Between Friends (Friends with Benefits) by Vristen Pierce Page A

Not so much anymore. I basked in that realization as I waited for his answer. It was liberating to know that, no matter what he said, I would be just fine.
    I heard him take a deep breath. “I miss you. Look, I know I was an asshole, but I only pushed you away because I was getting… a little scared.”
    I frowned. “Scared?”
    “We’d talked about moving in together; the next logical step would have been marriage. I knew you wanted that, but I wasn’t sure I was ready. These past few months have been hell, though. I was so certain I wanted my freedom, I needed it. But now… I just want you.”
    I was loath to admit it, but his words got to me on some level. It was nice to have an apology; it was nice to know he’d realized his mistake. It just seemed too little, too late. I’d always fantasized about taking great pleasure in rejecting him once he came crawling back, but I took no pleasure in the act now that it was upon me.
    “Nathan…”
    “Everything we talked about, Stacy, we could have. The house, the kids, the rest of our lives spent together.”
    My eyes slid closed as my heart clenched. That
was
what I wanted. I didn’t want to have flings forever. And if I were being totally honest with myself, what I was doing now was crazy. I was playing Russian roulette with my heart. Really, what did I expect to happen with Justin and Evan? How far would our arrangement take us? A few more months maybe, if that?
    Still, I forced myself to say, “It’s too late, Nathan. I’m sorry.”
    “How is it too late?” Confusion and disappointment rang clear in his voice.
    “I’m dating again.”
    “Who is he?” he asked without missing a beat.
    “They.” I may as well lay it all on the line.
    “
They?
There’s more than one guy?” I heard a soft groan and I could picture him rolling his eyes as he so often did. “Fine, who are they?”
    I shrugged. “Just a couple of guys I met a while back.”
    “It doesn’t matter,” he said unequivocally. “They’re not willing to offer you what I am.”
    I wanted to laugh. His smugness hadn’t been dampened by his so-called heartbreak over losing me. “And what’s that, Nathan?” I asked wearily.
    “Simple: everything.”
    That wiped the smirk off my face.
Everything.
The marriage, the kids… It could all be mine. But only if I did the last thing I wanted to do.
    I had to let Evan and Justin go for good.

Chapter Sixteen
    Nina pouted for the millionth time as I packed. “I can’t believe you’re leaving me here alone.”
    “You have the most active social life of anyone I know, you nut.” I laughed. “You’ll be fine. Besides, it’s only three months, and that’s
if
they even decide to go with Innovative Images.”
    Nina waved my comment away. “Please, they’ll go with them. Your presentation is gonna blow them away, girl.”
    I gave her a quick hug. “Thanks.” We stared at each other for a few seconds and I felt my eyes sting. “Three months, tops.”
    Nina fanned her own eyes. “Three months,” she said. She looked at Doodle, who was sleeping peacefully on a small pile of my underwear. “What are you gonna do with Doodle? Is your sis keeping him?”
    I scoffed. “I don’t trust Tessa to take care of herself, let alone my dog. Nope, my baby’s coming with me.”
    “Seriously?”
    “Seriously.”
    “They just let folks bring their pets to London?”
    “Actually, no, I’ll have to fly into France and then catch a ferry or maybe drive if I’m feeling really adventurous.” I saw Nina’s confused look. “You can’t fly with your dog in the cabin when you’re flying into London for some reason. Anyway, he ain’t cargo, that’s all there is to it.”
    Nina looked at me a moment before laughing. “Yeah, you need a kid, all right, because this dog is entirely too damned spoiled.”
    We laughed and talked some more until the day gave way to night. Nina was reluctant to leave and I knew why; I was reluctant to let her go for the same