a few months ago. But that’s not where I am right now. Emerson isn’t just some piece of ass I’m interested in tapping. She’s important. Which makes everything that happens between us important.

  Colton shifts the bag on his shoulder and hikes a brow when I don’t budge from the bench. “Come on, let’s get the hell out of here. I need sustenance.” He pats his belly. “I’m famished.”

  I huff out a breath.

  It’s now or never, right?

  When it comes to Emerson, I’m willing to swallow both my pride and ego. If Colton has a few nuggets of wisdom he can impart, I’m in no position to turn him down. I need all the help I can get.

  “You know I’m leaving on Friday to meet with the Blackhawks.” This is my way of easing into the conversation.